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Rabat – Moroccans in Lebanon are calling on King Mohammed VI to intervene to help them return home after the Beirut explosion.
Dozens of people expressed their pleas through comments on posts shared by the Facebook page of the Moroccan Embassy in Lebanon.
The comments come in the aftermath of the massive explosion in the Lebanese capital on August 4. Beirut is in a state of crisis after an explosion killed 130 people, injured thousands, and left hundreds of thousands homeless.
“We want to return. The Moroccan embassy should intervene to repatriate Moroccans,” one citizen in Lebanon said.
The same citizen received a reply from another Moroccan woman, who said she could not return to Morocco as the Royal Air Maroc did not schedule any flight to Casablanca.
“Please help us return to our country,” another Moroccan woman wrote.
Others re-posted a lengthy open letter to the Moroccan embassy in Lebanon.
Urgent open letter from Moroccans in Lebanon
The open letter to the Moroccan Embassy in Lebanon explained the situation in the country, which already “suffers [a] dire economic situation.”
“We Moroccans who live in this brotherly country are suffering from difficult circumstances,” the letter said.
The open letter stated that the Beirut explosion has worsened the crisis the country is currently facing and has had negative repercussions for Moroccans in Lebanon.
Morocco’s government launched special flights to repatriate citizens for free before reopening borders for Moroccans, foreigners residing in Morocco, and their families on July 15.
Royal Air Maroc (RAM) and Air Arabia Maroc have been operating the flights that bring Moroccans home from several countries. Lebanon, however, is not on the list of destinations.
“In light of these harsh conditions, and in the absence of any reaction from the Moroccan government to find a solution for its citizens residing in Lebanon…. the Moroccan community residing in Lebanon makes a special request to his Majesty King Mohammed VI, may God assist him and support him, by urgently intervening and providing a plane to evacuate Moroccan women, their children and their husbands,” the open letter underlined.
The letter also calls on the King to allow Morocco to issue visas and residency cards to the Lebanese spouses of Moroccans residing in Lebanon.
“Most Moroccan women residing in Lebanon and their husbands are suffering from this crisis at all levels, the high cost of living, rent, lack of job opportunities, water, electricity and education crises,” the open letter said.
Ambassador: Moroccans in Beirut are ‘okay’
Quoted by Moroccan outlet H24, Morocco’s Ambassador in Lebanon M’hamed Grine said a few Moroccans sustained minor injuries due to the Beirut explosion, but the majority are “okay.”
Only one woman suffers a serious injury, fractures in her foot, as a result of the explosion.
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The woman works for the UN in Beirut.
The ambassador explained that Moroccans sustained injuries mostly through glass projections linked to the explosions.
He recalled that the explosion caused serious property damage, leaving 300,000 people homeless.
One of the women seeking repatriation to Morocco wrote a post on her Facebook account, saying that she and her family suffered slight injuries due to the explosion.
“We’re doing relatively well, alive, that’s the most important!” she wrote.
She said that one of her children needs some stitches, but they are all safe.
She added that she is still stunned and shocked due to the incident.
Morocco World News contacted the woman for a statement, but she was not yet reachable.
