Five Moroccan men set themselves ablaze on Thursday in protest to the rampant unemployment in the country and lack of jobs. It was part of widespread demonstrations in the country over the poor economic situation facing the country. Activists said that three had been burned badly enough that they have been hospitalized. According to activists Bikyamasr.com spoke with on Friday morning, the young men were part of a group of “unemployed graduates” who had been calling for massive demonstrations against the government's lack of economic progress. The video posted of the incident has left many activists in the country wondering what future steps the government in Rabat is planning to take in order to alleviate the situation facing the unemployed. “The fact is that we are struggling to make ends meet, get jobs and have a good life,” Sayed Bouchaini, a Casablanca-based activist, told Bikyamasr.com via telephone. “These men are beginning the movement for change and maybe it will get others to the street.” The official unemployment rate is only 9.1 percent nationally, but it rises to around 16 percent for graduates. Of the three who were hospitalized, two were in serious condition, while the other two had only minor injuries. BM ShortURL: http://goo.gl/k4F3N Tags: Economy, Protest, Self-Immolation Section: Business, Latest News, Morocco
