Friday, May 24, 2013

Kidal Crisis deepens

 

Who ARE these people? What right do they have to discuss the future of Mali??? Where is the Malian government representative???

In recent months the Malian interim government has often been accused of silencing the press. In fact, there are times when they would do well to do so: the total liberty of internet news vehicles like www.malijet.com is publishing incendiary articles often by anonymous sources with resulting comments,  intended for the incitement of hatred- these sort of articles or comments would never be allowed in the Western Press. I will give below two examples, referring to the meeting in Ouagadougou between the Ecowas mediator Djibrill Bassolé and Ibrahim Ag Mohamed Assaleh, the MNLA's representative, where the MNLA said they would accept the presidential elections being held in Kidal, but only in the absence of the Malian army. This is of course a huge insult to the sovereignty of the Malian nation, and totally incomprehensible to the Malian people. A storm of comments was unleashed on Malijet, with more than 250 comments- most of which would never have seen the light  anywhere else but in a place totally untrammeled by censorship. I have just picked two comments, one representing each side:

'The patience of the Malian people has limits. Do not join insult to humiliation. The Malian people will be intransigent on the case of Kidal. Do not let the country descend into blood and fire for the sake of a minority within a minority ! (refers to the MNLA not being representative of the Touaregs)and for sordid reasons. You will be surprised by the reaction of the Malians. For Pity’s sake I ask of the Malian leadership to put an end to this Circus! The scars are too recent to turn the knife in the wound. (Refers to Aguelhoc, the massacre of close to 100 unarmed soldiers by the MNLA, which can be seen as the beginning of the present crisis) There cannot be two armies in Mali. The French Army cannot stop the people if they decide to march on Koulouba. (The presidential palace – euphemism for Revolution.)

‘The Touaregs are happy to let their blood flow for the cause of freedom, that does not frighten us. But just know that the blood of one Touareg is paid by the blood of a thousand negroes, so just make your calculations! I bet you have never taken part in a combat! You are one of these effeminate men with a big belly and a big arse- for a real warrior doesn’t talk like that. There may be some Touaregs in Bamako, but there are plenty of Blacks in Kidal. Don’t cry Aguelhoc- it may be repeated!”

Ala Ka An Deme!
(May God Help us!|)

3 Comments:

Blogger David said...

God/Allah help the Malians indeed, given that second response. I'm surprised he didn't abuse the poster as a queer who deserved to die - but of course homosexuality in Mali doesn't exist, a line I think you once bought into...

12:24 PM  
Blogger Laurent said...

Sorry to read such news from Mali. However incendiary comments are stock and trade of newspapers nowadays. Obviously there is also racism at play here. I remember the same hate and racism in the Sudan 20 years ago. Appears that there are no easy solutions when institutions are weak.

6:49 PM  
Blogger toubab said...

Dear Laurent, Dear David,
yes, grim times indeed. And Laurent, it is racism, yes, but more than race there is a question of a minority faction seeking independence- a bit like the Basque region in northern Spain.
The institutions a weak now, as a result of the year long ctisis. And perhaps most of all the Malian people are impoverisehd, and feeling keenly how they have no sovereignty in the face of the international bull dozer who negotiates for them, who decides for them and who leaves them no option but to comply.

10:32 PM  

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