Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06CASABLANCA409
2006-04-25 14:45:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Consulate Casablanca
Cable title:  

CASABLANCA SLUMS: IT'S NOT JUST SIDI MOUMEN ANYMORE

Tags:  MO PGOV PHUM PINR PREL 
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VZCZCXYZ0038
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHCL #0409/01 1151445
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 251445Z APR 06
FM AMCONSUL CASABLANCA
TO RUEHC/DEPT OF LABOR WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6524
INFO RUEHRB/AMEMBASSY RABAT PRIORITY 7544
C O N F I D E N T I A L CASABLANCA 000409 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE PLEASE PASS TO USAID
LABOR ALSO FOR ILAB

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/25/2016
TAGS: MO PGOV PHUM PINR PREL
SUBJECT: CASABLANCA SLUMS: IT'S NOT JUST SIDI MOUMEN ANYMORE

REF: 05 CASABLANCA 01314

Classified By: Principal Officer Douglas C. Greene reasons 1.4 (b) and
(d)

C O N F I D E N T I A L CASABLANCA 000409

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE PLEASE PASS TO USAID
LABOR ALSO FOR ILAB

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/25/2016
TAGS: MO PGOV PHUM PINR PREL
SUBJECT: CASABLANCA SLUMS: IT'S NOT JUST SIDI MOUMEN ANYMORE

REF: 05 CASABLANCA 01314

Classified By: Principal Officer Douglas C. Greene reasons 1.4 (b) and
(d)


1. (SBU) Summary: On a recent visit to a local
"bidonville" (Moroccan term for shantytown),Poloff and
Econoff spoke with several young adults about life in
Morocco, opportunities for youth, and their views of the
United States. Officers also toured the bidonville, home
to approximately 2,500 disenfranchised Moroccans, to see
firsthand the living conditions that many agree are
breeding grounds for extremism. Bidonvilles have become a
source of concern both in Morocco and internationally since
it was discovered that the majority of the May 16, 2003,
Casablanca bombers were from aCasablanca bidonville called
"Sidi Moumen."
Sidi Moumen has since received an influx of money and
attention,
including new apartment buildings, access to electricity and
water, increased police presence , high-level visits and a
new youth center inaugurated by King Mohammed VI himself.
There remain, however, hundreds of other bidonvilles
throughout Morocco that are mired in poverty and street
crime, and suffer from lack of opportunity and hope. End
Summary.

--------------
The Moroccan Bidonville
--------------


2. (SBU) In May, 2003, Moroccan bidonvilles captured
international attention after Moroccan authorities
confirmed that eleven of the twelve suicide bombers who
struck in coordinated attacks in five different locations
across the city of Casablanca, came from one local slum
named Sidi Moumen. Since then hundreds of thousands of
dollars have been invested in the neighborhood and the
results are apparent to even the most casual observers
(reftel). Newly constructed youth centers, active NGOs,
education and training centers, and several new government
buildings (including predictably, a new local office for
the Ministry of Interior) have appeared in the district
over the past two years. Clearly, Sidi Moumen has
undergone a major transformation, but unfortunately other
bidonvilles throughout the country are not benefiting from

the same level of interest, even though they could pose the
same risks.

--------------
The Dissatisfaction of Disenfranchised Youth
--------------


3. (U) Poloff and Econoff met with five young inhabitants
of a local bidonville, one of hundreds scattered throughout
many cities in Morocco. The group consisted of two young
women, both unemployed, recent graduates from the faculty
of Islamic Law, and three young men, aged 17 to 19,
employed in a local textile factory. They spoke openly on
many subjects including their home lives, jobs, and what
their futures may, or may not, hold. They expressed their
views on political parties in Morocco, the government, and
Morocco's relationship with the United States.


4. (SBU) The young men, all working on six month contracts
at a small local jeans factory, earned about nine dirhams
(USD 1) an hour and are kept on short contracts, saving the
company from paying benefits. Two of the three claimed to
be the sole bread winners for their families, paying the
costs for younger siblings' educational needs and
supporting their parents. The most talkative and cynical
of the group, Mustafa, passionately railed against the
government and the political parties. While not condemning
any party in particular, he clearly considered politicians
in general to be inherently corrupt. According to Mustafa,
local politicians repeatedly make promises to improve life
in the bidonville while campaigning, but both promises and
politicians inevitably disappear post-election. Despite
the fact that he is 17 and too young to vote, Mustafa
claimed it was widely know that every political party, save
the Socialist Union of Popular Forces (USFP),pays a going
rate of 100 dirhams a vote.


