A monster crowd in the streets of Bamako and rallies also in the other major cities of the country, this Friday January 14, 2022 in Mali. The Malians have responded massively to the call of the authorities of the Transition who, in a press release read last Sunday on national television, launched a call for mobilization to say no to the sanctions of ECOWAS.
With our correspondent in Bamako, Kaourou Magassa
At the end of the afternoon, on the Place de l’Indépendance, thousands of people display the green, yellow and red of the Malian national flag.
The vuvuzelas and their deafening noises are out. A few Russian flags wave above the crowd. While the slogans against the Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and France are legion.
Like many demonstrators, Modibo Koné is very upset: “ Mali is fed up with France. Mali is fed up with ECOWAS. We went out today to show our dissatisfaction with the sanctions that ECOWAS took against my country. »
It must be said that the demonstration this Friday is seen as a mobilization for the defense of the sovereignty of the Malian people against France and the leaders of the sub-regional organization, who have harshly sanctioned Bamako.
” We are united and everyone says “Mali”. And nothing but Mali. He there are no divisions, it’s a whole people that is standing up. We know we are going to suffer, we are going to suffer, but we accept this suffering. Really, we don’t want dictate of the international community. »
In his speech, transitional Prime Minister Choguel Maïga mentioned the holding of a national defense council which validated the Malian authorities’ response plan to the sanctions. A strategy of firmness and reciprocity in the face of the closing of borders, but also a call for dialogue with the community of West African States.
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The point in the rest of the country
David Bache, from the Africa editorial staff of RFI, was able to join participants in various gatherings in localities in the south, center, north, and everywhere the observation is the same: the mobilization was massive.
The images are impressive in Kayes, Bougouni, Koutiala, Ségou, in the south, or even Mopti in the center. In Bandiagara, in Dogon country, a smaller format, the governor welcomed the participants to the Maison des jeunes. It is true that everywhere, the officials were in the front row, instructions had been given to them to organize and facilitate the gatherings.
In the North, the Kassé Keïta stadium in Gao was packed to say no to sanctions and ask for a “Cédéao des peoples”, and not a “club of heads of state”, these are the words of a participant.
In Timbuktu, two gatherings this Friday morning: in front of the Sankoré mosque for the principal, and in an official building for the representatives of the Taoudéni region. The afternoon was devoted to prayers.
The north always: gatherings also in Ménaka and Ansongo, but not in Kidal, which hosts a congress of the Permanent Strategic Framework (CSP), the armed groups signatories of the 2015 peace agreement, not really in phase with the Transitional authorities .
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Among the banners and slogans, all over the country: “long live the Transition”, “Mali belongs to the Malians”, “down with ECOWAS”, “down with France”. Sometimes in rather violent terms.
Many signs also, to put it mildly, with the image of the President of the Transition, Colonel Assimi Goïta. Malians denounced the sanctions imposed on their country as a tidal wave.
If the demonstrators are not unanimously in favor of a long Transition, they support their authorities in the face of what is perceived as an attack on national sovereignty. They came out to say so and to strengthen these Transition authorities in their negotiations with ECOWAS.