The military who have seized power in Mali and forced President Ibrahima Boubacar Keita to resign, have promised to organize general elections within a “reasonable period of time.”
Nearly four hours after the deposed president’s statement, men in uniform appeared on national television late on Tuesday to address Malians and the international community.
“We, the patriotic forces grouped together within the National Committee for the Salvation of the People (CNSP), have decided to take our responsibility before the people and before history, to ensure continuity of the state and of public services,” said Colonel-Major Ismael Wague, who was presented as the spokesman for the mutinous soldiers.
At the end of a busy day on August 18 that began with a mutiny at the Kati barracks, 15 km north of Bamako, soldiers arrested several government officials including the head of state and members of his government, before taking power.
It was a bloodless coup, amid support from a section of the people, who for several months had demnded the departure of President IBK.
Surrounded by four other military colleagues, Colonel Wague explained: “We are not keen on power, but we are keen on the stability of the country, which will allow us to organize general elections within a reasonable period of time, so that Mali can have strong institutions.”
He said to this end, “the civil society and socio-political movements are invited to join us to create together the best conditions for a civil political transition leading to credible general elections for democracy to prevail, through a roadmap that will lay the foundations of a new Mali”.
In addition, the putschists request international and sub-regional organizations to “accompany them for the well-being of Mali.”
“The UN force (MINUSMA), the ‘Barkhane’ force, the G5 Sahel, the Takuba force remain our partners for stability and the restoration of security,” the officer declared, assuring citizens that “all the agreements made” will be respected.
He said the military are “committed to the Algiers process,” the peace agreement signed in 2015 between Bamako and armed groups in the north of the country, because “nothing should hinder Mali’s unity.”
However, ECOWAS had spoken out earlier in the night to condemn the “military coup”, like the African Union (AU), the United Nations (UN), as well as several other organizations and great powers.
ECOWAS already “flatly denies them any form of legitimacy and demands the immediate restoration of constitutional order,” as well as “the immediate release” of the Malian president and “all arrested officials.”
It also “suspends” Mali from all its decision-making bodies “with immediate effect” and closes its borders with the country.
A curfew from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m has been imposed until further notice.
The stated objective of the mutineers is to restore stability in their country.
“Mali is sinking day by day into chaos, anarchy and insecurity through the fault of the people responsible for its destiny,” Colonel Wague lamented.
“Mali is a vast country with riches in its cultural diversity, its subsoil, its people, its fauna and flora, but whose existence as a country and a nation, is threatened in all its foundations” he added cheerlessly.
Colonel Wague denounced “political patronage” and “the family management of state affairs, mismanagement, theft and arbitrariness, a judicial system that is inconsistent with citizens’ aspirations, a floundering national education system or even massacres of villagers, terrorism and extremism”.
According to him, these ills evils have “ultimately killed any development opportunities in the little that still remains of this beautiful country.”
ODL/te/fss/as/APA