Les pays du Sahel annoncent leur plein soutien au Maroc et saluent l'initiative stratégique « Rabat – Atlantique »    Service militaire 2025 : Début de l'opération de recensement    Crans Montana. L'initiative atlantique Royale est historique et porteuse de paix    Le ministre des Affaires étrangères du Mali : le Maroc, voix de sagesse dans un temps de divisions... et un allié fiable sous la conduite du Roi Mohammed VI    Le Président français se félicite du lancement par S.M. le Roi des travaux de réalisation de la Ligne à Grande Vitesse Kénitra-Marrakech    Maroc Telecom. Près de 80 millions de clients et de nouvelles ambitions    Congrès du PJD. Le casse du siècle    Ligue des Champions CAF : Pyramids FC rejoint Mamelodi Sundowns en finale    Averses orageuses avec grêle locale et rafales de vent, vendredi dans plusieurs provinces du Royaume    2èmes Assises du Féminisme, pour l'égalité économique    Résultats de la 9ème édition du Grand Prix National de la Presse Agricole et Rurale    Mawazine 2025 : Michael Kiwanuka, la soul britannique sous les étoiles de Rabat    Taghazout Bay célèbre l'humour marocain et l'âme d'Edith Piaf    Le Casa Fashion Show souffle sa 20ème bougie    Procédure pénale : L'accès des associations à la Justice oppose Ouahbi à deux instances consultatives ( Décryptage)    LDC.CAF : Aujourd'hui, les demi-finales égypto-sud-africains ''retour''    CAN(f) Futsal Maroc 25 / Ce vendredi, journée off : Le Maroc grand favori !    Championnat africain de football scolaire de la CAF : L'Equipe nationale (f) U15 en demi-finale cet après-midi    PSG : Achraf Hakimi, troisième latéral le plus cher d'Europe    SIAM 2025 : les régions en vitrine, entre ambition agricole et fierté territoriale    L'Inspecteur Général des FAR effectue une visite de travail en Ethiopie    L'Humeur : Démission après chômage    Interview avec Loubna Ghaouti : « Les réalisations des Marocains du Canada manquent de visibilité au Maroc »    Gabon/Présidentielle: la Cour constitutionnelle confirme l'élection de Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema    Rome : Akhannouch représente SM le Roi aux funérailles du Pape François    Le baril continue de dévisser alimenté par les tensions commerciales et les incertitudes    France-Algérie : la tension continue de monter autour des expulsions et des visas    Les patronats marocain et égyptien explorent les moyens de booster les échanges commerciaux    Visa y Maroc Telecom firman una alianza estratégica para los pagos móviles en África    Ex-Raja Casablanca president Mohamed Boudrika extradited to Morocco for bad checks    Settat : Détention du suspect principal dans l'horrible affaire de meurtre à Ben Ahmed    Indignations après les actes de vandalisme au Stade Mohammed V    Banque mondiale : 83 % des entreprises au Maroc opèrent dans le secteur informel    DeepTech Summit : Comment l'IA transforme l'innovation    Algérie... La liberté d'expression à la merci des militaires    SIEL 2025 : Des illustrateurs marocains valorisent le patrimoine de Rabat    Comediablanca : Pour le meilleur et pour le rire    La FRMF choisit un partenaire stratégique pour la gestion de la billetterie    L'ONMT crée trois pôles stratégiques    ONU: Omar Hilale élu président du Comité de haut niveau sur la coopération Sud-Sud    Walid Regragui : Le Maroc offre aux joueurs binationaux un projet de cœur et de conviction    Le Crédit Agricole du Maroc et la société TOURBA s'allient pour promouvoir l'agriculture régénératrice    Effondrement... Trois éléments du "Polisario" fuient et se rendent aux Forces Armées Royales    La Chine dément toute négociation commerciale avec Washington : pas de consultations ni d'accord en vue    Quand le régime algérien fabrique ses propres crises : d'un simple hashtag à un règlement de comptes interne au nom de la souveraineté    Les prévisions du vendredi 25 avril    Mustapha Fahmi amène Cléopâtre et Shakespeare au SIEL 2025    Un chef patissier marocain bat le record Guinness, en réalisant le plus long fraisier du monde    







Merci d'avoir signalé!
Cette image sera automatiquement bloquée après qu'elle soit signalée par plusieurs personnes.



