Gambian nationals living in Mauritania are calling on their government to urgently intervene as they face what they describe as increasing police harassment, intimidation, and discrimination in the North African country.
Multiple Gambian migrants, including students and labourers, told The Standard that their daily lives have become unbearable due to what they say is relentless targeting by Mauritanian police forces.
“First of all, resident permit fees have been hiked to over 3,000 Mauritanian Ouguiya—one of the highest for any migrant community here,” a Gambian student studying at a university in Nouakchott explained.
“Worse still, Gambians spend endless days queuing to obtain that very permit. In the meantime, the police continue to arrest our people, leaving them to languish in police stations, and refusing to release them even after our embassy intervenes.”
The student added that recent efforts by the Gambian government to assist nationals by issuing National ID cards have fallen flat after Mauritanian authorities allegedly changed the requirements, now demanding passports to begin the permit process.
“These are all frustrating and unbearable.
Most Gambian migrants here are either students, masons, or labourers, yet they are charged exorbitantly for resident permits and made to suffer endlessly to acquire one. Even recently, we queued for days for the free residential permit offered by the Islamic Ministry to students—with no success,” he said.
Another Gambian living in Nouakchott called for The Gambia to consider reciprocal action to make Mauritanian authorities reconsider their stance.
“Are Mauritanian citizens living in our motherland Gambia better than us (Gambians) living in Mauritania? Why are the Mauritanian authorities not respecting, reciprocating, or appreciating all the comfort and hospitality their citizens are getting in The Gambia?” he asked in an audio message sent to The Standard.
A female migrant echoed similar frustrations, questioning the strength of bilateral relations between the two nations.
“While people from Mauritania enjoy peace and total freedom in The Gambia, we are here hiding in our houses for fear of arrest by the police.
Please, can someone help us from above? We cannot continue hiding or facing harassment,” she cried.
An elderly Gambian migrant urged the government in Banjul to summon the Mauritanian ambassador and investigate the claims.
“Let them work with The Gambian embassy here to verify all these claims, and they will see that we are not being alarmist but are really suffering,” he said.
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