Below is an article published by IRA-Mauritania:

On Wednesday, February 20, 2013, Biram Abeid welcomed Abdellahi Ould Lebchir (see picture) who came to confess his aim to murder IRA’s leader, to ask for forgiveness, and to express his admiration for Biram. This is how Ould Lebchir himself recounted the details of this affair.

I heard on Chinguiti TV and Radio Mauritanides Libre lots of comments and Fetawa ventured by journalist and Imams who described Biram as an apostolate and a miscreant whose aim was to burn the Holy Koran, said Ould Lebchir. Since that time, I decided I would kill Biram during Atar’s meeting.

Ould Lebchir even went on to say that, the day of the meeting, he chose a large stone that he hid under his clothes, and that he headed for the gathering place. Once he was there, Ould Lebchir had difficulties in making his way through the platform where Biram was. Waiting for the perfect moment, he pricked up his ears to Biram’s speech. He then found balanced and rational words. He listened to a speaker who excited the crowd by quoting Suras from the Holy Koran and Hadith from the Holy Sunna, a patriot worried for his country, a convinced and determined activist in the service of his cause, a brave and discerning man ready to sacrifice for his ideals. Ould Lebchir then grabbed the stone and threw it far away from the crowd, while being thankful to God for having keeping him away from Biram’s tribune.

Ould Lebchir asked Biram for forgiveness while damning the Imams, Ulema and journalists who are setting up a cabal against Biram for reasons that are known and justified only by themselves. “I ask you for forgiveness, express you my dedicated support, and warn you against a lot of people who want to hurt you”, concludes Ould Lebchir.

This affair gives us the confirmation that a true campaign of denigration and incitement to murder has been launched against Biram Ould Dah Ould Abeid. This cabal is headed by Imams, such as the one from Taqua’s mosque in Nouadhibou or others from mosques in Nouakchott and elsewhere. This campaign also takes advantage of the support it receives from journalists of Chenguiti TV, Radio Mauritanides or other information sites.

The Initiative pour la Résurgence du Mouvement Abolitionniste (IRA) has cross-checked and confirmed the information testifying that such conspiracy against Biram in particular and the Haratin more generally exists. As if it was not enough for the Haratin to be harassed, marginalized, bruised, assaulted, raped … they have to be excommunicated and pushed out of the Divin Grace by being marked by the slanderous seal of apostasy.  

Given all that, IRA:

Raises the alarm and urges the competent authorities to take this campaign of incitation to murder and lynching seriously, which is taking Haratin as a target, in their flesh, their dignity and their tranquility. Any attack against Biram or any other IRA activists will be considered as a non-reversible declaration of civil war;

Denounces Radio Mauritanides, Chenguiti TV and any other newspaper that take part in this campaign against Ould Abeid.

Condemns fiercely this other campaign of calumny and persecution aimed at Mrs Aminetou Mint El Mokhtar and the “Association des Femmes Chefs de Famille”. This organization and its president are paying for being generous and for hosting the young slave Yemma Mint Salma who has been rescued from slavery and given to them by judicial authorities until the investigation of her case.

Nouakchott, February 23, 2013

Communication Commission