Hi Dr. Jaiteh,
I am so very glad to see and hear you again, particularly on this issue of the towel-head bandits and armed pirates. I think we are getting ever so close to dispelling accrued anxieties and ambiguities. I will use your notes to contribute toward that end.
[Date: Thu, 15 Jan 2009 12:18:25 -0500 From: msjaiteh.. Subject: Re: The Mali Red Cross based in the north region has requested to see the 8 towel-head bandits captured by the Mali army.. To: GAMBIA-L@LISTSERV
Haruna I guess I was ambiguous in my last posting but you nonetheless confirmed an earlier point that we may be dealing with more than just a garden-variety of bandits / "addu kalpeh".] Kukeh.
NO. If I confirmed that from my last note, I did not intend to. It was elusive hazard. What I did confirm was the following that I have been trying share with you:
1. I was talking about the towel-headed bandits and armed pirates who attacked unsuspecting citizens of border villages and towns, dispossess them of their valuables and cash, and carjack them.
2. That simultaneously, and that is why I forwarded various articles here for context, we were dealing with a relative handful of disgruntled CLANSMEN of the TUAREG TRIBE (most of whom are law-abiding citizens of Mali and Kidal).
When you marry the two above Dr. Jaiteh, we will confirm that THE TOWEL-HEAD BANDITS are indeed part and parcel of the AG BAHANGA and AG FAGAGA CLANS. That even while the CLAN is the FRONTING "freedom fighters", the TOWEL-HEAD BANDITS and ARMED PIRATES are criminal elements in those CLANS.
Where confoundment accrues for you Dr. Jaiteh was that the link between the two makes you bear on the side of caution because you want to hope against all hope that the CLANS mentioned, do have legitimate grievances that can excuse any criminality a subset of them may undertake.
What I intend to do here is to discuss the character of a freedom movement as it pertains to the national context. Any nation;
A clan is a subset of a tribe. The tribes of northern Mali and Niger and Southern Libya and Algeria, and southeastern Mauritania are:
Fulani, Songhai, Sonrhai, Moor, Tuareg, Mandingo, Bambara, Jollof, Toucouleur, Serer, and berber.
Each of these tribes have clans based mainly on familial ties such as the Bahangas, Fagagas, Jaitehs, Darbos, Ndiayes, Diops, Camaras, Toure's, Traore's, Macalous, Jallows, Sarrs, Diaguraga, Biavogui, Bahs, Dems, Cise's, Quicks, Sidibehs, Diengs, Raoufs, Kouyate's, Gamou.
The recent bandits happen to be Tuareg clans. 2 out of more than 20.
In the beginning, The grievances forwarded by the Tuareg community was the scarcity of grazing land and with flood and famine, they cannot rear their camel well. This pitted the Tuareg against their Fulani neighbours when they encroached on the latter's pastures and began a campaign of cleansing the north, especially Kidal, of the other tribes who seemed to stand in their way to acquire more land. With fierce resistance from the Fulani and other tribes, they remade their image as "aggrieved freedom fighters" with the goal of secession from Mali. I am sure you will agree with me Dr. Jaiteh, that secession by the Tuareg from Mali is unreasonable unless the territory, even with a majority of Tuaregs, is made wholly Tuareg.
Now then.
Mali, having realised that even though their demands lacked merit, the larger goal of national harmony and good neighborliness with Niger, Libya, Algeria, Mauritania, and Senegal advises a more genteel disposition and an effort to avoid armed conflict. Mali then embarked on a comprehensive peace process, even inviting neighbor Algeria in one of those negotiations (The Algiers Accord). This effort yielded the acquiescence and accompaniment of the TUAREG tribe as Mali efforts to ameliorate the affect of inclement and inclimate weather on her northern territories. Prior to the current international goodwill Mali deserves, successive Mali governments had tried several ingenious ways to ameliorate the Tuaregs. Among them, the inclusion of Tuareg members in governance, the military, and directorates closely linked to animal husbandry that affects the Tuareg most imminently. When she was able, Mali has embarked on development projects (which you can verify) during windows of peace afforded by the Tuareg community.
After the Algiers Accord and the realisation of government efforts in northern Mali, the Tuareg Community, IN THEIR ENTIRETY, agreed to peace-for-development.
