Mauritania: several orphans of victims of the Inal massacre arrested in Nouakchott

Mauritanian security forces in Nouakchott.

(illustration photo) AFP / GEORGES GOBET

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36 Negro-Mauritanians were arrested on Saturday, November 28, as they tried to walk towards the official platform where President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani was attending a military parade, on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of national independence.

For part of the Negro-African community, the national holiday has been synonymous with mourning since November 28, 1990 when 28 black officers were executed on a military base in Inal, near Nouadhibou, the economic capital.

Each year, this sad anniversary is celebrated by the parents of the victims.

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With our correspondent in Nouakchott,

Salem Mejbour Salem

The organizers of this annual demonstration claim to have been violently charged by the police forces, while they wanted to move peacefully towards the official platform to draw the attention of the head of state, Mohamed Ould Ghazouani, to the absence of justice in the case of the Inal military base.

► To read also: Mauritania: the other November 28 of the victims of "humanitarian liabilities"

Alassane Dia, a member of the organization, describes the events: “ 

The repression was violent.

The police attacked the demonstrators, ripping off their banners, beating up many of them and arresting many of them.

 "

The failed march had several objectives.

It aimed to protest against impunity, to demand the repeal of the amnesty law of 1993 which absolves the crimes that were committed between 1989 and 1991, and to demand that the perpetrators of these crimes be brought to justice,

 " explains Alassane Dia.

Members of the collective were not allowed to visit their arrested comrades, according to Alassane Dia.

RFI tried to reach the Mauritanian authorities for a comment on these arrests, but without success.

► Also to listen: Mauritania: the gaze of youth on the country, 60 years after independence

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  • Mauritania

  • Mohamed Ould Ghazouani

  • Anniversary of African Independence

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Mauritania: the other 28 November of the victims of "humanitarian liabilities"

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