Power play in Mauritania
Maswood Alam Khan | Monday, 18 August 2008
A military party has just opened the second part of their grand puppet show. Venue: the Mauritanian capital Nouakchott. Conductor: General Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz. Performers: Democratically elected Mauritanian politicians. Orchestra: Military leaders loyal to General Aziz. Duration: Till when time will ripen for the third part of the puppet show.
The first part of the puppet show began when General Aziz instigated a 2005 coup that led to free elections in the country proving to the political observers the world over that military leaders in some countries contribute more than civilian leaders in ushering in or restoration of democracy.
Democracy in Mauritania was first introduced when in November 2006 local and regional elections were held throughout the country and presidential election in March 2007. Sidi Ould Sheik Abdellahi, a former government minister, facing off in a second round of voting, became the country's first democratically elected president only to be deposed---though in a bloodless coup---on August 06, 2008 along with Waghf, his prime minister, at the gunpoint of the country's top four military leaders under captaincy of General Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz.
General Aziz with 11 military officials formed a State Council and promised again to lend military contribution to the restoration of democracy through free elections. Last Thursday, August 14, after an extensive search for a person who could woe the West, one Ould Mohamed Laghdaf, Mauritania's former ambassador to the European Union (EU), was picked by the military junta to head the transitional government as a new prime minister.
Now the world will have to wait to see the next President of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania to be elected in an election that would be free as promised by General Aziz under whose nose the previous free election was also held and Abdellahi became the president.
Students and research fellows studying political science should have turned their attention to the present political scenario of Mauritania in order to examine a new phenomenon that may be termed 'militarization of civilization'.
There are of course instances where military dictators side with one or two political parties for milking their supports in case they have to escape from power. But, surprisingly and probably for the first time in the recent political history of the world all politicians of a country have supported the coup leaders to oust all elected leaders.
Almost all the Mauritanian politicians---from both the senate and the lower house of the parliament---declared their support for the coup which they said was carried out "in the interest of their people". To their opinion "the coup had been carried out "in the context of an acute political and institutional crisis" brought about by Abdellahi who "only listened to sycophants". They have also called on the world powers to support the coup leaders "in their objectives to preserve the stability of the country".
I don't know whether all those Mauritanian politicians had to state under oblique duress or at gunpoint their statements in support of the military leaders. But, I must salute General Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz for his circuitous role as a conductor twirling the barrel of his gun as a baton to make the politicians sing songs following the lyrics the General himself has written---the way instrumentalists in an orchestral performance follow minutely the printed musical note values created by a music composer.
Maybe, I am totally wrong in diagnosing the current situation of Mauritania and the real motives of the country's civilian and military leaders. Maybe, eligible voters out of a population of three and a half million, of whom only fifty per cent can read and write, made a terrible blunder in choosing their president; 'a right man in the right place' perhaps did not take place. Maybe, the electorate's options were circumscribed for a good leader not allowed to contest in the last presidential election.
Mauritania needs a leader who can steer their nation away from the plights and blights the country has been suffering due to hunger and terrorism. A desert country located at the northwest corner of the African continent, Mauritania imports more than 70 per cent of its food needs. Although Mauritania officially abolished slavery in 1980, the nation continues to tolerate the enslavement of blacks by North African Arabs. It is believed that there are still thousands of chattel slaves in the country.
I wonder why General Aziz instead of directly grabbing presidential power or contesting himself in the last presidential election had picked someone else to captain the country!
There are hundreds of examples where military leaders out of patriotism ousted civilian leaders from the thrones of power when they found their countries sliding towards ruination and valiantly took the charges of their respective nations. Many of them had entered history as the most charismatic national heroes proving themselves as the most successful generals-turned-statesmen.
There could be two reasons for which General Aziz probably shied away from the presidency of his country. Number one: he was afraid of commotions inside and outside of his country that could jeopardize internal and external resource mobilizations to ensure effective civil governance under his command. Number two: why should he risk his personal life and the country's diplomacy with the rest of the world if he could enjoy the full power to run the country using his remote-controlled tools?
But, such opportunistic option on the part of a military leader does not augur well for the future of a country. Trials with random pickups for governing a country may play havoc with national economy, sovereignty, and integrity.
