As reported earlier the US Consulate in Casablanca closed to the public on April 14 following the suicide of a young Moroccan who detonated his belt of explosives in the meridien running the middle of the boulevard in front of the Consulate. The announcement May 3 of indefinite closure to put in place new security measures was a surprise – not to mention an affront to Moroccans who were told to submit their visa papers at US embassies in neighboring countries in Europe, or in Tunisia. One couldn’t imagine what they’d be asking for since the Consulate was already well protected with barriers and barracades and bands of police. As the closure continued I read reports that there was a demand from Washington to close Boulevard Moulay Youssef altogether – ignoring the fact that Morocco’s largest bank has its headquarters next door to the Consulate and there are a number of other large office buildings along the street. One reference cited the demand to create a “Green Zone” in the area of the Consulate. Residents of Casablanca – American, Canadian, Asian and European in addition to Moroccans – reacted to the April 14 event determinatiod to go about their business as usual, and viewed the Consulate’s closure – depending on nationality and circumstance - with bemusement, mystification, anger or embarrassment. Finally, on June 4 a message went out that the Consulate had reopened, no apologies for the inconvenience, just mentioning new internal security regulations for those Moroccans still wanting a visa to the U.S. Later in the day we happened to drive by and I really had to laugh. Lined along the boulevard from where the bank’s property ends, past the Consulate and beyond, stand 12 BLUE DUMPSTERS, weighted down with dirt and patriotically filled with RED AND WHITE geraniums. The street remains open and the dumpsters fill the space of what previously were parking places for Consulate officers. There are police all over the meridien and along the perifery of the dumpsters. They're very, very well protected, but I have to think that whoever came up with this idea has, at least, a sense of humor.
|
