
Mali: Conseil National de la Jeunesse du Mali (CNJ-MALI) – Communique No. 001 (27.05.2021)




“Breaking News: Colonel Assimi Göita takes over as President of Mali , Interim President and Prime Minister dismissed Less than 48 hours after dismissing the Interim President of the transition, Bah N’Daw, and his Prime Minister, Moctar Ouane, Colonel Assimi Goïta becomes the new President of the transition. Col Assimi Goïta says President Bah Ndaw and PM Moctar Ouane failed in their duties and were seeking to sabotage the country’s transition. On Wednesday, May 26, Bah N’Daw submitted his resignation and that of his Prime Minister to the man who had previously been his Vice President. The government, whose composition had been unveiled on 24 May a few hours before the military coup, was dissolved” (Red Lion Media, 26.05.2021).
There are sometimes the reality have to hit hard. There is sometimes a need to address things the way they are. This isn’t only for what’s happening in Bamako, but elsewhere. Let’s be clear. A junta stays a junta. No matter, if you appoint a civilian or a few technocrats to a “council” or a “cabinet” doesn’t make it a civilian government. It is still a junta government and the military is still in-charge.
That is what is happening these days in Bamako. This is what’s been happening in N’Djamena, Naypyidaw and Khartoum for instance. They have military government or junta’s, which Merriam-Webster defines like this: “a council or committee for political or governmental purposes especially : a group of persons controlling a government especially after a revolutionary seizure of power” (Merriam-Webster Dictionary – ‘Junta’ 26.May 2021).
We shouldn’t be shocked that Colonel Göita takes over power. That he sacks the ones who appointed a new cabinet without communicating or taking the CNSP into account. This is why the colonel did his second coup within a year. He used the army to topple the previous President and now he toppled another one. That’s because the civilians and the ones in transition didn’t follow the orders or act within the range of the military leadership.
This is just an act of an junta. Just because the junta appointed a former defence minister to President and allowed another civilian to become the Prime Minister. The main part of government was run by military commanders. This is why the underlings are still only there to create another image and be there to make the regime more feasible. The military leaders have no plans to leave power or give it away. They took power and has only selfish reasons to stay in office.
The junta will stay a junta. This will be the deal in Mali, Tchad, Sudan and Burma. These regimes are like this and they will not be accountable to anyone. They might seek to have some civilians within the transitional government or council. Just to make it legit and easily to sell to the international community.
It is just army commanders who wants to be the Executive and the Head of State. That is the reality. They didn’t need to win an election or get popular. These folks just used the guns and took power with their profession. The CNSP, the Sovereign Council and others are doing the same. They are boosting a transition. Hoping people are forgetting who they are and what sort of role they play. Putting in a few lucky technocrats (civilians) masking the cabinet/council. While promising after a long while to turn it into a civilian government.
The army says it saved the nation from corrupt individuals, tyrants and unpopular heads of state. The price is making them kings without any election. That’s why this is junta’s and they act like junta’s. We shouldn’t be surprised and just go after a few, but all of them. They are all using the mighty army in their favour. Instead of getting a government, which represent the general public in their republic.
We can either accept the trick or talk about it sincerely. Since, this isn’t a case only for Bamako. It is a problem and a way of governing, which happens across the world. Where the military and army commanders take control of the governing bodies and becomes the Head of State.
If you throw shade at Göita, do the same to General Kaka, President Al-Burhan and all the other fellas who has taken power this way. There is no difference, other than the way they have played it and making “mechanisms” for a transition. Which in the end favours them and gives them an advantage for a future election. That is it really.
A junta stays a junta. It doesn’t matter if they give a few plum jobs to a few technocrats. They are still army commanders running government and without a popular mandate from the public. Peace.

The Vice-President of the Transition and Colonel Assimi Goïta who has been in-charge of two coups in Bamako within a year. Is now getting critical statements and condemnations from across the board. The French President Emmanuel Macron even condemned him, but just the other day he accepted the coup d’etat and second generation dictator General Mahamat Kaka Déby Itno. Who took power after his father in Tchad. Clearly, that’s cool to the French, but not Goïta’s selfish act in Mali.
That is a double standard and shows how distasteful the West can be to governments and regimes. Where the West can support certain dictators, but expect others to act differently. That is happening here. As Macron could sit and support Gen. Kaka. He could bash in the glory and be directly supporting his new junta regime in N’Djamena. However, his not accepting the moves of the junta in Bamako.
Yes, Colonel Goïta did a selfish act, which came to into force, when Prime Minister announced his new cabinet without having it agreed with the ones who initiated the coup in August 2020. That’s why this has happened and transpired. This is why the civilian leaders and the small fraction of politicians given transitional mandates is now arrested. Because, these leaders didn’t communicate or get it accepted by the FAMa leadership. Which is the ones who had given them power in the first place. None of the leaders was elected, but all selected.
That’s why the condemnation and fury seems to be shallow. Yes, Mali’s current leadership is already a junta and was based on military leaders. There was stipulated moves of transition, but they were in a fragile state already. The colonels and leaders of the CNSP could easily interfere and have their people in-charge. Now, that the transitional leaders didn’t listen to the CNSP or former coup-makers.
Now, the same leader who toppled Keita is now showing his fierce force and not accepting to be muffled. Goïta have already once gotten away and gotten a high ranking title. Where they were able to first follow the demonstrations and the popular protests of last year against the government. While taking more power and securing himself a viable position. That has been done now and as long as the transition persisted the IC would have been cool with it.
Now, he and his comrades took their hand in the cookie jar again. This time they did it without any popular protest, but because they didn’t get their will in the newly announced cabinet. That’s why Macron and others is condemning it. Though, they accepted the same act in Tchad. Yes, in Tchad the President for Life got his battle-wound on the battle-field and died later. Still, it is not like Gen. Kaka is running the nation, because of his popularity or his political programme. No, his legitimized by the same dude that is dismissing the changes made by col. Goïta.
It is so easy to see the hypocrisy here. It stinks and it’s not cool. This is disgraceful and not how things are supposed to be. The French President should be able to be consistent. However, that is too much to ask of the patriotic and imperialistic French. They got to support President-for-Life all across the continent like Biya, Bongo and Gnassingbe. The French just cannot help themselves, but they thrive on the reigns of these gentlemen.
That’s why I have hard time believing or trusting the condemnation of Macron. This is because his only interested in the French investments and profitability in Mali. He doesn’t care about democracy or rule of law. If the French Republic did believe in this things. They wouldn’t support dictators and give them legitimacy like they constantly. So, him questioning Goïta at far-fetched in one way.
Yes, Goïta is wrong in what his doing. His doing this for selfish reasons. Just like Macron is doing what he does for his selfish reasons. Still, Goïta does this to prove a point, while Macron is just a hypocrite.
The French better grand-stand their values and believes. Before throwing the book at the likes of Goïta. The are enough warlords and dictators the French is blindly supporting. So, it is weird that they have trouble with one more junta under their portfolio. Peace.





