A war in Mauritania against the Islamic stream associations with an Emeriti incitement
Mauritanian authorities have recently closed two charity associations, Hand in Hand and Islah for Education and Brotherhood, affiliated with the Islamic stream in the country with incitement from the UAE.
President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz regime continues to work against the relief and Islamic work, while his second and final term ends in June.
The closure of the two societies comes about a month after the closure of the charity organization, Al-Khair, which is widespread in the country.
Hand in Hand Association promotes harmony between the components and ethnicities of society. It was closed on Wednesday evening, hours before the launch of its sixth annual season.
The association says it found itself banned after 13 years of giving and promoting peace in a multi-lingual society.
“We asked about the reason, but they did not give us an answer. When we went to the governor, he did not give us any reason, and said that there are measures that we will be handed a paper of which regard.” Said the head of the association, Abdu Allah Sar.
The Al-Islah Association for Educational Reform and Brotherhood, which is also affiliated with the Islamists, was also closed.
The Mauritanian authorities closed Al-Khair Association a month ago, whose officers say that it provides foster care and services for many orphans and widows.
The authorities have not provided any justification for these measures so far, but an activist in the ruling majority Abdullah Ould Hormatallah said it was a matter of implementing the law “and purging the scene of entities exploiting the suspicious money as a political front for the Muslim Brotherhood, and has been authorized by another printing government in which the Muslim Brotherhood participated.”
The authorities closed several months ago other scientific and educational centers affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood movement in the country, most notably the Center for the formation of Islamic Scholars and the University of “Abdullah bin Yassin.”
The Mauritanian president launched a scathing attack on what he called political Islam currents during parliamentary and municipal elections in August.
The Mauritanian authorities continue to crack down on the activities of associations affiliated with the Islamic trend in the country, “gradual tightening measures that coincide with the political and electoral seasons.”
Although the Islamic stream takes part in the political process and represents the second force in parliament, it has become a direct target for President Ould Abdel Aziz, whose second and final term is nearing to end.
Observers link these procedures of Ould Abdel Aziz to the approach of the rulers of the UAE and Saudi Arabia who are keen to eradicate the Muslim Brotherhood from the political scene in the Arab region.
It seems very striking that the Minister of Islamic Affairs meets with the UAE or Saudi Ambassador following every action taken by the authorities against Islamic associations.
Last November, the Mauritanian news agency “Al Akhbar” revealed the content of a meeting between the Saudi ambassador and the minister of religious affairs in Mauritania after the authorities closed the Center for the Formation of Islamic Scholars, headed by Sheikh Mohamed Hassan Ould Daddou.
According to the agency, the meeting touched on the subject of a new institution decided to open the authorities to replace the center affiliated to the Islamists.
“The Saudi diplomat expressed his country’s readiness to support the new institution,” the agency said. It also quoted sources in the ministry that Emiratis also expressed their desire to support the same institution.
