Credible demands by those involved in the rebellion in Mali must be heard
Better the devil you know. This seems to be the thinking behind the decision by the African Union (AU) to allow Mali back into its ranks as part of efforts to deal with extremists who have seized large parts of the country.
Mali was expelled from the AU after the armed forces seized power in a coup in March. However, in the wake of the coup, the Mali military suffered a rout that left much of the north of the country in the hands of Islamic militants. The rebels have destroyed world heritage sites in Timbuktu that do not conform to their beliefs.
The AU and the regional bloc, Ecowas, is now preparing to take military action to drive out the rebels and reunite Mali, under a United Nations Security Council resolution. The AU is now, correctly, committed to help Mali “establish a constitutional order and national unity”.
But, it must be made clear to the coup leaders that this will require them to step down and support any political, social and economic process aimed at restoring democracy in Mali. And, no matter the outcome of the military confrontation that may lie ahead, any reasonable, credible demands by those involved in the rebellion, must be heard and accommodated.
Nation-building is a fraught and fragile process that often involves seemingly unpalatable political compromises with coup leaders and rebels. It will be a long time before sustainable peace and stability returns to Mali.
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