Det fattige ørkenagtige land i Saharas sydlige udkant er plaget af en spirende borgerkrig med tuareg-stammer i nord, som ønsker en selvstændig nation – nu har dele af hæren tilsyneladende fået nok.
Rebel troops have announced they have seized control of the vast West african country, hours after attacking the presidential palace in the capital, Bamako, BBC online reports Thursday.
The rebels said that a nationwide curfew (udgangsforbud) was in force and that the constitution had been suspended.
The renegade troops had staged a mutiny on Wednesday, trading gunfire with soldiers loyal to the government. The mutineers say the government is not giving them enough arms to tackle a rebellion by ethnic Tuaregs – se også http://www.irinnews.org/Report/95127/MALI-Rebellion-claims-a-president.
On Wednesday the mutineers had taken over the state radio and TV broadcaster in Bamako and took it off air.
After several hours of footage of traditional Malian music and dancing, a group of soldiers appeared on screen early on Thursday morning, with a caption identifying them as the “Committee for the Re-establishment of Democracy and the Restoration of the State”.
A spokesperson for the rebels, identified on screen as Lt Amadou Konare, said they had ended the “incompetent regime” of President Amadou Toumani Toure. He condemned the “inability” of the government to “fight terrorism”, and said the soldiers would look to hand over to a democratically elected government.
An elite force, known as the Red Berets, could still be loyal to President Toure.
Mali has had democratic rule for the last 20 years, during which it has come to be seen as a model which other emerging democracies can look to.
Troops are upset with the government’s handling of a spreading Tuareg rebellion in the north of the country, and are also reportedly opposed to any potential talks with the rebels, BBC notes.
Friis Bach indefryser bistanden
Udviklingsminister Christian Friis Bach (R), der for tiden er på rundrejse i Sahel-regionen, siger torsdag om begivenhederne i Mali:
“Jeg fordømmer på det kraftigste forsøget på at tage magten ved hjælp af ikke-demokratiske midler, og det er mit håb, at Mali snarest vender tilbage til demokratiske tilstande. Jeg har besluttet, at vi indefryser bistanden til Mali med øjeblikkelig virkning.”
Mali er et af Danmarks partnerlande for udviklingssamarbejde. Danida støtter tre sektorprogrammer inden for landbrug, erhvervsudvikling og beskæftigelse samt vand og sanitet. Hertil kommer generel budgetstøtte og et tematisk program for god regeringsførelse. Mali modtog 180 mio. kr. i fjor.
Se også blogindlægget på
http://www.u-landsnyt.dk/blog/105/revolutionen-vokser-ud-af-en-indigo-bl-turban
og telegrammet
http://www.u-landsnyt.dk/nyhed/21-02-12/kampen-en-fri-tuareg-nation-f-res-identitet-og-v-r
