Mali’s June Opposition Movement that campaigned against former president Ibrahim Boubacar Keita has proposed a transition back to civilian power of 18 to24 months with civilians heading a transitional presidency, government, and assembly, to the military coup leaders, one of its leaders said Sunday, reported Africa News.
“The army is for the people and by the people. So, their inclusivity was well understood but it was good to create a framework for consultation,” Issa Kaou Djim, M5RFP Strategy Committee member, told reporters.
Military rulers met representatives of the June 5 Movement at the Kati barracks near Bamako on Saturday, after announcing they would postpone a meeting with civic groups, political organisations and former rebels on the transfer of power due to some organisational reasons.
The protest movement has demanded that the military junta give it a role in the transition, in keeping with its role in spearheading Keita’s ouster. It has also called for the formation of a committee that will monitor and supervise the transition that will have a majority of members of the junta and the (June 5 Movement).
The junta is yet to comment on the meeting.
Last week, Chief envoy of the regional bloc ECOWAS, former Nigerian president Goodluck Jonathan, said the coup leaders had called for a three-year transition period. But the call was rejected by the 15-nation Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), which has demanded an immediate civilian transition and elections within 12 months.
The August 18 coup has prompted Mali’s neighboring countries and ally France to call for a swift transfer of power, amid heightened worries over instability in a country already struggling with an Islamist insurgency, and ethnic violence.
The ECOWAS has already threatened immediate sanctions only to be lifted upon The National Committee for the Salvation of the People junta carrying out a successful transition within a year.
