Massive Protest Attracts Tens of Thousands - and Takes Everyone By Surprise Monday, 12 March 2012: Mauritania's capital city Nouakchott saw the largest opposition protest in the country's recent history. Despite government attempts to limit participation in the protest by distributing free food in poor neighborhoods, 40000-60000 Mauritanians took to the streets to demand General Aziz's departure from power. Mauritania has witnessed a steady stream of protests since 25 February 2012, but conditions in the country seemed to be stacked against both the political opposition and civil society activist groups. Then, on 3 March 2012, the "February 25 Movement" - an independent activist group with no political affiliation - organised a seminar for an invited audience of academics, elites and group leaders, to expose the true political situation in the country, which has evolved over the past year. An expert on constitutional law explained that the current administration is both illegal and illegitimate. The parliament was pushing through constitutional reforms which extend its mandate after the government's failure to organize elections to renew it in October 2011 as mandated by the constitution. A protest against the reforms was held on March 6th. Several arrests were made as police attacked the protesters with tear gas. The coalition of political opposition groups (COD) were at the protest, and declared that they would hold a rally the following Monday to condemn this situation ...
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
12 Mar 2012 - Mauritania Protest
Massive Protest Attracts Tens of Thousands - and Takes Everyone By Surprise Monday, 12 March 2012: Mauritania's capital city Nouakchott saw the largest opposition protest in the country's recent history. Despite government attempts to limit participation in the protest by distributing free food in poor neighborhoods, 40000-60000 Mauritanians took to the streets to demand General Aziz's departure from power. Mauritania has witnessed a steady stream of protests since 25 February 2012, but conditions in the country seemed to be stacked against both the political opposition and civil society activist groups. Then, on 3 March 2012, the "February 25 Movement" - an independent activist group with no political affiliation - organised a seminar for an invited audience of academics, elites and group leaders, to expose the true political situation in the country, which has evolved over the past year. An expert on constitutional law explained that the current administration is both illegal and illegitimate. The parliament was pushing through constitutional reforms which extend its mandate after the government's failure to organize elections to renew it in October 2011 as mandated by the constitution. A protest against the reforms was held on March 6th. Several arrests were made as police attacked the protesters with tear gas. The coalition of political opposition groups (COD) were at the protest, and declared that they would hold a rally the following Monday to condemn this situation ...
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