Mohammed VI appoints his brother Moulay Rachid to preside over the funeral of Aisha El Khattabi
Morocco bid farewell Thursday to Aisha El Khattabi, the last descendant of Abdel Karim El Khattabi, representative of the struggle against colonial occupation.
The funeral of Aisha El Khattabi took place on Thursday in the presence of His Royal Highness Prince Moulay Rachid. After the prayers of Addohr and the deceased, the body of the deceased was buried in the cemetery of Errahma. Aicha El Khattabi passed away on Wednesday in Casablanca at the age of 81 after a long illness.
King Mohammed VI, accustomed to sending strong political signals, wanted to entrust his brother, Prince Moulay Rachid, with the responsibility of presiding over the funeral ceremonies of Aicha El Khattabi, daughter of Rifian leader Abdel Karim El Khattabi. For those who do not know some of these historical facts, especially the generation that lived through the events of the Rif and the arrests of Zefzafi and his companions, King Mohammed VI, since his accession to the throne, has treated the Rif region and the family of the Khattabi leader with special care, there are even those who speak of a special friendship between him and the family.
Thus, it should be noted how he received Aisha Al-Khattabi and her brother Saeed in the palace, and how he treated El Khattabi's family with special appreciation and affection. The Moroccan monarch started spending part of his private vacations in the north, specifically on a beach he usually reaches by sea from his private residence in the M'diq.
Aisha El Khattabi participated in the royal reception on the occasion of Throne Day, preceded by another meeting on a previous occasion, reflecting the status she enjoyed with Mohammed VI. This treatment was publicly acknowledged with pride and recognition of the special impact he felt.
After the events of Al Hoceima, the deceased was an example of a Moroccan woman who did not try to exploit her father's symbolism to exacerbate the situation. On the contrary, she was a voice of wisdom and reason far removed from narrow local borders and prejudices because she believed in a Morocco that could welcome all its inhabitants, as she expressed more than once.
The deceased believed in a unified Morocco and expressed her pride in her country and its king the day after the royal reception.
Aisha El Khattabi acted wisely in organizing the transfer of her father's remains to his hometown as a side discussion that should not obscure the growth and development the region is experiencing.
The Rif region is a special place and a constant destination for Mohammed VI who has always paid special attention to its residents.
The deceased was a living memory of the Rif region, and her testimonies about the cohesion of her father's resistance to the Spanish colonialists with other national resistance movements in other parts of the country enriched the Moroccan collective memory for the sake of freedom and independence.
Casablanca maintains feelings of gratitude and respect for the deceased, as her husband worked for a long time as a doctor in the economic capital, and it is the same city where she is buried.