I don't know what was on Sidioca's mind when he gave his press statement assuring the general public and reaching out for his friends and foes alike. Neither do I know what the first thought that occurred to him when the news of his victory was broken to him. But I know for sure that his happiness was unbounded and those who lined up behind him along his way up to the top post have felt on cloud nine after carrying the day. There is nothing wrong with relishing in factory and celebrating the fruit of their labor provided the president elect and his close circle of friends and supporters realize that it not about the ceremonial show of elation alone but also showing good leadership and being the leader who "reassures" as Sidioca wants to picture himself. This leads me to wonder whether the merry guys were fully conscious not only of their victory but most significantly of how it was achieved. Sidioca has to stop for a second and give a serious thought to the landmark victory. He has to fully grasp that it was an ideal scenario any presidential contender would have longed for. How?
- Winning for the first time he runs for the post
- Quickly receive congratulations from your rival and hopes for success
- Being supported by the most influential people across the board, tribal leaders, businessmen, and their influential "Samsara" as well.
- Having cozy and warm relations with power wielding CMJD.
- Enjoying the support of the continental, Arab and international community
- Leading a country which sits on oil, gas, mineral riches and which has fertile lands and generous sea.
These factors show that Sidioca has all Mauritanians and international parties on onboard with him and he is presented with a historical moment to be the man of consensus and "reassurance" he promised to be. Great. Mauritania has believed in you and in what you said, now it's your turn to show that you meant it and carry through your campaign promises. We have seen an awful lot of similar moments when presidents in civil and military uniforms celebrate their way to the palace but we also have seen a trail of frustrations as none of those presidents cared about anything other than to sustain his power and favor his inner circle of friends. They were all good at reducing the country to the state and the state to their power. Now, It's in your power to change this, to change the way the state is run and how we grew to negatively perceive it. As you can see, with the support you enjoy you can alter the face of the country for good and restore trust in the state and the political elite which has long been associated with spectacular corruption as they competed to have access to state coffers and revenue-generating positions. Mauritanians hope that you are aware of the stakes and fully understand that we're talking here about a break-or-make situation. You alone have now the power to make of it a success story and turn the tide for a people who have suffered for decades from the failure of their successive leaderships.
I'm not going to sound the alarms and from the get-go put the blame on this or that person of your entourage and warn against your past. In fact, this is what we have been doing over the last month, engaging in a fruitful debate throughout the campaign and providing a balanced and fair coverage of Sidioca and AOD as well as the first round candidates. Now that the campaign is over and we have a winner who is the choice of all Mauritanians and trusted by all of them, even his rivals, we will be well served to wait until we see his government line up and see him implementing his policies and starting business. For the time being I think we have to give him the benefit of the doubt and make sure not disturb the serenity of the first days. AOD has set a good example for us to follow when he recognized the results and joined the well wishers. Let's join in but in our own way which is to remind Sidioca of the challenges he has to meet and the chances he should not take:
There is no doubt that democracy is a good thing and organizing fair and transparent polls is a new mile stone in the history of the country. But democracy and elections will be a political surplus and an institutional luxury unless they are put at the service of good governance and the rule of law. The real test of the viability of our democratic institution will be whether it will lead to change and help implement long-awaited reforms. In fact, democracies have been eclipsed in many countries around the world because they were divorced from the realities on the ground, failing to affect a fundamental transformation in people's lives for the better. There're many cases around the world when fair election brought corrupt and inefficient elites to power which failed to address the pressing issues of the people and were therefore either overthrown or plunged their countries into civil war and mayhem. To ward off likely scenarios in our country, the incoming president has to come up with policies which will lead to change. We all will be looking forward to see the next government's plans to turn around the economy, fight corruption in public administration, fair distribution of wealth on the national level, independence of the judiciary, education, escalating poverty, widespread unemployment, human rights abuses, etc. The record of the up coming cabinet along these lines will determine whether Sidioca is going to stay the course or will backpedal on his promises as well as deciding the political future of the country. The next five-year term will be crucial in this regards and the key is to make change palpably reflected on the lives of ordinary Mauritanians.
It's now obvious that we pinch high hopes on the president and his team to bring about change in the country, especially with the support he enjoys and the riches the country boasts of. Yet these hopes will not see the light unless we strike a warning note by attracting Sidioca's attention to the other less bight aspect of the picture. Let's read between the lines of the five points listed above:
- Winning for the first time he runs for the post (with only 53%, Sidioca will be ruling a deeply divided nation)
- Quickly receive congratulations from your rival and hopes for success (well because AOD is democratic and for that reason he will change his mind and the opposition with him in case there will be an abuse of power.)
- Being supported by the most influential people across the board, tribal leaders, businessmen, and their influential "Samsara" as well (these people change allegiance like winds reason why some of them are now with AOD)
- Having cozy and warm relations with power wielding CMJD (after its dissolution, the CMJD will either go to its barracks and end its alleged support for Sidioca or hang around sending a stern warning to many people, the first of them will be Sidioca.)
- Enjoying the support of the continental, Arab and international community (only if Sidioca lived up to his promises of democratic rule and rational reform)
Your Excellency, it's up to you to lead your country to safety and enjoy the support of all parties or derail it and lose the support and who knows may loose your seat as well (Hanana ente vem). I hope, I even pray, that you will be the leader who "reassures" even though the overtones of this word has always meant the status quo, a euphemism for inaction and being static. I don't like to think of "Change in stability", which certainly rings a bell we don't want to hear anymore. Wish you good luck.
mom
285 comments:
1 – 200 of 285 Newer› Newest»"AWAL" WALLAHI,
We still call him Sidioca, i love this abbreviation like AOD,they remind of "elhamla", we're already nostalgic. Thanks mom for this excellent post.
Indeed, Mauritanians are not interested in a democracy which will leave the riches of the country in the hands of the corrupt Tays' entourage. Democracy will be means something only if it is used to cause change, to build infrastructure, modern cities, draw policies of heath care and fight poverty. A democracy that serves only the rich and the powerful is no different from former dictatorships. It’s all about change, which once achieved every thing else will fall in place.
Wonderful blog, congrats mom for this great work. Yes let's give the president some of the slack. AOD did, why don't we. Excellent state of mind. Baraka allahu lana vik mom.
mom we need you very badly. keep informing us.
Sidioca is calling for a national unity government, a "reassuring" signal he is sending to the opposition.
Ano of Wed Mar 28, 05:28:00 AM
We should not give a slack for any elected official until he shows us if he will do it right as we are expecting him. We have been giving "slacks" for Ould Taya and most recently to Ely and I am not certain that what we expected we got. Let's be vigilant
Dear anos,
Vigilance and patience lead almost to the same results when dealing with the incoming president. Those of us who want to give him sometime to see what he is up to are driven by a desire to show good faith to the president and encourage him to be more open to the wider national context. This pacifist Ghandian like position work most of time and you may well gain by mending fences rather than antagonizing people. On the other hand, there are those of us who want a tougher line and have learned from past experience enough to be skeptical and wary of the up coming government's plans. But political wisdom lies somewhere between both extremes. Reaching out for Sidioca should be done on slid political grounds and should be the outcome of a negotiated deal on important political issues that matter. In this regard patience must not be equated with weakness but with a form tolerance toward the government on condition it appeared to be serious in its programmes. Playing up to Sidioca will not do, remember how everybody was rushing to rally behind the CMJD. Antagonizing him also will make a dictator out of him, remember the case of TAYA. I think a safe strategy would be to deal with the guy without preconditions or preconceptions, which is in fact what's politics is about. Let's watch him over and see if he is able to deliver and how, especially that up to now he gave the impression that he wants to work within consensus, away from the usual go-it-alone policy.
mom
i don't care about politics and politicians. Get us work and decent living conditions, Sidioca, or it will be hell over your head.
Mom,
Let's wait and see the new government to decide whether to give him an early slack or not (I hope slack means applaud, otherwidse slack means something different in mathematics/statistics - I can't put my hand on my English dictionary). I am personally very sceptical of all elected officials until I see things moving the right way. I, like most of our countrymen, have been applauding elected officials for so many years and regreting it later. The most recent is applauding Ould Taya after his speech in Kiffa. Applauding also Ely when he took power with his army friends. In both cases, I was not satisfied and decided not to applaud anymore to an elected or "forceful"power taker. This does not mean that I do not respect them as individuals with great minds trying to help put the country in the right path. I take note of your excellent note on the difference between vigilance, patience and Ghandian attitude in such circumstance and it makes sense. I will then follow your advice: wait and see.
N.B: I read this morning this stance from Ely Moustapha and I liked it.
Pourquoi je n’adresse pas mes "félicitations" à Sidi ould Cheikh Abdallahi ?
Je n’aime pas dans ces circonstances « féliciter » non pas parce que celui pour lequel cela est destiné ne le mérite pas , mais parce que son usage inconsidéré durant ces dernières années à revêtu une forme de clientélisme à laquelle par nature je ne saurai m’adonner.
mom,
Well done. again.
This is why the credibility of this blog keeps gaining momentum.
I have not had the chance to read all comments but I will elaborate on some of the thoughts as soon as I get a minute.
LEVRAK,
That includes your constitution reference as well.
Californian
MOM, A great Blog and a sharply focused mind.
looks like we're driving toward a national unity government after calls by the incoming president for more political openness. This move is more than salutary as the political scene is more divides than ever in spite of the apparent calm and show of unity. I think Sidoca is sending a good signal meant to heal wounds which have been torn wide open by decades of oppression and marginalization of voices of dissent in the country. A call for national unity indicates that the new leaders are fully aware of the dangers involved in a repeat of old forms of leadership and that a government which does not have the support of all the political players will not be able to hold for long.
Maybe we're now growing to appreciate and understand why Sidioca sweet talked Messoud into his camp as he is doing now with the rest of the opposition. It seems that brandishing the big stick is over and we have reached a point where soft talk is the only way to lead. But more important, it's the spirit of compromises and reaching out for political rivals which will set the foot of the country outside the current vicious circle.
Californian
Glad to see you at this early time of the night. Usually we miss your comments (live) here in NKTT because of time difference but we always read your entries with such a delight in the morning.
LAVRAK
QUOTE
" Maybe we're now growing to appreciate and understand why Sidioca sweet talked Messoud into his camp as he is doing now with the rest of the opposition."
Right, the shock we felt following Messoud's decision to join Sidioca was to a large extent due to our inability to find an explanation for it. The question was then why a radical human rights activist would rally his longtime sworn enemies. Failure to come up with an explanation of this puzzle lead most of us to accuse him of treason, since we all understood he was failing the opposition when we couldn't make sense of his rallying Sidioca. Now that Sidioca is calling for a national unity government we start to realize that Messoud was only the first in a long series of negotiations meant to have all the opposition members onboard. It seems Sidoca is following through what he has started during the campaign, reaching out for his adversaries.
I won't believe you unless I see Ahmed Ould Dadah PM.
This is al-hadath's leading story on the results of the polls the day they were announced "Ahmed Ould Dadah: Our Struggle for The Country Continues". There's no story about the winner of the election, shame on this news website. Where's fairness and objective reporting. Outrageous indeed. Please go an check the URL : http://www.alhadath.info
Guys, about time to grow up. Politicians have put aside their differences and may form one government while you're still caught in the confrontational mood of "Alhamla". Please stop this tit-for-tat, it does AOD or Sidioca no good.
Lavrak
LAVRAK
I read the constitutional translation you referred to and I got out of it exactly what you got. The first observation is that this is not the recently modified version of the constitution, but title XI concerning amendment was not changed in the revision, I think. With that said, Article 101, as you stated, gives the only option of change without a referendum. It is unfortunately in the hand of the president. No president in their right state of mind will relinquish any power to the parliament, especially the power of nominations. The system was designed to serve the president, and this is one article that needed to change along with the duration of terms and how often a president should be re-elected. Unfortunately that didn’t happen in the latest referendum.
As far as the legality of the CMJD under the constitution, Tidinit was right; they had a constitutional chart drafted on August 6th, 2005 that gave them the legal cover. You can read it at the following link:
http://www.ami.mr/fr/charte%20constitutionnelle.html
mom
This blog sends a solid message and highlights the writing on the wall for Sidioca. Although I feel that the cautious tone is warranted, I’d rather see us adapt a more encouraging and hopeful one at this stage.
We were all skeptical at CMJD’s declarations after the coup. Ely proved that he cares about his legacy and stuck to his promises despite the temptations. Not to say that the character or the will power is similar between the two, but I see many similarities in the level of the deserved skepticism toward Sidioca as well. This despite is very encouraging declaration of intentions of unity and reform after he won.
The reason I think we need to be encouraging has nothing to do with Sidi’s leadership ability or vision. It is simply a soft "political vanity" theory I have about the situation: Since the man is under the microscope and the whole country is being hailed as a model for the Arabic and African world, I think the pressure to “stay the course” and sustain the legacy will have a positive impact on the government actions. We are proud people and our image to ourselves and others is extremely important to us. It will be a welcome burden that Sidi will have to carry and prove right. In most cases when a man reaches certain age or level of achievement, legacy becomes the primary focus, and I don’t think our new president is oblivious to where he stands. Ely used this to perfection. We just need to encourage Sidi to follow suit.
Californian
great analysis as usual, Californian, but I think mom is right when he recommended a carrot and stick policy. We need to "encourage" the president while keep the heat on him to deliver. After all, this is what power-sharing means.
more carrots less sticks at this juncture. i agree
Californian,
Thanks for the reference. It looks like it’s very hard to change the constitution. Maybe in the future, we can have a president who can actually get things done for the sake of the people. Now if I may ask: What do you mean by “encouraging” sidioca?
I think that we gave enough “encouragement” to our leaders in the past. You know the rest of the story,…
EYOUB
I guess - and I wish - that "encouraging" meant pushing pressure in a gentle and respectful way on Sidioca to move forward in the right direction. Since Monday, I see some positive signals: the BBC interview, his first press conference on Monday and his reaching apparently people outside the Roumouz of all trade - that is people outside the country - to seek their support in a way or another. I do believe that such respectful pressure will help him say to those to whom he promised Heaven and the virgins with: listen up! the People is asking me to do real reforms and sorry that I promised you something I can't do. It was politics as usual. Period.
All of those who have real reform in mind should help him by letting his "friends" know that business as usual is not okay anymore. Sidioca is my President since last night. Cheers. Tidinit
Californian, Tidinitt, Lavrak, Eyoub, and other anos.
Great to see you all, I mean virtually (lol)
It's good to do as we please or as principles dictate, but politics is always the art of the seemingly possible. And this is my break down of this "famous" possible:
Sidioca may well wish to go about business as usual and do the pay back his supporters are now inching to have. Already some are clamoring it's over due. Yet he knows things will spin out of control if he followed down that line. So in stead of doing what he wants he is too smart to do what he needs, which is to appeal to the opposition and steer clear of troubles. I don't like to romanticize his late moves to win the backing of his rival or overestimate them and at the same time dramatization will not be dangerous only but also could be a recipe for the country's break up. Any way, Sidioca knows his interests and how to secure them, his only way being a unity government.
The opposition also is fragile and loose in spite of it's visible solidarity and will be advised to meet Sidioca half way. I don't know if you heard that Hanana has expressed willingness to take part in the government. A move which will not be isolated as other leaders of the opposition will follow in his lead.
mom
Interesting that Hanena is seeking to be part of the government. My question is: what competence he has for civilian affairs? Regards. Tidinit
Well in view of the late development, I changed my mind about certain key positions in my proposed government make up. Sure you also have done the same. So here is the new arrivals and the consequent reshuffle:
President: Sidioca (at least we're sure he'll be)
PM: AOD
Parliament Speaker: Massoud
Economy Portfolio: ZZ
Culture & Islamic Orientation: HANANA (lol)
The other ministries for you to fill in
mom
mom,
I trust ZZ is competent and had the best election programme among all of the rest. But he associated himself with some people no one wanted, but he managed to come third. The finance ministry suit him well and he knows through trial, error and cooking numbers the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. That is an asset.
You need a Zawi for Culture and Religious Affairs. Hanena is not an islamic scholar, but a kind of Baathist/Nasserist who is using the islamist wagon to move forward. Is it possible to send him back to the barracks with Ely and Aziz (that is tough though ...)? He can be made Colonel and sent illico presto as an Ambassador to Syria or Irak so that we don't hear from him anymore for the foreseeable future. I am laughing at my idea above (il faut se deconstiper de temps a autre - Enta vem the chinguittois?). Tidinit
Let me add a portfolio in your virtual government: Jemal Ould Yessa as the anti-corruption Csar (Ministre de la lutte anti-corruption). If he is only after oil money and glory, he will fail quickly so that Sidi gets ride of him quickly. I respect Jemal though: without him and X Ould Y, the Taya system may be still around. The Hanana & Co benefitted from C&R excellent revolutionary rethorics to move, but with a different agenda I guess. Ely & Co came later to save the situation (their). Who don't agree ? Don't shoot !. Have a nice day. Tidinit
LAVRAK
The few lines I am typing stand between me and a mile run outside before the sun comes up. So I will make it quick. I have already stated many times that we could’ve done better than Sidioca, but now that he is where he is, we have to make the best out the situation. I don’t believe that one man can control the fate of a nation. The team the president builds and the agenda and vision he sets and relentlessly pursues is what matters. If that openly announced agenda is being doubted and put to test without active participation of all, it will not be successful. If Sidioca takes a step forward toward unity and change, we should take two steps to join him.
