Mali Ethnic Conflict

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Frances Shirley Period 4B 2/14/13 Chapter 7 Project Mali Ethnic Conflict Mali is a country which seems relatively friendly, peaceful, and tolerant. It is one of the better functioning democracies in Africa. Throughout the world, Mali has many countries as fans. Mali, like other countries, has ethnic conflicts. Mali’s conflict is a war over skin color. Skin color is rarely discussed as a major part in the conflict, but its importance shouldn’t be ignored. Malians started a military coup because the Malian army had difficulties trying to contain an uprising by Tuareg rebels, a military coup in the south. The uprising would eventually turn into a war on skin color. These rebels are known as the MNLA (National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad). Azawad is the name of the independent state that the MNLA says “will comprise the three main provinces of Northern Mali,” (Source 2). The MNLA were driven to attack because of their frustration at being mistreated by “black, southern-ruled, post-independence Malian governments,” (Source 1). Arabs and Songhoi see their future with the current borders. Those people have a made peace with the idea that Mali is one nation that can include all diversities. They feel, “development is more important than nationalism or ethnic separatism,” (Source 2). Most Malians, in the south, don’t like the idea of their country being split in two. The problem is that the lighter Malians, Tuaregs, aren’t the only
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