Malian Military Releases President, Prime Minister
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14 Friday International Friday, May 28, 2021 Malian military releases president, prime minister Crisis deepens as junta takes control BAMAKO: The Malian military have rule after a coup last August that He accused Ndaw and Ouane of released the country’s interim leaders toppled Mali’s elected president, failing to consult him on the reshuffle, but taken control of the government, Ibrahim Boubacar Keita. Keita was which amounted to “demonstrable sources said yesterday, in moves that forced out by young army officers intent to sabotage the transition.” The have fallen far short of international following mass protests over per- following day, the pair resigned in the demands to resolve the deep crisis. ceived corruption and his failure to presence of mediators visiting the base President Bah Ndaw and Prime quell a bloody jihadist insurgency. at Kati as diplomatic pressure began to Minister Moctar Ouane were But in a move that sparked wide- mount. The UN Security Council, released overnight, a military official spread diplomatic anger, Ndaw and staging an emergency meeting at the said, three days after they were Ouane were detained on Monday by request of former colonial power detained and then stripped of their army officers who were apparently France and others, demanded “the powers in what appeared to be the disgruntled by a government reshuf- safe, immediate and unconditional country’s second coup in nine fle. The two were held at the Kati mil- release” of the duo and urged a months. “The interim president and itary camp around 15 kilometres restoration of the civilian-led transi- prime minister were released (nine miles) from Bamako. tion. But Goita told the mediators that BAMAKO: Commandant Baba Cisse, Special Advisor to the Vice-President overnight around 1.30 am (0130 he intended to head the transitional addresses the press in Bamako on Wednesday announcing that Mali’s GMT). We were true to our word,” Military influence government himself and name a prime President and Prime Minister will be gradually released after they had been the official told AFP, speaking on The interim government — minister, diplomats said. arrested on May 24, 2021. —AFP condition of anonymity. installed under the threat of regional Goita “is in charge of the transi- Family members confirmed the sanctions — has the declared aim of tional presidency until further twin arrests were a “coup d’etat in an spread to the center of the country pair had been freed and had returned restoring full civilian rule within 18 orders,” a senior military official said, unacceptable coup d’etat.” France, and then into neighboring Niger and to their homes in the capital Bamako, months. But its appointments were speaking on condition of anonymity. the United States and the regional Burkina Faso. although the circumstances sur- heavily influenced by the military. The Security Council did not discuss bloc ECOWAS have also warned of Mali is one of the poorest in the rounding their release were unclear. Colonel Assimi Goita, who headed imposing sanctions and refrained sanctions, and US aid to the Malian world, and its armed forces suffer “I am well. I was released last night the post-coup junta, was named vice from calling the detentions a coup. In armed forces has been suspended. from lack of equipment and training. and am at home,” Ouane told AFP president and other key posts were giv- contrast, French President Emmanuel Thousands of people have died, and They are being supported by UN without giving further details. The en to army officers. On Tuesday, Goita Macron, whose country has commit- hundreds of thousands have fled and French troops, as well as a com- transitional leaders had been tasked said Ndaw and Ouane had been ted more than 5,000 troops to fight- their homes, since a jihadist revolt bined force from four other Sahel with steering the return to civilian stripped of their powers. ing jihadism in the Sahel, said the began in northern Mali in 2012, later nations. — AFP The genocide between April and July of Macron recognizes France’s 1994 began after Rwanda’s Hutu president Juvenal Habyarimana, with whom Paris had role in Rwanda genocide cultivated close ties, was killed when his plane was shot down over Kigali on April 6. Within a KIGALI, Rwanda: French President truth,” Kagame said. few hours extremist Hutu militia began Emmanuel Macron yesterday recognized his Macron is the first French leader since slaughtering Tutsis, and some moderate Hutus, country’s role in the 1994 genocide in Rwanda, 2010 to visit the East African nation, which has with a scale and brutality that shocked the from backing a genocidal regime to ignoring long accused France of complicity in the world. Victims were felled with machetes, shot, warnings of the impending massacres. Macron killings. Macron said France “was not com- or massacred while seeking shelter in church- kicked off a highly symbolic visit to Rwanda plicit” in the genocide. “But France has a role, es and schools, while sexual violence was rife. after three decades of diplomatic tensions, a story and a political responsibility to France, which provided political and military with a tour of the Kigali Genocide Memorial, Rwanda. She has a duty: to face history head- support to Kigali during a civil war preceding where he paid tribute to some 800,000 most- on and recognize the suffering she has inflict- the genocide, has long been accused of turn- ly Tutsis who were slaughtered in the killings. ed on the Rwandan people by too long valu- ing a blind eye to the dangers posed by Hutu “Standing here today, with humility and ing silence over the examination of the truth”. extremists in a country which had already respect, by your side, I have come to recog- Egide Nkuranga, president of the main sur- seen several large scale massacres in its past. nize our responsibilities,” Macron said in a vivors’ association Ibuka, told AFP he was dis- “In wanting to block a regional conflict or a KIGALI: French President Emmanuel Macron speech at the Kigali Genocide Memorial. His appointed that Macron did not “present a civil war, (France) in fact continued to support (left) and Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame highly anticipated speech did not contain a clear apology on behalf of the French state” or a genocidal regime. By ignoring alerts from walk to hold a joint press conference at the formal apology, but he went further than his “ask for forgiveness”. However he said the most clear-headed observers, France Presidential Palace in Kigali yesterday. — AFP predecessors and said that only those who Macron “really tried to explain the genocide assumed an overwhelming responsibility in a had survived the horrors “can maybe forgive, and France’s responsibility. It is very impor- chain of events that resulted in the worst sce- Sarkozy attempted to break the ice by admit- give us the gift of forgiveness.” Rwandan tant. It shows that he understands us.” The nario,” said Macron. The question of France’s ting to “serious mistakes” and a “form of President Paul Kagame hailed Macron’s French president is on a one-day leg to Kigali role and responsibility in the genocide has blindness” on the part of the French during the speech, speaking to reporters after the two before flying to South Africa Friday for a visit burned between the two nations for decades, genocide. His remarks fell short of expecta- leaders met. “His words were something more devoted to the coronavirus pandemic and leading to a complete diplomatic rupture tions in Rwanda, and bilateral relations contin- valuable than an apology. They were the vaccine production. between 2006 and 2009. In 2010 Nicolas ued to fester. — AFP .