The crises striking the rural commune of Imintlit in the province of Essaouira are unfortunately only the manifestations of a chronic political crisis affecting the governance system in this commune. We have often mentioned the appalling and scandalous situation of a commune that continues to suffer the effects of the passive neutrality of the local authorities in Smimou, according to members of the elected council who have joined the majority opposition for two years now.

On Monday, 13 August 2012, the inhabitants of Imintlit took to the streets against thirst, "hogra" (injustice/humiliation), and the silence of the local authorities, whose promises were never kept, according to a participant in the sit-in, which lasted two hours without any official responding to the calls for dialogue launched by the protesters. The demonstrators chanted slogans against corruption and the lack of infrastructure and basic services.

The inhabitants of the isolated Douars, whose children and women spend their days searching for a few litres of drinking water to satisfy their vital needs, called for the resolution of the water shortage problem and the deficit in infrastructure and basic services. While urging central officials to delegate an audit and inspection mission to the commune of Imintlit, the participants also called on the Caid of Smimou to cease his interference in the affairs of the elected council, while announcing the organisation of another sit-in in front of the province of Essaouira on Thursday, 16 August 2012, followed by weekly sit-ins at the commune's Souk.