Rabat, Morocco (TMT)- The family members of Mahfoud Jimi, the young man who passed away few days ago in Morocco’s industrial hub Casablanca, one week after he set himself ablaze inside a borough council [Mokata3a] in Ain Bourja, belonging to Morocco’s Ministry of Interior, spoke in a sad tone about the reason behind Mahfoud setting himself ablaze, in an interview given to Moroccan news outlet Hespress.
“I lost my son for nothing, just because the authorities of the borough council [Mokata3a] refused to grant him a residence certificate, which he needed for work purposes,” Mahfoud’s mother said.
“I feel I am the one who has burned instead. I am burning. My heart is burning.
“They [the authorities] did not even try to stop him from setting himself ablaze when he told them “If you don’t give me the certificate, I will burn myself here”
“They painted the walls and everything as if nothing had happened. No investigation. Nothing.”
Abdelfattah Jimi, Mahfoud’s brother stressed that, “my brother was asked to give a bribe to receive his residence certificate. He went afterwards to the highest authority in the borough council, the Kayd, to share with him his story, but the Kayd, instead of helping him get the certificate, humiliated him and told him go away from me.
“He set himself ablaze because the authorities blatantly refused to grant him a residence certificate,” Abdelfattah said.
Mahfoud poured fuel over himself and set himself alight inside the borough council, after weeks of protesting the authorities not granting him a residence certificate, his family members stress.
The flames were quickly smothered and he was rushed to hospital where he was treated for high degree burns to his face, legs and his hands, before passing away one week after the sad event.
His brother called on King Mohammed VI, the highest authority in the kingdom to open an investigation and punish those responsible for his brother’s death.
Another relative of Mahfoud said, “I am wondering why did the Mkadam kept refusing to grant Mahfoud one of his most basic rights as a Moroccan citizen, a residence certificate?”
The Moroccan Times.
