Crisis in Mali

[Upgrade00]

Tl;dr
• The president of Mali along with members of his parliament were on Tuesday abducted and he was forced to resign and dissolve bus government, this was the cumulation of years of unrest, corruption and insurgency within the country and the region as a whole.
• The military has pledged to return power to the people after they restore stability.
• The coup which is the second in a decade in Mali has been widely condemned by other nations, particularly, other West African countries and France

Updates
• The nation is currently under curfew and all borders are shut. The military announced that the air and land borders would be open from today, Friday
• Neighboring countries have been advised to keep their border with Mali closed by the ECOWAS.
Back story
The president of Mali, President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita has been overthrown by the military in the nation's second coup in a decade.
On tuesday, 18 August, the president compulsively resigned from his position and dissolved the parliament. This comes after weeks of unrest within the country with opposition calling for his resignation. The opposition have been protesting the mismanagement of the nation, reflected in the current economic and security conditions of the country and neighboring regions following about 8 years of insurgency. There has also been reports of corruptions and electoral misconducts aimed at keeping the reigns of power firmly in the hands of the president.

Brief History:
President Ibrahim Keita was elected president in Mali in 2013, less than a year after a coup which plunged the nation into crisis few months to the 2012 elections overthrowing the then President Amadou Touré. This takeover was countered by foreign interventions, notably coming from France and neighboring West African nations inorder to recover the nation's territory.

The elected president pledged to bring unity to the region, however after years of unrest and insurgency, thousands of lives lost, much more displaced and more foreign troops being sent to the region, a diplomatic intervention was needed in July this year with 5 West African nations; Ghana, Ivory Coast, Niger, Nigeria and Senegal led by the immediate ex-president of Nigeria holding a mediation involving the leaders of all 5 meeting in Mali with the aim of restoring order within the region. This mediation attempt however failed with the key opposition, the Movement of June 5 - Rally of Patriotic Forces, requesting for accountability for the political clash which took place within the 10th and 12th of June, which left 11 dead and 158 injured.
Later in July a virtual meeting between the Economic Community Of West African States was called to mediate within the region after the failed peace trip.

Present situation:
On 18 August 2020, a coup began led by fractions of the Malian Armed Forces. Gunshots were fired in several locations sending the people into panic. This was followed by the arrest of the president along with members of his parliament. He was forced to resign his position on midnight of Tuesday and dissolve his presidential parliament.

The president later on Tuesday spoke during a television broadcast;

"Today, certain parts of the military have decided that intervention was necessary. Do I really have a choice? Because I do not wish blood to be shed," Keita said in a brief statement broadcast on national television.

Keita said that he has decided "to give up my duty from now on."

The military has expressed their interests in restructuring the nation and claimed they did not desire to hold power;

Wednesday, August 19
07:35GMT - Soldiers behind the coup appear on TV
The soldiers behind the coup - calling themselves the National Committee for the Salvation of the People - appeared on state television in military fatigues, pledging to stabilise the country.

"We are not holding on to power but we are holding on to the stability of the country," said Ismail Wague, Mali Air Force's deputy chief of staff.

"With you, standing as one, we can restore this country to its former greatness," said Wague, announcing borders were closed and a curfew was going into effect from 9pm to 5am.

"This will allow us to organise within an agreed reasonable timeframe, general elections to equip Mali with strong institutions, which are able to better manage our everyday lives and restore confidence between the government and the governed."

Source
The coup has been condemned by many countries within the African region and beyond and a couple of security briefings has been held within various political unions. France are former colonizers of Mali and would be the biggest players within the region with thousands of her troops currently deployed there starting with Operation Serval which was launched during the 2012 coup. This ended in 2014 and was almost immediately followed by Operation Barkhane.

• What do you think the implications would be for Mali and neighboring regions?
• Malians took to the streets to celebrate after reports of the president being detained went public, could this situation have a positive effect on the nation?

[1715005382]

1715005382

[Juggy777]

The president of Mali, President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita has been overthrown by the military in the nation's second coup in a decade.
On tuesday, 18 August, the president compulsively resigned from his position and dissolved the parliament. This comes after weeks of unrest within the country with opposition calling for his resignation. The opposition have been protesting the mismanagement of the nation, reflected in the current economic and security conditions of the country and neighboring regions following about 8 years of insurgency. There has also been reports of corruptions and electoral misconducts aimed at keeping the reigns of power firmly in the hands of the president.

History:
President Ibrahim Keita was elected president in Mali in 2013, less than a year after a coup which plunged the nation into crisis few months to the 2012 elections overthrowing the then President Amadou Touré. This takeover was countered by foreign interventions, notably coming from France and neighboring West African nations inorder to recover the nation's territory.

