Intra-faith dialogue in Mali What role for religious actors in managing local conflicts? The jihadist groups that overran the north and imams, ulema, qur’anic masters and leaders of parts of central Mali in 2012 introduced a ver- Islamic associations. These actors were orga- sion of Islam that advocates the comprehen- nised into six platforms of religious actors sive enforcement of Sharia law. Despite the based in Gao, Timbuktu, Mopti, Taoudeni, Mé- crimes committed by these groups, some naka and Ségou. These platforms seek to communities perceive them as providers of se- contribute to easing intra-faith tensions, as well curity and equity in the application of justice. as to prevent and manage local conflicts, These jihadist influences have polarised com- whether communal or religious in nature. The munities and resulted in tensions between the examples below illustrate their work. diverse branches of Islam. Against this background, in 2015 the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue (HD) began facilitating intra-faith dialogue among nearly 200 local MOPTI Ending competitive recitals of the Quran For nearly 40 years, the young of religious actors in engaging gious leaders asked the talibés or religious students with the talibés. groups to suspend “Missou”, around Mopti have regularly which they agreed to do. The The platform identified around competed in duels to see who groups’ marabouts were relie- 30 recital groups, mostly in can give the most skilful reci- ved to see that other religious Socoura, Fotama, Mopti and tal of the Quran. Known as leaders shared their concerns Bandiagara, and began awar- “Missou”, these widespread about these duels and added eness-raising efforts with se- duels can gather up to 60 their support to the initiative. ven of the groups and their young people and regularly Furthermore, the talibé groups respective marabouts. The end in clashes, which can re- also recommended that members of the platform sult in dozens of injured. One members of the platform visit conveyed the authorities’ talibé was recently reported to locations where the duels concerns about “Missou” and have died. Given the gravity of usually take place, to reach as the effects of these competi- the situation, in 2018 the go- many young people as pos- tions within the region’s cur- vernor of Mopti asked for the sible. rent security context. The reli- backing of the town’s platform TAOUDENI Re-establishing the peaceful exploitation of a well In 2018, the platform of reli- minna, in the Taoudeni area. in the area. Mediation conduc- gious actors in Taoudeni suc- Intercommunal tensions were ted by the platform enabled cessfully carried out preven- high, and the fear of violence the two communities to re- tive mediation between two had prevented use of the well concile their differences and neighbouring Arab communi- by both people and herds for resume collaborative use of ties in dispute about access nearly two months, despite the well. to a pastoral well at Ahel Ali- water being a rare commodity GAO Agreeing a successor for the deceased imam of Waguey Waguey is a village in the rural pointed as his successor. rejected this request, which commune of Bamba, in the However, after this appoint- led to the newly arrived mara- municipality of Bourem. Its ment, a highly educated ma- bout filing a legal complaint. population predominately rabout — a member of the These events resulted in signi- consists of two large, Maïga family — moved into ficant tensions between the extended families. The Touré the village. Arguing that the two families, and so members family consider themselves to Quran recommends that the of the platform of religious ac- be of a higher social class, most literate holy man should tors in Gao took up the issue. whereas the Maïga family per- be nominated to the post of Their intervention managed to ceives members of the Touré imam, the Maïga family’s restore trust between the two family to be foreigners. worshippers asked that the families, and led to the ap- imam be replaced by the new pointment of a new imam ac- In 2017, the chief imam of the marabout. ceptable to everybody. great mosque of Waguey — a member of the Touré family — Waguey’s village chief and the died, and another member of mayor of the commune, both the Touré family was ap- members of the Touré family, SÉGOU Resolving disputes between Muslim associations The platform of religious ac- tion, named Nour al Nour Isla- AMEC also requested the in- tors in Ségou carried out a miya. Over the next three tervention of the members of mediation exercise for the months, public insults were Ségou’s platform, who ma- Nour al Nour women’s asso- broadcasted via local radio, naged to resolve the quarrel. ciation — a group of over 200 with each side attempting to Muslim women guided by the discredit the other. This led to ulema who initiates them on a deterioration in social rela- how to read the Quran and tions between the women. A learn Muslim doctrine. When mission led by the platform fo- their principal ulema left in cused on the verbal clashes 2017, serious disagreement and was able to end the hosti- broke out within the associa- lities. tion about the choice of a suc- A similar dispute occurred wit- cessor. This led to the asso- hin Ségou’s Association of ciation splitting and the Quranic Teachers and Stu- creation of a second associa- dents (known as AMEC). MESSAGES OF PEACE ON THE RADIO Since 2018, HD has been supporting religious «Bismi-llahi r-Rahmani r-Rahimi wai salat wa leaders comprising the platforms of religious salam ‘ala rassoul Allah1». actors in their efforts to raise community awar- This is a message about peace from the reli- eness about peacebuilding and social cohe- gious-consensus-building platform. With re- sion via radio messages. The leaders jointly gard to good behaviour, the Lord of the uni- identified more than 20 messages drawn from verse tells us this: “Indeed, Allah orders justice, the teachings of the Quran and adapted to the the doing of good and giving assistance to re- socio-political and security context, which latives. And he forbids depravity, unlawful acts were then recorded and broadcasted on about and rebellion. He advises you so that you will 30 radio stations in more than six local lan- remember”2. The final Messenger (sallallahu guages and across six regions. Although it is ’alayhi wa sallam3) tells us this: “Fear Allah whe- difficult to evaluate the full impact of the broad- rever you are, let good follow evil, thus will you casts, communities appreciated the influence erase it. Conduct yourselves very well in your of the messages on their daily lives. In the Sé- dealings with people.” These are the words re- gou area, for example, the radio messages ported by Tirmidhii4. prompted one young man who had joined the A radio message recorded by jihadi cause to lay down his arms, despite the Ségou’s platform of religious actors risks incurred. In view of the messages’ posi- tive effect, and at the communities’ request, 1 Translation: “In the name of Allah the clement and the most of the project’s partner radio stations merciful, and his messenger, may prayers and peace continue to broadcast the messages several be upon him.” months after the end of their original contract 2 Verse from the Al Nahl chapter, “The Bees” (16: 90). to do so. 3 Translation: “May Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him.” 4 Mohammed ibn Isa Tirmidhi (824 – 892) was a Persian Islamic scholar and author of the canonical hadiths of Sunni Islam. HD thanks the Kingdom of Denmark for its support of intra-faith dialogue in Mali since 2011. Photos : © Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue www.hdcentre.org/fr/.