Amnesty on Mauritanian torture
Amnesty International has released a 36-page report on torture in Mauritania, of which there is, unsurprisingly, quite a lot. Practices and perpetrators are analyzed, and if aspiring to become a prison guard, you learn fascinating details about where to best put your baton, as well as where to put out your cigarette, when in the company of an uncooperative prisoner. Rather unpleasant reading, so be advised. Torture has been an ongoing phenomenon throughout the transition process since 2005, but the report does note the general implosion of civil liberties since the 2008 coup (a ban on demonstrations, political arrests, etc) as well as state that the new military rule has in fact "led to the increased use of torture," despite its promises to the contrary.
Read it in English as HTML or PDF, or in Arabic and French as PDF only.
As an added treat, Amnesty reveals the involvement of Moroccan security personnel in torturing detainees. Moroccan-Mauritanian security cooperation is nothing new, with Morocco always having shown a keen interest in what goes on in Mauritania's north -- for a variety of good reasons -- but this is, to my knowledge, the first time that more direct evidence of involvement in abuses has been published. It will surely add fire to the political dispute in Mauritania, where some already resent the ties of the military junta to Morocco, and fear that the country will tilt towards Rabat in a way that would undermine its traditional neutrality, and, hence, stability.
17 comments:
Questions remain: why do Moroccan agents torture in Mauretania? To assist in the struggle against terrorism? But what value can they add?
The attack against Mauretanian soldiers near Zouerate also remains mysterious. The murder of the French tourists in Mauretania which cancelled the Paris Dakar race fits in a pattern of anti-western & anti-christian violence. But what could have been the point of the cruel violence against Mauretanian Islamic soldiers?
Questions remain: why do Moroccan agents torture in Mauretania? To assist in the struggle against terrorism? But what value can they add?
Expertise...
The attack against Mauretanian soldiers near Zouerate also remains mysterious. The murder of the French tourists in Mauretania which cancelled the Paris Dakar race fits in a pattern of anti-western & anti-christian violence. But what could have been the point of the cruel violence against Mauretanian Islamic soldiers?
I really do not see what is mysterious about that attack. Maybe there is a possibility of some elaborate conspiracy, but the simplest explanation is that a local section of al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb did it, with no outside prompting. That's what they themselves claimed, and I know of nothing that points to the contrary.
Attacking Muslim soldiers is nothing new to them, obviously: witness Algeria.
What expertise can Moroccan agents possibly have? Do they speak a language used by terrorists or do they have expert knowledge of Mauretanian society? Or would it just be the torture technique. Anyway. I would like to know how they got there. Must have been because of some sort of invitation.
But well, you're probably right about the ambush of the soldiers. I finally understand it has'nt been unique now I found out the Mauretanian army has had deadly encounters with these guys before at Lemguety in 2005 and Gallawiya in 2007. The motive however remains a bit unclear to me.
Expertise in torture techniques, yes. But more importantly knowledge about groups and networks that the persons interrogated are believed to have belonged to, and people they have been in contact with, in Morocco or elsewhere. And yes, obviously they're there on invitation from whatever security agency did the torturing.
Interesting debate. All is mysterious:lemgheity a little bit more than one day before Flintock I arrived in the area, Tourine very mysterious as there is no way it could have been done without support from one of the neighboring states and the finger is pointing to the closest area to Tourine. El Ghalawiya and the French tourists seem to have been managed by algerian GSPC/AQMI who are likely to be managed of some sort from Algeria, while they are in Mali. Some say that the US and France know who did all with their satelites or spy rings in the whole area.There is no way the terrorists can operate and hit at an appropriate time without logistics support from a regular army.
So gentlemen or ladies, there is a sponsored state terror behind all this. You just look at the map and see where are Lemgheity, Al Ghallawiya and Tourine: do you think it is possible that the djihadists do what they did and return to their bases tranquillos in 1-2 days without being spotted? Not a chance.
There is therefore definitively some state conspiracy behind it. Close security cooperation between Morocco and Mauritania has certainly some justification as Morocco was not invited to the security meeting in Mali. So states are playing their own games. I alo do believe that the fight against terrorism is not seriously implemented as the protagonists are playing some game.
We mauritanians are tired of this.
A New York Times article of 12 December 2008. I really don't know what is really the truth behind AQMI. I have read that Belmokhtar is either with the Algerian Authorities or in Benin in the framework of the recent reconciliation. Still the US Army is saying that he is behind, again, the killing of he 12 Mauritanian soldiers at Tourine. Really confusing. What is the plan behind this round of mis-information? Read yourself and try to make sense out of all this.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/13/world/africa/13mali.html?pagewanted=1
Today Spain spoke out in favour of the Moroccan annexation proposal after a Spanish-Moroccan summit, the German news agency DPA reported.
