Project for Philosophical Evaluations of the Economy |
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The Story behind Northern Mali’s power vacuum
Dialogue with the Alter Ego on the plight of the Sahel population, first drafted on Jan. 16, published on Jan. 18,
2013
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Question by Alter Ego of Noah denkt™ (AE): We are on a steep learning curve with respect to Mali. So there are
more issues that we need to discuss about the military intervention there. For instance: By now, we have
understood that it has been quite some time that the Mali government in Bamako hasn’t been able to establish its
authority in the North. In other words, the power vacuum that made it possible for Al-Qaeda to find a safe haven
there is anything else but recent.
Answer by Noah denkt™ (Nd): Yes, we have learned that too. Looks, like we are watching some of the same
programs these days. ( “The debate” on France24’s English Channel, and “C’est dans l’air” on France 5).
AE: In deed. Well, something else that we have picked up from there is the fact that all this lawlessness, all this
kidnapping and drug trafficking and all this ample availability of Tuareg and other mercenaries in the region has a
lot to do with climate change. Apparently, it is really due to the lack of rain in the Sahel area that the people of
Northern Mali have lost their traditional livelihoods (i.e. raise cattle) and are now more or less forced to do
whatever other illicit options there are to survive.
Nd: All that is probably true.
AE: How does that then suggest that the Mali intervention could possibly stabilize the situation there? After all, it is
hard to see how any development and peace keeping activity in the Northern desert could bring back the rain that
is necessary for the people to return to their former occupations.
Nd: Let’s not forget, that there are quite some valuable raw materials in that region that could in deed help to
raise the standards of living there to a sustainable level.
AE: Sure. But, if we are not mistaken, it has something to do with the fight for the control of these raw materials
that the Northern rebellion started in the first place. In other words, isn’t it a somewhat legitimate demand of
Northern rebels to expect that a good part of the proceeds which their soil yields stay in the region and aren’t
been swept up by a pretty inefficient and corrupt government in Bamako?
Nd: That surely is a legitimate demand which should receive due attention in any future peace negotiation. All that
doesn’t take anything away from the fact though that the presence of Al-Qaeda in that region is intolerable both
for the Mali people themselves as well as for the international community.
AE: Still, we are not particularly optimistic that any negotiated settlement whatsoever could do much to really offer
the Sahel people a viable income perspective that doesn’t rely on criminal activity.
Nd: We agree that this is a tall order to satisfy. But all the hardship in the world cannot possibly be an excuse to
make others feel the pain that oneself is unfortunately being subjected to.
AE: But it is legitimate to be creative when trying to overcome the hardship that one is exposed to, isn’t it?
Nd: No doubt about that. But the means by way of which that should be achieved should be constructive and
peaceful.
AE: This is easy to say for someone who lives in relative prosperity.
Nd: Look, we are pretty marginalized too. And our traditional livelihood has been taken away from us too. So we
do believe that we have a right to insist that others do not abuse of their misery by being violent against others.
AE: Your emergency is ridiculous in comparison with that of the Sahel people.
Nd: In our opinion, most of the people in the impoverished Sahel area have shown tremendous dignity in dealing
with famine and other hardships. So if the mercenaries don’t want to take any inspiration from the Noah denkt™-
Project they should look towards the grace and civility of their own people.
Dialogue with the Alter Ego on the plight of the Sahel population, first drafted on Jan. 16, published on Jan. 18,
2013
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Question by Alter Ego of Noah denkt™ (AE): We are on a steep learning curve with respect to Mali. So there are
more issues that we need to discuss about the military intervention there. For instance: By now, we have
understood that it has been quite some time that the Mali government in Bamako hasn’t been able to establish its
authority in the North. In other words, the power vacuum that made it possible for Al-Qaeda to find a safe haven
there is anything else but recent.
Answer by Noah denkt™ (Nd): Yes, we have learned that too. Looks, like we are watching some of the same
programs these days. ( “The debate” on France24’s English Channel, and “C’est dans l’air” on France 5).
AE: In deed. Well, something else that we have picked up from there is the fact that all this lawlessness, all this
kidnapping and drug trafficking and all this ample availability of Tuareg and other mercenaries in the region has a
lot to do with climate change. Apparently, it is really due to the lack of rain in the Sahel area that the people of
Northern Mali have lost their traditional livelihoods (i.e. raise cattle) and are now more or less forced to do
whatever other illicit options there are to survive.
Nd: All that is probably true.
AE: How does that then suggest that the Mali intervention could possibly stabilize the situation there? After all, it is
hard to see how any development and peace keeping activity in the Northern desert could bring back the rain that
is necessary for the people to return to their former occupations.
Nd: Let’s not forget, that there are quite some valuable raw materials in that region that could in deed help to
raise the standards of living there to a sustainable level.
AE: Sure. But, if we are not mistaken, it has something to do with the fight for the control of these raw materials
that the Northern rebellion started in the first place. In other words, isn’t it a somewhat legitimate demand of
Northern rebels to expect that a good part of the proceeds which their soil yields stay in the region and aren’t
been swept up by a pretty inefficient and corrupt government in Bamako?
Nd: That surely is a legitimate demand which should receive due attention in any future peace negotiation. All that
doesn’t take anything away from the fact though that the presence of Al-Qaeda in that region is intolerable both
for the Mali people themselves as well as for the international community.
AE: Still, we are not particularly optimistic that any negotiated settlement whatsoever could do much to really offer
the Sahel people a viable income perspective that doesn’t rely on criminal activity.
Nd: We agree that this is a tall order to satisfy. But all the hardship in the world cannot possibly be an excuse to
make others feel the pain that oneself is unfortunately being subjected to.
AE: But it is legitimate to be creative when trying to overcome the hardship that one is exposed to, isn’t it?
Nd: No doubt about that. But the means by way of which that should be achieved should be constructive and
peaceful.
AE: This is easy to say for someone who lives in relative prosperity.
Nd: Look, we are pretty marginalized too. And our traditional livelihood has been taken away from us too. So we
do believe that we have a right to insist that others do not abuse of their misery by being violent against others.
AE: Your emergency is ridiculous in comparison with that of the Sahel people.
Nd: In our opinion, most of the people in the impoverished Sahel area have shown tremendous dignity in dealing
with famine and other hardships. So if the mercenaries don’t want to take any inspiration from the Noah denkt™-
Project they should look towards the grace and civility of their own people.
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| Keywords: military intervention in Mali, objectives of the Mali intervention, Tuareg rebellion in Northern Mali, mercenaries in Northern Mali, power vacuum in Northern Mali, plight of Northern Mali, kidnapping in North Africa, drug trafficking in Northern Mali |