Let’s not be like the Mauritanian bride who refuses to join the party during the first few nights of her wedding.
Californian
speaking from experience there californian? lol
Where is Chinguittois? we can't afford to bear your absence for this long. I know you always come up with excuses (lol), but I hope the reason now is your being busy, not in show of solidarity with Mutabeaa who also didn't show up for a while (lol).Tell us, if it's Mutabeaa we can always launch a plea calling her to stop by and say hello.
Want to know is it a work or love story or neither.
Really missed you overhere.
mom
On this blog as well as on other blogs, everybody is speaking for or against Sidioca's spirit of reconciliation and consensus. Could you please elaborate on how the guy is going to appease his supporters from Almithaq while staying open to the opposition. I think Sidioca's ability to deliver depends a lot on how he can strike a balance between both. Bear in mind that leading figures in Almithaq will do anything to wield a wedge between him and the opposition. How then will he dodge these challenges, please elaborate on this.
Mom, you're right, we start to miss UN CHINGUITTOIS very much.
Last ano: we're unable to understand Sidioca's late initiative because we proceed from the wrong assumption that he's too weak to stand on his own. We forget that Almithaq had nowhere to go when it came over to support Sidioca and instead of controlling him, as wrongly assumed, it's he who controls Almithaq. Think in these terms and you'll start to see things differently.
He should not dodge the challenges. He should hit them straight. Al Mithaq is PRDS reborn. He has to choose going back to the old system or leading us toward delivrance. I know it is difficult, but trying to please the old guys will lead to nowhere. He has chosen to run and he got it. He should deliver the goods. He should know that reconciliation and consensus is without the PRDS people who break things for the last 20 years or so. Let us wish him good luck and I personally support him if he goes the change way.
Let's not put the cart before the horse (or lehmar). Time will tell if the guy will try to appease El Mithaq. All indications so far, including rumbling in NKTT today and yesterday, that he is fixated on alianating many, if not all, members of the old system.
I join the group missing Un Chinguittois and Moutabi3a. Although I hope they did disappear together :)
Californian
Where are the members of the CFCD? Where's Massoud? Slumber seems to taker over, hope the political agents keep pronouncing on the developments and not lay back as before.
Lavrak
Lavrak
Why would Massoud go out to the public and speak on record about state matters which may cost him. He has got his piece of the cake and his silence was bought. For the CFFC, it looks like we're heading to a similar denouement. One by one, the members of the alliance are joining ranks with his highness. Why don't they speak? Well, they have no more voices, as easy money is having its magic spell on them.
يا إخوان اتقوا الله ودعوا أعراض الناس، من قال إن مسعود أو أي أحد آخر قد باع نفسه أو قدم مصلحته الشخصية على الصالح العام؟ ليست هناك أية أدلة على هذه الأقاويل التي تبقى مجرد افتراضات عارية عن الصحة. أرجو التحري قبل طرح الأفكار والآراء والتثبت من صحتها حتى لا نتسبب في إرباك الرأي العام بمثل هذه المغالطات
Arabic dude. i was hoping you were moutabi3a, but you sure as hell don't sound like her
صديقي الأنغلوفوني 02:29
تلك مغالطة أخرى
hey guys
mom a great topic indeed
well guys we will see if our first elected president ever is going to work in the aim of the country or not
for me it is enough to see people that he is going to nominate on the 19th of april to conclude which way he is taking
mom the blog seem to do more than just giving news i think chinguittois had dated moutabi3a here and they r missed lol
Rim Politician
It's great to see you back; don't forget that you are considered one of the pioneers or founding fathers who parented this blog to maturity and make it the good podium it has become. You're one of "Saabikuna" (Californian, UN CHINGUITTOIS entouma vem)
mom
Following his defeat in the late polls what future would be there for Ahmed Ould Dadah? There is no doubt that his political future has come to an end since his age does not allow him to run in the next election which renders his presence in the political scene irrelevant. Where is he going to be then? And most importantly how can he shoulder this unhappy ending for his brilliant life both as a government official and a leader of the opposition? And who would be the leader of the opposition if Ahmed retires from political life. Mom, would you consider writing a profile for Ahmed next time addressing these nagging questions. This may be a nice farewell like your great post on XOY.
THANKS
Ano 08:42
We have seen presidents around the world stepping down, we can now have a first, an opposition leader leaving politics quietly but honorably.
I always thought AOD makes a better opposition leader than a president, look at his stance vis a vis the results of the polls. HE IS A DAMN GOOD OPPSITION FIGURE (LOL)
Anything wrong with being a "good political figure"!
tip of the day:
If we don't respect our political opposition our rulers won't respect us.
Dear All,
I am told that the maximum age for running is 75. Ahmed has today 66, so he can still run in 2012 at age 71. Even Sidi is 69+5 = 74 so he can still run in 2012. Someone in canalh indicated that the age limit is 75 and not 70. Can anyone confirm this? If the above holds, we may just see a repeat in 2012 with older people among the crowd of those interested in power. I am certain that there will be someone to convince them all to run.Tidinit
I confirm it is 75. Take your side now: with Sidi, AOD, Ely or ZZ or me (lol). Sidi has started pushing for good things and that is the difference with educated people with experience. I will sleep better tonight. I am sure AOD would have done the same and perhaps ZZ better (I keep shifting among these guys). I wished early that Ahmedou Ould Abdallah run, but did not want and why ...? May be he is waiting for 2012 at 74? Power is complicated. Tidinit
Tidinitt, you're right the time bar is 75. But does this leave us with just the current candidates. Let's hope that a new political generation will emerge to the forefront instead of the current one. Sidoca's "push" for reform will be impossible with the present political class, if he is serious about change he has to encourage new people who are more efficient and honest to implement his plans.
I like the sound of “new political generation” every time I hear it. I am still waiting for the day when a new young face emerges and inspire. The truth is one thing we do excel at is recycling our political elite.
Would the real political savior please stand up?
Californian
Californian
This country has never run short of enlightened political elite. But the successive government have sidelined patriotic politicians and citizens and sought to create their corrupt elites of various kinds, economic, cultural, social, religious, political, etc. through these elites governments were able to sustain their power and further impoverish our people. As you see governments thrive from the misery of the people.
Now that there's a glimmer of hope at the top level, we can hope that the nationalist elites will be encouraged to come forward and fill their role in the public affairs of the country. It rests upon the executive to take measures which will ensure that the dominant corrupt classes give room to honest people to do the right job and change our perception of the ruling class. I think this transformation will not be the result of some magic work but it'll take a reform-minded political will for it to materialize.
Look at you and many others, intelligent, educated, patriotic people who will be willing to serve their country if they're given the chance to.
Tidinitt
2012 must ring a bell for you, we have plans for this date.
mom
Did you watch the Cabinet's press conference on its record during the transition? The Peshmerga were calling PM Ould Boubaker to stay in office for the two more years. They also asked him to have some of his ministers included in the next cabinet. When he said he had no such plans, the Peshmerga went on asking him to give his "precious" advice to his successor.
A good advice to the next PM is kick the ass of the Peshmerga.
hey guys
just wnanna say embarek el3id and i am asking for "endewna" lol
RimP
Mabruk aleid Wassimah aranna Samhin lkoum, this is what I'm ready to give in advance now, meaning no "Ndeiwna". Aleid here will be tomorrow.
mom
hi guys
el3id as well where i am might be tomorrow no clue when it is but i wanted to ask for indewena in advance lol
hope u and every mauritanian will enjoy it in peace and love
Good Day everyone,
I just finished reading 30 some comments, and I have too much info to digest so I dont where to start.
I guess I do, I will start with an apology for my absence, like mom said, it's just business nothing personal lol. mom did u really say that?
Anyway ch6ary vikoume entoume? I hope u're all doing fine. We're still waiting for Sidioca to announce the names of his cabinet's board memebers, hopefully new names/faces. I just read that oul Boubecar has resigned. I think it's time for sidioca to give us a hint on who will be boubacar's successor. And by the way I am disappointed on you guys, we dont have any "influencial" people or insiders on this blog, who can tell us what's happening behind the scenes. Mom you should recruit more, and preferably from roumuz elvassad lol.No offense to the rest, myself included.
Everyone,
Do you know any person/relative who had been offered a position, if yes, "Please do tell."
This might be off topic, my speciality, what are your plans for the summer, it's approaching quickly. We can predict some the memebers plans, but we wanna an overall response from all members if possible, and plz be specific lol. For example if one of u is planning on getting married, tell us the date, location, and if you really feel like you can trust us the name of the "lucky" one.
Memebers with predictable plans,
Californian: he will probably stay in california, spend the summer on the beach. And maybe he will try to enter the world of fame from its largest door, Acting lol.
Tidinit: As soon as he gets his vacation he will fly to nktt, and spend a lot of that hard earned money, on our local artist "igawen." Just dont forget to invite us.
mom: are u the one who plan on getting married? U tell me.
Mutabi3e: she will be waiting for Un Chinguittois, and who knows if he will/won't show up lol.
enough speculations,
As you know, this is my only means to communicate with Mutabi3a, so I would like to take the opportunity and say "a special hi" to her.
Waiting for your replies!
Congrats guys
Now we can truly start to believe that it's not a mock process and that the long awaited dramatic handover is finally underway. With the resignation of Ould Boubackar's cabinet the country can boast of the setting it's foot outside the uncertainty of military rule. This is perhaps the most important step toward the first democratic takeover in the country, a transformation that will be complete by the 19 of April when the CMJD leaves power, allowing a new government to be named.
In spite of the poor record, Ould Boubackar's cabinet hold only a cosmetic role since real power was in the hand of the CMJD. This is why it gave up power quietly and without too much publicity. In fact the most important move it ever did is it's resignation.
LAVRAK
Un Chinguittois
Your disappearance deeply impacted the balance of the blog and the paparazzi did not seize to speculate about your whereabouts. Welcome back. Why in the world are you interested in summer plans? One of these days, I think mom should organize a face to face forum in NKTT for all the bloggers. That would be worth a trip back.
The idea actually is not very far fetched. Tidinit will need support for 2012 from a serious and cohesive group… this is it :)
Californian
I like the intimacy and the prevailing atmosphere of friendship among the members of this group of bloggers, something of a rarity in the other blogs. Great.
Lavrak, you have a point there. Sure the resignation is the a step forward towards the institution of democracy and civilian role. Yet the outgoing PM and his staff will keep running the affairs of the state until a new cabinet is in place, this despite the official resignation.
Mom, give us some of your precious time, remember we're celebrating Eleid away from home and want you're company and the rest of the gang.
I know you're busy shopping and if you are not single you may be busy trying to get money to go shopping (lol)
Oooooooooof "mahar eddafra", you lucky guys thank God you're not at home
hi guys hoe r u
for the bloggers who are in Mauritania how was ur shopping
for us who are abroad lets celebrate el3id from this platform is some knows "elmede7" he can write some for us lol
3id embarek
Rim politician
One thing is damn sure that this government did nothing to control the skyrocketing prices or alleviate our economic suffering. It never stopped, however, talking about economic achievements in the stupid jargon of JDP, Percapita, and God knows what. It sure sucks here like hell. Sorry if I screwed eleid festive atmosphere. But this is just a feel of what we're going through here and a warning for you guys abroad not to get too homesick to think of a premature come back. Good luck and Mabruk eleid.
Hi again,
Californian, I completely agree and I think it's a great idea (in person forum). Let's hear from mom. I'm sure, due to the 3id expenses, he wouldn't like the idea now. however we're talking about the summer, so you should think on it, pray on it mom lol.
last ano,
I usually dont like anos, but i liked ur last ligne, "a warning for you guys abroad not to get too homesick to think of a premature come back" the reason becuase, it somehow applies to me.
A plus
Assessment of the transition period by somebody who doesn’t understand the Prime Minster’s lexis:
Many achievements occurred in Ould Boubacar and CMDJ era but they all came with some hair on’em:
- Mbourou(bread): price went down from 100UM to 60UM. Unfortunately, the m’bouraye lost 40% of it’s weight.
- Meet: went down from between 900 to 1300UM to a stable 850UM. Unfortunately, we get less meet on the bone.
- Salaries have seen 100% increase. Unfortunately, Employees pay more income tax now. Additionally, The price of the diesel went from 170 to 245 UM per liter. I should add that Taya was promising 300% as soon as the oil money starts to poor in.
- Trig Lehmar matle vihe jowgha (No more obstacles in the path of the donkey). The donkey that bring the barrel of water. The CMDJ enforced the protection of this road. I’m just going to give 2 thumbs up to that one.
- The roads had huge holes in them. Thanks to the CMDJ/Ould Boubacar the first 3 months have seen extensive filling of these holes. Unfortunately, the holes came back last year, deeper than ever.
- The first 3 months the police have disappeared from the streets. People have enjoyed a good break out of the famous 200 UM donation for Atay Ppoleece(the police tea). Unfortunately, the police is back on the roads and they are more mdowkhine than ever.
- The first three months of Ould Boubacar and CMDJ era have seen a great deal of transparence. People didn’t know what are these guys are up to, they stopped -to certain extent- the favoritism, the steeling and he bribery. After that they realized that there is nothing to worry about with these guys ,they finally went on with their old traditions.
- There is a fire department now. Unfortunately, 2 weeks before the campaign, a family in Southern Toujounine (Bill Wajhar) lost most of their house to fire (Actually it’s one room a kitchen and mbar, the stand alone bathroom survived). The Service Pompier came Pippan Pippan Pippan, they approached the area and immediately made u-turn Pippan Pippan Pippan they couldn’t get to the house becase the trig lehmar wasn’t big enough for the fire truck. The neighbors controlled the fire with sand mainly, because there was not enough water to turn it down. The neighbors and cousins of this family chipped in and they are now building a new home.
I hate the negative altitude, but that’s all the achievements I can think of.
Happy 3id to you all.
EYOUB
Eyoub, this is the only achieve(ment) there is. Yet we seem not to have learned our lesson from this cabinet's horrible failure. Our lesson is that corrupt faces from the ousted regime can not oversee change in the country. They will always try to coax us into believing that with fair and transparent institutions in place members of the former regime will have no choice as they will be held accountable by law. What we don't understand is that as long as they're around there would be no law or institutions. This generation of politicians fall in two categories. There are those who are born to be thieves and are incorrigibly intent on sucking the blood of the nation. The second category are those who were forced under the regime of Taya to be part of the system because it was the only way then to survive. Now these people, a minority, may not do wrong themselves but would not stand up to the corrupting elements of the system. They have long been involved in the system that most of their friends, work colleagues and entourage are ringleaders. In fact, some of them are married from this corrupt social environment and had his children raised with their siblings and made their friendships. As you see what we have at hand is a complex social whole with its relations and connections and not simply the ups and downs of public officials in the work place. This makes it difficult for this country to see things move forward unless we see a change in the ruling elites and new faces are brought in into the leadership. Happy eid.
Eid Mubarak guys from South Asia. I wanted to see some hair rising by indicating to you that the actual political class will again run in 2012 so that you all wake up and prepare for that dreadful moment. So stop hoping, please: we have been hoping since the 60's and we have only us to balame. I see that I succeeded in scaring all of you and that was my intention. Waiting for 2017 to see these guys go is just terrible. Take note: excellent lawyers who served the old system and CMJD, such as the competently famous Mr. Dahi, are still young and will be for hire by 20 April and they know where to find some legal loopholes to keep them in power 2012. One of the ways is to get their birth certificates fixed as these certificates say they were born around some date (né vers) and no law can bar them lowering their ages by 5 years. We may be in for 100 years of solitude …
Ayoub: thank you very much for your statistical evidences regarding Mauritania economics of everyday and I laughed out loud for an hour at least. What you said is true as this transition did not bring anything, but the election of Sidioca. I liked that “Trig Lehmar matle vihe jowgha” and it made me to really want to go home (not now as I am busy piling up money for 2012 because the guy from Angola will run again in 2012).
I heard the name of Ould Mohamed Saleh as a potential PM. I do not know the guy personally but I am told he is competent, does take bullshit from no one and has some character. None of those gravitating around Sidi (the Sidi) has those qualities. I may be wrong with Ould Mohamed Saleh, but not with the other guys. If we get the wrong PM, I bet that the trio Ely-Aziz-Daddah would have helped Sidi to take the “right” decision, the danger being Messaoud (President of the Parliament?) and Sarr making lots of noise about such a bad choice (where is Sarr? I hope he is going to be part of the government to put him at task to help solve the issues of the refugees and other messy questions – Mauritania should get slavery and refugees solved quickly). Have you read the note from Ely Moustapha on that issie (CRIDEM last week)? It makes sense and joins the Sidi’s plans on that (solved in 6-12 months).
