Mauritania gears up for a second round of polling this month, though what the two presidential hopefuls stand for remains somewhat obscure, writes James Martin in Nouakchott After the 11 March presidential elections in Mauritania proved inconclusive, citizens of the newly democratic Saharan nation are looking forward to a close run second round this coming Sunday between top contenders Sidi Mohamed Ould Cheikh Abdallahi and Ahmed Ould Daddah. Zeine Ould Zeidane, the third place winner of the vote, has recently announced his support for Abdallahi, in a move some predict may give Abdallahi the upper hand. Support for Daddah remains strong, however, in part due to Abdallahi's persistent image as a crony of the old regime and the favoured candidate of the current military government led by Colonel Ely Ould Mohamed Vall. "Sidi [Abdallahi] is just like the old president. Everyone wants Daddah," said Sidi Mohamed, 28, a merchant in Nouakchott. Reflecting these thoughts, Ahmed, 34, also a resident of the capital, remarked: "the friends of Sidi [Abdallahi] are the friends of Taya, and Colonels [Mohamed Abdel] Aziz and Vall are going to support him." The label a "friend of Taya" is a damning appellation in today's Mauritania, as most in the country are eager to shrug off the legacy of the former regime. The Taya years, from 1984 until 2005, were marked by political instability, restricted freedom of the press, and frequent human rights abuses. While Abdallahi did serve from 1986 to 1987 as minister of hydraulics and energy and then as minister of fishing and maritime economy under Taya, he refutes accusations of lingering ties to the old regime. Nevertheless, the perceived association of Abdallahi with both Taya and current military elites has drawn some support away from his camp and into that of his opponents. Complicating matters is the fact that the former president placed Abdallahi under house arrest for six months in 1987 on charges of corruption. Beyond such assessments of the character and personal history of the candidates, Mauritanians have little else so far upon which to base their decisions this Sunday. The opaque nature of politics in the country and the lack of public debate featuring the candidates in the run-up to the election have left the ins and outs of their campaign platforms difficult to divine. Many thus have high hopes that a live televised debate scheduled for this Friday will clarify their opinions and thoughts to the populace. What is already known of their platforms makes it clear that both consider issues of good governance, economic growth and efficiency, and national and ethnic unity as political priorities. Daddah in particular has also singled out human rights and the lingering practice of slavery in Mauritania as an area of campaign focus. Foremost amongst his recommendations is a series of laws that would formally define slavery and officially criminalise its practice. While slavery was officially outlawed in Mauritania in 1981, its practice continues today in a variety of forms and is rarely penalised by the government. Also significant among Daddah's recommendations is the unconditional repatriation of Mauritanian refugees forced out of the country during violent race riots between white Moor and black African communities in 1989. Since the riots, which resulted from the escalation of a border dispute at the Senegal River, thousands of black Mauritanians have been unable to return from exile in Senegal. On issues of foreign policy, both candidates consider of primary importance resolution to conflict in the Middle East and the creation of a Palestinian state. Neither candidate, however, has made official comment on his position regarding future diplomatic ties with Israel and whether he will re-evaluate these ties in light of their unpopularity with the country's population. Daddah has traditionally taken a hard line on Israel, although he has stopped short of saying he will cut ties with Tel Aviv if elected. Abdallahi, on the other hand, has been less vocal on the issue, simply remarking that future policy options will be "examined" if he enters office. Despite the candidates' vague pronouncements and the dearth of public debate on substantive issues, Mauritanians seem to feel in control of their elections process, confident that their votes count. Official estimates put turnout in the 11 March poll at roughly 70 per cent of eligible voters. Even if all the issues are not clear, there is a sense that individual choice really does make a difference. As one Nouakchott man put it when asked why he supported his chosen candidate, "he will solve all of our problems. No, maybe not all of them, but 80 per cent of them."
