{"id":149,"date":"2025-11-06T16:17:36","date_gmt":"2025-11-06T15:17:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/tdi_61_0ee"},"modified":"2025-11-06T18:30:12","modified_gmt":"2025-11-06T17:30:12","slug":"oven-baked-yummy-pulled-pork-for-food-travelers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/en.13emregion.com\/index.php\/2025\/11\/06\/oven-baked-yummy-pulled-pork-for-food-travelers\/","title":{"rendered":"Minister of the Interior Laftit: \u201cAnyone who took money or land must return it, otherwise we will pursue them to the end.\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n


Laftit and the Merit of What Was Lost: Toward Accountability in Local and Territorial Affairs<\/strong><\/p>\r\n

The statements made by the Minister of the Interior, Abdelouafi Laftit, directed at elected officials and those who have seized communal lands, mark a pivotal moment in the relationship between the State and local territorial governance.<\/p>\r\n

When he said: \u201cAnyone who took money or land must return it\u2026 otherwise we will pursue them to the end,\u201d<\/em> he was not addressing a single individual, but an entire system<\/em> of informal networks that has persisted for decades within territorial administration.<\/p>\r\n

But what does this discourse mean in practice? Are there clear indications that the State is preparing to dig into what might be described as \u201chalf a century\u201d of practices? And what are the limits of this excavation?<\/p>\r\n

1. The Facts and Leaks Behind the Statement<\/h3>\r\n

Reports from various media sources reveal that cases involving the transfer of communal lands and unlawful practices within territorial councils are no longer merely local or isolated, but institutional<\/strong> in nature.<\/p>\r\n

Examples:<\/p>\r\n

    \r\n
  • \r\n

    Investigations have been launched in several communes in regions such as Casablanca\u2013Settat<\/strong> and F\u00e8s\u2013Mekn\u00e8s<\/strong>, regarding communal lands transferred at artificially low values for real estate development, with the involvement of commune presidents or aligned council members.<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n

  • \r\n

    Leaks from regional courts of financial and administrative inspection showed the existence of \u201csuspicious channels\u201d<\/strong> within local councils used to allocate subsidies and public financial support through fictitious associations<\/em> or personal delegations \u2014 indicating that corruption is not limited to land but also to public funds<\/strong>.<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n

    Specific Case:<\/p>\r\n

      \r\n
    • \r\n

      In the commune of Mghogha<\/strong> (Tangier), the vice-president is currently under investigation for forged documents<\/strong> involving communal forest lands that were transformed into private ownership.<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n

      Official Warning:<\/p>\r\n

        \r\n
      • \r\n

        The Ministry issued a directive regulating construction on communal lands \u2014 a clear acknowledgment of the legislative and executive loopholes<\/strong> that had been exploited for years.<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n

        These elements form the contextual foundation<\/strong> of the Minister\u2019s statement. It is not simply a warning message \u2014 it is a response to accumulated structural phenomena.<\/p>\r\n

        2. What Is Meant by \u201cHalf a Century of Corruption\u201d?<\/h3>\r\n

        The ministerial discourse suggests that the issue at hand is not new, but the result of decades<\/strong> of accumulated practices.<\/p>\r\n

        Does this imply that the State intends to conduct a full historical audit<\/strong> spanning from post-independence until today?<\/p>\r\n

        Indicators:<\/p>\r\n

          \r\n
        • \r\n

          The sale and transfer of collective or customary lands<\/strong> \u2014 long denounced by civil society \u2014 date back to many years. For example, the issue of \u201cSoulaliyah\u201d lands<\/strong> had already been addressed by the relevant ministry in 2021<\/strong>.<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n

        • \r\n

          The new directive regulating construction on communal lands reflects an effort to restore legal foundations<\/strong> that had been neglected or weakly enforced for decades.<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n

          Thus, the temporal scope of the issue likely spans several decades<\/strong>.<\/p>\r\n

          However:<\/p>\r\n

          There has been no official declaration that the investigation will cover all<\/em> activity since 1956<\/strong> or systematically revisit every historical contract.<\/p>\r\n

