Malian coup leaders give up power – Northern Rebels declared independence, form new country called Azawad

Posted by admin Africa & World Politics, Headlines Friday, April 6th, 2012

Malian junta leader, Captain Amadou Sanogo, makes a declaration at the Kati military camp near Bamako on April 1, 2012. Mali’s coup leader, Captain Amadou Sanogo, announced the reinstatement of the constitution and state institutions Sunday, and promised broad consultation on a political transition. “We make the solemn commitment to restore, from this day, the constitution of the Republic of Mali of February 25, 1992, as well as the republic’s institutions,” Sanogo told journalists. AFP PHOTO / ISSOUF SANOGO

West African states and military junta reportedly agree deal in which president and coup leader will both stand aside.

Representatives of West African states and the military junta which seized power in Mali are reported to have reached a deal in which the country’s president and the coup leader will both stand aside.

The agreement was brokered between members of the Economic Community Of West African States (ECOWAS) and the coup leaders during talks Bamako, the Mali capital.

A group of low-ranking soldiers lead by Captain Amadou Sanago ousted President Amadou Toumani Toure on March 22, just weeks before he was due to step down after an election, citing his mishandling of the north as a primary reason for launching the coup.

In the weeks following the coup, Tuareg rebels and Islamist fighters, have captured the northern regions of Mali, with the Tuareg declaring an independent state of Azawad on Friday.

“We solemnly proclaim the independence of Azawad as from today,” Mossa Ag Attaher, a spokesperson for the Tuareg based in Paris, said on Friday, adding that the rebels would respect “the borders with other states”.

The Tuareg have declared the city of Gao as the capital of their new country.

Mali has been gripped by instability, following the coup and advances by Tuareg fighters and other armed groups that have seen a string of northern towns fall under their control in the broadly triangular area of desert in northern Mali

The MNLA statement on Friday stressed the group’s “firm commitment to create the conditions for lasting peace [and] to initiate the institutional foundations for a state based on a democratic constitution for an independent Azawad”.

Declaration questioned

However, the move was immediately questioned by the Ansar Dine, an Islamist group which also joined the fight against Malian government forces, who claim to be against independence.

“Our war is a holy war. It’s a legal war in the name of Islam. We are against rebellions,” Ansar Dine military chief Omar Hamaha said.

“We are against independence. We are against revolutions not in the name of Islam.”

He was speaking in a video exclusively obtained by the AFP news agency and France 2 television filmed after the Islamist group’s takeover of Timbuktu, where they have imposed Islamic law, forcing women to cover themselves and burning down bars.

Hamaha said they had “more than 120 prisoners” including thieves.

“We have tied them up and taken their weapons. We beat them well and it’s likely we will slit their throats,” he added, while it was not clear if this threat was aimed at all prisoners.

In the city of Gao, Ansar Dine kidnapped seven Algerian diplomats, according to witnesses and the Algerian foreign ministry.

Ag Attaher, speaking on behalf of the MNLA, called the kidnapping “deplorable”, adding that his group had been against that action but finally went along with the move so as to spare lives.

“We are a liberation movement and we support the principles and values of democracy,” he said.

“We distance ourselves completely from any Islamist movement and their fight for religious law.”

Al Jazeera’s Hashem Ahelbarra, reporting from Bamako, said the information found on the Tuareg website goes to show the unprecedented feelings of honour and pride, “after decades of suffering and wars are fights against what they describe as oppressive regimes.”

“They say that finally they have an independent state, Azawad, and they will stick to that nation and fight for it until the last drop,” he said.

He went on to say that since the international community does not seem convinced that an independent state is a realistic option, “the Tuareg can still hope to achieve some sense of larger autonomy, which would still be a great victory for them”.

“The population is at imminent risk of severe food and medical shortages that could lead to many casualties especially among women and children who are less able to fend for themselves.”wp_posts