CONTENTS | ANB-BIA HOMEPAGE | WEEKLY NEWS
by Alexis Kalambry, Mali, May 1998
THEME = REFUGEES
Armed conflicts are becoming increasingly frequent in Africa,
resulting in thousands of people having to flee their homes.
More and more Sierra Leoneans, Liberians, Nigériens
are coming to our country.
An immense headache for the Malian authorities
Our country is presently sheltering more than 18,000 foreigners - that is to say, people come from a dozen different countries seeking refuge in Mali. There's about 2,000 in the capital, Bamako. But there's no law governing their presence. So as to end this situation, the Minister of Territorial Administration and of Security, Colonel Sada Samaké, presented to Parliament, a Bill governing the status of refugees in Mali.
The Bill was passed unanimously by Parliament. Everyone and every government department - the Commission for Territorial Administration and Decentralisation, the Health Commission, the Commission for Social Affairs, The Commission for Defense, Security and Civil Protection, the Commission for Foreign Affairs, plus many individuals - all were in complete agreement over the Bill. They all said that this Bill "filled a juridical vacuum in Mali". They also suggested the setting-up of a consultative body to study the conditions for granting refugee status in Mali. The Parliamentary Commission for Territorial Administration and Decentralisations said: "The authorities are meeting with enormous difficulties in the management of refugees from the security point of view, because there's no rules governing the entry and exit of foreigners".
The various Commissions were pleased to note that our country has never been a jumping-off place for destabilising other countries. They also congratulated themselves that people responsible for the genocides in Rwanda and Burundi have found no safe haven in Mali, and "no refugee has been arbitrarily expelled, and even when the situation for expelling a refugee does arise, adequate provision and time is given for the refugee to appeal against an expulsion order".
However, not all Members of Parliament were in agreement with this last statement and there were hot exchanges on the floor of the House between some Members.
One opposition Member said that in our country there are most certainly people responsible for genocide, notably two senior officers of the former Rwandan army; and recently, generals from former President Mobutu's regime were expelled from Mali. This Member did not hide his astonishment at the authorities' laxity concerning the two Rwandese officers. "They must leave our country. Like Mobutu's generals, they've blood on their hands."
But another Member puts it this way: "By expelling Mobutu's generals, the government has not respected Article 12 of Mali's Constitution. Article 12 says: "Asylum must be granted to anyone victimized in their own country because of their political opinions or because of their ethnic origins". He said that Mobutu's generals should be allowed to stay in Mali, at least while their cases are being investigated.
Minister Sada Samaké has disclosed that his department is on the look out for the two Rwandans in question. "Even if we find them, we are obliged to respect the statutes regarding refugees". Regarding Mobutu's generals, he said they didn't have the necessary visas for entering Mali. "That was reason in itself for deporting them".
Parliament's Speaker, Mr Nouhoum Diallo, says there will be another debate on the status of refugees, dealing specifically with the political, humanitarian and juridical aspects.
END
CONTENTS | ANB-BIA HOMEPAGE | WEEKLY NEWS
PeaceLink 1998 - Reproduction authorised, with usual acknowledgement