To remind of you some facts: Khouribga was the outcome of what lays on her deep land. It was built and well equipped by the French authorities when phosphate was discovered in 1912. They began its style in a glamorous way and the first thing they started was the French village and its surroundings.
Khouribga used to have a French consulate and a main library as well as a styled school all were located in the region of the French village in addition to the main residence of the Governor located in the city center without forgetting the church and the cemetery of Catholics. The center of the city was planned to be a modern market that suits the status of its French origins.
After the declaration of independence in 1956, Khouribga turns out to a dark and gloomy path. France left all its history... let's say... to the new residents. The main company of phosphates extraction took the burden to manage the city and keep its French history as vital as it was. But unfortunately nothing reached the expectations. The French villas were taken to a social program of OCP workers. They bought these buildings and changed the outlook too much until it became mutated.
The local authorities launched real estate programs to promote the building industry in this city. This way many new neighborhoods were created like Nahda, El Massira and Bloc Jamila as well as the administrative neighborhood. None has taken a consideration to reserve the history of Khouribga.
Even during this period Khouribga used to be classified as the cleanest city in term of fresh air and street cleaning. It was always the first in terms of life expectancy.
During this period, Khouribga was under the territorial jurisdiction of Settat and later was transformed to Beni Mellal. For it was like a dirty thing. Every time they passed it to someone.
Back to the facts, Khouribga contributes with 60% of the economy of the Kingdom as a whole presented in form of raw phosphates and its derivatives. It has also a railway network that was built mainly by the French to transport phosphates, from 1912 up till now; nothing was changed on this railway network. And concerning the trains’ timetable, there are only 3 trains to Casablanca a day.
As for the road network; Khouribga lately welcomed a new line of highway that connects it with Casablanca and Beni Mellal. There is a national road network but it is not well equipped and it was the outcome of the French who built it for their affairs in Casablanca at that times.
Khouribga has also a main Diaspora of immigrants especially in France, Spain and Italy. This Diaspora emigrated during a time when no social program was presented to eradicate poverty in this area. During this period Khouribga, Beni Mellal and Fkih Ben Sarah were classified as the triangle of death since many illegal immigrants from these cities went to Europe by boats in the sea. And many died drowning.
Moreover Khouribga gained again a bright status when they designated it as the city of mosques. Many donors provided their money to build mosques all over the city. By the coming back of the Diaspora from Italy and Spain Khouribga turned out to be an open market for the second hand goods of Europe, until then, so far so good.
By the years of 2000, Khouribga developed a new style, this time it was an Italian style. Happy for the migrants, they brought an Italian culture with them. In this time many washing stations were opened, many cafes were inaugurated the surprise is that if you visit the city you will find a café near another café. Until you discover that the whole avenue is full of cafes.
They will serve you all the types of Italian tastes. Pizzas industry also boomed with the Diaspora. I wished that the new Diaspora had turned Khouribga as an Italian hub that people can enjoy Italian taste without the need to go to Italy. Summer also used to be a season for wedding ceremonies, every day you come across a bride and the groom taking photos near the French fountain and the big clock that lays in the heart of Khouribga (Magana) as souvenir for their marriage.
Unfortunately all the good things fall apart. During the period of recession and crisis in Europe little was received and rural migration was open in this city as a solution to the big recession. Khouribga suffered a lot from recession and this was obvious in the level of activities inside it.
But as they say, never lose hope. During this period of crisis, OCP enlarged the company’s activities and they agreed to build a pipeline as a tool to transport the phosphates efficiently. At this time a Turkish company known as "Tekfen" won the deal and began the building of pipelines. They recruited many residents in all sectors. Khouribga revived once again with the new guest from Turkey. Unfortunately and after 4 years of work, the project was finished and given to the official company. Turks went back and crisis came back once again. The influence of Diaspora was very low and the city entered the darkest path once again.
Today Khouribga lives its worst moments in history. Only barbarism, disobedience and randomness are the titles of the current period. Nothing is organized; many unregistered traders and vendors are everywhere. Khouribga turns out to be an open market for anyone to come. And the city which is contributing with 60% in the national economy is now waiting for alms givers to give it something for striving hunger and all sorts of marginalization.
Khouribga is waiting for its Diaspora to flourish its golden days. Khouribga is waiting also for corrupt politicians of all this period to get the fuck out of it and to apologize for the rape they committed during all this period of time to the city..... I am trying to be frank. But this is the outcome of the Arab corruption. If Khouribga was in the place of Hoceima, it would not turn into this catastrophic situation where there is nothing proper.
No clean water supply (water is full of calculus and many suffer kidney stones) no cultural programs to invite foreigners and give them another taste of old history. No supplementary transportation to connect the city with its environment. No real estate programs to flourish the building industry. All we have there is ugly cubic buildings standing one near the other testifying the black days in this part of the world.
More needs to be done to revive this city to its lovely days, since it was provided to the local residents who have no prior knowledge of how to preserve the history of their city.
First of all, I am calling the Diaspora to contribute in the development of this city by building more necessary facilities rather than more cubic buildings. I wish they would turn back to the European style of building and to forget the current one.
I also hope the residents would launch a program to eradicate the catastrophic corruption that took everything from history. And more is coming later. I will provide a list of recommendations next time of how to redeveloping this marginalized city of Khouribga.
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Геллее Авбакар
Писатель и Антрополог
Российская Федерация