Moroccan Earthquake Victims Intensify Protests Over Unresolved Issues
National Coordination Plans Demonstration and Calls for Justice After Authorities' Neglect of Victims' Demands.
Watan-The “National Coordination of the Victims of the Al-Houz Earthquake,” which struck Morocco on September 8, 2023, announced its intention to escalate and protest in front of the Parliament in the capital, Rabat, after what it described as the “neglect” of the authorities towards the victims’ demands and the failure to initiate serious dialogue to address unresolved issues.
The coordination said it would resume organizing protest vigils and marches to demand the resolution of the victims’ cases and their compensation, as well as the implementation of the royal instructions issued on September 14, 2023. It called for participation in a protest in front of the Parliament next Monday, starting at 11 AM.
Victims’ Coordination Calls for Justice After Death in Earthquake Tent
The coordination also expressed condolences for the “martyr of the earthquake tents,” who died by burning inside his plastic tent, and called for an investigation into the circumstances of his death. It demanded an end to this “continuous pain” and reiterated its call for the appointment of an independent committee to address the imbalances and manipulations in the files of the affected individuals. Additionally, it reaffirmed the innocence of its detained president, Said Ait Mehdi, and called for justice for him.
The coordination explained that it had expressed its good intentions and “wanted to find appropriate solutions for the victims through opening serious dialogue with the authorities, but it faced neglect,” according to local newspapers’ reports on Friday.This led the coordination to escalate its actions again, as it expressed.
In the same context, the coordination announced its participation in a press conference on Sunday at the headquarters of the Democratic Confederation of Labor in Rabat, organized by the National Body for Solidarity with the detained Said Ait Mehdi and his companions.
Al-Houz Earthquake Devastates Morocco, Killing 2,960 and Affecting Millions
The Al-Houz earthquake resulted in the deaths of 2,960 people, the destruction of dozens of residential buildings and roads, and rescue teams faced difficulties reaching the affected areas, which are located in difficult mountainous terrain. The destruction of roads and their collapse made it impossible for vehicles and even aid to reach the areas.
At the time, the Moroccan government estimated that around 2.8 million people were affected, and 2,939 villages were damaged. At least 59,674 homes collapsed due to the earthquake, with 32% of them being completely destroyed.
The Moroccan government announced a financial and social aid package for the victims amounting to around 8 billion dirhams (approximately $800 million), which included financial grants for rebuilding and rehabilitating the affected homes.
