Amazigh organizations plan to turn to the United Nations over latest census controversy 

Sources within Amazigh activist circles have disclosed that consultations are underway to submit a report on Morocco’s latest census to the United Nations.

 The report will highlight how the census ignored “UN recommendations related to Morocco’s mother tongue” and “violated international standards for field surveys.” 

Among the key violations cited is the “random and suspicious distribution of a long-form questionnaire,” which includes questions about citizens’ mother tongue. Activists argue that many urban Amazigh residents were excluded from receiving this form, leading to what they describe as “a blatant misrepresentation of the linguistic reality of Moroccans.”

In addition to the UN, copies of the report will be sent to the European Union and the World Bank to shed light on the data’s inaccuracies. 

Criticism from Amazigh activists began shortly after the census announcement, condemning what they consider “a clear war on a constitutional language under Chapter V of the 2011 Constitution.” Activists called out the classification of Darija speakers as Arabic speakers and questioned how entirely Amazigh-speaking families, who migrated to urban centers for work, could be classified as Arab.

Sources also noted that since 2004, the High Commission for Planning’s (HCP) statistics have labeled the Amazigh as a minority, a “misrepresentation” that this report aims to expose.

The upcoming report will further address the popular “Speak Your Language” campaign, which has garnered widespread public support, with sources underscoring that “Amazigh solidarity is stronger than ever this time.”