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Post by Titchaz on Apr 6, 2012 15:57:08 GMT 3
BAMAKO, Mali (AP) — Mali's Tuareg rebels, who have seized control of the country's distant north in the chaotic aftermath of a military coup in the capital, declared independence Friday of the Azawad nation. "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." The military chiefs of 13 of Mali's neighbors met Thursday in Ivory Coast to start hashing out plans for a military intervention in order to restore constitutional rule in the capital and push back the rebels in the north. France, which earlier said it is willing to offer logistical support for the operation, announced Friday that it does not recognize the new state. French Defense Minister Gerard Longuet said "a unilateral declaration of independence that is not recognized by African states means nothing for us." The traditionally nomadic Tuareg people have been fighting for independence for the northern half of Mali since at least 1958, when Tuareg elders wrote a letter addressed to the French president asking their colonial rulers to carve out a separate homeland for the Tuareg people. Instead the north, where the lighter-skinned Tuareg people live, was made part of the same country as the south, where the dark-skinned ethnic groups controlled the capital and the nation's finances. The Tuaregs fought numerous rebellions, but it wasn't until a March 21 coup in Bamako toppled the nation's elected government that the fighters were able to make significant gains. In a three-day period last week they seized the three largest cities in the north, as soldiers dumped their uniforms and retreated. Their independence declaration cited 50 years of misrule by the country's southern-based administration and was issued by the National Movement for the Liberation of the Azawad, or NMLA, whose army is led by a Tuareg senior commander who fought in the late Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi's military. The group is secular and its stated aim is creating a homeland for the Tuareg people. However, they were helped by an Islamist faction, Ansar Dine, which abides by the extreme Salafi reading of the Quran. They are now attempting to apply Sharia law to Mali's moderate north, including in the fabled tourist destination of Timbuktu. In all three of the major cities in the north, residents say they do not know which of the two factions has the upper hand. In the city of Gao, from where the NMLA declaration of independence was written, a resident said that it appeared that the Islamist faction was in control, and not the NMLA. "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 the young man, who requested anonymity for fear of reprisal. "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. I'm right near the Algerian consulate right now which they have taken control of and they are here. They are armed and other are in the back of their pickup trucks," he said. On Thursday, residents confirmed that the Ansar Dine faction stormed the Algerian consulate, and took the consul and six other employees hostage. Their fate is unknown. Foreign governments are concerned that the Islamist wing of the rebel movement is providing cover for al-Qaida's North African branch, known as al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb, or AQIM. The terrorist organization has kidnapped scores of Western tourists and aid workers and is known to have at least three bases in northern Mali. The cell is led by Algerian extremists, who were chased out of their own country and forced to flee south into Mali. There are unconfirmed reports that the attack on the Algerian consulate was led by AQIM, with the help of Ansar Dine. Until the recent rebel takeover, AQIM's fighters were never seen in the towns, living on remote desert bases or in thick forests. They employed locals as runners, to bring them supplies as well as to transport the proof of life of the half a dozen hostages they are still holding, including Italian, French and Spanish nationals. Ousmane Halle, the mayor of Timbuktu, said that the Ansar Dine faction has taken over the military base in the center of the ancient city. Their fighters include men with beards who do not speak Tamashek, the Tuareg language, meaning that they are not Tuareg, even though they claim to be fighting on behalf of the Tuareg people. "They do not speak any African language as far as I can tell. In fact, I don't believe any of them are African … Even the ones that speak Arabic, speak an Arabic that doesn't come from around here," said Halle, who explained that their dress and appearance leads him to believe that they are likely foreign fighters recruited by the al-Qaida franchise. The power struggle at the heart of the Tuareg rebellion adds another layer of uncertainty to the current crisis. Many worry that the extremists may coopt the independence movement in order to create a terror state. ——— Associated Press writer Martin Vogl in Bamako, Mali and Michelle Faul in Dakar, Senegal, contributed to this report.www.usatoday.com/news/world/story/2012-04-06/mali-africa-coup-rebels/54073734/1? |
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Post by jakaswanga on Apr 7, 2012 13:42:32 GMT 3
