Fishy Neoliberalism in Morocco
Aouragh, M. 2016. Fishy Neoliberalism in Morocco. Historical Materialism. HM10112016.
Aouragh, M. 2016. Fishy Neoliberalism in Morocco. Historical Materialism. HM10112016.
| Title | Fishy Neoliberalism in Morocco |
|---|---|
| Type | Journal article |
| Authors | Aouragh, M. |
| Abstract | Major protests began after a fish seller was crushed to death in the northern Mediterranean town of Al Hoceima. The story of Mohsine Fikri is gruesome but also symptomatic. One of the policemen commented “than mo”, which is loosely translated as "grind the mother..." and denotes the Darija (Moroccan Arabic) mostly spoken by non-Amazigh policemen enlisted in the area. Historically, these men are sent from central Moroccan army barracks to control and intimidate Amazigh locals, mostly with impunity. When the photos and videos of Mohsin and the first protests circulated that same day, the spontaneous movement could not be ignored. The outrage led to mass rallies, although mostly spontaneous they often included previous 20 February activists, the nation-wide network behind the demonstrations during the Arab uprisings of 2011. Sensing the jeopardies that come with these trans-local steadfast collaborations, the furious mood as well as the awareness that smaller incidents can spark major transitions, officials from different ministries and parties were ordered to visit Fikri’s family and persuade them to quell the protests. The events reflect different important things simultaneously. There is the recurring manifestation of anger over careless police repression, as people are tired of the unhindered behavior of the security forces, often showing its monopoly over violence and authoritarian policies in a spur-of-the-moment such as that fatal day for Mohsin. It is also a continuation of the explosion of anger and protest in 2011 across the Arab world – including the Maghreb with its many non-Arab communities and minorities, such as imazighen. |
| Keywords | Morocco, Neoliberalism, Fikri, Makhzan |
| Article number | HM10112016 |
| Journal | Historical Materialism |
| Year | 2016 |
| Publisher | Historical Materialism Blog |
| Web address (URL) | https://www.historicalmaterialism.org/fishy-neoliberalism-in-morocco/ |
| Publication dates | |
| Published | 10 Nov 2016 |
| Supplemental file | File Access Level Open (open metadata and files) |