MAURITANIA: POLITICAL ROUNDUP FOR THE WEEK OF JUNE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 NOUAKCHOTT 000431

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/02/2014
TAGS: PGOV KDEM PREL SNAR PHUM MR
SUBJECT: MAURITANIA: POLITICAL ROUNDUP FOR THE WEEK OF JUNE
28 - APRIL 2

REF: A. NOUAKCHOTT 419

B. NOUAKCHOTT 422

C. NOUAKCHOTT 420

D. NOUAKCHOTT 423

E. NOUAKCHOTT 428

F. NOUAKCHOTT 306

Classified By: Ambassador Mark M. Boulware for reasons 1.4 (b and d)


1. (SBU) Summary: This week in Nouakchott, the August 6
coup d'etat came to an official end with the formation of a
Transitional Government of National Unity and President
Abdallahi's resignation, in accordance with the Dakar Accord.
The new government is up and running but maintaining
consensus and organizing free and fair elections will be a
considerable challenge. The African Union reinstated
Mauritania's membership and the Arab League announced it will
organize an international conference focused on Mauritania
after the election. In the human rights and freedom of
speech front, Mauritania's record continued worsening this
week. Taqadoumy director Hanevy Ould Dah is still in jail,
Mauritel has blocked website Taqadoumy, SOS Esclaves is
fighting to free an eight year old girl enslaved by a family
in Toujounine and victims of the "passif humanitaire" events
are still awaiting compensation promised by General Aziz.
The northern city of Zouerate was flooded last week due to
heavy rains and a Mission team will travel there next week to
assess damages. End summary.


2. (C) The end of the coup: The Transitional Government of
National Unity has been formed by decree of President
Abdallahi, who then resigned (Ref A and B).


3. (C) The scramble towards elections: The Transitional
Government has started planning elections with the assistance
of the African Union and the International Contact Group (Ref
C, D, E and septel).


4. (U) Arab League reacts: On June 30, the Arab League
expressed its satisfaction with the events in Mauritania and
highlighted its contribution in bringing the opposing poles
closer together. It also announced it will be sending a
delegation headed by Deputy Secretary General Chadhli Thaqavi
to closely follow the presidential elections. The Arab
League is planning to organize an International Conference
focused on Mauritania following the election.


5. (U) First heroin seizure: Mauritanian police arrested
five drug-dealers carrying one kilogram of heroin. This is
the first heroin seizure in the history of Mauritania. The
drug-dealers, including three Mauritanians, a Tunisian and a
Moroccan, were headed to Mali.


6. (U) Mauritanian journalist still in jail and Mauritel
blocks Taqadoumy: Taqadoumy website director Hanevy Ould
Dah, arrested on June 18 on charges of defamation, has been
transferred to the Dar Naim prison. Reporters Without
Borders denounced Hanevy's arrest as an "abuse of judicial
procedures aimed at silencing Taqadoumy." Hanevy, who
potentially faces a sentence of five years in prison, will be
judged next month. Since June 28, Mauritel subscribers have
not be able to access the Taqadoumy website. Mauritel is
Mauritania's main internet provider.


7. (U) Passif humanitaire victims still awaiting payment:
Fifteen victims of the events of 89-91 are still awaiting
compensation promised by General Aziz. The victims are
concerned that, now that the political situation has changed,
they will never received the compensation agreed upon with
the High State Council as a resolution to the "passif
humanitaire" question. The passif humanitaire is the purge
of Afro-Mauritanians from the government and the military
that resulted in mass killings and expulsions to Senegal.


8. (U) African Union reintegrates Mauritania: On June 30,
the African Union (AU) decided to reinstate Mauritania as a
member. Mauritanian AU membership had been suspended on the
wake of the August 2008 coup d'etat.


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9. (U) New slavery case: SOS Esclaves discovered a slavery
case in Toujounine, a Nouakchott suburb. The victim is
Vatimetou Mint Mata Moulana, an eight year old child who
works as a maid for the Ahmed Ould Cheikh family. The family
stated that Vatimetou is not their slave but someone else's.
No legal action has been taken against the family. A
demonstration by anti-slavery militants took place on June 28
in front of the Nouakchott Minors' Brigade to protest against
slavery and child abuse. Vatimetou's case is the second
concerning young girls this year. In April, SOS Esclaves
unsuccessfully attempted to remove 10-year old Hana Mint
Maria from a slavery relationship with a Nouakchott family
(Ref F).


10. (U) Zouerate floods: Heavy rains (107 mm in less than
48 hours) the week of June 14 caused considerable damages in
Zouerate in the Northern region of Tiris-Zemmour. A DoD team
will visit Zouerate the week of July 6 to assess damages.
According to press reports, hundreds have lost their homes
and the population is in need of basic commodities.

HANKINS