Military investigation in Moura in Mali: the doubts of human rights defenders
A Malian soldier between Mopti and Djenne in February 2020 (Illustration image) © MICHELE CATTANI/AFP
Text by: David Baché
2 mins
The authorities announced Thursday, April 7 the opening of an investigation in Moura.
This is to shed light on the anti-terrorist operation conducted between March 23 and 31 in this village near Djenné, in the center of the country.
The army claims to have killed more than 200 jihadists there, many human rights organizations evoke a much higher toll and the massacre in order of civilians, by the FAMa and their Russian auxiliaries.
But this investigation will be conducted by a Malian military tribunal, and that is what worries human rights defenders.
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"
It's a step forward
," said a connoisseur of Malian military justice, who ensures that usually, allegations of abuse are quickly forgotten.
“
This faith
, notes this source,
they say they will publish the findings.
»
Last month, at the end of a working mission to Bamako, the Senegalese Alioune Tine, independent expert of the UN on human rights in Mali, had also urged the Malian army to stop limiting itself to announce the opening of an investigation, but to carry them out effectively and bring those responsible for the abuses to justice.
Some sources therefore hope that the investigation by the Military Tribunal of Mopti into the Moura operation will mark a turning point.
►
To read also: Mali: military investigation in Moura, the Minusma still not authorized to go there
But fears of an expedited procedure, intended to whitewash the Malian forces and their Russian allies, are the most frequently expressed.
“
It's nonsense
, alarmed a community executive in the area,
they've been hiding what happened from the start, they're going to continue
!
“
We incriminate the army and it is the army which investigates
?,
asks quite simply a Malian humanitarian.
We don't expect anything.
"
If the authorities don't want to hide anything
," concludes the head of another Malian NGO, "
let them let anyone who wants to investigate. "
»
A Minusma team has been ready to go to the scene since the beginning of the week.
She is still waiting for the green light from the authorities.
In early March, around thirty charred bodies were discovered near Diabaly, in the Ségou region.
Many local sources were already accusing the Malian army and its Russian supporters.
The Minusma has never been authorized to go there.
During a press conference held on Thursday April 7, a few hours after the announcement of a military investigation in Moura, the Directorate of Information and Public Relations of the armies "
provided a denial of the accusations of abuse and execution of civilians committed by the FAMa
" and assured "
that the Malian army [had] led this major fight against the terrorists without the help of anyone, as the international media had affirmed
", denying - without even wanting to mention them - the presence of Russian fighters.
►
To read also: Mali: Human Rights Watch denounces the massacre of more than 300 people in Moura
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