Do you know what self-immolation is? It’s the rather rare practice of setting oneself on fire to show how strongly you feel about something. Go figure. In the Middle East and North Africa though, it’s become more commonplace ever since a Tunisian vegetable seller did it to protest police harrassment, evoking an uprising at the end of 2010.

There are demonstrations across Morocco at the moment about the country’s serious lack of jobs, and in particular for university graduates. Morocco’s government has been unable to provide employment for the increasing numbers of young people entering the workforce each year.

The five men in question are part of this group and had been participating in a 160-person occupation of the Ministry of Education in the capital city of Rabat for two weeks.

“The authorities prevented them from receiving food and water, so five people went outside to get food and threatened to set themselves on fire if they were stopped,” said Moroccan Association for Human Rights spokesperson, Youssef al-Rissouni.

Sadly, three of them have been hospitalised and two are in critical condition. Which is not going to make getting a job any easier.

[Source: News.com]