Right: Toubab with Babou Toure at the Crepissage

I reported two days ago that ‘The opinion of absolutely every Malian I have spoken to’ was favourable to the Coup. I have now spoken to others, and of course opinions are divided. ‘Why make a Coup one month before an election?’ ask the dissenters, such as Babou Touré, a Djenné town councillor, teacher and one of my co-administrator in the Library Project. ‘Why not let the democratic process take its course?’

This morning’s weekly library meeting turned into a heated political discussion as the library matters were swept aside on the tide of more pressing matters. (The digitization work is continuing regardless, like an unstoppable train. The workers were there even the morning of the Coup announcement!)