Friends of Morocco summer 2003 http://home.att.net/~morocco Peace Corps to Return to Morocco in September The Peace Corps’ Europe, Mediterranean and visited Morocco and Jordan in June 2003 and met with Asia Region is pleased to announce that Director officials to review the safety and security environment, Gaddi Vasquez has given his authorization to resume political situation and programming requirements full operations of the Peace Corps program in necessary to support future volunteers in Jordan and Morocco and Jordan. The Peace Corps re-entry Morocco. The Peace Corps Morocco staff in Rabat assessment team headed by Country Director Bruce plans to welcome back a new group of Trainees on Cohen in Morocco, and Country Director Darcy Neill September 14 for Morocco and new Trainees for in Jordan, Volunteer Safety and Overseas Security Jordan mid-January. In addition, some of the (VSOS) Coordinator Audrey Shadd, and Peace Corps Volunteers and Trainees evacuated from Morocco in Safety and Security Officer (PCSSO) Bill Colwell April 2003 will resume their service on October 26 May 16 Bombings in Casablanca and the Aftermath homemade explosives stuffed into backpacks and detonated By Tim Resch, FOM President at almost precisely the same time in five locations. Twelve of The Bombing the 15 attackers -- all Moroccan -- died. The bombings that targeted a major downtown hotel, a The May 16 attack in Casablanca, Morocco's largest Jewish community center, a Jewish cemetery and a Spanish city, left 44 people dead (32 victims and 12 bombers) and restaurant shocked this Muslim North African kingdom that about 100 others injured. The suicide bombers used prided itself on the peace that prevailed here despite a bloody Islamic insurgency in neighboring Algeria. Officials also believe that some 50 potential suicide Table of Contents bombers were gearing up for a wave of attacks planned for May 23, a week after the Casablanca bombings, in three popular tourist destinations -- Marrakech and the beach Ash Khabarna? ..............................................................................2 resorts of Agadir and Essaouira. Looking to finance and arm 1980 TEFL Stage Reunion ...........................................................3 themselves, the extremists were believed to be planning Rural Development in Morocco ...................................................5 robberies of banks and arms depots., but a series of sweeps New Books About Morocco ..........................................................6 and arrests in the days following the Casablanca bombings Friends of Morocco Souk ..............................................................9 thwarted the planned follow-up attacks. A Country To Be Proud Of ...........................................................10 A staunch ally of the United States, Morocco was a Muslim Arab American National Museum .............................................12 The Colorful Berber Brothers .....................................................13 country listed as "most eligible for liberation" in a tape You CAN Go Back Again .............................................................14 believed to be from al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden. The Friendship Caravan .....................................................................17 tape, released in February, said any Arab leader who USA—Morocco Free Trade Agreement ......................................18 supported America would be "an apostate whose blood should Growing Poppies .........................................................................19 be spilled". Volunteers Needed .....................................................................27 The blasts came just four days after a series of suicide Our Man in Morocco ...................................................................27 bombings in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, killed 34 people at Ijtimaa 2003 ................................................................................28 three foreigners' housing compounds. Morocco at the Movies #4 .........................................................29 Morocco has been a staunch U.S. ally, but expressed FOM Board of Directors Nominees ............................................30 regret that a peaceful solution could not be found in the Iraq (Continued on page 20) Page 2 Friends of Morocco Ash Khabarna? Editor’s note: I sincerely apologize for development. <[email protected]>. any errors in the last installment of Now that I’m retired, I’ve written a Ash Khabarna. Most of these entries novel about Morocco in the 1880-1910 Sonya Gail Malone—Ouarzazate/Rabat are typed and not cut and pasted, so it period. I’m looking for an agent without 89-91 lives in Pensacola, FL and can was