"vous venez de lire le dernier blog de x ould y !"
Is it just a frightening nightmare from which I'll wake up tomorrow to read his new blog and heave a sigh of relief? I can't believe that the next time I type the familiar link and click on it I'll see nothing other than souvenirs and memories of days of hopes and aspiration. To me, the blog of X Ould Y was not just a platform of free speech or a wonderful gathering place from the world of Arabian Nights, it was more than that. Everyone of us, Mauritanians rendered anonymous by tyranny and state oppression, felt like we're part of something greater than the prosaic daily struggle to earn a living. Everyone of us felt that he matters for the first time and that what he says is going to be heard. We all felt that there's something somewhere which unites us and brings us together, in spite of all efforts to tear us apart. X ould Y was that something somewhere, nameless and without identity. It was simply the story of Everyman(woman), the Noah ship that saved us all from giving in to the dictates of the status quo and succumbing to despair.
It's strange when I remember (we start speaking of him in these terms) the first time a friend of mine gave me the internet link of "x". His words were something like "you won't regret it, this is different from what we used to read about the country". I copied down the link, saved it and forgot about it. My idea was that my friend was just initiating a conversation and I went along with him out of civility. The next time my friend came to me and asked if I read the new blog and my answer betrayed everything. This time he refused to go away after he made sure we read the post together. From that day and until this farewell blog I've never missed one single story on "X Ould Blog". It was an addiction, I was X.O.Y addict.
I'm not going to dwell on the political role of the bolg since all the visitors have a firsthand experience of what it means to be hosted by "X". Yet it has to be said that x has left us different and more politically aware and engaged than when he first found us three years back. It's his legacy that I want to highlight since the role his blog played is known to all of us. Pioneer as he was, his presence or his shadow ( I'm inclined to think of him as our ZORO or Ould Mseika) will be there in the backdrop of our political life and debates. I can see him already being sited on this or that topic and his memory invoked all the time by all of us in all the walks of our life. It's great that you've entered our lives without warning and choose to make an end to your presence without forenotice, yet you were welcome when you first stepped in and greatly missed when you left, this is characteristic of all legendary characters.
All my life I've sought to find a Mauritanian who can stand up to power regardless of the costs, all my life I've found Mauritanians who stood up to power only when it's no more. You made the exception and that's also legendary. By power I mean the state, the taboos, the conformity , main stream culture and views, all these forces which occlude difference and limit individual freedom. It's not hyperbolic when I say that you are the first Mauritanian to my knowledge who matched words with deeds, and asked us to speak against tyranny after you have taken the lead yourself. Thanks.
This is between us :I don't believe in "Zyaratt el Kubur", but I'll keep visiting the blog as I used to do at the same timing. Something tells me that the others will follow suit, sure.
My final words fall far short of conveying my deep sense of gratitude to the service you've done and I'm sure you'll continue to do in your own way to our country and yours. Honestly we're a nation without symbols, living or dead, who can be witnesses to our achievements as a nation and a people. Our memory has always been short and didn't keep a record of the people who truly served us without expecting anything in return. I hope that this time around we'll succeed to immortalize you somehow. I know that statues won't be accepted but we can still give your name to a magazine, a journal or a wide circulating intellectual edition of some sort.
As for me, you'll be my Ould Mseika forever.
Hope you get married and settle down , it's about time (lol)
mom
62 comments:
"Californian, I find your post in the last blog very since and heartfelt and thought maybe it's a good idea to republish it in the new blog on our "X" Here it is:
I hope that you all read the last blog de X ould Y. I didn't think that I will ever say this, but I was feeling nostalgic when I read that it was his last blog ever. It is, indeed, the end of an era that was instrumental in the creation of freedom of expression for many of us. I hereby take advantage of this forum and extended my sincerest gratitude to X and his inspiring effort and endeavor. To voluntarily disappear and give a chance to this new democracy to evolve is such a class act and a rare occurrence in our individuals these days. Faceless hero of mine. We need many of those. THANK YOU.
Californian
mom
thank you very much for this great great great blog. You proved by this blog that you're the best and the first. I love you "liwajhi allahi". devoting a blog to X Ould Y shows who you rally are. thanks.