The elected president pledged to bring unity to the region, however after years of unrest and insurgency, thousands of lives lost, much more displaced and more foreign troops being sent to the region, a diplomatic intervention was needed in July this year with 5 West African nations; Ghana, Ivory Coast, Niger, Nigeria and Senegal led by the immediate ex-president of Nigeria holding a mediation involving the leaders of all 5 meeting in Mali with the aim of restoring order within the region. This mediation attempt however failed with the key opposition, the Movement of June 5 - Rally of Patriotic Forces, requesting for accountability for the political clash which took place within the 10th and 12th of June:

Three days of clashes between protesters and security forces ensued, leaving 11 dead and 158 injured, according to an official tally, in the bloodiest bout of political unrest Mali had seen in years

Later in July a virtual meeting between the Economic Community Of West African States was called to mediate within the region after the failed peace trip.

Present situation:
On 18 August 2020, elements of the Malian Armed Forces began a mutiny. Soldiers on pick-up trucks stormed the Soundiata military base in the town of Kati, where gunfire was exchanged before weapons were distributed from the armory and senior officers arrested. Tanks and armoured vehicles were seen on the town's streets, as well as military trucks heading for the capital, Bamako. The soldiers detained several government officials including the President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta who resigned and dissolved the government.
Source

The president later on Tuesday spoke during a television broadcast;

"Today, certain parts of the military have decided that intervention was necessary. Do I really have a choice? Because I do not wish blood to be shed," Keita said in a brief statement broadcast on national television.

Keita said that he has decided "to give up my duty from now on."

The military has expressed their interests in restructuring the nation and claimed they did not desire to hold power;

Wednesday, August 19
07:35GMT - Soldiers behind the coup appear on TV
The soldiers behind the coup - calling themselves the National Committee for the Salvation of the People - appeared on state television in military fatigues, pledging to stabilise the country.

"We are not holding on to power but we are holding on to the stability of the country," said Ismail Wague, Mali Air Force's deputy chief of staff.

"With you, standing as one, we can restore this country to its former greatness," said Wague, announcing borders were closed and a curfew was going into effect from 9pm to 5am.

"This will allow us to organise within an agreed reasonable timeframe, general elections to equip Mali with strong institutions, which are able to better manage our everyday lives and restore confidence between the government and the governed."

Source
The coup has been condemned by many countries within the African region and beyond and a couple of security briefings has been held within various political unions. France are former colonizers of Mali and would be the biggest players within the region with thousands of her troops currently deployed there starting with Operation Serval which was launched during the 2012 coup. This ended in 2014 and was almost immediately followed by Operation Barkhane.

• What do you think the implications would be for Mali and neighboring regions?
• Malians took to the streets to celebrate after reports of the president being detained went public, could this situation have a positive effect on the nation?

@Upgrade00 it is very difficult to say as to what kind of impact will we really see, because if the military refuses to give up the power that they have just gained then Mali will be under military rule, and that’s never good for any country. Furthermore this also represents an interesting opportunity for other countries to step up, and try and influence this region for their personal gains, but will it have a positive or negative effect for Mali’s citizens only time will tell.

[Upgrade00]

@Upgrade00 it is very difficult to say as to what kind of impact will we really see, because if the military refuses to give up the power that they have just gained then Mali will be under military rule, and that’s never good for any country.

I would rather you didn't quote the whole OP when replying as it clogs up the thread and makes it difficult to follow.
But to the point, Mali has been in crisis for so long and were so desperate for change that they would accept it whichever way it came from. The citizens have really not experienced democracy since voting in president IBK, as he had been using corrupt means to maintain power, which is quite similar to a dictatorship.
You're right though, there are so many downsides of military dictatorship, it would have an adverse affect on foreign diplomatic relations and could slip a nation into anarchy giving rise to more coups

The military has however pledged to return power to the people, so that might return a bit more stability to the country if it happens.

[Jet Cash]

I would rather you didn't quote the whole OP when replying as it clogs up the thread and makes it difficult to follow.

Yep, I skipped over his whole post because of that. Also the OP contains too much info, so I skipped that as well, and dropped to your post to get a feel for the thread topic.

[Upgrade00]

and dropped to your post to get a feel for the thread topic.

