Divided opinions over Mali putsch

The coup d’état on 22 March in Mali, which prematurely ended President Amadou Toumani Touré’s last term in office, is widely criticised both nationally and internationally. But the junta can also count on support among certain parts of the population. “President Touré was no longer the right man to deal with the situation.”

By Aminata Mariko, Bamako
Mostly mid-ranking soldiers ousted President Amadou Toumani Touré of Mali last Wednesday. The mutiny was sparked by soaring frustration in the army over the president’s handling of a Tuareg rebellion in the north of the West African country, where the military has faced a series of setbacks.
The US State Department has urged the Malian authorities to resolve the tensions in the country “through dialogue and non-violence”. The United Nations Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, has also “called for a peaceful resolution of the crisis”.
In Mali itself there are also voices rising against the junta, asking it to step down. The United Front for the Protection of Democracy and the Republic (FUDR), an umbrella for the majority of Malian political parties and the civil society, urges for a return to constitutional rule.
“Return to constitutional rule”
Ordinary Malians are hoping for things to return to normal as well. According to women’s rights activist Hawa Tall, the military should let democracy run its course, because Amadou Toumani Touré, or ATT as he is affectionately called, was going to leave power at the end of his term anyway.
“The reasons given by the CNRDRE (National Committee for the Revival of Democracy and Restoration of the State) to justify the coup are not good enough. The crisis in the north is a national problem that should be solved in collaboration with the local authorities, not through a putsch that further compromises the integrity of Mali”, says Tall.
Clowns
Some are calling on ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States) to rid Mali of “these clowns”. “No more putsches on the continent, no matter the reasons! We are not savages!” angry youths shouted at a Bamako rally protesting the putsch.
At another anti-junta protest in the Malian capital, at the “Bourse du travail”, young supporters of the junta leader, Captain Hamadou Haya Sanogo, clashed with the anti-putsch protesters, leaving many injured.
Disgrace
According to Adama Sanogo (no relation), the coup is nothing but the result of the frustrations of the military with the bad management of the crisis in northern Mali. “It is hard to imagine that an entire country cannot defeat a group of 500 bandits. It’s a disgrace for our nation,” he says. [related-articles]
Also for Tamba Diakité, President Touré was no longer the right man to deal with the situation. “We have seen everything under ATT’s rule: he encouraged nepotism, corruption and incompetence. The bad management of the crisis in the north has made the entire Malian population revolt against the regime. The funds earmarked for the north were misused. What’s more, Mauritania is now blaming us for being the weakest link in the fight against terrorism in the region. It’s a disgrace!”
Not stepping down
While opinions about the coup d’état may differ, the position of the junta is clear. According to some reports, Captain Amadou Haya Sanogo is not planning to step down. He has reportedly sought the assistance of ECOWAS to reform the Malian armed forces. He also claimed that the conditions were not met for the scheduled elections to take place by the end of April.