Mali: the expulsion of the head of human rights of Minusma, a very political decision
A Minusma patrol in Timbuktu, December 8, 2021 (Illustrative image).
© FLORENT VERGNES/AFP
Text by: David Baché
2 mins
Accused by the authorities of "
destabilizing and subversive acts
", the director of the human rights section of Minusma Guillaume Ngefa is now
persona non grata
in Mali.
His expulsion comes as the future of the Minusma raises questions.
Decryption.
Advertisement
Read more
The announcement of
the expulsion of the head of the human rights section of Minusma
was made Sunday evening by the transitional authorities.
They accuse Guillaume Ngefa of "
destabilizing and subversive actions
".
This is actually the aftermath of the Aminata Dicko affair.
On January 27, the vice-president of the Kisal association denounced, before the UN Security Council, the abuses of the Malian army and its Russian auxiliaries.
Bamako recognizes neither the words nor the quality of Aminata Dicko, and holds the Minusma human rights chief responsible.
Because for Bamako, the question of human rights is “
instrumentalized
”, “
politicized
” in the service
of “hidden agendas
” .
These terms are used in official press releases and speeches, whenever someone dares to mention the restriction of civil liberties in the country or, even worse, the allegations of abuses against the Malian army and its Russian auxiliaries.
A way of automatically disqualifying human rights defenders in the name, always, of national sovereignty.
►
To read also: Mali: human rights defender Aminata Dicko, target of a violent smear campaign
The strategy outrages many Malian politicians, even in the support displayed by the authorities, but also by civil society leaders and informed observers.
Some say it openly, most off the microphone, for fear of the consequences.
On the other hand, this discourse finds a real echo in "
neo-Pan-Africanist
" or "
patriotic
" circles, which integrate it into an anti-West argument that is increasingly shared on social networks as well as in the streets of Mali and, more generally, in the West. -African.
The expulsion of the Minusma human rights chief is in line with this.
The UN mission had been expecting this for months.
After that of his spokesperson, last July, this expulsion comes at a time when the United Nations is wondering about the future of Minusma.
The options range from an increase in the number of blue helmets to a reduction of the Minusma to a simple political office, in Bamako only.
The ability of UN personnel to carry out their work is one of the main decision criteria and the complete withdrawal of Minusma is, at this stage, not on the table.
The Malian authorities have just contributed, not without panache, to the ongoing reflection.
Newsletter
Receive all the international news directly in your mailbox
I subscribe
Follow all the international news by downloading the RFI application
mali
Children's rights
UN