Mauritania offers compensation to victims of 1990s ethnic violence

The Mauritanian Government has announced plans to allocate over 27 billion old ouguiyas (approximately €59 million) as compensation for Afro-Mauritanians affected by ethnic violence between 1989 and 1991.

The move, unveiled over the week-end, marks a significant step toward acknowledging the injustices suffered by this community. Representatives of the victims, who engaged in lengthy negotiations with state authorities, view the offer as the culmination of years of advocacy. According to Lo Souleymane, one of the negotiators, the government’s proposal—slightly below the 35 billion ouguiyas requested—remains subject to approval by the victims’ representatives.

However, the proposed compensation has drawn mixed reactions from civil society groups and associations of victims. The Collective of Widows and Orphans of Mauritania has criticized the offer, calling for truth and accountability over financial restitution. “Justice must be done, and the truth about the massacres must be revealed. Money cannot replace what was lost,” said Maimouna Alpha Sy, the organization’s president. Many continue to demand the establishment of an independent commission of inquiry to uncover the full scope of the atrocities, arguing that financial compensation alone cannot heal the deep scars of past violence.