Welcome back un Chinguittois and I hope you found Mutarabia and I wish to both of you lots of children.
Cheers and Id Mubarak. Tidinit
I hope those of you in Mauritania are spending their 3id with “elmede7” and “silatou elrahim”. I wish you all an 3id moubarak and koul am wa antoub bekheir. I also ask for your forgiveness on this special day.
Californian
3id se3id everyone we koulou 3amine we entoum bikhayr.
The 3id is definetely a time when I wanna be home. I see some of u getting homesick and remembering the good old days, but plz no tears especially u tidinit lol.
I, however, dont agree with what has been said about the cabinet of boubacar, it is the best we've ever had. And they did improve a lot of secotrs. And didn't have the time work on other issues, as they said. It takes more than 19 months to solve the issues we have in mauritania. But they did set a good example for the upcoming cabinet, and we should give them the credit.
Tidinit, if you are talking about abdesselam ould med sale7, c un chinguittois lol of course he's a good fit, can't u tell by looking at me.
I dont know him personally, but I have heard good things about him.
I am just hopping we will see new/clean, qulaified, and trustworhy people.
Mom, hathe el3id mouchkile, it's taking you away from some of ur "stakeholders," the blog readers.
Ciao,
j'ai oublie de vous demander essima7e, wendeywne.
Chinguittois,
You are blinded by your love for mtaib3a, that's why you see the cup 1% full (lol). I respect your disagreement with my assessment.
Californian, best wishes to you as well and thank you for your contributions. I think that your idea regarding appointment hearings is of a great merit. Please keep that kind of ideas floating.
Tidinit: you have my vote in 2012. It's funny you mentioned 100 years of solitude. I’m reading it right now and The Gabo (Garcia Marquez) is now my favorite author.
Anonymous of 2:27am, I would like to read more from you. You seem to know what's up. Can you sign with a nick name so we could track your contributions.
mom, thank you for this platform and also for your blogs and comments. Please post more frequently.
There is a lot of talent on this platform and I definitely think that each one of you can make a huge difference.
I too, ask for forgiveness from you all.
EYOUB
Eid Mubarek Wa Kullu Amin Wa antum Bikheir
I wish you have passed a happy eid day in your different host countries.
It's clear that the phone calls didn't do to overcome the sweeping feeling of homesickness which visibly prays on most of the bloggers. One practical advice is to let go and stop thinking about eid altogether, more calls are not recommended for fear they might deepen the feeling of lack and get you more and more homesick. The best way to handle any upsurge of emotions is to get yourself busy and postpone any contacts with the loved ones until three or four days later. So "move on" is the key. I know this is easy said and not necessarily easy done. Anyway I tried this coping strategy long ago and it worked very well with me, so why it won't work with you this time. Go and try it.
UN CHINGUITOIS, you made my joy complete. With eleid first and then your come back , I can only thank God for the blessings.
Tidinitt, I'm tempted to elaborate on your brilliant post but I have to put politics on a backburner for the moment. Happy eid and God bless you.
Californian, your suggestion for the summer encounter is awesome, only this time I have to be extremely careful and run no chances (HANANA ente vem). I'm looking forward to the time when we all meet, money is no problem as UN CHINGUITTOIS seemed to infer from his comment on Eleid "expenses". Wish you a happy and bless Eid.
mom
AYOU
Thanks for the kind words. Your contributions are most valuable and the fire department story is classic, but clearly illustrate our lack of efficiency and planning.
mom
I have to be careful recommending unfeasible ideas, but I trust this group to make it happen. We learned from the Hanana experience.
On a different and completly unrelated issue, the news about the earthquake in the south pacific today reminded me of the forgotten and true danger Nouakchott is facing. The notion of an Atlantic Ocean earthquake causing a Tsunami is VERY real. There are numerous amounts on small earthquakes taking place daily in the fault zones deep in the Atlantic waters. No need to explain the plate tectonic theory and the geology of the Atlantic, but I can assure you that we have neglected a clear and present danger. The natural sand dunes barrier to NKTT has been used carelessly in recent years, and we have done nothing to mitigate that impact. We have continued with our lives and believing that Tsunamis and natural disasters only impact “others”. One look at the glob earthquake map and the proximity of some of them from our country should be a wake up call to all.
Sorry about the doom and gloom picture, but this something for the new administration to think about and act on.
Californian
What will happen if the capital is washed away by a Tsunami wave? We have put everything we have in the sprawling city, even easy money, and I don't think we can afford to loose it. You tell me we will loose our lives when a Tsunami strikes. Yes, but Mauritanians say "Mahadha ev lenvass mah ev lakbash ella labass". It's OK if wealth is spared even though lives are lost.
This issue of Nouakchott being at risk with flood is really serious. One of our countrymen who was before with IUCN and now with the UN Environment Programmet met both Taya and Ely and both agreed to do something about it (he is indeed the one who raised the alarm). I hard once - I think in the press - that Aziz was taking care of it, that is, having having companies bidding to create something to protect the dunes between Nktt and the sea. Both the ministries of environment and fisheries were talking about doing something, but that was just plain talk. I think that was not true and nothing has been done or is being done. If that was the case, the "expert" of the Port of Nouakchott who said not to worry could have indicated the efforts made. So, there is nothing done and the new government should do something concrete, not just talk. The economic consequence of Nouakchott flooding will be catastrophic. I will fish for some info on this topic and will let you know ASAP. Tidinit
So, news circulating now (no confirmation and perhaps manip):
- Ould Mohamed Saleh PM
- 40 ministers to accomodate all
- Mithaq refusing Messaoud to be President of the Senate or Paliament
- Lemrabott Chief of State of the Sidi (Directeur de cabinet)
- Where AOD is going to again? Just chief of the opposition with 3 million UM salary per month?
Still 17 days to go before we get the real news. Cheers. Tidinit
hi guys
tidinitt thanks for the news ould mohamed saleh is a good sign for a step towards lemrabott "essa majayeb 3lih chi"
about AOD he should be happay with 3000um per month that's a hell of money and i think that AOD won't accept a post which is not a president
guys wake up
Thanks Rim Politician and right to tell us to wake up. We need as D Day is almost - 16 days.
Just learned that Ely or the Sidi cancelled the nomination of the diplomats last week. Appears also that 90% of them were foreign to the foreign ministry. That is a good move and it is the way to do it. Sorry for those who expected to be soon in in Tokyo, London, Canada, US or in Arabia. The rule is to pass a civil service exam and to have a budget line (fiche budgetaire) to work in the ministry or to go to an Embassy. My question: did Ely let his Ambassador go to Sudan? I really do not understand why he wants to associate himself so closely with someone accused of genocide by the UN. Moreover, it cost $$. The guy needs advice and he seems not to listen to the good ones. Tidinit
Foreign ministry vs Public Opinion
The appointments by the foreign ministry brought the issue of corruption to the forefront of the national debate. Following hot at the heels of the election, they sounded the alarms that public administration is still part of the usual quid pro quo which successive Mauritanian governments used to table in return for tribal support for them. Yet, while these appointments were largely approved by a public opinion made ineffective by corrupt and grinding bureaucracy in the past, they came now as a shock, sending political shockwaves across the wider political spectrum and prompting the government to cancel the appointments from outside the ministry and mend fences.
This is not the first public scandal of this size to put the credibility of the CMJD to test. There was Zeidan's oil contracts which rocked the government right after the coup. Both scandals point to a crucial metamorphosis in the government's conduct. While past corruption scandals were shrouded in secrecy and kept away from the media and public attention, now thanks to the government's openness we are able to learn of the scandals, know more about the cabinet's behaviour and have access to information about what goes on at the top. In both cases, the public was fully aware of the developments and was able to follow their unfolding. What this amount to is that in spite of all the ills, we can now boast of a new view of the public sphere based on transparency, openness, release of data and access to information. This means that the government is trying hard to work in the open, allowing the media a major role of check and control and raising public awareness about, and getting it involved into, the running of the country.
I don't mean that we are there yet or that this is the rule of law we have long hoped for. Far from that, my point is that given where we have been under TAYA we can now speak of great leaps in the way our administration functions. It's no one's secret that Zeidan's case was startlingly settled in more or less the old way, but the way it kicked off captivated public opinion and set the stage for a new style of governance. It was this momentum that put the heat on the outgoing cabinet of Ould Bubakar to reconsider its appointments and abide by law in keeping only those who are currently working with foreign ministry. The role of the media was paramount, together with the interest of the public in the development of the scandal, in forcing the government to cave in to pressure. So let's hope that things are finally getting back on track. We should not lose sight of the fact that public's political engagement alone can make the difference and turn things around- no more staking on what the government can or can't do.
mom
Hola!
Diplomacy, indeed it's an important part of our administration body. For as long as I remember this "body part," as many others has been neglected, and it does reflect bad on the country in general.
I feel confident in saying that we have one of the worst diplomatic representations in the world. I am not talking about "les premiers conseillers" or so on, but the highest levels of representations, Ambassadors.
To be diplomatic you need some special skills, because u're literally representing a country. You need to be intellectual, knowledgeable, and have people& communication skills. It helps also to look good. We don't wanna send ugly people abroad lol, it reflects badly on us (Dah oul 3ebdi ente vem).
You tell me if we have bright but ugly people, use them locally at home. They can be a great help at home. But diplomats should look good, I m serious lol.
One other thing that Mr. Taya3 used to do, is sending some people who dont even speak the language as Ambassadors, I still cant understand why he did it, but I have to disagree with his excellence. I think it's a bad idea. Speaking the language should be a requirement lol.
Ciao,
UN CHINGUTTOIS
Asking for criteria in Taya's appointment is like asking tenderness from the first bitch you pick up from the next corner. Well both can affect it, but nothing genuine.
Brilliant. Mom, thanks for the fresh perspective on the foreign ministry scandal. All the ink spilled on the issue so far has dwelled on the details, your departing from that to showcase the wider context and how it impacts the new process of democratization is just sublime. "allah ikhallik liya", my Anglophone hero.
Why no ladies? Guys get your girlfriends to participate here. No double meaning.
Please, tell us if you know more about the danger of Tsunami hitting Nouakchott. We need more information
Avant dernier Ano,
you are a very optimistic young man, ur statement "Guys get your girlfriends to participate here" is meaningful and we do appreciate it. I know u believe in us and that's why u said so, but let me teach you something about the "bloggers" in general. I will make it simple, We don't have a social life that's why we are here. It's sad but it's the truth.
We use blogging as a way to fill up the emptiness in our social life. Some of us go even further and try to "use" the blog to find their future partner (Mutabi3e enti vem)lol. I am not saying we are bad or good people, I am just saying we found ourselves in these circumstances and we have to face it.
Another scenario,
Let’s say everyone here has a girlfriend, which is not the case, she can be Mauritanian or not. In the latter she wouldn't be interested in our beloved country, no offense. If she is Mauritanian, however, she still won't be interested in Mauritania lol. And in case she is interested, she can't express her opinions for limitless reasons lol, ignorance, lack of language skills, laziness, and stupidity, just to name few. That brings me to my next point, I believe we need to address this issue, women ignorance/ mentality/way of life/obesity lol, in order to make any positive changes in this country. They are a majority and they control the minority, men (sidi ente vem)lol.
PS. I didn't mean to offend anyone, so don't take personal! and remember il faut etre sportif.
Waiting for some mean replies lol
Hi again :),
Derniere ano, I am sorry but i forgot to address ur issue in my previous post.
I think due to global warming Nouakchott is in danger, that being said this might be in the far future. But I can tell from ur tone that you're worried. Let me guess you have some real estate proprieties, "chi men eterabate" and if NKTT gets flooded they will be worthless, your safest bet "my friend" is to sell them at a discount now, and buy new "lands" in Idini or Boutilimit, they will be worth a lot back then. So start moving u might be the nest Donald Trump.
I know that my suggestions are a bit lol risky, but hey that's what real businessmen Do, THEY TAKE RISKS.
Always a pleasure,
UN CHINGUITTOIS
Awesome. But I can't see how a man can go on with his life without women, not only it's boring but also will negatively impact his work, studies or whatever activity he is involved in. Women are there to be entertained by men. I don't know work or life conditions in the US but in Nouakchott life can deny you everything but the company of women, and men can live up with all the troubles imaginable as far as they are sure that at some time late night they can curl in a warm "Matla" or "hassira" beside her.
Guys waste not thy time and hit the streets with hearts open toward the other sex while age allows. By the way do you know about the Greek concept of "Carpe diem", those who are familiar with British poetry certainly can read my thoughts. Never mind if you call me Casanova or Don Juan, flattered.
I fully agree with u, but "makoulou mayetemene el mer2ou youdrikouhou@ tejri eriya7ou bimala techtehi essouvounou." (californian ente vem).
UN CHINGUITTOIS, If Mauritanians head your advice they will be bankrupt and not only will they see their Nouakchott and "Nimerouatt" engulfed by the Ocean but they will also flood "Boutilimitt" with useless and penniless runaways.
Anyway, I was inquiring about data and real information about the threat of Tsunami washing the capital off the Map. I was not looking for a warning that scares the shit out of me.
Above ano
Are serious about the Tsunami thing? I can't speculate about your life style here in NKTT but if you go and take samples from the four corners of the capital and ask them about Tsunami you will find out they have never heard of it. I don't think it's an issue given that we die everyday of poverty, illness, traffic jams and other more evils which should be address before the threat of Tsunami. Some of my friends think there are only two ways to save the country. The return of colonial France or being swept away from earth by the Ocean, this way there will emerge people who deserve this land since we don't.
Last ano,
That’s a sad tone my man... why the hopeless tone?
Un Chinguittois has a knack of spicing up the debate without losing perspective. The Tsunami warning is not due to global warming but rather the seismic activities in the Atlantic. There are some preservation steps that have to be taken along with engineering solutions to mitigate the problem. It is not inevitable disaster. It will be a disaster if we don’t acknowledge that’s it an issue... just like global warming.
As or the ladies debate and their involvement, I am not getting in trouble for touching that topic. Those of you who have women in your life can relate.
Californian
Fully agree with you Un Chinguittois regarding the prospect of many people losing their shirt if Nouakchott is flooded. You are spoiling the real estate market by indicating to people that to make money now is to go and buy between Idini and Boutilimit. That was exactly my plan. By the time I come back from South Asia with my hard earned money, people would have followed your advice and the real estate prices will be then f... expensive. I thought we made a deal to go in business together, both of us to become the Mauritanian Donald Trumps as soon as Sidioca is seated ....
N.B: Flooding of Nktt will be due to global warming + seismic activities if I am not wrong. I agree with Californian that some kind of engineering action should be taken urgently as a sea level rises by 2 centimeters will bring disaster. I don't want Nouakchott people to be re-colonised by France or swept away.They deserve theior land and those who should be sweopt away are the corrupt elite. The government knows about this for long time - an article from the Monde Diplomatique in 1998 for instance - but most people dealing then with environment were powerless and/or just interested in making a buck that having a longer perspective. Hope the new government will think about doing something and that is why it is important to talk about the issue and put pressure like all did during the elections.
I will come back to you on the issue of girlfriends/sex. Good to spice up the environment a little bit. If someone has a problem, please talk to me. Cheers. A busy Tidinit in hurry to pack to go home and do real estate (Un Chinguittois ente vem?).
N.B: I almost forgot - another rumor saying that Mohamed Ould Nanni will be the next PM and Moussa Fall to replace Ould Hemet. Almost 15 days before D Day. Someone certainly does not like Ould Mohamed Saleh.
Sorry for the typos. The writing space is so small that it gives you the impression you wrote things well, but in reading afterward, you find that it is not ok. Hope you are able to understand what I am saying. Cheers. Tidinit
Tidinit, I used ti think of you as a nice loving guy. From your tone in the above post you seem to like the prospect of NKTT being awash by tsunami. You can have a good economic start in the country few years from now without taking advantage of the miseries of people. To have no troubles with this disaster striking our capital because it allows you to make business somewhere else is not good. Hope you don't mean it.
Last ano,
Tidinit is one of "a few good men" what he said, whether he meant it or not, is good.
We don't need to be religiously serious, it's good to have fun lol.
Tidinit, I am hoping these rumours are false.
Mom, what's up in Nktt?
Of course I don't mean it. If Nouakchott is flooded I am the first to lose my only shirt ! Tidinit
The rumours in Nouakchott are they are always: false. Tidinit
I don't know gentlemen if you care reading in French. I just visited Al-Akhbar and it seems some people from the army, locals, some North African people were arrested or being arrested for linking with the islamists extremists. It seems serious, if it is not rumours again. If this is true, where all this will lead us after 19 April? Sidioca to keep them in jail or release them? I just want a peaceful bled home. Tidinit
http://fr.alakhbar.info/page1.php?id=500&catid=2
Ano: 06:18
Be sure you got it wrong about Tidinitt.