According to DPA, Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero proposed Spain's semi-autonomous regions as a possible model for Morocco to follow.
Spain's government apparently thinks that Western Sahara already is part of Morocco, how else can Morocco grant autonomy to the territory.
Mr Jose Luis Rodriguez "The Shoe" Zapatero, is "a dog", to paraphrase the recent foot protest against another coward.
But again, as the British archaeologist Nick Brooks so correctly has pointed out several times, both Morocco and Spain insist in "forgetting" that all of Western Sahara is not occupied...
Zapatero's proposal is probably a form of Spanish "real-politik". But mr. Zapatero forgets about the right of self-determination and that is a bit of a shame for a socialist. Saharawi's must have a choice in this question.
And now I think of it, another option should be added to a referendum about decolonisation: the option to remain with the motherland. That would be, in this case, the option to become an autonomous region of Spain. Mr. Zapatero must admit this will be an excellent option for the Saharawi as well. Would'nt it?
The proposal from Zapatero will not fly, if I have correctly read the two excellents reports from the International Crisis Group on Sahara this year or last year. This is exactly what the Sahrawi (and the Algerians) do not want. And if they do not want it, will never happen. Bizarre the stance of Spain on this and the apologetic gesture towards the junta in Nouakchott.
While we are on mauritania, I guess something is wrong with the statement of this General Dell L. Dailey. If Al Qaida in the Maghreb ever existed on its own and not created for a specific purpose (ref: jeremy Keenan, François Gèze, Salima Mellah and others), this statement is false. Moreover, I recall recenty reading in the Algerian Press that Algeria and the US were at war in the Sahara-Sahel.
any view on this, which looks like information manipultion?
Tidinit.
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Le coordinateur américain de lutte contre le terrorisme affirme :
«L’Algérie a réussi à mettre en faillite Al Qaïda»
«L’Algérie a réussi à mettre en faillite la branche maghrébine de l’organisation terroriste Al Qaïda», a affirmé, mercredi dernier, le coordinateur américain de lutte contre le terrorisme, le général Dell L. Dailey, dans un entretien accordé au journal Al Hayat, rapporté par l’APS.
Le général Dailey, qui a salué les efforts de l’Algérie dans la lutte contre le terrorisme, a déclaré que «la branche d’Al Qaïda au Maghreb islamique [BAQMI], sous la pression du gouvernement algérien, est de plus en plus affaiblie». Il s’est également félicité de la coopération algéro-américaine dans le domaine de la lutte contre le terrorisme.
Une coopération qualifiée de «haut niveau» par le coordinateur qui estime que «les Algériens sont très coopérants avec les Etats-Unis» et qu’Al Qaïda a «beaucoup perdu de son effet et de sa capacité à manipuler, à sa guise, les groupes terroristes locaux».
Le général Dailey est également revenu sur les attentats suicides perpétrés en Algérie ces derniers mois, en assurant que l’allégeance des groupes de la branche d’Al Qaïda au Maghreb à la nébuleuse d’Oussama Ben Laden «les a poussés à utiliser ses méthodes, notamment les attentats suicides et l’assassinat d’innocents». Des actes que «le peuple algérien rejette», précisera-t-il, avant d’ajouter que «le peuple algérien, qui refuse cette odieuse criminalité, a rejeté Al Qaïda et sa branche maghrébine».
Par ailleurs, le général Dailey a indiqué que «l’échec de transfert de fonds» est l’une des difficultés auxquelles fait face la BAQMI suite à la faillite d’Al Qaïda. Selon ce responsable, «actuellement en faillite, Al Qaïda ne pourrait transférer suffisamment de fonds à ses partenaires régionaux pour causer des troubles».
En conséquence, les actes terroristes dans le monde sont en recul et «la lutte contre le terrorisme a, dans son ensemble, enregistré des succès». Mais ce que regrette le coordinateur américain et qu’il qualifie de pire, «c’est de voir de sanglants attentats terroristes faire la une des télévisions et médias internationaux» et ce, malgré la prise de conscience internationale des dangers terroristes.
«Tous les pays sont, de nos jours, convaincus qu’ils peuvent être, eux aussi, la cible d’attentats terroristes. C’est pourquoi, ils contribuent davantage dans la lutte contre le terrorisme à travers le renforcement du renseignement et l’adoption de législations appropriées», soutient le général Dailey.
