Will Rayan’s death change anything for Moroccan communities?

By Oumaïma Elazami Elhassani

Morocco did everything to save him. The Cherifian authorities and the region’s inhabitants were not the only ones since the entire world closely followed the event. Internet users – men, women, children, Muslims, Christians, Jews, atheists – prayed in their own way so that the young child came out safe and sound from his misadventure… in vain.

The five-year old boy’s story began on the 1^st of February 2022, when he accidentally fell into an abandoned well 32 meters deep and barely 45 centimeters in diameter, a narrow and inaccessible hose. Several technical teams were dispatched from all across the country and assisted by the local population for five days to save him. Given the nature of the ground conducive to landslides, the rescuers were unable to widen the diameter of the well. Despite everything, they tried to carefully dig all around.

However, little Rayan passed away, and the tragedy did not end here. Two other children have recently died, a five-year-old trying to imitate Rayan has also fallen into a well, and the other one was playing near a well when he fell inadvertently.

If these tragedies have revealed the distressing reality lived by many, what lessons can we draw from them? By pointing out the fragility of existence, these tragedies have above all brought the harshness of living conditions in the rural world to light.

The inhabitants of the “Ighrane” region in the province of Chefchaouen, in the north of Morocco, encounter daily difficulties in accessing drinking water, education, health, security, and all basic necessities and fundamental rights whose importance city dwellers are unaware of. What about poor families in rural areas reduced to precariousness and destitution? Would have Rayan lost his life if there had been childcare centers or safe play spaces near his home?

Who is responsible, or even guilty?

Many parties can be blamed. First, it is the local authorities’ representatives who were supposed to ensure the safety of their constituents by providing them with decent living conditions. They are the ones who did not take care of the abandoned wells, which should have been identified and filled in order to avoid this kind of disaster. As the saying goes, “prevention is better than cure.” Instead, some elected officials have ignored their responsibilities, seeking only to enrich themselves, acquiring luxury cars and going on trips with their families using the budget allocated to infrastructure. Thus in 2020, five corruption scandals of a criminal nature broke out concerning the localities of Boukarkouh, Fquih Ben Saleh, Harhoura, Guelmim and Mrirt. Second, the State should have normally exercised control over the local authorities to which it delegates missions, ensuring the proper execution of the latter. Conversely, by entrusting the local authorities with work that is never supervised, the results on the ground are often fragile, especially since the local authorities have integrated the absence of any monitoring and intervention whatsoever from the State.

By entrusting the local authorities with work that is never supervised, the results on the ground are often fragile

Rayan’s context is no exception: the State waited for the occurrence of this tragedy to act. Why didn’t it act before, by adopting a law that governs unfilled wells? Responding to these sad events is certainly beneficial and will save further tragedies, but what is the point of helping this family financially and worrying about their living conditions after the loss of their child?

In Morocco, neighborliness is a principle of cohabitation both in working-class neighborhoods and in disadvantaged rural areas. Neighbors are indeed considered as parents, who are always there to teach the children of the neighborhood the values shared by the community. In this specific case, we cannot blame them for their absence since they were all busy ensuring their subsistence in the lamentable conditions that we have just described.

Lastly, there are Rayan’s parents whose share of responsibility, if they have one, is less. Like their neighbors, they were busy providing for themselves with not enough time to watch out for their children or play with them. In addition, there are problems related to the status of the woman in rural areas, which remains deplorable. Indeed, the activities she performs in the fields or in the house are hardly recognized, even less remunerated, as if it were a due, a job without gratification of any kind and with no visibility.

As a rural woman, Rayan’s mother is another victim of illiteracy and exploitation. Thus, in the absence of a program for integration into working life, like many others, she found herself torn between work in the fields and household tasks, without having a stable income. How can we blame or empower this mother who does not even find the time to feel “alive”.

And now what?

Rayan’s tragedy has made headlines, as have the efforts made by the Moroccan authorities to rescue him. “Morocco has moved mountains to save its child” stressed several international newspapers, while international bodies, such as the UN, offered their condolences to little Rayan’s family, acknowledging the remarkable efforts of the rescuers. The spokesperson for American diplomacy said he was impressed by the dedication of the rescue team and the solidarity of the Moroccan people, describing the rescue operation as heroic. As for Pope Francis, he appreciated the solidarity of the Moroccan people, their love and unity to save the little angel.

After this tragic event, the Moroccan State set up a project to identify abandoned wells given the threat they represent for public security. Consequently, the owners of these wells will have to take the necessary measures to deal with the dangers they represent, otherwise they risk legal action. As indicated by Abdelaziz Zerouali, Head of the Ministry of Equipment in an interview he gave to MAP, the hydraulic basins agency will ensure that these abandoned wells are secured at the offender’s expense. Mr Zrouali specified that the drilling of wells and prospecting are governed by Water Law 15/35 and Decree No. 2.07.96. A regulatory text is also being prepared to strengthen the existing legal system.

If the laws and measures established after this disaster will not bring life back to Rayan, they may prevent tragedies, without ensuring decent living conditions for children in rural areas. In the meantime, Rayan’s tragedy must be a point of no return vis-à-vis the negligence and irresponsibility that strikes rural areas and the underprivileged classes. As UNICEF stated, “Rayan is now the new icon of childhood in Morocco,” so we hope justice be done to him.