Mauritania : The Dangerous Effect of Pacification!
When proest sit-ins turn from tools of pressure into platforms for beautifying reality, we face a textbook case of what could be called “the dangerous effect of pacification.” This is precisely what happened in the La-Badine sit-in, when opposition MPs took the initiative to protest the escalating water crisis — but soon, the scene shifted from the streets to the meeting hall of the Ministry of Water, and from the voices of protesters to the voice of the minister.
Thirst was no longer a crisis; it became rich material for an official narrative showcasing paper achievements and future promises, while the MPs’ role declined from representing the people’s voice to endorsing the government’s storyline. Thus, the sit-in was emptied of its substance and turned into a media-friendly photo-op for “calm” and “understanding.”
This is a well-known technique in political discourse: containing anger instead of listening to it, taming protest instead of responding to its demands. Instead of the minister being held accountable, the sit-in became a golden opportunity for her to present her stance and “whitewash” her faltering policies.
