allAfrica.com: Senegal: 'There Cannot Be Peace Without Justice' (Page 1 of 3)

In this exclusive interview with FOROYAA's Ousman Sillah, the President of the Mouvement de Refugee Mauritaniene au Senegal pour la Defence de Droit des I' Homme, Mr. Cissokho Aldioma, passionately talks about their movement, the state orchestrated diabolical persecution and pogram of the black Mauritanians, the forced deportations, the legitimate demands of the Mauritanian refugees in Senegal, Slavery, Human Rights and Democracy in Mauritania, African Unity and the Way Forward. Excerpts.

Foroyaa: Mr. Cissokho, how did your Movement come about? What are your objectives?

Mr. Cissokho: Well, the Movement de Refugee Mauretaniene au Senegal pour la Defence de Droit des I' Homme (Movement of Mauritanian Refugees in Senegal for the Defence of Human Rights) was established in October 1994 to enable people, the World over, to know about the hardships and persecution meted on us (the black Mauritanian population) when we were leaving Mauritania at the height of the crisis and to fight for our legitimate rights to return to our homeland.

As you know, a refugee is invariably a very poor person, because when you are leaving your country you move out with virtually nothing. As refugees, we left our homes, belongings, community, occupations and everything behind to seek refuge elsewhere.

During the crisis, bona-fide Mauritanian citizens were painfully deported. The cruelty inflicted on black Mauritanians, the torture and summary executions are horrendous and despicable.

Those Mauritanians who became the victims of forced deportation included state functionaries (civil servants), cadres, military officials, farmers, herders, fishermen, students, who are all of black African origin. Infact, it is this rich combination of experiences that gave us the exemplary resilience and conviction needed to support and sustain our struggle during our 18 years in exile, that is from 1989 to date.

Foroyaa: How is your life as refugees?

Mr. Cisokho: To tell you the truth, the struggle was arduous and tough. Although it is not yet over, however, we are pleased to note that the full support and solidarity from civil society, human rights organisations and the local population have helped in giving us the necessary courage and strength that enabled us to confront and over come some of the challenges that one contends with when living in exile and fighting for a just cause.

The former regime of Ould Taya had done everything within its powers to deny us, bribe us, coerce and terrorize us. Our lives were really at risk. However, our strong conviction to stick to the truth is what had made us to survive to this day.

Foroyaa: What is the response of the International Community to your legitimate concerns?

Mr. Cissokho: We have been coming to The Gambia to attend sessions of the African Commission for Democracy and Human Rights (ACDHR), as we have observer status since April 1995. These visits have enabled us the opportunity to meet with and present our case to African and International Human Rights Organisations, such as Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Federation Internationale de Droit des I' Homme (FIDH), based in France, and many others. We have enriching, inspiring and educative exchanges.

At the continental level, the Union Inter African de Droit des I' Homme, based in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, has also been very supportive to our cause

We have done everything possible to ensure that the world know all what happened to us in Mauritanian and the mistreatment and discrimination that exist there. We have drawn the attention of the world to the fact that all the refugees are black Africans, which is not normal in a country of diverse peoples and cultures. The black African peoples are bona fide Mauritanian nationals and who are without any mix, whatsoever, as Mauritania is their country of origin.

The undue hardships and suffering being experienced by the black Mauritanian refugees need to be exposed and made known. A lot of refugees died in Senegal because of poverty and the lack of means for medical care, etc. As long as we live, we will never forget those refugee compatriots who died whilst struggling in hardship and yearning for the day when they will return to their homeland. We will never forget these fallen heroes and heroines until the day when we, their surviving refugee compatriots, have regained our rights to return and freely live in our own country as equals citizens.

Foroyaa: What warranted your visit to The Gambia?

Mr. Cissokho: It is the new situation in Mauritania now that has warranted my visit to The Gambia. There is a new situation there following the change of government that toppled the regime of Ould Taya who had always denied the existence of refugees from Mauritania. It was this Ould Taya who had created and was responsible for the refugee problem. It was his government that had orchestrated and participated in the persecution, deportation and all the cruelty inflicted on black Mauritanians. Ould Taya had always insisted that the refugees are Senegalese and that if they want to return they should do so without any demands for reparation.

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