chargement...
Delays at the border, long queues, and vulnerable travellers left waiting under the scorching sun, this is how the Azghanghan branch of the Moroccan League for the Defence of Human Rights described conditions at the Beni Ansar crossing as Operation Marhaba gets underway. The organization is calling for urgent measures to improve services and ease the passage of travellers.
Fouad Bajati, local secretary of the Moroccan League for the Defence of Human Rights in Azghanghan, told Yabiladi that field visits conducted by branch members, along with complaints from travellers, revealed significant delays at the Melilla-Nador border crossing. He attributed the congestion largely to the fact that only one or two lanes are often kept open, triggering repeated protests and frustration among members of the Moroccan diaspora.
According to the rights activist, the problem is not only the number of lanes but also how they are managed. All four lanes are temporarily opened when ferries arrive, only to be quickly reduced to two or even one. He said this inconsistent management disrupts the normal flow of traffic, arguing that the crossing should operate at full capacity around the clock.
«We observed troubling humanitarian cases involving children, elderly people and patients who were forced to spend long hours under the scorching sun, without protection or prior care measures. This situation directly undermines citizens’ dignity.»
«Services at the crossing fall short of the required standard»
The League also pointed to recurring disputes between travellers and customs officials, which it says stem from the absence of clear information on which goods and personal belongings may be brought into or taken out of Morocco. Bajati explained that this lack of guidance often results in the seizure of personal luggage, particularly from residents of Melilla, leading to avoidable confrontations with customs officers.
In light of what it describes as services that «fall short of the required standard», the Azghanghan branch of the Moroccan League for the Defence of Human Rights has submitted a petition to the governor of Nador province, a copy of which was seen by Yabiladi. The petition calls for urgent intervention to improve services at the crossing and facilitate the transit of travellers.
To ensure Operation Marhaba is conducted under conditions that «preserve citizens’ dignity», the League urged authorities to reinforce staffing across all services operating at the crossing, keep all four lanes open 24 hours a day, and establish reception areas equipped with shade, drinking water and nearby sanitary facilities. It also called for the installation of information boards clearly listing permitted and prohibited goods to improve the flow of traffic and reduce disputes with customs services.
