One Year After Al Haouz Earthquake: Thleth Niaqoub Residents Protest Broken Promises, Worsening Conditions

✏️ BY: Dr. Hana Saada

Algiers, Algeria | August 26th, 2024 — As the first anniversary of the catastrophic Al Haouz earthquake approaches, the resilient yet deeply frustrated residents of Thleth Niaqoub are preparing to stage a peaceful protest on August 28, calling for immediate government intervention to address the dire conditions they have endured since the disaster. Despite the passing of nearly a year, many villagers remain displaced, forced to live in tents without adequate access to basic necessities such as healthcare, sanitation, and stable employment.

The earthquake, which struck on September 8, 2023, left widespread destruction across the region. While initial promises of swift reconstruction and aid offered hope, those assurances have largely failed to materialize, leaving communities grappling with deteriorating living standards and unmet needs. Organizers of the upcoming protest in Thleth Niaqoub have expressed mounting frustration over the lack of visible progress in rebuilding efforts, as well as the authorities’ failure to re-house those displaced by the disaster.

In their public call for action, the residents have condemned the authorities for allowing the situation to worsen at all levels. The villagers argue that critical services, including healthcare and job creation, remain scarce or non-existent, exacerbating the challenges faced by those trying to recover from the earthquake’s aftermath. “The promises of re-housing and rehabilitation have vanished into thin air, and we are left to fend for ourselves in increasingly desperate conditions,” one community leader said in a statement.

For several weeks, demonstrations have taken place throughout the region as affected communities seek social justice and dignity in the face of prolonged hardship. These ongoing protests have garnered the support of the Moroccan Association for Human Rights, which has been vocal in its criticism of the government’s slow response to reconstruction efforts. According to the association, numerous communities impacted by the earthquake have yet to receive significant assistance, and the delay has only deepened the suffering of the survivors.

The response from the authorities has, at times, escalated tensions. In a notable incident, the Royal Gendarmerie arrested several women in the commune of Ajoujak at the request of a local official accused of involvement in illegal activities related to the distribution of aid. While three of the women were later released, one remains in detention and has been sentenced.

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