Ashraf’s Moroccan drama on American Media

Moroccan teenager Ashraf Saber

I couldn't believe my eyes when I woke up and turned on the news. Just like many other Moroccans living in the US, seeing the images of my fellow citizens swimming and desperately crossing the fence to Ceuta on American television was shocking since American Media barely talk about Moroccan issues.

 One of the immigrants everybody was talking about was Ashraf. The young man swam with empty plastic bottles around his waist to protect him from drowning and enable him to make the dream of millions of Moroccans and Africans come true– reaching the shore of the city of Ceuta (Spain). A heartbreaking video of this young boy crying and begging the Spanish authorities not to send him back to Morocco was posted by New York Post titled "I'd rather die than go back, Moroccan migrant boy tells Spanish soldier." The American media outlet also talked about the challenging mission of a Moroccan translator (Al Messaoui) who was the link between these immigrants and the Spanish soldiers and how he tried to put his feelings aside and tried to calm those arriving on the beach where the Spanish army was waiting for them to send them back where they came from and make them realize that their European dream had officially vanished.

Before even thinking to comment on my fellow citizens' reactions that most of them were mad at this Moroccan situation, which is very similar to an action-adventure movie where Ashraf was the hero who risked his life during moments of despair and frustration, shocking many around the world, not only did it end with tears but also with an unhappy ending as he was deported back home to Morocco by Spanish authorities.

 In most of his press interviews upon his return to Morocco, Ashraf expressed his strong desire to emigrate to these beautiful countries, as he called them, meaning European, where he could improve his and his family's situation in Morocco. My comment and opinion are that I hope that Moroccan politicians who live the best life ever could do a little bit more about these kinds of situations to help this kid, whose story painted a negative picture of Morocco. And I know these politicians usually move their butts when it comes to an enormous international scandal like this one. While the politicians' children go to the best schools in Paris with a driver, Ashraf doesn't want to be driven by a driver to any exclusive school. I am sure that he doesn't mind a ride on a bus to continue to live everyday life, but while waiting for his dream to come true, the Moroccan drama continues…

By Simo bb