Squatters take over Al Ghofrane cemetery in Casablanca causing outrage among locals

In the absence of involvement by local elected officials, Casablanca’s Al Ghofrane Cemetery has become a haven for the homeless and squatters with criminal records.

The cemetery is now home to dozens of destitute individuals, migrants from sub-Saharan Africa, and citizens with criminal records who have taken over the area and imposed their own laws.

Trying to send their prayers to their loved ones, visitors are now worried that they will become targets of theft and violence from the new reigning authority over this area.

Once visitors arrive at the Cemetery Al Ghofrane, which translates to “atonement,” they are immediately surrounded by a group of people aggressively panhandling, demanding large payments from them after they have prayed for deceased family members.

This has caused some to fear that they may be attacked, especially since they are armed with white weapons.

The residents of Casablanca are requesting that the Casablanca Collective Council and the local government take steps to protect this cemetery and uphold the sacredness of the deceased so that people can grieve for their loved ones without feeling intimidated or harassed.

The state of the cemeteries in the city of Casablanca has become intolerable, according to Halim Salaheddin, a member of the Moroccan Center for Legal Awareness. He explained that to stop supporting the shameful actions carried out on the grounds of the Cemetery of Forgiveness, all authorities, both elected and local, must step in.

“The President of the Casablanca Community Council, as she is their custodian by the powers granted to her under Law 113.14, is responsible for caring for these graves,” said Salaheddin in a statement to Hespress AR., adding “In addition to the responsibility of the Casablanca Workers’ Council at the social level, which is unfortunately absent from interfering in the core tasks assigned to it.” 

He said that the people were happy to see Mohamed Mhidia take office as governor because one of his main responsibilities is to uphold the cemetery’s holiness as a place that holds special meaning for Moroccans, and they are looking to him to lead at this level.