Azawadi declaration of independence: Difference between revisions
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==History== |
==History== |
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Following the return of several hundreds of soldiers after the [[2011 Libyan civil war]] and the |
Following the return of several hundreds of soldiers after the [[2011 Libyan civil war]] and the formation of the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad, an insurgency commenced on 17 January with an attack in the [[Kidal Region]], near the border with [[Algeria]]. Following the [[2012 Malian coup d'état]], the rebels made further inroads to capture the three biggest cities of [[Kidal]], [[Gao]] and [[Timbuktu]] in three days, respectively. At this point, other factions joined the fighting, including the [[Islamist]] [[Ansar Dine]] and the [[Movement for Oneness and Jihad in West Africa]]. Despite reports of Ansar Dine taking control of most of what was initially captured by or with the help of the MNLA, the group established their writ over large swathes of the territory.<ref name="Aljaz">{{cite web|url=http://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa/2012/04/20124644412359539.html |title=Tuaregs claim 'independence' from Mali |publisher=Al Jazeera English |date=2011-10-04 |accessdate=2012-04-06}}</ref> The Tuareg peoples had also long complained of marginalisation within Mali,<ref>{{cite web|author=Associated Press in Bamoko |url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/apr/06/mali-tuareg-rebels-declare-independence?newsfeed=true |title=Mali's Tuareg rebels declare independence |publisher=The Guardian |date= |accessdate=2012-04-06}}</ref> as well as alleging previous accords to end the past [[Tuareg rebellions]] were violated by Mali, a claim Mali denies.{{Fact|date=April 2012}} |
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==Declaration of Independence== |
==Declaration of Independence== |
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Revision as of 05:20, 9 April 2012
| Azawadi Declaration of Independence | |
|---|---|
 MNLA's adopted flag for their state of the Independent State of Azawad. | |
| Created | 6 April 2012 |
| Location | Gao |
| Author(s) | National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad |
| Signatories | Secretary General Bilal Ag Acherif |
| Purpose | Independence of the Azawad from Mali |
The Azawadi Declaration of Independence is the declaration of independence of the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad from the Republic of Mali for the creation of the Independent State of Azawad on 6 April 2012 following the 2012 rebellion, and a string of other Tuareg rebellions.
History
Following the return of several hundreds of soldiers after the 2011 Libyan civil war and the formation of the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad, an insurgency commenced on 17 January with an attack in the Kidal Region, near the border with Algeria. Following the 2012 Malian coup d'état, the rebels made further inroads to capture the three biggest cities of Kidal, Gao and Timbuktu in three days, respectively. At this point, other factions joined the fighting, including the Islamist Ansar Dine and the Movement for Oneness and Jihad in West Africa. Despite reports of Ansar Dine taking control of most of what was initially captured by or with the help of the MNLA, the group established their writ over large swathes of the territory.[1] The Tuareg peoples had also long complained of marginalisation within Mali,[2] as well as alleging previous accords to end the past Tuareg rebellions were violated by Mali, a claim Mali denies.[citation needed]
Declaration of Independence
The Secretary-General of the MNLA, Bilal ag Acherif, signed the declaration in Gao, the site of the largest Malian military outpost in the north, on 6 April, 2012.[3] It was announced by Moussa ag Attaher on France 24.[1]
The declaration was issued in the "voice of the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad" in French. The declaration was said to have been issued in consultation with the Executive Committee, the Revolutionary Council, the Consultative Council, the State-Major of the Army of Liberation and the regional offices. It also cited as reasoning France's unilateral attachment of the region to Mali.
