In January 1984, tumultuous mass rebellions, first in Tunisia and then in Morocco, blocked the attempts of the governments of these two countries to apply the policy dictated by the IMF [International Monetary Fund]. The international banking institution had demanded measures whose main effect would be to produce a rapid rise in the price of necessities, that is, to starve the already povertystricken masses, in order to “reduce the budget deficit.”
Although both regimes had the support of the imperialist countries, they were forced to retreat. They withdrew the hated measures, thereby implicitly recognizing the legitimacy of the mass rebellion. But that did not mean that they were not preparing to take their revenge against the movement.
Today, a series of frame-up trials are being staged against political and trade-union activists in both countries, as well as against young people. often teenagers. The charge against these activists and youth is that they joined the majority of their fellow citizens in the streets and rebelled against the symbols of power and wealth. The conditions under which these trials are being held, both in Morocco and Tunisia, are absolutely scandalous, and have been denounced as such by the human-rights organizations and lawyers in the countries concerned.
The sentences that have been handed down reflect the great fear that the rebellions struck into these governments and to their determination to intimidate their peoples. The first verdicts have been as follows:
In Morocco, several dozens have been sentenced to prison terms of up to 15 years. In Tunisia, a so-called democratic country, dozens of people have been sentenced to terms at forced labor from six to thirty years. In particular, 10 young people between the ages of 19 and 22 have been sentenced to death in order to “set an example.”
The Fourth International denounces these judicial farces and vengeful sentences. It calls on all democratic and working-class forces to mobilize in all countries to force the governments of Morocco and Tunisia to retreat once again and release all those who took part in the hunger rebellions.