More than 15,000 people escape to neighbouring countries in fear of
ethnic violence, say aid groups
Associated Press in Bamako
Monday February 6 2012
The Guardian
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/feb/05/thousands-flee-mali-tuareg-rebellion
More than 15,000 people including Malian military personnel have fled
to neighbouring countries since members of the Tuareg ethnic group
launched a rebellion against the government last month, aid officials
say.
Some civilians were fleeing violent areas, while others feared there
could be revenge attacks against those believed to be Tuareg. At least
one Tuareg family's home has been attacked near the capital, Bamako.
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) says 10,000 people
had crossed into Niger after fighting in towns across the border, and
the humanitarian group is preparing to provide food and shelter. "Some
of these people have been taken in by villagers, but the local
capacity was very quickly overwhelmed," said Juerg Eglin, head of ICRC
delegation for Niger and Mali.
Another 5,000 people have fled to Mauritania, according to an official
who works at an international humanitarian organisation based in
Mauritania's capital. The official spoke on condition of anonymity
because she was not authorised to provide figures to the media.
The Tuaregs, a nomadic people dispersed across the Sahara desert, have
risen up against the central government in Mali several times since
the country's independence from France in 1960.
The latest rebellion, launched in January, broke years of relative
peace, and is being fuelled by the return of Tuaregs from Libya who
had fought in Muammar Gaddafi's army.
In the past two weeks, the Tuareg group has attacked six towns spread
over more than 500 miles across Mali's vast north.
A group calling itself the National Movement for the Liberation of the
Azawad (MNLA) was formed in October and seeks self-determination of
the north of Mali. The government has accused the group of joining
forces with al-Qaida's North Africa branch, which is active in the
region. The MNLA denies the accusation.
Among those fleeing to Niger were military personnel and their
families, said Franck Kudzo Kuwonu of the Office for the Co-ordination
of Humanitarian Affairs in the capital, Niamey.
Although there is no evidence that those with northern features are
being systematically targeted in Mali on a wide-scale basis, there is
a tangible sense of panic among Tuareg and those who feel they might
be mistaken for Tuareg. Even people from countries such as Algeria,
Morocco and Tunisia have been leaving Mali on such fears.
On Wednesday, Mali's president addressed the nation and urged people
not blame Tuareg and others with northern features for the acts of
just a few rebels. "Those who attacked certain military bases and
towns in the north should not be confused with our Tuareg, Arab,
Fulani and Songhai compatriots who live with us," Amadou Toumani Tour?
said in a speech carried on state television.
The president's message did not stop the protests in the capital and
other southern towns such as Segou and Sikasso on Thursday and Friday,
and many in the south fear what might happen to them. "When you see so
many people leaving, I wonder whether I've made the right decision to
say," said one Arab man who has lived in Bamako for many years and
spoke on condition of anonymity.
guardian.co.uk Copyright (c) Guardian News and Media Limited. 2012
--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the "USA-Africa Dialogue Series" moderated by Toyin Falola, University of Texas at Austin.
For current archives, visit http://groups.google.com/group/USAAfricaDialogue
For previous archives, visit http://www.utexas.edu/conferences/africa/ads/index.html
To post to this group, send an email to USAAfricaDialogue@googlegroups.com
To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to USAAfricaDialogue-
unsubscribe@googlegroups.com
No comments:
Post a Comment