Then the Bahanga and Fagaga clans of the TUAREG community withdrew from that agreement for the sole purpose of conducting NARCO and ARMS trafficking in the Sahel, with collaboration from other nations, decided to use their integration in the Malian army prior, as a propeller to desert the ranks of this integrated army with their training, to set up shop and control Narco and Arms trafficking. There is another insiduous reason for Tuareg recalcitrance. As in Mauritania, Algeria, Libya, and to some extent Niger, northern Mali is a festering den of slavery and commerce in women and children. A democratic Mali, sooner or later, will have to confront this evil and menace. And the tribes of Northern Mali know that. So it may be that development alone in northern Mali may not quell the urge for secession, but a CLAN's demand to secede from a nation does not carry significant merit.
Therefore, Dr. Jaiteh, I conclude and confirm that:
The Ag Bahanga and Ag Fagaga clans are garden variety bandits and armed pirates.
[Less emphasized in the pro-government messages and that may be completely unintentional is the fact that there is some clan/ethnic politics at play.] Dr. Jaiteh.
You misunderstood. Perhaps my translations did not do a good enough job of conveying that underlying context. Malians have been living the nightmare of gratuitous bandits now for decades. It is in that global context that Malian newspapers report on the north Mali affair. You risk labelling all Malian newspapers as Pro-government because if you read Malian newspapers, you will conclude that they are in unison as far as understanding the Criminality in the North. It affects all Mali. I encourage you to review only 5 Malian newspapers. The Essor is the only one that shares their editorial stance as government press. That is why I forward articles from several and various sources: IRIN news, Jeune Afrique, The Independent Newspaper, PanaPress, The Republican Newspaper, Afribone, etc.
[pro-government's use of "towel-headed bandits" may be a deliberate attempt to gain support for their position] Dr. Jaiteh.
For the sake of clarity, I wish to share with you that any mention of Towel-head, Camel Jockey, Rag-head, in my translated forwards, is solely MINE. The confusion it might create is the reason I attempt to place my own commentary in parentheses. Forgive my errors and omissions. I therefore wish to indemnify the newspapers of culpability in those labels of the bandits and pirates.
[in what may be a real (legitimate or not) rebellion with international (cross-border) dimension.] Dr. Jaiteh.
Any rebellion, legitimate or not, in northern Mali, including any tribe thereof, HAS cross-border dimensions to the extent there may be members of that tribe living across the border. For example; Any Rebellion, legitimate or not, of Lapplanders in Finland, HAS cross-border ramifications for Sweden. Similarly, the rebellions of Arab tribes in Palestine/Israel, HAS cross-border ramifications for those same tribes in Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Saudia, and Iraq, etc.
Dr. Jaiteh, I understand your disdain for national borders. However, I encourage you not to allow that global disdain to cloud your judgement and discernments. There is a difference in crime and Freedom fighting. The discernment can be made subtle by tha fact that many freedom fighters engage in crime to advance their freedom fighting goals. I can grant you the accrual of that mirage. That is why I took time and effort to understand the Mali experience. By their mere constitution, the Bahanga and Fagaga idiots are mere criminals. I hope you have the opportunity to review more context, not with a view to not agree with me, but with disinterested jurisprudence.
See you men. Don't be a stranger. I was beginning to miss you for a minute there. Why are you guys too busy to hang out at Ellen sometimes????? I need to start a Time-Management firm. Just for you, Laye, Galleh, and Evian. Haruna.
>
>
> Haruna Darbo wrote:
> > YES. And clan jockeying. Where have you been anyway?
> > Haruna.
> >
> > > Date: Wed, 14 Jan 2009 22:46:09 -0500
> > > From: [log in to unmask]
> > > Subject: Re: The Mali Red Cross based in the north region has
> > requested to see the 8 towel-head bandits captured by the Mali army
> > > To: [log in to unmask]
> > >
> > > Are we really dealing with towel-headed bandits or rebels?
> > >
> > > Malanding
> > >
> > >
> > > Haruna Darbo wrote:
> > > > I say let'em. And continue to capture the idiots but treat them well
> > > > and persuade them to give you intelligence about the rest and who is
> > > > sponsoring them. Haruna.
