Mali: a Fulani organization denounces targeted violence and arbitrary arrests
Malian army vehicle in Timbuktu, September 9, 2021 (illustration).
AFP - MAIMOUNA MORO
Text by: David Baché
2 mins
While the transitional Malian authorities deny any allegation of targeted abuses by its army against the Fulani of Mali and accuse those who risk raising the subject of inciting hatred and harming the country's cohesion, the organization cultural Fulani Tabital Pulaaku Mali expresses his concern.
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A Fulani cultural organization, Tabital Pulaaku Mali, expressed its concern in a press release on Wednesday.
She first condemns all the attacks that have hit the Malian army, which have been numerous in recent weeks, and says she
prays for the military and civilian victims
.
But the Fulani community organization also deplores that these attacks serve as a pretext for “
the thrust of a feeling of hatred
” and “
calls for violence
”, against the Fulani specifically, in particular on social networks.
Worse still, Tabital Pulaaku “
records many cases of arrests
” described as “
arbitrary
” and “
unjustified
”, and denoting, according to the association, “
stigmatization
” and “
amalgam
”.
And to recall certain obvious facts: "
Not all Fulani are jihadists
", "
not all jihadists are Fulani
" and, according to the law, "
responsibility for the offense is individual
".
A way of denouncing acts perceived as collective punishment against the Fulani community.
"
Submission does not mean acceptance
"
The association also rejects accusations of collusion with terrorist groups in
areas beyond state control
.
This is particularly the case in many villages in central Mali, where the Katiba Macina dominates, led by Amadou Kouffa and a member of the Jnim, the Support Group for Islam and Muslims, linked to al- Qaeda.
"
In areas under jihadist occupation, populations are subjected against their will
", recalls the association,
and “
submission does not mean acceptance
”.
Tabital Pulaaku demands the release of dozens of Fulani arrested without any link having been established with terrorist groups.
It also calls for investigations into the assassination of 16 Fulani notables from the hamlet of Zanancoro last June,
the "kidnapping and detention
" at the Alatona military camp in the circle of Niono, "
several dozen people for over two months
” and “
the arrest and detention
” of 21 villagers from Diaba, near Sofara.
Tabital Pulaaku welcomes the remarks of the chief of staff of the Malian army, who denounced the amalgams.
Finally, the association asks Prime Minister Choguel Maïga, who last April spoke of a "
Fulani rebellion
" in preparation in Mali, and especially the transitional president, Colonel Assimi Goïta, to quickly deliver "
a speech of appeasement
".
At this stage, the Malian army has not responded to RFI's requests.
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mali
Human rights
Terrorism