HIBAPRESS – Jirada
In the alleys of "Dior El Mina" and the popular neighborhoods of the mining city of Jirada, the first features of an exceptional human and political journey for local activist Mustafa Adineen (born 1990) were shaped. Adineen grew up in a family whose breadwinner belonged to the working class of the "Moroccan Coal Mines" company. His field vision was formed early from the reality of the local environment, which has suffered for decades from marginalization and the repercussions of occupational silicosis.
Adineen began his public career through art and music, participating in a number of festivals and cultural evenings. However, this passion soon collided with the stark local reality, characterized by a sharp gap between the glitz of noisy stages and the bitter daily suffering of workers in informal coal mines ("sandaria"). This reality pushed Adineen to make a decisive decision to abandon art and fully commit to field work and social advocacy.
The spark of his protest activity began in the classrooms of "Zerqtouni" High School in Jirada, which he left following an expulsion decision due to his political stances. He then transferred to "Jabir bin Hayyan" High School, where he obtained his baccalaureate. He then continued his studies at the Faculty of Legal, Economic, and Social Sciences at Mohammed I University in Oujda, emerging as a prominent figure in the student movement. Despite leaving university before obtaining his degree and returning to his hometown, he remained connected to the region's field issues, participating in significant social movements such as the dynamics of the February 20 Movement, protests against the high cost of transportation, and advocating for the rights of silicosis victims.
The "Jirada Movement" (2017-2018) marked a turning point in Adineen's path. He emerged as one of the key field actors with bold stances in expressing the economic and social demands of the residents. This field path cost him the price of freedom on two occasions:
First arrest: He was sentenced to three and a half years in prison in the cases of "tree incident" and "incitement." He served 15 months before receiving a royal pardon.
Second arrest: This occurred following events related to coal mines ("sandaria"), where he served an effective prison sentence of six months.
Upon his release from prison, Adineen focused on social and family stability, while continuing his interest in political and developmental transformations in the region.
In a move to shift advocacy from protest squares to constitutional institutions, Mustafa Adineen is vying for a seat in the House of Representatives for the Jirada province constituency, leading the "Left Alliance" list. He is betting on presenting alternatives and development proposals aimed at addressing the region's economic fragility under a political banner that has always adhered to social demands.
In an indication of the list's desire to unite the field components of the movement and consolidate ranks, human rights activist Aisha El Moudraar has been included as Adineen's deputy on the Left Alliance list. El Moudraar (born 1981), who holds a degree in private law and works in the liberal sector, is considered one of the prominent female figures who led the "Women of Dignity" during the Jirada Movement events. These political and field stances led to successive pressures that resulted in her dismissal from her job at the time.
Observers of the region believe that contesting the elections under the name "Left Alliance," with a lineup combining Adineen and El Moudraar, forms a duo that balances youthful symbolism with militant female presence, and seeks to translate popular demands into a well-defined programmatic and institutional framework.
Between popular advocacy and the challenges of the political environment, the question remains open, awaiting the outcome of the ballot boxes and the extent to which this institutional gamble can achieve the aspirations of the region's residents.
