MOROCCO: BREAD RIOT SHAKES BUCOLIC HAMLET

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 RABAT 001542 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/27/2017 TAGS: PGOV ECON MO SUBJECT: MOROCCO: BREAD RIOT SHAKES BUCOLIC HAMLET REF: RABAT 1525 Classified by Charge d'Affaires Doug Greene for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Summary: A rise in the price of subsidized bread, though hastily retracted by the GOM (reftel),nonetheless prompted a riot September 23 that caused serious property damage, numerous injuries, and at least 30 arrests in the normally tranquil hamlet of Sefrou, about 30 KM south of Fes. Though Sefrou's mayor, reached by phone, downplayed the damage, another local contact confirmed media reports of significant property damage during several hours of lawlessness. In spite of the recent rollback on bread prices, activists across Morocco are reportedly planning further demonstrations to protest the high cost of food in general. The Sefrou incident underscores the political sensitivity of subsidized foodstuffs and their potential to cause civil unrest in Morocco. End summary. ¶2. (C) Moroccan media gave prominent coverage to a riot which exploded on the morning of September 23 in Sefrou, a bucolic municipality (pop. approx 100,000) in the Moyen Atlas foothills of North-Central Morocco, about 30 KM south of Fes. Hafid Ouchchak (protect) mayor of Sefrou, told A/Polcouns by telephone that the media had exaggerated the gravity of the incident. It was true that "some storefronts had broken windows" but calm had been quickly restored and most of the trouble had been caused by "outsiders" rather than the people of Sefrou, he maintained. ¶3. (C) By contrast, multiple media reports, echoed by Anwar Bensaada (strictly protect) a local businessman and Embassy contact in Sefrou, reported significant damage that could have been even worse. Bensaada pointed to the role of "an NGO," separately identified by the media as the local chapter of AMDH (the Moroccan Association for Human Rights),in seizing on the increase in the price of a loaf of subsidized bread from DH 1.2 to DH 1.5 (USD .15 to USD .18 - reftel) to incite a demonstration. A mob of approximately 400 persons gathered near the governor's office demanding an audience. According to Bensaada, the governor sent word to the crowd that the government had already decided to retract the price increase and that citizens should exercise patience and wait for the new, lower price to take effect. Our contact related that local NGO reps urged the crowd not to settle for this and to make their voices heard. ¶4. (C) The situation then "got out of control," Bensaada related. The mob was said to be "unafraid of the police," understanding that they were under orders "not to beat the crowd." The mob of about 400 brazenly surrounded about 80 police deployed to control the area and beat many of them, some severely. The mob threw stones at unprotected storefronts, destroying the local Maroc Telecom office and trashing the local municipal records office. At least three cars owned by the municipality were also burned, and private homes, as well as businesses, were stoned, said Bensaada. Perhaps most dramatically, members of the mob commandeered an earth mover in the area and set off to smash down the walls of the maximum security prison in the area. However, this plan was aborted when the earth mover turned over. Dozens of police and demonstrators were injured in the melees. Police arrested 30 for assault, disorderly conduct, and other charges. Mayor Ouchchak confirmed to us that they remained in custody as of September 27. ¶5. (C) Both Bensaada and Ouchchak said that the calm had since been restored to Sefrou, with the application of lower bread prices. ¶6. (SBU) In spite of the GOM's hasty rollback of bread prices, Moroccan media report that activists across the country are planning to organize further demonstrations during the month of Ramadan (which will end o/a Oct 13),to protest the high cost of food in general. ¶7. (C) Comment: The Sefrou episode underscores the extreme volatility of the issue of subsidized foodstuffs in Morocco and their potential to prompt civil unrest. The timing of the price rise during the holy fasting month of Ramadan doubtlessly further fueled public emotions. We expect the GOM is already conducting a post-mortem of the Sefrou incident to determine how police lost control of the situation and the role of particular individuals and organizations in inciting trouble. The episode will also probably discourage the incoming government led by new Prime RABAT 00001542 002 OF 002 Minister Fassi from considering any rollback of food subsidies in the near future. End comment. ***************************************** Visit Embassy Rabat's Classified Website; http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/rabat ***************************************** GREENE