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=cpHWgyMH1O8

• Dogon Country:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NhE62EjZLv0Festival in the Desert:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NnZbqENidrQ

Remittances, Foreign Aid, Gold

Democratic Decline?

Mali Freedom House Score 2012: Free, 2.5Mali 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

Benin Mali Ghana Kenya Senegal Sierra Leone0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

Most Recent ElectionPrevious Election

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 Al Qaeda of the Islamic Maghreb

MNLAMovement 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