Stories about Mali from April, 2012
Mali: New Interim PM and Microsoft Corp's Chairman for Africa C. Diarra's Thoughts on Crisis
As Mali names Microsoft Africa chief Cheick Modibo Diarra as interim prime minister, here are his latest thoughts (fr) on his personal website (also in Bambara) regarding the political crisis in Mali. Meanwhile, the military junta have arrested several members of the former government of ousted President Amadou Toumani Toure.
Mali: Timbuktu, a Cultural Treasure in Peril
The name Timbuktu conjures up a majestic, stately image. However, the war in northern Mali and the presence of small terrorist groups constitute a serious threat to the fate of Timbuktu. This treasure of humankind is in danger and numerous groups have raised the alarm.
Africa: Southern Africa Needs an ECOWAS
Following moves by ECOWAS (The Economic Community of West African States) to defend democracy in West Africa Rumbidzai argues that Southern Africa needs an ECOWAS: “The Southern African Development Committee [Community] (SADC) on the other hand has increasingly displayed its inadequacy to address similar issues. In 2008 when Robert Mugabe...
Mali: Silence of the Local Blogosphere
While the internet is inundated with blogs, tweets and videos from other countries, Malian internet users remain silent. The capital, Bamako, is still affected by serious power cuts as the fuel required for power stations runs out. Under these circumstances, the priority is not sending messages, but finding information about the new leaders of the north.
Mali : Opinions of a Blogger on the Military Coup
On his blog Askia Mohamed [fr] reviews the military coup of March 21, 2012 and in a post entitled Un peuple-Un but-Une foi [fr] (‘One people – One Aim – One Faith’), following a brief summary of the current situation, puts the Tuareg rebellion in an historical context.
Mali: A War, a Declaration of Independence and Conflicting Objectives
Things have been moving rapidly in the civil war that is tearing Mali apart. On Friday, April 6, Tuareg rebels of the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA) proclaimed the “Independence of Azawad.” In this crisis that threatens to sweep across the entire Sahel region, several actors with conflicting objectives are playing a dominant role.
Mali: An Introduction to the Tuareg Population
The blog of the Tuareg movement Temoust Survie publishes a post (via information from l'Express [fr]) that provides [fr] a brief introduction to the Tuareg culture : “we are a nomadic people living from farming and trade. The Tuaregs are estimated to be about 1.5 million in a region that spans across Mali,...
Mali : Freedom of Press also Under Threat
The Committee to Protect Journalists reports that several journalists covering the aftermath of March 22 coup in Mali were attacked and threatened by the junta. The media adviser for the junta denied that any journalist had been assaulted, but acknowledged the detention of some journalists.
Mali : Coup Leader Steps Down as Tuaregs Enter Timbuktu
As Junta leader Sanogo announces that he vows to “re-establish, from today, the Malian constitution of Feb. 25, 1992 and the institutions of the republic”, and set up a transition body with Malian political parties, Tuareg rebels claim to have control over the town of Kidal and have entered Gao...