Ce réseau de renseignement international vise d’ailleurs à se renforcer pour mieux serrer l’étau autour des trafiquants d’armes et les fournisseurs des terroristes. Jeudi dernier, des responsables de l’UE ont exposé à Rabat les grandes lignes des règles européennes sur les exportations d’armes, appelant les pays d’Afrique du Nord à y adhérer dans le but, notamment, de lutter contre la prolifération des armes dans la région et le terrorisme.
Les objectifs de cette réunion portent, notamment, sur «l’aide logistique, la formation des contrôleurs, l’élaboration de rapports nationaux et le soutien au traité sur le contrôle des armes de l’ONU», a indiqué Jean-Luc Brunet, représentant la présidence française de l’Union européenne (UE). «Cette rencontre sur les exportations d’armes est une première entre les deux rives de la Méditerranée», a-t-il ajouté.
La réunion de Rabat, qui a pris fin hier, a regroupé des représentants de l’UE, des cinq pays de l’Union du Maghreb arabe (Algérie, Libye, Maroc, Mauritanie, Tunisie) et de l’Egypte. «Ce qui s’applique à l’UE peut s’appliquer à votre région», a déclaré Rose-Marie Chabanski, représentant le secrétariat général de l’UE, qui exposait les grandes lignes de la politique de l’UE en la matière.
Près de 75% des expéditions de l’Atlantique vers l’océan Indien traversent la Méditerranée, et des groupes terroristes peuvent s’emparer des armes, a déclaré de son côté le représentant de l’Italie, Diego Martini. «Nous devons tous combattre le terrorisme», a-t-il souligné.
Le représentant du Maroc, Youssef Amrani, a évoqué pour sa part les risques liés aux armes légères et de petit calibre (ALPC). «Leur prolifération incontrôlée, conjuguée aux trafics d’armes illicites, alimente la criminalité, attise les conflits, ébranle la stabilité et compromet le développement», a-t-il estimé.
Selon l’ONU, sur 49 conflits dans les années 1990, 47 ont été menés avec des ALPC, dont 600 millions sont actuellement en circulation dans le monde, a-t-il ajouté.
Synthèse de Hasna Yacoub
Toute reprise d'article ou extrait d'article devra inclure une référence à www.cridem.org
Info source : La Tribune (Algérie)
Tidinit & others -- Enough with the conspiracy theories, or at least: bring some evidence. To say that AQIM doesn't exist or is a puppet under the control of the Algerian or Moroccan or Israeli or American or Libyan security services (or whomever) runs counter to huge amounts of known facts -- names of leaders, knowledge of operational structures, a large number of attacks, their own statements, statements of Zawahiri and other AQ leaders (which acknowledge them as their own), and so on.
As for references, Salima Mellah is a full-blown conspiracy theorist -- which anyone who actually reads the in itself very useful Algeria Watch site should be quite aware of -- and the normally excellent Keenan's statements on this are essentially only based on Mellah's own articles. Neither of them have any facts of their own to bring to the table, just speculative reasoning of the "who gains from this"-variety.
It is perfectly fine to realistically ponder the extent of infiltration (and perhaps collaboration) between armed bands in the Sahel and various security agencies. But to reduce the whole story to one of scheming foreigners plotting to take control of an otherwise peaceful Sahara is simply nationalist circle-jerking. These groups exist, they are indigenous to the area and its problems, and they need to be treated as such if they are ever to be successfully countered.
Thank you Alle. So now tell us who did Tourine then? After killing the 11 soldiers and their guide and severing their heads where did you think they went to? All the way from tourine to southern Mali, southern Algeria or in the Sahara "part" of Morocco? Amazing that the war against terror in the Sahara and Sahel does not require any surveillance of this area for which the American are very interested in. Have I read a statement from a US military official that the GIs left the Tourine area a day after the incident happened? Lemgheity happened one day and half before Flintock I arrived in the area and the US always look in advance where they are dropping their troops, particularly in a dangerous area. I find it very bizarre that no one sees a column of vehicles running through the desert towards Mali or Algeria without bein spotted by the all partners in the Flintock exercise: the US, the Algerians, the Moroccans, the Malians and the Mauritanians. Putting aside idiots like Keenan, Gèze, Mellah, Tidinit and others, can you tell us if we can beieve the official press in Mauritania and Algeria where we read that Belaouar has been killed several times to appear years later as being the emir in the killing of the French tourists. We learn later that the dude is either in Benin or in the hands of the Algerian authorities? Another fact: why El Para is not brought to justice to hear him out? You recall the Austrian hostage takers seeking his release in the beginning et that did not fly, because everyone knew that El Para was (and is) an agent of DRS. It took some 20 days after the call of Michel of the EU to Algerian Authorities to have the issue of Austrian hostages solved. We read articles from some press close to power in Algeria blasting ATT for accepting Libya money to free the hostages. That is crossing and double-crossing for the rest of us, guessing that Algeria might have a hand behind this Austrian hostage saga. As the Moroccan might have hand in the Tourine massacre to blame it on the Algerians.
