Africa-Press – Gambia. Members of The Gambian and Senegalese communities in Mauritania Wednesday, 16th July, 2025, embarked upon a sit-down strike against on-going crackdown on undocumented migrants living in Mauritania.
The development comes on the heels of the Mauritanian authorities’ reversal of requirements for obtaining residential permits, a situation that observers said has put many migrants without passports in danger.
“I can confirm that both the Gambian and Senegalese communities in Mauritania have embarked on sit-down strike in reaction to the ongoing arrests and detentions of undocumented migrants and those without residential permit. This strike is intended to send clear signal to the Mauritanian authorities so that they can understand our values and importance to their country and the economy,” Dawda Nasso, Secretary General, Gambian community in Mauritania disclosed.
He added: “We thought that this is the only way out now hence we are not getting the needed help from either the government or our embassy to stand for us. However, we are happy that the sit-down strike is already having an impact on all the informal sectors of the Mauritanian economy.”
Mr. Nasso observes that migrants constitute bulk of domestic and informal sector of Mauritania, adding that the strike action has affected businesses in the markets, the construction sector as well as the food and beverage industry.
He continued to justify the strike actions as Mauritanian
authorities’ continuous crackdown on undocumented migrants who were being subjected to arrest and detention. According to him, at least fourteen (14) Gambians have been arrested including ten (10) daara (Islamic school) students and four (4) adults within Nouakchott, the capital city alone.
Nasso emphasises that many undocumented Gambians are currently in hiding and cannot go out for work or attend Islamic schools adding that the situation has complicated matters for many especially those who are in Mauritania with their families.
He further called on The Gambian Government to intervene and remedy the situation as many Gambians continue to suffer in the hands of Mauritanian authorities, adding that many Gambians are being arrested in the streets and subjected to immediate deportations without giving them the chance to collect their belongings and financial resources.
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