خبر مؤلم حقا، لم استوعب الأمر بعد. قصة "أكس" ليس مقدرا لها أن تنتهي
I read the last message of x. He is a real hero. I am certain that everyone will read in the coming days, the political class included. This last message makes lots of sense and I appreciated his forgiveness. I do hope that the political class will take note and behave accordingly. I might say (and I will repeat it) that it is x Ould Y and Conscience and Resistance (C&R)that brought down the former regime and its allies. They both provided the justification to the Hanena coup to go ahead. The CMJD coup helped to avoid any subsequent bloodshed and to pave the way to democracy. I hope everybody got the lesson and this is the end of bad things. Portez-vous bien et bon weekend. Tidinit
morning guys
mom ,me as well i use to read X's blog everyday and i did like it while i know he was exagerrating but it was fun for me
thank you X ould Y and i think that the mauritanian should take his advice that we should give the next president a chance not just start criticising hhim
have a nice week end
this blog will be our new x-ould-y
go ahead mom you could do it and we all with you he is not butter than you
X ould Y choose to be anonymous because he wanted to be everyone of us. It's his message which counts, keep up the great work guys.
It looks like it's a largely merited rest day as the million or so Mauritanian voters will flood the polling centers the day after tomorrow. The end of Alhamla was an emotional landmark. Not only it brought the news of X leaving the public affairs but also marked the end of a quite and smooth campaign. I hope this day off is a sign that the country is coming to rest from all the upheavals and instability of the last decades. Tents down, light off, meetings, debates all come to an end as the city prepares for the vote. The feel is one of optimism and unity. It's great to see how people on the street talk about this. I like this country which merits a lot more than it has been given.
AOD is set to win by a landslide as the chances for a run-off got slimmer and slimmer.
Ano 09:05
Open your eyes. It's not because AOD held the last meeting in Olympic Stadium that he is now proclaimed the president. You seem to be sure of his victory even before the ballots say their verdict. Wait and don't forget that there'll always be surprises. And what if there happens to have a second round? What will be the chances of AOD? I'm sure neither the former opposition, Sidioca nor ZZ will give their votes to him. As you see Ahmed is doomed.
you guys above, you're still campaigning. It's over.
ANO: 08:33
Voting starts tomorrow.
i completely agree, x was just great
cab VA6IR from NYC.
cab VA6IR from NYC.
Yours is a wonderful nickname, you made me laugh. Thanks.
Go ahead mom,
I just discovered this blog and having read through all the blogs and comments I can assure you that it's an impressive and serious work. The comments are good and relevant as well as the blogs
Keep it up.
السلام
لقد شغلنا التحضير لنهاية الحملة واستولى على جميع الوقت. أرجو أن يكون يوم غد يوما هادئا وأن يتمخض عن انتخاب رئيس جديد يفتح الأمل أمام الجميع ويلم شمل الجميع.
متابعة
I'm stressed, can't wait to vote and see what will come out of it. Wish you all good luck
For those of you lucky enough to participate in the voting process tomorrow I say congratulations on being part of history. I urge you to remember that you have a great burden on your shoulders. A burden that you are lifting on behalf of thousands of us who are overseas as well as thousands of minors who have not reached the age to vote. It is a powerful position to be in, and even more powerful if properly used. I urge you to vote your conscience and do not be seduced by the power of extravagant spending and victimized by Groupthink. When you are by yourself in that voting booth, you, and only you, can decide who the best for the country is. There is no more patriotic gesture than voting based on national interest.
Good luck to all and let's hope for a peaceful transition that will be the model for future democracy in the region.
Californian
It's a new day already, I can feel it. I hope the vote will go on smoothly and incident-free. God bless us.
Ano above
It seems you're one of those busy guys, like most of us you may have been up until now. Only I wish you would vote for AOD. Please, you have a chance to effect a real change don't waste it. Today we vote to stand in the way of Sidioca and zz.
From the early ours of the day people start swarming the polling centers. Long queues of voters, each waiting for its turn to cat his ballot. In Toujunin, its calm and running properly. What's new is that people are becoming very confidential about to whom the voted. The answer to my polite questions were in most cases returned smiles and they go along. This country is changing, no ore nomads!
Vote updates
1)Voters start casting their ballots about two hours and a half ago.
2)The turn out is massive. Long queues of voters is the scene everywhere in the polling stations.
3)Up to now, two contenders have voted, Sidioca and ZZ.
4)It's calm and smooth and no complains of vote irregularities have been reported so far, either by the candidates or their representatives in the polling stations.
mom
NB: polling centers close nationwide at 19:00 local time, and vote count starts right after. Voters who haven't cast their ballots by this time will continue to vote as the centers will not receive new voters showing up after later than 19:00.
