1958 Rif riots

1958 Rif riots, also known as the Rif Revolt, took place in the Rif region of Morocco, led by Sellam Amezian as part of the Berber struggle for autonomy and civil rights in the region. The riots lasted for several months. Moroccan King Hassan II ordered thousands of troops to the Rif region to quell a civil disobedience movement that had called for social and political rights.[1] As a result, many left the Rif for Europe, returning to their ancestral towns only to build homes that they lived in during vacations or after retirement. This, along with the diversion of much of the region's arable land for cannabis planting, has decimated the local economy and environment.

Rif Revolt
Part of Rif Conflict
DateOctober 1958 – early 1959
Location
Rif region, northern Morocco
Caused by
  • Ill-governance.
Methods
StatusQuelled
Concessions
given
  • None.
Parties to the civil conflict
Protesters
Lead figures
Sellam Amezian
Casualties
Death(s)Hundreds killed
InjuriesNumerous

Timeline

In October 1958, riots started in the Rif region,[2] as a result of marginalization of the region by the central authority. Sellam Amezian directed this movement. On 7 October 1958, the protesters issued a chart with a list of demands including "The immediate withdraw of all foreign forces from Morocco, and the return of Abd el-Krim and his family to the country".[3]

The events escalated quickly, and weapons started to be used by both the protesters and the army. The uprising was fiercely oppressed by the army, even using aircraft flown by French pilots. Hundreds were killed and thousands were arrested and wounded. Abd El-Karim estimated the number of detainees in the wake of the Rif uprising at 8,420.[4]

Aftermath

As a result, many left the Rif for Europe, returning to their ancestral towns only to build homes that they lived in during vacations or after retirement. This, along with the diversion of much of the region's arable land for cannabis planting, has decimated the local economy and environment.

See also

References
  1. "Morocco: What is fuelling unrest in the Rif?". www.aljazeera.com.
  2. MOROCCO BATTLES MOUNTAIN REBELS; Mild Uprising in Rif Tribes Said to Be Led by Men of Outlawed Party – (New York Times – 1958)
  3. Rif Uprising of 1958 – When Khattabi Asked for Abdel Nasser's Support – Yabiladi (2018) – In French
  4. The death of Mohsen Fikri and the long history of oppression and protest in Morocco's Rif – Open Democracy (2016).
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.