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Day of Rejection - Photos, Updates & Background

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Gallery shows photos of peaceful, unarmed protesters with banners. There are two shots of the mock funeral of democracy with the youth carrying coffins. Also in this set, a photo of the police squad leader in plain clothes who was identified giving orders and knives to plain clothed agents who were attacking protesters. A photo of one of the knives, removed from a thug, is included.

Posters & Flyers

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Events of the Day
10:48

Security forces gather in large numbers in Blockate Sq and commercial areas nearby, ahead of Day of Rejection demonstrations
10:56

Dozens of young men trying to get into Blockate Square and the police block access
11:04

Women residents of local neighborhoods joined the protest
11:20

A number of youth amass in Blockate Square
11:47

Slogans calling for an end to military rule, jobs for the unemployed, an end to corruption and to bring down prices 
11:50

Demonstrators split into three groups
11:53

More protesters approach Blockate Square
11:59

Police in Blockate Square move out to remove protesters from nearby streets
12:08

Thugs attack the protesters with fists and knives as police stand and watch
12:14

One of the protesters was beaten and his clothes torn, and was mugged by thugs despite large security presence in Blockate Square
12:22

Police closed roads leading to Parliament for fear of more enrollment of youth protesters
12:23

Confrontation between the demonstrators and thugs near Blockate square as more protesters arrive
12:31

Closure of dozens of shops in central market in fear of looting in the light of the supposed confrontation between security forces and demonstrators calling for regime change in Mauritania
12:54

Demonstrators trying to regroup on Gamal Abdel Nasser street but so far prevented by security forces
13:09
  Thugs trying to attack journalists during coverage of the demonstration at Blockate Square
13:09

Demonstrators carried a coffin of democracy in Mauritania and demanded an end to military power

13:13

A marked decrease in the number of protesters today compared to April
13:38

Police stationed by Gamal Abdel Nasser Street with demonstrators nearby, no use of force
13:49

Thug steals a mobile phone and tries to escape, but run over by a taxi while trying to cross Gamal Abdel Nasser street
13:53

Bullies attack protesters as they carried the coffin of democracy in Mauritania, carrying knives and sticks, in spite of a large police presence
13:58

Protesters have now left Blockate Square. A few scattered clashed continued between thugs and youth near the banking centre
13:59

Demonstrations ended without a confrontation with uniformed police

Background

Tweets from @weddady on Twitter:

Mauritania activists on overdrive for their day of protest tomorrow. Fascinating how they're learning quickly & making an impact.
Also, Mauritania was NEVER targeted by any of the multiple programs deployed to help MENA civil society
Mauritania was & remains largely ignored by the policy circles in DC. check how many of 'em including State list it under Arab world.
Interestingly also, for a country with such a low internet penetration, the Feb25 movement is making a huge impact. Mauritania
The Feb25 movement's secret is that it's combining online and offline mobilization in a very short loop to mobilize. Mauritania
As a result of these observations, I find that the Feb25 mvmt in Mauritania challenges some of my own assumption on cyber activism.
Example of how Feb25 is scaring authorities: they faked a pamphlet to undermine tomorrow's protest 
Propaganda-leaflet
From a policy stand point, Mauritania is easiest country to have a democratic transition in based on the 2007 experiment.
The short-lived democratic transition in Mauritania in 07 was widely celebrated in the Arab world back then as a model to emulate.
Interestingly,crowds have been spontaneously gathering in front of the presidential palace over the last week:massive discontent Mauritania
Mauritania is arguably the text book case of how the ArabRevolution moved a country from almost no cyber culture to overdrive.
The transfer of knowledge to Mauritania activists has happened over twitter & facebook. by Arab & international activists. 0 dollar cost.

https://www.facebook.com/mauritaniededemain
https://www.facebook.com/25fevrier
================
Mauritania Day of Rejection 24 May 2011
 (Arabic)
 (French)
Why?
Poverty and hunger
Graduate Unemployment
The sabotage of national unity
Inadequate & dangerous public transport and roads 
Insanitary Conditions
Widespread suffering
A total neglect, esp of street children
A self-proclaimed and repressive regime 

How?
Express our rejection of this situation by all peaceful means at our disposal:
Distribution of leaflets
Raising awareness
Publication of newspaper articles
Inform political parties, unions,
and all civil society organizations,
Ulema, imams, political and cultural personalities.
Expose the exact nature of mismanagement and repression of the cureent regime
Events, protests, sit-ins

Who?
We, who are already committed
And you, what will you do?

When?
On Tuesday, 24 May 2011 from 10am

Where?
Block Square, Nouakchott, Mauritania

Posterous theme by Cory Watilo