Afrca 2000

Mauritania

Mauritania is one of the most sparsely populated countries in the world. It has just 3 people per square kilometer – making it less densely populated than even Siberia. However, unlike Siberia’s permafrost, it is arid or complete desert – justifying the sparse human settlement.
Mauritania is only a few thousand square kilometers smaller than Ethiopia but has a population of roughly 75% of Addis Ababa’s.
The nation derives its name from the word ‘moor’. In the 11th and 12th centuries, a Berber (Moorish) empire ruled over all northwest Africa and most of Spain from its base in Morocco – another country named after the Moors. The area now occupied by the ‘modern’ state of Mauritania reverted to its nomadic cultural roots after the Moors were expelled from Europe by the Spaniards and then from Morocco and Mauritania by the Arabs. It became a French protectorate in 1903 and an independent country in 1960. The neighboring phosphate rich yet otherwise desolate colony, Spanish Sahara, was in 1976 suddenly put up for grabs by Spain which allowed Mauritania and Morocco to partition and annex it. This sparked a liberation struggle by the hapless Sahrawi people, led by Polisario, that continues to this day. To its credit, Mauritania has not been as stubborn as Morocco, as in 1979, it signed a peace accord with Polisario and officially renounced any claims of sovereignty over the disputed area.
Morocco, despite repeated efforts by the then OAU and others, refused to recognize the Saharawi people’s right to self – determination and has deemed its illegimate claim on the territory worth being kicked out of the African Family.
Maaouiya Ould Sid Ahmed Taya assumed power by coup d’etat in 1989. This pro U.S. president ruled for 19 years before he was in turn toppled by a bloodless coup in 2005. Th new regime implemented a new constitution that limited the extensive powers of the president.

Mauritania ‘still practising’ slavery

The Mauritanian Government has been accused of doing nothing to stop slavery even though the practice was outlawed there 20 years ago.
The human rights group, Amnesty International, said: “No concrete steps appear to have been taken to make the abolition a reality.”
It’s not a racial problem, it’s not a cultural problem. It’s a problem of society
Anti-slavery campaigner
In a new report, Amnesty singled out the governing White Moors for particular criticism, saying they maintained the system of discrimination to protect their own interests.
The Mauritanian authorities say only the last vestiges of slavery exist and that its critics are trying to tarnish its image.
The report also highlighted the difficulties encountered by anti-slavery campaigners, many of whom it said faced constant threats or imprisonment.
There are three main ethnic communities in Mauritania: white Moors, who hold political power; black Moors or Haratins, generally considered to be descendants of slaves, and blacks who come from the south of the country, the report says.
Slavery was only legally abolished in 1981 following public protests against the public sale of a woman.
Case studies
Amnesty suggests the least the authorities can do now is establish an independent enquiry looking at what has happened during the past 20 years and what should be done now.
Speaking at the launch of the report in Dakar in neighbouring Senegal, Boubacar Messaoud, a campaigner against slavery told the BBC’s Chris Simpson that slavery was a complex social phenomenon, existing at many different levels in Mauritania.
He said it went well beyond simple stereotypes of White Moors oppressing Black Moors.
“It’s not a racial problem, it’s not a cultural problem. It’s a problem of society, of traditions in our country and in others,” he said.
“There are black slaves and they may be more numerous. But blacks too had slaves. In the Moorish milieu you can be black and be a slave-owner and have never been a slave yourself. There is a long history of inter-marriage in that society”.
Backdrop
Amnesty’s representatives were barred from visiting to carry out research.
In January this year, the Action for Change opposition party, which campaigns for greater rights for blacks and the descendents of slaves, was banned. Communications Minister Chyakh Ould Ely accused the party of being racist and violent.
In 1989, hundreds were killed and thousands deported to neighbouring Senegal after race riots in both countries followed a border conflict.

Mauritania slavery bill is ‘weak’

A new bill in Mauritania making slavery punishable by up to 10 years in prison is inadequate, says a lobbying group.
Anti-Slavery International welcomed the Mauritanian government’s initiative but said the proposed law was too weak.
Slavery has existed for centuries in Mauritania. A presidential decree abolished it in 1981, but no criminal laws were passed to enforce the ban.
This meant slavery continues as before and a huge effort is still needed to eradicate the practice, the group says.
“Unfortunately the proposed bill only defines an element of the practice in Mauritania,” spokeswoman Romana Kacchioli told the BBC Network Africa programme
It does not cover contemporary aspects of slavery, such as forced marriage, indentured labour or debt bondage, she said.
“The bill so far is rather weak.”
She said they and Mauritanian campaign group SOS Slavery were lobbying the government to strengthen the definition.
Any new legislation should punish slavery by up to 30 years in prison and provide for reparation payments to the victims, she said.

Facts and Figures

Location-North West Africa, Sahrawi Republic on Northwest, Atlantic on Southwest, Algeria and Mali on East, Senegal on South .
Area-1,030,700 sq km
Topography-Fertile Senegal River Valley, sandy plains and scrubland, arid north is in Sahara Deseret
Population-3,177,000
Distribution-62% urban
Ethnic Make-up-Mixed Moor/Black 40%, Moor 30%, Black 30%
Languages–Hassaniya Arabic, Wolof (both official), Fulani, Pulaar, Sonike, French
Religions–Muslim
Capital City – Nouakchott, pop – 637,000
Government Type – Islamic Republic in Transition
Head of State – Col.Ely Ould Mohamed Vall, since 2005,
Head of Government – P.M. Sidi Mohamed Ould Boubacar, since
Currency – Ouguiya (MRD) 267 = $ 1 US
Gross Domestic Product - $ 6.9 bln
Per Capita GDP -$ 2,200
Economy – Fish, iron ore, gypsum, phosphate, millet, rice, corn, gold, oil
Electricity Production – 1.8 bln kwh
Literacy – 52 %
Life Expectancy – 51 male, 55 female
AIDS Rate – 0.7 %
Ports – Nouakchott, Nouadhibou
Airports– 8
Railroads – 717 kms
Vehicles – 33,000 units
Telephones – 39,000 lines
Radios – 146 per 1000 people
TV sets – 95 per 1000
Daily Newspaper Circulation – N.A.
Internet – 14,000 users

Facts and figures are the latest available at time of publication and may not necessarily be the most accurate.