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Last week’s coup — Mali’s second in eight years — followed months of protests calling for Ibrahim Boubacar Keita to resign as public discontent with the government grew over the collapsing economy and a brutal Islamist insurgency.
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“The junta has affirmed that it wants a three-year transition to review the foundations of the Malian state. This transition will be directed by a body led by a soldier, who will also be head of state,” a source in the ECOWAS delegation told AFP after talks with the junta.
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“The government will also be predominantly composed of soldiers” under the proposal, the source said on condition of anonymity.
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A junta official confirmed to AFP that “the three-year transition would have a military president and a government mostly composed of soldiers”.
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The source and the official added that the soldiers have agreed to free Keita, detained along with other political leaders since the coup on Tuesday, and he would be able to return to his home in the capital Bamako.
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“And if he wants to travel abroad for (medical) treatment, that is not a problem,” said the source from ECOWAS, which stands for the Economic Community of West African States.
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Prime minister Boubou Cisse, who has been held with Keita at a military base outside the capital where the coup began, would be moved to a secure residence in the city.
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While the coup was met with international condemnation, thousands of opposition supporters celebrated the president’s ouster in the streets of Bamako.
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– Talks in Bamako –
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“The junta has affirmed that it wants a three-year transition to review the foundations of the Malian state. This transition will be directed by a body led by a soldier, who will also be head of state,” a source in the ECOWAS delegation told AFP after talks with the junta.
.
“The government will also be predominantly composed of soldiers” under the proposal, the source said on condition of anonymity.
.
A junta official confirmed to AFP that “the three-year transition would have a military president and a government mostly composed of soldiers”.
.
The source and the official added that the soldiers have agreed to free Keita, detained along with other political leaders since the coup on Tuesday, and he would be able to return to his home in the capital Bamako.
.
“And if he wants to travel abroad for (medical) treatment, that is not a problem,” said the source from ECOWAS, which stands for the Economic Community of West African States.
.
Prime minister Boubou Cisse, who has been held with Keita at a military base outside the capital where the coup began, would be moved to a secure residence in the city.
.
While the coup was met with international condemnation, thousands of opposition supporters celebrated the president’s ouster in the streets of Bamako.
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– Talks in Bamako –
The junta has said it “completed the work” of the protesters and has vowed to stage elections “within a reasonable time”.
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However, Mali’s neighbours have called for Keita to be reinstated, saying the purpose of the visit by the delegation from the regional ECOWAS bloc was to help “ensure the immediate return of constitutional order”.
@punchnewspapers
Interesting
ReplyDeleteWhen the citizens protected, their leader turned deaf ears to the cries. Now that they have taken it by force thru the military, the international organisations are complaining. I wish them well.
ReplyDeleteI said it that this will bring more chaos to Mali..
ReplyDeleteWow!
ReplyDeletenigeria leave Mali to solve their problems while you face ours at home. it is sad to see any military rule in this day and age but if that is what will liberate the people from their stubborn sit tight curruption riddled african leaders then so be it.
ReplyDeleteWhat were they expecting, you want the military to help you for free? Lol
ReplyDeleteThey better pray that those three years don't turn into ten years. One step forward, ten steps backwards