The arrest of 14 Islamic suspects is part of a sweeping security operation which has been going on for a week. Few arrests have been made before including foreigners, as part of a crack down on Salafist elements.
UN CHINGUITTOIS
Rumors never rest these days as influential people try to have their names circulated on the national level, the plan is to get named to a high position. Frankly following these rumors will not only mislead us about the shape of the next government but also undermine our credibility.
mom
No one wrote since last time i checked, 10 hours ago. I felt its my responsibility to do so, talk about leadreship skills lol.
to be honest I have nothing to say/write, but I will try.
3ela kouli 7aline ech6ary bikoum men chi mahou mej7oud?
We are running out of topisc here, we need creative minds to come up with interesting topics, while waiting for some political news to come out. I have a suggession let's address some social issues lol. My favorite topic in the classrooms used to be polygamy, but no one practices it anymore, so it's getting "obsolete."
What about mariage in general, and how it's conducted in our country. I am sure most of u had their heart broken when the girl they loved, and didn't love them, got married to an older man, who was more "secure" financially lol.
Share with us ur stories, it will help you, and more importantly it will keep us entertained. I know it's ur life and u dont want the public to know private things, but who cares.
I am waiting for some sad & funny stories, and I have high expectations, so plz do not disappoint me :)
The participation of the next government by the opposition is back to the front once again. Major political parties in the CFCD have expressed their conditional willingness to be part of the cabinet. AOD, Mauloud, Hanana all were part of this motion which came weeks after the president elect showed an openness toward the opposition.
I hope the opposition would not be slack and easy to take advantage of. Sidioca needs a strong opposition to be straight and to mind his actions.
LAVRAK
لا تنفك المعارضة الموريتانية تكشف عن نضجها وحنكتها السياسية في التعامل مع المستجدات في البلد. في البدء، كان موقف زعيمها أحمد المؤيد للرئيس الجديد واعترافه بنتيجة الانتخابات على مستوى الآمال الجسام التي نعلقها جميعا على رجل في خبرته وحبه للوطن. ثم هاهي المعارضة من جديد ترد بإيجابية كبيرة على المبادرة التي أطلقها الرئيس المنتخب والرامية إلى مزيد الانفتاح على جميع الأطياف السياسية في البلد بغية إشراكها في السلطة وإدارة دفة الحكم. إعلان المعارضة اليوم عن استعدادها المشاركة في الحكومة المرتقبة دليل آخر على انفتاحها هي الأخرى وديناميكيتها في التعامل مع المستجدات. وبينما أصاب سيدي ولد الشيخ عبد الله عندما مد يد الإخاء والتعاون للمعارضة فإن ولد محمد فال قد أخطأ بوصفها بالمحنطة أو المتجمدة. دعونا نأمل خيرا في هذا التقارب، لعله السبيل الوحيد لإحداث التغيير الذي طال انتظاره
متابعة
There is only one way this country can make it, by kicking out "Rumuz Alfassad" from power. Sidioca does not have the guts to do it, so guys stop dreaming and face it. Brace yourselves up as we're heading toward a repeat of previous governments. Period.
LAVRAK, it's the same story on both sides. Both the opposition and the government have interests in sustaining the status quo. The opposition will not welcome a genuine change because it means a new political generation will emerge and take the lead, so in order to grab the reins of leadership the current leaders of the so-called CFCD will do anything to make a cock up of the ongoing political process. The government, on the other, has all the reasons in the world to prevent real change from taking place. Its power is dependent on the backwardness of the country. So make no mistake about it, no one there in the opposition or the government will be doing anything to help improve the situation.
UN CHINGUITTOIS, your proposal is brilliant. But why don't proceed by telling us about your adventures, you seem to be the one who has the most colorful life.
For starters, I want to make it clear that politics is not my thing but I think that your analyses can't be taken for truth before we see the composition of the next government and how it's going to tackle pressing issues like economy, justice, corruption, modern infrastructure, etc. Wait until we see whether Sidioca is going to deliver on these issues or not.
Rumors: Sidioca is looking for someone from "Sharg" who is qualified to lead his government as prime minister. The question is will he find one (lol). "Qualified from Sharg", how come! You guys are kidding me or what? Akhirou azzamani.
hi last ano
he might find one from ehel sharg why not,cheickh el avia is from chareg and he was a prime minister,benahi ould ahmed taleb is from shareg and he was "directeur du cabinet du president ma3awiya"
and if it's real that he wants a PM from shareg all the safaga will go 2morrow to shareg and be shreigmam lol
You can't believe how happy I am after reading a comment by my soul mate, Moutabi3e. She's back and we are greatful to have her back.
I just wanted to welcome her, and will be back later.
A plus
Un Chinguittois,
I prayed so hard for you to find Moutabi3e. I am happy that she is now found and wish you and her lots of children and 100 years of happiness. So, don't forget my "milh leyd", please. See you soon. Tidinit.
N.B: I see that rumors on the next PM are still on (mom enta vem?). This is the best way to disqualify those talked about (like during Taya time, who always strived to surprise the opinion?). I do believe that Sidioca will surprise everyone with either an unknown entity (we shall give him the benefit of doubt for 100 days)or a very crooked one (we shall then be crying) as PM. Ely & Co & Mithaq & to a lesser extent what will be left of CFCD will certainly try to influence the outcome of this search, whether Sidioca closes the door or leaves it open. You can't do boletig at home without a kind of consensus with these guys. It is my personal guess. D Day minus 14
Mauritaniens, Mauritaniennes peuple des heros, we are asking for more contribution in the blog!!
Tidinit, ur "mele7 leyd" will be naming our first kid after u, it doesn't get any better of having the child of one of the happiest couple named after u.
A plus
It is a slow news week. Nothing at all happening back home. When we have days like these and no new blog is on the way, the discussion has to take a turn toward "Kroujou".
A good Kroujou topic will be the resemblance Ely has to "Borat". Am I the only one to think that they could be twin brothers? My apologies to those of you who don't know who Borat is. I am sure that UN Chinguittois knows what I am talking about.
John Negroponte is coming to Nouakchott for Sidioca's inauguration. That’s the highest US ranking member to visit NKTT for ... ever? Let’s see who the French will send to the event. The race for next Mauritanian government’s obedience is on.
Californian
Californinan, I like (a long pause)
ur idea, Ely does look like Borat, hi 5 lol.
What happened to ZZ, is he gonna be the PM, or is SIDIOCA gonna screw him up?
The french should send Sarcozy l'imbecil, and Nouakchott should refuse to issue him a visa. They should then send ZIZOU. He does have a huge fan base in Noukachott and other "Metropolitan" areas in the country lol.
Be creative guys!
hi guys
californian Ely and Borat "embeynehoum el 9ava" lol
UN chinguittois i do agree with u that ZIZOU is the best to be send lol
sidioca i have an advice for u call zz and mess3oud and tell them to take of there clothes "we tem meya6ehoum illeyn yechreb edhenban men ejloudehoum"lol
mom what's up nothing new
guys i think mom is going to be nominated we don't see him often here if it's the case mom don't forget your mates lol
The prospect of forming a national unity is almost near to impossible. Now with the major political coalition backing Sidoca speaking loud against it and threatening to walk out if he goes on to form it, we can conclude that an across the board government is far then ever. It seems also Almithaq is also rejecting to name Massoud a speaker of the parliament.
Go Sidioca show them sharks who is in charge.
EYOUB
good day everybody
what's up guys 2 new comments since thursday
mom,californian ,un chinguittois,tidinitt,eyoub,levrak and all other anos what's up hope u r well the blog need u
it's the week end come on guys even with "khroujou"
waiting for u
Tidit is just back as he needed to take off the whole Friday because of stress. You know, working with south Asians is not easy. They are so efficient ..
Good idea as saying khroujou picked up from the web may undermine the credibility of the blog. I assume that everybody reads Al-Akhbar, Cridem and others. Only primary info can be shared here and thanks mom for updating us on the 14 islamists arrested most recently. However, let me say some khroujou from time to time. It is a genuine character with all igawene.
I would like to proposed any of the following subjects (to be discussed for two days and moving the next one – mom please decide the order if you wish so – what follows is part khroujou, part important issue).
Subject 1: the return of the refugees in line with what the president-elect Sidioca has promised to solve in 6-12 months. I recall sending you the link to a text from Ely Moustapha and it seems to me “tenir la route". I have just seen someone suggesting to canalh creating a separate blog called RIM Verite et Reconcialiation to avoid mixing this important issue with football, insults and arguing on whether Mithaq will get the PM job. I do believe that this subject is very important. From people talking about, all seems to indicate that both sides were to blame for it (someone saying Taya/Nationalists & Wade/FLAM – don’t shoot please: it is not me!), not counting the cowardice of all Mauritanians and all Senegalese to let this kind of thing happen. If any of you get involved in the new government please take this subject very seriously (mom enta vem? – I saw someone in this blog accusing you of treason for letting us down because you were expecting Sidioca to call you for some unknown duty – un chinguittois, rim politician and tidinit will wait for 2012). If ever a Truth and Reconciliation Committee is to be set up, better to have someone very independent from any of the countries involved (none from the Arab world and none from West Africa, please) to chair it. I am thinking about the guy from the African Union (AU) – Vijay something – who represented the AU during the whole electoral period. He is from Mauritius I believe and he seems to be a good guy. Some good intentioned people are saying that Sarr is to head that Commission and that will be wrong because he was part of the problem in the first place (for certain people at least). He should be however part of the Commission, like the victims and the alleged perpetrators in Mauritania and Senegal. If it is a bilateral Commission (Mauritania & Senegal) – headed by a foreign person far from the Arab World and West Africa, that will be better as there will be no space for telling bullshit. I am thinking about a joint task force between the UN and the AU.
Subject 2: issue of see rise/flooding of Nktt. The subject is not well known of the people and perhaps few of us can make some research on the subject and let us know what to do. It is very dangerous to leave this subject to technical people in the relevant ministries as they might not know zilch how to go about it (not reading English these days is a real constraint to fully comprehend some global issues). I called Nktt and I am told that nothing was done about it. We were told that Aziz was doing something about, but it appears that was not true. By the way some khroujou about Aziz: I am told last night that when Sidioca refused to receive Mithaq to discuss with them the shape of the new government, they run to complain to Aziz (source: a young islamist and it is perhaps another manipulation and he is not aware of it);
Subject 3: the issue of oil/minerals. It is very strange that the current transition was very quick to sign exploration contracts with so many foreign firms (particularly from Asia and the Arab World) just before the end of the transition. It seemed that they were in hurry to sign these deals before Sidioca comes in. It is my opinion that this issue needs to be revisited at the appropriate time to make sure that all has been done properly. Is it safe to talk about it or better leave it for the near future? Signing a deal with a company or a country that is not signatory of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) open the doors for the “congolisation” of these key sectors. With the departure of Hardman from offshore Chinguetti, we have no news on what is going on. The Chinese, the French, the Spaniards, the Malaysians and the Arabs are silent about their activities as they are perhaps not required to report on discoveries/exploration activities like the UK/Australian companies. The only sources of info we have in RIM is just not enough (www.cnitie.r and www.tresor.mr). The subject is very sensitive now. It seems to me (I may be wrong in the presence of the secrecy around these deals – more than 30 companies?), the entire signature bonuses might have been pocketed by some people. These are not all reported in www.tresor.mr and that sound trouble for me. Either the transition comes clean and tells us no signature bonus has ever been paid (article 13 of the sample contract says explicitly that “signature bonuses are to be paid to the Minister of Petrol and Energy”) or we will continue talking about it until 2012. It is quite a lot of money and it is badly needed. So, the ball is in the camp of the transition and better to talk about it while it is not too late;
Subject 4: Any other in relation to how to set up a good transparency mechanism to make sure that corruption is minimized (you can't kill corruption completely). With the inflow of $$ from oil sale, the real issue is not whether that money is deposited at the Banque de France (actual doing) and part withdrawn to finance the needs of the Ministry of Finance (actual doing). The real issue is what happen after the money is received by the Ministry of Finance. Is it well spent following good governance rules or just used as before? We have seen Chad using very badly the proceeds of oil money once they receive it: waste, corruption, shady bidding processes, etc.. This led the WB to intervene and lost because of pressure from some powerful countries interested in pleasing Oilman Deby. That is wrong and Deby is learning it the hard way today. I am informed that the Ministry of Finance is selling billions of UM in treasury bonds to get some fresh cash. I don’t know why they have to do that just days before the newly elected president and his PM announce their economic policy and while we have hundreds of millions of US$ held at the Banque de France. . It is very strange …..
Subject 5: girlfriends/sex: ok un chinguittois for waiting the first son or girl to be named after tidinit instead of “melh leyd” sinon “ana enzabbi”. Please be quick, please (moutabi3e enti vem?). If any of you want an Asian wife, please do not hesitate to tell me: plenty of them here, waiting to live the Bedouin life.
Cheers. Tidinit
Amazing,
Just after sending you my note I visited canalh. They are talking about the same subject. So discussing the issue of corruption is in order these days. I have printed those I missed +comments and going to read over a chinese food. A visit to canalh is a must. Ely Moustapjha is just brillant
SENGAL AND MALI WANT TO EXPORT PULLAR COMMUNITY TO FORM A SENEGAL FOR ONLY WOLOF AND A MALI FOR BAMBARA.
I ADVISE THEM TO FIND A LAND -NOT MAURITANIA- FOR THIS NEW NATION.
IF THEY GET SUCCED IN THEIR MISSION THEY WILL AS A RESULT CREATE ANOTHER SERIOUS PROBLEME.
SOME ONE ELSE SAID THAT THE PROBLEM OF REFUGGES IS A BRILLIANT WAY OF FIGHTING POVERTY DISCOVERED BY SENEGAL BY SENDING THOSE POOR PEOPLE TO THE PROMISSED LAND.
TO SUM UP I WARN SIDI OULD CHEIKH ABDALLAHI SARR AND WADE TO BE WISE OTHER WISE WE ARE NOT SO FAR
CCM.
NKTT LE 07/04/2007
Tidinitt, I think all the topics you just listed are worthy of serious debate as they weigh heavily on people's minds and are part of the sticky issues which must be addressed by the state as well as the public if we're going to make a break with the past.
Yet I think the issue of corruption and reform of the administration is the most urgent. For one, unless we upgrade the administration we'll not be able to solve any of the other issues. Without viable institutions which can hold officials and government employees accountable for their deeds we will not be able to achieve anything tangible beyond void promises in our attempt to solve the other issues. The fight against corruption is an all- inclusive commitment and it involves the implementation of Law, purging tribalism and its offshoots out and consolidating a vision of citizenship based on civil rights and away from any racial, tribal, regional or class based considerations.
I think that by setting up a modern and efficient administration we will be able to work out all the other grievances and meet all the challenges. We have to keep in mind that the point is not to address the issues but how to do that. In fact Ould Taya had always tried to solve these issues, but in his way which wreaked havoc in the country. Flam also has tirelessly tried to have its way on the humanitarian record but its unilateral extremist approach is a sure recipe for failure and a break up of the country.
My point is that we have two ways ahead of us, whether we go it the modern way and opt for a state founded on the noble idea of citizenship or we go the traditional way and send the country into the mined terrain of racial division and antagonism and potential infighting.
The key is a transparent efficient administration which addresses the Mauritanian citizen as an individual and not as a member of a group, class, race ,tribe or whatever.
LAVRAK
The answer for all the questions that haunt us is good governance. Without transparent and credible institutions, government policies on whatever issues will always be marked by improvisation and lack of long and sincere engagement. There have always been tracks undertaken by previous governments to solve major problems but none brought fruit because they were personal carried out on personal initiatives and not out of a national process. Now, it may be a good idea to start with fighting corruption and "rumuz elfassad" who were behind all our political and moral dilemmas. Cleaning our state apparatus of these criminals is a first step toward in the right direction. As long as these people hold power they will keep corrupting our public administration and preventing any genuine attempt to heel our many wounds.
You guys, before starting to put your priorities in order don't forget that Almithaq is now plotting to make a travesty of the entire democratic process and its attendant hopes for reforms. I have the impression that you started to believe the fight against the old regime is over and it's about time to open the sensitive files. No, the fight is still going on and unless we keep eyes on the residues of Taya's regime we'll find ourselves back in square number one, starting over everything. To me, the most urgent priority is to kick out these bunch of thieves and then we can talk about which problem comes first and which comes second. Good luck.
Guys, I missed you all and feel a bit guilty about the time I spent away from you. Frankly I was very tired and felt like I need a short rest. Anyway, with friend like Californian, UN CHINGUITTOIS, Rim Politician, Tidinitt, LAVRAK, Eyoub and the others I was sure everything is going to be OK on the blog. I left it in the right hands.
NB: I didn't mention the name of "Mutabeea" for fear of incurring the jealousy of someone "yaraff rassou" (lol).
