Genocide Watch

The Mali Federation gained independence on September 22, 1960. The regime in Mali imposed authoritarian Marxist rule. In the 1990s, opposition against the government increased and resulted in a successful coup. The first democratic elections were won by Alpha Ouamar Konaré. In 2002 he was succeeded by Amadou Toumani Touaré, who was ousted during a military coup under the direction of Captain Amadou Sanogo on March 22, 2012. Under the pressure of the international community, in particular ECOWAS, the junta decided a few weeks later to hand over power to a civilian government. According to an agreement between ECOWAS and the junta, the president of the national assembly, Dioncounda Traoré, was sworn in as interim president on April 12, 2012.

The history of Mali is characterized by several insurgencies of the Tuaregs in the northern region. Historians identify four major rebellions: 1916-1917, 1962-1964, 1990-1995 and 2007-2009. The current insurgency, however, is characterized by unprecedented organization and militarization.

Some Tuaregs served as mercenaries in the forces loyal to Colonel Qaddafi, the former dictator of Libya. After Qaddafi was overthrown in October 2011, the Tuaregs returned to Mali with heavy weapons and ammunition. They founded a new organization to fight for secession of northern Mali: the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (NMLA). The NMLA wants to establish an independent state for the Tuareg people in the Sahel region. Many sources highlight the link between the current Malian insurgency and the defeat of the troops of Colonel Qaddafi (read more).

The coup leaders justified their action under the pretext that the Malian government has not given the military the heavy weaponry and other capacity to deal with the Tuareg insurgency in northern Mali, which they say is supported by AQIM (Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb). France denies the existence of such a connection. Nina Wallet Intalou, one of the principal leaders of the NMLA, declares that AQIM actually poses a threat to the Tuareg culture.

Since January 17, 2012 the NMLA has conquered some of the tiny villages in northern Mali. Recently important cities such as Timbuktu, Kidal and Gao have also been captured by the rebels.  During the Tuareg conquests, they have committed brutal ethnic massacres and summary executions. One of the first villages they occupied, Aguelhok, was recaptured by the Malian army. On January 24, 2012, the NMLA recaptured Aguelhok and executed 82 prisoners from the Malian army. Two tactics were used: shooting a single bullet through the head or slitting the throat. The hands of the victims were tied. These summary executions were war crimes under both the Geneva Conventions and the Statute of the International Criminal Court, to which Mali is a State-Party. The ICC has, therefore, declared that it will consider claims from several sources in order to decide whether or not to open a war crimes investigation into the allegations of atrocities committed in Mali since January.

On April 6, 2012 the NMLA has declared the independence of the Azawad region. No country in the world recognizes it. The reaction of the new president was as follows: “We won’t hesitate to wage a total, relentless war to regain our territorial integrity and also to kick out of our country all these invaders who bring despair and misery". The current state of affairs in Mali is thus extremely dangerous. Since April 15 negotiations have started between the NMLA and the Malian government.

It is important to stress that most Tuaregs do not support the cause of the NMLA and its secessionist claims. They consider themselves to be Malian nationals. For instance, some of the Tuareg mercenaries who served in the troops of Colonel Qaddafi have already been reintegrated in the Malian army. However, many Tuaregs not supportive of the NMLA have fled northern Mali because they are afraid of reprisals. Recent demonstrations in Bamako have turned against any persons who are believed to be Tuaregs.

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, has reported that civilians in the north have been killed, robed, raped and forced to flee. She has also declared that ethnic tensions in Mali are rising. The number of internally displaced persons and refugees in the neighboring countries of Niger, Burkina Faso, Mauritania and Algeria now number more than 268,000. Besides the tenuous security situation, there are food shortages in the entire Sahel region due to poor rainfall. A humanitarian crisis is imminent, but humanitarian food deliveries have been blocked by the violent NMLA rebellion in northern Mali.

Mali is at stage 5 of Genocide Watch's 8 stages of genocide: Polarization.

Relevant information should be sent to mali@genocidewatch.org.