‘We need hospitals more than football stadiums’

Morocco will currently build Globe’s largest football stadium to prepare to host the 2030 World Cup.

However, for demonstrators who have been on the country -wide streets every night since last Saturday, these 115,000 capacity shows and all other football infrastructure are an insult that cost reported 5 billion dollars (£ 3.7 billion) – an example of a government.

Hajar Belhassan, a 25 -year -old communication manager from Settat, 80km (50 miles) of Kazablanka, says, “I want my country to be better.

A group called Gen Z 212 – number is a reference to the country’s international search code – demonstrations coordinate the game and flow platform mismatch as well as Tiktok and Instagram.

Apparently, inspired by Nepal’s latest gene protests, young Moroccans want authorities to act with the same urgency and passion in handling these problems such as hosting one of the world’s leading sports activities.

Starting from September 27, protests in 10 cities, crowds are building for the week and slogans such as “No World Cup, Health Coming Before” and “We want hospitals, not football stadiums”.

The police responded with seemingly arbitrary mass arrests, and in some places, things became violent and led to the death of three protesters.

Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch said on Thursday that it was open to dialogue, but the leader promised to continue until there was a concrete change.

A list of demands was shared on social media. These include:

• Free and quality education for everyone
• Accessible public health service for everyone
• Good and affordable housing
• Better public transport
• To subsidize lower prices and basic goods
• Improving wages and pensions
• Provide business opportunities for youth and reduce unemployment
• Instead of French, adopt English as the second language (after Arabic)

The anger was growing, but what revived the movement was death in the mid -September of eight women in the birth ward of a hospital in the south city of Agir. If there were better maintenance, suitable equipment and sufficient health personnel, there were some reports that deaths could be prevented.

In 2023, it was estimated that the World Health Organization was 7.8 doctors per 10,000 Morocco, which is far below 10,000 in 10,000 recommendations.

Mrs. Belhassan, who read the protests on social media and inspired by a friend, decided to join on Monday.

The day before, these friends sent their videos from a show in Casablanca, and Mrs. Belhassan immediately uploaded them to their social media accounts.

Then his friend called on to say that his brother had been arrested. It was not released until the early hours of the next morning. Mrs. Belhassan says that it is something that pushes her to go to the streets.

“We make reasonable, basic demands. Health and education are the needs that need to be prioritized.”

He continued: “To see young, educated and peaceful people who encounter arbitrary arrests break my heart.”

When Ms. Belhassan went out, she realized that the police were trying to stop the gathering and arrested.

He said he was afraid to make eye contact with the officers if he attracted their attention.

Im I was afraid of my security, but I still went out, or he says.

On Wednesday, Rachid El Khalfi, spokesman for the Ministry of Interior, said 409 people were detained until this point.

In a press release, 260 police officers and 20 protesters were injured and 40 police vehicles and 20 private cars were burned in violent clashes.

Twenty -three -year -old judge (not the real name) was one of the arrested.

He said he had climbed to the streets of Casablanca to protest peacefully, but he entered a police cell with about 40 people.

The judge says, “This government is abusing its forces very much,” the judge says. “My father had just had a paralysis. If we didn’t have some savings to treat in a private hospital.

It defines the education system financed by the state as “far behind” those present in the private sector.

“We deserve an honorable life,” says the judge. He continued: “We want to host the FIFA World Cup, but we want to do it at high, not hiding behind a front.”

Police response was greatly criticized by several Moroccan Human Rights Organizations, Protesters and Opposition.

Gen Z 212 protests, young chapters did not go to the streets for the first time.

Many online commentators draw parallels to the country’s violent 1981 rebellions, while protesting against the rising price of the fundamental foods of those who died here is known as bread martyrs. The 2004 commission, which was appointed by the king to investigate the past human rights violations of the country, confirmed 114 deaths, but did not explain exactly how they died. Later, compensation was made to the victims of human rights violations and the families of the deceased.

The country saw other movements under the leadership of youth, especially in 2011 and 2016.

The 2011 events were part of the larger Arab Spring and King Mohamed VI.

For the first time in the history of Morocco, the ruler, prime minister and parliament strengthened the role of the government by providing execution power. The king continues to be the head of the legitimate state, military and religious affairs, protecting the power of appointing and lifting the ministers.

What makes Gen Z 212 different, they say that those showers are not affiliated with a political party and do not have an official structure.

“We are not a political movement. We have no leaders,” says Mrs. Belhassan.

“Maybe that’s why the police were arresting people, and why the government remained silent – because we didn’t follow traditional organizations and political parties in their eyes.”

But there is some unrest about violence.

On the night of October 1, three protesters died in the town of Lqliaa after people tried to storm a police station. Local officials, protesters, after trying to start a fire and steal weapons from the station, the security forces opened fire and then supported CCTV images to refute online false narratives, he said.

Protesters condemned the rebellion and looting that occurred in certain areas and organized cleaning groups. They also called for peace and dialogue many times, but it is understood that they are not convinced that the Prime Minister was willing to speak.

On Friday, calls for the king to solve the government began to emerge. This can be a very distant step, but protesters do not appear in the air to be withdrawn.

When we look forward until 2030, the protester Belhassan says that “of course the” chapters are excited to host the World Cup “.

“We love football, this is in our blood. But we miss the foundations. Of course, let’s build stadiums, but also establish our training and health systems. Let’s look at our citizens.”