It has been ten days since the army launched its “reconquest” operation: around a hundred vehicles left Gao on Monday October 2 to invest the bases that Minusma is preparing to leave in the Kidal region. An offensive which has already sparked violent fighting with armed groups from the North united within the CSP (Permanent Strategic Framework), signatories of the 2015 peace agreement. Despite this resumption of the war, which has already caused several dozen dead, the Malian political class shines with its silence. The context of military transition and the sensitivity of the subject, which concerns the army and national sovereignty, encourage political parties to exercise total reserve.
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RFI interviewed off-microphone executives of the main Malian political parties belonging to support, accompaniment or opposition groups to the transitional authorities. Those who agreed to share their thoughts did so on condition of anonymity.
“ For now, we all wish our army good luck », begins by asking this former minister. A prerequisite with which almost all the personalities interviewed begin. And to continue: “ we just have to deplore the fact that we did not discuss the occupation of Minusma territory with the armed groups before, so that it could be done peacefully. »
“ This offensive is an opportunity for the public authorities to reconquer the entire territory. “, estimates this leader of an important party, who nevertheless judges that “ you have to do everything » to reestablish the dialogue and “ find an agreement quickly “, without which Mali could “ plunge into a difficult, very costly war whose outcome is uncertain. »
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“ It’s not about legitimizing a war, it’s about stopping the bleeding », Analyzes another former minister, who belongs to one of the main Malian political parties, and who warns: “ even if the Fama recovered all of the bases throughout Mali, this would not be a guarantee of stability and peace in the north of our country, on the contrary. ” To his eyes, “ the priority is to stop hostilities, which are in no way an essential condition for achieving the objectives » posted by the Malian transitional authorities.
“ The legitimacy of the offensive lies in the delegitimization of the peace agreement, we would have preferred dialogue between brothers in Mali than a fratricidal war », criticizes an opposition executive, who believes that “ the solution will never be military. Occupying Kidal and other localities in the region would by no means be the end but the beginning of a long war. »
Among the political figures who responded to RFI, some are fierce opponents, others collaborate daily with the Malian transitional authorities. The unwavering supporters of the transitional authorities, who could have given a speech further defending Bamako’s current policy on this subject, did not wish to make their contribution.
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