Human rights in Mali: UN expert alerts on shrinking freedoms
While noting "progress" in the process of democratic transition in Mali, Alioune Tine, the independent expert of the United Nations on the situation of human rights in the country, called on Tuesday the transitional government to respect fundamental freedoms, alerting to the "narrowing of civic space".
"A mission in a very tense context." Back from a ten-day visit to Mali, Alioune Tine, the independent expert of the United Nations on the situation of human rights in the country, alert, Tuesday February 21, on the shrinking of fundamental freedoms, deploring a "heavy and unhealthy climate "during his stay.
"Several human rights defenders, journalists, other media professionals ( ... ) have raised taboo subjects which they no longer dare to tackle in the course of their professional activities, for fear of reprisals from the Malian transitional authorities and / or their supporters, in particular on social networks, "reports the expert, citing as an example "allegations of human rights violations or violations attributed to the defense and security forces and their Russian military partners".
According to Alioune Tine, many of these workers now feel threatened in Mali, "considered as 'stateless' or 'enemies of the nation' who would serve as allies to the great foreign powers hostile to the authorities of Mali".
> > Also read : "Mali: the junta expels the director of the human rights division of the Minusma"
Since the coming to power of the military through two coups, in 2020 and 2021, relations between Mali and its Western partners, in the first place France, have deteriorated considerably, resulting in a hasty withdrawal of French forces last summer. Among the reasons for tension, the presence of Wagner's Russian militiamen, strongly criticized by Paris but refuted by the Malian transitional authorities.
More and more displaced populations
On the security front, the expert from the United Nations affirms that the violent extremist groups remain the "principal alleged perpetrators of human rights violations in Mali". The "three borders" region ( Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger ) is still the epicenter of insecurity, "although the rest of the country is not spared either," he said.
This phenomenon is reflected in particular by the increase in the number of displaced persons and that of school closings. Two indicators which would have increased by 3.90% and 7% respectively in the last five months, according to the expert.
"Progress" in the transition
If there are many reasons for concern, Alioune Tine welcomes "progress" in the democratic transition promised by the military junta, which should allow the return of a civilian government by 2024. He particularly welcomed the establishment in December 2022 of a commission responsible for finalizing the draft Constitution, while calling on the authorities to "more inclusion" towards "some political parties who feel excluded from the transition process".
On the question of human rights, the expert also cites some progress in the field of justice, in particular on reparation for the damage caused by serious human rights violations, and welcomes the recent conviction of the author of an attack against peacekeepers.
Another positive development pointed out by the expert: the drop in human rights violations and violations by 7.46 %, documented by Minusma – the UN mission in Mali – during the last quarter of 2022.
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