Youth activists protest against Mauritanian regime

Youth activists from the February 25th revolutionary movement demonstrated Tuesday morning in front of the Constitutional Council, demanding the departure of Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz. Demonstrators clashed violently with police officers and security forces arrested 15 activists from the movement. Activists chanted slogans demanding the army step down, noting that Mauritanian was now under military rule for 34 years. A leader in February 25th movement,  Ahmed Ould Gedo, said  in a statement to Arabstoday in front of the Constitutional Council: "We aspire through our struggle to end the rule of the military institution as well as draw the attention of national public to the reality of Mauritania today. If the military does not step down, there will be dire consequences for the country." "Members of the movement are ready for sacrifice to wake Mauritania up from this nightmare which haunts everyone; the military dominates all realms of power especially the executive...we need to start a true democratic journey in the country," he added. On February 25, 2011, discontented Mauritanians organised massive protests across the country demanding a 28-point list of reforms from the government. They claim President Abdel Aziz, who took over in a 2008 coup and then stepped down to apparently win elections in 2009, has either created or ignored Mauritania's many social, economic, and political ills, which include widespread poverty (about 20 per cent of Mauritanians live on less than $1.25 per day), a drought crisis, unchecked slavery, and government corruption. In an effort to appease protesters, the Mauritanian government convened several emergency sessions of parliament in January to discuss revisions to the constitution and its electoral laws