Sanctions hit Captain Sanogo has agreed to quit after suffering a political concussion, in a deal brokered last night 6th april 2012.I do not have english sources, just reuters reporting from Paris, where french defence minister Longuet Gerard has said France will provide logistic and transport and other services on request, to the 3000 ECOWAS troops to be sent to Mali to deal with the Tuareg uprising. The millitary chiefs of ECOWAS are in conclave devising a campaign strategy  . Meanwhile, for the defence of AZAWAD, a millitary and diplomatic delegation is reported in some Islamic countries, to explain their case and plead for at least one recognition, which will change the planned ECOWAS led-campaign into an act of international agression! [did I say ecowas-led or french-led?] As part of the ECOWAS deal, Captain Sanogo will hand over to speaker of parliament Dioncounda Traore, who will organize elections within 40 days. The date at which Sanogo hands over is not yet revealed.But it is just possible the the doings of the political class of Mali in Bamako are nolonger the key events shaping her future. The decisions about the future of Mali, are nolonger in Malian hands.I have been struck by the shoulder shrugs with which ordinary citizens of the south have taken note of the declaration of the AZAWAD republic in the north! Reminds me of the day Czechoslovakia split into two zero republics! A BBC reporter on the streets of Praha [Prague] trying to sollicit comments from passersby was perplexed: the most just laughed, "we split? really? what country are we now?" Yap, can somebody tell me what country Bamako is currently the capital of? |
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Post by Titchaz on Apr 7, 2012 16:13:22 GMT 3
Sanctions hit Captain Sanogo has agreed to quit after suffering a political concussion, in a deal brokered last night 6th april 2012.I do not have english sources, just reuters reporting from Paris, where french defence minister Longuet Gerard has said France will provide logistic and transport and other services on request, to the 3000 ECOWAS troops to be sent to Mali to deal with the Tuareg uprising. The millitary chiefs of ECOWAS are in conclave devising a campaign strategy . Meanwhile, for the defence of AZAWAD, a millitary and diplomatic delegation is reported in some Islamic countries, to explain their case and plead for at least one recognition, which will change the planned ECOWAS led-campaign into an act of international agression! [did I say ecowas-led or french-led?] As part of the ECOWAS deal, Captain Sanogo will hand over to speaker of parliament Dioncounda Traore, who will organize elections within 40 days. The date at which Sanogo hands over is not yet revealed.But it is just possible the the doings of the political class of Mali in Bamako are nolonger the key events shaping her future. The decisions about the future of Mali, are nolonger in Malian hands.I have been struck by the shoulder shrugs with which ordinary citizens of the south have taken note of the declaration of the AZAWAD republic in the north! Reminds me of the day Czechoslovakia split into two zero republics! A BBC reporter on the streets of Praha [Prague] trying to sollicit comments from passersby was perplexed: the most just laughed, "we split? really? what country are we now?" Yap, can somebody tell me what country Bamako is currently the capital of? Here you go... Mali coup leaders to stand down as part of Ecowas deal Mali junta leader, Captain Amadou Sanogo (R) shakes hands with Burkina Faso's foreign Minister Djibrill Bassole (L) next to Ivory Coast Minister of African Integration Adama Bitogo (back-left) as the junta and the West African bloc ECOWAS announced a deal that includes the lifting of sanctions and an amnesty for those involved in last month's coupat the Kati military camp, near Bamalo, on April 6, 2012. Posted Saturday, April 7 2012 at 12:42 Coup leaders in Mali have agreed to stand down and allow a transition to civilian rule, as part of a deal struck with regional bloc Ecowas. In return, the bloc will lift trade and economic sanctions and grant amnesty to the ruling junta, mediators said. The move came after Tuareg rebels in the north declared independence of territory they call Azawad. The rebels seized the area after a coup two weeks ago plunged the West African nation into political crisis. Independence callUnder the terms of transition plan, military rulers will cede power to the parliamentary speaker, Diouncounda Traore, who as interim president will oversee a timetable for elections. Once sworn in, Mr Traore would have 40 days to organise elections, the five-page agreement says. The deal, signed by coup leader Captain Amadou Sanogo, states that Ecowas prepare for the ending of sanctions, but did not name a date for Capt Sanogo to hand over power. "It will be necessary to organise a political transition leading to free, democratic and transparent elections across the whole of the territory," it states. Officers led by Captain Sanogo seized power on 22 March, accusing the elected government of not doing enough to halt the rebellion in the north. Earlier, international bodies rejected a call from Tuareg rebels for their newly named region of Azawad to be recognised as independent. RebellionThe secular National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA) is one of two main groups fighting a rebellion in the north. Ansar Dine, an Islamist group, has also made gains and has started to impose Sharia law in some towns. Rights group Amnesty International has warned of a major humanitarian disaster in the wake of the rebellion. www.nation.co.ke/News/africa/Mali+coup+leaders+to+stand+down+as+part+of+Ecowas+deal/-/1066/1381680/-/7lot3jz/-/index.html |
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Post by Titchaz on Apr 7, 2012 16:16:26 GMT 3
Let the war games begin!!!
