Mali’s Tuareg insurgents stepped up fighting after the military coup last month and now have declared independence in the remote north for which they’ve fought for decades. They have thus announced a ceasefire and a partitioning of the country in two.
“We, the people of the Azawad,” they said in a statement published on the rebel website, “proclaim the irrevocable independence of the state of the Azawad starting from this day, Friday, April 6, 2012.”
Whether fighting will cease is not yet clear. The leaders of the military coup are holding onto power in the south – even declaring sharia law – and neighboring West African countries, having already imposed sanctions, are meeting to decide on a possible military intervention to restore civilian rule.
Despite the instability – caused essentially by the NATO intervention in Libya last year – the United States has continued portions of economic aid to Mali. If Washington doesn’t officially categorize the rebel power-grab a military coup, they’re legally allowed to continue sending money. In addition, small teams of U.S. troops remain in the country, reportedly “on stand-by.”
“Mali has never experienced such a situation,” Mali’s U.N. Ambassador Omar Daou told the Security Council. “Our people are divided. Our country is threatened with partition.”
The Western powers seem confused by the situation, having to denounce both the Tuaregs and their rivals who led the military coup. “A unilateral declaration of independence that is not recognized by African states means nothing for us,” said French Defence Minister Gerard Longuet, a position the European Union agrees with.
“We will certainly not accept this declaration. It’s out of the question,” said Richard Zinc, the head of the European Union delegation in Bamako.
Declarations of ceasefires, independence, and who seized control in the north and south often do not match the reality on the ground, however, where fighting and looting continue to cause fear and confusion. “I heard the declaration but I’m telling you the situation on the ground. We barely see the NMLA. The people we see are the Salafis,” said one resident in the north. “I can’t tell which group they are exactly, but we know they are the Islamists because of their beards. They are the people in control of Gao.”
Mali will stay, despite their shames.
But I thought diversity is "strength".
New nation of Azawad — The danger of a good example
The poorest chunk of land in all of Africa, run by the most peaceful and non-aggressive leaders in all of Africa, with Sharia law the most moral there could ever be in Africa.
John, I've never mentioned this before, but I think it's a THANK YOU that bears mentioning. Thanks for including maps on all of your posts (at least all that I remember), and I love that this is actually a pretty common practice on Antiwar.com generally. I hate trying to make sense out of Wikipedia maps when I'm reading a news or opinion piece because most of the time Wikipedia doesn't contain the precise geographical place-names used in the news story (nor should Wikipedia be expected to). This is a great feature in your pieces, so again, thanks.
Race prejudice and bigotry — Laboring man’s perspective
Having been a white kid who grew up in the slums of Milwaukee, Minneapolis and LA, it became self-evident that most everyone liked to lord it over anyone they felt was less educated or in anyway inferior. So, having enjoyed 72 years of life as a slow and careful thinking laboring man I have discovered three most absolute physical facts:
(1) Those of African decent are the most helpful, easy going, friendly and courteous people on earth, while those of Western European ancestry have the most dominant, demanding, aggressive and assertive personality of any nationality.
(2) The majority of people are ingrates toward nature, to the extent that they feel they deserve more then this day of life, and too the degree that with a guilt free conscience do they strive to enrich themselves upon the misery of anyone they feel is inferior.
(3) Someday everyone on earth will have a conviction that this day of life is more then they deserve, which will make them feel most guilty if ever they fail to give all they can give to those less fortunate.
What color is the sky in your world John?
Right. That's why the white violent crime rate is seven times higher then the black one.