From August 4- August 6 the United States welcomes leaders from many African countries to Washington D.C. for a three day summit in hopes of strengthening the ties between the United States and one of the world’s most diverse and fastest growing regions. One of the leaders invited is the president of Mauritania, Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz. The United States wishes to further solidify its ties with President Aziz and his regime since the president promised to be a staunch ally to the United States in the War on Terror.
President Aziz portrays Mauritania as a democracy, still in the process of industrializing and becoming a developed nation. But despite all the policies and treaties that have been signed to ensure justice, slavery, discrimination, oppression and the marginalization of an entire ethnic group are still predominant in the country. Behind the seemingly democratic façade, Mauritania is governed by a military dictatorship: a dictatorship that oppresses the majority of the population, the African Haratine, in slavery.
The Haratine make up around 55% of the population and more than 40% of the Haratine are enslaved by masters, unable to receive education and even the most basic right of citizenship in their country. They truly are a people without a nation. Although laws have been made to abolish slavery they are poorly enforced by the discriminatory government and are structured make it very difficult for a slave to gain freedom and basic rights.
On August 4 many members of the Mauritanian diaspora gather around the National Academy of Science, the location of the summit, in protest of President Aziz’s involvement in the Africa Summit. There is the strong belief that the United States, as the leader of the free world and protector of human rights, should condemn President Aziz for his actions in Mauritania. The video clip below is a small glimpse of the protest where the protesters are demanding justice and equality in Mauritania.
2014 Africa Summit Demonstration
Aissata and her step-daughter Houleye
The military dictatorship has inflicted much pain and suffering on many Haratines in Mauritania. Present at the Africa Summit demonstration was Aissata, a Mauritanian refugee who has been living in the United States for 15 years. Aissata was happily married, when out of the blue, her husband was murdered by the hands of the government. There was no reason for the killing, nor was her husband charged of any crime. According to her stepdaughter Houleye, Aissata’s husband was killed merely on the grounds of being an African Haratine. It was under such circumstances that Aissata left her homeland for the peace and security granted in the United States. She hopes that she will be able to go back to Mauritania once it is safe for the Haratine and once equality is ensured. But for now she protests against the presence of President Aziz at the Africa Summit and hopes that the United States will take action to alleviate the slave situation in Mauritania.
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