It must have been 5 a.m. yesterday, Monday, when law enforcement, accompanied by excavators, arrived at the Aïn Chock orphanage in Casablanca. The hundred or so residents who still occupy the premises were evacuated and positioned themselves at the entrance of the establishment, refusing to be removed and rejecting the idea of its demolition. However, a judgment was recently handed down regarding this final recourse. The judgment was based on an assessment by the LPEE laboratory establishing that the orphanage buildings are in a state of ruin and constitute a danger to their occupants. Furthermore, the majority of the latter have reportedly exceeded the legal age limit of 18.

According to sources close to the matter, negotiations had been underway for a long time, led by a joint commission set up for this purpose, in order to find a solution for the last residents of the orphanage with a view to their socio-professional reintegration. Among the solutions proposed by the authorities is the temporary accommodation of the residents at the Tit Mellil Social Centre. According to the latest news, the latter have refused the offer. Be that as it may, yesterday, Monday, in the mid-afternoon, the excavators had not yet begun the demolition work, with the exception of the perimeter wall which was partially destroyed in the morning.