MAURITANIA: Mauritania's opposition parties unite to oppose proposed election date

Record ID: 454708

  • Title: MAURITANIA: Mauritania's opposition parties unite to oppose proposed election date
  • Date: 4th April 2009
  • Summary: NOUAKCHOTT, MAURITANIA (APRIL 2, 2009) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF ANTI-RIOT POLICE DISPERSING PROTESTERS VARIOUS OF POLICEMEN ARMED WITH TEAR GAS LOOKING AT THE PROTESTERS A PROTESTER CARRYING A POSTER OF OVERTHROWN PRESIDENT SIDI OULD CHEIKH ABDALLAHI, MAURITANIA'S FORMER PRESIDENT (SOUNDBITE) (French) DJAME SOULEYMANE CAMARA, STUDENT, SAYING: "For 40 years, Mauritania was under military rule, since the 1960's. We are tired of this, it's change that interest us. There hasn't been any change in 40 years. How can we lIve in a country with no democracy?" TEAR GAS CANNISTER ON THE GROUND ANTI-RIOT POLICE DRIVING IN A CAR VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS HECKLING ANTI-RIOT POLICE MOHAMED OULD MAOULOUD, LEADER OF NATIONAL FRONT FOR THE DEFENSE OF DEMOCRACY (FNDD) (SOUNDBITE) (French) MOHAMED OULD MAOULOUD, LEADER OF NATIONAL FRONT FOR THE DEFENSE OF DEMOCRACY (FNDD), SAYING : "We are not interested in the adjustments that the General has been promising, or his delaying the presidential elections, we are not interested in that. What we want is that we admit, that he recognises that the Mauritanian crisis can not be solved through a military dictatorship nor through his will, but it is a situation that needs to be solved through dialogue, while respecting the Mauritanian Constitution." NOUAKCHOTT, MAURITANIA (APRIL 01, 2009) (REUTERS) AHMED OULD DADDAH, LEADER OF OPPOSITION 'RFD' PARTY AND MESSAOUD OULD BOULKHEIR, PRESIDENT OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY VARIOUS OF DADDAH AND BOULKHEIR SITTING VARIOUS OF THE CROWD APPLAUDING DADDAH'S SPEECH NOUAKCHOTT, MAURITANIA (MARCH 23, 2009) (REUTERS) DADDAH AT A NEWS CONFERENCE RALLY OF DEMOCRATIC FORCES (RFD) (SOUNDBITE) (French) AHMED OULD DADDAH, OPPOSITION LEADER, RALLY OF DEMOCRATIC FORCES (RFD) SAYING: "These elections are against the law, and we are a political party that respects the law and democracy, so for the moment, we are not going to register for this election. We believe these elections should not take place." DADDAH AND BOULKHEIR AT RALLY CROWD APPLAUDING
  • Embargoed: 19th April 2009 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Mauritania
  • Country: Mauritania
  • Topics: Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA5KRNPMEEHF51POIQMW3QTUG7A
  • Story Text: Mauritania's main political parties held protest rallies in the capital, Noukchott, on Wednesday (April 1) and Thursday (April 2), to oppose presidential elections set for June 6th this year by the current regime.
    Hundreds of supporters joined the rallies, organised by the National Front for the Defense of Democracy or FNDD, as the coalition of opposition parties is known.
    Anti- riot police dispersed the angry crowd with tear gas, and some people were injured. The rallies had been banned by the ruling military junta.

    "For 40 years, Mauritania was under military rule, since the 1960's. We are tired of this, it's change that interest us. There hasn't been any change in 40 years. How can we live in a country with no democracy?"
    said Djame Souleymane Camara, a student.
    The FNDD was created on August 6th last year, after Sidi Ould Cheikh Abdallahi, Mauritania's first democratically elected president was overthrown in a coup led by Gal Aziz.

    "We are not interested in the adjustments that the General has been promising, or his delaying the presidential elections, we are not interested in that. What we want is that we admit, that he recognises that the Mauritanian crisis can not be solved through a military dictatorship nor through his will, but it is a situation that needs to be solved through dialogue, while respecting the Mauritanian Constitution," said Mohamed Ould Maouloud, leader of FNDD.
    Although the coup garnered some support in Mauritania's political establishment, the country's main opposition party, the Rally of Democratic Forces (RFD), and others refused to participate in the new government.
    The junta's opponents have criticized it for failing to announce a clear timetable for elections and for not ruling out the possibility that its members might run in any future polls, a move strongly opposed by local groups and the international community.
    Ahmed Ould Daddah, leader of opposition party Rally of Democratic Forces (RFD) has refused to register his party in the upcoming elections.

    "These elections are against the law, and we are a political party that respects the law and democracy, so for the moment, we are not going to register for this election. We believe these elections should not take place," said Ahmed Ould Daddah, leader of opposition party Rally of Democratic Forces (RFD).
    The European Union and United States have demanded that Abdel Aziz reinstate ousted President Sidi Mohamed Ould Cheikh Abdallahi.
    The EU has threatened individually targeted sanctions against Abdel Aziz and members of his military administration if they did not restore constitutional rule. The United States said in late December it would axe trade benefits for Mauritania from January 1.
    Last month, the junta released Abdallahi from house arrest, as part of negotiations to avoid sanctions. Abdallahi however, refused to participate in the national consultations.
    In March, mediation talks between the two parties led by Libyan leader Muammar Gadafi and current African Union president failed, after he declared that he supported the presidential polls scheduled for June 6.
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