Identifier | Created | Classification | Origin |
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06NOUAKCHOTT791 | 2006-06-28 16:18:00 | CONFIDENTIAL | Embassy Nouakchott |
VZCZCXRO3507 RR RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHKUK RUEHPA DE RUEHNK #0791/01 1791618 ZNY CCCCC ZZH R 281618Z JUN 06 FM AMEMBASSY NOUAKCHOTT TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5645 INFO RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN 0295 RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 0341 RUEHSA/AMEMBASSY PRETORIA 0493 RUEHBAD/AMCONSUL PERTH 0305 RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC RUEKDIA/DIA WASHDC RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC RHMFISS/CDR USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 0249 |
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 NOUAKCHOTT 000791 |
1. (C) Following the landslide victory of the June 25 national referendum (reftel), public reaction has been highly supportive for both the referendum and the Military Council for Justice and Democracy (MCJD). While nearly all political actors have expressed their support for the election results, a handful have criticized electoral irregularities, and at least one political party has claimed outright fraud. -------------------------- WIDESPREAD PRAISE FOR THE REFERENDUM -------------------------- 2. (C) Referendum enthusiasm, expressed by officials from the Ministry of the Interior and the National Independent Electoral Commission, has been echoed by political parties and civil society throughout Mauritania. Rally for Democracy and Unity (one of the leading political parties) spokesman Ould Sidelemeine told PolOff "we worked hard for the yes vote, and are very happy with the huge support," adding that "our president campaigned in Selibaby, Gorgol, Trarza, and Nouadhibou to ensure the referendum's success." Republican Party for Democracy and Revival (Taya's former political party) Cabinet Director Ahmed Ould Khairou added "the referendum was in the best interests of the Mauritanian people and was in the best interests of our party...that is why we supported a yes vote, and why so many people came out to vote yes." 3. (C) Representatives from five leading human rights organizations, including GERDDES and SOS-Esclaves (SOS-Slaves), coordinated a referendum observation mission in NOUAKCHOTT 00000791 002 OF 002 which they visited 173 polling stations in nine of Mauritania's 13 regions. According to the group's press release, "election conditions were satisfactory...and the law was enforced." When asked by PolOff if the team had witnessed any cases of fraud, SOS-Esclaves president Boubacar Messaoud said "we saw some problems related to poor training of poll workers, but nothing that appeared fraudulent." 4. (C) The observation mission's statement follows the government's refusal to permit the group to officially observe elections. The group decided to ignore this refusal and went forward with its own observation mission anyway. In addition, SOS-Esclaves has a history of being outspoken and oftentimes critical of the government. In spite of these two factors, the group was ultimately supportive of the referendum process and election results. -------------------------- IRREGULARITIES AND A CLAIM OF FRAUD -------------------------- 5. (C) The four-member political party coalition "Bloc for Change" (BPC) issued a press release "denouncing" the serious lapses associated with the referendum. Specifically, they cite the strong efforts of the government to influence the vote, the lack of independence on the part of the electoral commission, and intimidation by security forces at polling stations. BPC president Mohamed Ould Dellahi told PolOff that "this is still the scenario we saw under Taya, with the strong influence of the government to influence the result." Dellahi said that while the BPC was disappointed with the referendum, "we plan to participate in the coming elections, and will work to amend the constitution because it is against our principles." 6. (C) The BPC, which stopped short of claiming fraud in its press release, boycotted the referendum because the proposed constitutional amendments did not address sensitive racial and ethnic issues which are the centerpiece of the coalition's platform. 7. (C) The Party of the Third Generation (PTG) (a small political party with limited political influence) is currently the only recognized political party to officially claim that the referendum results were fraudulent. The PTG, which was the only party to advocate a no vote for the referendum, has not provided details to support its claim of fraud. PTG Representative Lebatt Ould Etah has not been available for comment. -------------------------- CALL FOR NEUTRALITY -------------------------- 8. (U) Union of Forces for Progress (one of the leading political parties) Second Deputy Chairman Mohamed Mustapha Ould Bedreddine has joined other leading political parties in calling on the government to be "cautious and neutral" in the coming elections. "The current phase is simple," Bedreddine told reporters, adding that "the coming legislative, municipal and presidential elections are more serious and require everyone to prepare themselves and not to be led by excessive optimism." LeBaron |