Manifesto of the Oppressed Black Mauritanian
Encyclopedia
The Manifesto of the Oppressed Black Mauritanian was published in April, 1986 by the African Liberation Forces of Mauritania
, a paramilitary group which promoted the rights of the oppressed Black African majority by Arab
o-Berber
minority in Mauritania
. The manifesto details the racial discrimination against the Black African majority by the Arabophone minority in Mauritania. It encouraged the black majority of Mauritania to overthrow the military junta
installed by Mohamed Khouna Ould Haidallah and establish an egalitarian regime.
, and mainly targeted the sympathy of non-Mauritanian audiences. The manifesto focuses on the discrimination against Black African Mauritanians by the Arabphone political elite and minority. It documents the racial segregation
in every sector of public life. The manifesto contains details about the discrimination against the Black population in the educational system, the army, the mass media, and the judicial system. The manifesto urged the Black majority of Mauritania to use any means necessary in order to overthrow the Arabophone military junta.
and many other prominent members of the academic life of Mauritania. Many of the accused individuals were subject to torture during interrogation by the Arabic Mauritanian police.
The defendants were denied judicial defense, and were allowed to contact lawyers only on the day of the trial. The trial was conducted in Arabic
, although only three of the accused could understand or speak Arabic. During the trial all of the defendants pleaded not guilty, but all were convicted on all counts. The convictions varied from six-month to ten-year prison sentences, exile, and loss of civil rights.
In October 1986, ten other Black Africans were arrested on charges of organization of protests against the trial of September, of being members of the African Liberation Forces of Mauritania
and of raising funds for the families of the defendants of the September trials. As a consequence the Arab military junta introduced and established the Islamic law
, and increased the discrimination against the Black African community. In October 1987, fifty-one Black African officers were arrested on charges of insurrection, three of which were executed.
African Liberation Forces of Mauritania
The African Liberation Forces of Mauritania is an exiled paramilitary organization for the Black African majority in Arabo-Berber minority Mauritania.- Foundation :...
, a paramilitary group which promoted the rights of the oppressed Black African majority by Arab
Arab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
o-Berber
Berber people
Berbers are the indigenous peoples of North Africa west of the Nile Valley. They are continuously distributed from the Atlantic to the Siwa oasis, in Egypt, and from the Mediterranean to the Niger River. Historically they spoke the Berber language or varieties of it, which together form a branch...
minority in Mauritania
Mauritania
Mauritania is a country in the Maghreb and West Africa. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean in the west, by Western Sahara in the north, by Algeria in the northeast, by Mali in the east and southeast, and by Senegal in the southwest...
. The manifesto details the racial discrimination against the Black African majority by the Arabophone minority in Mauritania. It encouraged the black majority of Mauritania to overthrow the military junta
Military Committee for National Salvation
The Military Committee for National Salvation was a military government of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania that took power in 1979. It was installed by Mohamed Khouna Ould Haidalla, Ahmed Ould Bouceif and fellow officers, in an internal regime/military coup d'état on April 6, 1979, removing Col...
installed by Mohamed Khouna Ould Haidallah and establish an egalitarian regime.
Contents
The Manifesto of the Oppressed Black Mauritanian was written in FrenchFrench language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
, and mainly targeted the sympathy of non-Mauritanian audiences. The manifesto focuses on the discrimination against Black African Mauritanians by the Arabphone political elite and minority. It documents the racial segregation
Racial segregation
Racial segregation is the separation of humans into racial groups in daily life. It may apply to activities such as eating in a restaurant, drinking from a water fountain, using a public toilet, attending school, going to the movies, or in the rental or purchase of a home...
in every sector of public life. The manifesto contains details about the discrimination against the Black population in the educational system, the army, the mass media, and the judicial system. The manifesto urged the Black majority of Mauritania to use any means necessary in order to overthrow the Arabophone military junta.
Trial and effects of the Manifesto on Mauritania
In September 1986, the Arab military regime of Mauritania arrested thirty-six Mauritanians of Black African origin for the publication and the distribution of the manifesto. Twenty one of them were brought to trial on charges of "undermining national unity" and "making propaganda of a racial or ethnic character". Among them were Ibrahima Moctar SarrIbrahima Moctar Sarr
Ibrahima Moctar Sarr is a Mauritanian journalist and politician. Running as an independent, he placed fifth in the March 2007 presidential election, and he has been the President of the Alliance for Justice and Democracy/Movement for Renewal since August 2007.After studying in Cesti, Senegal,...
and many other prominent members of the academic life of Mauritania. Many of the accused individuals were subject to torture during interrogation by the Arabic Mauritanian police.
The defendants were denied judicial defense, and were allowed to contact lawyers only on the day of the trial. The trial was conducted in Arabic
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
, although only three of the accused could understand or speak Arabic. During the trial all of the defendants pleaded not guilty, but all were convicted on all counts. The convictions varied from six-month to ten-year prison sentences, exile, and loss of civil rights.
In October 1986, ten other Black Africans were arrested on charges of organization of protests against the trial of September, of being members of the African Liberation Forces of Mauritania
African Liberation Forces of Mauritania
The African Liberation Forces of Mauritania is an exiled paramilitary organization for the Black African majority in Arabo-Berber minority Mauritania.- Foundation :...
and of raising funds for the families of the defendants of the September trials. As a consequence the Arab military junta introduced and established the Islamic law
Sharia
Sharia law, is the moral code and religious law of Islam. Sharia is derived from two primary sources of Islamic law: the precepts set forth in the Quran, and the example set by the Islamic prophet Muhammad in the Sunnah. Fiqh jurisprudence interprets and extends the application of sharia to...
, and increased the discrimination against the Black African community. In October 1987, fifty-one Black African officers were arrested on charges of insurrection, three of which were executed.