Paper short abstract:

Since 1960s, Mali has faced various "Tuareg Rebellions”. The Rebellion of MNLA (2012-2014) provoked the division of the country into two different parts: Azawad and Mali. In a qualitative analysis of Malian media, this paper questions influence of these conflicts in the State-(re)building in Mali.

Paper long abstract:

Since its independence in 1960, Mali has faced various conflicts called “Tuareg Rebellions” in its northern part. The Rebellion of MNLA (2012-2014) provoked the division of the country into two different parts: Azawad and Mali. The perceptions of the Tuareg Rebellions vary from western and African or Malian positions at several levels: in (i) academia, (ii) political discourse, (iii) media discourse interrelating with a (iv) socio-cultural perception. Moreover, the rebellions have revealed the existence of an inter-Tuareg conflict that stems from the traditional rivalry between tribes, particularly the Ifoghas and the Imghads before French colonization. This conflict, which was at the origin of the break-up of the Mouvement populaire de l’Azawad (MPA) during the 1990-1996 rebellion, became multi-faceted in the context of the MNLA rebellion (2012-2015) with the strong involvement of jihadist movements led by influential Tuareg personalities such as Iyad Ag Ghali. Besides the existing traditional rivalry, the agreement resulting from the peace and national reconciliation process of Algiers in 2015 has set the conditions for the exclusion of the Imghads from the local governance of Kidal in favor of the Ifoghas. Proposing a qualitative analysis of Malian media discourse, this paper investigates some characteristics of the inter-Tuareg conflict and its influence in the (re)building process of the Malian State. Considering the context of international war against terror, it intends to point out the existence of a competing ideological challenge between the actors advocating Nationalism, Irredentism and Jihad in the Malian Tuareg community.