IRA – Mauritanie has reported the enslavement of a mother with five young children. The woman, whose name is Kemmacha, lives in Ould Ramy, which is administered from Wembou (75 kilometers north of Seulibaby in the south-east of the Mauritania).
As the government has only once prosecuted a slave owner, IRA video taped an interview with Kemmacha in order to produce clear evidence of the enslavement. Kemmacha’s master is Leyly Ould Cheikh. She has worked for him from her early childhood taking care of goats and camels. The five children Kemmacha has brought into the world were each begotten by her forced intercourse with Leyly Ould Cheikh.
IRA reported the enslavement of Kemmacha to the police in Seulibaby on May 7, 2014. The gendarmes began their investigation with an interrogation of the IRA members, pointing out that IRA has no legal status in Mauritania (the government has refused to grant IRA official status as a civil society organization) and casting suspicion on the IRA members in an effort to intimidate them. Finally, the gendarmes informed the IRA delegation that they needed to report the case to the police in Wembou, as it was outside of the jurisdiction of the police of Seulibaby.
On May 9th the IRA delegation traveled to Wembou to file their report but were surprised to learn that a group of police had already arrived in the vicinity of Kemmacha’s dwelling in Ould Ramy. The police organized a meeting with the local mayor and other local notables but without the knowledge or presence of the IRA delegation. They then went off toward the encampment of Kemmacha and her children.
IRA – Mauritanie is concerned that the police and local notables with act to cover up the criminal enslavement of Kemmacha. They remained determined to follow this case and to support Kemmacha in her search for liberty and justice.
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