Figuig locals renew vehement refusal of water management privatization in Rabat

The Figuig movement, sparked by the controversial decision to hand over local water management to regional private company “East for Distribution” formed under the multi-service regional companies’ initiative, took center stage at a seminar held on Thursday at the Lawyers Association headquarters in Rabat.

The locals activists’ stance against the privatization of water management was firmly maintained throughout the event, organized by the Moroccan Coalition of Human Rights Organizations in conjunction with the local coordination advocating for Figuig’s issues.

The seminar resounded with powerful chants, vehemently calling for the release of Mohammed Ibrahim, also known as Mou Vou, who was sentenced to three months in prison and fined one thousand MAD for “insulting a public official, inciting misdemeanors and felonies without effect, and participating in an unauthorized protest.”

‘Mou Vou, a symbol of resistance’:

Moustapha Ibrahimi, Mou Vou’s brother, stated at the seminar that his brother epitomizes the spirit of Figuig, and represents resistance. He stated that “Mou Vou’s detention is clear proof of attempts to silence his influence.”

Justifying their family’s decision not to release a statement upon Mou Vou’s detention yet, Ibrahimi explained that “they regard Mou Vou as the son of all Figuig women, as he embodied the movement with transparency and unwavering honesty.”

He emphasized that “the privatization of water wasn’t the sole catalyst for their protests”, stating that “the city of Figuig has endured various forms of marginalization and systematic neglect of development.”

“Mou Vou, alongside the locals, is not only protesting for the issue of water but also against the several development challenges the city faces,” further highlighted Ibrahimi, emphasizing that “endorsing a water privatization plan would promote emigration among residents.”

The residents of Figuig categorically reject the water privatization:

Ahmed Ashoul, a member of the local coordination, mentioned during the seminar that their presence “was prompted by the urgent necessity to break the three-month-long siege imposed by regional authorities.” He emphasized, “the people of Figuig have been deprived of their constitutional right to consultation and information before any decision regarding the transfer of water service management to a regional company.”

“This is particularly important given that water is a vital resource in the Figuig Oasis,” underscoring that the authorities have to engage with the residents in dialogue to inform them of decisions, said Ashoul.

“No such dialogue occurred. Only after the decision was made and protests broke out did they undertake selective consultations,” pointed out the member of the local coordination.

He went on to say that “the council’s failure to consult the residents, especially on matters vital to their future, such as water, is a violation of their right to participatory democracy.”

Ashoul reiterated that “Figuig residents vehemently oppose this decision. The state should focus on measures to keep locals in their homes, not provoke emigration.”

Legal battle initiated by the opposition:

In response to the change in decision, El Mostafa Yahya, a member of the opposition in the municipal council, announced that they had filed an appeal in the Administrative Court to overturn it, citing numerous violations by the mayor in this incident, taking now a legal turn.

He mentioned that this is an unprecedented event in Figuig. “It’s the first time in Figuig’s history that an appeal has been made to the administrative courts against a decision taken by the majority in the municipal council,” he stated.