Hirak Rif

The popular movement in the Rif, commonly known as Hirak Rif or Amussu n Arrif, (Berber: ⴰⵎⵓⵙⵙⵓ ⴰⵖⵔⴼⴰⵏ ⵏ ⴰⵔⵔⵉⴼ, Amussu agherfan n Arrif, Arabic: الحراك الشعبي في الريف‎‎, al-Hirak ash-Shaabi fi Rif) is a protest movement that swept the berber Rif region in Northern Morocco since October 2016, as a result of the death of Mohcine Fikri, the fishmonger who was crushed in a garbage van after local authorities confiscated his merchandise.

The protest movement was met with some repression from the Moroccan riot police with violent clashes between police and protesters in various localities, such as Al Hoceima, Imzouren, Midar, and led to the arrest of more than 150 people, seen by the regime as protagonosits/leaders or media activits in the movement, including the arrest of Nasser Zefzafi, the leading and popular movement figure on 29 May 2017, in a beach near Al Hoceima.

Context

In October 28th, 2016, in the city of Al Hoceima, Mouhcine Fikri, a 31-year-old fish seller, who was crushed to death in a rubbish bin on October 28, 2016 after trying to recover his confiscated merchandise.^[1] This tragical death has led to a set of protests that became regualrly held and included more and more demands. The protests were led by the activist Nasser Zefzafi.

The protests are described as "the largest display of public anger in Morocco since the Arab spring in 2011."^[2]

The demands

The list of demands is the ground of the protests and includes:^[3]

• Release of political prisoners.
• Serious inquiry and trial of those responsible for the death of Mohcine Fikri.
• Construction of regional cancer hospital, university, library, theatre, roads and fish processing facilities.^[2]
• A say in how promised local investment money is spent.^[2]

Protests

The 29 May 2017, Nasser Zefzafi was arrested in Al Hoceima.^[4] Following this arrest came hundred others.^[5] Following these arrests, daily protests began in Al Hoceima, Imzouren and other neighboring cities demanding the release of Zefzafi and the other activists.

King's response

King Mohammed VI only official direct response came in a communiqué read on Sunday 25 June 2017, by the spokesperson of the Palace, Abdelhak El Mrini.^[6] The king's statement was framed as part of a routine council of ministers, which the king presided over the same day. In this statement the king alluded to what he described as "delays" in a project he claims to have launched for the development of Al Hoceima in October 2015, whilst he was in Tétouan.^[6] The king, continued on to blame his ministers for presenting projects before him which do not have realistic expectations and budgets, and added that "he would not allow those ministers to go on vacation this summer".^[6] The king then went on, in what looked like blame directed at the protestors, when he stressed that his "development and social projects should not be politicised".^[6]

The king's first initial response was when he was questioned directly on the issue by French President Emmanuel Macron, who visited him on 14 June.^[7] During the brief press conference held after Macron's arrival, the French President said that he questioned the king in a direct and frank manner about the turbulence in the Rif, and that he sensed in the king's response a "will that goes in the sense of appeasement and not escalation of the situation".^[7] Macron also reported that the king said to him, that "he inaugurated the practice of spending vacations on Al Hoceima", and the king claimed to Macron, that "contrary other countries, people in the Rif were free to protest".^[7]

On 28 June 2017, speaking on behalf of the king, PM Saadeddine Othmani, issued a video statement,^[8] in which he commended the king's directives to conduct development projects in all of Morocco, not just Al Hoceima, while he expressed his regrets regarding the crackdown of El Eid, and regreted the injured amongst the police and population.^[8] In the statement, El Othmani also reported the king's wish for a very strict respect of the conditions of a fair trial of the 150 arrested in the Hirak, while also calling for respect of the law in dealing with claims of torture reported by the Rif detainees.^[8]

Timeline of crackdown

• On Monday 26 June, which coincided with the celebration of Eid el-Fitr, the mroccan security forces (police, gendarmerie and auxiliary forces) launched a vast crackdown in Al Hoceima and the surrounding areas, to disband a planned march in solidarity with the detainees.^[9] The crackdown started early on the day of the feast by surrounding places of prayer, and preventing people from gathering in large numbers for the Eid's prayer.^[10] The gendarmerie and police then completely surrounded and blocked all accesses to the city of Al Hoceima, including patrolling the surrounding hills and mountains and stopping people trying to get to the city on foot.^[9] The moroccan police forces strictly prevented all cars and taxis from entering Al Hoceima, fearing a potential influx of protestors to the city from neighbouring populous areas such as Nador and El Aroui. The violence of the day resulted in the arrest of about 60 people, and a large number of injuries amongst the population, The moroccan official press published various stories that 39 members of police were injured.

See also

• Nasser Zefzafi
• 2011–12 Moroccan protests

References