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Post by jakaswanga on Apr 14, 2012 11:03:21 GMT 3
Let the war games begin!!! I do not know whether to laugh or not! But the millitary chiefs of ECOWAS [what impressive photos of smart men in smart uniforms] have taken to the good life of residing in top hotels of Abidjan, Ouga-D, and the rest! but nothing on the ground of their grandiose plans. Word is ECOWAS is in no financial position to foot up the bill for war to re-instate the 'territorial integrity of Mali'! How about the material, millitary hardware? Great Nigeria has some choppers which in the delta can be brought down by 'o rujore' [david-like slings which did big Goliath in]! Burkina Faso you remember can not feed her troops [see intermitent soldeir mutinies over food there]. Ghana does not fancy spending her oil money in stupid adventures abroad. So you know who is being asked to put up the money and the material! ECOWAS will provide cannon-fodder. Like Burundi and Uganda [and the rest] in Somalia! If Obama had the money to put in AFRICOM now, he can colonise West Africa now, without a single american body in bag! |
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Post by jakaswanga on Jul 7, 2012 16:09:17 GMT 3
Bensouda of the ICC, the able replacement of Ocampo -- the Luo from Kenya ;D, has gone on record, stating the the destruction of the 13-15th century Islamic shrines near Timbuktu in current Azawad Mali, constitute war crimes. These shrines are on UNESCOs world cultural heritage list --just like the giant Budha-rock statue which was blown to bits by the Talibhan of Afghanistan in a fit of puritan but primitive religious fervor. [We also know that it was the invading Islamic Army, in their conquest of Egypt more than a milenium ago, that tried to chisel away the iconic Sphinx at Gizeh] --These guys do not like art in this sculpted form neither, just like the Mzalendo Kenyan and gikuyu benga!]  Bensouda seems to have ignited quite a legal debate. Even the 'minister of culture and tourism' of the South, the rump that now remains as the republic of Mali, was surprised at this reading of the IC court's jurisdictions. NB: I take this opportunity to enter a plea to my learned friend otishotish of Jukwaa, to shine an opinion whether Bensouda is manifesting an 'activistic interpretation' here. Is the destruction of historical sites, holy or not, in the UNESCO list or not, qualifiable under the relevant international definitions as a war-crime? Do the treaties that established this court, the ICC, give the OTP a mandate to venture into this crimes --acts of vandalism committed not against humans? --( Otish, I know you are under orders of the missus to do more with your balls and less with your brains, but I am sure you could lull her down some with an olympian show of cocksmanship which would make her forgive you)--  Meanwhile ECOWAS has not yet managed to mobilize a expeditionary force to reconquer break away AZAWAD. No money, no will, no legal framework, the excuses go. Given the rebel armies in the North are estimated at less than 7 thousand armed men, a smile is suffice reaction. (One of the armies in ECOWAS is 800,000 men strong! I asked a man from that country what was new. He told me half those men are dead soldiers kept on the payroll --ever since independence and the civil war!)Ansar Dine, led by 'The Tuareg', the veteran Iyad Ag Ghali, is actually not a seccessionist outfit like the MNLA [National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad]. But is is heavily fundamentalist Islam order, with a sharia agenda, ostensibly for the North only. It is also very Pan-Islamic and ideological, which means it is not averse to relations with Al-Qaida in Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), nor to Movement for the Unity of Islam in West Afrika [Mujao]. But the deadliest hit, has been their reported linkage with Boko-Haram, the outfit from shaky Nigeria. And the fatwa or religious order to bring all street children and neglected orphans to come and be soldiers of Allah! The chips are down. ECOWAS must find some kids to send to die for Mali, and themselves. 7 thousand Tuaregs without tanks nor air-force, against 1 million soldiers of ECOWAS with air force, navies and what have you! Nice explanation why ECOWAS wont take them on! And you know it!
