Rabat — A coalition representing families and friends of victims from the 2010 Gdeim Izik camp incident is calling for a memorial at the site to honor security forces and civil protection personnel who died during the violent events.
Converging reports indicated that the coordination group issued a statement marking the 15th anniversary of the tragedy, which unfolded near Laayoune in November 2010.
In the statement, the group urged authorities to establish November 8 as a national day to commemorate those who died at the camp.
“We need a national museum to preserve the memory of their heroism and sacrifices in defending our nation’s unity and stability,” the statement said.
The Gdeim Izik case saw Moroccan security forces dismantling a protest camp on the outskirts of Laayoune, where young people were demanding greater economic and social opportunities. The camp included Polisario Front separatists, who clashed with Moroccan security forces, killing 12 police officers. Additionally, the clashes led to the injury of over 70 civilians in the violent incident.
The families of the deceased are pushing for better support and care that would protect their dignity and secure the futures of children who lost parents in the violence.
They want lawmakers to pass legislation that would classify victims’ children as “wards of the nation,” a legal status that provides special protections and benefits.
The group’s statement said that excluding these children from this classification continues to worsen their suffering.
The coordination also criticized what it called ongoing efforts by some foreign parties to mislead international opinion by reversing the facts. These groups present those convicted of crimes at the camp as “victims” or “human rights defenders,” the statement said.
“These actions deny the clear criminal nature of those crimes,” the families said.
The group renewed its call for UN human rights mechanisms to hear from victims’ families and review the violations they endured, including attacks on the right to life and what they described as “horrific” desecration of bodies.
This year’s commemoration coincides with the UN Security Council Resolution 2797, which endorsed Morocco’s Autonomy Plan and mentioned the country’s sovereignty over the Western Sahara for the first time ever.
