Mo, yes indeed, the slavery question and the plight of the thousands of 
Black Mauritanians must be addressed for their revolution to be complete.  I 
hope they turn the corner for Mauritania and Africa.

Chi Jaama

Joe


>From: Mo Baldeh <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list              
><[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: FW: Jeune Afrique Interview with Ely Vall (Mauritanian 
>President)
>Date: Wed, 4 Oct 2006 08:55:52 -0700
>
>Bambalaye,
>
>   Thanks for the forward. I find Vall's interview quite illuminating. His 
>position on the participation of women in politics and self-perpetuating 
>rule are noteworthy.
>
>   If anything, the current Gambian leadership needs to take a cue from the 
>following statement:
>
>   "When the same person and the same system remain in power for three
>decades, and the people have no prospect of change, this opens the door to
>all kinds of incidents and violence."
>
>   A lesson that Jawara woefully failed to learn until 22nd July 1994.
>
>   What I found inadequate in Vall’s interview with Jeune Afrique was his 
>response to the question of returnees. Hundreds of thousands of black 
>Mauritanians (Wollofs, Fulas, and Serahulles) are still stranded on the 
>Senegalese and Malian sides of the border after having been forcefully 
>evicted from their homes in 1988.  Most of them lost their belongings 
>including their national identification documents as their homes were 
>attacked and their women gang-raped by marauding groups of Moors.
>
>   FLAM, the Mauritanian rebel movement in exile, has already denounced 
>Vall’s government for not doing enough to speed up the return of these 
>refugees.  The system of admitting only those with ID sounds arbitrary.  It 
>is a façade aimed at reducing the black population in the country.
>
>   Vall can make all the promises he wants on leadership, but so far as the 
>thorny issues of slavery and the rights of the black people are not 
>seriously addressed, Mauritania is bound to be a cauldron of instability in 
>that part of the continent.
>
>   Momodou.
>
>
>
>BambaLaye <[log in to unmask]> wrote:  Special Dispatch Series - No. 
>1304
>October 4, 2006 No.1304
>
>Mauritanian President Ely Ould Mohamed Vall on Reform in His Country: ‘It
>Was Necessary to Break... the Logic of Lifelong Rule’
>
>Colonel Ely Ould Mohamed Vall came to power on August 3, 2005, through a
>bloodless coup that toppled the 20-year dictatorship of Maaouiya Ould
>Taya. He was named President of Mauritania by the Military Council for
>Justice and Democracy (MCJD), which he headed. It should be noted that on
>Monday, October 1, 2006, an official ceremony was held to mark a new law
>putting an end to the Interior Ministry's control over the press; in
>practice, no censorship has been exercised since President Mohamed Vall
>assumed power in 2005. During the July 2006 African Union summit at
>Banjul, a motion congratulating Ely Ould Mohamed Vall was thwarted by the
>opposition of the president of the AU commission, Alpha Oumar Konaré.
>
>In July, the Paris-based newsweekly Jeune Afrique published an interview
>with the Mauritanian president, in which he discussed the reforms he has
>implemented - a new constitution, limitation of the presidential term,
>minimum representation level of 20% for women in political parties - as
>well as his plans for the future.
>
>The following are excerpts from the interview: [1]
>
>
>
>
>"The August 3, 2005 Popular Coup Was the Mother of All the Ensuing Changes"
>
>Jeune Afrique: "You don't like it when people call your rise to power a
>coup. Why this reservation?"
>
>President Ely Ould Mohamed Vall: "I see this as having been a major
>change, the mother of all the ensuing changes. I never conceived,
>experienced, and managed [the events of] August 3 as a coup. What existed
>before it was not order, but rather institutional disorder. From the
>beginning, our action has always rested on a national consensus. No one
>can deny this. Is there any better foundation or anything more legitimate
>than popular consensus?"
>
>Jeune Afrique: "This can no longer be contested, since a new constitution
>was adopted on June 25 by a referendum in which 96% voted yes, with a 77%
>participation rate. This was a Soviet-style plebiscite!"
