Administrative communiques; fallout to this letter

: Written by Amine Hajji; Also available:

French Minister of Foreign Affairs to Mr. Lucien Saint, French Resident General in Rabat, Morocco.

Dispatch No. 2232 December 5, 1929

Request located in the "Observations" column:

"Please provide me information if possible on the authors of the letter to Abdelkrim".

On the "Parts Description" column:

"Copy of a letter dated as of today from the Foreign Affairs Department addressed to the Ministry of the Colonies and to the Embassy of France to London ' as well as a French translation of a letter authored by Abdelkrim Hajji and Saïd Hajji of Salé".

Minister of Foreign Affairs to the Minister of the Colonies

December 5,1929

You have kindly sent to me, under (Dispatch) No.383 of November 25, 1929 an original and a translation in French of an Arabic letter addressed from London to Riffian Chieftan Abdelkrim and a request on behalf of the Governor of Reunion on whether or not it could be sent to the addressee.

By way of thanking you for this interesting communication, I have the honor to return to you herein the documents in question.

It is my estimation that it would be totally importune to put in the hands of Abdelkrim any document of this genre which would naturally lead him to believe that he can still count on resolute Moroccan supporters.

The Foreign Affairs Minister to Mr Urbain Blanc, Deputy at the General Residence of France in Rabat.

With Dispatch No. 2232 of this month, I have sent you a translation of a letter addressed to Abdelkrim by two Moroccans living in London.

I have the honor to address to you herein, for all intent and purposes, a copy of the letter, No. 582 dated December 21, 1929 in which our Ambassador in London provided me with the personal information that I requested from him with respect to the signatories of the letter in question.

The Civil Controller, Head of Municipal Services for Salé to the Chief Civil Controller for the Province of Rabat.

As I return as an attachment here the confidential letter from the head of the Civil Control Service, No 12 C.C.S. dated the 4th of January, I have the honor to provide you below the information requested on the authors of the letter and on their family.

The family of Ahmed Hajji is a well known family in Salé allied with the best families of the city.

Sidi Ahmed Hajji, the father of the young correspondents to Abdelkrim, is approximately 55 years old, his wealth can be estimated to be about one million (Francs) worth of buildings. Prominent among the latter, is an important European style building that houses the old post office of Salé. This edifice provides its owner a monthly income of about 5,000 Francs.

The head of the household normally resides in Salé however, at least once a year he travels to London where he established a business selling Moroccan goods, traditional or new, that is said to be flourishing.

Sidi Ahmed Hajji has five sons:

Abderrahman

The eldest, is about 30 years old, a young Turk. Illiterate in French but well versed in Arabic. Single. Unemployed. Lives with his father.

A restless spirit; always at the forefront of campaigns. Promoted the circulation in Salé of a list of subscription magazines favoring the Moslems in Jerusalem during the recent Palestinian developments.

Often visits with the ex-Vizir of Justice, Bouchaib Doukkali. Has made numerous visits to London to which he has not returned for one year.
Mohammed

About 26 years old, currently resides in London. He is in charge of the business established in this city by his father. He has not appeared in Salé for over a year. Adequately versed in Arabic. Speaks fluently in English and sufficiently in French.
Abdelmajid

About 22 years old. Attended for a period the School for Sons of Notables of Salé, but left this institution to complete his Islamic studies in Nablus, Palestine. Speaks a little French, handicapped, club footed.
Abdelkrim - 19 years old and Saïd - 17 years old.

They are the authors of the letter to Abdelkrim. They attended the School for Sons of Notables of Salé for two months. They speak only a few words in French but speak sufficiently in English.

Having returned from England less than two weeks ago, they began to file for a passport to allow them to rejoin their brother Abdelmajid in Nablus and to also complete their Islamic studies.

The Chief Civil Controller for the Province of Rabat. to the Emmisary of the Ministry (Civil Control Services section) to Rabat.

As a follow up to your letter No. 12 SCC dated January 4, 1930 with regards to a letter addressed to Abdelkrim, I have the honor to transmit the attached copy of a memorandum from Mr. Gabrielli, Head of Salé Municipal Services concerning the identity, family ties and historical records of the brothers Abdelkrim and Said Hajji.

