How is the interim agreement reached between dozos and jihadists in Niono’s circle analyzed? A wise observer, researcher and director of the Center for Analysis on Governance and Security in the Sahel, Boubacar Ba delivers his analysis. “A strategic state must adapt to the situation,” he explains.
The circle of Niono in the region of Ségou in central Mali, where the village of Farabougou is located, has been living under the yoke of jihadists for almost six months. But on Sunday night, these jihadist fighters from Katiba Macina, linked to al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, has reached a ceasefire agreement with the traditional dozo hunters who strive to secure the populations but are also accused of abusing the Fulani community. An agreement was found in the circle of Niono between traditional dozo hunters and jihadists.
Under this agreement, the inhabitants of the circle can now move freely, walk in the fields or sell their cattle; the release of Dozo prisoners and permission for the jihadists to go and preach in the villages are also provided for in the agreement negotiated under the leadership of the High Islamic Council in Mali. At present, this ceasefire is only valid for one month, it is time for the authorities to investigate the claims of all two parties.
Boubacar Ba is a researcher and director of the Center for Analysis on Governance and Security in the Sahel. He closely monitors the security situation and the mediation initiatives at the center. This early agreement seems viable to him: “We can believe it because in central Mali, both Mopti and Ségou, there have already been agreements with intermediaries. What is interesting this time is that the representatives of the dozos came with them from the High Islamic Council and people with documented resources who discussed with the jihadists from Katiba Macina, the real mujahedin, and who agreed on the detailed rules of conflict management. Each actor came with his conditions, they agreed. I think there has been an overall modus operandi that they can agree on for a period of one month. ”
Farabougou, a renunciation of Bamako?
However, the Katiba Macina jihadists have one main demand: they ask the Malian army to leave the village of Farabougou within a month. Otherwise, the ceasefire ends. A requirement that is very difficult in advance for the national authorities to meet … ”This is a request which is apparently difficult from the point of view of the Malian state. It’s hard to ask for the state to leave a space coming out of the territory, but now that you see where you can look for months of embargo, kidnappings, threats, deaths … I think a strategic state must take into account the environment and in particular look at the conditions that the peoples suffer from. He must be able to understand and adapt to a situation that may change in the coming months and years. ”
Would this not be considered a waiver by the Malian state to exercise its authority over the entire territory? “This may seem like a waiver, but let’s analyze the balance of power: today in this area, from Farabougou to the Mauritanian border, it is the mujahedin who control, it is those who define the rules of government who dictate their laws. So it’s hard, I admit, but there are always opportunities for adaptability and creating conditions for the state to come back, but with confidence. ”
Asked by RFI, the Ministry of National Reconciliation did not want to speak at this stage. He said he still had to analyze the report from the HCI dealers who had been mandated by the authorities.
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