The United Nations recently released a report detailing the current humanitarian situation in Mali, where 500 civilians have died between January and March of this year. Attacks from both the military and terrorist groups have worsened the already intense security circumstances. This 324% rise in the death toll is extremely worrying, and the United Nations has pledged to launch investigations into crimes committed by both Malian military forces and terrorist groups around the country. However, the government has denied this request.
The United Nations’ Malian Mission, or MINUSMA, has registered 320 human rights violations by the Malian military in the first quarter of this year, which is a substantial rise from 31 violations in the previous quarter. These human rights violations have also revealed the Malian military junta’s inability to stop terrorism. Groups associated with al-Qaeda and the Islamic State have carried out attacks as the violence continues to rise.
The Malian military has had a significant hand in shaping both domestic and foreign policy, but has garnered even more authority in government since the coup in August 2020. As a result, former president Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta was forced to resign, turning over power to the military leaders.
The coup initially began with civilian protests in June 2020, when protestors called for President Keïta to resign, but turned violent on August 18th, 2020, when soldiers allegedly began firing bullets into the air. However, this coup is not the first in Mali’s history. The military also successfully carried out a coup d’état and took control of the government in 2012.
Political and civil unrest emerged following the French’s exit from the country after independence as corruption and terrorism became widespread. In order to control the civilian population, the military – and its subcontractors, such as Wagner Group, a private military contractor from Russia – responded to these attacks with violence.
Instability in Mali has created the perfect breeding ground for both corruption and terrorism, which will continue to hinder both peace and economic growth in the country and ultimately create more instability. In order to disrupt this vicious cycle, reform in all governmental departments will be necessary.
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