Committee: Security Council Topic: Situation in Mali Chair: Daniel Zhu

Overview

Since the early 1990s, ethnic Tuareg -who hold a majority in Northern Mali and surrounding regions of neighboring countries- have been fighting an insurgency over land and cultural rights. The issue came to a head in early 2012, when, using weapons procured from the Libyan conflict the previous year, the rebels seized control of the Northern half of the country, including the cities of Kidal, Gao and Timbuktu. In response, the Malian military deposed the democratically elected President Amadore Tour a month before his term was due to end. The rebels, led by the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA) declared the independence of the Tuareg nation of Azawad on 6 April, which is not recognized by any foreign government. In the following months, the military hands over power to President Traore and Prime Minister Diarra, who seeks international intervention from Economic Community Of West African States (ECOWAS) with UN and African Union (AU) backing, while the MNLA experiences a falling out with their former Islamist partners of Ansar Dine, a loose Al Qaeda affiliate, which successfully captures the regions main towns in an attempt to expel the MNLA from Northern Mali. On December 11, however, Prime Minister Diarra resigned and was replaced by one of President Traores aides, apparently under pressure from military opposition to foreign military intervention. This new development has reopened has reopened questions about the democratic legitimacy of Malis president government since to removal of President Tour, known as Malis soldier of democracy, and of the viability of international intervention in the face of division and conflict even within Malis government, all the while as Ansar Dine strengthens its Islamic rule over the north, destroying World Heritage sites and imposing Sharia law.

Committee: Security Council Topic: Situation in Mali Chair: Daniel Zhu Update (Jan 19): On Jan 11, French military forces were deployed to Mali, a forces that currently numbers around 2000 men. France captured the town of Konna, which was previously consider the border-line of control between the government and rebel groups. Because Algeria allowed French troops to pass through their airspace, militants have responded by crossing the border and capturing hostages at an Algerian gas field (despite not being in the country of Mali, this will be a part of our topic). The number and situation of hostages is unknown; at least 30 are feared dead, which may prove either an over-estimate or an under-estimate.

Committee: Security Council Topic: Situation in Mali Chair: Daniel Zhu

Time Frame
1960: Mali becomes independent from French colonial rule, becoming a oneparty socialist state under Modibo Keita. 1962-1964: Alfellaga, or first Tuareg rebellion. Military crackdown displaces thousands to what was then French Algeria 1968: Lieutenant Moussa Traore ousts Keita in coup detat 1979: Traore re-elected, running unopposed 1990: Second Tuareg rebellion occurs in Mali and Niger, following regional famine. Army launches reprisals 1991: Traore deposed in coup, replaced by transitional committee 1992: Alpha Konare wins multiparty election, becomes Malis first democratically elected president. Rebellion temporarily dies down 1994: Tuareg rebels attack Gao. More reprisals follow 1995: Second Tuareg rebellion ends with Algerian and Libyan brokered peace deal. Many refuges return to the region 2002: Amadou Toure, former leader of transitional committee that ended the dictatorship, is elected president. While opposition groups accuse him of fraud, foreign observers agree it is a free and fair election 2005-2006: Tuareg rebels rise up again in Mali and Niger, and Algeria and Libya negotiate another peace deal, offering greater autonomy. Mali breaks many of the pledges and deports rebel leaders, but Niger holds to the peace agreement 2007: Toure re-elected 2008: Rebels launch several attacks, killing 37 people over the course of the year 2009: 700 rebels surrender arms to the military October 2011: MNLA founded by Tuareg fighters returning from Libya, with arms from Libyan civil war, and by elements already in Mali. The MNLA drops all requests for autonomy, instead seeking full independence January 2012: MNLA attacks several northern towns. Civilians flee to Mauritania.

