Mali must ensure the safety of the Tuareg people

The Society for Threatened Peoples (STP) has called on the government of Mali to guarantee the safety of the civilian Tuareg population. "It is not right to treat all Tuareg as suspected "rebels" merely because they are Tuareg, and deny them the protection of security forces," asserted Ulrich Delius of the STP's Africa section. "Those responsible for the pogrom-like attacks on unarmed Tuareg people must be held accountable in a court of law. To behave as though unarmed Tuareg people were fair game violates international human rights conventions."

Following military successes by Tuareg rebels, numerous Tuareg businesses and homes in the cities Kati and Bamako have been attacked since last Tuesday, but security forces did not intervene. In the garrison town of Kati, a hospital, a pharmacy, and other Tuareg business were ravaged and plundered primarily by the wives and mothers of soldiers killed since the latest outbreak of the Tuareg revolt in northern Mali in January 2012. Tuareg inhabitants of the city, fearing for their lives, sought asylum at police headquarters.

"Unarmed Tuaregs have as much right as another citizens of Mali to be protected by state security forces," stated Delius. As the highest state guarantors of law and order, the police and the army must ensure the safety of all citizens, and of their property, regardless of ethnicity.

The demonstrators and the Malian government accused Tuareg rebels of committing grievous human rights abuses and are considering asking the United Nations Human Rights Council to get involved. "Of course there must be an independent investigation of these allegations, which is not possible at this time due to the catastrophic security situation in northern Mali," said Delius. "But even if crimes have been committed by Tuareg rebels, you cannot place the blame on all members of the entire Tuareg ethnic group." The danger is that social marginalization of the Tuareg in Mali will be exacerbated, which will further impede efforts to put an end to the Tuareg revolt. It is already taken for granted by many that Tuareg soldiers serving in the Malian the army are no longer loyal and that they all support the rebellion.

Neighboring Algeria recently stopped sending military aid to Mali, to avoid contributing to an escalation of the military conflicts. Talks are currently being held in Algeria between the Malian government and the "National Movement for Liberation of Azawad" (MNLA), the anti-government Tuareg rebel group, but these talks are not seen as very promising after the latest military victories of the MNLA.