I visited Morocco recently during Eid Adhaa and was very confused this time more than ever.
One of my experiences was when I hired a car to move around. I was shocked with the amount of accidents and madness that drivers and pedestrians express towards each others.
Driving in Morocco was like walking near a live volcano.
You could be struck anytime by either another driver or pedestrian crossing the road or a policeman who by any mean wants to mess your day up. You will need two extra eyes at the back of your head.
One day, I parked my car near a busy road (while a police car was next to me) where so many cars were parked. When I came back it was gone.
I asked the policemen to where the car is gone, they said we took it. Why? you are not allowed to park it here. Is there any sign or a mark on the pavement that say so? NO. how would I know if I cannot park? You should have known that you shouldn't park here on Wednesdays and Saturdays???but I am not from here and this is the first time I came to this area, plus there are no signs what so ever? Well, we can sort it out for you if you.....what?
what? You need a ticket, then go to "fourriane???" to get the car...but how much would it cost me? It depends but you can pay the full price of DH400+DH120 to get the car or we can negotiate. Saaaad.
I knew it was a fraud to milk the poor even more. I had to waste almost one day to get my car and an awful amount of money. Plus the heartache and the injustice that engulf the whole situation.
The police were running a mafia like system based on injustice, lies and Reshwa (bribery) while Moroccans are getting crashed to death daily by illegal lorries and cowboy drivers.
While I was in the regional police station, I saw an incident that made me feel so angry and for the first time in my life, I felt so ashamed to be Moroccan.
I entered by mistake to a dark room with so many tall and fat people behind counters and lots of screaming and loud noises coming out of their dirty mouths. That incident and the atmosphere surrounding it reminded me of a film I saw years ago Midnight Express in the jails of Turkey.
At one point I thought it was a jail of some sort. I was shaken to see young people, men and women getting humiliated and pushed around like a herd of cheep; in the middle of a dark dirty smelly room by the nastiest humans you can encounter.
I asked one of them where should I go to pay for the fine, he said this is the finger print area for people who want to get a new Moroccan ID CARD or RENEW their old one.wow!
The poor Moroccan gets humiliated and degraded even when he asks for his BASIC RIGHT to have an ID that identify him as a Moroccan.
While the rich (Ive heard) dont even need to come near those places to get what they want. This is one of the reasons why, so many young lives are lost every year, swallowed by the cold depth of the Mediterranean sea.
The roads in Casablanca are like a jungle, no respect of signs or traffic lights or pedestrians. If you try to be a good driver, everyone will curse you and brand you a bad driver. Whats wrong with this society?
How long will it take us to get rid of these diseases; carelessness, bribery, dishonesty, backwardness, ruddiness, injustice, fraud, corruption and not learning how to queue like the rest of the planet.
When will be the day, the Moroccan average person be very proud and stand with his head high in the sky then say: I am proud to be Moroccan in the land of (good and honest) opportunities?
God Bless Morocco and its people. Respect to all decent Moroccans who believe in honnesty and progress.
One of my experiences was when I hired a car to move around. I was shocked with the amount of accidents and madness that drivers and pedestrians express towards each others.
Driving in Morocco was like walking near a live volcano.
You could be struck anytime by either another driver or pedestrian crossing the road or a policeman who by any mean wants to mess your day up. You will need two extra eyes at the back of your head.
One day, I parked my car near a busy road (while a police car was next to me) where so many cars were parked. When I came back it was gone.
I asked the policemen to where the car is gone, they said we took it. Why? you are not allowed to park it here. Is there any sign or a mark on the pavement that say so? NO. how would I know if I cannot park? You should have known that you shouldn't park here on Wednesdays and Saturdays???but I am not from here and this is the first time I came to this area, plus there are no signs what so ever? Well, we can sort it out for you if you.....what?
what? You need a ticket, then go to "fourriane???" to get the car...but how much would it cost me? It depends but you can pay the full price of DH400+DH120 to get the car or we can negotiate. Saaaad.
I knew it was a fraud to milk the poor even more. I had to waste almost one day to get my car and an awful amount of money. Plus the heartache and the injustice that engulf the whole situation.
The police were running a mafia like system based on injustice, lies and Reshwa (bribery) while Moroccans are getting crashed to death daily by illegal lorries and cowboy drivers.
While I was in the regional police station, I saw an incident that made me feel so angry and for the first time in my life, I felt so ashamed to be Moroccan.
I entered by mistake to a dark room with so many tall and fat people behind counters and lots of screaming and loud noises coming out of their dirty mouths. That incident and the atmosphere surrounding it reminded me of a film I saw years ago Midnight Express in the jails of Turkey.
At one point I thought it was a jail of some sort. I was shaken to see young people, men and women getting humiliated and pushed around like a herd of cheep; in the middle of a dark dirty smelly room by the nastiest humans you can encounter.
I asked one of them where should I go to pay for the fine, he said this is the finger print area for people who want to get a new Moroccan ID CARD or RENEW their old one.wow!
The poor Moroccan gets humiliated and degraded even when he asks for his BASIC RIGHT to have an ID that identify him as a Moroccan.
While the rich (Ive heard) dont even need to come near those places to get what they want. This is one of the reasons why, so many young lives are lost every year, swallowed by the cold depth of the Mediterranean sea.
The roads in Casablanca are like a jungle, no respect of signs or traffic lights or pedestrians. If you try to be a good driver, everyone will curse you and brand you a bad driver. Whats wrong with this society?
How long will it take us to get rid of these diseases; carelessness, bribery, dishonesty, backwardness, ruddiness, injustice, fraud, corruption and not learning how to queue like the rest of the planet.
When will be the day, the Moroccan average person be very proud and stand with his head high in the sky then say: I am proud to be Moroccan in the land of (good and honest) opportunities?
God Bless Morocco and its people. Respect to all decent Moroccans who believe in honnesty and progress.
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