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Is it the first time that mauritania has democratic procedures in its elections or it's just a slight change?
Answer
Yes, this is the first time the Mauritanians have the full will to choose freely from among the different candidates. The electoral process this time is totally different as it, so far, forms the real start of democracy after decades of authoritarian rule that misguided the mass and denied them the simplest right to free voting. The change is going well so far. It's not just that kind of simple change, but it's a big one especially if compared to the previous elections that used to be rigged for the interest of the ruling party.
Name
Abubakar
-
Profession
Energy analyst
Question
How are the Mauritennian parties tackling the race and slavery issues and attempts to integrate and reduce discriminations against the African population
Answer
The Mauritanian parties differ when handling these issues. While some parties place these issues on the spotlight of the political agenda , some others talk of them in reservation due to their sensitivity which could affect their electorate.
But generally speaking, most parties call for remedying the factors which lead to slavery and / by achieving equality among all Mauritanians. We also don’t oppose those who call for crafting mechanisms for returning those who were deported to Senegal following the 1989 grave events between Mauritania and Senegal.
Name
Felicity
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Profession
Noted Journalist and Feminist
Question
My question is whether you are optimistic or pessimistic about democracy gaining a sustainable toehold in your native soil or will it be treated as a mere weed?
Answer
There is an optimistic spirit among most political players that Mauritania is on its way to democracy , especially after military junta's unbiased position in the election and giving the Mauritanian people access to participating in the democratic process. This in turn showed clearly in the big size of participation in national and municipal election which was held yesterday, which , according to figures, reached 70 % of the total eligible electorate.
Spirit of Optimism was felt also due to transparency and fairness which were clear in these elections, including the unified balloting tickets and transparent boxes as well as the national and foreign bodies which monitored the elections in all its phases. Some things may stand in the way of full democracy such as some social complications in Mauritania in its new road to democracy, as well the problem of tribal and familial loyalty.
These problems may be the most outstanding obstacles to democratic development in Mauritania . However, we see that the democratic experiment in Mauritania will play a role in portraying the picture of the country's future political action. The election also will surely contribute to the consolidation of multiparty system and implementing the principles of the parliamentary governing and the peaceful rotation of power.
Name
Hilary Toadstool
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Profession
Lecturer on Female Anatomy
Question
Do younger women have the right to vote in the election?
Answer
Of course any 18-year-old citizen, male or female, is eligible to vote according to the Mauritanian constitution. Moreover, the transitional authorities have encouraged the participation of women in the election, with at least 20% of the woman being listed in election slates, besides irrevocable election status for them.
Name
Hous bin Fard'een
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Profession
Chartered Accountant
Question
Esteemed Doctor -- Does not our dearly beloved Islam not teach us to avoid democracy and instead to adopt princes and suzerainties to govern us?
Answer
We see no collision between democracy, as the best instrument ever to achieve rotation of power and political participation, and Islam, as this does not run counter to the majority of the Nation's scholars and in complying with the saying of the prophet " A believer accepts wisdom anywhere and from anyone".
Thanks for your respect.
Name
Horace Greeley
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Profession
Newspaper Publisher
Question
We read so much bad news about your country and it is difficult to believe that you are so miserable. Would a free press be a precursor to liberation and revolutionary anarchy?
Answer
The press in every country is a double edged weapon which can be uses for welfare and prosperity and spreading the principle of multiparty system, and vice versa. In Mauritania, we see that the independent press enjoys a considerable amount of freedom and this shows clear in its criticism of negative political and social situations .
This trend was reinforced by the newly enacted law on the press and audio video material by transferring monitoring of the press from the ministry of interior to the judiciary , a step which in turn led to the revoking of the once repressive and arbitrary measures against the media and media men. This of course was received with satisfaction in and outside Mauritania . Even the independent press was one of the bodies entrusted with monitoring yesterday's election.
But the press in Mauritanian still suffers a number of obstacles including the lack of financing resources and the difficulties the reporters encounter as they are no given access to news as well as the absence of social awareness of the ways and means by which Mauritanians can enhance active and responsible press. But we have to be optimist, as now there are more than five independent dailies and a number of periodicals which are issued by the press or syndicates or media men or authors.
