The African Union'sultimatum to Mauritania's new military leaders to free ousted President SidiOuld Cheikh Abdallahi and return the country constitutional rule expires Monday. It's not clear what the AU would do if junta leader Mohamed OuldAbdel Aziz, who seized power August 6 this year, does not release oustedPresident Abdallahi from house arrest.
Meanwhile, Mauritanian security forces on Sunday used tear gas todisperse anti-coup protesters. Acoalition of pro-democratic parties called the National Front for the Defenceof Democracy (FNDD) had called for a day of protest on Sunday despite a ban ondemonstrations by the military junta.
Mauritanians in the United States alsoheld demonstrations Sunday in Cincinnati, Ohio against the coup leaders.Mohamed Fall Sidatt is vice president of the Association of Mauritanians herein the United States. He told VOA Sunday's demonstrationwas in solidarity with Mauritanians back home.
"The day is a special day for us because we knowit represents the ultimatum that was put by the AU to denounce the takeover ofthe military against the President, Sidi Ould Cheikh Abdallahi who wasdemocratically elected a year ago," he said.
Sidatt said Mauritanians are hoping the AfricanUnion would raise the stakes higher after the ultimatum ends Monday.
"We hope the African goes one step ahead insanctioning the military leaders. A couple of options were put on the table.The first one was to freeze all the assets of the coup leaders, and second toimpose isolation on the country. All cooperation between and all Africannations," Sidatt said.
He said he shares the view of some who believethat perhaps the African Union needs a standing army unit to back up itsthreats against coup leaders on the continent.
"We are hoping that this time around the AU wouldput its standard very high because this is one of the stupidest coups that everhappened in the region. Two years ago, all the international standards were metin the elections in Mauritania, and nobody really can understand the reason ofthis coup d'edtat. No reason whatever was even put by the military themselvesbut their greed and their willingness to stay in power. Therefore we are hopingthat the AU this time would use all means necessary to remove these people," hesaid.
Sidatt said while there are some Mauritanianshere in the United States who support the military junta, most Mauritanianshere are in favor of the restoration of democracy in their country.
He said Mauritanians back home are also for therestoration of their ousted president as was evidenced by Sunday's demonstrationsin the capital, Nouakchott.