I see Mutabeea is back and congratulate myself and all of you for that.
mom
Great to see you, mom, and welcome back. It was an eternity since you last posted.
tidinit
i disagree with you on the way to deal with the refugees in senegal
those are mauritanian people and it is a mauritania isseu the head of the so called truth and reconciliation committee should be a moore they all mauritanian and mose get back to their country
and i think all the partyies agree on this . a person who has a good relations with our afromauritanian
brother can be a chairman and why not sarr could be a memmber and other , i heard that sidioca called already JAMAL OULD ALYAM3 and he may be the head of that committee ,I don't think it's a bad idia since he has a good past of calling on thier right of return .the second subject
Read on Al-Akhbar website: Ould M. Vall reveals intention to come back to power in an interview with a Saudi Newspaper. What is freighting is that he speaks in a paternalising tone and behaves like he is the guardian of democracy in the country. He said something like he will intervene whenever he sees things are not going well. Who on earth gave him the right to meddle in the affairs of the country. Mind you, when African strongmen start speaking in those words there is only one explanation, it's that they are making their plans heard. It's the Africa dictators' way of going on record. If this turns out to be true, it'll be the end of him and the country.
This is why you have to take MOM's warning about not to forget "the residues of the former regime" into account.
I don't know whether it's me or just people are blind to realities of the country. Everywhere we read a lot about politics and who is going to rule and with which staff but no one seems to worry about the real issues that break the back of poor ordinary Mauritanians. Poverty, unemployment, prices, traffic, roads, illegal land occupation, among others are the issues which matter to our people who struggle everyday to cope with them. Those of you who think that political concerns come first are wrong for the obvious reason that without highlighting these issues you'll be isolated from the masses and to top it all you'll be out of steps with the reality. I haven't seen so far any blog devoted to these issues and none of our newspapers are running stories about them either. It seems everybody has no worries but power, I'm speaking about those who seeks power as well as those who criticize them.
Last ano,
No one here is blind to the realities of the country. Poverty, unemployment, prices, traffic, roads...etc are all important issues indeed that require our attention. Needless to say, these issues can’t be tended to by a corrupt and unconscionable government. Once we have an adequate check and balance system in place, then we can start talking about methods and procedures to solve these issues.
Our problem with corruption has been the lack of accountability and an honest code of conduct. Actions that fight corruption have been lacking and the newly formed web site by state auditors that shows all the incoming revenues and how it should be allocated is a great start. To take it a step further, there should a new “corruption hot line” set up. A phone line set up for unanimous callers who want to report suspicious misconduct in their areas. This will keep many people on their toes as they handle government’s money.
Sad to say, but since those thieves don’t care that God is watching them, they will hesitate knowing that people around them are watching and they can do something.
Tidinit,
Thanks for taking the initiative and coming up with topics for discussion. I think some of us are disappointed that your 5th and last topic was ignored by the respondents so far. May be some things are better left unsaid. All topics are worthy of discussion, but I certainly agree with MOM that there are more pressing issues at hand that could jeopardize the whole democratic transformation and crush the hopes of many. It is, apparently, true that “Almithaq” are trying to flex their muscles and capitalize on their majority in the parliament to influence Sidioca. The good news in these rumors is that Sidioca is adamant on going forward with the unity government he desires. This is encouraging since he was described as spineless and a puppet leader. This adversity that he is running into at this early stage is exactly what he needed. May be he can come out of it with more political muscle himself.
Exciting time ahead.
Californian
Dear All,
I liked the article below (link) from the Calame. It is about the difficult choices that Sidioca is to take now to try to make his supporters and former adversaries work together (it is confirmed that he is not taking in people known for severe embezzlement because of pressure from the national opinion and that is good). The first quotation is from a politician summarizing the hard choices facing Sidioca. However, the second statement raised some of my hairs as it is indicating that if Mithaq agrees, they can ask Sidioca to resign through a cesure vote (motion de censure). I am new to democracy, like most of you indeed. Is there any law specialiste to confirm whether the majority of the Parliament can ask a President to resign? If this is the case, I fear that we go back again to elections and give the opportunity for Ely or Ould Taya to come back. I have particularly taken note that Ely has raised (again) his voice in a interview with a Saudi newspaper (thanks ano of Sat Apr 07, 12:15:00 PM for the info and I am not personally taking it lightly).
mom: can you give us your views on the above (see second statement).
Cheers. Coming back later. Your tidinit
http://www.cridem.org/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=8391
“Pour rien au monde, je ne voudrai être à la place de Sidi. Une tâche comme celle qui l’attend avant même son investiture a de quoi mettre les nerfs à rude épreuve: gérer les états d’âme d’une majorité que rien n’unit, choisir une formule de gouvernement, résoudre l’impossible équation de coopter une équipe compétente et honnête pour mettre le pays sur les rails, rassurer les militaires pour les dépouiller de leur pouvoir, s’attaquer aux grands problèmes, etc.”.
“La plus grande bêtise des autorités de la transition a été cette affaire d’indépendants. Réunir une majorité dans l’état actuel de l’assemblée relève du miracle. Certes les indépendants, s’ils sont unis, peuvent s’imposer et exiger de former le gouvernement, sinon ils l’obligeraient à démissionner par une motion de censure. Encore faut-ils qu’ils s’unissent avec leur autre démembrement, les partis de l’ancienne majorité, pour avoir leur mot à dire”
Ano of Sat Apr 07, 12:15:00 PM
Can you please send us the link to the article of Akhbar re: interview of Ely with a Saudi newspaper? I could not find it. Thanks dearly. Tidinit
eminent personalities in Almithaq confirm they have given Sidioca the choice between keeping their backing or a National unity governmnet figuring the so-called former opposition.
Interesting. What was the reaction of Sidioca to al-Mithak's blackmail. I learned somewhere through these posts that he is going to form the national unity mindless of threats from his supporters.
hi everybody
tidinitis this the one u want
http://www.alakhbar.info/page1.php?id=7282&catid=2tt
i don't think Lumraboutt Ould Sidi Mahmoud will let go with power so easily now that he has forced his way through democratically. He can always argue that people have chosen him and his coalition.
Tidinitt,
There're three explanations for Ely's statement to the Saudi Newspaper:
One, Ely is caught in another miscommunication blunder which means that we have to leave it behind. It's not the first time he went on the record and said more dangerous staff and came the next day to correct himself. Now, we know Ely long enough to live up with similar statements.
Second, the soon-will-be-out going president plans his come back and is preparing the public to this likelihood. In this case we have to say good bye to all our hopes of laying down the foundations of true democracy and a stable nation. If Ely takes over again it'll mean the break up of the country as he will plunge us into civil strife and political violence. People have strongly believed in the democratic process and will not allow Ely to usurp power with their blessing, not this time. Don't forget that the military is not speaking in one voice and that the rebels who laid down their arms after the fall of TAYA can always take them back if the ongoing democratic change is hijacked by Ely. Plus, the election showed that the nation is deeply divided with AOD winning over 40% of the votes and that problems will be sorted out only through compromise and consensus. I'm sure that any attempt by Ely to go back to the usual go-it-alone policy will cost him a lot. The guy is too smart to undertake anything of this kind, at least the way he conducted the transition and the coup before it tells that he is very good at crisis-managing and will not risk triggering a new crisis he won't be able to manage.
Third, a) Worst-case scenario, Ely has no interest in grabbing the reins of power again because he can still run the country by a proxy government of his own making. b) best-case scenario, Ely has enough common sense to leave the ups and downs of political life and tend his own business, he can live on the good reputation he left among his fellow Mauritanians of being the one who rid them of TAYA.
mom
Thank you rim politician. It is obvious from the article that our brother Ely thinks he is talking to the mayors again (x enta vem?).
Thanks mom. You analysis of the current situation is exactly what I see.
Your one: you are right about the tendency of Ely of mis-communicating (or alleging that he mis-communicated when people react strongly. I love Abdoulaye Wade for that too). During the election process we have seen that tendency with the prolongation, the vote blanc and even other things. He always looked like navigating "a vue" and that has greatly deterioted his reputation as a truthful man. My impression is that Ely does not know politics and is interested only in power and money. The break-up of CMJD and the transitional government between AOD and Sidioca shows that he does not understand the importance of keeping a lid on those contradictory moves of people supposed to be under "his" authority. But when it comes to business acumen, no one can show his the road as he knows already ...
Your second: knowing what we know now now about him (corrupt as Al Capone and Burlosconi combined with ElyCom, the oil signature bonuses unaccounted for, SNIM/Mittal kind of game and whatever other games he and his cronies are playing with tresor bills + 350 million UM for the unauguration of Sidioca entrusted to his Sport Minister + more we will discover later, Ely should just retire. It tells us that Ely has never been interested in economic growth and development of the country. These concepts are alien to him as a regular military guy and the top policeman in Mauritania. Without his protection, the FNT could not have siphoned billions of UM in overcharging the tranportation sector for so many years. With the CMJD (and the military) not speaking one voice, the potential for the return of Ely will just bring trouble to the regn of Sidioca. Aziz is still around and no one knows what will be his role in the second transition as he is not retiring soon.
Your third: the worse-case scenario is likely if Sidioca does not give a final blow to Mithaq and show the door to Ely and Aziz. Mithaq don't want a coalition government and they may bring trouble. I truly hope (and I know all of you do) that Ely takes your best-case scenario (the scenario b) to save himself from trouble and let the rest of us fix the mess Ould Taya did (Ely was his most trusted security protection against those who wanted fixing things nicely and those looking for blood for revenge over Taya breaking the "assabiya" and the latter include the nationalists and part the Islamists). And the hell with the fortunes made before August 2005 as we can blame Ould Taya for that. But after the August coup, I am not letting anyone go with my part of the country wealth, either for retirement or for 'un tresor de guerre" to come back and loot more.
Machallah mom, your analysis is really accurate and correct. I know that you might not agree with some of my statements above, but we are really tired of this military game with the "roumouz" trying to be seen as Mother Teresa....We just want peace and our people to live well. We are not looking to hang anybody. Just peace among us, conviviality and justice. That all and I do not think that it is too much for asking. But those military, PDRS/PRDR, Mithaq, Islamists, Nationalists, FLAM and some crooked "intellectuals" want something else that we better not have ......
Cheers. Tidinit
Ano of Sat Apr 07, 12:14:00 PM
I fully agree with you the refugees issue is a Mauritanian issue if we look in one way. However, we have to take into account what was done to Mauritanians in Senegal during the events. In reading today a note from a certain SalaH Din Sy (Cridem) I came to realize that we cannot do it alone as the Senagal and Malian authorities have the records on those refugees in 89 - some just preferred to go on their own, particularly the well educated ones and were not accounted for. Thanks for letting us know that Jamal is being approached(you said JAMAL OULD ALYAM3: are saying Ould Yessa? Because I do not know another Jamal dealing with that particular isse - please confirm).
He is certainly one of the men to work on the issue. However, as we have to hear both the victims and the alleged perpatrators, it is good to have someone independent and preferably not from our region(s). By putting Jemal to lead the Commission, you will have some powerful people (those who were really engaged in getting ride of other people) and in particular someone like Boidel to try to sabotage the process as designating Jemal is making them lose face and condamning them in advance + giving a blank cheque to FLAM (I don't say that Jemal is FLAM). Involving Senegal in it might be a solution to solve he problem at once. Already people are saying that human rights people are prefering to solve the fate of 65,000 and looking the other way for the fate of 500,000 people victim of exactions in Senegal. So, we are facing a difficult situation and we need to find a way to go through it quickly, without a shame. What is done is done. We need to make sure it does not repeat itself in the future. Hope that people from all sides would have learned. Cheers. Tidinit
hi everybody
mom we miss you so much u've been away for a while were u discussing with sidioca about ur new post ?lol, i hope so
don't forget us if u get nominated lol
for the explanation number i think ely was stoned/pist lol
Rim Politician
I'm always delighted to read your comments and exchange ideas with you. Well, Looks like much speculation is going on about "my deal" with Sidioca, you won't believe that had I been able to live in peace with power I would not have needed Sidioca or anyone else now to do me favors. I always felt thamy life will be more rewarding and meaningful if I struggled to preserve my independence of mind and will, a goal impossible to achieve if I keep an eye on power and its moral concessions. I always thought that there are two opposed tracks between which we have to choose, to claim one's voice and set oneself on a collision course with power or seek favors from the ruling class and losing one's voice and independence. I did my best all along the last fifteen years or so to stand up to power and preserve my acute sense of individualism. I know that I paid dearly for this choice but in return I owned myself and my voice. I hope that you know the country enough to see those intellectuals who were obliged in Taya's era to ingratiate themselves to high ranking officials and the humiliation they went through to get a promotion. No, I prefer starvation to be subjected to these circumstances. Anyway, I strove to have financial independence to be able to speak out my mind and thanks God I'm now financially secure. So no deal with Sidioca, see.
mom
hi everybody
mom i hope u a happy life u don't need sidioca,but the country need people who are cultivated and clean like u
anyway i wrote that just as khroujou b coz i couldn't come up with anything interesting lol
enough respect to you
Hi
We're used to debate political issues over the last two years since the transition period started. What about giving some attention to cultural question which are no less important. I suggest to focus on the dilemma raised by MOM in his post above, i.e. the relation between intellectuals and the state. Since everyone in the Gramscian view is an intellectual by virtue of the his belonging to a given class in society what should be the role of the Mauritanian intellectual? Can we consider Ulammas intellectual? Where to draw the line between the intellectual and the preacher (Daeeia)? Is the relation between our intellectuals and the state a healthy one or not? As you see there are many questions to be answered when we give due attention to this mind boggling phenomenon.
LAVRAK
PLS STP TALKING ABOUT INTELLECTUALS FOR THERE ARE NONE IN MAURITANIA. DO YOU MEAN BY THE WAY THOSE UNIVERSITY INSTRUCTORS WHO SILENCE TAYA BOUGHT WITH PIECES OF LAND IN TAVRAGHZEINA, A ZONE KNOWN UNDER THE NAME OF "ALJAMAA". OR MAY BE YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT INTELLECTUALS LIKE THE FOMRER HEAD OF "LENES", INSTITUTE FOR THE TRAINING HIGHSCHOOL TEACHERS, izidbih, WHO WAS THE PROTOTYPE OF MEAN AND CORRUPT INETELLECTUAL. HE USED TRIBALISM, POLITICAL PARTISANSHIP, CULTURE, ANYTHING THAT COMES ALONG HIS WAY TO GET A STEP CLOSER TO TAYA.
Planning… and breaking a wall!
Dealing with Mauritanian refugees issue is certainly a struggle against people who don’t want any change on that way.
I mean people who make anything to set barriers to any step forward to solve Mauritanian refugees’ issue. And they are so committed in that work of sap of any positive effort.
In fact proposals and solving ways to reach that goal of justice and equity have to get through many resistances, many walls built to face any will or initiative aiming to find a route to this humanitarian problem.
No solutions can be found if the State does not break all resistances which exist in Mauritania.
The problem is more a question of resistance than a question of plan. It would be necessary that the Mauritanian State force the things so that the solution of the problem of the refugees is accepted.
Getting good plan, it is well. But to evaluate the will of the State to apply them it is better. Anything will depend on the days to come.
It is enough that the State breaks a certain resistance which, in the dark, is opposed to the recommended solutions so that all goes for best.
On the other hand if the State does not do a basic work , of sensitizing and accompaniment of the populations to the national effort of settlement of the situation of our refugees, all the efforts will stay as plans on paper. A good administrative job, a bad humanitarian one.
Pr ELY Mustapha
AOD is these days under the effect popularly known as "heshmett mul ettadeett" and can't do anything about it. he tirelessly expresses his willingness to take part in a national unity government, almost on a daily basis. What's strange, thought, is that the guy he did everything to discredit in the late elections he is doing now everything to share power with him. This crazy AOD is not only without principle but also stupid. How come he believes that Sidioca will share with him, he fought hard to win it, not to mention that Mauritanians gave it to him instead of AOD. It's highlight time that AOD recognizes he is a looser and let the others do the job without his constant meddling.
What should be the role of the Mauritanian intellectual?
Good question asked above by an anonymous blogger (LAVRAK Sun Apr 08, 01:20:00 PM )
The answer is , in the same time, complex and so simple. Complexity comes from the content of the “intellectual” meaning, or meanings.
The simplicity rises from his place in the society. Defining intellectual is difficult; defining Mauritanian one is most difficult.
I’ve wrote in my recent book (2005) “Pour demain” what I consider to be an intellectual, that one who has in charge to participate to a better society.
The link:
http://www.humanlogos.com/
pourdemain/Pourdemain.pdf
Feel free to download and distribute it and please let me know your opinion about it. Many thanks.
Pr ELY Mustapha
Very warm welcome to Pr. Ely who honored this blog by his interest and worthy post. Wish to read more of you on this platform more regularly.
