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R 081119Z MAR 06
FM AMEMBASSY NOUAKCHOTT
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 NOUAKCHOTT 000279 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/07/2016 
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM PINR EAID MR
SUBJECT: AFRO-MAURITANIAN POLITICAL PARTICIPATION ON THE 
RISE; AMBASSADOR'S TRIP TO NORTHERN SENEGAL PRAISED, 
QUESTIONED 
 
REF: A. NOUAKCHOTT 87 
 
     ¶B. DAKAR 249 
 
Classified By: Amb. Joseph LeBaron, Reasons 1.4 (b),(d) 
 
-------------- 
(C) Key Points 
-------------- 
 
-- FLAM-Reform, a breakaway wing of the exiled 
Afro-Mauritanian opposition group FLAM, has called on the 
government to address the plight of the estimated 20,000 
Afro-Mauritanians refugees living in Senegal and Mali. 
 
-- On the eve of Fal's March 6 visit to Dakar, a FLAM-Reform 
spokesman called on the transitional government to solve the 
refugee problem, saying that "Fal's transition will utterly 
fail if it does not tackle this question." 
 
-- FLAM-Reform's actions are part of a larger trend of 
increased Afro-Mauritanian participation in the political 
process. 
 
------------ 
(C) Comments 
------------ 
 
-- FLAM-Reform's decision to break away, to pursue active 
engagement in the Mauritanian political transition, and to 
call on the transitional government to organize the return of 
refugees came only two weeks after the Ambassador's fact 
finding trip to refugee camps in Northern Senegal (ref A). 
 
-- The Ambassador's trip is still resonating, both in press 
coverage and discussions on the street, more than a month 
later.  Afro-Mauritanians have expressed appreciation while 
the largely Arab-controlled press coverage have questioned 
the trip's motivations and either directly or indirectly 
accused the U.S. of hypocrisy in its position, noting its 
supposed past strong support of the Taya government -- the 
government responsible for the 1989 events and the ongoing 
refugee situation. 
 
-- Soon after the Ambassador's trip, Afro-Mauritanian refugee 
leaders in Senegal sent a private message to Ambassador 
expressing their desire to collectively return to Mauritania 
and to credit such a return to the Ambassador.  The 
Ambassador sent a private reply that he did not want credit 
for such a return; instead he wanted the refugee leaders, and 
Afro-Mauritanians generally, to participate actively in the 
transition to democracy underway in Mauritania. 
 
End Key Points and Comments. 
 
¶1. (U) A breakaway wing of the exiled Afro-Mauritanian 
opposition group, African Liberation Forces of Mauritania 
(FLAM), has called on the Mauritanian transitional government 
to address the plight of the estimated 20,000 
Afro-Mauritanians refugees living in Senegal and Mali.  The 
refugees fled south between 1989 and 1991 -- a period 
referred to as the 1989 events -- to escape ethnic violence. 
 
¶2. (U) In advance of Fal's visit to Dakar March 6, the 
breakaway group -- FLAM-Reform -- held a press conference 
March 2 in which it called on the Mauritanian government to 
prepare an organized return for the remaining refugees, 
including remuneration and the return of lost lands. 
Responding to earlier statements made by Colonel Fal that the 
refugee issue should be resolved by the coming democratically 
elected government, FLAM-Reform spokesman Souleye Oumar Ba 
said "an exceptional problem such as this can be resolved 
only by a government of exception," adding that "Fal's 
transition will utterly fail if it does not tackle this 
question." 
 
¶3. (U) According to Ba, FLAM-Reform decided to split from 
FLAM because many of its members believed the August 3 coup 
and subsequent election planning provided a real opportunity 
for change.  He said that in contrast with FLAM's membership, 
FLAM-Reform members wanted to take an active role in the 
 
NOUAKCHOTT 00000279  002 OF 002 
 
 
transition.  Ba said the seeds for the split were planted at 
FLAM's sixth congress which took place in Cincinnati, Ohio in 
December 2005, when according to Ba many members started 
looking for "a more realistic approach" to engaging with the 
current government.  Ba said that all opposition groups 
should participate in the transition, and called the current 
government's effort "a huge step forward," and said there was 
"a new climate, marked by freedom of expression, in 
Mauritania." 
 
------------------- 
A SIGN OF THE TIMES 
------------------- 
 
¶4. (C) FLAM-Reform's actions are part of a larger trend of 
increased Afro-Mauritanian participation in the political 
process.  Afro-Mauritanian's -- which constitute more than a 
third of the population but have historically been excluded 
from positions of influence by the Arab-Moor power-base -- 
have begun forming political coalitions and developing 
platforms focusing on Afro-Mauritanian issues. 
 
¶5. (C) At the same time, FLAM's split highlights the 
continued struggle of Afro-Mauritanian political actors to 
define themselves.  These groups are constantly forming, 
splintering and in some cases dissolving.  The political 
party coalition, Bloc for Change -- which includes two of the 
four government-recognized Afro-Mauritanian political parties 
-- has lost half of its parties, while the two main 
Afro-Mauritanian parties -- Popular Progressive Alliance and 
the Alliance for Justice and Democracy -- argue publicly over 
the best collective strategy for the Afro-Mauritanian 
community. 
 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
VISIT TO CAMPS BOLSTERS AFRO-MAURITANIAN REFUGEE ISSUE 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
 
¶6. (C) The Ambassador's fact finding trip to refugee camps in 
Northern Senegal in late January (ref A) is still resonating, 
both in press coverage and discussions on the street, more 
than a month later.  Afro-Mauritanians expressed appreciation 
-- both in Senegal and Mauritania -- for the Ambassador's 
focus on the issue.  In the March 7 edition of the 
afro-Mauritanian weekly "Le Renovateur", a reporter said many 
consider the Ambassador's trip to be the only positive step 
domestically or internationally toward resolving the refugee 
issues.  However, the largely Arab-controlled press coverage 
questioned the trip's motivations and either directly or 
indirectly accused the U.S. of hypocrisy in its position, 
noting its supposed past strong support of the Taya 
government -- the government responsible for the 1989 events 
and the ongoing refugee situation. 
 
¶7. (C) Following the Ambassador's trip, Afro-Mauritanian 
refugee leaders sent a private message to Ambassador 
expressing their desire to collectively return to Mauritania 
and to credit such a return to the Ambassador.  The 
Ambassador sent a private reply that he did not want credit 
for such a return; instead he wanted the refugee leaders, and 
Afro-Mauritanians generally, to participate actively in the 
transition to democracy underway in Mauritania. 
LeBaron