>
>Vall: "Possibly, but without the Supreme Soviet, the sole party, the
>political commissars, and the stuffing of the ballot boxes. We proposed a
>plan, and the vast majority of citizens approved it of their own free
>will. [The meaning of this is] crystal clear."
>
>
>"When the Same Person and the Same System Remain in Power for Three
>Decades, and the People Have No Prospect of Change, This Opens the Door to
>All Kinds of Incidents and Violence"
>
>Jeune Afrique: "The new clauses ban, among others things, the amendment of
>the constitution on one key point: the duration of the presidential term.
>From now on, it will last for five years, with the possibility of a second
>five-year term, and no more…"
>
>Vall: "The root of the Mauritanian ills was [in] the refusal to allow
>transfer of power at the summit, which made transfer of power impossible
>de facto, if not de jure. Hence the decision to make it obligatory after
>10 years. When the same person and the same system remain in power for two
>or three decades, and the people have no prospect of change, this opens
>the door to all kinds of incidents and violence"...
>
>Jeune Afrique: "Did you have a plan of action, a definite agenda, in mind
>when you took power?"
>
>Vall: "Not really. I had a few ideas and an order of priorities. I knew
>that the new Mauritania would be built on three elements: justice, good
>management, and the [regular] transfer of power. Everything we have done
>since then has had to do with these three poles, and each time we took a
>step forward, we knew that the national consensus was with us."
>
>Jeune Afrique: "Have there been disagreements within the Military Council
>[for Justice and Democracy] on the procedure to follow?"
>
>Vall: "Not at all. From the beginning, all the Council members made the
>same diagnosis, and agreed on the same remedies. The Council both
>discusses issues and makes decisions. It convenes on a regular basis, two
>or three times every four months - and works in cooperation with the
>government."
>
>Jeune Afrique: "But who is the boss? You or the Military Council?"
>
>Vall: "The MCJD is a group that makes decisions on behalf of the country.
>I am the MCJD president and enjoy as such all the prerogatives connected
>with this function."
>
>Jeune Afrique: "You have personally seen to it over the last year that
>there be no settling of scores and no witch hunt of the members of the
>former regime. Why? Is it because you yourselves are, in a sense, a part
>of it?"
>
>Vall: "It has nothing to do with that. I believe that from the very first
>day, change had to be for the good of all Mauritanians and at the expense
>of no one. I never deviated from this line of conduct. You know, every
>single political leader in this country, including the former opposition
>members, has at some point served the autocratic system that was in place
>since independence. With such a general system that makes democratic
>change impossible, why should we stigmatize this or that regime? No one is
>entitled to teach others, no one is more legitimate than anyone else. The
>change that occurred on August 3 did not put an end to any regime in
>particular, but rather to a 45-year-old system that was completely worn
>out."
>
>Jeune Afrique: "So there will be no investigations on the fortune or the
>propriety of this or that person?"
>
>Vall: "If we begin investigating, we will have to go four decades back.
>This would cause serious damage. Seriously, it is out of the question. We
>would lose time and it would be an unending source of controversy."
>
>
>Vall, MCJD Members Won't Run in March 2007 Elections: "It Was Necessary
>to… Break Once and For All the Logic of Lifelong Rule"
>
>Jeune Afrique: "You made a commitment not to run in the March 2007
>presidential election - neither you nor any other member of the MCJD or
>the government. I know you are a man who keeps his word, but still, can
>you repeat this here?"
>
>Vall: "Listen, the Mauritanians don't doubt it at all, but since you
>insist, I will say it again. Never did I consider reneging on such a
>solemn commitment. It was necessary to make a significant symbolic rupture
>in people's minds and break once and for all the logic of lifelong rule.
>If I were to be a candidate next March, then you could justly claim that
>August 3 was yet another coup, and then all the changes that were
>introduced since then would not have been good for anything."
