Mali: population defies the Islamists in Gao
Faced with Islamist groups, such as Mujao, trying to impose Sharia law, a portion of the population resisted in Gao. Demonstrators prevented amputation of the hand of a thief. To overcome the lack of government, Malians have decided to form self defence groups.
Source : https://www.marocafrik.com/english/Mali-population...
The verdict of the Movement for the uniqueness of Jihad in Africa (Mujao) was clear the thief's hand would be cut off in the public square. But the inhabitants of the city of Gao in northern Mali, prevented the Islamists who control the city from enforcing the Sharia code.
Mujao announced on Saturday night in a statement on private radio that they would cut off the hand of a thief. At daybreak, hundreds of people demonstrated in Gao to protest against his arrest and demanded his release. Last week Ansar Dine organised the stoning to death of a man and woman said to have had sex whilst not married. Other Malians have been beaten and tortured for various offences.
The man whose hand was to be cut off was a young man who alledgedly stole Mujao weapons for resale. The protesters also set fire to a vehicle belonging to the head of Mujao, before being dispersed by the Islamists who fired shots into the air.
On Monday, the Radio Gao announcer Abdul Malick Maiga was hospitalized after being beaten by the Islamists, who accuse him of telling the demonstration to prevent the amputation of the the young man’s hand.He said he had been "beaten with rifle butts by Islamists who accuse him of criticizing them," said another doctor in town. according to the site Temouste also quoting AFP.
The Malian government has condemned "energetically" on Monday in a statement the attack on radio host, and "the attempted amputation of the hand of an alleged thief by armed extremist groups who are illegally occupying the city" .
The heroic resistance of the citizens of Gao against barbarity is the most significant development in Northern Mali so far against the Al Qaeda linked islamists of Ansar Dine and Mujao. The Malian government together with their regional and international partners need to match the courage of the citizens and support the liberation of the Malian people in the North and the restoration of territorial integrity.
Mujao announced on Saturday night in a statement on private radio that they would cut off the hand of a thief. At daybreak, hundreds of people demonstrated in Gao to protest against his arrest and demanded his release. Last week Ansar Dine organised the stoning to death of a man and woman said to have had sex whilst not married. Other Malians have been beaten and tortured for various offences.
The man whose hand was to be cut off was a young man who alledgedly stole Mujao weapons for resale. The protesters also set fire to a vehicle belonging to the head of Mujao, before being dispersed by the Islamists who fired shots into the air.
On Monday, the Radio Gao announcer Abdul Malick Maiga was hospitalized after being beaten by the Islamists, who accuse him of telling the demonstration to prevent the amputation of the the young man’s hand.He said he had been "beaten with rifle butts by Islamists who accuse him of criticizing them," said another doctor in town. according to the site Temouste also quoting AFP.
The Malian government has condemned "energetically" on Monday in a statement the attack on radio host, and "the attempted amputation of the hand of an alleged thief by armed extremist groups who are illegally occupying the city" .
The heroic resistance of the citizens of Gao against barbarity is the most significant development in Northern Mali so far against the Al Qaeda linked islamists of Ansar Dine and Mujao. The Malian government together with their regional and international partners need to match the courage of the citizens and support the liberation of the Malian people in the North and the restoration of territorial integrity.
Source : https://www.marocafrik.com/english/Mali-population...