Members of the Aït Assou tribe, under the jurisdiction of the Tahla circle in Taza province, have been holding a sit-in on land they own for several days now. The objective is to oppose the concession of their land to contractors for the purpose of operating quarries. They are demanding the outright cancellation of a principle agreement granted to a contractor for the exploitation of an additional 15 hectares! "We have already expressed our opposition in writing to local, provincial, and central authorities, to no avail," reads a statement released on the first day of the sit-in.

Known for the anarchy governing the management of collective lands, Taza province continues to act without regard for the law or the rules in force. "The only motto prevailing in this matter is that of favouritism; the population is fed up with local officials (caïds) who do as they please and refuse to apply the law regarding the representatives (nouabs) of collective lands," explains a resident of the Douar Tajjana, whose land is also being exploited illegally, given that the committee of representatives does not meet the standards required by law. The worst part is that this type of quarry does not benefit the local population and leads to pollution problems.