A march in Mauritania for the rights of "Haratin"

Salik Zaid-Nouakchott

In front of the old youth house in the capital, Nouakchott, the Steny Bo Eshab is waiting for the launch of the sixth charter of the six political, economic and social rights.

Bo Esahab is a member of the slaughterers of the Harthin, or former slaves, has not been fortunate in education, like the majority of his generation of this segment, and other subsequent and previous generations, because of the practice of slavery to them.

Bo Ashab said a few days ago in the march of "Charter for political, economic and social rights." He believes that its demands represent him. He says to Al-Jazeera Net that this march is universal for all segments of the nation and raises slogans that are supported by all.

Renewable demands
Since the founding of the charter in 2014, by activists from the Laharat faction, and others from other segments who believe in equality and support marginalized groups in the country, he raises different slogans every year on the anniversary of his founding, which falls on April 29.

This year's march was led by young lawyer Eid Mohameden, one of the most prominent lawyers who freed slaves at Mauritanian courts in recent years, and succeeded in entering the last parliament as a deputy.

In his speech addressed to the masses participating in the march, the lawyer Eid Mohameden called on the Mauritanian authorities to take urgent action to change the reality of Laharat's faction. He considered that the participation of all political spectrum in it is conclusive evidence that everyone is unanimous in the reality of Harhatin and wants him to change. .

Over the six years of the Charter, the Metacons have called on the Mauritanian government for urgent action in order to find a slice of their rights to education, health, employment and important positions in the country for those who have learned and received higher degrees.

Wide participation
The March of the Harthin Charter this year is the only march in which a number of pro-regime and leadership figures participated in the ruling party, as well as presidential candidates.

Sidi Mohamed Ould Boubaker, a candidate for the presidency of the country, supported by opposition parties, told Al-Jazeera Net that he is participating in the march because it is the largest march of national unity in the country and the largest march demanding justice for all Mauritanians and the Hurains in particular.

The candidate Ould Boubakir told Al Jazeera Net that he would try, if he came to power, to work to support the slide and the areas of marginalization in the country.

The president of the charter, Eid Mohameden, took advantage of the meeting of the political spectrum in the country and called for keeping the charter as a framework that brings together all Mauritanians on one word and one goal. It can not be described as racism or anything else. All home.

old story
The issue of the former Haretin or slaves dates back decades. This was the slave class in the Bayzan community, a language-speaking society in Mauritania. The slaves had no right to learn, so they were always behind the other classes.

In the seventies of the last century, for the first time activists from this group, founded the freedom movement, which was one of the first movements that fought against slavery in the country, and faced the owners of prisons before the criminalization of slavery in Mauritanian law.

In 2015, the most recent law criminalizing slavery was ratified by the parliament. It states that slavery is a crime against humanity. It is not a statute of limitations, but lawyer Eid Mohammeden and the president of the charter tell Al-Jazeera Net that the laws were specifically designed for the West and not to be applied on the ground in Mauritania.

He adds that the struggle against slavery, developed until it reached the world, and became international human rights organizations, follow it and submit annual reports on the reality of former slaves and slaves in Mauritania.

The President of the Pact, Eid Mohameden, is trying to maintain the charter approach established six years ago, in the face of criticism of the Charter, whose authors say that the Charter provided only one annual march.

Bou Eshab attaches great hope to this annual march and says that he aspires to live the life of a slice of life for the sons of other factions and to have their rights fully, citizens of the state of justice and equity.