You are saying " But to reduce the whole story to one of scheming foreigners plotting to take control of an otherwise peaceful Sahara is simply nationalist circle-jerking". Fine. But tell us why our peaceful Sahara is being subjected to an attack this Friday and Saturday from the Bahanga Tuaregs that we all know are supportd by Gadhafi and dealt with by the US-Algeria-Mali coalition? We need to know what is going on and why all this competition with innocent military people from Morocco, Algeria, Mauritania, Mali and Niger being killed? Do you believe that the arms and uniforms stored in a villa "en construction" in Tevragh Zeina in Nouakchott could have been stored there without complicity from the Mauritanian security apparatus? The security apparatus protected Ould Taya for more than 20 years until they decided to bring him down. Do you think that the Isrealis were not aware of the plan? Do you still believe that the attacks on the Israeli Embasy is a genuine one?
You say "These groups exist, they are indigenous to the area and its problems, and they need to be treated as such if they are ever to be successfully countered" Fine. Tell us how come with all the seriousness regarding the fight against terrorism and the satellite gear the US is providing, we are unable to locate these terrorists who communicate by Thuraya? You have see their pictures, right? Do they look James Bond to you? It takes how many days to go from Southern Algeria or Northern Mali to rach Tourine? You think that that move cannot be spotted?
You are not also providing any evidence to counter Keenan, Gèze, Mellah, Tidinit and others. We just want the truth and the story line on blaming all this on only trafickers is not very convincing. I read again indeed the post from The Moor Next Door regarding Al Majlissi et I came to the conclusion that the djihadists are run from Algeria's DRS. Just take your time to read carefully the comments to that text from Kal. Read particularly the comments.
In a nutshell, everything has been manipulated by our governments. When you read the statements from German and Swiss law authorities regarding their handling of El Para case and the reaction of lgeria (see swissinfo and search for "otages"or "El Para") you come to the conclusion that Gèze, Mellah, Keenan, Tidinit and others might be right.
Our people in Algeria, Mali, Mauritania for example want peace in poverty and don't care about what the generals and Bush Texas friends want. Killing innocent peopl to get a poin accross is very bd and we shall all fight against it.
Waiting to hear from you on this.
Regards. Tidinit
Thanks for a long reply, again, but there's no reason to make it personal. I don't think you're an idiot, but I do think you're wrong.
So now tell us who did Tourine then?
My guess, as I have made clear before, is a Mauritanian group of Jihadists connected to a southern wing of the al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) organization. This, incidentally, is also the belief of AQIM itself, which has issued statements to that effect, and of Jihadists connected to al-Qaida outside the Sahara, who have congratulated their colleagues for a successful strike.
can you tell us if we can beieve the official press in Mauritania and Algeria where we read that Belaouar has been killed several times to appear years later as being the emir in the killing of the French tourists. We learn later that the dude is either in Benin or in the hands of the Algerian authorities?
No, generally I don't think you should believe the official press of either country. When they say that someone has been killed multiple times, Belmokhtar or not, that's obviously wrong. So what's your point?
You recall the Austrian hostage takers seeking his release in the beginning et that did not fly, because everyone knew that El Para was (and is) an agent of DRS.
This whole "everyone knows" thing is my problem with the whole theory. I DON'T know that, and apart from the fact that he was apparently absent from his trial, I have seen nothing serious to indicate that it would be the case. He MAY be, for sure, and I'm not excluding anything. Perhaps he was an agent all along, or perhaps he was recruited in jail, or perhaps he has made a deal for his survival, or perhaps its the DRS itself that tries to put out the rumor that he was an agent to sow dissent in AQIM -- who knows? But it's a long way from keeping options open, to making the unproven allegation of El Para's DRS membership a fundamental assumption to judge ALL Saharan terror by.
It took some 20 days after the call of Michel of the EU to Algerian Authorities to have the issue of Austrian hostages solved. We read articles from some press close to power in Algeria blasting ATT for accepting Libya money to free the hostages. That is crossing and double-crossing for the rest of us, guessing that Algeria might have a hand behind this Austrian hostage saga. As the Moroccan might have hand in the Tourine massacre to blame it on the Algerians.
Or maybe the Americans, to blame it on the Moroccans, to blame it on the Algerians? And ultimately, of course, the Freemasons.
