Kadhafi offers support for Mauritanian ruling council

2009-03-12

A declaration of support by Moamer Kadhafi for Mauritania's ruling council sent waves through the nation's political establishment.

By Mohamed Yahya Ould Abdel Wedoud for Magharebia in Nouakchott – 12/03/09

[Getty Images] Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi (right) visits Mauritania in a bid to end the political crisis.

Libyan leader and African Union President Moamer Kadhafi paid an official visit to Nouakchott on Monday (March 9th) as part of an attempt to settle Mauritania's ongoing political crisis. Kadhafi's bid – launched at a September 20th meeting in Paris – concluded Wednesday with a declaration of absolute support for the interim military leadership.

"There is no difference between elections and coups," Kadhafi said during a speech. "Elections lead to undermining the stability of countries, which is the most important thing in nations' lives."

Saying that Africa must find its own political path, the leader suggested "the system of the great Jamahiriya, which adopts the method of direct democracy away from partisanship, parliamentary system and pluralism."

In conclusion, the AU President declared his support for the ruling military council. "The de facto ruler of Mauritania now is General Mohammed Ould Abdel Aziz; those who preceded him are respectable former presidents," he said.

At that point, delegates of the National Front for the Defence of Democracy (FNDD), who support ousted President Sidi Mohamed Ould Cheikh Abdellahi, withdrew from the meeting.

"Kadhafi's position was not balanced, and runs contrary to the decisions of the international community, which denounce the usurpation of power through force against the will of the people," said National Assembly Speaker Messoud Ould Boulkheir after exiting the palace.

One MP spoke off the record: "I heard what Kadhafi said about democracy and the people's authority," he told Magharebia. "I was shocked when he said that coups and elections were the same and when he attacked the principle of rotation of power."

"How can a president of a continental union in the 21st century speak to the representatives who were elected by the people on their own land in this way?" he asked.

Others in attendance supported the statement, cheering and applauding.

"We thank God for the position taken by brother leader Moamer Kadhafi who understands the difficult time our country is going through," said NGO director Zeineb Bent Mohammed. "Our country and people cannot cope with the siege at a time when the return to the past is only a form of weakness. Therefore, we really appreciate this brotherly position which takes into consideration the greater interests of the Mauritanian people."

One political analyst disagreed. "I'm bewildered by [Kadhafi's] mediation effort," Bonan Ould Ahmed told Magharebia. "He is someone who does not believe in democracy… while we want to return to democracy and to a constitutional system, which we lost at dawn on August 6th."

Aicha ben Sayyid, a Mauritanian voter, believes that Kadhafi's visit could lead to positive results. "[He] has personal relations with some of the parties who are competing to win power, and therefore, he could use these relations to solve the crisis."

The FNDD issued a statement Thursday saying that the Libyan leader used unfit language when discussing Mauritania and its history, ignoring the ruling principles of the African Union and of international organisations.

Sources close to Sidi Mohamed Ould Cheikh Abdellahi told Magharebia that the president is still working towards a return to power, and firmly rejects negotiations with the High Council of State as long as there are differences over the conditions.