Nasser Zefzafi, the imprisoned leader of the “Hirak al-Rif” protest movement, appeared composed as he attended his father’s funeral in Al Hoceima, where he delivered an emotional address emphasizing national unity and his attachment to Morocco.
Zefzafi, who is serving a 20-year prison sentence, spoke briefly from the rooftop of his family’s home to mourners, underscoring that his notion of “the homeland” extends beyond the Rif region to encompass the entire country.
“What I see today warms the heart and is a clear message that we are the sons of this homeland, not only the Rif, but every inch of this land,” he said.
“Whatever our differences, our ideas and opinions, they all serve the interest of the homeland first and foremost. Nothing rises above the homeland.”
He also expressed gratitude to Morocco’s prison administration, singling out the prison chief for facilitating his temporary release to attend the burial.
“I must say for the record that I would not be here today without the efforts of the prison administration,” Zefzafi said, noting the logistical and security challenges involved in his transfer.
Paying tribute to his late father, whom he described as “a man who dedicated his life to the homeland,” Zefzafi declared: “We are ready to give our blood for every inch of this country, its Sahara, its south, its east, north, and west.”
Before the burial at the Cemetery of the Mujahideen, Zefzafi urged mourners to remain orderly, reminding them that “honoring the dead is by burying them,” and thanked the many who came to offer condolences.
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