Catherine Nay 11:06 am, November 04, 2021

Sophie Pétronin, hostage in Mali until October 2020, has returned to live there illegally since March.

A return judged very harshly by France, and a good number of French citizens.

In "Europe Matin", Catherine Nay considers the decision of the selfish ex-hostage, while wondering about the undersides of a Franco-Malian diplomatic affair.

EDITORIAL

Franco-Swiss humanitarian Sophie Pétronin returned to Mali in March 2021, a few months after being taken hostage in the country. Welcomed in Villacoublay in October 2020 by President Emmanuel Macron, the humanitarian did not hesitate to return to this African country, where the gendarmerie has just very actively ordered its search. On Europe 1, Catherine Nay looks back on the history of Franco-Swiss humanitarian aid and wonders about the undersides of a Franco-Malian diplomatic affair.

“An incredible soap opera, a unique case. Franco-Swiss humanitarian Sophie Pétronin, now 76, was kidnapped by a jihadist terrorist group. She lived three years and nine months in the Sahel desert. son kept complaining publicly about the slowness of France to deliver her. She was very ill, he said, and feared for her life. The DGSE cell was now focused so as not to let it fall. France was full. of compassion for her and as soon as she arrived, we no longer wanted to pity her! We saw a frail person, his head covered with a veil, because she had converted to Islam, no doubt to appease her jailers.

>> READ ALSO -

 Sophie Pétronin: what we know about the return of the 76-year-old ex-hostage in Mali

An announced return

As soon as she set foot in France, she warned that she would be leaving and her son tried to calm her down.

What energy in this little body!

She told

Liberation that

 she had been well treated, well fed, with fresh water, and even chocolate at Christmas by her captors.

Sophie Pétronin described them as an "armed opposition group", whereas they are terrorist jihadists who commit attacks, which the French army is confronted with every day.

Moreover, his words had outraged General Lecointre, the Chief of Staff.

Especially since his release with three other hostages, including a leader of the Malian opposition, was accompanied by that of 200 jihadist prisoners.

Those responsible for attacks in the region who had been arrested by the French army, and the French government had no say in this regrettable negotiation which was moreover very badly digested by the French soldiers, a part of the political class and opinion.

What do the Malian authorities want?

Then we learned that she had been in Mali since March.

Because she couldn't stand life in Switzerland, with her family: she even spoke of suicide.

Driven by her consuming humanitarian passion to save orphans in Mali, which she did for 20 years and also to find her adopted 19-year-old daughter, and lacking permission to bring her to Switzerland, she left with her son from Geneva to Dakar.

She then returned to Mali after three days of travel by coach and motorcycle taxi.

At his age, and with his size!

Jean-Jacques Rousseau wrote: "Beware of those who will seek far from the duties which they disdain to fulfill at home".

>> READ ALSO -

 Why (and how) Mali has become a puzzle for the Élysée

The most curious thing is that the Malian gendarmerie has just instructed all its divisions to look for it very actively.

The press release places her in Sissako, a dangerous area, while she is in Bamako.

What's behind it?

We understand that it has become an instrument in the very obscure diplomatic game between Paris and Bamako.

What do the authorities want?

Expel her, since she is in an irregular situation?

Signal to jihadists that their bargaining chip is back?

The Élysée speaks of the irresponsibility of this lady.

Perhaps it is even her selfishness that does not see that in order to save children, she endangers the lives of soldiers and many others. "