(, ''The Work of the People'') was the first francophone newspaper published by the
Moroccan Nationalist Movement
Moroccan may refer to:
* Something or someone from, or related to the country of Morocco
* Moroccan people
* Moroccan Arabic, spoken in Morocco
* Moroccan Jews
See also
* Morocco leather
Morocco leather (also known as Levant, the French Mar ...
in the area under the control of the
French Protectorate in Morocco
The French protectorate in Morocco (french: Protectorat français au Maroc; ar, الحماية الفرنسية في المغرب), also known as French Morocco, was the period of French colonial rule in Morocco between 1912 to 1956. The prote ...
.
As the French authorities would not allow a nationalist publication in Arabic, it was published in French.
Its founder and editor was
Muhammad Ibn al-Hassan al-Wazzaani.
Its first issue was published in
Fes
Fez or Fes (; ar, فاس, fās; zgh, ⴼⵉⵣⴰⵣ, fizaz; french: Fès) is a city in northern inland Morocco and the capital of the Fès-Meknès administrative region. It is the second largest city in Morocco, with a population of 1.11 mi ...
on August 4, 1933, four months before the first
Throne Day, which the newspaper promoted.
It was edited by
Khadija Diouri, wife of the nationalist leader .
History
Muhammad Ibn al-Hassan al-Wazzaani proposed the idea of publishing this newspaper to members of
''az-Zawiya'' (, from ''
zawiya''), the leadership of the
Covert Nationalist Organization ().
Most members—particularly those who were associated with
al-Qarawiyiin University and whom the aristocrats that funded the Moroccan Nationalist Movement held in high esteem—disagreed with the idea, objecting to the use of the French language.
They believed it was necessary to speak to the people in their own language to inform them and mobilize them around the nationalist cause.
Only a minority led by al-Wazzaani, who had studied in French, supported the use of the colonists' language to address the colonial apparatus in its own language, and influence French popular opinion, both in Morocco and in France.
These were inspired by the experience of
''Maghreb'' (1932-1936), a publication associated with
Robert-Jean Longuet and the
SFIO
The French Section of the Workers' International (french: Section française de l'Internationale ouvrière, SFIO) was a political party in France that was founded in 1905 and succeeded in 1969 by the modern-day Socialist Party. The SFIO was found ...
that gave the Moroccan Nationalist Movement a voice in Paris.
al-Wazzaani also had experience helping
Shakib Arslan
Shakib Arslan ( ar, شكيب أرسلان, 25 December 1869 – 9 December 1946) was a Druze prince (amir) in Lebanon who was known as ' (Arabic for "Prince of Eloquence") because in addition to being a politician, he was also an influential writ ...
with the publication of ''
La Nation Arabe
LA most frequently refers to Los Angeles, the second largest city in the United States.
La, LA, or L.A. may also refer to:
Arts and entertainment Music
* La (musical note), or A, the sixth note
* "L.A.", a song by Elliott Smith on ''Figure ...
'', a francophone Pan-Islamist, Pan-Arabist newspaper published in
Geneva
Geneva ( ; french: Genève ) frp, Genèva ; german: link=no, Genf ; it, Ginevra ; rm, Genevra is the List of cities in Switzerland, second-most populous city in Switzerland (after Zürich) and the most populous city of Romandy, the French-speaki ...
.
The newspaper ''l'Action du Peuple'' was banned by the French colonial authorities only months after its first publication. December 1933, al-Wazzaani replaced it temporarily with an alternative called ''Volonté du Peuple'', which published 14 issues. When the court of appeals allowed the return of ''l'Action du Peuple'', al-Wazzaani brought it back.
Among the journalists published in ''l'Action du Peuple'' were
Ahmed Sefrioui
Ahmed Sefrioui ( ar, أحمد صفروي) (January 1, 1915 - February 25, 2004) was a Moroccan novelist and pioneer of Moroccan literature in the French language.
Biography
He was born in Fes, Morocco, Fes in 1915 of Berber people, Berber parent ...
and
Omar Bin Abd al-Jaliil, the latter of whom covered the abuses of colonial agriculture''.
''
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Action du Peuple, L'
Newspapers published in Morocco
Defunct newspapers published in Morocco
French Morocco