On another plane:
Let's not forget one important fact whenever we talk about Taya's era. Whether it is the intellectuals, their engagement or betrayal, the refugees, or any other major issues, we have to remember that in Taya's years there was only Taya himself- the entire country was turned into a large prison and the major political and social agents were rendered inefficient in a system which allowed no room for dissidence and difference of opinion. Taya monopolized all the powers so much so that even the apparently strong public figures were drawing their influence from his support and his backing. Names like Lumraboutt, Skair, Afia and many others were puppets of his own creation and he did with them as he pleases. These were figures who didn't have any social, political or intellectual value, reason why they were excellent fits for Taya. In a regime which puts loyalty above anything else, it was very plausible that Taya would go and create his own weak men to assure their allegiance and subordination. Yes, they were strong when cracking down on innocent and defenseless civilians but were week in their relation to Taya. I'm sure you can still remember how he shuffled them around as he pleases and get rid some of them for relatively long periods of time without any of these allegedly strong come showing any sign of protest. The trade off was that he made them the "the influential men" the become and they have to know their duty to their creator.
Within this system which revolves around one gravitational center- Taya- ordinary people were left with few choices, joining the system for survival or opposing it and incurring the wrath of the state. And as many were forced to rally Taya few were able to run the risk each in his way. Taya brandished the strong stick of starvation and economic sidelining in the face of anyone who stood up to him, making it almost impossible for a population which is under the line of poverty to come up with any viable form of adversarial politics.
The result was a strong Taya ruling an impoverished, week and hopeless nation. Yet some lines of demarcation have to be made here. While most Mauritanians were forced to rally Taya, there were those who became his agents and forces behind the longevity of his system. These were his successive cabinets, close circles, and third rank which we adequately call Safagas. In this group we the real seeds of corruption, they are the opportunist of all kinds, intellectuals, Ulammas, tribal chiefs, leaders of the sub-parties of the former presidential majority. The danger with this category is that it formed a class and a culture which still persists even after the fall of the former dictator. Unlike TAYA's ministers who were his own creation, this class of Saffaga enjoys a genuine support and have real merits. It comprises intellectuals of national renown, traditional chiefs who enjoy the backing of their tribes, Ulamas who are influential through their religious status, etc. prominent figures from this category are well know to every one of us and they try hard now to reproduce the former system to be able to find a place to fit in. To my mind, it's this category which may derail the current political process and without the state carving policies to purge it out the danger will always be there ready to surface at any time.
There other few intellectuals who were forced to support Taya because they simply couldn't have survived otherwise. These with the few who opposed him from within the country and in the Diaspora are a real asset for change and no way we can lump them together with the above category.
This is my motto: During Taya's years only him was responsible. The reason is simple there was no one who has power to do anything except him.
mom
Challenging topics and valuable contributions
By intellectuals I understand academics and in the country the few who are working in the academia are lagging behind the evolution of knowledge worldwide. They don't mind the appallingly poor level of academic research and of the university in general, being absorbed into the political trend of "trasfag". A teacher at the university of NKTT will have his mind focus on who will be appointed in the next weekly ministerial meeting instead of supervising his students and promoting academic activities in the university of all kind.
Guys don't waist your time, knowledge like tribe, business, ethnicity, region, political parties is just a useful means to promote one's chances in the government. We just can't tell a spade and spade and prefer to talk as if there is anything worth preserving in this country. The opposition very much like the government, Flam like Taya, etc are all seeking personal interests and using political ideals to further advance them.
Enough, time to talk sense if you want to turn around things and start anew. If you don't go on with business as usual and tell me what would be the fate of this country two decades from now.
Thanks mom,
I highly appreciate your welcome as I’ve appreciated before want you’ve written in your message at the opening of this blog.
I’ll try to be often here and make with our friends a little push to have our country sliding to the true development edge.
Nevertheless I think that many things have to be done to see in short time some due changes coming from Mauritanian State.
That why I deeply agree with you when you wrote that” the real asset” is those“ who opposed him (taya) from within the country and in the Diaspora “.
Changes have to be initiated by them (as intellectuals) and from them (as human resources). Nowhere else.
Pr ELY Mustapha
AOD "ma yahsem aslu wahed men ahel elgebleu".
I'm sure there are good people in all the categories you outlined in spite of the prevailing corruption and absence of patriotism among Mauritanians. But these few good people failed to reverse the "trend", they always loose while the dominant and corrupt class always wins. If you intellectuals want people to believe what you say and follow in its light just go and win one battle, show us that you're trustworthy. So far we have seen only words and excellent theories but no matching deeds. Sorry.
The Taya reign on power started as a survivable tropical storm and then evolved into a category 5 hurricane that damages everything that crosses its path. The majority of Mauritanian intellectuals provided the low pressure climate necessary for the hurricane to gain its strength. Their motto was “If you can beat them, join them”. Instead of providing the solid land friction to the hurricane, they followed the path with least resistance. This to me is not the sign of genuine intellectual leadership that seeks the common greater good. This is a self promoting approach that puts individual survival ahead of the long term well being of the country. These so called “intellectuals” may eat well but they certainly will not sleep well. Forced or not, those are not the intellectuals whom we look up to for change.
This is why I agree with the last ano, we need actions not words.
Californian
Anonymous (Sun Apr 08, 03:41:00 PM)wrote:
"If you intellectuals want people to believe what you say and follow in its light just go and win one battle, show us that you're trustworthy. So far we have seen only words and excellent theories but no matching deeds. Sorry."
Good, you win.
But tell me have you ever seen an intellectual pointing a gun against a state's head?
The intellectual role is to fight society sickness with ideas and conviction not using guns except when guns are the only way to save his country.
Are we idle? Are we looking passively to what is happening in our country? Surely not! But that only means that our work is in his way.
We know that the ideals of change require a political-wide commitment. So we work to develop an idea machine that combines the ideals of the goals with the tactics of intellectual guerilla warfare.
Of course, this bothers some people. They say we are too passive. We don't play the game. It’s in the aim. We fight softly and nothing is most dangerous than a good idea.
But even attacks have their purpose. It is positive for us, because they can cause people to examine what intellectuals stand for. What they bring to the nation. And it is a battle where intellectuals stand up at the first place. A battle that has begun for few years.
Mahatma Ghandi fights from over his chair not on army ground...and he won.
Pr ELY Mustapha
Few days ahead of the government's swearing in, and the talk about the shape of that government is still raging on and on. It appears that Sidioca is stuck between a rock and a hard place, unable to make his mind about a national unity government which is representative of all the political parties or stick to the choice of the political coalition which brought him victory. Sidioca's dilemma is made even harder and harder by the political behavior and calculation of both rivals. They seem to act according to a similar logic, approaching Sidioca when the other party is shunning him and expressing willingness to back him when the other rival is most suspicious of him. Much of what we hear about his reluctance to go either way derives from this hide and seek situation which is likely to postpone the final shape of the cabinet longer than expected. Now, the momentum is building within the CFCD toward taking a part in the unity government when tension is rising between the "Independents' Association" and Sidioca. The CFCD's member parties are willing to take the move ahead only if Sidioca has enough guts to do without his friends. His friend are also acting in kind, threatening to boycott him if he takes the CFCD onboard in a national unity government. Who will win the battle over Sidioca will be betting on Sedioca's determination and conviction in the first place. The fear now is that Sidioca will cave in to Almithaq and the Independents and fail the test of leadership he is expected to show now more than any other time.
mom
god day everybody
mom thanks for this great topic
i hope that sidioca will let al mithaq down and work on national unity.
when roumouz alfassad will give us peace these guys are the ones who made the country poor and unknown the mother fucker are to fussy and gready
sidioca if u r a man let them down
and work on the aim of our and ur country
un passant
Mom, I share your sound, balanced and deep analysis.
UN PASSANT, your ardent engagement is fascinating.
When Almithaq and the Independents raise their voice this sharply against Sidioca it means the house of the winning majority is in a mess. Lucky AOD capitalize on this division inside the ranks of your enemies, don't screw up this time. Amazing developments.
LAVRAK
Maybe we're set to see a repeat of NDB's scenario when the Massoud's counsels betrayed the opposition and voted against Qassem Ould Ballal. In spite of the opposition's victory in NDB it lost to the independent candidate FADEL who became mayor thanks to the votes of the representatives of APP. Now, maybe AOD will get his way to be PM because of infighting in the winning party.
mom,
Thanks for your piece and info on where Sidioca stands now in this hide and seek game with the Mithaq (still independents-dependents until Ely &Co go on 20 April) and CFCD (a bunch of people with diverse ideological minds, if there is any ideology at all).Most just want to share power and the others are plain incompetent to deal with guiding the country. Time will tell and I see only corrupt people in both formations.
I however took particular note of your sentence below: "The fear now is that Sidioca will cave in to Almithaq and the Independents and fail the test of leadership he is expected to show now more than any other time".
My question to all of you: with such pressure and these guys from Mithaq and CFCD still playing game, is it possible for Sidioca to designate a government of technocrats with no link to either side for some time (1 or 2 years) while Mithaq & CFCD make their minds ? Sidioca is in a real difficult situation: you do you are doomed, you don't do you are doomed. Hope I thought before asking this question as I am not yet used to how to manage such a difficult electoral process.
N.B: can I also extend a great welcome to Prof Ely Moustapha? I am very glad that he reads and writes English so that we do not need to refer people in this blog to his excellent contributions to the current debates on tthe democratization of our beloved country.
Prof Ely Moustapha: my priority for the moment is to continue with the question of refugees and ttheir orderly return. Your seminal proposal on the issue few days ago and the excellent note from Salah Eddine Sy may be the starting point to go forward. I encourage you to review both papers before 19 April, summarize them and complete by adding the missing critical steps to go forward, if any.This message also goes to Sy if he visits this blog and reads/write English. I have already requested the same via canalh.
Regards. Tidinit
Tidinit,
Many thanks for your warming welcome,
Refugees’ issue is still a priority for us and I’ve quoted down last week your request made on canalh on that topic. I am in my way to see effective ways to mix Salah Eddine Sy’s proposals in his former posting on forum Diaspora with mine to open safe ways to solve that problem.
Beyond the judicial ends, we have to see how we can settle a good short term plan satisfying all refugees’ needs on both protection and integration levels.
And this is a tricky thing requiring a good deal with the actual political trends to identify its commitment in given solutions . Any way, I hope we’ll reach our goal before that deadline of 19 march.
Pr ELY Mustapha
Thanks Prof. I knew I could count on you. Someone has just responded to my quest on canalh and has raised a series of relevant questions that could also looked into. Cheers and thanks again. Tidinit
I'm sorry to say that of all the pressing issues in the country, the refugees case has always escaped my attention. In fact I have never followed it in any rigorous facts-seeking intentions. This, lack of interest in the development or not of this issue does not, however, derive from lack of compassion or failure to reach out to the predicaments of my compatriots. It was just because I had more urgent worries to tend, some private and some other public and never felt that my interest in the case will ever impact it in anyway. Plus, most of the light that is shed on this problems comes from Francophone spheres I scarcely trusted or felt able to get along with them. To cap it all, all the literature written about the refugees dilemma was in French, a language I don't reach very well. These are the most serious roadblock which kept me away from being part of those of us who deal with this issue. Now, let me ask few questions which I think lie at the core of the problem and which everyone wants to evade. Is the question of the refuges overpoliticised by its defendants and its "discontents"? I mean why all its defendants are from the Francophone-leaning segments of our society? Why it failed to attract those on the other side form the Arab-speaking spheres? My point is why the problem has from day one slipped under the rubble of the usual cultural and ethnic division in the country, which is by the way a divide created by the elites from both sides and failed to effect inter-ethnic relation, though. To cut it shot, why the problem didn't go national instead of being clad in the obsolete and elitist discourses of parochial nationalism and its offshoots of language crisis of the French-speaking against the Arabic-speaking.
My answer to these question is very simple and almost obvious and it's two fold: Either we recognize that the problem in itself is not a gig deal and try to solve the divide triggered by the elite. Once the divide is bridged the problem will vanish by itself. By this implies that those who defends it and those who stand the way of any solution to it must recognize publicly that it's about their difference and the entire issues tighter with other issues like education, etc. are part of political manipulation meant to arm-twist the adversary and score points. They have to speak about it and these other issues in the plain terms of interest-seeking and spare the nation of their long-term manipulation.
Or, it is a national crisis of human right abuse and we have to go and face it all head on, without delays or procrastinations. The problem with this view is that no one is ready to say that the problem of the refugees have never been represented as a national problem that affect the dignity of all Mauritanians of all colors and classes. It has always been represented in the narrow-minded and hate-inciting racial terms of wrong doing against the Negro African community. So instead of speaking about a national problem which concerns all of us we ended up with a racist discourse of incrimination and blame. I frankly, I think it is this casting of Humanitarian problem in the heinous terms of racism that make the refuges victims of their defendants first and their detractors second.
I hope not to be misunderstood, I've spoken my mind though.
LAVRAK
Please read: French, a language I don't read very well, instead of " I don't reach very well." The remaining typing mistakes do not affect the meaning of the post.
LAVRAK
All sides have no interest in solving the problem of the refugees as it can be used as a political ammunition. They just don't want to do without it.
QUIZ OF THE DAY:
Sidioca is busy forming his government.
AOD id busy doing what?
Answer: waiting for a call from Sidioca to have a post in the government.
Deiloul said: To be in the government or not to be in the government is the question.
Above ano
Great and funny thoughts, and "aziduka mina sheeree beiteinee" the "to be or not to be dilemma" in Hamlet has made of him the most procrastinating hero of Shakespeare's entire work and may be of modernity as a whole, of course barring Kafka. What is funny though is that Hamlet's procrastination which is the result of his moral uncertainty and loss of grip on reality is now becoming characteristic of Sidioca's position on his government. Unable to come to terms with the question "to be with Almithq or not to be with it" Sidioca is wasting time without being able to form his cabinet. At least, if democracy does not yield a good leader it can still produce a good Shakespearean model (lol).
LAVRAK
A big problem to decipher regarding the refugee issue is the number of refugees we’re talking about. In a small country where everybody knows everybody, how hard can it be to distinguish the real Mauritanian refugees from a list that was inflated by political opportunists? A small number of refugee could mean a quick financial solution and the issue is put to bed. This seems to be too easy of a way out given the level of hype this issue has risen to. I’ve always thought that an official governmental apology coupled with a housing community (ala SOCOGIM) will go a long way toward putting this issue to rest. Best, like some people alluded to, a solution to this issue means that many advocates out there will have to find a new cause to justify their existence.
Min Nahiyatin Oukhra, I have to say that I am extremely impressed with the fact that our celebrity Pr ELY Mustapha has managed to participate on this blog as well as other Mauritanian blogs and online forums with such intensity in recent days. I find it hard to come here daily and make small contributions while sustaining my other obligations. I can only imagine what the burden is on our beloved Pr to feel the obligation to share the wisdom all across and high level of contributions.
Professor... power to you if you can keep it up. You must be inspired these days. I hope that continues.
Californian
Californian, we're talking about tens of thousands. The number which is circulated in Flam's lists can make up to half the population of NKTT. I leave it then to you find the resources to accommodate and provide for this huge number of people. Flam also wants them to be returned to their former "post" in the administration which can be done only by sucking the current work force in our country.
I don't know who is denying the refugees to return back home, is it Flam with its absurd and racist approach or the government. By taking advantage of innocent people Flam thinks it can negotiate a political outlet form its current dead-end. What this racist organization failed to understand is that Mauritanians are tired of ideological nationalism of all kinds and that none of us is ready to listen to extremists anymore.
NB: MOST OF THE REFUGEES ARE ALREADY BACK HOME.
Lavrak, Californian and other anos: you have spoken your mind regarding the refugees'issue and that is good. Some other people have different views. The good thing is taking up this issue openly to avoid Mauritania being taken hostage by either side (nationalists or Flam)with their rhetorics that some people are for, some others against and some others with no views at all as they just want peace. The Mauritanian people need definitively to talk about it and seriously. Denying the relevance of this issue is not good and AOD learned it the hard way, for example.
LAVRAK: Lots of people do not read well Arabic or English (it is not a crime)and they are forced to communicate in French (the obvious proof is the language of the most important blogs). If you have a chance to participate in the debates, you can contribute in Arabic/English and someone will certainly make an effort to translate. We can't force a Sarakollé, a Wolof or a Pular to read Arabic as he is either a Sarakollé, a Wolof or a Pular and wants to stick to French (or English) as he feels he is not an Arab. Our society overall should give that opportunity tto people. I do not see my country becoming another Sudan and that is my personal view.
Californian: I do not agree with you that "a small number of refugee could mean a quick financial solution and the issue is put to bed". There is nothing wrong with discussing the issue, assessing who is a real mauritanian refugee or not, apologizing if a mistake was made, allowing their respectful return and compensating them for the wrong done to them. The same applies to Senegal were hundreds have been killed (I don't know the real number)and thousands expelled Senegalese of Mauritanian origin and they should also benefit from the truth and reconciliation initiative. I know you agree with me and it is just a matter of giving a hand to a process that worked in South Africa and Morocco. We are realizing now - as you have rightly said - that it will cost the Mauritanian society a lot to put this behind its back. Another good justification we never let it happen again.
