Micro-interview: @SudaneseThinker a.k.a Amir Ahmed Nasr

A quick reaction to the Arab "seasons" controversy 

Micro-interview: @SultanAlQassemi in #Boston #UAE

Leading UAE columnist & entrepreneur Sultan Al-Qassemi is touring the US and is today in the city of Boston where he will be speaking about his work, the Arab Spring and social media at an AIC-hosted event in partnership with the Goethe Institute on 6/29

CitizenCompass: John Henry Silva

Micro-interview with my friend John Henry Silva, co-founder of citizen compass, a new platform for active interaction between citizens and leaders.

The platform aims to strengthen the interaction between citizens and leaders on the local level, measuring elected officials with voters. CitizenCompass will also open to healthcare and business leaders to better connect with local communities.

more news soon..

#Mauritania opposition rally for anti-fishing treaty detainees

RFD MP Nana Bint Cheikhna

(Photo: via Taqadoumy.com)

Today, Mauritanian opposition members of parliament joined a vigil organized by #Feb25 youth to demand the release of 5 detained activists. In a symbolic gesture, youth activist covered their mouths with adhesive bands to protest the government’s attempt to muzzle dissenters. In the meantime, MP’s from the RFD (main opposition party) and the UFP among others, expressed their support for the youth struggle and their firm opposition to the fishing deal which was approved by the current ruler’s loyalists in parliament. 

 The five activists were arrested during a protest they organized last week in front of the parliament in the capital city Nouakchott to block a fishing deal signed with a chinese company which is deemed a threat to Mauritania’s maritime ecosystem.the detainees were deliberately spread out on several police stations in Nouakchott after their fellow #Feb25 activists numbers grew steadily during vigils they held in front of the police station where the five were originally detained.

The five detainees are: 

- Naji Ould Abdallah 

- Mohamed Salem Ould Zoubeir 

- Omar Ould Khattary 

- Mohamed Ould Domane 

- Tar Ould Ahmed 

Mauritanian opposition seethes at China fish deal

“Mauritanian opposition lawmakers and fishermen are fuming over what they say is a lack of transparency and safeguards in a 25-year offshore fishing licence granted to a Chinese firm.”

http://is.gd/cUEXBx

دومي على الشدو في العلياء يا ديمي فالفن ملككم من عهد سدوم

 

رحمك الله يا ديمي

 

دومي على الشدو في العلياء يا ديمي  فالفن ملككم من عهد سدوم

سموت في الشدو آفاقا جمحت بها  عما تصور إحساسي ومفهومي

هذي التسابيح يا ديمي تذكرني  زرياب بين بني تيم ومخزوم

 يعيد أعذب شعر صاغه عمر  في غصن بان هضيم الكشح كالريم

وشهرزاد تناغي شهريار روى  عهد بذكر بني العباس مختوم

 أو هي كالرسم من سدوم في ملإ  من شم “إيعيش” في الهيجاء مشؤوم

و”غسرم” الب بن مان في الجحاجح من أبناء دامان..أو هي أم كلثوم

تثير أروع مقداما تباركه  يحمي القناة ويجلو صولة الروم

ونغمة الناي والقطعان راتعة  بين المروج وبين الطلح والدوم

من معشر من بني حسان دارهمُ  “لورين” صيفا.. وإن شاموا ففي “شوم  “

غلب غطارفة كالصحراء دينهمُ  حفظ الذمار وإنصافٌ لمظلوم

بادوا.. سوى ذكريات ما.. تخامرنى  إذا شدوت على ألحان سدوم

وأصبحت دمن الأحباب خاوية  فيها تعشش أسراب من البوم

محمدن ولد الشدو

 

 

