Celebrating Independence of Dependencies!

Nouakchott, Mauritania- Seyid .O.Seyid. “Freedom is the emancipation from the arbitrary rule of other men”, US philosopher Mortimer Adler memorable quote. Officially, Mauritania is celebrating its national day 54th anniversary ending nearly 55 years of French colonialism. Mauritania had gained its political independence in painful isolated conditions, 28 November 1960. France had colonized this unrolled country or uncontrollable desert refusing to recognize any central powerful leadership in its political history.

On the occasion of the nationwide celebrations characterized by series inaugurations of nearly created infrastructural projects, Mauritania President Mohammed Ould Abdel Aziz talks in his broadcasted statement about another year of unprecedented modern achievements of his second term. His radical opposition terms his record as the climax of dreary hardship. That political indirect debate has to mature for the sake of continued improvement that is badly needed. Apolitical youth middle class may not believe those political claims but it can stick to the politics of fruition if there is any.

Historically, Mauritania was called plundering divided land ruled by different tribal Emirates. Like modern military civilian presidents, most powerful Mauritanian princes had inherited power by chance or sized it by force, according to reliable oral version if there is any objectivity in subjective story of human history. Winners of desert nomadic wars are the ones who are left to tell their own victories. As usual, jungle law victims are voiceless in every invasion that may never be justified by any justice. In their dreadful setting, it is better to be feared than loved, wrote Machiavelli in his Italian “Prince”. I wonder whether there had been any historical connection between Mauritanian dictatorship and Machiavellian prince or such dictatorship had no citizenship. The world is running short of righteous answers. Even righteous principle is hardly accepted concept.

Economically, Mauritania is still importing almost 90 % of domestic necessities from global market, stated President Aziz in recent remarks. Yesterday colonizer is today first economical partner, the biggest sister with the biggest mouth, the largest ears and the widest eyes is the most intimate insider implanting its magic force in major national affairs of its baby country.

Culturally, Nouakchott city is the Mauritanian capital copying Paris cultural style and speaking French language with bizarre local accent more than any of its own Arabic, African dialects. France itself is overwhelmed by the omnipresent American cinema industry and the English pioneers of the world first class media. Ironically, in their native country, Mauritanians are foreign linguistics alienates thinking with French mentality, preserving French ideology and acting in physical slim bodies covered with traditional clothes. Francophone language had softly served France glory more than any military operation or colonial oppression. Liberation is a long term action of lasting transformation. “For what is liberty but the unhampered translation of will into act?, questioned Italian poet Dante Alighieri.

Strategically, Mauritania elite will be breathless unless it is clear about the wind direction in French capital. French view might be sacred vision and noble mission. The diplomats’ admiration of France civilization makes them speechless unless they are briefed about French position even in issues that may not have any nothing to do with French critical interests.

Logically, French rulers are invisible in independent Mauritania but French values are visible in common sense. The socio-economic, cultural and technical independence realities are remained to be seen. Until then, Mauritania is celebrating the independence anniversary of all dependencies, despite the fact that some of us would love to name a spider by its ellipsis. As humanist US poet Walt Whitman mentioned, “ The beauty of independence, departure, actions that rely on themselves”.

Naturally, Mauritania beauty is general generosity of its people, the simplicity of its singularity, and the virginity of its land of million square kilometers bridging the cultures of Middle East North white Africa and the history of black West Africa by the means of fascinating geographical explorations that France had discovered to link the sub-region under the umbrella of an extended colonial era.