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Rabat – Noubir Amaoui, the founder and former secretary general of the Democratic Confederation of Labor (CDT), and iconic leftist activist, died this Tuesday at the age of 85.
The former Secretary General of the CDT suffered from an illness that had him bedridden for years.
The CDT mourned its iconic leader, saying in a statement that “he left after having dedicated his life for a better Morocco.”
The famous left-wing trade unionist founded the CDT in 1978, which was the trade union body of the Socialist Union of Popular Forces party (USFP).
Amaoui clashed with the establishment through various general strikes organized by the CDT.
The most prominent of these strikes was that of June 20, 1981, organized to protest against the increase in the prices of basic goods such as bread and grains.
The deceased was known for his strong political stances, being the first Moroccan public figure to raise demand for a parliamentary monarchy during the reign of the late King Hassan II.
Noubir Amaoui was imprisoned several times for his anti-government statements. An uncompromising trade unionist, he was respected by both fellow left-wing activists and his opponents.
Because of his strong criticism of the ruling class, the leftist activist was imprisoned following an interview with Spanish newspaper El Pais in 1992, in which he described the government and its members as “futureless thieves.”
1,300 lawyers supported him during his trial, while only one lawyer supported the state.
The court ruled to hand him a prison sentence, but he was eventually released from prison upon receiving a royal pardon.
When asked about fearing for his life as a result of his political stances, Noubir Amaoui famously responded: “Whoever wants to take responsibility, must be prepared to suffer all the consequences.”
