More than 80 political parties and civil groups in Mali have united to call for an end to the transitional military rule and demand for a presidential election “as soon as possible”.
The country has been ruled by a junta since back-to-back coups in 2020 and 2021, with the security situation worsened by a humanitarian and political crisis.
In June 2022, the junta, led by Colonel Assimi Goita, had promised that the military would transfer power back to civilians on March 26 at the end of a transition period after a presidential election in February.
The election was postponed, however, and the junta gave no further indication of explanation as to what its intentions were.
In separate press releases, tons of political and civil groups reminded the Military that the transition period ended on March 26.
The first group, consisting of organisations and political parties in Mali, called on the junta “to create the conditions for rapid and inclusive dialogue, for the establishment of an institutional architecture and with immediate effect organise a presidential election”.
The Network of Human Rights Defenders in Mali (RDDHM), which brings together 50 local organisations, issued the same appeal to the junta in another release.
“The country is going through enormous difficulty and the transition is not intended to resolve all the country’s problems. It is time to end this impasse, especially since the last postponement of the transition expired on March 26,” said RDDHM’s president Souleymane Camara, who called for a return to “constitutional order.”
Voices from the opposition have become rare under junta rule, as they have become stifled by orders for national unity and repressive measures.
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