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Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Mali dissolves all political parties after opposition figures ‘arrested'
Mali's military government has dissolved all political parties after accusations from rights groups that opposition figures have been arrested. Assimi Goita, who seized power in two army coups in 2020 and 2021, validated the decision after it was broadcast to Malians in a televised statement on Tuesday. The parties were disbanded after demonstrations this month, demanding the country returned to democratic rule. Protesters gathered on May 3 and 4, carrying placards with slogans reading, 'Down with dictatorship, long live democracy,' in a rare public rebuke of the military government, which had promised to hold elections in 2022. A national conference held in April recommended extending Goita's presidency until 2030, drawing condemnation from opposition figures and human rights groups. In response to another protest that had been planned on Friday, the military government issued a decree suspending all political activities across the country. The move forced opposition groups to cancel the demonstration, and the government has now tightened its grip further. The clampdown has coincided with reports of disappearances of opposition figures. Human rights groups said several politicians have been forcibly disappeared in recent days. On Thursday, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said Abba Alhassane, the secretary-general of the Convergence for the Development of Mali (CODEM), was 'arrested' by 'masked gunmen'. That same day, El Bachir Thiam, the leader of the Yelema party, was reportedly seized by unidentified men in Kati, a town outside the capital. On Tuesday, a CODEM member speaking on condition of anonymity told the Reuters news agency that the party had lost contact with Abdoul Karim Traore, a youth leader, and feared he too had been abducted. Malian authorities have not commented on the reported arrests. Goita first seized power in August 2020 amid escalating attacks from armed groups affiliated with ISIL (ISIS) and al-Qaeda's regional affiliate Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM). In July 2020, protests against the former civilian government were violently repressed with at least 14 people killed during a crackdown by security forces. The military then ousted the elected government, citing its failure to tackle the armed groups. In December last year, HRW reported that Malian soldiers alongside Russian Wagner Group fighters 'deliberately killed' at least 32 civilians and burned more than 100 homes in central and northern Mali.
Al Jazeera
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
Mali dissolves all political parties after opposition figures ‘arrested'
Mali's military government has dissolved all political parties after accusations from rights groups that opposition figures have been arrested. Assimi Goita, who seized power in two army coups in 2020 and 2021, validated the decision after it was broadcast to Malians in a televised statement on Tuesday. The parties were disbanded after demonstrations this month, demanding the country returned to democratic rule. Protesters gathered on May 3 and 4, carrying placards with slogans reading, 'Down with dictatorship, long live democracy,' in a rare public rebuke of the military government, which had promised to hold elections in 2022. A national conference held in April recommended extending Goita's presidency until 2030, drawing condemnation from opposition figures and human rights groups. In response to another protest that had been planned on Friday, the military government issued a decree suspending all political activities across the country. The move forced opposition groups to cancel the demonstration, and the government has now tightened its grip further. The clampdown has coincided with reports of disappearances of opposition figures. Human rights groups said several politicians have been forcibly disappeared in recent days. On Thursday, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said Abba Alhassane, the secretary-general of the Convergence for the Development of Mali (CODEM), was 'arrested' by 'masked gunmen'. That same day, El Bachir Thiam, the leader of the Yelema party, was reportedly seized by unidentified men in Kati, a town outside the capital. On Tuesday, a CODEM member speaking on condition of anonymity told the Reuters news agency that the party had lost contact with Abdoul Karim Traore, a youth leader, and feared he too had been abducted. Malian authorities have not commented on the reported arrests. Goita first seized power in August 2020 amid escalating attacks from armed groups affiliated with ISIL (ISIS) and al-Qaeda's regional affiliate Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM). In July 2020, protests against the former civilian government were violently repressed with at least 14 people killed during a crackdown by security forces. The military then ousted the elected government, citing its failure to tackle the armed groups. In December last year, HRW reported that Malian soldiers alongside Russian Wagner Group fighters 'deliberately killed' at least 32 civilians and burned more than 100 homes in central and northern Mali.
Straits Times
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
Mali's military rulers formally dissolve political parties
FILE PHOTO: Interim President of the Republic of Mali, Assimi Goita, arrives at Beijing Capital International Airport ahead of the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in Beijing, China, Sep. 1, 2024. Ken Ishii/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo BAMAKO - Mali's military government announced on Tuesday that it had dissolved all political parties, approving a recommendation publicised last month that spurred unprecedented protests in the capital, Bamako. A statement read on state television said the decision had been validated by military leader Assimi Goita, who seized power in the West African country after coups in 2020 and 2021. Last month, a national conference of political actors in Mali recommended naming Goita as president with a five-year mandate as well as dissolving the parties. In protests in Bamako on May 3 and May 4, several hundred critics carried placards displaying messages calling for multi-party elections and chanted slogans such as: "Down with dictatorship, long live democracy." The junta originally committed to holding elections in February 2022. Ahead of another planned protest on May 9, Mali suspended political activities across the country, forcing the opposition parties to call off their gathering. Meanwhile, three opposition politicians are feared to have been abducted in recent days, according to party officials and human rights activists, raising fears of mounting repression. Human Rights Watch said in a statement last week that Abba Alhassane, secretary general of the Convergence for the Development of Mali (CODEM), was arrested by "masked gunmen claiming to be gendarmes" on May 8. The group also said "unidentified men" seized El Bachir Thiam, leader of the Yelema party, in the town of Kati outside Bamako on the same day. On Tuesday, a member of CODEM, speaking on condition of anonymity for safety reasons, told Reuters that the party had not heard from Abdoul Karim Traore, a party youth leader, for two days and feared he had been abducted too. Mali's security ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Tuesday. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Reuters
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Reuters
Mali's military rulers formally dissolve political parties
BAMAKO, May 13 (Reuters) - Mali's military government announced on Tuesday that it had dissolved all political parties, approving a recommendation publicised last month that spurred unprecedented protests in the capital, Bamako. A statement read on state television said the decision had been validated by military leader Assimi Goita, who seized power in the West African country after coups in 2020 and 2021. Last month, a national conference of political actors in Mali recommended naming Goita as president with a five-year mandate as well as dissolving the parties. In protests in Bamako on May 3 and May 4, several hundred critics carried placards displaying messages calling for multi-party elections and chanted slogans such as: "Down with dictatorship, long live democracy." The junta originally committed to holding elections in February 2022. Ahead of another planned protest on May 9, Mali suspended political activities across the country, forcing the opposition parties to call off their gathering. Meanwhile, three opposition politicians are feared to have been abducted in recent days, according to party officials and human rights activists, raising fears of mounting repression. Human Rights Watch said in a statement last week that Abba Alhassane, secretary general of the Convergence for the Development of Mali (CODEM), was arrested by "masked gunmen claiming to be gendarmes" on May 8. The group also said "unidentified men" seized El Bachir Thiam, leader of the Yelema party, in the town of Kati outside Bamako on the same day. On Tuesday, a member of CODEM, speaking on condition of anonymity for safety reasons, told Reuters that the party had not heard from Abdoul Karim Traore, a party youth leader, for two days and feared he had been abducted too. Mali's security ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Tuesday.
