A Brief Colonial History Of Ceylon(SriLanka)
Sri Lanka: One Island Two Nations
A Brief Colonial History Of Ceylon(SriLanka)
Sri Lanka: One Island Two Nations
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Thiranjala Weerasinghe sj.- One Island Two Nations
?????????????????????????????????????????????????Sunday, July 16, 2017
Thousands march against referendum, extra powers for Mali president
Malians take to the streets to protest against a planned referendum on constitutional changes in Bamako, Mali July 15, 2017.
BAMAKO (Reuters) - Thousands of Malians took to the streets on Saturday
to protest against a planned referendum on constitutional changes that
would give extra powers to President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, create new
regions and recognize the Tuareg's ethnic homeland.
Mali's government has delayed the vote, which was originally planned for
last week, but still plans to go ahead with it this year. Activists are
unsettled by provisions that would enable the president to nominate a
quarter of the Senate and remove the prime minister at will.
Malians have become increasingly disillusioned with Keita's government,
as insecurity has worsened significantly over the past year and is
spreading beyond the desert north to the south and center, including the
capital Bamako.
"We don't need a revised constitution. We need the state to liberate the
north and center of Mali and to take account of people's aspirations,"
protester and local councillor Sonore Sidibe said at the march, where
protesters held up placards saying 'no' to the constitution, and some
brandished red cards and called for the president to resign.
Presidential elections are scheduled for late 2018, although Keita has not said whether or not he will run.
The constitutional changes concerning new regions are supposed to happen
as part of a 2015 peace deal aiming to end the separatist Tuareg
movement. It will also recognize their claims to a degree of autonomy by
officially labeling the northern desert regions by their Tuareg name,
'Azawad'.
Some Malians are angered about concessions to the rebels, whose 2012
uprising enabled allied jihadists to take over parts of the north and
use them as a launch pad for regional attacks. French forces intervened
and scattered the Islamists and Tuareg rebels the following year.
"This constitution is heading towards federalism," said demonstrator
Moussa Ouattara. "That's a victory to the separatists who want an
Islamic Republic of Azawad".
Additional reporting by Adama Diarra; Writing by Tim Cocks; Editing by Ros Russell