Driss Basri
Encyclopedia
Driss Basri was a Moroccan
politician who served as Interior Minister
from 1979 to 1999. After General Oufkir's death in 1972, and then Ahmed Dlimi
's death in 1983, Driss Basri became Hassan II
's right-hand man and number two of the regime from the beginning of the 1980s to the end of the 1990s. His name has been associated with the Years of Lead
.
Mohammed VI's decision to end his functions in 1999 stirred, for a while, great hopes concerning the democratization of Morocco
. He then exiled himself to Paris, where he died of cancer in 2007.
, Morocco
, Basri began his career as a police officer in Rabat
. At the time of the "disappearance
" of Socialist
opponent Mehdi Ben Barka
in 1965 in Paris, Driss Basri was head of the intelligence agency. Aged 24, he was following in parallel law studies, and graduated in the University of Grenoble
in France. In 1973, he censored Mohamed Choukri
's autobiography, For Bread Alone.
Basri was then appointed as Secretary of state for Interior Affairs in 1974, becoming Ahmed Dlimi
's right-hand man. Basri became the iron fist of Hassan II during the Years of Lead.In 1979, Driss Basri was promoted to the post of Interior Minister in the government of Ahmed Osman
, a post he held in all successive governments until 1999. Beginning in 1985, he held the post of Minister of Information as well. He won the confidence of King Hassan II
, and during his time in office, the Ministry of Interior came to be known as the "mother of all ministries".
He was considered by his detractors as a hindrance to the democratization of Morocco in the 1980s and 1990s. He was accused of creating "administrative" parties to counter the traditional nationalist and popular parties, and of rigging elections in favor of loyalists. Under his term some demonstrations were harshly repressed by police as in 1981 in Casablanca
and 1990 in Fes
.
rose to the throne in 1999, succeeding Hassan II, Basri was at last discharged from his ministerial functions on November 9, 1999. He went to live in Paris
. In March 2004, his Moroccan passport was terminated, leading Basri to become, in effect, an illegal alien
in France. However, he still traveled (to Spain, etc.) and was not disturbed by the French police.
Basri was heard by the judge Patrick Ramaël in May 2006, as a witness, concerning Mehdi Ben Barka
's kidnapping. Basri declared to the magistrate that he had not been linked to the Ben Barka Affair. He added that "it is possible that the King knew. It is legitimate to think that de Gaulle
possessed some information…"
Driss Basri died in Paris on August 27, 2007. He was buried in Rabat
on August 29; current Interior Minister in 2007 Chakib Benmoussa
was the only representative of the government at the funeral.
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
politician who served as Interior Minister
Interior minister
An interior ministry is a government ministry typically responsible for policing, national security, and immigration matters. The ministry is often headed by a minister of the interior or minister of home affairs...
from 1979 to 1999. After General Oufkir's death in 1972, and then Ahmed Dlimi
Ahmed Dlimi
Ahmed Dlimi was a Moroccan General under the rule of Hassan II. After General Mohamed Oufkir's 1972 assassination, he became Hassan II's right-hand man. He was promoted to General during the Green March in 1975, and took charge of the Moroccan Armed Forces in the Southern Zone, where the military...
's death in 1983, Driss Basri became Hassan II
Hassan II of Morocco
King Hassan II l-ḥasan aṯ-ṯānī, dial. el-ḥasan ettâni); July 9, 1929 – July 23, 1999) was King of Morocco from 1961 until his death in 1999...
's right-hand man and number two of the regime from the beginning of the 1980s to the end of the 1990s. His name has been associated with the Years of Lead
Years of Lead (Morocco)
The Years of Lead is the term used especially by former opponents to the rule of King Hassan II of Morocco to describe a period of his rule marked by state violence against dissidents and democracy activists.-Timeframe:...
.
Mohammed VI's decision to end his functions in 1999 stirred, for a while, great hopes concerning the democratization of Morocco
History of Morocco
The History of Morocco spans over 12 centuries, without considering the Classical antiquity. The country was first unified by the Idrisid dynasty in 780, representing the first Islamic state in Africa autonomous from the Arab Empire. Under the Almoravid dynasty and the Almohad dynasty, Morocco...
. He then exiled himself to Paris, where he died of cancer in 2007.
Career
Born in SettatSettat
Settat is a city in Morocco between the national capital Rabat and Marrakech. Settat is located at the heart of the country, south of Casablanca. Settat is the capital of the prefecture of Chaouia-Ouardigha and Settat Province, the oldest and largest city in the province, in both size and population...
, Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
, Basri began his career as a police officer in Rabat
Rabat
Rabat , is the capital and third largest city of the Kingdom of Morocco with a population of approximately 650,000...
. At the time of the "disappearance
Forced disappearance
In international human rights law, a forced disappearance occurs when a person is secretly abducted or imprisoned by a state or political organization or by a third party with the authorization, support, or acquiescence of a state or political organization, followed by a refusal to acknowledge the...
