Agencia Fides REPORT – The President has been treated in the hospital nearest to his office, but his injuries are not serious”, Don Edmondo Dembele, Secretary of the Episcopal Conference of Mali, where yesterday a group of demonstrators attacked the President of the transition Dioncounda Traoré, informed Fides.
Don Dembele described the sequence of events to Fides Agency: “Yesterday morning May 21, in Bamako there were demonstrations, organized by several groups in reaction to the agreement reached with CEDEAO on May 20 according to which the rebel council was called to hand over power to a Head of State and a “transitional” government which will last for a year. (See Fides 21/5/2012). Some demonstrators were received by the Prime Minister, Cheick Modibo Diarra, who appealed for calm and patience, inviting the people to allow the transition government rule”.
“One part the demonstrators”, continued Don Dembele, “went toward the President’s residence on the hill of Koulouba. The President received the demonstrators and in the course of the meeting he was attacked. The President’s bodyguard reacted, it seems by shooting. We do not yet have precise information but it appears that among the attackers there are injured and perhaps one or two dead”.
The Secretary of the Episcopal Conference of Mali affirms that “the demonstrators are supporters of the military of the rising and they did not accept the agreement with the CEDEAO. They are contrary, in particular, to the fact that Traoré is the President of the transition. Already for 3 or 4 days in Bamako there was a succession of demonstrations against prolonging Traoré’s mandate (who was interim President of the 40 days which expires today, 22 May)”
The political and institutional crisis in Bamako overlaps the one in the North of Mali, controlled by several troops (among which are an independent movement of some Islamic groups) “So long as there is no stable government recognized by the International community one cannot speak of control of the crisis in the North. What happened yesterday in Bamako is delaying the negotiations to resolve the question of the North” concludes Don Dembele.( L.M.) (Fides Agency 22/5/2012)
Don Dembele described the sequence of events to Fides Agency: “Yesterday morning May 21, in Bamako there were demonstrations, organized by several groups in reaction to the agreement reached with CEDEAO on May 20 according to which the rebel council was called to hand over power to a Head of State and a “transitional” government which will last for a year. (See Fides 21/5/2012). Some demonstrators were received by the Prime Minister, Cheick Modibo Diarra, who appealed for calm and patience, inviting the people to allow the transition government rule”.
“One part the demonstrators”, continued Don Dembele, “went toward the President’s residence on the hill of Koulouba. The President received the demonstrators and in the course of the meeting he was attacked. The President’s bodyguard reacted, it seems by shooting. We do not yet have precise information but it appears that among the attackers there are injured and perhaps one or two dead”.
The Secretary of the Episcopal Conference of Mali affirms that “the demonstrators are supporters of the military of the rising and they did not accept the agreement with the CEDEAO. They are contrary, in particular, to the fact that Traoré is the President of the transition. Already for 3 or 4 days in Bamako there was a succession of demonstrations against prolonging Traoré’s mandate (who was interim President of the 40 days which expires today, 22 May)”
The political and institutional crisis in Bamako overlaps the one in the North of Mali, controlled by several troops (among which are an independent movement of some Islamic groups) “So long as there is no stable government recognized by the International community one cannot speak of control of the crisis in the North. What happened yesterday in Bamako is delaying the negotiations to resolve the question of the North” concludes Don Dembele.( L.M.) (Fides Agency 22/5/2012)
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