just simple human error. I also success so far and would appreciate any be contacted at <sgm32514@yahoo. suggestions on agencies or publishers com>. rely on the information sent to us by interested in North Africa.” Contact the National Peace Corps Association. Diane at <[email protected]>. Peg Petrzelka Toundoute/M’semrir/ Please check with them and make Tllani 86-88/93-94 is an assistant sure your contact information is Casey Troy—Aït Ahmed 99-01 writes, professor of sociology at Utah State accurate. Clear handwriting also helps. “Spent a few months at home in University. Contact Peg at If you don’t want your personal Massachusetts in Fall 2001, but since <[email protected]>. information to appear in Ash then I have been living in Washington, Khabarna, please indicate this request DC. I am working at the Embassy of Robert Just—Ksar es South 74-76 on your membership renewal. Morocco as assistant to Ambassador Aziz teaches English at Yuba City (CA) High Mekouar. Even got to meet the King last School. Janice Williams/Ahmed Ashad—Ezz year! Hiliga/Asilah 66-68 live in Dudley, MA. I returned to Morocco in June 2002, Peaches Joyal—Tangiers 71-73 works Contact them at <[email protected]>. but did not even have time to go to my for the U.S. E.P.A. and lives in site, so hopefully this year I’ll make it Arlington, VA. Francis X. Cunningham is a retired back. As for non-Maghreb-related foreign service officer living in activities, I traveled to Ireland for field Glen Hurley and Lois Hurley—Rich 91- Arlington , VA. hockey tournament and I’ve fall in love 92 are retired and live in Waverly, IA with DC Gaels hurling team—the greatest where they do volunteer work for Ellen Brown—Taza/Rabat 70-73 is an sport on the planet!” Contact Casey at Heifer Project International and other economist with the EPA in Washington, <[email protected]>. agencies. DC. Contact Ellen at <ellenskb@aol. com>. Diana Howell Is an importer of Moroccan William Besselievre is a retired goods and an artist living in in Pacific engineer/manager living in Cheyenne, W. Russell Pickering specializes in Grove, CA. Contact Diana at WY. Moroccan textiels. Contact Russell at <[email protected]>. <[email protected]>. Barbara Klarmann Summers—Rabat Amy Vastine—Goulmima 98-00 is a 64-65 is the marketing manager of Kate Nesbit Elledge—El Gara/Rabat student at Johns Hopkins University. Crotches Mountain in New Hampshire. 84-86 writes, “Briefly, I got an MSW Contact Amy at <[email protected]>. Contact Barbara at <bksummers@aol. and an M.Div. at the University of com>. Chicago; was ordained to the Episcopal Frank Golino—Tangier 64-65 is an priesthood; served as a school international affairs consultant at the US. Lori Kurtz-Larkin—Rich 84-86 lives in chaplain in Hawaii and then a parish Department of State. Contact Frank at Cave Creek, AZ. Contact Lori at priest in the Midwest; got married and <[email protected]>. <[email protected]>. had Charlie (6) and Mary Rose (3); survived cancer and I’m now trying out Nancy Watson Talbott—Casablanca 75- Gordon Gray—Oued Zem 78-80 is the the role of suburban soccer mom/part- 77 writes, “Mostly I have worked as a Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. time priest.” Contact Kate at teacher and counselor for the past 25+ Embassy in Cairo. <[email protected]>. years. Currently, I am working as a substance abuse counselor the Indiana William Wernik—Safi 78-81 is an Diane Skelly Ponasik—Maazziz 65-67 Department of Corrections. I live in oncology nurse in East Alstead, NH. writes, “I’ve just retired from USAID Santa Claus, Indiana with my husband Contact William at <zathros@sover. which I joined in 1977. During that Terry.” Contact Nancy at <talbotts@psci. net>. time, I worked in Yemen, Mali, Egypt, net>. Haiti and most recently in Macedonia. Nina Hannoun is a studies TESOL at The last ten years I was mostly Georgia K. Asher—Taroudant/Agadir 64- DePaul University in Chicago. Contact involved in democracy and civil society 66 is a real estate broker in New York Nina at <[email protected]>. programs. Before that, I did rural City. Contact Georgia at (Continued on page 9) Friends of Morocco Page 3 1980 TEFL “Stage With a Serious Attitude Problem” Reunion Memories up check email — just like waiting at By Barb Ferris (Youssoufia 80-82) with • contributions from Dan Troyan (Souk Sebt Great music all the time, courtesy of the Rabat P.T.T. to call home, only 80-82), Tom Tolen (Taza 80-82), Ann Steve Secrist faster and in English Bissell Luke (Goulmima 80-83), Mary • Sand • Lots of hair lost and lots of pounds Malloy (Fquih ben Salah 80-82) and Kate • Beer gained since 1982 Trayte (Guercif 80-82) • Laughing so hard the tears are • Bob Hollinger as a father streaming down our cheeks • Bob Hollinger as a mother Carova Memories • Sending photos to those who