Facing the main entrance of the Tetouan wilaya headquarters, under a blazing sun and fasting, dozens of people mobilised and organised a sit-in to express their dissatisfaction with the negligence of the urban commune. These are the residents of the M'Hannech II neighbourhood of Tetouan who are claiming their right to a dignified life as citizens. The said neighbourhood is parallel to Al-Massira Avenue and provides access to schools, the headquarters of the Abdelmalek Es-Saadi University, the new bus station, the new museum of modern art... but it remains devoid of all the amenities required by a modern neighbourhood located in the city centre.
The residents of the M'Hannech II neighbourhood are therefore expressing their dissatisfaction due to the precarious conditions and lack of hygiene in which they have been living for some time. This is the second gathering in front of the door of the Tetouan wilaya, given that their demands have not been met so far. Some have suffered too much to buy an apartment in the city centre, which is supposed to have all the basic equipment for a peaceful and quiet life. The main demands of these residents consist of asking for the construction of sidewalks to avoid water overflows and the paving of roads, public lighting, the eradication of black spots, those real illegal dumps where garbage accumulates, security, and the installation of pipes connecting the sewage and rainwater networks. Located just behind the old railway station which has been transformed into a museum of modern art, the M'Hannech II neighbourhood is inhabited by university professors, doctors, bank agents, intellectuals, and other actors of civil society. People who are owners of their apartments and who were keen to get their message across through this sit-in to draw the attention of public authorities, elected officials, and those responsible so that this intolerable situation can be remedied. It should also be known that this well-located neighbourhood experiences all kinds of assaults against young girls, women, and children during the night. Insecurity reigns supreme, as there is no lighting. In addition, foul odours emanate from the multiple accumulations of garbage. After the first sit-in, the president of the urban commune of Tetouan met with the residents' representatives in order to find solutions for their neighbourhood, which is located in the heart of the city.
Finally, the president ordered the installation of two floodlights as a temporary solution.
The spokesperson for the residents made it known that several requests had been addressed to the appropriate authorities but had remained unanswered. It was therefore necessary to mobilise to draw the attention of public opinion. "Our gathering is peaceful but determined, because we have the right to live peacefully, especially since we spent a fortune to buy our apartments," concluded the spokesperson for the residents of the M'Hannech II neighbourhood.
Key points
Specificities of the neighbourhood
M’Hannech II:
The neighbourhood is located in the centre of the city.
It is inhabited by university professors, doctors, bank executives, and representatives of the associative fabric.
The neighbourhood suffers from the absence of main basic equipment such as public lighting, the sewage network, paved roads, etc.
The neighbourhood has become a place where public dumps are multiplying.
