MAURITANIA:After years of autocratic government, Mauritania is inching towards democracy - with a little distraction from the Paris-Dakar car rally. Pieter Teschreports from Nouakchott
Nouakchott is full of excitement with the arrival of the Paris Dakar rally, but one can detect an undercurrent of apprehension about the country's future.
Normally a hot, dusty and sleepy town on the edge of the Sahara where the desert meets the Atlantic Ocean in northwest Africa, the rally's camp followers setting up base have turned the capital of Mauritania into a hub of activity.
This year, however, the Mauritanians are not just passively watching the rally circus pass by but are heavily involved in their own spectacle of municipal, parliamentary and presidential elections that should put the poor desert country of just over three million people on the road to democracy again.
The seven stages of the Paris Dakar rally in Mauritania are considered to be the most gruelling and the ultimate result is often decided amidst the country's vast emptiness of stony plains and enormous sand dunes.
Serious cracks began to appear between the military council for justice and democracy (CMJD), which toppled the regime of autocratic president Maaouya Ould Sidi Ahmed Taya on August 3rd, 2005, and leading politicians who long to return to power.
Ahmed Ould Daddah, the younger brother of the so-called father of the nation Mukthar Ould Daddah (who accepted Mauritania's independence from France from his father-in-law in November 1960), has accused President Ely Ould Mohamed Vall of reneging on the council's original promises of remaining neutral during the transition to democracy.
Following the coup Col Vall promised that he would not seek election himself nor would the council support a candidate.
Accusing the Taya regime of squandering the country's riches in ores, fisheries and potentially a large oil reserve, Col Vall appointed a government of young technocrats who overhauled all business deals done by the previous government.
On the eve of the start of commercial exploitation of Mauritania's Chinguetti offshore oilfield last February, the oil minister forced Australian oil company Woodside to accept changes in the original production sharing contracts because it was felt that the rights had been sold too cheaply.
At the same time the new fisheries minister sought to ban the return of Irish supertrawler Atlantic Dawn, during the EU fisheries treaty talks with Mauritania.
"The people welcomed these developments and believed that the military council was serious in reforming Mauritanian society. They also believed that the military was serious in its wish to withdraw to barracks and make way, after years of successive military and corrupt and autocratic regimes, to legitimately elected government," said Lafdal Ould Abeih.
The semi-retired elderly diplomat, still serving in the department of foreign affairs and international co-operation, told The Irish Timesthat as a result the traditional political system was finally breaking down.
In its enthusiasm the council announced also last February that it was shortening the return to civil rule and was speeding up the electoral process of municipal, parliamentary and finally presidential elections, scheduled for March 11th.
However, the elections for a chamber of deputies and municipal elections last autumn threw up some surprises. Naturally the Daddah-led Assembly of Democratic Forces (RFD) and its allies did well, but did not gain a majority, and surprisingly, Taya's old party, the Republican Party for Democracy and Renewal (PRDR), did much better than expected.
"It proved that Taya represented a real constituency and is still a force to be reckoned with, a kind of Gaullism post-de Gaulle," said Abeih. He explained that a third political force to be reckoned with were the large numbers of Islamists under the many so-called independents elected.
"Most Mauritanians are not militant Muslims, but want change from the ancient regime, whether represented by Daddah or Taya, but there is a danger that the Islamists will hold the balance of power and will make demands beyond their strength," said Abeih.
So far the Islamists tried to portray a moderate image, but have demanded that a future government sever its diplomatic links with Israel. Mauritania is only the third Arab League member besides Egypt and Jordan with such links.
Aware of the threat posed by the al-Qaeda linked Algerian Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat, Col Vall, speaking to The Irish Times, stressed that Mauritania would continue its role as a regional partner in "the war on terror".
In the background the military council has put its weight behind a moderate Islamic scholar, Marabout Sidi Ould Cheikh Abellahi, as an independent presidential candidate, but that angered Daddah, who accused Col Vall and the council of political interference.
On the eve of the senatorial elections on Sunday, a number of civic groups, professionals and intellectuals called on Col Vall to stay for the two-year transitional period as originally envisaged.
So far he has refused to commit himself to this, but the PRDR and its allies have said that it would not oppose such a move, while Daddah has expressed his opposition. However, Abeih and other observers expect that Daddah will eventually come round.
"What this country needs is first and foremost political stability, so it can start developing its natural resources for the benefit of the whole nation instead for the pockets of a few," fisheries minister Sidi Sidna said, after meeting an Irish fishing delegation last week.
Like the Paris Dakar rally, the last stages are the hardest and the end result can be affected by unexpected incidents. But Abeih is hopeful that a return to the bad ways of the past is now impossible.
"After August 2005 the people have changed for ever, they are stopping to listen to the instructions of their clan leaders, and I have no doubt that most of them will keep their religion in the mosques, but not take it outside. President Vall understands the mood of the people," said Abeih.
The rally was won on Sunday last by Frenchmen Stéphane Peterhansel and Jean-Paul Cottret driving a Mitubishi Pajero; the motorcycle class was won by Cyril Despres of France on a KTM