Rabat – Abdelilah Benkirane, Secretary General of the governmental coalition leading the Justice and Development Party (PJD), has admitted the government made mistakes in dealing with Rif protests, especially in the city of Al Hoceima, said Lakome2.
During a meeting with his party’s youth-wing, Benkirane said the government was wrong in accusing the protest movement of advocating for separatism, calling it a grave mistake that should not have happened.
“Protesters’ social and economic demands should be taken into consideration,” said Benkirane.
On the other hand, the former head of government stressed the need to preserve state institutions and the stability of the kingdom.
Benkirane also told his party’s youth members it is important to preserve the monarchy, reminding his audience that “Al Hoceima received a lot of interest from the King who gave instructions to launch mega-projects in the city.”
The PJD leader was replaced by his co-party member, Saad Eddine El Othmani, in leading the government after Benkirane failed to form a coalition.
El Othmani’s subsequent appointment brought divides within the Islamist party to light. Divisions were further highlighted following a meeting of representatives of the coalition government’s parties in May. During the meeting it was insinuated that the protest movement in Al Hoceima was advocating for separatism.
Leading activists of the protests were called “agitators” and the demonstrations were accused of deviating from an expression of “legitimate demands” to “actions threatening the territorial integrity” of the country.
The government has since backed off from the accusations, stating the protests demands are, in fact, totally “legitimate.”
