More communiqués from Captain Sanogo (right in picture)of the CNRDR on Malian TV:
‘The CNRDR commands everyone in possession of government vehicles to return them’. That was a couple of days ago. Soon afterwards two beautiful brand new government 4X4s left Djenné bound for Bamako or Kati, the garrison town 15 kilometres from the capital where Sanogo has set up his head quarter. One of the 4X4s was allegedly driven by the Deputé (member of Parliament)for Djenné and the other by his chauffeur. The Deputéof Djenné is an URD politician (The URD is one of the major parties), and the vehicles were in Djenne to be used to conduct the URD campaign!
This sort of flagrant mismanagement of government resources was one of the reasons for the enormous dissatisfaction with ATT, and the belief, clearly not completely unfounded, that the coming elections were going to be a sham.

And what else is happening? I wish I could tell you. Keita is getting inside information from his army infomers, but I am under strict instuctions not to talk too much. Let me just say that I find the international reports of events here astonishing. It is reported in most quarters that the junta is finding themselves more and more isolated, and the impression given is that is is a question of time before the new regime will fall. This may not be the case. The junta is not quite as isolated from Malian public opinion as foreign observers seem to want to believe.

As far as the military action in the north is concerned, it is no secret that the northern town of Tessalit, occupied by Tuareg rebels before the coup d'etat, has now been recaptured by the Malian Army forces. Colonel Gamo, himself a Touareg on the side of the Malian Army had been forced to withdraw when his previous demands for reinforements and air strikes had fallen on deaf ears. Within a day or two of the coup the town was retaken. A top general whose name I am not allowed to mention has been released and is coordinating the northern military efforts.
The banks were open again today and the airports too.