BAD FEELINGS STARTING OVER THIS VERY SIMPLE THING. IT IS ANYWAY FROM HANENA. SORRY FOR THIS BAD NEWS. Tidinit
11 mars 2007 : Le bureau de campagne de Ould Hanena parlent d’irrégularité
Le bureau de campagne du candidat du parti Hatem a exprimé son inquiétude devant des irrégularités enregistrées ce matin dans les wilayas de l'intérieur. Ce qui met en doute la crédibilité des élections si les autorités n’interviennent pas pour réparer la situation. Le comité d'information de la campagne du candidat Saleh Ould Hanena affirme que les irrégularités suivantes ont été notées :
- A Guèrou et au bureau N° 5, le président du bureau a refusé de signer les bulletins de vote malgré les appelles des représentants des candidats. Le même scénario s’est produit à Nouadhibou au bureau numéro 34. Un tel scénario permettra facilement aux électeurs d’entrer avec des bulletins pré-remplis.
- Dans la commune de Ntichit (Moughataa de Boutilimit), bureau N° 4, un de grands dignitaires locaux est entré dans le bureau de vote pour orienter et accompagner les électeurs jusqu’à derrière le rideau afin de les obliger à voter pour un candidat, ce qui est contraire à l’anonymat et à la confidentialité de vote et à la liberté de choix.
- Au bureau de Leezeila (Moughataa de Tamchkit), les représentants des candidats ont été interdit d’entrer au bureau excepté le représentant du candidat Ould Cheikh Abdallahi. Des sources locales affirment que l’actuel ministre de la pêche est derrière cet incident. Il est à noter que ce bureau est l’un de plus grand bureau de cette Moughataa, il compte 600 inscrits.
- Dans la commune d’Elhaci, bureau N° 1, le président, qui est d’ailleurs le responsable du trésor public à Koubenni, a essayé d’empêcher volontairement un certain nombre d’électeurs sans aucune raison. Ce qui a été traduit par un soutien de la part du chef de bureau au candidat Ould Cheikh Abdallahi.
- Dans la ville de Zouérate l’un des sympathisants d’un candidat aux présidentielles a été vu transportant les électeurs dans une voiture de la SNIM immatriculée IF6014.
- Dans la commune de Boutalhaya (Moughataa de R’kiz), bureau N° 1, un groupe soutenant l’un des candidats a battu une tente où il a réuni un ensemble de femmes qui votent et revotent profitant de la nature conservatrice du village (des femmes souvent voilées, visage caché). De telles pratiques sont connues sous l’ancien régime.
Note: Info source : Al-Akhbar.Info
Hi Tidinit
Hope you've passed a nice week end and wish you a good vote follow up.
True, Hanana has complained about vote irregularities, it's his right. What is strange, however, is Al-akhbar's blowing out the case out of proportion and claiming it might jeopardize the entire process. Sure the authorities have to address Hanana's worries and start an investigation into the case but to see this as undermining the credibility of the vote, is a far fetched overstatement. This nervous statement by Al-Akhbar makes me fear it's not going well in Hanana's camp.
mom
guys blease go to this web:
www.click4mauritania.com
for the last result
As expected:
Sidioca is leading the results in the two "Houdhs"
AOD in Trarza and Assaba
ZZ making good scores in Adrar and Assaba
Hanana in Houdh Gharbi
Haidala in the North
Ibrahima Sarr in the valley (Guidimaka)
Massoud in Aftut, Zweiratt and some NKTT suburbs.
We're set to see a second round. from the initial results tallied so far Sidioca and AOD are likely to move into the second round, though ZZ is making good results.
Hey guys
The country is turning into a real democracy. The people, the government and the parties have shown a great deal of responsibility to ensure a fair election day. Another significant development, tvm is trying hard to provide comprehensive and impartial coverage of the polls. Congrats.
It no longer matters who wins and who loses as far as the polls turned out to be fair and transparent.
up now Sidioca is far ahead of the other candidates. Ahmed Ould Dadah falling far being and ZZ looks strong. More results will be coming in to be able to make sense of it all.
Are we doomed to see Mrabut Sidi Mahmud, Sqair Mbarek and the rest back, hope the result will take a different twist to favor AOD.
Sidioca is getting the best results almost in all the cities and regions tallied so far.
