By Khamidoun Ag Toumast
A Comprehensive International Statement on the Azawad Issue. The voice of a people facing injustice and demanding their full right to self-determination.
Global Introduction, this statement is addressed to:
The international community
The major powers
The United Nations
International human rights organizations
Neighboring countries
*Free peoples everywhere
This statement seeks no justification, awaits no permission, and begs no recognition.
It is the voice of a people whose history has been stolen, whose land has been destroyed, and whose blood has been spilled. Then they were told to remain silent so as not to “disturb the stability of others.” But we say it clearly:
I will continue to shout when silence becomes betrayal. I will only be silent when words become meaningless. But the truth will not be silenced…
And Azawad will not be erased.
First: Historical truth has roots that cannot be uprooted. Azawad is not an artificial entity nor a fleeting movement.
Rather, it is an ancient historical entity, based on:
An authentic population presence.
A deeply rooted cultural identity.
Traditional social and political systems.
Economic and social ties that extend across the Sahara.
When the colonizer drew its modern borders, Azawad was forcibly annexed to the state of Mali:
– Without a referendum.
– Without consultation.
– Without respecting the identity of its inhabitants.
And since that day, Azawad has been subjected to:
– Deprivation of recognition.
– Deprivation of development.
– Deprivation of representation.
– Deprivation of basic rights.
History cannot be rewritten – not with opinions, but with facts. And the truth of history says:
The people of Azawad were and remain a people with a land, an identity, dignity, and a clear political will.
Secondly: The political reality is a systematic denial of rights. From 1963 until today, the people of Azawad have lived under:
Systematic repression.
Complete political exclusion.
Structural racial discrimination.
Attempts to erase identity.
Destruction of cities and villages.
Massacres.
Forced displacement.
Humanitarian blockade.
Prevention of aid access.
Economic and social strangulation.
These are not “internal problems,” but rather state crimes, many of which fall under the categories of genocide and crimes against humanity.
The Malian state’s insistence on denying the existence of the Azawad people is not a policy… but rather a blatant act of hostility towards truth and justice.
Third: The legal reality is that the right to self-determination is non-negotiable.
International law is clear and explicit:
- The Charter of the United Nations
- The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
- United Nations Resolution 1514
- Rules of customary international law
All of them affirm the right of peoples to:
Self-determination.
Liberty from domination.
Full political independence.
This right applies, in letter and spirit, to the people of Azawad:
- A distinct people.
- A defined territory.
- A unique culture.
- Systematic persecution.
- A complete absence of representation.
- Complete deprivation of fundamental rights.
Therefore: Recognizing Azawad is not a political choice, but an international legal obligation.
Fourth: The human truth is a wound the world should not ignore.
The crimes committed by the state of Mali against the people of Azawad are not “unfortunate events,” but rather:
Genocide of women and children.
Eradication of entire villages.
Mass torture.
Enforced disappearances.
Systematic rape.
Forcible displacement.
Erasure of cultural identity.
Destruction of the people’s property and livelihoods.
These crimes are documented with audio, video, reports, and testimonies.
They cannot be erased with phrases like “national unity.”
- Unity cannot be imposed by force.
- Peace cannot be built on corpses.
- Justice cannot be replaced by intimidation.
Fifth: To neighboring countries – Azawad is not a threat to you.
The perception by some neighboring countries that Azawad’s independence constitutes a threat is a result of:
- Misunderstanding of history
- Misreading of reality
- Fear of their people’s demands
- Political exploitation of fears
Azawad does not covet the lands of others:
It does not seek expansion.
It does not threaten borders.
It does not harbor an expansionist project.
The real fear is not of Azawad, but of:
- Regimes that fear the freedom of their people.
- States that fear opening the files of justice.
- Governments that see the demands of their people as a “contagion” that must be suppressed.
And let us say it frankly: The freedom of peoples is not a virus. Only injustice is the virus that spreads.
Sixth: Independence is a guarantee of stability—not a threat to it.
States that believe that the independence of Azawad will create chaos are forgetting a clear fact:
The current chaos was not created by the people of Azawad, but by the oppressive policies of Mali.
The independence of Azawad means:
A responsible state
Secure borders.
Balanced partnerships with neighbors.
Regional economic cooperation.
Effective fight against cross-border terrorism
An end to smuggling and organized crime.
Long-term political stability.
States built on justice are stronger and more stable than states governed by oppression.
Seventh: A Global Appeal – The voice of an entire people.
To the United Nations:
Why do you defend the rights of all peoples… and exclude Azawad?
To the Security Council:
How can you speak of stability and ignore the crimes of the Malian state?
To the African Union:
Are borders more important than human lives?
To the free peoples:
Your voice is essential. The world’s silence is another crime.
To the international media:
History will record: Were you witnesses to the truth or complicit in the cover-up?
Eighth: A Voice That Will Not Die.
I will continue to cry out when silence becomes betrayal. And I will be silent when words become meaningless. But the cause of Azawad will not be stifled by time, nor buried by politics, nor erased by lies.
And the people of Azawad say to the world:
– We want life.
– We want dignity.
– We want freedom.
– We want international recognition.
– We want our state.
Ninth: Conclusion – Azawad is an Undeniable Right.
Azawad is not:
- A danger
- A threat
- An artificial project
- Chaos
Azawad is:
- A people
- An identity
- A land
- A history
- A right
- Justice
- Dignity
- An indomitable will
Any attempt to distort this right is merely an attempt to conceal injustice. And whoever opposes the independence of Azawad is standing against:
Justice
Humanity
International law
Regional stability
Freedom for Azawad = Justice + Peace + Stability.
This right does not expire with time, cannot be erased by force, and will not be silenced by the passage of time.
Khamidoun Ag Toumast
Azawad Support Group
21-11-25