A few hours ago, Colonel Ely Ould Mohamed Vall, the National Director of Security of Mauritania, launched himself into power and shut his boss, President Maaoya Taya, out of Nouakchott.
This action, brought the 21-year rule of Taya to a dramatic and calculated end, in this 3 million peopled desert of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania.
It must however be early, quickly and clearly pointed out before the euphoria subsides, that Colonel Vall and his 16-member Military Junta for 'Justice and Democracy', have arrived a little too late, on the stage of political history.
Much as the people of Mauritania may have been wearied by the lack-lustre regime of Taya, as it was begining to show through an unprecedentedly free and fair elections of 2003, the unconstitutional overthrow of this elected government is nothing but a hijack of due democratic process by an ambitious self-appointed messiahnic group of the specialized paramilitary gendarmerie, known as Presidential Guards, headed by Vall.
Though, Taya's Democratic Social Republican Party (PRDS) still holds sway with a 79% majority in the legislature, the begining of real opposition by about 15 political parties that contested the last elections with growing sympaties amongst the populace, has dawned on Mauritania. There is no way Taya and his party would have won a fourth straight victory at the next elections using the yardstick of the last polls of 2003.
It this growing popular democracy that the ambitious elements in the Mauritanian Army attempts to abort. It is very probable that colonel Vall and his junta would try to seek popular base of support by anti-western sentiments, but this political line, if towed, would spell untold disaster for the new regime. Ask Sadam, who tried it in 1991 and was humiliated for it.
The questions which this self-styled 'Justice and Democracy' Messiahs of the 3 million poverty-sapped people of Muritania could not or ever answer in the days to come are: What happens to the legislative elections due next year, 2006? What happens to the 20 seats- 21%of the National Assembly and the Senate, controlled by the opposition parties? Is the 2-year time-table of restoration of 'true elections' by the junta not a ploy to gain a breathing space and legitimise its own rule? After 18 years in the saddle as National security Director, Is Colonel Vall just realising now that Taya is 'dictatorial and repressive'?
Could it be that the real lure for the junta to take over power is the recently discovered one billion barrels deposit of crude oil? Can we be assured that junta greed for self-enrichment is not traceable to the 30 billion cubit feet of natural gas just discovered? Wont this make the junta to prolong and postpone the promised 'true elctions' like in the case of its Nigerian counterpart which plauged and devoured national and peoples resouces for 30 years before being forced to abdicate power? Can Colonel Vall boldly tell the world that this coup was not the climax of his carefully planned ambition of 6 years ago that got a fillip when he travelled to all the 12 regions(Wilaya) of Mauritania in 1999, as the commander of the militarized police force, to inspect and reinforce (prepare) them for this day?
One thing though is certain, our people in Africa are tired of the musical chairs of dictators. We yearn for true development and progress. We are not ready for another experimental adventure in failure in the hands of some opportunistic leaders.
Aderemi Ojikutu (Aderaskeey) is a Motivational Author and Youth Mentor. He is a minister of the Word of God. A political economist and political leader. He is President of the TREASURE WRITERS CLUB in Nigeria (http://treasurewriters.50megs.com). He is also the current President of the National Democratic Forum (N.D.F). He was National Mobilisation Officer of the National Association of Nigerian Students (N.A.N.S) for several years. A revolutionary of over two decades, he was also the political secretary of the defunct Nigerian Labour Party in 1991.
scheduled cleaning services Winnetka ..Recently the FTC, Federal Trade Commission put forth a report... Read More
In the event of that a threatening nation to the... Read More
Our trade deficit is directly proportional to our attacks on... Read More
We learned some lessons in these last few wars. For... Read More
Streamlining Homeland Security with a Free market flair? An idea... Read More
"The Jesuit priest John H. Surratt, proven to be the... Read More
Do you ever wonder how everything gets to the super... Read More
Journalism, as it is often said, is the 'fourth branch... Read More
On June 16, 1972, a security guard at the Watergate... Read More
In the words of a secret agent who has signed... Read More
Fearful that terrorists will next target Australia, Prime Minister John... Read More
Recently the CIA staged a practice simulation of a cyber... Read More
I'VE ALWAYS ARGUED THAT ECONOMIC ILLITERACY IS VERY COSTLY.This is... Read More
Americans pride themselves on being the best, that's a fact.... Read More
Are the junior attorneys in the Attorney General's office leaving... Read More
The notion that local governments should have almost total monopoly... Read More
Many in the World Media are quick to judge the... Read More
INTRODUCTIONThe aim of writing this article is to encourage the... Read More
I heard on the news this week how America continues... Read More
I like Bill O'Reilly. I do. I have read two... Read More
Long Term Environmental Effect of Plastics, Composites and Other Materials... Read More
There is a lot of debate about who made the... Read More
The NSA failed the American people and allowed the attack... Read More
If someone wanted to farm future clones they would need... Read More
There are many mines around the world, which are owned... Read More
reliable maid service Lincolnshire ..Hello! Happy new year. May you live a long healthy... Read More
Perhaps a silent revolution is taking place, this time more... Read More
Britain has a proud tradition of valiant armed forces and... Read More
Rufus King: (Said to be the fifth most important person... Read More
Most citizens agree that we need the Federal Trade Commission... Read More
Due to the bizarre weather patterns this winter California got... Read More
Americans pride themselves on being the best, that's a fact.... Read More
We know that the International Terrorists like the idea of... Read More
An article in Information Week in January 14, 2002 discussed... Read More
1. Why is it that no one seems to notice,... Read More
I would like to discuss the blocked persons list of... Read More
An idea to defend oil infrastructure in the Middle East... Read More
Tulipmania - this is the name coined for the first... Read More
Many had made mention of the problems of business opportunities... Read More
As I read the papers and watch the news day... Read More
"Had there not been outsourcing and utilization of cheaper resources... Read More
The TSA seems to have completely missed the ball at... Read More
I watch the TV news and I get angry. I... Read More
The UnbornWith all this cloning in the news one can't... Read More
In order to build a stronger, more self-sufficient America, America... Read More
I read an interesting article in foreign Affairs magazine last... Read More
Visible remnants of the world's eldest democracy can be seen... Read More
The United States is losing its industrial capacity quite rapidly.... Read More
Introduction:Although politicians and so-called "Intelligence Experts" are the ones appearing... Read More
With people living longer we have some problems as those... Read More
Political |