Former Moroccan Minister Dies
Driss Basri, Morocco’s former Minister of the Interior was laid to rest last Wednesday following his funeral in Rabat. Mr. Basri, who called Settat his hometown, died in Paris at age 69. His body had been repatriated to Morocco on Tuesday. Cause of death has not been announced, but it is thought he has been ill for some time.
He leaves behind a mixed legacy. Rising to power under King Hassan II, he served as head of Morocco’s security and intelligence forces for twenty years. His system was known as Makhzen with questionable activities. He was King Hassan II’s right hand man from 1970s to the late 1990s.
King Mohammed VI dismissed Mr. Basri in 1999 following his ascension to the throne. Accepting Morocco’s highest honor, the Grand Ribbon of the Arch, Driss Basri, promptly left the country. He moved to Paris, France in a self-imposed exile. He never faced charges for human rights violations against Western Sahara groups and others. Driss Basri died peacefully just before the Moroccan elections.
By: Carole Morris with Journey Beyond Travel
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.