Committee: Security Council Topic: Situation in Mali Chair: Daniel Zhu March 2012: Coup detat deposes Toure, with military officers accusing him of mishandling rebellion. April 2012: MNLA declared independence of Azawad. Junta hands over power to Dioncounda Traore (no relation to Moussa Traore) May 2012: Coup attempt to restore Toure fails, with President Traore beaten by pro-junta protestors. MNLA merges with Islamist Ansar Dine, declaring that Azawad will be an Islamist state June-July 2012: MNLA and Ansar Dine fall out. Ansar Dine, with backing of Al Qaeda in North Africa, seizes the main towns of Timbuktu, Gao, and Kidal, and began iconoclastic destruction of many traditional Muslim shrines November 2012: ECOWAS agrees to launch military expedition. Preparations begin December 2012: Prime Minister Diarra resigns under pressure from military. UN and US threaten sanctions

Questions for Debate

Although no nation has recognized the state of Azawad, the direction for future action is unclear. The Security Council has already authorized the deployment of an African-led International Support Mission in Mali (AFISMA). No funding has been allocated to this hypothetical mission, nor is it clear whether it is to be led by ECOWAS or the AU. As of right now, France is the only Western country in favor of sending troops to a military mission. However, ECOWAS is creating a military force, which Ivory Coast president Alassane Ouattara estimates will be ready for deployment by mid2013. Others suggest it may be prudent to exhaust possibilities for a diplomatic solution before attempting military intervention. There also remains the question of the Malian government itself; as the resignation of Diarra demonstrates, the military retains strong influence in the current government, which was not democratically elected. Seeing as the coup occurred a month before the next elections were due (Toure, facing the expiration of his second term, was not running for election due to Malis

Committee: Security Council Topic: Situation in Mali Chair: Daniel Zhu constitutional term limits). It is unclear when the return to democratic government would occur. Any proposed solution must strike the balance of addressing the issue without condoning the behavior of the coup leaders. Moreover, the humanitarian questions remain dire. While UNHCR has already taken steps to relocate refugees further into Burkina Faso, away from border camps where there are risks of conflict spill-over, the risk of shortages of vital goods, particularly water, remains even at these improved camps. Even more important is the state of human rights within rebel held areas; while it is difficult to find accurate reports on what exactly is going on within Northern Mali, it is well established that a very strict form of Sharia law is being implemented, which implies the existence of draconian law enforcement and repression of womans rights. There also remains a risk of ethnic conflict within Tuareg breakaway regions; the proposed state of Azawad, as the region is ethnically diverse and contains many groups who maybe be marginalized in a new Tuareg state. Again, recent statistics are unavailable, but older surveys indicate that the Tuareg may actually be a minority within Northern Mali, with the Songhai people holding a plurality. Finally, there is the risk of international crime and terrorism. Ansar Dine, which now has a secure hold over Northern Mali, is openly affiliated with Al Qaeda in North Africa, and would likely provide these terrorists with a base for operations elsewhere in the Middle East, or even in the West. More immediately, Northern Mali has become a haven for drug traffickers, even before the rebellion and coup; the current lawlessness of the region will likely cause further complication in efforts to control the flow of contraband. To conclude, a quote from Oumou Sall Seck, mayor of Goundam in Northern Mali and the first female mayor in Mali: I was staggered to hear the United Nations secretary general, Ban Ki-moon, express his fear in a report last month that a humanitarian disaster might result from military intervention in Mali. The disaster is already upon us. Could there be any disaster more grave than the one were already living? Delegates, the task upon you is to take action to prevent further degeneration of the Situation in Mali.

Committee: Security Council Topic: Situation in Mali Chair: Daniel Zhu

Bibliography
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-13881370 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-20687562 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-13881372 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-13881978 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-18870130 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-20413428 http://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa/2012/04/20124644412359539.h tml http://news.yahoo.com/tuareg-rebels-attack-6th-town-mali182107726.html http://africanelections.tripod.com/ml.html http://www.worldpoliticsreview.com/articles/11922/the-origins-andconsequences-of-tuareg-nationalism http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Next_Malian_presidential_election http://www.unhcr.org/50d443e46.html http://allafrica.com/stories/201208060367.html http://edition.cnn.com/2013/01/19/world/africa/maliunrest/index.html

Further Reading
http://www.un.org/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=S/RES/2085(2012) http://www.dw.de/doubts-over-mali-military-mission/a-16441861 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-13881370