>
>Jeune Afrique: "So on March 11, 2007, your work will be over."
>
>Vall: "I am certain of it."
>
>Jeune Afrique: "You request a significant sacrifice from your
>collaborators - and particularly from your ministers and Prime Minister.
>For five years they will not be allowed to hold any elective office, even
>though they probably did a good job."
>
>Vall: "I believe our contract was clear. And I am sure they agree with me
>on the reasons for these limits. We all share the same ideal."
>
>Jeune Afrique: "Will you support a given candidate for the presidency?"
>
>Vall: "I have said, and I will repeat: we will not be supporting anyone."
>
>Jeune Afrique: "And what if this or that candidate claims to be supported
>by you?"
>
>Vall: "I will issue a communiqué to underscore that no one is authorized
>to claim that I support him."
>
>Jeune Afrique: "What will happen to the military committee after the
>elections?"
>
>Vall: "On the day of the elections it will dissolve itself."
>
>
>"Had I Been Able to Impose [On the Political Parties] a 50% Quota for
>Women, I Would Have"
>
>Q: "At the end of June, you took a step that is quite revolutionary for
>anyone who knows Mauritanian society. During the parliamentary and
>municipal elections to be held on November 19, 20% of each list and party
>will have to be women. This is the required quota. Are you a supporter of
>affirmative action?"
>
>Vall: "I will make myself clear even if what I say seems shocking. One of
>our main problems in Mauritania is that women, who represent 50% of the
>population, for the most part do not work, are not productive, depend on
>men, and remain outside culture and education. For many this is a source
>of huge frustration, which they vent in wild expenditures. What a waste!
>What a jam for a developing country! The solution is simple: include women
>in the economical and political production process, with great
>determination. Had I been able to impose a 50% quota, I would have. This
>is how important it is."
>
>Jeune Afrique: "Could a woman lead Mauritania one day?"
>
>Vall: "In my opinion, yes."
>
>
>"The Priority for Use of Oil Money Must Be Productive Investment... No
>Slush Funds or Bribes, Just Constant Honesty and Transparency"
>
>Jeune Afrique: "Another - more passive - revolution occurred with oil.
>Since February 26, Mauritania has joined the club of the oil-producing
>countries. It has done so on a modest scale, but still, a $200-million
>income is expected for this year, which is not nothing. How do you intend
>to manage this manna?"
>
>Vall: "By doing what is necessary so that it becomes a factor of
>development and not of criminalization. This means total transparency, the
>possibility of tracing every petrodollar upstream and downstream, the
>creation of a fund for future generations and the adhesion of Mauritania
>to all the international initiatives aimed at promoting and controlling
>management in this field. The aim of this country - and this has already
>been reached - is that no one, whether he be head of state, [a] minister,
>a company manager, or a foreign partner, will be able to play with oil
>money"...
>
>Jeune Afrique: "What do you have to say to the Mauritanians regarding the
>oil issue: not to dream?"
>
>Vall: "I tell the future leaders of this country, again and again: …The
>Mauritanians must not consider themselves an unproductive country with an
>income. It would be a serious mistake. The priority for use of oil money
>must be productive investment, rather than the functioning of the state.
>No slush funds or bribes, just constant honesty and transparency."
>
>
>
>
>
>The Refugee Problem
>
>Jeune Afrique: "There still is, on the other side of the Senegalese
>border, a few thousand black Mauritanian refugees who were expelled in
>1989-90. They demand an organized return to the country. Why hasn't this
>problem been solved yet, one year after your rise to power?"
>
>Vall: "Any person who claims to be Mauritanian can and must present
>himself at the border. We immediately check him, and if there is proof
>that he is a Mauritanian national, he is welcome home. You are inquiring
>about an organized, collective return? Why not? I am not against it - as
>long as no one escapes the individual checking of nationality when
>crossing the border. This checking can only happen before [crossing the
>border], not afterwards."
