In Mali, can the constitutional referendum be held in Kidal? The question arises, while the armed groups of the North, signatories of the peace agreement of 2015, continue to oppose the text which must be submitted to the vote of the Malians next June 18. However, these groups control certain parts of northern Mali, starting with Kidal, stronghold of the former separatist rebels of the CMA. This weekend could be decisive. Explanations.
Will the signatories to the peace accord call for a ‘no’ vote in the constitutional referendum? Not to vote? Will they oppose his organization?
” The decision is not yet made “, indicate several executives of the (Coordination of the movements of theAzawad), the ex-independence rebels who notably control the city of Kidal. Even if one of them assures: We are not in a logic of violence, we will not make a mess on the day of the vote. »
The Independent Election Management Authority not based in Kidal
To date, the members of the brand new Independent Election Management Authority (Aige) have been installed in all regions of Mali, except in Ménaka and Kidal, precisely.
Asked by RFI, Aige did not respond. This information was communicated to RFI by the Mali Election Observation Mission (Model), which brings together some forty Malian civil society organizations, and which expressed concern about this situation with Aige. ” They want to be reassuring, we wait to see “, explains Ibrahima Sangho, who heads the electoral observation mission.
International mediation in Kidal on June 4
Two crucial meetings are to be held in the stronghold of the ex-rebels this weekend. The first, on June 3, 2023, was internal to the signatory groups gathered within the Permanent Strategic Framework (CSP), composed mainly of the CMA and the Platform.
The second, on June 4, with a delegation of international mediation for the follow-up of the 2015 peace agreement, led by Algeria, and which must go to Kidal to meet the signatory groups.
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At this stage, the participation of the Malian government in these meetings is not planned.
On the merits, the signatory groups deplore that the 2015 peace agreement is not included in the draft new Constitution, and that some of its provisions – in particular on the planned regionalization process – are not sufficiently taken into account. In their eyes, the text that will be put to the vote therefore represents a danger for the sustainability of the peace agreement.
Warranties
” Exchanges continue with the government, informally and through international mediation “, assures a CMA executive.
If it seems highly unlikely that the constitutional text will be changed in extremisthe signatory groups still hope to obtain “ guarantees from the transitional government.
Requested by RFI, the Malian Ministry of National Reconciliation, in charge of monitoring the agreement and relations with the signatory groups, did not follow up.
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