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AU urged to go
against Mauritania coup makers
Accra, Aug. 6, Ghanadot/GNA – Dr. Kwesi Jonah, a Senior Fellow of the
Institute of Democratic Governance (IDEG) on Wednesday
called on the African Union to send a strong signal to the
coup makers in Mauritania that the continent detests
overthrown of legitimate governments.
“The AU must be firm and decisive to compel the coup leaders
to immediately form a caretaker government to manage affairs
and prepare for democratic election within 12 months,” Dr
Jonah told the Ghana News Agency on the Mauritania coup.
Troops in Mauritania have overthrown the country's first
freely-elected leader and formed a state council to rule the
country. The troops rounded up President Sidi Ould Cheikh
Abdallahi along with his Prime Minister Yahia Ould Ahmed El-Ouakef
apparently without the use of force.
President Abdallahi came to power in free and fair polls
last year, taking over from a military junta.
The ousted President was held after he tried to dismiss the
military's top commanders including the head of the
Presidential Guard, Gen. Mohamed Ould Abdelaziz, who
responded by launching the coup.
Media reports monitored in Accra by GNA indicates the troops
were out on the streets of the capital, Nouakchott, where
tear gas was fired at about 50 protesters.
Dr. Jonah said the Mauritania coup is against the AU’s own
protocols and set a bad example for the continents movement
towards consolidating democratic governance.
He said the coup makers must not be given any room to
operate as it will give a wrong signal to other disgruntle
military officers and politicians to disrupt democratically
elected governments across the continent.
Events leading to the coup indicated that on Monday, 48
Members of Parliament of the ruling party walked out from
the House allegedly manipulated by some military generals.
The Nouakchott airport was reported to have been closed down
whilst scores of people had gathered on street corners to
discuss the coup and the fate of the President and Prime
Minister.
Meanwhile the AU, South Africa and Nigeria have all
condemned the coup, and demanded a return to constitutional
government immediately.
The US State Department and the European Commission also
decried the coup, with the Commission warning it would
suspend aid to Mauritania.
Mauritania has a long history of coups, with the military
involved in nearly every government since independence from
France in 1960.
Presidential election was held in 2007 which ended a
two-year period of military rule - the product of a military
coup in 2005.
The elections were deemed by observers to have been free and
fair and heralded a new era of democracy.
GNA
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