Alliance for Justice and Democracy/Movement for Renewal

The Alliance for Justice and Democracy/Movement for Renewal (French: Alliance pour la Justice et la Démocratie/Mouvement pour la Rénovation, AJD/MR) is a political party in Mauritania. It represents the black minority population of the south of the country, centered on the Senegal River valley, and was formed and is led by rights activist and former presidential candidate Ibrahima Moctar Sarr. The party's colours are black and white, and its symbol is a Zebu bull, livestock being associated with the traditionally pastoralist Fula people[1] who make up much of its constituency.[2]

Alliance for Justice and Democracy/Movement for Renewal

Alliance pour la Justice et la Démocratie/Mouvement pour la Rénovation
PresidentIbrahima Moctar Sarr
FounderIbrahima Moctar Sarr
FoundedAugust 2007
IdeologyBlack minority interests
Social democracy
ColorsBlack and White
Party flag
Website
www.ajd-mr.org

Founding

The party was founded in August 2007 by a merger of Ibrahima Moctar Sarr's Movement for National Reconciliation and the Alliance for Justice and Democracy (AJD) party, with Sarr elected as the leader of the new party. Sarr, a Serer journalist, had been a high-profile activist since the 1980s, and his party defined itself as campaigning for equal rights for Pulaar-speakers, Soninké and Wolof people alongside Moors, and the return of Mauritanian refugees from Senegal.[3] Sarr had stood as an independent in the March 2007 presidential election on an anti-racist platform, came in fifth place with 7.95% in the first round[3] and supported Ahmed Ould Daddah for the second round.[4]

2008 break with government

On May 10, 2008 the AJD/MR announced they would not participate in the government of Prime Minister Yahya Ould Ahmed El Waghef due to policy differences.[5]

2008 coup

Following the August 2008 military coup, Sarr and the AJD/MR expressed support for the military junta. But on August 26, 2008, the AJD/MR, along with the Rally of Democratic Forces (RFD) and the Movement for Direct Democracy (MDD) all announced their decision to not participate in the Laghdaf's government[6] because the junta had not clarified whether or not someone serving in the military would be allowed to stand as a presidential candidate[6][7] and had not specified how long it intended to remain in power.[7] The new government led by Laghdaf was appointed on August 31.[7][8]

2009 elections

Sarr announced on 11 April 2009, that he would be the AJD/MR candidate in the controversial June 2009 presidential election, which was being organized by the junta and which opposition parties were planning to boycott. Sarr said that "the conditions are there for a free poll" and that Mauritania did not have democracy under Abdallahi's presidency.[9]

References
  1. French: Peul; Fula: Fulɓe
  2. Nos Statuts Archived 2013-08-17 at the Wayback Machine: Statutes of the AJD/MR. accessed 2009-04-22
  3. "Le conseil constitutionnel proclame les résultats du premier tour de l'élection présidentielles du 11 mars 2007", Agence Mauritanienne d'Information, March 15, 2007 (in French).
  4. "Mauritania : Ould Daddah gets support of fifth place holder for presidential runoff", African Press Agency, March 20, 2007.
  5. "L'AJD/MR annonce qu'il ne participera au nouveau gouvernement" Archived 2008-05-14 at the Wayback Machine, AMI, May 10, 2008 (in French).
  6. "Three parties refuse to join Mauritanian government" Archived 2011-05-20 at the Wayback Machine, AFP, August 26, 2008.
  7. "Mauritanian junta announces formation of a government" Archived 2011-05-20 at the Wayback Machine, AFP, September 1, 2008.
  8. "Composition du nouveau gouvernement" Archived September 4, 2008, at the Wayback Machine, AMI, August 31, 2008 (in French).
  9. "Pro-coup leader to stand in Mauritania presidential poll", AFP, 11 April 2009.
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