I respect your views and let's join hand to move forward. Have a nice day. Tidinit
Tidinitt, i fully agree with your point that silence about this black chapter of our modern history will no do. And as you put it clearly, people have different views about the entire issue making debate the only way there is to sort it out. I don't think that the South African or Moroccan example are applicable to this situation and calls to follow in the lead of the country will always provoke suspicion and mistrust on the other side. I think that there is a high degree of truth in what Lavrak and Californian said about the politicizing of the issue. I'm sure that going down that path will only further deepen the suffering of the refugees and delay their return.
I think one possible solution is to form a committee to see into the case and come up with ways to solve with it. A first step should be to take from the hands of the politicians and entrust to a qualified committee which will oversee the return of these Mauritanians.
Thanks ano of Tue Apr 10, 01:05:00 AM. Thanks for your agreement that the best way to get this out is to freely talk about it. In citing the SA and Moroccan example, it was just to say that some other people did it and got over it. The major challenge as you said is to properly set up a mechanism that the victims, the alleged perpatrators and the rest of us who want peace agree on the composition and madate. It is very easy to have one group or another hijacking the process for their own benefit or "revenge", if I can use this word. My own reading of the situation is that a mistake was made on both sides of the nationalist groups and led to this event in 1989 (this can be traced perhaps to the tentative coup in 87 and/or the process of "arabizing" too much from the 70's people who do not feel Arab but negro-african, rightly though - I have not really searched the issues but it is my gut feeling) . The important now is to learn from our mistakes and put this to rest. Cheers. Tidinit
Tidinitt, reading your last take on the issue I don't see how we can differ. I wholeheartedly accept any open-minded and apolitical stance on this issue, What I and many others oppose vigorously is to mistake the suffering of a segment of our population with the racist allegations of Flam. Otherwise, I am hundred percent for a quick, fair and just solution of this problem. But I repeat again, this is a national issue and not simply a Trojan horse for Flam to have access to political life in the country. With ideological and bloody nationalist people around this country will no know peace with itself.
LAVRAK
Guys, it's really disgusting when everybody is speaking in the racial terms of black and white. I just finished reading through all the posts of the refugees and am struck by the sheer alignment along racial lines. In spite of the apparent attempt to look open and tolerant, all the bloggers were rehearsing in a refined way the racist language of nationalists on both sides during the eighties.
Ano above
You're right. I too am not happy with this way of debating a sensitive issue like the one of the refugees.
Well can you then guide us. We have to talk about racial/ideological divide because all started from there and if you do not go to the roots of a problem, the fix you get is a quick fix that is not sustainable. Waiting to hear from you and for your guidance. Don't give up, please. Tidinit
Tidinitt, I truly respect your moderation and openness but the problem with you as well as the other bloggers is that you're easily buying the extremists agendas without being aware of it. Race is not the term to use in the Mauritanian context because anthropologically speaking ours is a hybrid society were people have been mixing and intermixing over the centuries and to apply western concepts, like race, to the specific realities of our country is to commit a monumental epistemological and political mistake. Then, how do you define race? If it's color as in the West, Mauritanians don't identify themselves in terms of whiteness and blackness having been born out of the historical encounter of both colors. In the Moorish society for example, being black is no different in social status from being white. I would even say that until recently blackness or light-skin color was much more accepted as normal than whiteness. I can't see how can we use race in this light.
Worse still, if we keep picturing our social dilemmas in racial terms we will end up creating racism where there were only social diversity and difference. I'm Moor and have been for a long time victim to Arab nationalism and have entertained this radicalized consciousness for a long time but after traveling around the Arab world I started gradually to discover myself and to tell you the truth I don't speak any our national languages but I'm more at home with people form our Negro-African community than with any other Arab. Believe me it's not about language or color but about self discovery as being MAURITANIAN part of the land and full stop.
Hi Californian, thank you for your comments. You wrote in fine:
“Professor... power to you if you can keep it up. You must be inspired these days. I hope that continues. »
Say Duty not Inspiration...
Every one of us has the choice: To get in the arena or outside. To get “in” means to fight making his words fighting swords against the state derives. Fighting against the idiocy which generates a society which lost its values. Fighting finally against oneself not to sink in the defeatism.. Silence is always the accomplice of the crime.
To be outside means looking at a widescreen movie on human disaster. And staying away in the movie theater is not only a shame it is a resignation of the conscience. With popcorns in less.
Little bit inspired, say revolted…
… a state of mine for few years, just it appears more obvious these days due to critical events relating to Mauritania.
Not inspired at all, say fighting.
A battle which deserves it. And as you've expected it's not a short term struggle. That's why I'll continue..we'll continue.
Pr. ELY Mustapha
Ano of Tue Apr 10, 03:26:00 AM .
Taken note of your views and unfortunately some people like me would not agree with your statements that all is well and the problem is only a bad perception from few people who do not understand the fabric of the Mauritanian society. Part of our society has been banned from our country. What was the problem then? It is hardly believable that because few guys tried to take power that a whole community should suffer. Few of my relatives are certainly linked to the Salafists (Lemgheity) and no one from Lekhyam was even bothered. Why them and not Tidinit Lekhyam? Why them and not Oulad Nacer because of Hanena & co?
I also do not agree that it is a small problem that can be solved by just paying few bucks to compensate people who were forced to leave. Moreover, I do not also agree that it would strain Mauritania budgetary means if we take seriously these "funny" claims and allow Flam to get the image of Mother Teresa (I seem to like mother Teresa and this is the second time using her name lol). Finally, I do not agree that all the refugees are already back and the rest are just few taken hostage by Flam and they are anyway Senegalese and Malians trying to get Mauritanian nationality. I also need to be conciliatory to all views in order to avoid contributing in breaking-up the good dialogue that is starting in relation to refugees/human rights/racial exclusion and the like. Very surprised being told that the issue of race is a western concept, when we found that slavery in Mauritania touches upon only people of black color and few other people of alleged berber descent (for example some slaves of Northern Mauritania tribes). You certainly know more than me on this as I am not a trained anthropologist and we are listening to you. However, it is enough that some people are accusing others of being racist to deserve sitting down and discuss because being accused of racism is bad. Good you have provided your view - and provide more - to let few people put this together and further discuss. You will be amaazed how many people do not agree now, but they will come together slowly as few mis-understanding will be washed away as we start speaking about this very important issue. Tidinit
Tidinit is a very "metneswi" name. This topic is NOT.
Tidintt, I have to say once again I'm impressed with your candid and fervent defense of you views about the question of refugees. I think, though, you're mixing a lot of stories here like many of us who rush to the easy conclusion of race and racial politics to avoid the complexity of inter-human relationships. Believe me, there is nothing in the world easier than the Manichean rhetoric of race because it makes flat what is an essence a rich and contradictory human experience. Race is dangerously tempting because it lures us into false forms of certainty and excludes any intellectual curiosity to question dogmas and deeply-seated beliefs of us vs them and my people better than your people, and so on. Like tribalism, race allows a dangerous form conform since it keep you within the real of identity and the familiar and makes any encounter with difference and otherness undesired. Well, that was possible in the pre-colonial era when people lived independently from each other. Now in the modern state we're more interconnected than ever and intermingled than ever. Just to give you an example, if we celebrate race as the major source of identification we will be excluding any form social solidarity based on class, gender, religious, etc. Don't forget that it's these last forms of identification which are prompting people around the world to action against state hegemony and bourgeois global tyranny. Well by your racial standards, tomorrow I won't be able to join a protest by the disenfranchised sections of the negro-African community because I am Arab and the other way around. This is really outrageous. The point I want to make is that people around the world are learning to shed off their traditional forms of identification and embrace new forms which allow them more space of solidarity and common action. We are witnessing the great revolutionary breakthroughs made by feminism against patriarchy, as the feminist discourse is crossing racial, religious and geographical boundaries to provide women with means of resistance against the tyranny of men. The same applies to postcolonial people who join hands to strike back against imperial western center, with intellectuals from all parts of the peripheral world citing and quoting each other irrespective also of their race, colors and geographical positioning. I'm not sure that you know that Salman Rushdie from India refers more to Franz Fanon, Achebe, Soyonke and Wa Thiongo from Africa than to his own work and so are Sula Solari from India and VS Naipaul from Trinidad and E. Said from Palestine. We are speaking here about people who are redefining traditional relations of subordination between the center and the periphery thanks to their rising above race, color, nationalism, etc. I can go on and on citing hundreds and hundreds more examples in which race like tribalism are discarded by well-meaning men and women who join hands in the fight for bigger and more noble causes. Just look at how the traditional left is metamorphosing into the new driving force of anti-globalization and getting on board people from different backgrounds, religious, gays, lesbians, etc.
My friend Tidinitt, I don't doubt your sincerity and I know that we both are seeking accurate knowledge about the questions that are gripping us but I'm inviting you to think differently about the issue and try to rise above the immediate experience of race to be able to see the global picture. Believe me, the state alone will benefit from racial politics because it alone can play people against each other and come out a winner. My fight is against those up there in top decision making circles who are white, light-skinned, black and from "Sharg", "Ghebla" and every part of Mauritania who are usurping power and getting more and more rich by rendering us more and more poor. They will always use all sorts of antagonistic discourses like tribalism, regionalism, and racism to pit us against each other to be able to loot the country and suck our blood.
One last thing, you say that Taya targeted our Negro-African community after some black officers fomented a coup in the late eighties and failed, and that he didn't target Arab families form Oulad Nasser and the relatives of the Salafist movement. May I remind that Taya lead a pitiless crackdown on all the officers form Oulad Nasser in the Army and fired all their employees in the state. About the relatives of the Salafists I want to spare you the story of their suffering. My friend, Dictators have no loyalties to any group or class and when someone threatens their power they can mass-kill and go crazy like what happened in 1989 and at other times in our modern history. It's not about race or tribe or white or black, it's about TAYA trying to preserve his power and he was ready to bomb half of the country to keep the other half under his control.
Also the "Bidhan Society" is too flexible to be tied down to one unique discourse of identity. It's a mix of Arabs, Berbers and Africans and God knows how else. I don't agree however that slavery is there as the result of white people suppressing black people. I am not sure you're serious about these allegations as you know very well that many of the Bidhans' dignitaries are black and not even light-skinned and they have African features than Arab features. Slavery is a reflection of the pre-colonial segmantary society which was organized around a severe cast system with the "Arabs" at the top and the other follow in the hierarchy. Slavery was never about color it was about social status.
Th intellectual debate on this blog has never been as rich and focused as it has been in the last few days. This last entry from ano 10:50 is another outstanding example. This has been a delight to read and contemplate.
Californian
Indeed the debate is getting richer and richer
Where is mom, the professor and Californian, Tidinitt? I think the ano: 10:50 raised bombshells in the way we think about ourselves. It's just unsettling to think about his accurate and intellectually seminal ideas about identity and social space in general as it is defined by the modern nation-state. Guys, your comments are of great importance as we seek a way out of the heavy heritage of Taya. I think this ano's post provides a theoretical and intellectual framework for communal interaction in the country and a moral and political reference for tackling our most urgent social problems.
For the ano, it would be great if you sign with a nickname next time you post for us to be able to address easily.
LAVRAK
All I can say is that I am impressed by this ongoing debate, and at the same time ashamed of my shallow comments. I will rather read more and comment less.
Shining Ano, Tidinit, Pr, Lavrak, Californian, Mom
Chapeau bas!
LAVRAK
I obviously agree with you about the 10:50 ano post. I suggest that mom put that text, with the writer's permission, as a blog for further comments and discussions.
Californian
Guys in the US, YOUR Bush has called our Sidioca to officially congratulate him. Well, it seems this Sidioca is something to attract you arrogant Bush.
Ano Extraordinaire of Tue Apr 10, 10:50:00 AM
WHAW WHAT A HEATED DEBATE ! LOVE IT !
Glad you got time to share with us your views on race relations in our country and that has always been the aim of our discussion in the first place. Allow me to call you Ano Extraordinaire to distinguish you from our other anos, known or just of circumstance.
I read your long discourse about race relations in our country. The subject is important as being considered by part of our society as one of the main culprit for their suffering social exclusion on that basis.
It is not me who said that: Messaoud, Sarr, Ba, Flam, and all historic opposition leaders said so before, now and they will certainly continue saying so until the issue of the refugees and their compensation is discussed and closed at the satisfaction of the alleged victims and I see no other way.
To refresh your memory, please refer to AOD learning the hard way not to downplay that issue: he said in his recent interview that the Arabic identity of Mauritania is more obvious than the African identity and he lost the election. Messaoud left him for this, among many others, the Negro-Africans cast their votes to Sidioca, despite the fact that Sarr was with him. One of Sarr’s main messages is to look into the issue of refugees, their compensation and more convivial way of living together. For me this is a serious issue that needs to be revisited seriously since Ould Taya is gone and the CMJD is on its way out for at least 5 years, as both never wanted to discuss refugees, slavery, racial divide and the like.
I will definitively read very carefully your contribution that is not making sense to me and looks like denying facts or perceptions of lots of our countrymen. You are plainly saying all is ok, but it is not. I will come back to you as it is more useful to talk sense on this issue than to stick to some ideological perception of a known fact. AOD losing his last battle confirms that fact as well as having refugees living in camps, waiting for someone to recognize their nationality is also another fact. So, I don’t really know from where you took your views on the social fabrics and dynamics of Mauritania and I hope you are visiting the country from time to time, because yours arguments do not hold.
Concerning the proposal by some bloggers to use Ano Extraordinaire communication on the front page, I do not agree as it will not fit any purpose, but rather confuse things. Ano Extraordinaire has not won the argument at all. However, mom can revisit the issue and write a short note for further debate, as he knows how to formulate correctly issues such as this, without taking side.
Ano of Tue April 10, 10:23:00AM: thanks for your kind words (Tidinit is a very "metneswi" name. This topic is NOT). You will never know my sex (Un chinguittois enta vem?) and I really appreciated your remark. However, that statement can also be taken as a bias against gender and it is bad … like racism. If you have that kind of mind, I suggest you to change quickly because in having that position, you will likely not contribute much to a debate on social and racial exclusion. Excluding women rights is bad these days ….
May I suggest we continue this debate until Friday and I am certain that no one will win the argument, but we will at least know where we Mauritanian stand on this issue, hoping that Sidioca & Co can move forward in a meaningful way? Thank you all and God bless you. I am very happy that we are discussing something more useful for the future of our country and our people. BACK TO YOU LATER ANO EXTRAORDINAIRE: YOU WRITE ENGLISH WELL BUT YOU SHOULD GIVE MORE ANSWERS THAN RAISING THE ISSUE FOR THE SAKE OF YOUR IDEOLOGICAL STAND. SO MANY MAURITANIANS ARE DIFFERENT AND I AM HAPPY ABOUT THAT.
Bye Bye now. Tidinit
Hi,
You aren't ready to dwell on theory as you're hard pressed to give due attention to facts. No problem, let's see where facts can lead us.
My friend Tidinitt, either you are in the dark about what is going on in the country or you're (mis)reading the development in the country willingly. If you ask AOD why he lost the elections he will tell because he was largely unpopular in "Sahrg" and not because Sarr or Massoud. Frankly you're gifted in overestimation, otherwise how can you say that Massoud and Sarr (whose total score in the election is somewhere around 16%) are able to dictate everything in the country. Another case of misinformation is when you assume that AOD's statement about the Arab identity of Mauritanian was behind Mssoud's decision to rally Sedioca. If this is the case, what then do you make of Massoud himself riding on a pan-arab nationalist ticket in the campaign calling for severing relations with Israel and stressing his Arab identity throughout. I'm not discrediting Massoud on these grounds, he can define himself the way he wants, but to say that he left the CFCD because of AOD's famous interview simply doesn't hold. Another point, did it ever occur to you, my friend, to ask the question where Mssoud left after he turned down AOD and his lifetime friends in the opposition. It was to Sidioca, who to my knowledge never questioned Arab nationality of Mauritania.
My fried Tidinitt, we have to stop playing the victim forever. There is a point down the road when people and particularly leading public figures have to assume responsibility for their political choices and bear the consequences of their policies if they fail. What we see now is just the opposite. Massoud, betraying his colleagues in the CFCD and blaming AOD for that. Sarr doing badly in the election running on an ethnic ticket and blaming AOD for failure to take the valley region in the election. My friend, Tidinitt, I was expecting from a sound minded person like yiou to defend the opposition and rally support for it instead of patching alibis for people who are trying to see it falling apart.
I hope my tone was friendly enough and my hearty excuses if it was not.
X-Traordinary ano (see I take you gift with small modification)
Dear Ano Extraordinaire, rather than X – Traordinary (this sound better to me as you are not x ould y. Our x national (a real hero for me and thousand others) has warned everybody regarding the copyright of his name. So, bichorr and always accept the choice of others as you wrote as an ordinary ano and I decided to call you Ano Extraordinaire to separate you from a crowd.