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Post by jakaswanga on Jul 7, 2012 16:14:05 GMT 3
Let the war games begin!!! titchaz, when does the countdown begin?! ;D |
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Post by OtishOtish on Jul 7, 2012 19:55:50 GMT 3
NB: I take this opportunity to enter a plea to my learned friend otishotish of Jukwaa, to shine an opinion whether Bensouda is manifesting an 'activistic interpretation' here. Is the destruction of historical sites, holy or not, in the UNESCO list or not, qualifiable under the relevant international definitions as a war-crime? Do the treaties that established this court, the ICC, give the OTP a mandate to venture into this crimes --acts of vandalism committed not against humans? The destruction, as a war crime, is covered by several parts of the Rome Statute: Article 8(2)(a)(iv): Extensive destruction and appropriation of property, not justified by military necessity and carried out unlawfully and wantonly;
Article 8(2)(e)(ix): Intentionally directing attacks against buildings dedicated to religion, education, art, science or charitable purposes, historic monuments, hospitals and places where the sick and wounded are collected, provided they are not military objectives;
Article 8(2)(b)(xii): Destroying or seizing the enemy's property unless such destruction or seizure be imperatively demanded by the necessities of war;[/i])[/quote] I don't do such things. I am in the category of "married, with children". |
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Post by jakaswanga on Jul 7, 2012 20:42:02 GMT 3
NB: I take this opportunity to enter a plea to my learned friend otishotish of Jukwaa, to shine an opinion whether Bensouda is manifesting an 'activistic interpretation' here. Is the destruction of historical sites, holy or not, in the UNESCO list or not, qualifiable under the relevant international definitions as a war-crime? Do the treaties that established this court, the ICC, give the OTP a mandate to venture into this crimes --acts of vandalism committed not against humans? The destruction, as a war crime, is covered by several parts of the Rome Statute: Article 8(2)(a)(iv): Extensive destruction and appropriation of property, not justified by military necessity and carried out unlawfully and wantonly;
Article 8(2)(e)(ix): Intentionally directing attacks against buildings dedicated to religion, education, art, science or charitable purposes, historic monuments, hospitals and places where the sick and wounded are collected, provided they are not military objectives;
Article 8(2)(b)(xii): Destroying or seizing the enemy's property unless such destruction or seizure be imperatively demanded by the necessities of war;[/i])[/quote] I don't do such things. I am in the category of "married, with children". [/quote] Otishotish, Thank you for speedy response ... fast, first class and classic. Ah, the lady is very forgiving in nature it seems! Perhaps good memories of an earlier period before this 'married with children' phase of lacklustre... emmm.. naked business! I became worried when I caught an interview with Bensouda, but she did not specifically quote the sections under which she wanted to act. In fact when pressed, she as much as nearly admitted this ... talk of an indictment could be more to do with deterrence... seeing there is nothing anybody is doing about the heinous vandalism there! The cynical journalist asked: is anybody going soon to 'Timbouctou' to arrest anybody with your toy warrant? That one drew blood from Bensouda, and got to me too! |
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Post by amadain on Jul 8, 2012 4:43:47 GMT 3
The cynical journalist asked: is anybody going soon to 'Timbouctou' to arrest anybody with your toy warrant?
That one drew blood from Bensouda, and got to me too! When delegates of this new state (or whatever it is) eventually decide to venture outside it's boundaries for diplomatic reasons, the heat will increase. The "liberation" groups are basically under siege. Even the AU has condemned it! They're trapped ... unless of course some neighbouring rogue countries decide to feel sorry for these war criminals and welcome them with a red carpet for stately events etc. |
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Post by Titchaz on Jul 8, 2012 6:12:10 GMT 3
Let the war games begin!!! titchaz, when does the countdown begin?! ;D In this quagmire of things, I believe one side has already started the war games while the other side is still trying to find its footing. A very sad state of affairs for those caught in betwixt! Here we go.... West African bloc seeks unity government for Mali Burkina Faso's President Blaise Compaore, a mediator for the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), opened the talks in Ouagadougou with five other regional heads of state but with Mali's transitional leaders notable by their absenceBy AFP Posted Saturday, July 7 2012 at 15:55 OUAGADOUGOU, Saturday West African presidents met Saturday with civil leaders from Mali in a bid to secure a national unity government to tackle a crisis in the north where Islamists have enforced Sharia law. Burkina Faso's President Blaise Compaore, a mediator for the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), opened the talks in Ouagadougou with five other regional heads of state but with Mali's transitional leaders notable by their absence. The main objectives were to consider how to give Mali a consensus government and "take urgent steps to confront the terrorist peril in the north of the country," Compaore said. Mali's interim president Dioncounda Traore has been receiving medical care in Paris since being attacked in his office in May and will not be attending. A senior lawmaker said Thursday that Traore's decision to stay away had less to do