Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09BAMAKO69
2009-02-02 14:15:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Bamako
Cable title:
FROM THE LIBYAN PEOPLE: A TUAREG "DISARMAMENT"
how-toVZCZCXRO0864 RR RUEHPA DE RUEHBP #0069 0331415 ZNY CCCCC ZZH R 021415Z FEB 09 FM AMEMBASSY BAMAKO TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9977 INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE RUEHAS/AMEMBASSY ALGIERS 0555 RHMFISS/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE
C O N F I D E N T I A L BAMAKO 000069
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/02/2019
TAGS: PGOV PREL ASEC ML
SUBJECT: FROM THE LIBYAN PEOPLE: A TUAREG "DISARMAMENT"
PHOTO-OP NEAR GAO
REF: 08 BAMAKO 00305
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 BAMAKO 000069
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/02/2019
TAGS: PGOV PREL ASEC ML
SUBJECT: FROM THE LIBYAN PEOPLE: A TUAREG "DISARMAMENT"
PHOTO-OP NEAR GAO
REF: 08 BAMAKO 00305
Classified By: Political Officer Aaron Sampson, Embassy Bamako,
for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1.(C) Summary: Approximately 140 Idnane Tuaregs symbolically
disarmed and incinerated their weapons on January 19 in the
town of Bourem north of Gao. The Malian press, which has a
tendency to conflate the various groups of northern Malian
Tuaregs, compared the ceremony to the 1996 Flame of Peace
ceremony that marked the end of northern Mali's 1991-1996
rebellion and portrayed the January 19 ceremony in Bourem as
a significant victory in the Malian government's battle
against Tuareg rebel Ibrahim ag Bahanga. In truth, very few
of the Idnane Tuaregs who "disarmed" at Bourem were involved
in skirmishes with the Malian army in 2008, and most were
likely never connected to either the Tuareg rebel Alliance
for Democracy and Change (ADC) or Bahanga's Northern Mali
Tuareg Alliance for Change (ATNMC). As a result, the
ceremony was largely a photo-op designed to show support for
those supportive of a peaceful resolution to the Tuareg
conflict. Not coincidentally, the same Idnane leaders who
organized the January 19 ceremony traveled to Libya a week
later as guests of Muammar Qadhafi. End Summary
--------------
First the Photo-Op, Then the Trip to Tripoli
--------------
2.(U) On January 19, 2009, 140 Idnane Tuaregs "disarmed" and
incinerated their weapons in a bonfire in the town of Bourem
north of Gao. The ceremony was designed to mimic the 1996
Flame of Peace in Timbuktu, which effectively ended northern
Mali's 1991-1996 rebellion and enjoyed the participation of
every rebel faction. This 2009 event involved just one group
of Malian Tuaregs led by Ahmed ag Boya, a community leader
and Customs Inspector; Mohamed ag Erlaf, a former Malian
government Minister and currently Director of the Malian
Agency for Local Investment; and Eghless ag Oufene. Some
Malian press reports also claimed that the 140 Idnanes
previously belonged to Bahanga's ATNMC and therefore dealt
Bahanga a serious blow by burning their weapons and
supporting the Malian government's negotiation efforts.
3.(U) "On Tuesday we deposed, without condition, our arms,"
ag Oufene told the media, "because we wanted to accept the
hand outstretched by the President of the Republic, Amadou
Toumani Toure. There are 140 of us, and we are all from the
Idnane tribe, and we want peace for our country." Other
notable participants included the Governor of Gao, General
Amadou Baba Toure, and Libya's Consul to Mali, Moussa Koni.
Malian television covered the ceremony on January 21.
4.(C) Neither ag Boya nor ag Erlaf have been involved in
current Tuareg unrest. Ag Oufene used work as an accountant
for a UN funded agricultural development program in Kidal
until March 2008 when he left with a cash box and a project
vehicle to lead a failed attack on the Malian military
outpost in Aguelhok that left seven children wounded (Ref.
A). Ag Oufene, however, is distinct from both the ADC and
the ATNMC and likely represents few, if any, actual Tuareg
rebels. Idnanes who are associated with the Tuareg rebellion
are led by National Assembly Deputy and renowned trafficker
Deity ag Sidamou and Baye ag Hamdi. No members of this
Idnane group participated in the disarmament ceremony. Libya
reportedly provided as much as 50 million CFA or USD 100,000
to support the ceremony. On January 26 the ag Erlaf, ag
Boya, ag Oufene and other Idnane leaders were received by
Qadhafi in Tripoli.