The document concluded by adding that the new state declared by the MNLA would recognise international state borders, despite having split the traditional Azawagh over several modern-day states; absolute accordance with the United Nations Charter; and a committment by the MNLA to establish the "conditions for a durable peace" and create state institutions in accordance with a democratic constitution. Before "irrevocably" acclaiming the Independent State of Azawad, the document called on the Executive Committee, who would run the country in the interim period, to invite the international community to immediately recognise the new state in the interests of "justice and peace".[3]
Reactions
The day before the declaration, the Foreign Ministry of Algeria said that an armed faction raided the Algerian consulate in the northeast kidnapping the consul and six staff members. Though Attaher called it "deplorable", he said the MNLA went along with the action in order not to result in deaths. The AFP also quoted a Malian military source as saying that to the best of Malian Army's intelligence "the MNLA is in charge of nothing at the moment... it is Iyad [Ag Ghaly] who is the strongest and he is with AQIM".[1] His Ansar Dine said that it was "against rebellions. We are against independence. We are against revolutions not in the name of Islam."[4]
- Supranational bodies
African Union: The AU rejected the declaration of independence as "null and of no value whatsoever" and appealed to the rest of the world to ignore it.[5] The AU's commission chairperson Jean Ping's office issued a statement that read he "calls on the international community as a whole to fully support this principled position of Africa."[1]
Economic Community of West African States: ECOWAS declared they would "take all necessary measures, including the use of force, to ensure the territorial integrity" of Mali.[6] ECOWAS announced preparations for a 3,000 personnel intervention force to contain the rebels and protect the constitution of Mali.[7]
European Union: The spokeswoman for the Representative for Foreign Affairs, Catherine Ashton, said that the EU respected Mali's territorial integrity.[8] Richard Zinc, EU representative in Bamako, said that it was "out of question" that the EU would accept the declaration.[9]
- States
Algeria: Prime Minister Ahmed Ouyahia said Azawad's northern neighbour country would never "accept questioning Mali's territorial integrity". However, he also rejected foreign intervention and called for a solution through dialogue.[10]
Canada: Chris Day, an aide to Foreign Minister John Baird, stated that Canada's position on Azawad's independence. "We’re absolutely not recognising this declaration. We are closely monitoring events on the ground.”[11]
France: Defence Minister Gérard Longuet reacted by saying: "A unilateral declaration of independence which is not recognised by African states would not have any meaning for us."[1] Foreign ministry spokesman Bernard Valero said the declaration was "null and void". He affirmed France's commitment to the "territorial integrity of Mali".[8] On the other hand Valero admitted that "the demands of the northern Tuareg population are old and for too long had not received adequate and necessary responses". France, however, also indicated it would offer military assistance to the ECOWAS force aimed at stabilising Mali and containing the rebels.[7]
Russia: In a statement the same day as the declaration, the presidential special envoy to Africa Mikhail Margelov rejected the formation of the state. "There are virtually no chances, this is undoubted, for [the] legitimisation of a Tuareg state...[The Sahelian countries, the ECOWAS, and the AU] do not need it. We stand unequivocally for the territorial integrity and restoration of the constitutional order in Mali."[12]
United States: Patrick Ventrell, a spokesman of the U.S. State Department stated: "We reject the MNLA's statement of independence and reiterate our call for the territorial integrity of Mali."[6] The State Department also later expressed concern that the separation would "only exacerbate the grave problems challenging the Malian state".[13]
- Academia
Alessandra Giuffrida of the African Studies Department at the School of Oriental and African Studies in London said: [1]
[The MNLA] are taking advantage of a new situation, which is the lack of a constitutional government in Bamako, which means the MNLA was able to claim, according to international law, independence, and this is a new fact which has never occurred before in the history of the Tuareg. According to international law experts, this actually gives the Tuareg some ground to fight legally for the independence of their state. [The international reactions reflected that] they have an interest in maintaining the status quo. There is economic interest in the north of the country after the discovery of mineral resources.
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e f "Tuaregs claim 'independence' from Mali". Al Jazeera English. 4 October 2011. Retrieved 6 April 2012.
- ^ Associated Press in Bamoko. "Mali's Tuareg rebels declare independence". The Guardian. Retrieved 6 April 2012.
- ^ a b "Déclaration D'Indépendance De L'Azawad" (in French). Mouvement National de libération de l'Azawad. Retrieved 6 April 2012.
- ^ "Global powers dismiss Tuaregs' declared independence - MALI". FRANCE 24. Retrieved 8 April 2012.
- ^ Felix, Bate (6 April 2012). "Mali rebels declare independent 'Azawad'". uk.reuters.com. Retrieved 6 April 2012.
- ^ a b Thomas Fessy (3 April 2012). "BBC News - Mali Tuareg rebels' call on independence rejected". Bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 8 April 2012.
- ^ a b Felix, Bate. "AU, US reject Mali rebels' independence declaration - Yahoo! News". News.yahoo.com. Retrieved 8 April 2012.
- ^ a b "Malian Group, EU, France Denounce Independence Proclamation". P.M. NEWS Nigeria. 6 April 2012. Retrieved 6 April 2012.
- ^ Rukmini Callimachi (6 April 2012). "The Associated Press: Mali's Tuareg rebels declare independence". Google. Retrieved 6 April 2012.
- ^ "Algeria rules out Mali split, foreign intervention: Report". english.ahram.org.eg. Agence France-Presse. 6 April 2012. Retrieved 6 April 2012.
- ^ "Mali's coup leader to return power". The Globe and Mail. Associated Press. 6 April 2012. Retrieved 7 April 2012.
- ^ "Russia: No Chance to Recognize Azawad Independence". CRI English. Xinhua. 6 April 2012. Retrieved 7 April 2012.
{{cite news}}: Text "publisher" ignored (help) - ^ "The United States: We don't recognize 'State of Azawad'". Afriquejet.com. Retrieved 8 April 2012.
External links