In Mali, political parties and civil society groups are preparing to fight back against a decree by the military junta banning political activities in the country. Source: Reuters
In the West African nation of Mali, opposition parties and civil society groups have banded together to oppose the ruling junta’s recent crackdown on democracy and press freedom. A rough plan has already been sketched out.
Here’s a look at the Mali junta’s decree and how people plan to fight back against it.
Mali junta clamps down on political parties, media
The junta in Mali, led by interim President Colonel Assimi Goïta, on Wednesday, issued a decree suspending all activites by political parties and groups until further notice. This, authorities said, was done to maintain public order.
On Thursday, the authorities pressed on with this clampdown. They ordered “all media (radio, television, written press, and online) to halt broadcast and publication of the activities of political parties and the activities of a political nature of associations.”
The junta, which seized power in a coup in 2021, has already failed to fulfil its promise to conduct free and fair elections and restore democracy by March 2024. The regime’s actions have deepened concerns about democratic backsliding in the country and the region.
The resistance: A rough action plan is ready
Malian political parties and civil society groups joined forced to reject the decrees. They called the authorities’ move a “serious violation … of democratic freedoms” in a declaration.
The signatories of the declaration have also decided to challenge the “dictatorial” move on legal grounds.
These entities have also refused to participate in any government activity, including ongoing national talks.
There are calls for civil disobedience, too. The president of the Convergence for the Development of Mali (CODEM) party, Housseini Guindo, wrote an online post titled “DICTATORIAL DRIFT”. He said it was time for the people to “resist this ignominy and initiate civil disobedience until the fall of the illegal and illegitimate regime… due in particular to its inability to satisfy the essential needs of Malians.”
With inputs from agencies
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Source link : https://www.firstpost.com/world/mali-political-parties-fight-back-against-junta-order-suspending-political-activities-13758942.html/amp
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Publish date : 2024-04-12 07:00:00
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