          Therefore, the shift underway should not be understood as a full historical purge<\/strong>, but rather as a focus on:<\/p>\r\n

            \r\n
          • \r\n

            What can be recovered today.<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n

          • \r\n

            What has legal basis for enforcement.<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n

          • \r\n

            What is currently traceable through documentation and registry systems.<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n

            3. What Does the State Aim to Achieve? And What Are the Limits?<\/h3>\r\n

            Based on the information available, the State aims to:<\/p>\r\n

              \r\n
            • \r\n

              Recover communal assets<\/strong> improperly transferred or privatized.<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n

            • \r\n

              Reform administrative and legal procedures<\/strong>, including:<\/p>\r\n

                \r\n
              • \r\n

                Circulars and regulatory updates<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n

              • \r\n

                Registry corrections<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n

              • \r\n

                Closing legal loopholes<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n

              • \r\n

                Reclassifying and re-registering lands<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n

              • \r\n

                Revising delegation and transfer procedures.<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n

              • \r\n

                Hold elected officials, administrators, and intermediaries accountable<\/strong>, including judicial referrals. Approximately 30 cases<\/strong> have already been submitted to public prosecutors.<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n

                However, limits remain:<\/p>\r\n

                  \r\n
                • \r\n

                  Some cases are still in early investigation<\/strong> stages.<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n

                • \r\n

                  Certain transfers may involve complex legal entanglements<\/strong> requiring years of litigation.<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n

                • \r\n

                  Revisiting early post-independence transfers requires archival retrieval<\/strong> and political will<\/strong>, making a comprehensive rollback unlikely in the immediate term.<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n

                  4. What Changed in Governance \u2014 and Why Now?<\/h3>\r\n

                  Why is the State speaking in this tone now<\/em>?<\/p>\r\n

                  Key reasons:<\/p>\r\n

                    \r\n
                  • \r\n

                    Growing social pressure:<\/strong> public complaints about land and local corruption are now more visible, especially among youth and civic movements.<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n

                  • \r\n

                    Development imperatives:<\/strong> expanding cities, rising land values, and large-scale urban projects mean land is now an economic priority<\/strong>.<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n

                  • \r\n

                    Restoring legitimacy:<\/strong> local corruption erodes trust in elections, councils, and public institutions \u2014 threatening the foundations of local democratic governance.<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n

                  • \r\n

                    Technological and regulatory modernization:<\/strong> the adoption of GIS systems, updated land registries, and the new construction directive signal the State\u2019s move toward serious enforcement<\/strong>.<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n

                    5. Open Questions for Monitoring and Debate<\/h3>\r\n
                      \r\n
                    • \r\n

                      Will action extend to high-level power figures<\/strong>, or focus mainly on lower-tier officials?<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n

                    • \r\n

                      How far can the State go in revisiting old contracts<\/strong> and recovering assets transferred decades ago?<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n

                    • \r\n

                      What guarantees will ensure actual restitution<\/strong>, rather than negotiated settlement or reallocation under new intermediaries?<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n

                    • \r\n

                      How will the rights of ordinary citizens<\/strong> affected by illegal land operations be protected?<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n

                    • \r\n

                      Will this shift modify the real balance of power<\/strong> in local governance and improve public services?<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n

                      6. What Should Citizens Expect?<\/h3>\r\n

                      For citizens, the process must translate into:<\/p>\r\n

                        \r\n
                      • \r\n

                        Tangible outcomes<\/strong>: recovered lands, restored resources, revived development projects.<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n

                      • \r\n

                        Transparency<\/strong>: open tenders, public documentation of transfers, accessible records.<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n

                      • \r\n

                        Sustainable accountability<\/strong>: not just a temporary campaign, but an institutional monitoring framework.<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n

                        \r\n

                        7. Why This Issue Matters Nationally<\/h3>\r\n

                        This is not just about land or financial loss.
                        It is about principle<\/strong>:<\/p>\r\n

                          \r\n
                        • \r\n

                          The community must not be plundered from within.<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n

