FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 6, 2023 at noon ET – Click to Join
Washington – In May, the Mauritanian government began its latest episode of violence against the country’s Black citizens—imprisoning human rights leaders; murdering a young man who planned to seeking asylum in the US; killing another who protested his murder; and kidnapping and torturing young people and protesters around the country.
As graphic videos of the state violence traveled through social media, the Mauritanian government closed its borders and shut down the internet to try to quell the movement. Leaders in the Mauritanian diaspora are saying “enough.” On Tuesday, June 6, 2023, they will bravely explain what is happening in Mauritania to the English-speaking world and demand international pressure and accountability, safe migration pathways, and an end to apartheid in Mauritania.
WHAT: On-the-record webinar for reporters, governments, and allies about the state of anti-Black violence in Mauritania
WHEN: Tuesday, June 6, at noon ET
WHO: Leaders from the Mauritanian Network for Human Rights in US, including Abdoulaye Sow and Zeinabou Sall from Texas and Amadou Dia from Ohio will be joined by Aita Wellington of Communities United For Status and Protection, Haddy Gassama of UndocuBlack Network, and Lynn Tramonte at the Ohio Immigrant Alliance.
HOW: Click on this Zoom link on June 6, 2023 at noon ET to join the briefing. If possible, read this backgrounder and this update on recent abuses in advance.
WHY: The government of Mauritania has been trying to extinguish its Black citizens for decades—from the genocide of the late 1980s/1990s to the apartheid system today—and received total impunity. Slavery remains endemic, but it is not the only system of oppression against Black Mauritanians. Leaders in the diaspora are outraged that officials have been able to steal their families’ land and water access; deny them citizenship; erase their languages from official business; and kidnap, imprison, torture, and kill people who speak up—without any response from the International Community. Recent, violent events have been reported through social media and blogs, but not received the international exposure they deserve. To get up to speed, read this backgrounder and this update on recent abuses and join the webinar on June 6.
OTHER WAYS TO JOIN THE WEBINAR
Please click this link to join the webinar: https://africans-us.zoom.us/j/82784245971
Or One tap mobile :
+13126266799,,82784245971# US (Chicago)
+16465588656,,82784245971# US (New York)
International numbers available: https://africans-us.zoom.us/u/kbAC4q86Kp
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