5. (SBU) The two women, while less pessimistic about
Moroccan politics, were equally disillusioned about
employment opportunities and the economic future of
Morocco. The women informed us that months earlier they
had been unsuccessful in their application for positions as
teachers with the Ministry of Islamic Affairs. While
seemingly in no hurry to find work, the two were being
encouraged by one of their former professors to start an
NGO that would provide remedial education to illiterate
women (a niche in Moroccan society often filled by women.)


6. (SBU) The youth were as cynical toward businessmen as
they were toward politicians, and were unable to identify a
single Moroccan businessman whom they would consider a role
model. Even Miloud Chaabi, the well known Moroccan
industrialist famous for his philanthropic efforts was
vilified. "If he is such a good man why do his drivers
live in my neighborhood" Mustafa asked. It was evident in
the minds of these young bidonville residents, success in
business is considered suspect. "If a man makes money in
business he must be corrupt and paying bribes" explained
Mustafa, "there is no other way in this country."

--------------
Not Even the Dogs Would be Left
--------------


7. (SBU) As the discussion turned to future goals, Mustafa
spoke keenly about his desire to emigrate to Spain or
Italy, legally or otherwise. In fact, two in the group
already had brothers working in Italy as menial laborers.
It was not clear just how the brothers emigrated but it was
very clear that Mustafa and others like him are eager to
follow in their footsteps. Mustafa was sure that it would
not matter what he did there, wash dishes or drive a taxi,
anything, according to him, would be better than his job in
Morocco. "They have human rights there, but here", he
complained, "you get no respect at your job." He went on
to say that if the border to the EU were open everyone in
Morocco would leave. "Not even the dogs would be left."
This notion was challenged by one of the women who were
sure that, yes, everyone would go at first but a month or
two later many would return due to lack of opportunity
there as well.

--------------
US and Morocco
--------------


8. (SBU) When asked their thoughts on the United States,
the response was typical and straightforward: the US should
not be in Iraq and should distance itself from Israel. The
young people questioned why the USG did not help Morocco
more financially and seemed genuinely shocked to learn the
amount of USG funds invested in Morocco last year and the
amount proposed for the MCC. The shock was short-lived,
however, as the five saw this as yet another opportunity to
blame the GOM for misuse of funds and lack of concern for
the poor.

--------------
A Walkabout in a Bidonville
--------------


9. (U) The word bidonville literally translates to tin-can
city, a depressingly accurate description of the corrugated
tin hovels making up these shantytowns around Morocco. The
bidonville we visited housed approximately 2500
inhabitants, all dependent on four communal water faucets,
illegally tapped electricity (for the hundreds of satellite
dishes and televisions),and with no solid waste removal or
sewer system. No one could tell us the age of this
particular bidonville, but all five claimed to have been
born there and have lived there for their entire lives.
They expressed this fact with a tone of hopelessness,
suggestion that change for them would never come.

--------------
Be on the Lookout
--------------


10. (SBU) In addition, we also spoke directly with
residents of Sidi Moumen, including several high school
teachers who taught students that were incarcerated on
terrorism-related charges by Moroccan authorities after the
May 16th, 2003 bombings. Although at first reluctant to
engage officers, the teachers gradually opened up and
admitted to having seen the early signs of indoctrination.
"We all saw it", one said, describing how the four former
students (two sets of brothers) started to wear traditional
Afghan robes to class and began growing beards. "Once they
tried to lecture me because I wanted the students to sing a
song in class", a teacher recounted. "They said it was
against Islam, and so I challenged them to show me where in
the Koran it says that." Much like in the aftermath of
school-shooting tragedies in the United States, Sidi Moumen
residents admit to seeing the warning signs but failing to
act. The teachers blamed Saudi and Moroccan extremists
from "outside the community" for coming to the local Mosque
to recruit. "They went to the Mosque to watch people" one
teacher described, "watching who prays and how often."
From the teacher's perspective ignorance and poverty may
continue to make residents, especially youth, vulnerable to
extremism despite the money and attention Sidi Moumen has
received.

--------------
Comment
--------------


11. (C) What we saw and heard at the bidonville we visited
represents a snapshot. However, it confirms our view that
despite the GOM focus on Sidi Moumen, the broader challenge
is not being adequately addressed. The GOM is making efforts
to replace the bidonvilles with high-rise, low income
housing
projects such as the ones we see around Casablanca. Our
sense,
though, is that this is akin to treating the symptom and not
the
disease. Casablanca's poor move into these projects, but new
economic opportunities do not come with the move. The result,
over time, is likely to be vertical shantytowns. At the same
time new people, desperate for economic opportunity, arrive in
Casablanca from the countryside to take their places in the
bidonvilles. Until the underlying issues are addressed, the
bidonvilles and their high-rise replacements will likely
continue
to be fertile territory for extremists targeting poor,
hopeless
youth.
GREENE