By the editors of the Méhari Post.
Between memory, culture, and political demands, the Tuareg cultural day organized in Rennes quickly became a festive event marked by art exhibitions, Tuareg storytelling, and a conference on the humanitarian and security situation in Mali and the Sahel.
Before a multi-ethnic audience from several European countries, intellectuals, activists, and representatives of the Tuareg and African diaspora denounced violence against civilians, criticized Assimi Goïta’s governance, and reignited the debate on the territorial question of Azawad and the borders inherited from colonization.
In Rennes this Saturday, May 9th, the Tuareg community from several cities in France and Europe gathered for an important cultural and political event dedicated to the Tuareg question, within a Sahelian context marked by armed conflicts, identity tensions, and debates surrounding borders inherited from colonization.
Organized by the Rennes Tuareg Friendship Association and Kel Tamashaq Organization of France and Europe, the event blended culture, history, political debates, Tuareg storytelling, and artistic performances in an atmosphere that was both festive and politically engaged.
The official ceremony began with welcoming remarks from Fatim Walet, who praised the mobilization of the Tuareg diaspora and the presence of several prominent figures who came to support the event. The master of ceremonies was Mohamed Ag Ahmedou, President of the Kel Tamashaq Organization of France and Europe, who guided the day’s various segments, which included official speeches, conferences, and cultural activities.
The speeches were opened by Abdoulahi Attayoub, President of the Tuareg diaspora in Europe (ODTE), who is the patriarch of the Tuareg community in France and Europe.
He was followed by the Honorary Consul of Brazil in Rennes, Marisa de Souza, who emphasized the importance of intercultural dialogue and peace in an international context marked by crises and identity-based divisions.
Influential members of Diaspora Afrique de Rennes (the African diaspora in Rennes) also participated in the ceremony, demonstrating the support of some African diasporas in Bretagne for Tuareg cultural and humanitarian initiatives. Throughout the day, several spaces were dedicated to showcasing Tuareg cultural heritage through exhibitions of handicrafts, traditional clothing, jewelry, artwork, and photographs retracing the history of Tuareg communities in the Sahara and the Sahel.
Humanitarian organizations, including JDWS, which campaigns for the cause of violence against women in the Sahel, also presented their activities in support of populations affected by humanitarian crises in the Sahelian regions.
But beyond the cultural dimension, the day quickly took on a political tone around a central question: that of Azawad, its history, and the territorial claims put forward by some Tuareg movements. The main intellectual highlight of the meeting was a conference entitled: “Why Mali and not other countries? Territorial claims in the context of postcolonial borders.”
The discussion brought together several Tuareg intellectual and political figures to address a key question: why do Tuareg territorial claims persist primarily in Mali, given that Tuareg people are spread across several Sahelian and North African countries?
The participants emphasized that the Tuareg are an ancient Saharan community, present, according to several historians and scholars, for millennia in the Sahel-Saharan region. In particular, they highlighted the existence of Tifinagh, the traditional Tuareg script, presented as one of the oldest African scripts still in use today.
Participants emphasized that the Tuareg people today live in a region spread across Mali, Niger, Algeria, Libya, Burkina Faso, Mauritania, and parts of Chad.
Issouf Maha, writer and former mayor of Thirozerene, Niger, placed the Tuareg question within the historical context of the colonial partitioning of Africa. According to him, the borders inherited from colonization fragmented Tuareg territories and contributed to contemporary tensions.
“The Tuareg pie has been unfairly divided,” he suggested to the audience, arguing that the borders drawn during the colonial period profoundly disrupted the historical balance of the Sahel region. He also criticized the current security strategy of the Malian authorities, whom he accused of focusing their operations on civilian populations rather than on armed combatant groups. For Issouf Maha, this approach would contribute to reinforcing frustrations and separatist movements in northern Mali, known as Azawad.
Abdullahi Attayoub, for his part, traced the various Tuareg rebellions that have marked Mali since 1963, through the 1990s, 2012, and the clashes of 2023. According to him, the various peace agreements concluded over the decades have been progressively abandoned or called into question by successive regimes in Bamako. He denounced the absence of genuine mechanisms for transitional justice, reparations, and recognition of the suffering endured by the civilian population.
Journalist and political analyst Mohamed Ag Ahmedou delivered a particularly critical analysis of the current political situation in Mali. According to him, the Tuareg and Arab communities of northern Mali have been living for decades in a cycle of violence, reprisals, and political marginalization.
He accused several successive Malian regimes of responding to crises with military repression rather than lasting political solutions.
Mohamed Ag Ahmedou also mentioned the work of the Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission established after the 2015 Algiers Agreement. According to him, this commission had begun documenting the violence and responsibilities related to the different phases of the Malian conflict before its work was sidelined after the self-proclaimed General Assimi Goïta came to power following two military coups in 2020 and 2021.
Several other prominent figures spoke during the debates.
Gaoussou Dembia, representing the African Solidarity for Democracy and Independence Party (SADI), and Dr. Oumar Mariko, called for peace and calm in Mali. Gaoussou also asked the audience to observe a minute of silence in memory of the victims of violence in the Sahel, which was observed.
Malian influencer Boubacar Soumaoro, known as Bouba Fani, also called for peace and reconciliation after denouncing the authoritarian tendencies of the current Malian regime and the suffering affecting various communities in the country.
Beyond the political debates, the cultural day also featured several performances of Tuareg storytelling and music by Tuareg groups from Mali and Niger. The artists performed politically charged songs celebrating Azawad, the memory of Tuareg struggles, and the cultural attachment of Saharan populations to their historical territory. Traditional dances, Tuareg guitar rhythms, and songs in Tamasheq accompanied this celebration of identity, to the applause of a large audience.
Through these artistic performances, the organizers wanted to remind people that the Tuareg question is not limited to a political or security demand, but is also part of a cultural and memorial history deeply rooted in the Sahel-Saharan space.
This day in Rennes ultimately illustrated the growing influence of a European Tuareg diaspora increasingly mobilized on political, historical, and humanitarian issues related to the Sahel.
Between defending cultural identity, denouncing violence against civilians, and advocating for political demands surrounding Azawad, the speakers sought to create a space for reflection on the future of relations between Sahelian states and the Tuareg population.
Throughout the discussions, one idea recurred insistently: without justice, historical recognition, and inclusive political dialogue, the divisions that run through Mali and the Sahel risk continuing to fuel cycles of violence and mistrust between the populations and the central governments.
By the editorial staff of the Méhari Post.
13-05-26