Catholic bishops in Mali have condemned a “seizure of power outside the legal process” in the West African nation by the army.
The Episcopal Conference of Mali (CEM) in a May 27 statement said it is following “with great concern and sadness the events that took place in the country” after the resignation of the interim president and prime minister.
The army detained President Bah Ndaw and Prime Minister Moctar Ouane on May 24 before they resigned two days later.
The arrests by Mali’s acting Vice President Col. Assimi Goïta marked the second coup within a year in the unstable West African nation.
The 38-year-old army colonel, who was declared president on May 28, staged the coup following a cabinet reshuffle in which two army officers lost their posts.
“The bishops in Mali, conscious of the need for a strong executive and a reconciled and reinforced army, strongly condemn the seizure of power outside the legal process,” they said in their message.
In his first remarks after seizing power, Colonel Goita said a new prime minister will be appointed within days
“We firmly condemn the current crisis resulting from personal calculations far from the concerns of the people and the interests of Mali.”
The bishops said the coup comes at a time when “the population is facing with great difficulty different challenges, including security, health and socioeconomic.”
“Workers are demanding their rights through a large-scale strike, the country is experiencing a political transition that was negotiated with great difficulty, and the international community as a whole is trying to put the country back on the road to democracy,” the message said.
As a way forward, the bishops suggested “a constructive dialogue to put an end to the present crisis”.
In his first remarks after seizing power, Colonel Goita said a new prime minister will be appointed within days.
He made the announcement on May 28 during a meeting with civil society members in the capital Bamako.
Last year the military ousted president Ibrahim Boubacar Keita and a caretaker administration was installed, which was tasked with overseeing an 18-month transition back to civilian rule.
Mali’s neighbours fear the latest revolt will prevent the presidential election taking place next February and will undermine the fight against Islamic fundamentalism in northern and central Mali, where regional affiliates of al-Qaeda and Islamic State are based.
Mali, with a population of 19.66 million, has seen a surge in violence since 2016, with more than 4,000 deaths reported in 2019 alone compared with some 770 deaths three years earlier.
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