HIBAPRESS – Abdel Latif Baraka
Civil society activists organized a protest on Friday, October 16, in front of the Spanish Consulate in Agadir, expressing their rejection of the Spanish monarch's visit to the occupied cities of Ceuta and Melilla on October 13 and 14, and renewing the demand for the completion of the Kingdom's territorial unity. The protesters considered this visit to carry political and symbolic implications given the ongoing dispute over the status of the two cities.
In a statement on the occasion, Hicham Al-Madraoui, head of the Sahara Association, affirmed that this initiative goes beyond a circumstantial protest to form a civil message emphasizing adherence to the Moroccan identity of Ceuta and Melilla and the necessity of dealing with this issue with seriousness and responsibility. He stressed that Moroccan-Spanish relations, based on dialogue and cooperation, should be founded on mutual respect and the resolution of pending issues in a manner that takes into account the national interests of the Kingdom.
The participants reaffirmed their commitment to continue civil and media advocacy regarding the issue of the two cities through peaceful initiatives and communication with civil and human rights organizations. They considered that defending national causes is a continuous responsibility that requires broadening the discussion about them nationally and internationally, while emphasizing that these actions aim to convey the protesters' position and do not signify a rejection of friendship and cooperation relations between the Moroccan and Spanish peoples.
