Colonel Taya seized power in Mauritania in a daring coup in 1984. Today, more than two decades later, he remains the dictator of this small outpost of the Arab League, just below Morocco.
NOTE: In 1984, Ronald Reagan was still in his first term, Prince released Purple Rain, Bill Murray starred in Ghostbusters, and Apple sold its first MacIntosh. Just for historical context.
Looking at Taya reveals that he is part of Mauritania's ruling minority: the Arab elite who make up less than 40% of the population yet have dominated (and enslaved) the indigenous African population since invading 1,000 years ago.
On the one hand, Taya's rule appears stronger than ever after an election victory last year (where his main opponent was arrested two days before voting began) and the new discovery of off-shore oil reserves. Yet there is a growing restlessness among young Mauritanians over Taya's continued domination of their country.
EVIDENCE: Beneath an official portrait of Taya, the walls of the headquarter's of Taya's political party bear new grafitti: "Let us impose change" - the cry of the group Conscience et Resistance (Conscience and Resistance):
The extent of CR's following is not clear, and their agenda (e.g., "imposing change") is controversial. But the grafitti outside the party headquarters (since removed) seems to indicate that dissidents are growing more daring. Will the ripples of Lebanon's Cedar Revolution be felt at the other end of Mediterranean?
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