with his condition than with perceptions in his home country, where he has not returned since the incident. No reason was given for the absence of Prime Minister Cheikh Modibo Diarra, though his relations with ECOWAS have been strained as the regional grouping looks for a more "inclusive" government in Mali. Renegade soldiers who toppled the elected president on March 22 later agreed under intense regional and international pressure to hand power back to a civilian administration but have retained considerable influence. The Popular Movement of 22 March, which supports the coup, also announced it would not participate in Saturday's meeting. Current ECOWAS chairman Alassane Ouattara, president of Ivory Coast, said "we cannot tolerate the partition of a brother country." He urged Traore to return to Bamako quickly and called for a broad-based government to be set up with a precise action plan for returning a reunited Mali to democracy. Politicians, religious and trade union leaders were present at the talks but representatives from the north walked out just before the opening for an unknown reason. The coup left Mali effectively split in two, with Islamist groups linked to Al-Qaeda controlling the north, a territory larger than France or Texas. For ECOWAS the urgent priority is to reinforce and stabilise Mali's transitional authorities in order to handle the crisis in the north. The option of a military intervention by a regional force to restore the country's territorial integrity is also on the table, although such a move would require the United Nations' blessing. The UN Security Council on Thursday passed a resolution calling for sanctions against Al-Qaeda-linked fighters blamed for the desecration of the tombs of Muslim saints in the north. The council expressed "deep concern" at the increased terrorist threat in the region due to the presence of the Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) fighters. The group has been blamed for kidnappings and attacks in several west and north African countries. But the council held back from giving a UN mandate to any west African force to help the interim government take back territory from the Islamist rebels. ECOWAS says it has a force of 3,300 soldiers ready to deploy to Mali and try to recapture the desert region. Guinean President Alpha Conde told AFP on Tuesday that the bloc wants the request for military intervention to come from a broader unity government in Mali, an issue that leaders hoped to settle on Saturday. www.nation.co.ke/News/africa/West+African+bloc+seeks+unity+government+for+Mali/-/1066/1447710/-/item/0/-/syw1fxz/-/index.htmlThis is doomed to fail right from the jump....while the rebels up north are working extra hard to consolidate their gains this fools are hoping to come together to find a solution. Do they even realise they are in a war? Couple observations: The legitimacy of Blaise Campaore to take change in finding peace in a West African State is wanting. What is the stand of the new French President in regards to maintaining a hegemony over its former colonies? |
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Post by Titchaz on Jul 23, 2012 19:15:57 GMT 3
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Post by jakaswanga on Aug 13, 2012 19:28:10 GMT 3
Titchaz,
Here is part of a communique sent out by the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad. There looks to be a civil war within a civil war up north there.
NB: Rumours within Niger-Mali immigrants are talking of a deployment of US drones. That hits have been recorded. How do they know they are drone hits? why not cruise missiles, or fighter bombers? I am told there is something called signature. So just like a woman who trades fish understands fish in Kisumu, and an eskimo understands snow, Yemeni, Afghan and Pakistani combat frontiers veterans know which explosion is which. So drones they say.
Here is the MNLA circular.
Azawad Calls for International Support Against Al Qaeda
Published with the kind permission of Toumast Press.
by Acherif Ag Intakwa
July 23, 2012 at 3:30 am
"Will the U.S. and the free world stand alongside Azawad in the Sahel-Sahara region? Or will the U.S. and the free world allow terrorism to spread all over Africa and intervene only when it is too late?"
Note by Anna Mahjar-Barducci: Azawad is a new country in North Africa that just seceded from Mali. It borders Algeria and was declared independent by a Touareg movement, the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad [MNLA], which is secular. Shortly after the MNLA declared independence of Azawad, Qatar, Algeria and Mali financed jihadist groups to fight against the Touaregs. The MNLA, however, killed the deputy commander of Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb
Azawad, a new nation, is in a war against countless terrorist organizations backed by Mali, Algeria, and Qatar. Today, Azawad wishes to make the same speech of the State of the Union made by George W. Bush on January 29, 2002. But as long as the U.S. and the free world do not support Azawad, it will be a mere wish while terrorism is spreading all over Africa.
The MNLA and Azawad and the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad [MNLA] were attacked on June 27, 2012 by the AQIM (Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb), MUJAO (Movement for Oneness and Jihad in West Africa), and Boko Haram.
For months, these terrorist organizations have been recruiting both inside and outside Azawad. For months, terrorists from Niger, Nigeria, Chad, Somalia, Pakistan, Algeria, Morocco, Mauritania, Libya and many more countries came to Azawad to destroy not only this new country but also the civilized world. For months, the new "axis of evil" supported these terrorist organizations financially, military, in media, and technologically.
