Moroccan political parties denounce El-Egido racist acts
Morocco-Spain, Politics, 2/23/2000

Several Moroccan leftist parties and organizations have denounced the violent acts against Moroccans settled in the southeastern Spanish city of El-Egido as "criminal, racist and xenophobe aggressions."

In a letter to the Spanish premier, Jose Maria Aznar, extreme left parties including the Socialist Democratic Vanguard Party (PADS), the Movement for Democracy (MPD), the Democratic Path and Independent Democrats, have denounced as "suspect" the political stand adopted by the Spanish police which did not fulfill their mission and failed to protect the Moroccans who were the targets of violent acts.

The Moroccans settled in El Egido, an Andalusian locality near Almeria, were prey earlier this month to vandalism acts in retaliation for the murder of a Spanish woman, allegedly by a mentally-disturbed Moroccan. Some 52 Moroccans were seriously injured during the clashes. Their property was looted and their homes burnt down.

The letter that was handed to the Spanish ambassador in Rabat Monday after these parties observed a sit-in in front of the embassy stressed the need for the Spanish government to abide by the agreements concluded with the representatives of the Moroccan immigrants and by international conventions on immigrants' rights.

The signatories equally denounced the vandalism acts against the Moroccan products exported to Europe via Spain, pointing out that these acts are a blatant violation of international trade regulations.

On the morrow of the El-Egido events, the 5,860 Moroccan immigrants who mainly work in the agriculture sector, went on a few-day strike. They resumed work after they reached agreement with Spanish trade unions and agriculture professional associations that their claims --mainly social integration and better living and working conditions-- will be met by February 25.

On Tuesday, they threatened to go on strike again as the February 25 deadline is nearing and the claims have not been fulfilled.

The El-Egido events have been denounced by several parties and NGOs and by the media both in Morocco and in Spain and a demonstration was staged by nearly 10,000 people in Barcelona last Sunday.

Previous Stories:
  Moroccan immigrants' claims are reasonable, Spanish official says   (2/15/2000)
  UNHCR extremely worried by racists incidents against Moroccans in spain   (2/12/2000)
  Government ensures a daily follow-up of Moroccan immigrants situation in Spain   (2/11/2000)

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