Thanks mom. The Hanena camp issue does not seems an issue as no one is aware of it in Nouakchott last night. I looked this morning at that clic4 blog monitoring the elections. Looks like the second round will be between AOD and Sidioca, sauf surprise de derniere minute. Now: I am trying to see who is going to give his "voices" to AOD or Sidioca. There will be then lots of crossing and double-crossing (retour de boubous, de jupes et de pagnes). That is where the real surprise will be. Good luck guys and girls. Need to get back to work. Cheers and enjoy your first free election and prepare yourself for 2012.
N.B: Sidioca and AOD will not run in 2012 because they will pass the mandatory age of 70. If you are interested, you are certainlyy going to compete then with Ely, ZZ, Maouloud. So prepare. The country needs you !!!! Tidinit
Tidinit,
Having you as a spokesperson I'll face it head on (lol). Take care and hope politics will slide back on the list of our priorities when we institute democracy and the rule of law here.
mom
If aod makes it to the second round and if he gets the support of all the CFCD members he will definitely win. But its an "if" story, a very big if.
Thanks mom. As by tradition, you should save hard to put a lot of money aside for the saffagas in 2012 and I will be among them, Inchallah. Ould Taya brainwashed our brothers and sisters so hard that it will take them more than 20 years for them to vote without money. I already miss x Ould y and I hope he will come back soon.
My dear ano of Mon Mar 12, 01:18:00 AM (after mom): I just get the gut feeling that we may be going to square 1 during the deuxieme tour. Some people from CMJD and others - besides Ely who does not want politics, but only enough money to retire I guess - may just try again to support Sidioca. Ahmed has to be careful and communicate better than now if he wants to win. Anyway, both are old people, anti-liberal, same training, same experience and I am certain each of them will do well if they know they can have a coup d'etat again if they mess. They just need pressure from the public to force them do things right. They should be watched carefully as they are both egomaniacs respectable big brothers. A problem they will have: their close family entourage. This is the only thing we deserve now and we have come a long way. Cheers. Tidinitt
Breaking News
Ahmed Ould Dadah and Sidi Ould Cheikh Abdallahi into the second round
mom
Ahmed will go through all the trouble on earth to win the support of the opposition and the Haidalas and ZZS, yet somehow he will fix it and sweep to the palace. By contrast, Sidioca may not attract more than Ibrahima Sarr, Chbih and maybe Hanana without the reformists. Which is to say Sidioca is in trouble from now.
It's been difficult 48 hours, but we made it. Go ahead AOD
KOUBENNIE YA KOUBENNIE!!!!!!!!!!!
Interesting pronostic from Ely Moustapha for the second tour. Seems to hold. The lesson we learn from that is both AOD and Sidioca will be close and any late minute surprise may help one or the other. The link below. Cheers. Tidinit
http://www.cridem.org/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=7867
if you think Hanana will support SIDIOCA you dont know about the man. Hanana will be AOD despite of the attacks AOD's people leveled against him because he knows that AOD has nothing to do with those attacks. The problem with AOD is some of people around him. I was at HQ yesterday, and some people there are just nuts.
So the Mauritanian people have spoken, but what did they say? What I read from the result is a desperate cry for UNITY and a timid reach for change. The success of Sidioca and ZZ tells me that we are not deadlocked on the need for forward movement and that we have a leach to the TAYA era that we can’t easily get rid of. The emergence of Brahim Moctar Sarr and Messaoud are reflection of the need of inclusion in our leadership. I would settle for AOD as a president and a black prime minister at this time. What say you Day Breakers?
Californian
hi mom hope you fine ,,there is no new blog about the result.
come on we need you
Californian
I get along with all the points you brought forward except the hint to the need of government representative of racial agents. I think the government make up should seek competence and qualification more than anything else. Look at Lebanon and how representation of sectarian divisions based on Taiff agreement only deepened the crisis. And I have troubles with the question of race, as it may apply in other contexts like the US but not necessarily in Mauritanian. There are no races here it all mixed up. We're all blacks and color is not indicative of privilege or lack of it in this country. So I hope to see Massoud and Sarr among others in the government because they represent all Mauritanians and not some class or cast or whatever.
