In Mali, different political parties are calling for dialogue to save the 2015 peace agreement while the Malian Armed Forces (Fama) and the fighters of the Permanent Strategic Framework (CSP) have clashed several times in the north of the country since the end of August.
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At Mali, calm returned on September 18, 2023 in Léré, after the attack the day before on the military camp of this town in the Timbuktu region. Attack claimed by the CSP (Permanent Strategic Framework), which brings together the majority of armed groups signatories to the 2015 peace agreement and which accuses the Malian transitional authorities of having broken this agreement.
The Malian army declared this morning to deplore 5 deaths, 20 injured and 11 missing in Léré. The Malian Armed Forces (Fama) also claim to have killed around thirty enemies. Assessment contested by the CSP, which had taken control of Léré before withdrawing, and which did not communicate its own assessment.
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The Léré attack follows that of Bourem last week, which left dozens dead.
“ Everything must be settled in accordance with the peace agreement »
Faced with this resumption of fighting in the North, eleven years after the civil war of 2012 and eight years after the signing of a peace agreement, many Malian political parties, of different sensibilities, are expressing their concerns and launching calls to try , while there is perhaps still time, to save the peace.
The Party for National Renaissance (Parena) “ urges the transitional authorities to promote national unity » and invites the armed movements of the North “ to restraint by remaining open to dialogue “. It front of ” carnage » provoked concomitantly by jihadist groups, Parena, which communicated after the attack on Bourem and before that on Léré, asks Malians to “ put in parentheses the subaltern debates » to encourage dialogue, “ with all the compatriots who took up arms “.
“ We call on our brothers from the CMA and other belligerents to return to the negotiating table »
The Rally for Mali (RPM) of the late Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta (president of Mali from 2013 to 2020) “ advocates dialogue » : « Everything must be settled in accordance with the peace agreement », Estimates its spokesperson Sékou Niamé Bathily, who believes that this agreement “ allows us to effectively fight against terrorism » and which reminds us that “ the authorities are the guarantors of national unity “.
The Alliance for Democracy in Mali (Adema), Mali’s oldest party, also opposes the war: “ We have no alternative outside of dialogue », Judges its Secretary General. Yaya Sangaré, who takes care to specify: “ We support our defense forces ”, like the other political parties cited here, and “ call on our brothers from the CMA and other belligerents to return to the negotiating table “.
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Same line for the African Social Democratic Party (PSDA), but with more virulence: its president Ismaël Sacko, in exile, “ condemns the bellicose, extremely serious and immature attitude of the Malian government “. He believes that this war was “ triggered and carefully prepared by the junta “, And ” invites democrats and patriots to [la] to stop ” And ” to demand inter-Malian dialogue “.
Finally, Oumar Mariko, president of African Solidarity for Democracy and Independence (Sadi), also in exile, exceptionally comes out of his reserve: “ It is difficult to remain silent when the country is led by adventurers, go-getters who do not understand the consequences of their actions. » This historic activist for Mali’s sovereignty, who supported the military coup of 2012, poses as defender of the 2015 peace agreement and this time attributes responsibility for the war to the transitional authorities. “ When there is a winner, it will be over a country in ruins », Predicts Oumar Mariko. And to call “ all those who still believe in peace ” has ” work together ” For ” a just and definitive peace “.