Mali peace process on track

2008-07-23 12:03

Bamako - After recent flare ups and clashes between the Malian army and Tuareg rebels in Northern Mali the peace process was revived this week in what is seen as a spectacular return of mediator Algeria.

On Monday, Bamako and Tuareg nomad rebels fighting for more autonomy signed an agreement in Algiers that gives the opposing sides until August 15 to put their promises into action.

They have committed to end attacks, to free Tuareg prisoners and Malian soldiers taken hostage, de-mine certain areas and agreed on the return of Tuareg refugees, but the coming three weeks will be make or break.

The Tuareg are a nomadic people who have roamed the southern Sahara for centuries. They have staged uprisings in recent years in both Mali and neighbouring Niger claiming autonomy for their traditional homeland.

Under the terms of the 2006 peace agreements, the Tuaregs were to give up their claim for regional autonomy, while the Malian government was to speed up development in the northern regions.

In late 2007 violence flared up again in northern Mali with frequent clashes between various rebel groups and the army.

Tuareg rebels are currently holding 92 Malian soldiers and three gendarmes hostage. The Malian army has detained an unknown number of rebels who it has also agreed to set free under the deal. Warning sounded

"We will fight extremists from all sides who could be tempted to violate the agreement," Algerian ambassador to Mali Abdelkrim Ghrieb warned in an interview with AFP.

Malian journalist Tiegoum Boubeye Maiga, who has followed the crisis in Northern Mali closely, said that Algeria has now put its credibility on the line for the deal.

"They will do everything in their power to make sure both sides respect the cease fire. We will see more of the stick than of the carrot in this sense," he explained.

In April Algeria decided to suspend its mediation efforts in the crisis after criticism of its role in some Malian media and efforts by Libya to mediate as well.

When Algiers pulled out the situation on the ground deteriorated, new Tuareg rebel groups formed and in May the rebels launched their most deadly attack in years on a Malian army camp in the north.

Official reports said 15 soldiers and 17 rebels died in the attack in Abeibara.

- AFP