BAMAKO, Sept 5 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Mali’s military junta will hold meetings
on Saturday to discuss its promised transition to civilian rule after
mounting pressure from neighbours to yield power in the weeks since it
overthrew the nation’s leader.
The West African country has long been plagued by chronic instability, a
simmering jihadist revolt, ethnic violence and endemic corruption, prompting a clique of rebel colonels to detain elderly President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita last month.
They pledged to step down after an undefined transition period, but the
putsch has prompted Mali’s neighbours and former colonial ruler France to
demand a swift transfer of power, with fears the crisis could impact
neighbouring states.
The 15-nation Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) regional bloc has imposed sanctions and closed borders to Mali as part of efforts to press the junta into handing over power quickly.
Saturday’s summit was originally planned for last weekend but was called
off at the last minute after a quarrel between the military and the June 5
Movement, which spearheaded the protests that led to the toppling of
president Keita.
The opposition coalition of civil and religious leaders has demanded that
the military rulers give it a role in the transition to civilian rule, but
was not invited for transition talks last Saturday.
It has now been included for the rescheduled talks on Saturday and Sunday,
along with political parties, former rebels, unions, civil society
organisations and media representatives.
The weekend talks, chaired by junta leader Colonel Assimi Goita, are set to
begin at 9:30 am (0930 GMT) Saturday in the capital Bamako.
Parallel talks will take place in regional capitals, led by regional
governors, according to the junta.
Members of the Malian diaspora will also have their say, according to a
spokesperson for the National Committee for the Salvation of the People
(CNSP), as the junta is known.
One of the key issues will be the length of the transition to civilian
rule.
Originally the junta proposed a three-year transition to civilian rule,
before bringing that down to two years.
The June 5 Movement has said it wants a transition period of 18-24 months.
West African leaders, who have called for elections within 12 months, will
meet via videoconference on Monday with the Mali situation at the top of
their agenda.
The June 5 Movement led the protests against Keita for weeks before he was
removed from power after seven years in charge.
It fears the junta is hijacking the coup and is demanding equal billing
during the transition period.
Influential imam Mahmoud Dicko, a key player in the mass opposition
protests that led to Keita’s ouster, has insisted that the junta does not
have “carte blanche”.
“We will not give a blank cheque to anyone to run this country, that’s
over,” he said. — NNN-AGENCIES
