a civil rights forum, defending victims of oppression and prisoners of conscience,
and providing documented informations on human rights' violation in Mauritania
 

A year after the attempted coup 8th & 9th June 2003 - 08/06/2003

In the first anniversary of the attempt coup on 8th and 9th June 2003, in Mauritania, the MHRW is pleased to reaffirm before all Mauritanians some ethical and humanitarian principles which constitute the frame of its mission and to remind of some of the difficulties we have overcome, all of us.

Firstly: At the MHRW, we are against seize of power by force just as we are against withholding it forcefully. We equally do not equate action to reaction, nor do we mistake the permanent for the temporary. If we do not approve of the 8th and 9th June attempt of coup, by the same token we firmly reject the withholding of power by Ould Taya for two decades of mess and continuous oppression. If the attempted coup caused the death of 15 people, the grip of power by Ould Taya has cost hundreds of lives and deportation of tens of thousands. If the perpetrators had terrorised the population for a couple of days, Ould Taya has consistently spread fear, terror and misery in the life of two million citizens over two decades.

Secondly: The corrupt and oppressive regime of Ould Tya detains without trial and in inhumane conditions, more than a hundred officers and troops since the attempted coup. The severe violation of Mauritanian law and the international conventions signed by Mauritania, all assure innocence of suspects until proven guilty, and give them right to defence in a public equitable process before an independent justice, the violation of these laws is in its own sufficient to prove that the “State of law” of which talks Ould Taya is simply a mockery. Without judicial guarantees the fate and live of people are subject the mood of The Colonel and his oligarchy.

Thirdly: Sinking in the aftermath of the 8th and 9th June shakeup, the regime of Ould Taya is desperately seeking an escape goat to offload on it its own failure to prevent the coup. In order to limit the damage caused, and save its image in the eyes of Mauritanians and the world, this regime fabricated charges against some innocent people completely alien to the coup and with no link with the military institution. The last case of this type is that of three civilians detained several months ago: Mr Yehdhih Ould Mohamed Ould Ebnou, Mr Sidi Mohamed Ould Sidi Mohamed, dit Nour and Mr Sidi Mohamed Ould Hananna. The only crime of the latter is being the brother of the coup leader whilst the crime of the other two men is that they sold a car to an officer accused of involvement in the coup. Can there be a more ridiculous justice system than Ould Taya’s which condemns a brother for what his brother has done and a trader for what his client does!!

The MHRW renews its engagement and determination to continue the fight –along with respected Mauritanian citizens- to uncover oppression and injustice regardless of who caused them or who endured them. The only condition we impose is truthfulness of information and credibility and thoroughness of their source.

The MHRW remains the sincere voice of all oppressed and the shanty of the oppressors until the triumph of verity and justice upon the Tyrant and his accomplice and corrupt oligarchy.