>
>(…)
>
>
>Ould Taya's People Took Violent Action to Prevent the Referendum
>
>Jeune Afrique: "Half a dozen relatives of former president Ould Taya, both
>civilians and military men, were arrested on the eve of the June 25
>referendum. What are they accused of?"
>
>Vall: "We are talking about a very small group of individuals who are
>well-known and who have been kept track of for a long time. They had
>decided to take violent action in order to prevent that the referendum,
>which they saw as a point of no return, from taking place under normal
>conditions.On all other issues, the investigation is ongoing, and the
>courts will say what they have to say about this affair when the time
>comes."
>
>Jeune Afrique: "They all have one common point: they are all linked to
>Maaouniya Ould Taya, who is exiled in Qatar."
>
>Vall: "I do not want to deal with this issue. What I do want to say is
>that apart from a few isolated instances, I know of no one in Mauritania
>who is nostalgic for the former regime."...
>
>
>Salafist Threat in Mauritania?
>
>Jeune Afrique: "About 30 Islamists were arrested in May and June at
>Nouakchott for very serious reasons: They had weapons in their possession
>and were planning terrorist attacks. Is there a Salafist threat in
>Mauritania?"
>
>Vall: "No more and no less than anywhere else. These people were for the
>most part linked to the Algerian GSPC, and some had taken part in the
>attack of the Lemgheity army base, in June 2005."
>
>Jeune Afrique: "The Mauritanian borders have a reputation for being rather
>porous."
>
>Vall: "This is completely wrong. No terrorist group ever passed through
>Mauritania to go and attack another country, and until now, thank God, our
>country was spared this plague. This is partly due to the efficiency of
>our security services. We often hear people say that Mauritania is weak,
>porous, open to all four winds. This is only in appearance. In reality,
>this country is much more solid and united than what people say."...
>
>
>The West Sahara Conflict
>
>Jeune Afrique: "You have an interest in the conflict in the Western Sahara
>to which - and this is the least we can say - we see no solution. Has your
>position evolved?"
>
>Vall: "No. It is still the same: neutrality, respect of international
>legality - that is, of U.N. decisions. Beyond that, we support any
>consensus solution between the parties. This conflict has lasted for 30
>years, and it affects us all."
>
>
>Crisis "Should [Not] Put into Question Our General Approach to Relations
>with the Israelis and the Palestinians... We Advocate Restraint and
>Constant Search for a Political Solution"
>
>Jeune Afrique: "There were demonstrations in support of the Palestinians a
>few days ago at Nouakchott. Won't the recent escalation of the crisis, in
>Gaza and in Lebanon, lead you to freeze your diplomatic relations with
>Israel?"
>
>Vall: "Mauritanian demonstrations on this issue are not new, and today
>they can demonstrate without being repressed. The current crisis is indeed
>quite worrying, and we can only express our sympathy and solidarity with
>the brother peoples of Palestine and Lebanon, who are being struck hard by
>the conflict. But I don't think this crisis should put into question our
>general approach to relations with the Israelis and the Palestinians. With
>all, we advocate restraint and the constant search for a political
>solution."
>
>
>"The Next President Will Not Be Accountable to Me, but to the Parliament
>and the Mauritanian People"
>
>Jeune Afrique: "What part will the Mauritanian army play after this
>transition period?"
>
>Vall: "That of a republican army respectful of the institutions."...
>
>Jeune Afrique: "If the policy of the president to be elected next March
>does not suit you and undermines the interests of the country, what will
>you do?"
>
>Vall: "The next president will not be accountable to me but to the
>Parliament and the Mauritanian people. With the new constitution, we
>provided the system with its own railings, in order to prevent it from
>going off track and in order to enable it to correct its own mistakes...."
>
>
>
>
>
>
>--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>[1] Jeune Afrique (Paris), July 23-29 2006. Jeune Afrique focuses mainly
>on North Africa and the French-speaking regions of sub-Saharan Africa. Its
>editor is Bechir Ben Yahmad.
>
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