Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09BAMAKO53
2009-01-27 09:01:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Bamako
Cable title:  

LOCAL ELECTIONS, LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES, AND

Tags:  PGOV PREL KDEM ASEC 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO5703
RR RUEHPA
DE RUEHBP #0053/01 0270901
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 270901Z JAN 09
FM AMEMBASSY BAMAKO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9945
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RUEHAS/AMEMBASSY ALGIERS 0545
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 BAMAKO 000053 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/13/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM ASEC
SUBJECT: LOCAL ELECTIONS, LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES, AND
TUAREGS: A VIEW FROM THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

REF: A. 07 BAMAKO 01336

B. BAMAKO 00027

C. 08 BAMAKO 00968

D. 07 BAMAKO 00369

E. 07 BAMAKO 00786

Classified By: Political Officer Aaron Sampson, Embassy Bamako,
for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 BAMAKO 000053

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/13/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM ASEC
SUBJECT: LOCAL ELECTIONS, LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES, AND
TUAREGS: A VIEW FROM THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

REF: A. 07 BAMAKO 01336

B. BAMAKO 00027

C. 08 BAMAKO 00968

D. 07 BAMAKO 00369

E. 07 BAMAKO 00786

Classified By: Political Officer Aaron Sampson, Embassy Bamako,
for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)

1.(C) Summary: National Assembly President Diouncounda
Traore met with the Ambassador on January 22 to discuss
legislative priorities for the Assembly's next session in
April and the upcoming local elections currently scheduled
for April 26. As the president of the Assembly and Mali's
largest political party, Traore is among the early front
runners to replace President Amadou Toumani Toure in 2012.
Traore expressed skepticism about whether Mali would be able
to respect the compressed electoral timeline recently
articulated by Minister of Territorial Administration
Kafougouna Kone. He was optimistic about the chances of
passing Mali's amended Family Code, which has been pending
since the late 1990s, but admitted that the Assembly had yet
to receive the final draft of the revised law from the
Presidency. Traore also discussed Tuareg rebel leader
Ibrahim Bahanga's December foray into Traore's hometown of
Nara in western Mali. Finally, Traore expressed interest in
renewed exchanges with U.S. legislators at either the state
or national level. Also attending the meeting were the
Assembly's 3rd vice-president Ousmane Bah, Chair of the
Assembly's Foreign Affairs Committee Amadou Bouare, and
Traore's diplomatic advisor. End Summary.

--------------
Legislative Priorities for 2009
--------------

2.(U) During a January 22 meeting with the Ambassador,
National Assembly President and leader of Mali's largest
political party, the Alliance for Democracy in Mali (ADEMA),
Diouncounda Traore, congratulated the U.S. and the American
people for the January 20 inauguration of President Obama.
Traore said Mali saw the U.S. in a new light and that
President Obama's election provided a "fantastic" lesson in
democracy. Traore expressed hope that President Obama's
inauguration would "open a new era" for both the U.S. and the
world.

3.(U) Traore said priorities for the next legislative

session, which begins in April, included passing a bill
abolishing the death penalty and ratifying Mali's
controversial Family Code. The death penalty abolition bill
has been tabled for three consecutive legislative sessions,
beginning in the fall of 2007, due in large part to
opposition from Muslim leaders. Traore acknowledged that
passing the abolition bill would be a challenge, but said it
enjoyed the support of President Amadou Toumani Toure.

4.(U) Revising the Family Code was the only other piece of
legislation Traore identified as a priority for the April
session. Revisions to Mali's Family Code, which dates from
1962 and severely disadvantages women and children, have been
pending since the late 1990s. President Toure has repeatedly
expressed support for a revised family code. The draft
revisions, however, reportedly remain somewhere within the
Presidency. Traore described the Family Code revisions as
"extremely sensitive and extremely important" and said the
changes would inject a bit more justice and equality into
relations between men and women. Previous attempts to amend
the Family Code have been blocked by Muslim leaders. Traore,
however, said women also posed a considerable obstacle and
claimed that many Malian women were also opposed to changing
the Family Code.

5.(U) When asked if the Assembly had a timeline for passage
of the Family Code, the Assembly's 3rd vice-president Dr.
Ousmane Bah said the Presidency had yet to pass the text of
the revised Code to the National Assembly. Traore then added
that the Assembly would study the text once it is delivered
and predicted that passage will "not pose as much trouble" as
the abolition of the death penalty bill. We have,
unfortunately, seen no signs indicating that the Presidency
intends to submit the Family Code bill to the Assembly any
time soon.

