DR ‹ › Twenty professional and civil society organizations within the Moroccan Coalition of Human Rights Organizations have issued an open letter to the head of government, drawing urgent attention to the situation in Figuig. The signatories are demanding an «urgent intervention» to address the concerns of the town's residents and its adjacent oasis, which are suffering from land seizures by Algeria, impacting Moroccan landowners economically. The letter outlines the ongoing tensions that have plagued Figuig for over two years, a region identified as a collective reparation zone. It underscores the residents' disapproval of the decision to hand over the management of the potable water sector to the Oriental Regional Multiservice Company «without prior consultation» and «in violation of the principles of participatory democracy». In response, the coalition is calling for efforts to «ease tensions» by addressing the residents' demands. They also urge the head of government to «ensure the respect of the political rights of Figuig's residents, particularly their freedom to make decisions regarding the management of the oasis's water distribution». The signatories believe that engaging in dialogue «will help contain the crisis, prevent any escalation that could lead to new tensions and disturbances in the region, and promote a just and sustainable solution». This initiative follows less than a month after a recent incursion by Algerian soldiers onto agricultural lands bordering the province of Figuig. In Ksar Ich, Moroccan landowners were taken by surprise when barriers were erected, blocking access to their farms, which the Algerian army claims as part of its territory. This unilateral action was justified by the 1972 agreement. This latest crisis compounds the ongoing challenges of water resource management in the province, an issue that has been causing unrest since 2024.