This aggression, in which two of the bravest officers of the MNLA were killed, created a state of the union between Azawadians that has never been stronger.
Azawadians and the MNLA are also confident that their dream cannot come true without the supports of the United States of America and its allies of the free world.
This dream will not come true without international support because terrorist organizations all over Africa designated the Sahel-Sahara region as their new playground, and will do whatever it takes to succeed and spread their evil activities all over Africa.
This dream will not come true without international support because these terrorists organizations are supported by at least three countries: Mali, Algeria, and Qatar -- while Azawad and the MNLA is rejected by the free world.
Azawadian and the MNLA strongly believe that one day "The Azawadian flag will fly again over every single official building in Azawad. Terrorists who once occupy Azawadian cities will occupy cells in Taoudenni. And terrorist leaders who urged followers to sacrifice their lives will be running for their own".
The Azawadians and the MNLA wish to also say: "Our nation will continue to be steadfast, and patient and persistent in the pursuit of two great objectives. First, we will shut down terrorist camps, disrupt terrorist plans and bring terrorists to justice. And second, we must prevent the terrorists and regimes who [support them] ... from threatening [Azawad] and the world."
But the Azawadians and the MNLA cannot say it without having allies in this war on terror and against the "axis of evil."
"As we gather tonight, our nation is at war, our economy is in recession and the civilized world faces unprecedented dangers. Yet the state of our union has never been stronger."
These two sentences could represent the current situation of Azawad where the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad [MNLA] is fighting with almost empty arms against terrorist organizations backed by nations with the goal of erasing all traces of civilization.
However, these two sentences were made 10 years ago to represent the situation in the United States of America. They were not spoken by Azawadians but by President George W. Bush.
In that time, U.S. and the free world were attacked by Al Qaeda backed by some nations, called the "axis of evil."
Will the U.S and the free world stand alongside Azawad in the war on terror in the Sahel-Sahara region? Or will the U.S. and the free world allow terrorism to spread all over Africa and intervene only when it is too late?
The U.S. and the free world have to answer these questions. They have to do so quickly because the terrorists and the new "axis of evil" are not wasting time.
Published with the kind permission of Toumast Press.
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Post by Titchaz on Aug 16, 2012 8:25:51 GMT 3
Jakaswanga,
Logistics...logistics...logistics!!!
Kwani the leaders of MNLA/Azawad State didnt know what it takes to govern a nation? They have been fighting for an independent state from the blacks in the south of the country since 1958 and they are now acting like cry babies.
They wanted a country and now they have it...however temporary that maybe...They need to put some big boy pants on and get to work!
Turning focus to the American Question...what is there stand on the MNLA....are they labelled as a terrorist group by Washington? How about the fact that they created their state through the power of the gun...although according to your expose its the folks in power who simply vacated office and created a vacuum that some parties took advantage of. Americans need to come clean on this and stop playing games via the spooks in Langley!
The fact that MNLA were helped by an Islamist faction, Ansar Dine, throws a big spanner in the works maana even if they want to delink from them, the latter would still demand their dues in kind...if at all they are not holding onto something as blackmail. These relationships have their prices to pay!
Meanwhile why is Qatar in this mix?...I need enlightment on that one!
Otherwise as the Junta leaders and the former barons of power try to sort out their mess in Bamako together with the Ecowas, the state of Azawad remains to be natured. To be or not to be is the question for the future state of Azawad...(name sounds pretty nice too... ;D)
Swadaktaa.