--------------
April Elections, Maybe
--------------

6.(C) Turning to the April 26 local elections, Traore said
he was "rather skeptical" of the feasibility of election date
recently set by Minister of Territorial Administration

BAMAKO 00000053 002 OF 003


Kafougouna Kone (Ref. B). "We will see," said Traore. He
noted that Mali's electoral law requires the government to
formally fix the election day 60 days in advance, which would
give the Ministry of Territorial Administration until late
February to revisit the timeline previously articulated by
Minister Kone. Traore expressed concern with the slow pace
of Mali's national census and ID project known as RAVEC,
which was supposed to have been completed in advance of the
2009 local elections but now likely won't be completed until
late 2009 at the earliest. "We don't know," he said, "how
that is going to go."

7.(C) Traore identified the lack of continuity as one of
Mali's main electoral weaknesses. He said Mali would benefit
from a permanent institution responsible for organizing
elections and said the Independent National Electoral
Commissions (CENI) organized prior to elections each involved
different individuals with different interests, levels of
experience and competence. This results, said Traore, in a
lack of institutional memory.

--------------
Tuareg Rebels Are Nice
--------------

8.(C) Traore, who is from the town of Nara in the northern
portion of the region of Koulikoro, briefly discussed Tuareg
rebel leader Ibrahim Bahanga's incursion into Koulikoro in
December 2008 (Ref. C). "They were nice enough," said Traore
of Bahanga and his band of rebels in reference to their
decision to briefly set up camp on the outskirts of Nara.
Traore credited the rebels with "behaving like citizens" and
said they purchased supplies at a local market - after having
stolen a vehicle and fuel the day before - just like every
other Malian. "What is curious," Traore continued, "is that
a lot of Tuaregs leading the violence are elected officials."
Bahanga was elected to Mali's second house of parliament,
the High Council of Collectivities (HCC),in 2007 as one of
the representatives from Kidal along with rebel Alliance for
Democracy and Change leader Iyad ag Ghali (Ref. D). While ag
Ghali has attended some HCC sessions, Bahanga has yet to
travel to Bamako to assume his official duties as an HCC
member. Two other ADC leaders - spokesman Ahamda ag Bibi and
"finance secretary" Deity ag Sidamou - were elected to the
National Assembly in 2007 (Ref. E). There is a development
deficit in northern Mali, said Traore, but Tuareg unrest
creates a vicious circle because to correct the development
deficit, one needs security.

--------------
More Legislative Exchange Programs
--------------

9.(U) Traore, vice-president Bah and Foreign Affairs
Committee Chair Bouare were eager for exchange programs with
U.S. legislatures. We strongly support this idea, both as a
way of solidifying nearly two decades of democratic progress
in Mali and increasing the effectiveness of Mali's National
Assembly. Bouare, who is leading a group of three National
Assembly Deputies to the U.S. in February, is hopeful that
his delegation will have the opportunity to meet with some
members of the U.S. Senate or House of Representatives. We
have forwarded a copy of Bouare's letter to the desk for help
in arranging potential consultations while Bouare and his
colleagues are in Washington.

--------------
Comment: Priorities
--------------

10.(C) While many Malians do not regard Traore as the most
adept politician, as the president of ADEMA and the National
Assembly, Traore is among the early front runners to replace
President Amadou Toumani Toure in 2012. His candid
assessment of the feasibility of April 26 local elections
corresponds with recent assessments by other Malian political
leaders. His call for a more permanent electoral institution
was somewhat unclear given that elections in Mali are
organized and administered by the General Election Delegation
(DGE) which reports directly to Minister Kone at the Ministry
of Territorial Administration. Unlike the CENI, which is
theoretically independent and run by civilians, the top two
officials at the DGE are both active duty military Colonels
and Minister Kone retains his rank as a military General.
The office within the DGE that manages Mali's controversial
electoral list database - the same database the national
census program RAVEC was supposed to revise before the local
elections - is also managed by military officers.

11.(C) It does not sound like either of Traore's main
priorities for the April legislative session, the Family Code

BAMAKO 00000053 003 OF 003


and death penalty abolition, are likely to even reach the
Assembly floor for a vote. The Family Code delay is
attributable not to the Assembly but the Presidency, which
has so far failed to release the revised text. As a result,
National Assembly Deputies, women's' rights advocates, and
Muslim leaders are left to debate a document which no one has
actually read. It is difficult to see how the debate over
the Family Code can advance absent the actual document.

12.(U) Our priority, in so far as the National Assembly is
concerned, is supporting Assembly Deputies' desire for
greater exchanges with legislatures and legislators in the
United States. We believe these exchanges will be greatly
beneficial both to Mali and the United States.
MILOVANOVIC