Fine. But tell us why our peaceful Sahara is being subjected to an attack this Friday and Saturday from the Bahanga Tuaregs that we all know are supportd by Gadhafi and dealt with by the US-Algeria-Mali coalition?
1. Foreign intrigue.
2. Because it's NOT peaceful, by any reasonable standard.
Kidnappings and robbery by tribes and rebels and criminal gangs have been going on in the Sahara for hundreds of years, with and without input from local governments and strongmen. The only thing that is new in the 21st century is the belief that some evil outside force must be directing it from behind the scenes in a great masterplan to take over the world.
Do you believe that the arms and uniforms stored in a villa "en construction" in Tevragh Zeina in Nouakchott could have been stored there without complicity from the Mauritanian security apparatus?
Yes, I'm absolutely sure it could.
The security apparatus protected Ould Taya for more than 20 years until they decided to bring him down. Do you think that the Isrealis were not aware of the plan? Do you still believe that the attacks on the Israeli Embasy is a genuine one?
I don't know enough about the attack to have any opinion on that. Let's just note that there are people in Mauritania who genuinely support and want to carry out such attacks, so it doesn't seem at all unreasonable. As for Israelis being aware of the Mauritanian coup, this seems absolutely off the rails.
Tell us how come with all the seriousness regarding the fight against terrorism and the satellite gear the US is providing, we are unable to locate these terrorists who communicate by Thuraya? You have see their pictures, right? Do they look James Bond to you? It takes how many days to go from Southern Algeria or Northern Mali to rach Tourine? You think that that move cannot be spotted?
I think it's quite possible to move about in the Sahara without being spotted or registered, yes. You don't need to be James Bond for that. If satellite imaging was advanced enough to simultaneously keep track of every car in the Sahara and figure out who its driver is, that perhaps wouldn't be the case, but it's not: compare with Afghanistan or Somalia some such place, where you have the same situation, and where -- I'm sure -- local conspiracy theorists make the same argument, pretending to be unable to understand why the all-powerful US with its magic technology cannot defeat small bands of armed rebels.
You are not also providing any evidence to counter Keenan, Gèze, Mellah, Tidinit and others.
No, I'm not. You know why? They haven't provided any evidence in the first place. The only thing they've done is to build grand theories on "what everybody knows" and wild speculation -- generally each others' speculation.
I prefer to go for the most plausible explanation, whatever the question, and in this case, it's NOT that the US and Israel are staging coups and attacks through a puppet al-Qaida. It's as simple as that.
Thank you Alle. You are giving me some answers I was lookig for. Bringing your elaborate responses with me to read at home. You see, we need to hear from other sides to understand what is going on. Will come back to you on this interesting topics.
N.B: have you read the posting of Algeria-Watch on "what happened to El Para and some other guy I forgot the name"?. Mauritanians are completely lost over this issue and it is our fault: situations evolve around us and we keep to ourselves. Look at the blunder made by Messaoud in Rabat, despite the fact that the negociations are between the Moroccan and Polisario. Period. Ahmed Ould Daddah did the same thing in an interview with Jeune Afrique.
Regards. Tidinit
No, thank you, and excuse me if I was a little harsh in the last post. Bad day...
I have not read the AW post, but I'd much like to see it, if you have a link. About Mauritania's role (and Messoud & ould Daddah), I think it's natural to some extent. Your country is sandwiched between two overbearing and (compared to Mauritania) very strong neighbours which both meddle in your politics; that's a really difficult place to be. Trying to please all sides seems to me like sensible policy for most politicians, even if it's a tough balance. The problem is that neutrality doesn't satisfy everyone either ... not outside of the country, and not inside of it. Would love to hear your thoughts on this!
You have not been harsh on me. You just put accross the things you believe in and that is very important.
The sandwiching of Mauritania between two warring neighbors is difficult and that is why every government is advised to stick to strict neutrality as they cannot deal with internal needs that require all their attention and pleasing/depleasing Morocco or Algeria with any move they make. With politicians, it is more difficult as they follow who can help them on anything. It was rather bizarre that at the same time Messaoud (Parliament° was in Morocco and M'Bare (Senate) was in Algiers, each telling a different story regarding the Sahara issue. They should not have moved and checked on Sidioca and the Generals doing funny things thqt lead us to this unwanted coup. As a country, you have to set your priority: first things first.
Greqt blog and I will come back to you on your responses. I suggest you reqd again Keenan, Gèze, Mellah and company. I am not quite convinced, but I will tell you where. We definitively need to put pressure to end the insecurity in the Sahara-Sahel region, Whether AQMI exists or it is just a game between some strange and sick bedfellows.
Cheers. Tidinit
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