> > > >
> > > > Courtesy Afribone.
> > > >
> > > > **
> > > >
> > > > *Mali: Un responsable humanitaire veut rencontrer les prisonniers
> > touareg*
> > > >
> > > > *BAMAKO (AFP) — Un responsable de la Croix-rouge malienne basé
> > dans le
> > > > nord du pays a demandé mardi à avoir accès aux huit rebelles touareg
> > > > faits prisonniers lundi par l’armée malienne au cours d’un accrochage
> > > > avec un groupe de rebelles.*
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > /"Nous avons demandé à avoir accès aux prisonniers de guerre. Ils ont
> > > > été arrêtés après des combats, ce sont donc des prisonniers de guerre
> > > > qui ont des devoirs mais aussi des droits/", a ajouté le responsable
> > > > qui s’exprimait sous couvert de l’anonymat. L’armée malienne a
> > reconnu
> > > > avoir attaqué lundi des positions du groupe rebelle touareg dirigé
> > par
> > > > Ibrahim Ag Bahanga, dans le nord du pays, faisant /"des morts/" et
> > > > huit prisonniers.
> > > >
> > > > "/Au cours d’une patrouille, nos troupes dirigées par le colonel
> > > > Mohamed Ould Meydou ont fait un raid contre les positions de Ibrahim
> > > > Ag Bahanga. Dans les rangs des ennemis, il y a eu des morts, des
> > > > blessés et huit prisonniers/", avait déclaré un responsable du
> > > > ministère malien de la Défense. "/Nous sommes prêts à montrer les
> > > > prisonniers à la Croix-Rouge pour montrer qu’ils sont bien traités/",
> > > > a poursuivi la même source.
> > > >
> > > > De source proche de la rébellion touareg, "/l’incident"/ a fait un
> > > > mort de part et d’autre.
> > > >
> > > > L’Alliance pour la démocratie et le changement (ADC), l’appellation
> > > > sous laquelle s’étaient présentés les rebelles touareg du Mali après
> > > > l’attaque le 23 mai 2006 d’un camp militaire à Kidal, avait signé en
> > > > juillet 2006 un accord de paix à Alger avec le gouvernement malien.
> > > >
> > > > Mai l’année suivante, Ibrahim Ag Bahanga, lui aussi signataire de ces
> > > > accords, avait fait dissidence avant d’être suivi par d’autres
> > groupes
> > > > rebelles, entraînant un enlisement du processus de paix.
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > ¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤ To
> > > > unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the
> > Gambia-L
> > > > Web interface at: http://listserv.icors.org/archives/gambia-l.html
> > > >
> > > > To Search in the Gambia-L archives, go to:
> > > > http://listserv.icors.org/SCRIPTS/WA-ICORS.EXE?S1=gambia-l To contact
> > > > the List Management, please send an e-mail to:
> > > > [log in to unmask]
> > > > ¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤
> > > >
> > >
> > > ¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤
> > > To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the
> > Gambia-L Web interface
> > > at: http://listserv.icors.org/archives/gambia-l.html
> > >
> > > To Search in the Gambia-L archives, go to:
> > http://listserv.icors.org/SCRIPTS/WA-ICORS.EXE?S1=gambia-l
> > > To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to:
> > > [log in to unmask]
> > > ¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤
> >
> > ¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤ To
> > unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L
> > Web interface at: http://listserv.icors.org/archives/gambia-l.html
> >
> > To Search in the Gambia-L archives, go to:
> > http://listserv.icors.org/SCRIPTS/WA-ICORS.EXE?S1=gambia-l To contact
> > the List Management, please send an e-mail to:
> > [log in to unmask]
> > ¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤
> >
>
> ¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤
> To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface
> at: http://listserv.icors.org/archives/gambia-l.html
>
> To Search in the Gambia-L archives, go to: http://listserv.icors.org/SCRIPTS/WA-ICORS.EXE?S1=gambia-l
> To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to:
> [log in to unmask]
> ¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤
¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤
To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface
at: http://listserv.icors.org/archives/gambia-l.html
To Search in the Gambia-L archives, go to: http://listserv.icors.org/SCRIPTS/WA-ICORS.EXE?S1=gambia-l
To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to:
[log in to unmask]
¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