VALUES empower our life

West African chief appeals for decisive action in Mali crisis summit

Under pressure: Malian President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita

Bamako (AFP) - West African leaders held a replacement round of talks on the crisis in Mali on Monday after hearing an urgent appeal for bold action and lasting solutions for the volatile state.

 Heads of the 15-nation Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) called together by video conference four days after a failed bid to mediate between Malian President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita Keita President Mahamadou Issoufou of Niger, the present ECOWAS chair, warned during a speech circulated by his aides that things in Mali challenge them. They need to leave this extraordinary summit with lasting solutions and decisions capable of guaranteeing the steadiness of Mali. It is within the region. 

The video summit lasted for about three hours, and they expected to be followed by a press release later. The Bamako (AFP) - West African leaders held a replacement round of talks on the crisis in Mali on Monday after hearing an urgent appeal for bold action and lasting solutions for the volatile state. Heads of the 15-nation Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) called together by video conference four days after a failed bid to mediate between Malian President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, Keita President Mahamadou Issoufou of Niger, the present ECOWAS chair, warned during a speech circulated by his aides that things in Mali challenge them. 

They need to leave this extraordinary summit with lasting solutions and decisions capable of guaranteeing the steadiness of Mali. It is within the region. The video summit lasted for about three hours, and They expected to be followed by a press release later. The blueprint of the bloc for compromise, pitched last week by five ECOWAS leaders, did not convert the June 5 Movement -- a loose coalition of opposition groups and non-secular leaders that is demanding the resignation of the president.

 Named after the date when anti-Keita protests began, the movement is tapping into deep anger at failures to right the economy, uproot corruption, and roll back a bloody jihadist revolt. They are also incensed at the disputed outcome of long-delayed parliamentary elections in March and April that handed victory to his party. 

An anti-Keita protest on July 10 spiraled into clashes which left 11 dead -- the worst bout of political unrest Mali has seen in years. Successive rallies have rattled grip of the 75-year-old president, stirring fears among neighbors that one among the poorest and most fragile states in West Africa could spiral into chaos.

 - Compromise plan -

The item on agenda of Monday was a report on the mission to Bamako of last Thursday, led by Issoufou, flanked by counterparts from Ghana, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, and Senegal. They suggest an idea for forming a replacement unity government and appointing new constitutional court judges who could potentially re-examine disputed election results.

 Story continues, But the June 5 Movement had already rejected any outcome that not involve his departure, throwing the success of the scheme into doubt. Issoufou on Monday the sacred union of all Malians but stood by the compromise plan. And he reiterated that expulsion Keita was contrary to the democratic rules of ECOWAS. Keita, who spoke next, attacked the protests, consistent with ECOWAS sources. Those that fancy the road want to impose a change of power and perform a creeping coup to threaten the secularism of the country he quoted as saying. 

The figurehead of the June 5 Movement is Mahmoud Dicko, a conservative Saudi-trained imam who has long been an epidemic of his government. He firmly rejected any concession last Thursday. He would like to die as a martyr instead of dying as a traitor, he said. The children who lost their lives (in the protests) they did not lose them for love or money. 

On Sunday, youth members of the June 5 Movement warned they might hike the pressure on Keita after a quick halt within the protests, thanks to expiring after the Muslim festival Eid al-Adha on Friday. After the truce, our actions will resume, harmoniously and without violence, said a youth leader, Abdourahmane Diallo. We have also decided to start a campaign of direct action on August 3, said another young campaigner, Mariama Keita. Keita has come under increasing pressure to finish eight-year-old jihadist conflict. The impoverished nation of 20 million has lost thousands of lives, and They moved many thousands of individuals from their homes, within the face of the presence of French and UN troops. 

But They sparked when the Constitutional Court tossed out the results from the parliamentary elections, benefiting the party. They are sparking protests. Tensions ratcheted up into a crisis on July 10, an anti-Keita rally organized by the June 5 Movement turned violent. The bloc for compromise, pitched last week by five ECOWAS leaders, did not convert the June 5 Movement -- a loose coalition of opposition groups and non-secular leaders is demanding the resignation.

 Named after the date when anti-Keita protests began, the movement is tapping into deep anger at failures to right the economy, uproot corruption, and roll back a bloody jihadist revolt. They are also incensed at the disputed outcome of long-delayed parliamentary elections in March and April that handed victory to his party. An anti-Keita protest on July 10 spiraled into clashes which left 11 dead -- the worst bout of political unrest Mali has seen in years. Successive rallies have rattled the grip of the 75-year-old president, stirring fears among neighbors that one among the poorest and most fragile states in West Africa could spiral into chaos. 

- Compromise plan - The item on agenda of Monday was a report on the last mission of Thursday to Bamako, led by Issoufou, flanked by counterparts from Ghana, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, and Senegal. They suggest an idea for forming a replacement unity government and appointing new constitutional court judges who could potentially re-examine disputed election results. Story continues, But the June 5 Movement had already rejected any outcome that not involve his departure, throwing the success of the scheme into doubt. 

Issoufou on Monday the sacred union of all Malians but stood by the compromise plan. And he reiterated that expulsion Keita was contrary to the democratic rules of ECOWAS. Keita, who spoke next, attacked the protests, consistent with ECOWAS sources. Those that fancy the road want to impose a change of power and perform a creeping coup to threaten the secularism of the country he quoted as saying. 

The figurehead of the June 5 Movement is Mahmoud Dicko, a conservative Saudi-trained imam who has long been an epidemic of his government. He firmly rejected any concession last Thursday. He would like to die as a martyr instead of dying as a traitor, he said. The children who lost their lives (in the protests) they did not lose them for love or money. On Sunday, youth members of the June 5 Movement warned they might hike the pressure on Keita after a quick halt within the protests, thanks to expiring after the Muslim festival Eid al-Adha on Friday. After the truce, our actions will resume, harmoniously and without violence, said a youth leader, Abdourahmane Diallo.

 We have also decided to start a campaign of direct action on August 3, said another young campaigner, Mariama Keita. Keita has come under increasing pressure to finish eight-year-old jihadist conflict. They removed The impoverished nation of 20 million, has lost thousands of lives, and many thousands of individuals from their homes, within the face of the presence of French and UN troops.

 But They sparked when the Constitutional Court tossed out the results from the parliamentary elections, benefiting his party. They are sparking protests. Tensions ratcheted up into a crisis on July 10, an anti-Keita rally organized by the June 5 Movement turned violent.