Moroccan parliament to investigate Sidi Ifni police operation

2008-06-13

The police action to remove unemployed youths blocking the port of Sidi Ifni has captured the attention of Parliament, which established a select committee to sort through allegations of police misconduct.

By Sarah Touahri for Magharebia in Rabat – 13/06/2008

[Sarah Touahri] Moroccan Interior Minister Chakib Benmoussa indicated that his department would open an inquiry if necessary into allegations of police misconduct in Sidi Ifni.

Morocco's Parliament established a select committee on Wednesday (June 11th) to gather information about allegations of abuse during last week's police operation in Sidi Ifni.

According to MPs who summoned Interior Minister Chakib Benmoussa to Parliament, the committee's aim is to clarify contradictory information related to the June 7th incident, when youths who had blocked the city's port since May 30th were forcibly removed by police.

The protestors had called for greater economic development in their wilaya and the construction of a fish processing plant to reduce unemployment.

According to official figures, 48 people, including 28 police officers, suffered injuries in the operation. 182 protesters were arrested. Although most of them were released, ten protesters were arraigned in court on accusations of instigating the events and possessing Molotov cocktails.

Human rights groups in Sidi Ifni countered with accusations of police abuse, calling the operation a "wave of official aggression" which included rape and the theft of residents' personal possessions. Some news outlets reported deaths.

"It is our duty to ask the government for explanations as part of our monitoring work, to see whether or not the executive has acted within the law. The events in Ifni, which have caused us much concern, fall into that area. We are really sorry about what happened," Istiqlal party MP Taïb Mesbahi told reporters.

Popular Movement leader Saïd Ameskane told Parliament that most protests in Morocco have no political basis, and have more to do with economic and social problems. "However," he said, "things are starting to become politicised. So we must re-think national policy with a fair distribution of resources across all regions of Morocco." He and other MPs called for a "clear" and "urgent" development strategy for the wilaya.

A number of MPs criticised the police action in Sidi Ifni, stressing that such an approach will not prevent the recurrence of this type of incident. They also called for a judicial inquiry to identify those responsible.

Interior Minister Benmoussa stated that his ministry has so far received no official complaints about the supposed cases of rape and theft of personal possessions by the police. Without such complaints, he said, "these are simply allegations without any tangible proof."

He indicated, however, that his department would open an inquiry if necessary and punish any wrongdoers.

Benmoussa said the protestors caused an estimated 600,000 dirhams in damage, "serious repercussions for the environment" and what amounted to "unemployment being forced upon" lorry drivers and fishermen blocked in the port.

The select committee will begin gathering information in two weeks.