“AIGE must do its best to make the authorities listen” –

Eleven political leaders of the Alliance of signatories of the March 31, 2024 Declaration have been detained since June 20 on charges of attempting to destabilize, endanger national security and disturb public order. The Alliance decided on July 15 to suspend its participation in the AIGE (Framework for Political Parties Exchange) until its publication. Interview with Dr. Mahamadou Konaté, Alliance member and Chairman of the M5-RFP Malikura Strategic Committee.

Why did you choose to participate in the exchange framework with AIGE on the condition of releasing detained comrades?

This is out of moral obligation. We cannot participate in this political consultation framework at the same time when many of our comrades are in prison, to put forward ideas, to make analyses. They also have a say in what appropriate measures should be taken to organize future elections.

Aren’t you worried about the possible consequences of this empty chair policy?

I do not consider this a policy of empty chairs, because there is something in the chair, it is not empty. We express the need for the solidarity of sister parties, as well as the AIGE, to achieve our demands for the release of comrades from different political groups. We neither give up nor exclude participation in the work if our comrades regain their freedom. We believe that only with the establishment of trust among political actors and with the participation of the majority of political actors, especially the most important political groups in our country, can a truly credible environment for the organization of elections be created. The coalition we represent is a signatory of the Declaration of March 31, 2024, and includes the top 10 Malian parties and about 40 others. In my opinion, it is the moral duty of the AIGE itself to do the best it can. What we ask of the AIGE is to do our best to make the authorities listen to reason and accept this complaint, which is not a small matter.

But AIGE is just an organization that organizes elections, it is not meant to solve political problems…

The holding of the electoral vote is a political issue. The purpose of the consultative framework is to discuss between the AIGE and the political parties, and issues related to the electoral register, the electoral calendar are political issues. Therefore, it is incorrect to say that the AIGE is not intended to resolve political issues. On the contrary, this is its role, but of course within the specific framework of holding elections. It is from this point of view that we ask the AIGE to advise the authorities on the release of our comrades and thus contribute to calming the political atmosphere. We do not ask for anything else.

Are you confident that your request will be successful?

Our comrades were arrested while exercising their fundamental freedoms and democratic rights. They are not criminals or terrorists. In the past, terrorists were able to regain their freedom out of considerations of political and social appeasement. If we can, on the one hand, release those who took up arms against our state in order to promote reconciliation and appeasement, I wonder what prevents the authorities from abandoning the prosecution of politicians who have committed no crime, have not taken up arms, have not called for civil disobedience, and have only discussed draft documents on their unified actions in private homes.

Are you considering taking any other action?

Of course. In addition to the request for assistance from AIGE and sister parties, the legal process for the release of our comrades is also going on in parallel. Although they have been in prison for a month, there is no date planned for the verdict. I think if things stand still, other actions will be taken in the future. The context of the evolution of the documents will determine it.