Legally Yours, Mauritania
by Jessica Shorland

Mass media trains the majority of people to recognize and associate particular countries. Iraq, Iran, Pakistan, France, Sudan; the list goes on and on. However, there are many nation states with which many are not familiar at all. For instance, most would more than likely adopt a façade of puzzlement upon hearing "Mauritania," a country situated comfortably on Africa's west coast.

After finally gaining independence from France in 1960, Mauritania still felt the vestiges of the French legal system, adopting secular courts while trying to develop the traditional Islamic law. Policies requiring a Muslim chief justice and Muslim involvement furthered the influence of Islamic law in the legal system, which Mauritania officially instituted in 1980. This traditional Islamic law influenced not only the legal and judicial systems, but also the political culture.

As in most nations post-independence, a division in the attitudes toward the political system developed during the state-building process. Now, there exists two cultures, something found in almost every democracy: a modern, elite sector, and a lower-class sector. The lack of participation and support from the majority rural lower-class society created a sense of apathy for the national government. To most Mauritanians, government meant only laws that affected their lives, a sentiment shared by many U.S. citizens as well. Women, African Mauritanians, and those below the poverty line have little to no involvement in the government or judiciary system due in part to Sharia'a law and traditional beliefs of inherited classes as well. In fact, Mauritania is today, one of the only known countries to practice old slavery, meaning the physical ownership of another person for servitude.

One of Mauritania's greatest challenges will now be to eliminate the class structure and promote national unity. Not only do its political and judiciary systems depend upon inclusiveness, but the economy does as well if they wish to truly achieve economic independence, which is possible with their rich fishing industry that currently being drained by foreign participation. Achieving inclusiveness and national unity will mean working toward the three goals of the political leader Daddah articulated in 1987: economic development, cultural independence, and democracy.

These goals appear broad and rather cliché considering they are set for many developing nations, however, in Mauritania's case, they are in sight. With little violence and conflict, Mauritania has the potential to become a strong nation in the international community, but its lack of foreign involvement and containment policies prevent any such recognition. If Mauritania can increase political involvement and inclusiveness, it has the potential to enter into the international community. But that seems to be what we say for every developing country.

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