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Morocco promises closure of abandoned mines amidst protests

March 20, 2018 at 12:37 pm

Moroccans come together during a demonstration demanding the fulfillment of government’s projects on regional development in Jerada, Morocco on 16 March 2018 [Jalal Morchidi/Anadolu Agency]

The authorities in Morocco have vowed to close all of the abandoned mines in the district around the old mining town of Jerada following months of unrest.

“There are more than 3,200 mine-shafts in Jerada, but only 200 to 300 are active. The others, which are abandoned and present a clear danger, will all be closed,” the Secretary General of the region’s police headquarters, Abderrazzak El Gourji, told AFP.

Jerada has been at the centre of demonstrations since the deaths of two brothers in December after they were trapped in an abandoned mine shaft in which they had tried to mine coal.

Morocco: Workers in abandoned mine town demand more state help

A further two deaths ignited anger amongst residents in the old town, which is ranked as one of the poorest in the Kingdom. They called for economic alternatives to the old mines which have been used by hundreds as their main source of living despite their closure in the late 1990s. According to Gourji, a development programme for the region would see 7,400 acres of land set aside for agricultural projects and the construction of a new industrial zone.

“All promises are realistic and achievable, and what was not achievable was rejected,” he explained. “It’s easy to calm people with promises, but tomorrow you have to implement them.”

The action plan was able to stop protests for a while but demonstrations have since started again, with protesters demanding “concrete answers” after the authorities arrested their leaders. This prompted the Ministry of the Interior to ban all “illegal demonstrations” in Jerada.

Clashes last week left more than 300 police officers and 32 demonstrators injured, according to Gourji. On Friday, a march was organised by residents who pledged to hold further protests in the coming days.