This controversy comes at a time of strong tension in relations between Algeria and Morocco.
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“The question of an identity of stock does not have to be neither in Morocco, nor elsewhere in the world besides. How could one applaud the election of a Miss Universe Spain of Moroccan origin a few weeks before and withdraw this same right from a Moroccan woman of Algerian origin by her grandmother? “, is indignant Zineb Ibnouzahir, editorialist of the site 360. “Thousands of tweets with the hashtag”Kawtar is not Moroccan“flooded social networks. Immediately elected Miss Universe Morocco, Kawtar Benhalima was the victim of a real campaign of hatred”, notes, for its part, H24 info.
The Reasons Of The Wrath
So what shocked Internet users to the point of launching the hashtag in Arabic (hashtag) “Kawtar is not Moroccan” and put online petitions calling for its boycott? The 22-year-old business administration graduate told a video about her grandmother who fled her country during the Algerian war. “My grandmother moved to Morocco with little means in the company of her siblings. She grew up in a family where she learned to sew. Over time, she used that as a quality to help women in Morocco to build their independence “, said the new Miss.
Immediately, the lynching began. “This video, which went viral on social networks, carried a message of brotherhood between the two Moroccan and Algerian peoples. Unfortunately, the first runner-up of Miss Universe Morocco 2021 was misunderstood or at least, her words were misinterpreted by the Moroccan internet users. Some of them have even gone so far as to set up a petition to demand his dismissal and his replacement by the second runner-up “, Bladi.net is sorry.
Miss Universe Morocco 2021 unfairly attacked on social networks https://t.co/mhV8vrPEey #PushMorocco
– News from Morocco (@PushMaroc) November 17, 2021
Tense context
This controversy comes at a time of strong tension in relations between Algeria and Morocco. “The revelation of her Algerian origins, although distant, has aroused anger among Moroccans. It must be said that this intervention by Miss Morocco comes in a very tense context. The two neighboring countries have been politically opposed for months”, explains Visa-Algeria. Traditionally difficult, relations between Algeria and its western neighbor have suffered a recent deterioration due, in particular, to the thorny issue of Western Sahara. On August 24, Algeria severed diplomatic relations with Morocco after months of heightened tensions.