                        • \r\n

                          The elected official must serve \u2014 not dominate.<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n

                        • \r\n

                          Public wealth is not a prize<\/strong>, but a trust.<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n

                          At a national level, this effort seeks to rebuild the relationship between citizens and institutions<\/strong>, bridging the gap between development discourse and lived local reality.<\/p>\r\n

                          Conclusion \u2014 Between Speech and Reality: A Major Test<\/strong><\/h3>\r\n

                          Laftit\u2019s remarks carry weight \u2014 but they are merely a beginning<\/strong>.<\/p>\r\n

                          History will judge not the announcement, but the execution<\/strong> and the clarity of results<\/strong>.<\/p>\r\n

                          If the legal follow-through is transparent, exceptions refused, and citizens allowed to monitor outcomes, this could mark a true shift<\/strong> in communal governance and the recovery of public resources.<\/p>\r\n

                          But if the effort remains selective or politically managed, it will be remembered only as another unfinished speech<\/strong>.<\/p>\r\n

                          Final question:<\/p>\r\n

                          \r\n

                          In the coming years, will we witness land cases dating back fifty years brought before the courts \u2014 forcing restitution or settlement?<\/p>\r\n

                          Or will the matter remain within the realm of \u201congoing investigations\u201d?<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n

                          \r\n

                          Organized Table of Publicly Reported Cases Involving Communal or Collective Lands in Morocco<\/h3>\r\n
                          \r\n
                          \r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
                          #<\/th>\r\nRegion \/ Location<\/th>\r\nSubject<\/th>\r\nPublication Date<\/th>\r\nLink<\/th>\r\nKey Notes<\/th>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/thead>\r\n
                          1<\/td>\r\nA\u00eft Hammou Commune \u2013 Rehamna<\/td>\r\nTransfer of Soulaliyah lands (\u201cRkibat\u201d)<\/td>\r\nFeb 2025<\/td>\r\nAnfaspress<\/td>\r\n~8 hectares, nominal lease contract<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
                          2<\/td>\r\nMultiple regions (national)<\/td>\r\nCommunal land appropriation returns to public debate<\/td>\r\nNov 2025<\/td>\r\nAljarida 24<\/td>\r\nAnalytical coverage \u2013 territories unspecified<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
                          3<\/td>\r\nCasablanca Commune<\/td>\r\nContested transfer of communal assets<\/td>\r\nFeb 2025<\/td>\r\nAssahra Al-Maghribia<\/td>\r\nActive debate in communal council<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
                          4<\/td>\r\nK\u00e9nitra & Tetouan Regions<\/td>\r\nInvestigations into commune presidents for suspicious land transfers<\/td>\r\nJul 2024<\/td>\r\nSabah Agadir<\/td>\r\nSix commune presidents implicated<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
                          5<\/td>\r\nOuatat El Haj Circle \u2013 Boulemane<\/td>\r\nSoulaliyah lands as ground for corruption and bribery<\/td>\r\nNov 2024<\/td>\r\nIntelligencia<\/td>\r\nTens of thousands of hectares involved<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
                          6<\/td>\r\nMultiple regions \u2013 Communal Property<\/td>\r\nLarge-scale investigation by General Inspectorate of Territorial Administration<\/td>\r\nJul 2025<\/td>\r\nAl-Khaleej Al-Arabi<\/td>\r\nJoint committees and central oversight involved<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

                          Laftit and the Merit of What Was Lost: Toward Accountability in Local and Territorial Affairs The statements made by the Minister of the Interior, Abdelouafi Laftit, directed at elected officials and those who have seized communal lands, mark a pivotal moment in the relationship between the State and local territorial governance. When he said: \u201cAnyone […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":475,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-149","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-architecture","category-recipes"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/en.13emregion.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/149","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/en.13emregion.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/en.13emregion.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.13emregion.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.13emregion.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=149"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/en.13emregion.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/149\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":476,"href":"https:\/\/en.13emregion.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/149\/revisions\/476"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.13emregion.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/475"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/en.13emregion.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=149"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.13emregion.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=149"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.13emregion.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=149"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}