--------------
Comment: A PR Stunt
--------------
5.(C) The "disarmament" of Idnane Tuaregs north of Gao was
clearly a PR stunt. Less clear is whether this stunt was
organized by Qadhafi, or the Government of Mali, or some
combination of the two. The event generated some positive
press for Mali, presuming those reading the news reports or
watching Malian TV are unable to differentiate between
Tuaregs comprising the rebel movement and other Tuaregs who
have remained on the sidelines. Libya's evident involvement
also indicated that Qadhafi is still seeking, despite
Algeria's place as Mali's preferred mediator, to reinforce
his image as the Sahara's principal peace-maker.
MILOVANOVIC
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/02/2019
TAGS: PGOV PREL ASEC ML
SUBJECT: FROM THE LIBYAN PEOPLE: A TUAREG "DISARMAMENT"
PHOTO-OP NEAR GAO
REF: 08 BAMAKO 00305
Classified By: Political Officer Aaron Sampson, Embassy Bamako,
for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1.(C) Summary: Approximately 140 Idnane Tuaregs symbolically
disarmed and incinerated their weapons on January 19 in the
town of Bourem north of Gao. The Malian press, which has a
tendency to conflate the various groups of northern Malian
Tuaregs, compared the ceremony to the 1996 Flame of Peace
ceremony that marked the end of northern Mali's 1991-1996
rebellion and portrayed the January 19 ceremony in Bourem as
a significant victory in the Malian government's battle
against Tuareg rebel Ibrahim ag Bahanga. In truth, very few
of the Idnane Tuaregs who "disarmed" at Bourem were involved
in skirmishes with the Malian army in 2008, and most were
likely never connected to either the Tuareg rebel Alliance
for Democracy and Change (ADC) or Bahanga's Northern Mali
Tuareg Alliance for Change (ATNMC). As a result, the
ceremony was largely a photo-op designed to show support for
those supportive of a peaceful resolution to the Tuareg
conflict. Not coincidentally, the same Idnane leaders who
organized the January 19 ceremony traveled to Libya a week
later as guests of Muammar Qadhafi. End Summary
--------------
First the Photo-Op, Then the Trip to Tripoli
--------------
2.(U) On January 19, 2009, 140 Idnane Tuaregs "disarmed" and
incinerated their weapons in a bonfire in the town of Bourem
north of Gao. The ceremony was designed to mimic the 1996
Flame of Peace in Timbuktu, which effectively ended northern
Mali's 1991-1996 rebellion and enjoyed the participation of
every rebel faction. This 2009 event involved just one group
of Malian Tuaregs led by Ahmed ag Boya, a community leader
and Customs Inspector; Mohamed ag Erlaf, a former Malian
government Minister and currently Director of the Malian
Agency for Local Investment; and Eghless ag Oufene. Some
Malian press reports also claimed that the 140 Idnanes
previously belonged to Bahanga's ATNMC and therefore dealt
Bahanga a serious blow by burning their weapons and
supporting the Malian government's negotiation efforts.
3.(U) "On Tuesday we deposed, without condition, our arms,"
ag Oufene told the media, "because we wanted to accept the
hand outstretched by the President of the Republic, Amadou
Toumani Toure. There are 140 of us, and we are all from the
Idnane tribe, and we want peace for our country." Other
notable participants included the Governor of Gao, General
Amadou Baba Toure, and Libya's Consul to Mali, Moussa Koni.
Malian television covered the ceremony on January 21.
4.(C) Neither ag Boya nor ag Erlaf have been involved in
current Tuareg unrest. Ag Oufene used work as an accountant
for a UN funded agricultural development program in Kidal
until March 2008 when he left with a cash box and a project
vehicle to lead a failed attack on the Malian military
outpost in Aguelhok that left seven children wounded (Ref.
A). Ag Oufene, however, is distinct from both the ADC and
the ATNMC and likely represents few, if any, actual Tuareg
rebels. Idnanes who are associated with the Tuareg rebellion
are led by National Assembly Deputy and renowned trafficker
Deity ag Sidamou and Baye ag Hamdi. No members of this
Idnane group participated in the disarmament ceremony. Libya
reportedly provided as much as 50 million CFA or USD 100,000
to support the ceremony. On January 26 the ag Erlaf, ag
Boya, ag Oufene and other Idnane leaders were received by
Qadhafi in Tripoli.
--------------
Comment: A PR Stunt
--------------
5.(C) The "disarmament" of Idnane Tuaregs north of Gao was
clearly a PR stunt. Less clear is whether this stunt was
organized by Qadhafi, or the Government of Mali, or some
combination of the two. The event generated some positive
press for Mali, presuming those reading the news reports or
watching Malian TV are unable to differentiate between
Tuaregs comprising the rebel movement and other Tuaregs who
have remained on the sidelines. Libya's evident involvement
also indicated that Qadhafi is still seeking, despite
Algeria's place as Mali's preferred mediator, to reinforce
his image as the Sahara's principal peace-maker.
MILOVANOVIC