" of Socialist
National Union of Popular Forces
The National Union of Popular Forces was founded in 1959 in Morocco by Mehdi Ben Barka and his entourage, because they found that the Istiqlal Party - which had led the independence struggle - wasn't radical enough.Espousing socialist policies, the party took a strongly critical line towards the...
opponent Mehdi Ben Barka
Mehdi Ben Barka
Mehdi Ben Barka was a Moroccan politician, head of the left-wing National Union of Popular Forces and secretary of the Tricontinental Conference...
in 1965 in Paris, Driss Basri was head of the intelligence agency. Aged 24, he was following in parallel law studies, and graduated in the University of Grenoble
University of Grenoble
University of Grenoble or Grenoble University was a university in Grenoble, France until 1970, when it was split into several different institutions:...
in France. In 1973, he censored Mohamed Choukri
Mohamed Choukri
Mohamed Choukri , born on July 15, 1935 and died on November 15, 2003, was a Moroccan author and novelist who is best known for his internationally acclaimed autobiography For Bread Alone , which was described by the American playwright Tennessee Williams as 'A true document of human desperation,...
's autobiography, For Bread Alone.
Basri was then appointed as Secretary of state for Interior Affairs in 1974, becoming Ahmed Dlimi
Ahmed Dlimi
Ahmed Dlimi was a Moroccan General under the rule of Hassan II. After General Mohamed Oufkir's 1972 assassination, he became Hassan II's right-hand man. He was promoted to General during the Green March in 1975, and took charge of the Moroccan Armed Forces in the Southern Zone, where the military...
's right-hand man. Basri became the iron fist of Hassan II during the Years of Lead.In 1979, Driss Basri was promoted to the post of Interior Minister in the government of Ahmed Osman
Ahmed Osman
Ahmed Osman is an Egyptian-born author. He has put forward a number of theories, some revisionist in nature, about Ancient Egypt and the origins of Judaism and Christianity.-Biography:...
, a post he held in all successive governments until 1999. Beginning in 1985, he held the post of Minister of Information as well. He won the confidence of King Hassan II
Hassan II of Morocco
King Hassan II l-ḥasan aṯ-ṯānī, dial. el-ḥasan ettâni); July 9, 1929 – July 23, 1999) was King of Morocco from 1961 until his death in 1999...
, and during his time in office, the Ministry of Interior came to be known as the "mother of all ministries".
He was considered by his detractors as a hindrance to the democratization of Morocco in the 1980s and 1990s. He was accused of creating "administrative" parties to counter the traditional nationalist and popular parties, and of rigging elections in favor of loyalists. Under his term some demonstrations were harshly repressed by police as in 1981 in Casablanca
Casablanca
Casablanca is a city in western Morocco, located on the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital of the Grand Casablanca region.Casablanca is Morocco's largest city as well as its chief port. It is also the biggest city in the Maghreb. The 2004 census recorded a population of 2,949,805 in the prefecture...
and 1990 in Fes
Fes
Fes or Fez is the second largest city of Morocco, after Casablanca, with a population of approximately 1 million . It is the capital of the Fès-Boulemane region....
.
Exile and death
Three months after King Mohammed VIMohammed VI of Morocco
Mohammed VI is the present King of Morocco and Amir al-Mu'minin . He ascended to the throne on 23 July 1999 upon the death of his father.-Education:...
rose to the throne in 1999, succeeding Hassan II, Basri was at last discharged from his ministerial functions on November 9, 1999. He went to live in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. In March 2004, his Moroccan passport was terminated, leading Basri to become, in effect, an illegal alien
Alien (law)
In law, an alien is a person in a country who is not a citizen of that country.-Categorization:Types of "alien" persons are:*An alien who is legally permitted to remain in a country which is foreign to him or her. On specified terms, this kind of alien may be called a legal alien of that country...
in France. However, he still traveled (to Spain, etc.) and was not disturbed by the French police.
Basri was heard by the judge Patrick Ramaël in May 2006, as a witness, concerning Mehdi Ben Barka
Mehdi Ben Barka
Mehdi Ben Barka was a Moroccan politician, head of the left-wing National Union of Popular Forces and secretary of the Tricontinental Conference...
's kidnapping. Basri declared to the magistrate that he had not been linked to the Ben Barka Affair. He added that "it is possible that the King knew. It is legitimate to think that de Gaulle
Charles de Gaulle
Charles André Joseph Marie de Gaulle was a French general and statesman who led the Free French Forces during World War II. He later founded the French Fifth Republic in 1958 and served as its first President from 1959 to 1969....
possessed some information…"
Driss Basri died in Paris on August 27, 2007. He was buried in Rabat
Rabat
Rabat , is the capital and third largest city of the Kingdom of Morocco with a population of approximately 650,000...
on August 29; current Interior Minister in 2007 Chakib Benmoussa
Chakib Benmoussa
Chakib Benmoussa is a former Interior Minister of Morocco and the lead negotiator for the Moroccan side in the Western Sahara conflict.-Education:Benmoussa was born in Fes...
was the only representative of the government at the funeral.