LEVRAK
LEVRAK,
I invoked race in the debate on purspose simply because of what I see in your statement. You are clearly denying what we all know exists. Marginalization of many sects of our population is a fact and we have to face it head on. I wish that the over 50 thousand who voted for Sarr are a mix between Bidhane, Lehratine and Lekwar. That in not the case. We all know who’s Messaoud voting block as well. You think Oulad Ebeiri in Boutilimit, Leglal in the east region, or Edawali in Tikjikja voted for either one of those cadididates? We all know the answer.
The question of competence is a very valid one. However, I believe that we have competent people of all races who can lead the country. Giving them a chance to do so will do more good than harm. They simply have been disengaged for so long that we missed on the opportunity to lure them in.
The Lebanon experience you cited has other factors that play in. The impact of Iran on Huzbullah and the influence of Isreal and Syria on the region are not challenges we face. What we are going through in Mauritania is unique and we have to be creative in our own way to get over the hump because all element of success are there.
As we say here “its time to call a spade a spade”. Let’s not be in denial about our situation.
Californian
Californian
As much as I appreciate your openness on the question of racial representation in the country, I still have to tell you that I have deep-seated worries about racial quotas, if this is what you mean. I think it's in no side's interest to have incompetent people in government whose only merit is that they are black or white. A government which will be held accountable for what it does should reflect more than just racial configurations. For a government to be truly representative of the people it has to represent their interests, and I as a middle class Bidhani find myself more in agreement with any other Mauritanian who has similar class worries. I can associate more with a black middle class than with a Bhidani bourgeois who is there to starve my children and deny them the right to a decent future. No, no, I don't think it's about how we look it's rather about how we survive.
LEVRAK
This is an interesting exchange and sooner or later it'll be discussed in higher circles of power. Regardless of the shape of the government, the reality on the ground shows that a lot of work still needs to be done to consolidate social cohesion. There are many ways to do that provided we have the political will and go about it the proper way.
Aod has only one winning formulas: a unity government. He has to recognize that this is not a sum-zero game and be willing to make important compromises to be able to beat Sidioca. Now with the "reformists" on his side, AOD proves once again that he still has something which attracts the opposition.
The realignment now is certainly no one's guess, but when we talk about Sidioca we talk about what he will be giving to the other candidates who didn't make it to the second round to support him. By contrast, when talk about AOD we talk about how much he's going to hold way from his would-be supporters.
Our ongoing farcical governments:
Taya & anarchy; the transition & democratic promises; Siodca and dictatorship through election
Believe me where zz goes now victory goes.
LEVRAK,
As a middle class Bidhani I agree with every single thing you are saying. I think survival is what this exchange is all about. However, for our people to have a “buy-in” into a governmental approach toward serving their interest, and survive this transition, they will look to relate to the leaders. I would argue that you and I and people related to us will be skeptical of a government that has only 2 or 3 Bhidani in it.
This notion of racial quotas is not ideal, I admit, but may be necessary given our level of immaturity and social fragmentation. I would advocate quotas so long you can find competent people to fill those positions. Once we, as a society, reach a level where we are all comfortable with each other, and we are not there yet, then we can advocate idealism.
Californian
Hello ladies and gentlemen,
Any news from the killing of the policeman in Kaedi the day of the election? I just visited canalh and some ano saying that people did it in relation to past human right issue. Have you heard/read aything about it?. The ano seems to indicate two dead but I recall reading that it was only 1 policeman. Even 1 is already too much. Anyone trying to manipulaate something? Tidinit
hello guys
how r u and how is going with the second round
TIDINITT there is a party who admitted that they r responsable of burning the 7akem office and killing the policemen and they said that they r the refugies in MALI and Senegal
guys u r quite this week
where is mom and un chinguittois hope they r fine
Policeman killed in Kaedi/burning Office Hakem: thanks rim politician. I checked the news today and it appears that the authorities are still quiet about the issue. I just hope it stops there. A civilian government can hardly function and perform when there is infighting. In any event, this is a sign that the next government should discuss the issue quickly to avoid the things going out of hand like elsewhere ....
rim politician. This is Tidinit again. The full news on the Kaedi issue is on canalh (comments page). I asked the question and ano jammer was kind enough to tell where we stand with that news. Word of caution: it is perhaps a manip, therefore, caution ... tidinit
Add another 2% to SIDIOCA total. Dahane just annouced he's backing him in the second round.
Maouloud
Messaoud
Sarr
ZZ
All TBD in the upcoming days.
SOS.
The life have been sucked out of this blog since the election results. MOM You need to step it up
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