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Post by OtishOtish on Aug 16, 2012 16:16:31 GMT 3
For months, these terrorist organizations have been recruiting both inside and outside Azawad. For months, terrorists from Niger, Nigeria, Chad, Somalia, Pakistan, Algeria, Morocco, Mauritania, Libya and many more countries came to Azawad to destroy not only this new country but also the civilized world. For months, the new "axis of evil" supported these terrorist organizations financially, military, in media, and technologically. This aggression, in which two of the bravest officers of the MNLA were killed, created a state of the union between Azawadians that has never been stronger. Two? After months? And from all those countries? These terrorists need a new plan; at that rate it will take forever to destroy the civilized world. |
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Post by jakaswanga on Aug 18, 2012 18:23:08 GMT 3
Jakaswanga,Logistics...logistics...logistics!!!Kwani the leaders of MNLA/Azawad State didnt know what it takes to govern a nation? Swadaktaa. Damn right. LOGISTICS. BUT WILL 3,OOO TROOPS BE ENOUGH? -------------------- www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/features/awi/reportage/2012/08/17/reportage-01 IYAD AG GHALY, leader of islamic Ansar al Dine, and Djibrille Bassole, Burkinabe foreign minister and chief ECOWAS negotiator, meet in Mali, HAHA, KIDAN, AZAWAD! 17/08/12  female tuareg leader in Kidan, Azawad. @magharebia.COM COPYRIGHT. Mali plans next move 2012-08-17 By Jemal Oumar for Magharebia in Nouakchott – 17/08/12 International and regional bodies each have their own ideas on how to save Mali, but recent developments hint that the ideal solution may actually come from within. Five months into the Mali crisis, a political solution is looking increasingly viable. But if military action is required to reclaim Azawad from Islamists and their al-Qaeda allies, Bamako is determined to take the lead. "Others will provide support, especially in the air and in logistics," Malian Army Chief of Staff Ibrahima Daïrou Dembélé said Tuesday (August 14th) at the end of a Bamako meeting of army chiefs from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). "We have agreed that we must share roles," the colonel-major told delegates from ECOWAS, the United Nations, the European Union and other partners. The Bamako summit was the latest in a series of African and international efforts to address a situation taking "one alarming turn after another", as UN chief Ban Ki-moon told the UN Security Council last week. "This search for a political solution is due to the difficulty of resolving militarily a battle against an enemy shrouded in mystery and with various interlocking relationships," Touareg analyst Abu Bakr al-Ansari tells Magharebia. "I see this as a very positive step, especially since there are groups on the ground willing to ally themselves with the economic community and the whole world to face genuine terrorism. In addition, nascent self-defence groups (Ganda-Koy and Ganda- Izo) can play an important role if the movement of Ansar al-Din can be neutralised," he says. If Africans succeed in winning over Ansar Al-Din in the struggle against terrorism, the Touareg adds, "then the war would be almost settled". "And yet the question remains: will Ansar Al-Din leader Iyad Ag Ghaly give up his alliance with Al Qaeda? And what guarantees would he be given in return?" al-Ansari asked. According to Malian analyst Moussa Mega, many in Mali also wonder if the Ansar-al-Din chief is up to the task. "Iyad Ag Ghali is a figure known for mystery and a drive for leadership. These are the same qualities that made him split from the Movement for the Liberation of Azawad, establish Ansar Al-Din, and ally himself with al-Qaeda to strengthen his position," he says. "He realised that if he remained in the bosom of the Touareg separatist movement, he would not garner all the influence and power that he has obtained through Ansar Al-Din," Mega says. But the alliance with the terror group came at a price. The extremist version of Sharia in Mali does not necessarily reflect the conviction of Iyad Ag Ghaly, the analyst suggests. Instead, Sharia was "introduced to meet the commitment he made to al-Qaeda in exchange for their military support against the Malian army". "If given alternatives to al-Qaeda, then he would be more responsive and flexible," he adds. ECOWAS mediator Djibrill Bassole made the position of the West African states clear to Touareg rebels when he visited Gao and Kidal on August 7th. "At this point we can only support and encourage dialogue and intensify efforts to ensure a proper atmosphere for negotiations," the Burkina Faso foreign minister said. "Our main condition is that Ansar Al-Din cut all ties with terrorist groups." Iyad Ag Ghaly met with the Burkinabe envoy, later telling the press: "We support and accept the path of mediation in order to find a political solution to the crisis." He did not speak of the military option proposed by ECOWAS. [AFP/ Ahmed Ouoba] Ibrahim Ag Mohamed Assaleh (right) and other National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA) envoys attended mediation talks in Ouagadougou on June 9th.
