From: Yona F Maro
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Karibu Jukwaa la www.mwanabidii.com
Pata nafasi mpya za Kazi www.kazibongo.blogspot.com
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Mali: West African Bloc Puts Peacekeeping Troops on Alert
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
The West African economic bloc suspended Mali at an emergency meeting on Tuesday, and has put a peacekeeping force on standby in the most direct threat yet to the junta that seized control in a military coup there last week. Alassane Ouattara, the president of Ivory Coast, which holds the rotating chair of the Economic Community of West African States, or Ecowas, said a delegation of five African presidents would head to Mali within the next 48 hours to try to “restore constitutional order.” There is no immediate plan to deploy the peacekeepers, who will be put on standby in the event that a military intervention is needed, said Kadré Désiré Ouédraogo, the president of the Ecowas commission. The move suggests that the bloc may consider force if the mutinous soldiers who overthrew Mali’s democratically elected leader do not stand down.
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On Mar 22, 7:43 pm, Yona Maro wrote:
From: Yona Maro
Date: Thu, Mar 22, 2012 at 12:43 PM
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Karibu Jukwaa la www.mwanabidii.com
Pata nafasi mpya za Kazi www.kazibongo.blogspot.com
OFFICE OF THE SPEAKER
ECOWAS PARLAIMENT
Press Relase
ECOWAS SPEAKER CONDEMNS MUTINY IN MALI
The Speaker of ECOWAS Parliament, Senator Ike Ekweremadu has condemned the military mutiny in Mali, saying it is highly condemnable and totally unacceptable.
Senator Ekweremadu who reiterated that the days of military and unconstitutional takeover of power in any part of West Africa were over enjoined all members of the Malian armed forces to restrict themselves to their constitutional duties.
“This political development in Mali at a time the sub-region has achieved democratic governance and substantial regional stability at great human and material costs is an assault on the collective will and sensibilities of the peoples of West Africa and therefore totally condemnable and unacceptable”, he said.
The Speaker who threw the weight of the Community Parliament behind the position of the ECOWAS Commission on the political situationthat “ECOWAS position on Zero Tolerance to any form of forceful takeover or disruption of democratic governance in the sub-region will never be compromised as such would amount to a grievous setback for regional integration and development.”
Ekweremadu who also doubles as the Deputy President of Nigerian Senateurged the Authorities of Heads of State of ECOWAS, the African Union, United Nations and members of the international community in general to rally around Mali to defend the nation’s fledging democracy.
He expressed confidence that the committed efforts by the ECOWAS and the African Union would lead to a peaceful resolution of the rebellion in the north of Mali, urging the mutineers to “return to the barracks and not aggravate the fragile peace in the country”.
Recalling the role of the Community Parliament to protecting democratic governance in Niger Republic and the Republic of Guinea, the Speaker assured that the Parliament was observing developments in the West African country and would take further appropriate steps as events demand.
Uche Anichukwu
Special Adviser (Media) to Deputy President of the Senate
22/03/12