Kidnapped by Raisuni, The Times journalist Walter Harris recalls his forced stay in Zinat
Publié dans Yabiladi le 23 - 05 - 2018

Sent to Morocco with a diplomatic delegation, Walter Harris was one of the several expatriates Jbala leader Ahmed Raisuni kidnapped to challenge the government. In his book 'Morocco that Was', The Times special correspondent narrates his fascinating account when captured by Raisuni's bandits.
In Northern Morocco, Jbala leader Mulai Ahmed Raisuni was of great strength. The mountain chieftain had a huge bandit that opposed the Makhzen and did everything to defend its territory, Zinat. In two previous articles, Yabiladi recalled how Raisuni kidnapped Ion Perdicaris, a Greek American expatriate, and Kaid Maclean, a Scottish general and instructor of the Moroccan army.
Raisuni's first victim however was Walter Burton Harris, an Englishman, journalist and writer who accompanied a diplomatic mission to Morocco in 1887. The Times' special correspondent was held by the Raisuni's men in 1903, an experience that he thoroughly narrates in his book «Morocco That Was» (1921).
Walter Burton Harris by John Lavery.
And just like Ion Perdicaris had openly declared that he did not «regret having been Raisuni's prisoner for some time», Harris also befriended his kidnapper and was generous enough to draw attention to the human side of the brigand.
Meeting Raisuni
The Londoner's story with Mulai Raisuni started way before his abduction. «I was camping on a shooting expedition near Arzeila, he and his men paid a visit and spent and spent the night at my camp», wrote Harris describing his first meeting with Raisuni. At the time, the latter was still tormented by his arrest and imprisonment by Abd-el-Rahman Abd el-Saduk, the Pasha of Tangier, and his cousin and foster brother, a significant incident that made of him a tougher man.
For Harris Raisuni had a fascinating personality, he was «tall, remarkably handsome, with the whitest of skins, a short dark beard and moustache and black eyes with profile Greek rather Semitic».
During their first meeting, Raisuni was hurt, sad and barely smiled. Harris was all ears as the Zinat-native was recalling his painful experience in prison.
Burning Zinat
The two men did not know they would meet again in different circumstances. «On the 16th of June 1903, the Shereefian troops attacked and burnt Zinat», in an attempt to arrest Raisuni, wrote The Times journalist. On the same day, Harris had to visit the village with his groom, whose parents lived there. Anxious about the safety of his stableman's family, the British man had to tour the burnt village where he was trapped by Raisuni's men.
«Flight was impossible, and as I was unarmed, resistance was out of the question», explained the journalist, adding : «From every side sprung out tribesmen and in a second or two I was a prisoner surrounded by thirty or forty men, one and all armed with European rifles».
Walter B. Harris
Nine days in Zinat
Unexpectedly Walter B. Harris received no rough treatment in the hands of the bandits but was kept in Zinat for nine days. Although he was received pleasantly by Raisuni who protected him against the angry tribesmen, Harris endured a considerable amount of hardship when kidnapped by the bandits.
«The room in which I found myself was very dark, light being admitted only by one small window near the roof, and it was some time before my eyes became accustomed to the gloom», he recalled.
Harris stayed nine days in his dark and gloomy room, where he was visited once by Raisuni. Reassuring his prisoner, the bandit told Harris that «his sole desire was to cause the Moorish Government as much trouble and humiliation as possible and he argued that there would be no easier way to do this than by causing death».
Raisuni promised to protect Harris but negotiations were underway to ensure his release. On the 4th of July and after Harris tried his best to put an end to his situation, a large tribal meeting was held to discuss the Englishman's release. The meeting was attended by «the Shereef of Wazzan», who managed to same Harris' life.
«His opportune presence settled my fate and the negotiations were brought to a conclusion… the following day a large contingent of tribesmen, the Shereef and I set out for Tangier», wrote Walter Harris.


Cliquez ici pour lire l'article depuis sa source.