The writer is General Manager, Bangladesh Krishi Bank. He may be reached at
maswood@ hotmail.com
The first part of the puppet show began when General Aziz instigated a 2005 coup that led to free elections in the country proving to the political observers the world over that military leaders in some countries contribute more than civilian leaders in ushering in or restoration of democracy.
Democracy in Mauritania was first introduced when in November 2006 local and regional elections were held throughout the country and presidential election in March 2007. Sidi Ould Sheik Abdellahi, a former government minister, facing off in a second round of voting, became the country's first democratically elected president only to be deposed---though in a bloodless coup---on August 06, 2008 along with Waghf, his prime minister, at the gunpoint of the country's top four military leaders under captaincy of General Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz.
General Aziz with 11 military officials formed a State Council and promised again to lend military contribution to the restoration of democracy through free elections. Last Thursday, August 14, after an extensive search for a person who could woe the West, one Ould Mohamed Laghdaf, Mauritania's former ambassador to the European Union (EU), was picked by the military junta to head the transitional government as a new prime minister.
Now the world will have to wait to see the next President of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania to be elected in an election that would be free as promised by General Aziz under whose nose the previous free election was also held and Abdellahi became the president.
Students and research fellows studying political science should have turned their attention to the present political scenario of Mauritania in order to examine a new phenomenon that may be termed 'militarization of civilization'.
There are of course instances where military dictators side with one or two political parties for milking their supports in case they have to escape from power. But, surprisingly and probably for the first time in the recent political history of the world all politicians of a country have supported the coup leaders to oust all elected leaders.
Almost all the Mauritanian politicians---from both the senate and the lower house of the parliament---declared their support for the coup which they said was carried out "in the interest of their people". To their opinion "the coup had been carried out "in the context of an acute political and institutional crisis" brought about by Abdellahi who "only listened to sycophants". They have also called on the world powers to support the coup leaders "in their objectives to preserve the stability of the country".
I don't know whether all those Mauritanian politicians had to state under oblique duress or at gunpoint their statements in support of the military leaders. But, I must salute General Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz for his circuitous role as a conductor twirling the barrel of his gun as a baton to make the politicians sing songs following the lyrics the General himself has written---the way instrumentalists in an orchestral performance follow minutely the printed musical note values created by a music composer.
Maybe, I am totally wrong in diagnosing the current situation of Mauritania and the real motives of the country's civilian and military leaders. Maybe, eligible voters out of a population of three and a half million, of whom only fifty per cent can read and write, made a terrible blunder in choosing their president; 'a right man in the right place' perhaps did not take place. Maybe, the electorate's options were circumscribed for a good leader not allowed to contest in the last presidential election.
Mauritania needs a leader who can steer their nation away from the plights and blights the country has been suffering due to hunger and terrorism. A desert country located at the northwest corner of the African continent, Mauritania imports more than 70 per cent of its food needs. Although Mauritania officially abolished slavery in 1980, the nation continues to tolerate the enslavement of blacks by North African Arabs. It is believed that there are still thousands of chattel slaves in the country.
I wonder why General Aziz instead of directly grabbing presidential power or contesting himself in the last presidential election had picked someone else to captain the country!
There are hundreds of examples where military leaders out of patriotism ousted civilian leaders from the thrones of power when they found their countries sliding towards ruination and valiantly took the charges of their respective nations. Many of them had entered history as the most charismatic national heroes proving themselves as the most successful generals-turned-statesmen.
There could be two reasons for which General Aziz probably shied away from the presidency of his country. Number one: he was afraid of commotions inside and outside of his country that could jeopardize internal and external resource mobilizations to ensure effective civil governance under his command. Number two: why should he risk his personal life and the country's diplomacy with the rest of the world if he could enjoy the full power to run the country using his remote-controlled tools?
But, such opportunistic option on the part of a military leader does not augur well for the future of a country. Trials with random pickups for governing a country may play havoc with national economy, sovereignty, and integrity.
The writer is General Manager, Bangladesh Krishi Bank. He may be reached at
maswood@ hotmail.com