Path to Restoring Mali’s Democracy Set Back, Says Politician

A prominent politician in Mali says the ongoing military crisis is a distraction to the aim of restoring constitutional rule in the West African nation.

Niankoro Yeah Samake, leader of the Party for Patriotic and Civic Action (PACP) called for unity among sections of the military after he expressed disappointment with division among the rank and file of the army.

“We should not lose focus of where Mali is today and where we need to take Mali to…We are at a time where we need to unify the Malian army to take on the challenges [and] to protect the territorial integrity of the country,” said Samake.

“We call on the leader of the junta to be the leader of the army as we work hard with the international community, the political parties the civil society in Mali to restore democracy for the benefit of the people of Mali.”

Samake’s comments came after soldiers who support the junta took control of the main base for troops loyal to ousted President Toumani Toure after a second day of heavy fighting following Monday’s attempted counter coup d’état.

Coup leaders said in a televised statement Tuesday that they remain in control of key sites in the capital, Bamako. They described the fighting as an attack by ill-intentioned people set on destabilizing Mali’s transition to constitutional order.