HIBAPRESS – Abdellatif Baraka
The anger continues among the butchers of the Al-Villa district in the city of Guelmim for the second day in a row, after their collective decision to suspend work inside the local slaughterhouse in protest against what they described as "inhumane conditions" and "polluted environment" in which the slaughtering operations are practiced.
The slaughterhouse, which is the only one in this neighborhood, has become, according to professionals, unfit for use due to the absence of the minimum conditions of hygiene and health safety, both for the workers and the neighboring residents. This situation has led to the cessation of commercial activity for dozens of butchers, forcing citizens to search for slaughter services in distant neighborhoods, which burdens them with additional costs. Despite the fact that the project to build a new slaughterhouse in the city of Guelmim has been listed for more than 13 years, the file is still stalled, amid questions about the reasons for the setback, especially since local sources confirm the availability of financial credits and the real estate allocated to the project for a long time. The butchers confirm that continuing to work inside the current slaughterhouse poses a real danger to public health, due to the accumulation of animal waste and the leakage of wastewater in the absence of appropriate sanitation systems. They also held the local authorities and the municipal council responsible for the "systematic neglect" that affected this vital facility, calling for urgent intervention to activate the new project and alleviate the harm to them and the residents. The question remains today in Guelmim: Is the delay related to administrative and technical complexities, or is there hidden manipulation behind the file of study and implementation? Until the answers appear, the butchers continue their silent protest, while the suffering of citizens seeking meat slaughtered under conditions that preserve the dignity of humans and animals alike increases.