Name
Amadou Deme
-
Profession
Question
After the elections of yesterday do you think that the government will insure that the presidential elections will be impartial and the important issues that tore Mauritania apart will be finally addressed? Thanks
Answer
Yesterday's election and the satisfaction of the political forces for the election process in general is another indicator of the seriousness of the transitional authorities in honoring their pledge they promised to the Mauritanian people. The guarantees announced by the military junta were reinforced also by the junta's announcement to ban any of the military council and its government from standing as candidates in the election and by the accepting of foreign monitors and responding to the demands of the political forces to form an independent panel for monitoring the election.
According to several monitors, the November 19 election will decide on a mechanism by which all political parties and groups will handle the issue of the presidential election which is drawing near. Several of these political forces expected that the election would decide which party would field a candidate for the presidential election . No doubt that the national and municipal legislators who will be chosen from all political spectrums will help find a mechanism by which the country handles all issues and problems, in addition that this new hybrid parliament will reinforce the participation of all political forces in tackling all the Mauritanian people's problems and contribute to development of the country and finding a remedy to its problems with full integrity and unbiased visions.
Name
Solia
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Profession
Question
What are your expectaions? and who you think will be winning in such elections. Thank you.
Answer
The preliminary results of the election refer to the win, if not sweep, of parties and alliances which were once known as the traditional opposition and which crafted what they named the coalition for change, at least at the level of Nouakchott and the big cities . As regards the lowland towns, the winning slates are divided between the blocks of independents and the majority parties of former governments especially the democratic republican party for innovation and the union and democracy party .
I see ,however, that the real winner in this election is the Mauritanian people who showed discipline and sense of responsibility, who also opted for peaceful competition in all the transitional period with its repercussions.
Name
Aslan
- United States
Profession
Question
Some people say that the Islamists are expected to win a big place in this poll. What do you think? and how are the minds of those people, are they moderate or not? Thank you.
Answer
Now that the results have become known, there is no place for argument, as all indicators show that the Islamists have achieved considerable success in the election both in the big cities and lowland towns. So far, it seems that they are leading the contesting political forces, now that they achieved a landslide win in three of the biggest municipal constituencies, in addition that they have had winning members in most of the lowland towns voting booths. Their national slate is expected to lead the other winning slates.
This election showed the sweeping public support of the moderate trend which managed to communicate their program to the Mauritanian masses. This moderate trend belongs to the Muslim Brotherhood group, and its candidates stood for the election under the banner of the moderate reformists after they were banned to form their own political party.
Name
Muslima
- Austria
Profession
Question
How are the country relations are now with Israel? Why does it have such strong kind of normalization with Israel? Is Israel forcing you to do that or just it's the will of the majority of the Mauritanians?
Answer
The relationship with Israel is among the issues being discussed in Mauritania nowadays. In reality, there is a diplomatic and official tie with Israel that backs to the era of the previous rule, but what is clearly noted now is this tie is publicly rejected as the case in many Arab countries now.
The effect of such relation does not exceed the official level. The past regime might faced some foreign pressures, that of course caused it local embarrassment. The issue is still also controversial among the different political forces at present; as some see such relation wrongful and should be immediately severed while some others see it as an inevitable consequence of today's globalization and the US domination over the new world order.
Name
Melisha
-
Profession
Question
How could you help your counry be amongest the develped world as you have just started the real step towards democracy, a step that many big states in the region are not able to walk?
Answer
We can enhance our political and social action by promoting for political participation, maintaining national unity, advocating the democratic march, as well as spreading freedom and multiplicity. All these positive steps could push forward the country's development while, however, reconciling this progress in social and political aspects with our country's cultural legacy and civilization constants taken from the religion of Islam.
This will in turn help eliminate all the agonies of the past including coups and political despotism, thus encouraging the Mauritanian people to play a role in development of his/her country as well furthering the political participation, a target which we hope to materialize in the coming period Inshaallah.
Name
Editor..
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Profession
Question
The session has ended. We would like to thank both Dr. Mohameden Ould Agdoud for taking the time to answer the questions of IslamOnline viewers, and all those who participated in this live dialogue.
we apologize for not being able to answer all the questions we received due to time limitations.
