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In Morocco, survivors of the Al-Haouz earthquake continue to protest for long-promised state aid, over a year after a 6.8 magnitude earthquake displaced tens of thousands of families in the Atlas Mountains. Ìý

On Monday, 16 December, dozens of families from the quake-stricken area gathered outside Morocco's parliament in Rabat, during Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch's monthly questioning session. Ìý

"This is a Morocco of injustice," read a large banner brandished by protesters who had travelled over six hours from makeshift camps to the capital, spending hundreds of dirhams to make the journey. Ìý

The sit-in was limited, as only a few dozen managed to reach Rabat, but their demands carried the anger and despair of an entire displaced community. Ìý

"More than a year later, many of us still live in conditions unworthy of human beings", said Montassir Ithri, a coordinator for the Al-Haouz Earthquake Victims group. Ìý

"Plastic tents cannot be called homes," added Ithri.

Protesters decried exclusion, manipulation, and neglect in the distribution of government aid and warned of the dire consequences of the winter, which has already brought unprecedented low temperatures in the mountains.Ìý

At the heart of their grievances is the failure to implement the financial aid announced in a Royal Court statement last September.

"Where's what the king promised us? Or are we not considered citizens in this country?" asked Hassan Ouakrim, one of the survivors who made the journey to Rabat. Ìý

Ouakrim lost his wife, mother, and two children under the rubble when the quake struck Amezmiz, 55 km south of Marrakesh, last September. Still grieving their loss and blaming their deaths on the delayed arrival of rescue teams, he now fears for the survival of his remaining family as winter closes in. Ìý

Rebuilding efforts in the Atlas

Last year, Morocco's palace announced a $12 billion reconstruction plan, pledging 140,000 dirhams for fully collapsed homes and 80,000 dirhams for partially damaged ones. At least 500,000 people were displaced in the Atlas Mountains, a remote region primarily inhabited by the Amazigh, the indigenous people of North Africa. Ìý

This year, Prime Minister Akhannouch announced that 51,000 families had received an initial payment of 20,000 dirhams (about $2,000) for rebuilding their homes.

Four additional payments are planned over the next five years, amounting to 140,000 dirhams (about $14,000) for destroyed homes and 80,000 dirhams (about $8,000) for partially damaged ones. Ìý

Yet, according to Al-Haouz Earthquake Victims group, most families—regardless of the scale of destruction—are only receiving the minimum allocation. Even this, they argue, is far from sufficient to rebuild lives, with the government's five-year rebuilding plan criticised as detached from the needs of affected communities. Ìý

Meanwhile, hundreds of other families remain without aid due to bureaucratic hurdles, including being excluded from beneficiary lists, despite their homes bearing witness to their loss. They said they've lodged many complaints but have yet to receive an answer.

°®Âþµº reached out to the Ounaien commune, one of the quake-struck villages, which confirmed it was reviewing complaints but said it has no information on the reasons behind the delays.

The victims' group has also levelled serious accusations against local authorities, alleging corruption and favouritism. They have called on the Ministry of the Interior to launch an investigation, describing the handling of aid as a "crime against the country's most vulnerable."

On Monday, ministers left the parliament building without stopping to address protesters' concerns. Ìý

The protests come amid mounting scrutiny of the government's slow response to the disaster. Ìý

In a recent report, Transparency Morocco criticised the slow implementation of promises made in the aftermath of the earthquake.

The watchdog identified issues with beneficiary lists, unfulfilled commitments to respect the region's cultural and architectural norms, and disjointed institutional efforts. Ìý

While Morocco gears up to host the Africa Cup of Nations in 2025 and co-host the World Cup in 2030 with newly built stadiums, activists are urging the government to prioritise housing the displaced in the Atlas region. Ìý

"The poor and the forgotten are living like refugees in their own country, while those responsible evade accountability," said the coordinator for the Al-Haouz Earthquake Victims group. Ìý

"We will not stop until justice is served," he added.