Tl;dr
• The president of Mali along with members of his parliament were on Tuesday abducted and he was forced to resign and dissolve bus government, this was the cumulation of years of unrest, corruption and insurgency within the country and the region as a whole.
• The military has pledged to return power to the people after they restore stability.
• The coup which is the second in a decade in Mali has been widely condemned by other nations, particularly, other West African countries and France

Updates
• The nation is currently under curfew and all borders are shut. The military announced that the air and land borders would be open from today, Friday
• Neighboring countries have been advised to keep their border with Mali closed by the ECOWAS.

[Xembin]

Military regime always cause crisis in some nation.crisis in mali is not the first coup,it is not a last coupl. 2012 formal president experience coup which give victory to president Ibrahim Kelta in 2013, less than a year after coup which plunge nation into crisis.president Ibrahim Kelta experience coup that make him resign, August 8,2020 that make, Malian force has pledge to return power to the people, more bit stability to restore to the country .

[Carlton Banks]

It's no doubt a tough situation for people there (tougher than the predictable brutality of a dictatorship)

But it's perhaps best for the people in the long term, as one of the coup organizer's criticisms was of France's unmandated influence both in Mali and in North West Africa as a whole. French mining and oil companies have corrupt deals with the various dictators from which they've made a fortune several times over, the French military wander around as they please (as if it's actual French territory), and Banque du France run the currency across many (all?) of these countries ("give me control of a nation's money supply..." etc)

Whichever way you look at it, North West Africa is treated by the French state and it's corporate overlords as if it's a series of French colonies. Oh, except the way that the (corrupt/stupid) French media look at it, which is something like "we're responsible for helping these poor poor people, after what imperial France did to them"

[BADecker]

If you watch the 2005 movie, Sahara, he should be thankful he's alive.

[Cryptonuele]

Mali crisis is from their colonian Masters, I mean France people always cause problems to the country they godfathered, sometime in 2010 there was crisis in Ivory Coast that lead them to war, in Congo the same so now in Mali prensently if you go deep to check mate you will discover that the same France people are behind whatever that is happening there now.

[elisabetheva]

It is very unfortunate that this happened in the country of Mali, we know that Mali is actually a country with quite good natural resources. Even though there are conflicts that have occurred, with the election of the president in 2x the elections it indicates that democracy is running well, unfortunately with the resignation of the president it adds to the atmosphere that Mali is out of control.

I hope that this political crisis can be resolved as well as possible, especially assistance from countries in West Africa, and Mali can return to normal life and corruption must be a priority for eradication because otherwise there will be a long problem.

[sabbir2world]

O this is very unfortunate. We are as a whole going through tough times. We always strive but don't know when all these struggle end. 😐

[eddie13]

How much Kouroufing National Park can I buy right now for a Bitcoin, and can I have machine guns there?
Looks Like a tough neighborhood judging by the surroundings..

Mali crisis is from their colonian Masters, I mean France people always cause problems to the country they godfathered, sometime in 2010 there was crisis in Ivory Coast that lead them to war, in Congo the same so now in Mali prensently if you go deep to check mate you will discover that the same France people are behind whatever that is happening there now.

Should probably ask France nicely to come back and govern the country..

[Salauddin1994]

This is very sad for Mali but about a year ago political unrest began in Mali and anti-government armed groups took control of the northern part of the country. France then came forward with the help of the Mali government but Mali's crisis and insecurity could spill over into other African countries - with the exception of a few African countries that have so far not responded to France's call. the French government intervened militarily in Mali without any cooperation and without the permission of the UN Security Council.

[lepbagong]

O this is very unfortunate. We are as a whole going through tough times. We always strive but don't know when all these struggle end. 😐

In an uncertain situation with the Covid-19 pandemic, there are only countries that have to fight because of the interests of a few people who actually make the people more miserable.
This is not the best action that has been done by anyone who is now in power there, that peace is the best way before the country is torn apart by strife between nations themselves.

[Upgrade00]

Update;
President IBK who was released from the military custody late last month (27th of August);and allowed to return home has reportedly suffered a stroke and is receiving medical care;
“According to thorough analysis, the president was the victim of a transient ischaemic attack. It is an alert, but he is recovering well at the moment,” a doctor at the facility said.
Source

[lepbagong]

Update;
President IBK who was released from the military custody late last month (27th of August);and allowed to return home has reportedly suffered a stroke and is receiving medical care;
“According to thorough analysis, the president was the victim of a transient ischaemic attack. It is an alert, but he is recovering well at the moment,” a doctor at the facility said.
Source

Hopefully he will recover soon but can he still be back in power? even though he was elected legally through the election. indeed for developing countries sometimes the military is often misused for the interests of political power. whereas the military is at the forefront of protecting the country so that it can be stable and meet the rights of the people at large.