Mauritania: Protests, strikes in Nouakchott ahead of Aug. 5 referendum

Event

The national police violently dispersed three protests held in the capital Nouakchott on Thursday, August 3. The demonstrations, which were not authorized by the authorities, were organized by the Coordination for the Democratic Opposition, a coalition of opposition parties that oppose the constitutional referendum scheduled to occur on Saturday, August 5. Security forces reportedly used tear gas to disperse protesters who gathered in the Tevregh Zeina, Dar Naim, and Arafatt districts of the capital. These protests occurred just a few hours before a presidential meeting took place to formally end the pro-referendum campaign. Further protests are likely in the lead up to the referendum as well as on election day.

The opposition is calling for a massive boycott of the vote. Meanwhile, senators and members of parliament launched a strike on Wednesday, August 2, also to denounce the referendum.

Context

On April 20, the government announced that a constitutional referendum would take place on July 15 before later rescheduling it for August 5. The proposed amendment to the country’s constitution, which has been in force since 1991, would abolish the senate, likely replacing it with regional councils, as well as three judicial bodies: the High Court of Justice, the High Islamic Council, and the Mediator of the Republic. It would also change the design of the national flag and the national anthem to recognize the violence endured during the country’s struggle for independence from France. The National Assembly, the lower house of parliament, approved the proposed amendments while the Senate, the upper house that would be abolished if approved, rejected them in March.

Mauritania’s next presidential election is scheduled to occur in 2019. President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz announced in October 2016 that he does not plan to run for a third term, which would be prohibited by the constitution. However, opposition groups claim the proposed amendments would allow him and his party to consolidate power ahead of the election and leave open the possibility of him running for a third term or selecting a successor.

Advice

Individuals present in Mauritania, particularly in Nouakchott, are advised to monitor the situation and to avoid all political events and public gatherings as violence may flare up without warning.