1978 to 1991 History of Mauritania

in 1979, polisario broke off cease-fire , unleashed string of new attacks on military , government targets. mauritania, under new government, returned table meet polisario s goals, declaring full peace, troop retreat, relinquishing portion of western sahara , recognizing front sahrawi people s sole representative.[1] morocco, occupying northern half of western sahara , involved in combat against polisario, reacted outrage, , launched failed 1981 coup against cmsn. mauritania broke off relations rabat in protest, although ties later restored.[2][3]

in interior policy, haidallah sought improve relations between white moors , black moors, among other things officially decreeing ban of slavery first time in country s history, neither tried nor achieved radical break sectarian , discriminating policies of previous regimes. attempt reinstate civilian rule abandoned after above-mentioned moroccan-sponsored coup attempt brought down regime; foreign-backed plots involved persian gulf countries , libya, , country several times appeared under military threat morocco.[4]

with haidallah s ambitious political , social reform program undone continuing instability, regime inefficiency , plethora of coup attempts , intrigues within military establishment, cmsn chairman turned increasingly autocratic, excluding other junta officers power, , provoking discontent reshuffling power hierarchy prevent threats position.

on december 12, 1984, maaouya ould sid ahmed taya deposed haidallah , declared himself chairman of cmsn. other rulers before him, promised swift transfer democracy, made little of these promises.

the discord between conflicting visions of mauritanian society either black or arab, again rose surface during inter-communal violence broke out in april 1989 (the 1989 events ), when mauritania–senegal border dispute escalated violence between 2 communities. tens of thousands of black mauritanians fled or expelled country,[5] , many remain in senegal refugees. black mauritanian movement flam based. although tension has since subsided, arab-african racial tension remains important feature of political dialog today. country continues experience ethnic tensions between black minority population , dominant mauri (arab–berber) populace. significant number both groups, however, seek more diverse, pluralistic society.