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| Africa North |
| Malians protest jihadists' return |
| 2013-08-29 |
| [MAGHAREBIA] Hundreds of young Malians on Sunday (August 25th) erupted into the streets to demonstrate their anger at the return of some former jihadists to Gao. "People of the north are still shaken by fear and they will never forget what they have experienced with the Islamists. So, their reaction is quite understandable, especially since we just heard about the merger of MUJAO and Belmokhtar's gang," Gao teacher Habib Sidibé said. "This return triggers serious concerns within a traumatised population due to nearly a year of reign by terror groups," Malian journalist Ibou Samaké said. He added that the people of Gao would "never forget the serious abuses sustained by their kin because of the application of Sharia law". "The people of Gao are very wary of the return of those brothers who took up arms against them. They do not trust these Malians who fought in the ranks of the 'enlightened', against their country," Journal du Mali news hound Augustin Fodou said. "The youth erupted into the streets to express their anger against the inaction of Malian authorities in the face of the return of former jihadists to the city of Gao," Fodou said. According to Foudou, "the population alerted police and the gendarmerie and asked them to catch these people who resurfaced after several months of silence". "They are basically jihadists from MUJAO who terrorised the city for months last year and who had taken refuge outside the Malian territory," he added. A resident of Gao contacted by RFI said, "We noted the return of some (elements) who were armed during the occupation. We knew them very well. They were our neighbours, our companions for years so we knew them very well." "We informed the authorities several times but they did not react. They are happy to take money and release them... There is too much impunity here; it wears us down. We need the gendarmerie and the police to do their jobs properly," the resident added. "They returned in civilian clothes and strut around as if nothing had happened. In addition, some of the allies of the mujahideen, who were locked away You have the right to remain silent... by the police, were released in return for money. That is why we marched to denounce this situation," organisers of the demonstrations noted. The protestors threatened, "If regional authorities do not get involved to stop the return of the allies of Islamists into the city within three days, we will assault them physically ourselves." "These jihadists have demonstrated sufficient fanaticism and the capacity for harm that goes with it," Gao resident Ali Traore said. "They participated in atrocities against the population. Under these conditions, it is difficult to ask these people to welcome them with open arms. Yet despite this, Mali should not necessarily reject these former Malian jihadists who are returning home. It must try to integrate them," he added. |
| Posted by:Fred |