PoliticsMali: Sharia fanatics: Destroy musloleums, music culture, amputate hands, and murder unmarried lovers

Almost a week ago, France 24, an English-language website based on French news sources ran an article of a news story I haven't seen elsewhere, in regard to a decision of the UN's Security Council to "retake northern Mali from al Quaeda-linked extremists."  But that brave goal is effectively inoperable before September next year.  In the meantime, al Quaeda is mobilized to destroy the culture of the large portion of Mali (the size of France) that they control.  One target is the destruction of the historic mausoleum's of the fabled city of Timbuktu (latest update Dec24,2k12).  "Not only present in cemeteries and mosques, the revered mausoleums are also found in alleyways and private residences in the city, an ancient centre of learning and desert crossroads."  These are elements of a World Heritage site, and are concerned the resting places of Muslim saints, but the Islamicists regard them as idolatrous and forbidden by their version of Shariah law.  "The International Criminal Court warned their vandalism was a war crime, but the Islamists followed up with more damage in October, when they smashed several Muslim saints' tombs, prompting another international outcry."  Meantime,  Al Qaeda's  branch in North Africa (al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb — AQIM) has been "sending hundreds of fighters to bolster the ranks of its Islamist allies in the Gao region of Northern Mali."  The Tuareg tribespeople had wanted to create a strictly-Tuareg state in the "vast desert north" to accomodate their nomadic way of life, and had welcomed the AQIM forces as allies; but once AQIM was in place, they took over the revolution from the Tuareg's Asawad National Liberation Movement (MNLA) because MNLA was "too secular" and didn't like the harsh shariah that AQIM imposed.  The AQIM has set up a stellite organization, Movement for Oneness and Jihad in West Africa (MUJAO) — not the  new name shifts the geographic focus from the Mahgreb desert to the Black African region of West Africa, a shift which is telltale as to the military strategy, target, and goals of both MUJAO and its parent AQIM.  The first target after Mali coud well be Burkina Faso. "Mali's neighbour Burkina Faso has meanwhile renewed efforts to find a negotiated solution to the crisis, hosting talks with a delegation of [yet another armed faction] Ansar Dine Islamists who have shown signs of breaking with the hardline jihadism of AQIM and MUJAO."  See refWrite's blogpost for Nov7,2k12 on the destruction of Mali's musical culture by the Islamicist fanatics.

— Politicarp, refWrite Frontpage politics newspotter, analyst, columnist


France 24 (Dec27,2k12)

UN approves military mission 

to oust Mali Islamists

The UN Security Council has authorised military action to retake northern Mali from al Qaeda-linked extremists who took advantage of a March coup to impose a brutal form of sharia law in the vast territory.

By FRANCE 24  (text)

The UN Security Council on Thursday unanimously approved a French-backed resolution to send an African-led military force to help take back northern Mali from Islamist militants.

The resolution stressed that there must be a two-track plan, political and military, to reunify the country, which has been in turmoil since a coup in March.

West African nations say they have 3,300 troops ready to go to Mali to help rebuild the country's army and support a military operation.

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France's UN Ambassador Gerard Araud told reporters Thursday it was premature to say when the military operation would take place because African and Malian troops must be trained and much depends on the political process and the country's extreme weather.  It is unlikely to be launched before September 2013.

“Our goal would be to have a real political process which will allow the Malian army to go back to its barracks in the northern part of the country without fighting,” he said. “That would be our preferred option.”

He added: “Nobody is ignoring the complexity of the task that awaits the international community to restore the territorial integrity of Mali and to end the terrorist activities in the north of the country,”
Tuareg rebels and other separatists, including al Qaeda-linked militants, took advantage of a coup in Mali in March to capture the northern half of the country, an area the size of France. The more extremist among them soon gained the upper hand and imposed a brutal form of Islamic law on the territory.

The conflict has so far displaced more than 400,000 people, according to the UN.
Mali's Foreign Minister Tieman Coulibaly welcomed the resolution as "an historic step" in the battle against al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) and its allies.

Terrorist safe haven

France drew up the resolution after weeks of talks with the United States, which had expressed doubts that the proposed Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) force would be strong enough for a protracted desert battle against the militants.

The resolution calls for diplomatic efforts to draw the Tuareg rebels into a coalition against their former Islamist allies.

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The US has also suggested that troops from Chad, veterans of desert battles, be brought in to help the West African force.
At the same time, European nations and the African-led International Support Mission in Mali (AFISMA) will train Mali's enfeebled army, which was routed in March by the Tuareg offensive.

It said UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, ECOWAS, the African Union and other states involved will have to secure "the council's satisfaction with the planned military offensive operation" before hostilities can start.

The resolution called on UN member states and international organizations to pay for AFISMA. The Security Council said it would consider setting up a new UN fund for equipment and services for the force.

While the US and European nations agree that al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb and its allies cannot be left to create a terrorist safe haven in Mali, they have not yet agreed the tactics to be used and this will have to be further refined in coming months.