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Fast Money & Foreign Objects
The latest cover of Maroc Hebdo magazineseen as racist by some, defended by othershas launched a national debate on the struggles faced by sub-Saharan Africans living in Morocco.
The Black Peril. That's the controversial headline that the Moroccan weekly ran on its cover last week to tease to an article about the rise in the number of immigrants from sub-Saharan African, many of whom come to Morocco in the hopes of making it to Europe. Many are turned back and end up staying in Morocco, where they live in poverty. Some end up taking part in illegal activities to make a living. According to Moroccos Interior ministry, there are about 10,000 illegal immigrants from Sub-Saharan Africa living in the country. Human rights organisations estimate this number higher as closer to 15,000.
Headline: "The Black Peril."
Moroccan authorities are taking an increasingly strict approach to immigration from sub-Saharan Africa. Immigrants without residency permits are quickly expelled. The European Unions ambassador to Morocco, Eneko Landaburu, recently called the treatment of these immigrants problematic, a sentiment echoed by the Moroccan Human Rights Organisation. Meanwhile, the Moroccan labour minister, Abdelouahed Souhail, accused sub-Saharan African immigrants of being in part responsible for the countrys employment crisis.
The International Organisation for Migration recently launched a campaign to raise 620,000 euros to help send some 1,000 illegal migrants from sub-Saharan Africa home.
Contributors
Joseph Casablanca
"Young Moroccans have physically assaulted me on several occasions, for no reason"
Joseph (not his real name) is from Guinea. He lives in Casablanca, where he studies computing at a local university. He is a legal resident.
I came here to study computing thanks to a grant from my country. Ive been here for four years, and for four years Ive been a victim of racism. It happens all the time, everywhere.
The most awful incident took place at the airport. I was with my aunt, who was heading back to Guinea and had a lot of luggage. Other passengers from sub-Saharan countries, seeing her struggle to carry it, came to help her get it onto the plane, but an airline employee stopped them, saying she had to deal with it on her own because she was black. I replied in Arabic, and he replied by hitting me in the head. I told him I was going to file a complaint, and he said, sarcastically: Thats right, go complain to the king! I never did file a complaint.
Often, when Im just walking down the street, people will call me a dirty black man or call me a slave. Young Moroccans have physically assaulted me on several occasions, for no reason, and passers-by who saw this didnt lift a finger to help me. All my friends are black and they have all had similar experiences. Even the girls get insulted in the street. To avoid getting hurt, I now try to ignore the insults. But if someone starts to hit me, what can I do? I have to defend myself...
In two years, Ill be done with my studies, and I certainly dont intend to stay in Morocco to look for work. Even if someone were to offer me a job here, I would rather go home to Guinea."
Being black in Morocco: 'I get called a slave' | The Observers
The Black Peril. That's the controversial headline that the Moroccan weekly ran on its cover last week to tease to an article about the rise in the number of immigrants from sub-Saharan African, many of whom come to Morocco in the hopes of making it to Europe. Many are turned back and end up staying in Morocco, where they live in poverty. Some end up taking part in illegal activities to make a living. According to Moroccos Interior ministry, there are about 10,000 illegal immigrants from Sub-Saharan Africa living in the country. Human rights organisations estimate this number higher as closer to 15,000.
Headline: "The Black Peril."
Moroccan authorities are taking an increasingly strict approach to immigration from sub-Saharan Africa. Immigrants without residency permits are quickly expelled. The European Unions ambassador to Morocco, Eneko Landaburu, recently called the treatment of these immigrants problematic, a sentiment echoed by the Moroccan Human Rights Organisation. Meanwhile, the Moroccan labour minister, Abdelouahed Souhail, accused sub-Saharan African immigrants of being in part responsible for the countrys employment crisis.
The International Organisation for Migration recently launched a campaign to raise 620,000 euros to help send some 1,000 illegal migrants from sub-Saharan Africa home.
Contributors
Joseph Casablanca
"Young Moroccans have physically assaulted me on several occasions, for no reason"
Joseph (not his real name) is from Guinea. He lives in Casablanca, where he studies computing at a local university. He is a legal resident.
I came here to study computing thanks to a grant from my country. Ive been here for four years, and for four years Ive been a victim of racism. It happens all the time, everywhere.
The most awful incident took place at the airport. I was with my aunt, who was heading back to Guinea and had a lot of luggage. Other passengers from sub-Saharan countries, seeing her struggle to carry it, came to help her get it onto the plane, but an airline employee stopped them, saying she had to deal with it on her own because she was black. I replied in Arabic, and he replied by hitting me in the head. I told him I was going to file a complaint, and he said, sarcastically: Thats right, go complain to the king! I never did file a complaint.
Often, when Im just walking down the street, people will call me a dirty black man or call me a slave. Young Moroccans have physically assaulted me on several occasions, for no reason, and passers-by who saw this didnt lift a finger to help me. All my friends are black and they have all had similar experiences. Even the girls get insulted in the street. To avoid getting hurt, I now try to ignore the insults. But if someone starts to hit me, what can I do? I have to defend myself...
In two years, Ill be done with my studies, and I certainly dont intend to stay in Morocco to look for work. Even if someone were to offer me a job here, I would rather go home to Guinea."
Being black in Morocco: 'I get called a slave' | The Observers
