HIBAPRESS
The Moroccan Democratic Human Rights Commission expressed its concern and dismay regarding what it described as illegal and inhumane evictions and demolitions that affected the homes of residents of neighborhoods in the old city of Casablanca-Anfa, considering that these measures led to the displacement of entire families and leaving them in difficult social and humanitarian conditions.
The commission affirmed, in a statement of condemnation, that the demolition and eviction operations included the neighborhoods of Derb Al-Anjaleez, Kchbar, and Al-Buhaira, and were not limited to areas outside the walls, but extended to the old city inside the walls, in a context it considered an attempt to change the demographic and commercial character of the popular neighborhoods and transform them into spaces directed towards restaurants and guesthouses, by exerting pressure on the residents and deluding them that their homes are falling. It clarified that these measures contradict the goals of the program to rehabilitate the ancient city and preserve the architectural heritage and cultural identity of the historical neighborhoods, pointing to the consequences of the displacement of women, children, and the elderly and leaving them in a state of loss, in the absence of fair compensation or decent housing alternatives, which it considered a violation of the provisions of the Moroccan constitution and international obligations related to the right to adequate housing. The commission recorded its holding of the local authorities in Casablanca-Anfa responsible for the tragic situations that the affected families have reached, stressing that the eviction operations took place at the height of the winter season, which exacerbated the suffering of the residents, and did not take into account the study period, which prompted a number of children to leave their educational institutions, with the risks of increasing school dropout. The statement criticized the granting of short deadlines for evacuation, which in some cases reached only one week, considering this a clear violation of the rights of the residents, at a time when the law stipulates longer deadlines, and also pointed to what it described as a lack of transparency in managing this file and the existence of private interests and hidden backrooms behind demolition decisions. The commission demanded the immediate cessation of demolition and forced eviction operations until their legality is decided and the end of the winter season and the school year, calling for the preservation of the architectural heritage and cultural identity of the old city, especially inside the walls, and rejecting the generalization of classifying all buildings as dilapidated or devoid of architectural value to justify their demolition. It also stressed the need to respect the right to property and ensure fair and equitable compensation for the affected owners according to current market prices, while providing decent alternative solutions for tenants and craftsmen that take into account human dignity and social stability. The commission called for the adoption of a just housing policy that balances the requirements of safe urbanization and the right to adequate housing, with an inclusive approach that involves the residents and prior consultation with them regarding compensation and alternatives, stressing that the right to housing and a decent life remains, in its expression, more important than any sports event.