These two young men belong to a well known family of Salé, with family ties with of Pasha Mohammed Sbihi, Aouad Hassar and the Msettes. Salé's Pasha and Ahmed Hajji wed the daughters of Mohammed Msettes, a prominent figure of this city. Mekki Sbihi, the brother of the Pasha, is the husband of Ahmed Hajji's daughter. The two eldest sons of the latter are engaged to two daughters of Aouad.

(Editor's note: The information contained above is partially incorrect. Abderrahman had only visited England once for 18 months. The Pasha did not marry one of Mohammed Msettes' daughters. This was a case of mistaken identity as it was Omar Sbihi, the Pasha's half brother, who is related to the Msettes family. With regards to the marriage plans of the elder brothers, Abderrahman and Mohammed, it was the latter who would marry into the Aouad family while his elder brother would marry two years later one of the daughters of the Qadi of Salé, Abdelkader Touhami.)

Abdelkrim came to the regional office requesting passports so he and his brother, Said, can go to Nablus where they planned to pursue their Arabic studies in a madrasah that was recommended to them while in London. They were in the latter town for about 2 months and were students at "Marbel School."

Abdelkrim Hajji, when asked about the letter addressed to Abdelkrim, stated that it was written under the following circumstances:

"In London, there is a fairly sizable Muslim community consisting mostly of English and Hindu converts, Egyptians and some Moroccans. Upon our arrival at the British capital we were put in touch with a number of well-known Moslems who asked me a number of questions with regards to their interest in the social, political and economic status of our nation. I was especially asked about Abdelkirm and his activities in the Rif. I could not provide much information on this topic as I was not interested in this topic while I was in Morocco. I had observed a strong current of sympathy for Abdelkrim among all the Muslims I encountered in London. I fell under their influence and following the example of what was being done by my fellow Muslims over there, I wrote the letter that you know of. I regret my action and ask forgiveness from the Protectorate Government, for it emanated from an inexperienced youth who acted carelessly and was misled by people he encountered. I dread the wrath of my father and of other members of my family who will not fail to severely reprimand my attitude." (sic)

Abdelkrim is still a young man, but he appears to belong to that category of young activist Moroccans who are at the mercy of all persuasions. To them they view the Islamic orient, as a land that holds all the cards to Islamic science. He is a budding agitator and one to keep an eye on.

Moreover, during the course of our previous meeting, Abdelkrim Hajji told me that he decided to study outside of Morocco because the education his compatriots were receiving at home was lacking. He added that the British government and the Royal Consul of Egypt have promised to do all to help him and his brother Said get settled in Nablus.

I await your instructions with regards to delivering the requested passports.

Signed: Peyssonnel

The Commissioner of the Resident General for the Republic of France in Morocco to the Minister of Foreign Affairs in Paris.

Your Excellency was kind enough to send me a copy of a letter from our Ambassador in London on the matter of two young Moroccans who reside there and were the authors of a letter to Abdelkrim.

I have not failed to seek the affiliation in Morocco of these two young men (and) their family ties with the purpose of determining if their initiative was not a response for some political end.

Due to fortunate circumstances the two young correspondents to Abdelkrim have returned from England. We were able to interrogate them. The attached account by the Chief Controller of Public Order for the Rabat province details the mindless character of an initiative that had, among other impacts, alarmed a Salé family that heretofore was convinced of its loyalty on our behalf!

The incident would have had no bearing if the statements by the young Abdelkrim Hajji had not underlined that their actions involved foreign influence. .

In fact, this young man stated that while in London he found himself in a circle of converted Englishmen, Hindus, Egyptians and Moroccans where the rebel Chieftain of the Rif receives much sympathy.

This gathering's influence drove him in the spirit of imitation as he said to present himself to the exiled Abdelkrim. His younger brother, Said, joined him in this act.

Both have expressed their regrets prompted by the honest desire of their family to have this juvenile episode fogotten, Our interest in this matter would have been settled in a friendly manner without further trouble if Abdelkrim and Said Hajji were resolved to stay in Morocco with their kin. Instead they introduced a request for passports to head to Nablus where they claim they wish to pursue their studies.

This Residence does not think, especially after the mistake they committed, that it would be possible to acquiesce to such a request. Hence the decision has been made to refuse issuing passports. Your Excellency will undoubtedly appreciate that this action is necessary.

The development of our young protégés must be done by us and for us, There is no reason nor interest for us to accept that it be made by others that are against us.