I am not insulted at all and your wordings are very ok. They just tell me and other people visiting this blog that there is a long way to go for Mauritanians of all sides to sit, listen to each other and put back this problem behind us.
Do you really read what is written and kindly sent to your attention? I am not sure. Here we go: we start with the refugees and thanks to your usual going out of the way, we end up with your distorting the facts (again) regarding what I said about Messaoud joining AOD. I said and I repeat that AOD statement on the black identity of Mauritania to Jeune Afrique was among the factors that led Messaoud and the people from the valley join Sidioca or not to vote at the second round. Period. Please always read before you write. You see by your own fault, you derailed the debate from a useful subject to accusing me of pro or against Daddah. Not fair and I hope we can go back to this issue.
As I said something about x ould Y (I missed him), I give you for your ease of reference something x said about the Mauritanian identity and the refugees. What he said makes sense and don’t be fooled by few bloggers congratulating you between late last night and very early this morning: they did not read you properly and wanted to squeeze out of you more nonsense (entouma vem?).
This is my last response to you on this issue and we should not pollute this blog over our contradicting view on a very straightforward subject.
1- X ON THE MAUTITANIAN IDENTITY
l'identité de la mauritanie
sur cet aspect, ahmed a dit : "la mauritanie est arabe, africaine et islamique. cela signifie que notre dimension africaine doit absolument être préservée et développée. l'identité arabe, elle, est plus évidente. si nous réussissons la symbiose de ces trois éléments, la mauritanie se portera bien".
hier ça t’insulte une région, aujourd'hui ça te rabaisse une ethnie, et en plus ça a le toupet de te parler de symbiose ! non mais on croit rêver, là !
ahmed, si tu penses qu'il suffit de lancer ta campagne à partir de l'est pour effacer ton ardoise, alors je te conseille de continuer dans la même logique et de lancer la même campagne à partir de la vallée, et là il n'y a pas trente six solutions : soit tu te coupe en deux, soit tu acquiert le don de l'ubiquité lol.
autant te dire que tu es dans la merde mon pote, pour rester poli lol.
sérieusement, je veux bien croire qu'ahmed n'est pas raciste, je suis même prêt à admettre qu'il a beaucoup fait pour la cause noire en mauritanie, mais, cette phrase (l'identité arabe, elle, est plus évidente), cette ignoble phrase ne peut sortir que d'une bouche raciste.
peut être que ça lui a échappé, de manière inconsciente, mais là c'est plus grave, parce que cela voudra dire qu'il est foncièrement raciste mais qu'il s'efforce de laisser paraître le contraire : c’est exactement la définition, dans le Saint Coran, du mounafiq.
et enfin, mes cher amis, surtout, surtout « ouçayett r’kha ma tentçeu » : n'achtez jamais jeune afrique !
2- X ON THE REFUGEES
les déportés
sur les déportés par exemple, il dit : "il faut trouver des solutions qui garantissent une réconciliation durable",
le journaliste, pugnace, lui dit : "concrètement, cela signifie quoi ?".
voila la réponse d'ahmed : "je le dit clairement : il ne serais pas raisonnable d'engager des poursuites judiciaires. nous devrons d'abord reconnaître les fautes commises. c'est le rôle, je croit, du chef de l'état, au nom de la nation. ensuite, nous devrons indemniser les victimes. je veux régler ce problème sans poursuites et sans rancunes". fin de citation.
moi aussi, x ould y, candidat à rien du tout, je le dit clairement : les seuls qui peuvent accorder le pardon sont les victimes ou leurs ayant droit, point, à la ligne.
en 1989, ahmed ould daddah avait un bureau climatisé, dans l'immeuble de la banque mondiale à bangui en centre-afrique, il avait une voiture avec chauffeur, il montait à l'arrière comme tous les patrons, il avait un téléphone dans la voiture, et un ordinateur portable, c'est bien, c'est son droit, mais pendant ce temps, à nouakchott et ailleurs, des mauritaniens se faisaient massacrer par d'autres mauritaniens.
de quel droit ahmed, qui n'est ni victime ni ayant droit, se permet de dire : toi, je te pardonne ? les victimes l'ont délégué pour parler en leurs nom ? ou alors c'est lui qui s'auto désigne en tant que tel ?
imaginons par exemple que moi, demain, je tue cheikhouna, le fils unique d’ahmed, voilà je ne le cache pas, tout le monde le sait, j’ai tué cheikhouna, pourquoi ? comme ça, sa tête ne me revient pas ou, tient, parce que sa mère est danoise et que je déteste ce pays (voilà, je commence à aimer cet exemple lol).
ahmed ould daddah, dans sa douleur, réclame justice, mais sidi ould cheikh abdallahi (par exemple), qui n’est ni le père de l’assassin (en l’occurrence moi) ni le père de la victime (cheikhouna) débarque et dit, sans demander son avis à personne : toi, x ould y, l’assassin, je te pardonne, et toi ahmed, le père de la victime, si tu me prouve que tu es bien le père de la victime (non mais, je vous jure je ne sait plus quoi écrire tellement j’ai la rage) … si tu le prouve, je veux bien te donner de l’argent du trésor public et encore : si je suis élu président.
ahmed, retourne bien cet exemple, calmement (je sait que tu lis le blog), loin de toute considération de campagne présidentielle, seulement sur le plan purement humain, réfléchis y et dit moi : billahi 3aleikeu, est-ce des paroles à tenir pour celui qui as perdu son fils ? sa fille ? son mari ou son père ?
et maintenant imagine un seul instant que tu as tenu ce langage à une personne qui as perdu tout ceux-là à la fois, en plus de son boulot et de sa nationalité !
billahi elledhi la ilaha illa houé : j’ai honte pour toi, j’ai honte d’avoir la même nationalité que toi, tu me désespère !
au déla du cas d’ahmed, c'est inadmissible cette propension chez l'élite beidhane à pardonner un crime dont ils ne sont pas les victimes, voilà, comme ça, je te pardonne ! hé, ho, les gars, un peu d'humilité bordel de merde !
le président qui veux sérieusement s'attaquer à ce problème doit le regarder en face et le prendre à bras le corps, au lieu de dire c'est bon je pardonne !
c'est trop facile, non mais t'es qui toi pour pardonner ?
plus loin dans l’interview, ahmed dit : "paradoxalement, je trouve qu'il s'agit du problème le plus facile à régler".
pufff … tu m'étonne, il suffit de dire je pardonne et tout rentre dans l'ordre.
ce n'est pas comme ça qu'un pays règle un problème qui tourmente encore sa conscience collective, c'est surtout une insulte à la mémoire des victimes.
et après, tu te permet de citer Omar ibn abdel aziz comme étant ton model, tu doit vraiment avoir une très médiocre idée de ton peuple pour te permettre de le traiter comme une bande d'abrutis, prêt à avaler une couleuvre aussi énorme.
mais bon, ça ce comprend, vu tes conseillers.
ahmed termine sur ce chapitre en disant que : "l'important c'est de dire le droit et de rendre la justice".
"berr ya ahmed, berr 7atteu, ma hakedha touradou el ibilou", honte à toi, ce n'est pas ainsi que l'on rend justice, je suis d'accord pour dire que la solution idéal serais le pardon, mais le pardon ça se demande, ça ne s'impose pas mais surtout, surtout : ce n'est pas à toi de le demander, encore moins de l’accorder, c’est les bourreau qui doivent le demander, et aux victimes de l’accorder ou non.
toi, ton rôle doit être à la rigueur celui du facilitateur, et encore.
pour que pardon il y'ait, il faut que le bourreau fasse preuve de repentance, regarde sa victime en face et lui dit qu'il regrette ses actes, que si c'était à refaire il ne ferais pas la même chose, et qu'il demande humblement pardon.
là, une fois que les cartes serons dans les mains de la victimes, à elles et à elles seules de dire si elle pardonne ou non !
si elle pardonne tant mieux, mais sinon, dire le droit, ça consisterais à remettre le bourreau entre les mains de la justice, et c'est la justice qui aura le dernier mot.
chouroutt tewba : nedemou 3ala ma vateu oué niyétou én la ya3oudeu.
les conditions du pardons sont : regretter le passé, et avoir la ferme intention de ne plus le repeter, le fils de "zawaya" qu'est ahmed devrais le savoir.
Mom,
we need you back to prevent war in our beloved blog, there are real tensions going on here between Two "relatively" super powers,Tidinit and A new Ano, apparement ils sont des cousins (ewlad 3em) and they have issues dating back to "eyam lycee et college"lol.
Tidinit,u said "You will never know my sex " does that mean there is a slight chance of you being a girl?
If it's the case I am, along with others (Cal ente vem), very excited about this opportunity and want to welcome you again, a special welcome, in this blog.
About the refugee debate, if u guys can't agree or need further guidance lol, I suggest having a an online converstion maybe on skype, with mom hosting it. That would be even better if Tidinit is a girl lol.
Let me know what you think of my revolutionary idea, u get also to comment on my modesty.
Flash news, I heard that Sidioca is planning on hiring a PM older than him, how cool would that be.
Wede3nakoum el moulane
Dear Tidinitt, when I deconstructed your proposed nickname for me X-traordinary, I was in a manner very nostalgic just like you are about our X. I like the guy as much as I like you and your pointed prose does not make it any less true. To your attention, when I posted on this sticking issue I was not raising an army against anybody or promoting myself among the community of the blog, it was in the first place an answer to your own request to discuss it so I hope you would be fair enough to acknowledge that you have sparked this debate and also sealed it. The idea with just to share views with your and the other colleagues and to break the apparently dull and boring atmosphere in all the blogs. In some other bolgs people were talking about government officials, could you believe it?
Now, I greatly appreciate your take as well as X's on AOD and the other national questions but insist that there is always another side to the truth absent in the casual writing of X. Would you agree with me that X was writing in a blog style which is not bound by rigorous and scientific methodology, he would have been very boring had he chosen to communicate otherwise. What we expect from X is a personal and original opinion which we love to read and impatiently wait for everyday but this doesn't make his ideas true or can be taken as the result of academic research which has the tools and the epistemological grounding necessary for dealing with difficult cultural phenomena like identity and racial politics. We like X but no way we take his views seriously on these questions. In fact he himself has never undertaken anything of the sort and if he spoke of AOD's statement about identity it was to clarify a political situation and not a cultural one.
Next time we will avoid embarrassing cultural issues and focus on the mundane and flat political realities. perhaps this is not the place to go cultural.
Sorry again if I have caused any inconvenience and ask for forgiveness from all of you
EX-TRAORDINARY
Merhaba bik ya Un Chinguittois. You will know my sex inchallah after Sidioca is definitively in. I am not letting you trap me with the skype scheme (Mutabia enti vem: hatha rajel ma yefter !).
Are you joking that Sidioca is taking a PM older than him? So that the new PM cannot run in 2012 (lol). It is the truth or a wishful thinking as you and I are going to run in 2012 (Ely enta vem?)?
Concerning the difference of perceptions between Ano Extraordinaire and I is only that he does not read and understand what I wrote and tried to deviate issues in a direction so that we forget about my question: how to solve the refugees issues, indemise them and get the the alleged cuplrits to ask for forgiveness, ask the alleged victims to forgive and let us go back to our convivial past. Period. My Ould Amm Ano Extraordinaire blames me for raising an issue that my people is accused of (white, black and café au lait) and telling us few of his "thruths" that do not hold. We know the bled very well and we know the problems. My approach is un-ideological and unassuming and I just want a lasting solution so that my children can leave in peace and be proud of their country. I re-read again carefully his piece of contribution and I could not believe my eyes: he was trying to burry the issue under general statements, not knowing that he was talking to someone very well trained in social sciences and history and very, very well informed.This paper looks like a "lycée" philosophy paper trying to please an English teacher rather than a paper from someone who wants to advance the debate. The debate with him is over now as I have indicated. It is up to you guys to continue or leave it. It is too sensitive and you can make ennemies for nothing and I want him to stay and further contribute to this excellent bllog. Regards. Tidinit
Me too sorry Ano Extraordinary. Let's move to another subject: PM. I read now that the opposition is meeting today to discuss the prospects for a united government. Sidioca is holding well as no info is coming out. D Day minus 8 !
Un Chinguittois,
I read you apologizing yesterday for lack of depth in your comments. Your contributions are more valuable than you think. You, especially, excel at times like these when we have tensions in the blog. Breaking tension is your specialty.
I didn’t think that the day will come when I will second guess Tidinit identity. Not that I wanted to, but I have now embarked on that mental debate in my head for your sake. I do want you to fill that empty void in your live. And if for some reason you come to the conclusion that there is no difference between UN Tidinit and UNE Tidinit, then you should know that you have my full support.
I have a sneaky feeling that you should preserve your “special welcome” for Mutabi3a instead, because south East Asia is too far for UNE Tidinit to be playing or be played by herself.
Californian
Hello Californian,
You made me laugh with your guessing and I like your saying UNE Tidinit " in south East Asia is too far for UNE Tidinit to be playing or be played by herself". Indeed I was trying to guess how to respond to the Ano to tell him my opposite sex in thinking whether the word TIDINIT is feminine or masculine. I tried first thinking in French just to realize that Tidinit in Hassaniya is feminine. I laughed at myself trying to put Tidinit in a Hassaniya sentence and realized that I have been too long away. Hope everyone is fine, including my Ould Amm Ano Extraordinaire. Truly sorry again Ould el Amm and the subject is too hot and I better leave it. Let's discuss something else until we know what Sidioca is about with everybody wanting to join his government, me included.
Min Nahiyeten oukhra, the bombings in Morocco and Algeria are too close to home. mom, any news with the alleged salafists arraigned home? Link to an article below. When it was for the first announced that Al-Quaida is restructuring itself in the Maghreb, I thought it was some kind of propoganda. But now, I am thinking it is perhaps true. Inchallah yisselekna min thak. Cheers. Tidinit fiminine (lol)
http://edition.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/africa/04/11/algeria.scene.reut/
Got this site and seems to be following everything on Al-Quaida. Might be useful for your info. Good night. Tidinit
http://www.siteinstitute.org/index.html
Hi all,
There has been a lot of good action here in the last few days. I acknowledge the courage and the candor of all the participants. I just want to add a simple remark before you guys pull the plug on the topic of race in Mauritania: I truly believe that being a multicultural society is not a burden, it’s rather an asset and a great strength and hopefully soon we will get to understand and appreciate how lucky we are to have this mix of cultures, languages and traditions. We are a unique society and I think it’s beautiful.
EYOUB
Californian,
I think u're right, Tidinit can't be a female, if it sounds too good to be true, it's probably not lol.
Anyway we're still welcoming Tidinit :)
And I am serious about Sidioca hiring a guy older than him, at least that what I heard.
Bonne nuit!
Well said Eyoub !
Un Chinguittois and Californian: you will know about my sexual status and orientation(lol) as soon as we have a new PM (Mutabia Enti vem ?, saheb ehl chinguitti we l'ameriki ham houm yaadlou ingilab alik ! Ana mani gabel thak).
There is so many news regarding the new PM and names are circulating faster and faster. Sidioca could at least tell us now of the name of his PM, but hold the composition of his government secret until 19 or 20 April. but also the poor PM will have all saffagas camping in front of his khaya day and night.
Take care guys. Tidinit feminine (lol)
Tidintt, if your being a female is the only way to keep UN CHINGUITTOIS around please do us a favor and confirm your gender. We desperately want UN CHINGUITTOIS to show up more frequently and since Mutabeea seems to be of little help in this regard, please do it yourself for us (lol)
Eyoub, I see no reason why you keep a low profile presence here. Your English is excellent and you seem very original and open in your opinions.
Mom, and Californian, your absence is greatly felt and reflects immediately on the debate so keep it up in spite of your being certainly busy.
Anos have been doing great overt the last few days and have taken over here, so congrats for them.
The Bolg's curator
Un Chinguittois,
Je suis an embelha embatta avec des genoux tres ronds and a megva impossible to describe. So, please stay and I will drink every word you put in this blog (Californian the curator enta vem?). Tidinit
Tidinit lol
I was just asking in an "innocent vay."
Sidioca by the way is doing a great job on keeping the suspens level up. People are speculating but no one really knows who the PM will be with the exception of few, Sidioca, the PM and his wife. Everyone is quite and hoping to be called, some are blaming Mattel's bad service for not being called ( ella che9ayel raiseau).
Bye
Un Chinguittois,
I also hear good news on how Sidioca is approaching things. He seems stronger than lots expected. He is apparently a great listener and that is good quality. He also keeps things for him until the right time and that is second quality (although I am hell dying to know the name of the next PM now). I think we will be all right. Almost nothing can go wrong with an old Zawi/Tijani and wakhyert. I realize now he handles things with class. These are the words from someone who was opposed to him. How easy you can mistake someone you don't know. Tidinit
Ya khouty: any news from the salafists mauritanian version? Read something in Cridem/Authentique with their names. Just in case to get some news, don't hesitate to dump it for the rest of us.
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