Mali: Democratic Star to Failed State?
Getting to Know Mali
• 175 of 187: Human
Development Ranking
• 90% Muslim Population
• History of “consensual
democracy”
• Landlocked: diverse
agricultural landscape
• 20% French Fluency
• Cousinage
• Bamako:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpHWgy
MH1O8
• Dogon Country:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NhE62EjZLv
0
Festival in the Desert:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NnZbqENid
rQ
Remittances, Foreign Aid, Gold
Democratic Decline?
Mali Freedom House Score 2012: Free, 2.5
Mali Freedom House Score 2012: Not Free, 6
Democratic Transition in 1991
Democratic Transition
Photo by: Tim Tillinghast
ATT: The Soldier of Democracy
Voter Turnout: African Presidential
Elections
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
Most Recent Election
Previous Election
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Benin
Mali
Ghana
Kenya
Senegal
Sierra Leone
Citizens would rather consult traditional or
religious leader than elected official
(Afrobarometer 2004)
9 of 10 respondents said they would NEVER
contact the police in case of a problem or crime
(Bleck 2011)
More than 50% of villagers in rural Mopti region
said they didn’t know who they would vote for in
January 2012 (Bleck and Michelitch 2012)
Politiki Manɲi
• “Everything that is related to politics in Mali is dishonest. It’s to fill pockets
and get out (S11).” - Mamadou, 20 year old respondent from Segou with a
high school diploma
•
• “I have no trust in politiki mogo (politics people) (BA7).” - Salimatou,
attended some secondary school. She has 3 children and lives in the
Banconi neighborhood of Bamako.
•
• “I don't like politics; it's nothing more than pure lies (M 40).” Aminata is a
Bella woman in her 50s. She lives in Mopti and received a Koranic
education.
•
• “I don’t discuss politics at all. To discuss politics is a bad thing. Politiki man
ɲi (F81).” Ami, 25, left her village home to go seek work in Bamako. Her
child lives with her aunt and attends school back in the village.
Libya
Tuareg Rebellion
ANSAR DINE
MNLA
Al Qaeda of the
Islamic Maghreb
Movement for United
Jihad in West Africa
400,000 Displaced
Chaos in the
Capital
French Liberation of Occupied Cities
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXPlAVlQECg
Challenges Ahead:
• Weak Government
• Heightened Ethnic
Tensions
• Displaced Populations
• Leadership?
Recommended Reading:
Bruce Whitehouse’s blog: bridgesfrombamako.com