Secular Touaregs rebels from the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA) may share Ansar Al-Din's goal of an independent state in northern Mali, but unlike their former allies, they reject the imposition of Sharia and any affiliation with al-Qaeda. They are also amenable to African troops, if that is what it takes to restore calm to their Azawad. Touareg group MNLA ready to combat extremists "We support ECOWAS military intervention against al-Qaeda and the other Islamic groups that are allied with it, and we're even ready to help, provided that they consider us to be part of the solution," MNLA spokesman Attaye Ag Mohamed tells Magharebia in Timbuktu. "We ask ECOWAS and Sahel countries to seize the chance of our presence in the field and our experience and expertise in combating terrorism. We have the local legitimacy, and we're adopting a democratic, secular approach," the MNLA official says. Each minute that passes by, he adds, "will increase the terrorists' strength and consolidate their control". The MNLA spokesman continues, "Our culture is based on tolerance and acceptance of the other, and the rejection of violence and extremism." And the people see the difference between his group and that of Iyad Ag Ghaly, he says. "After we got out of the cities, we received calls from local leaders and dignitaries in the north requesting us to come and rid them of the Islamists' repression," the MNLA official tells Magharebia. "This proves that Ansar al-Din doesn't have a force on the ground except for those brought by al-Qaeda and MUJAO from different countries in West Africa." "Ansar al-Din is only using al-Qaeda in return for imparting legitimacy to it and allowing it to operate under its banner," Ag Mohamed adds. It is this superficial relationship that provides a glimmer of hope to some local observers. "The Burkinabe envoy met only with Gao local elders, not the MUJAO that dominates the city," Malian analyst Ag Ntouli notes. "Any dialogue with them would only establish the terrorist group as part of the negotiated solution." Al-Qaeda is an "international organisation working on an international plan, which includes Pakistanis, Somalis, Nigerians and others that do not have anything to do with Azawad," the Gao analyst adds. At least Ansar Al-Din has a "local dimension as a Touareg force, with a well-known and defined identity", he points out. Sadiq Abubakar, a professor at the University of Bamako and Touareg rights activist, counts more on local people than any African or international body. "The elders, people with good repute, women, clerics and young people are the ones who will push the negotiations forward," he tells Magharebia. "They have already started taking a lead in the initiative without ever being asked by the Economic African Community or the Malian government," the professor continues. In the event that these local efforts fail to restore order, ECOWAS is prepared to send a 3,000-man joint force to Mali. And while a political settlement remains preferable to military intervention, one thing is clear for the West African bloc: the crisis demands urgent action. "Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, the MUJAO, Nigerian radical group Boko Haram and Somali extremist group al-Shabab are all seeking to create a safe haven and co-ordination centre in northern Mali," ECOWAS political affairs chief Salamatu Hussaini Suleiman warned the United Nations Security Council on August 8th. "If that objective is realised, no country in Africa or outside the continent will be safe," Suleiman told the UNSC.
Tete Antonio, Permanent Observer of the African Union to the United Nations, agreed, telling the Security Council, "We must, at all costs, ensure that the situation in Mali does not continue indefinitely." "The seriousness of the crisis requires the shoring up of international efforts to ensure optimal impact for desired results," the Angolan diplomat said. Western countries are also keeping an eye on developments in Mali. Earlier this month, French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said that while his country – home to many Malian expatriates – would support military intervention in northern Mali, it was "not for France" to take the lead. The US also prefers the diplomatic option, involving the countries of the region, the commander of US AFRICOM said August 14th in Ouagadougou. "The United States is concerned about the situation in northern Mali; that is why we are pushing for more exchange of ideas and opinions from African negotiators to solve the crisis," General Carter F. Ham said after meeting with Burkina Fasso President Blaise Campaore. And, given the political and humanitarian challenges already facing Mali, military intervention against Islamist insurgents could even be counter-productive, the general noted. Related Articles Africa moves towards military intervention in Mali -------------------------------------------------------- 2012-06-19 French foreign minister concludes Africa tour
2012-07-31 ECOWAS envoy meets Mali militants-------------------------------------------------------------- "We must... avoid (letting) Mali become a Sahelistan," Le Drian said. This content was commissioned for Magharebia.com |
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Post by OtishOtish on Aug 18, 2012 18:29:55 GMT 3
female tuareg leader in Kidan, Azawad. Not bad! This Azawad place definitely has something going for it. |
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Post by jakaswanga on Aug 18, 2012 19:05:09 GMT 3
female tuareg leader in Kidan, Azawad. Not bad! This Azawad place definitely has something going for it. otishotish, perhaps orudo nyar ojwoks with certain rioting parts will be found everywhere in the planet? he? Here below is a link to Tuareg music documentary. And there is a hot blues guitarist from Azawad currently on world tour. Dates later. But when he left Afrika, Mali was still bordering Algeria! arnaudcontreras.com/journal/2012/04/09/tinariwen-documentary/ |
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. Meanwhile, for the defence of AZAWAD, a millitary and diplomatic delegation is reported in some Islamic countries, to explain their case and plead for at least one recognition, which will change the planned ECOWAS led-campaign into an act of international agression! [did I say ecowas-led or french-led?]
