Mauritania protests quelled before poll

[hang a left]

Police have used teargas to prevent a protest march planned by three leading opposition candidates, two days before a presidential election in the west African state

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Two other candidates - Ahmad Uld Haid Allah, the half-brother of the late Moktar Uld Daddah, Mauritania's first president, and Messaud Uld Boulkheir, the first descendant of slaves to run for president here - had planned to join in the protest.

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Uld Haid Allah's spokesman said the march was called to protest against "the methods used by the government to disrupt the election and halt the dynamic of change".

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Uld Haid Allah's spokesman, Ely Uld Sneiba, said the police moves "target the person and the family of the candidate and the certain popularity he enjoys".

He added that if Uld Taya was re-elected on Friday his victory would only be recognised if the vote took place "without fraud and in a transparent manner".

http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/84191327-105F-45C1-A9E3-A2D9016897FE.htm

I thought that this would be an appropriate story for today. THat is how we should recognize our elections, "without fraud and in a transparent manner." How can we settle for anything less.

(also I am practicing my just learned cut and paste methods.)