واسمع الشاعر الشاب الشيخ ولد بلعمش، يبكيها في قصيدة، ولدت في يومنا

لم تأفل الشمس حتى لو بكى الشفق مازالت الأرض بالأنوار تأتلقُ

 مازال في القلب من إطلالها حُلُمٌ وفي الرياحين من تِذكارها عبقُ

 والذارفون دموع الطيب صادقة من بوحها في دروب الحيرة احترقوا

 حنت لأيامها الأولى فما غربت إلا لتغرب في أكبادنا الحُرَق

كانت لنا نعمة تمحو مواجعنا فما أقل الألى في حمدِها صدقوا

إذا فؤادُ أديبٍ هدَّهُ القلق فللأسى شعراء الأرض قد خُلقوا

نحن الذين نذوق الفن مترعة كؤوسه ويناجي صمتنا الألق

إنا غرقنا ولا إثم يدنسنا طوبى لمن في بحار الروح قدْ غَرِقوا

من أمرك الله هذي الروح تسكننا منها تدلَّت رؤى الفنان إن رشقوا

ياديم يا حرقة في القلب باقية ألا رجوعَ فروح الحبر تختنق

تمضين عنا إلى الأخرى مسافرة وكلنا سابق يوما ومُلتحِقُ

من ذا يخفف عن سيداتِ لوعته وكانَ ممن بوعد الله قد وثِقوا

من ذا سيرجع للدنيا نضارتها وتصطفيه مقادير فينطلق

الله يا من لك العتبي إذا انزلقت بعض الحروف فنار الحزن منزلق.

 

واسمع زميله سيدي محمد ولد ابه، في ابيات آخرى بنت يومها:

عَفَتْ هذي الديارُ وراء ديمي منَ الألحان والصوت الرخيم

ومن كرم ومن نبل وصدق ومن خُلق ومن خير عميم

عفتْ هذي الديار فخل عني فلا طللا تراه سوى الهشيم

ولا لحنا ولا صوتا شجيا ستسمع في الأصائل يا نديمي

يتيما صرتَ من أم المعالي فمنْ لك من يتيم بعدَ ديمي

 

 

#Mauritania #April25 Ahmed Jiddou Released

Ahmed Jiddou, 27, and his 7 fellow protest leaders were released late last night after the youth staged a sit-in by the police station where they were held. Hundreds of youth protesters gathered in the Plaza by the police station and kept a very noisy presence in order to pressure the authorities to release the detainees.
Another detainee Cheikh Ould Jiddou, 40, (no relation to Ahmed) said that the police did not torture them but questioned them extensively about the protest leadership and its inner workings.
The photo above was posted by Ahmed Jiddou himself on his facebook profile to thank those who worried about his safety. “I would like you to worry about Mauritania, free it from the military’s clutches”, adding his call for fellow Mauritanians to “stop the country’s auctioning.” in an oblique reference to the Blokate Square’s sale by the government to General Aziz loyalists in a less than transparent deal.

#Mauritania #April25 Opposition MP’s Join Youth at Police Station Protest

This video was shot today during the ongoing sit-in by the February 25 youth in front of the 4th district police station in Nouakchott where most of their detainees are thought to be held.

The protesters are joined by several opposition MP’s and leaders from the anti-slavery movement.

To an outsider this video is another banal protest, in fact, these very scenes show a new reinvigorated political discourse shaping the youth protest movement. The protesters have internalized the two main clean-break ingredients that allowed the Arab Spring to happen elsewhere:

- A post-ideological culture of civl rights
-A commitment to nonviolence

It’s worth also noting that the youth are camping up as we speak by the police station after they took over the plaza in front of the detention center. According to this blogger’s sources, the police is deliberately avoiding any direct contact with the protesters for fear of provoking a new round of mass protests as yesterday’s.

The government is rattled.

#Mauritania #April25 Detained Youth Leader in his own words

AhmedJiddou.mp4 Watch on Posterous

Ahmed Jiddou, blogger, and February 25 movement activist speaking about his motives to come out to protest.He remains detained in an undisclosed location since his arrest yesterday during the April 25 Day of Rage.
He is a peaceful, nonviolent Mauritanian citizen who was exercising his constitutional right to express his dissent.
Video courtesy of @lissnup

#Mauritania #April25 Detained Youth Movement Members Pictures

These are photos of the February 25 youth movement members who were arrested yesterday April 25, 2011 by the Mauritanian government in Nouakchott during the Day of Rage protest in downtown Nouakchott. Some of them are held in an undisclosed location. The government still refuses to explain the reasons for their detention and their whereabouts.
Mauritania’s police has a long history of beatings, torture and mistreatment of political prisoners and detainees.
To date no human rights organization outside Mauritania has commented, covered or intervened on behalf of the protesters.
Picture courtesy of @Mauritanidem1