I have a lot of concerns and fears related to the Azwad. Being isolated from the rest of the world

And targeted for decades, they have now dealings with islamist groups for intelligence gathering purposes ...etc.

I obviously support their right to govern their own communities...They are the natives..I also do think the Mali government along with their western allies only wish to exploit and abuse the resources and do not deserve to rule over the Touareg anywhere. Not just because I am part-Touareg myself but because I have seen how that works out. 💩

But if avoiding that means forming treaties with Islamists and Jihadists, I don't think it is worth it.

I feel like the Azwad are now only a few steps away from becoming a terrorist organization themselves instead of an ethnic minority fighting for their own freedom.

Just a few steps away...

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SnickersDOM · M

I don't know which is the worse option but I lean toward the partnering with (and eventually morphing into) terrorists as worse ... I wish the UN had more power, or some other entity could offer a viable, non-exploitative third path that is actually a good path

I already don't love the historical pan-Arab takeover of your native region and just making it a cultural extension of somewhere remote, beyond the horizon

Miram · 31-35, F

@SnickersDOM

I am afraid within a year at most we are likely to see an emerging mass islamist army just like ISIS..

I don't know if the Malian Tourags will be a part of it but they are without a doubt making compromises with Islamist organizations no one should make, giving them their own regions , routes..and it will benefit radicals to group and organize , and it is benefiting them already.

The enemy of an enemy is not always a friend.

They are now moving further to the south closer to the Malian capital and that means the official military will have to spread out its units. When that happened in the past, they have lost control over the northern regions..It is true that they are better trained now but I still think it will end up with significant damages. They have a major fuel crisis and an overall civil unrest due to the economic situation. It will cost them heavily.

Miram · 31-35, F

@SnickersDOM

It is going to be an international threat in a year or less.

SnickersDOM · M

@Miram this really is unfortunate that this cycle is repeating, it seems like by now everyone would remember how this movie ends (or is it actually possible that some populations are so insulated they are unaware?), it's not good for anyone

I'm just trying to imagine the level of sheer desperation that would even make these compromises seem, if not appealing, like the only real option

Miram · 31-35, F

@SnickersDOM

They exist in incredibly extreme environment but that always been the case. The Touareg always existed in very very tough political, economic and environmental climate.

It should not be enough reason to give to extremism. It should do the opposite. I have a very tiny hope that they will seperate themselves from those communications but I also have to think about damage control..I have to admit since the neighboring countries are not stable, Islamists providing resources through them will be rather tempting solution.

I don't know what will happen.

Meanwhile the algerian government should fix its political crisis with Mali and Morroco..and weight the danger of looming ISIS like chaos..and unfortunately consider the borders in the south and revisit their prior role as meditator between the touareg and mali government. They have to prioritize stability over self determination.

SnickersDOM · M

@Miram I'd rather see the China "Belt and Road" initiative make inroads there before I'd ever wish to see Islamists remaking everything in their violent and backward image, or Russia for that matter

Meanwhile the algerian government should fix its political crisis with Mali and Morroco..and weight the danger of looming ISIS like chaos

I don't know all the nuances of this Algerian neighbor crisis, but in my unknowing eye it would seem like one would be the obvious priority, surrounded in bright red blinking lights, even if it meant tabling other wishes for awhile

I wondered once if it might be possible to geoengineer the Sahara into a green cycle when it's not naturally in that phase, but it seems like the Earth's tilt would inevitably undo any such effort ... it also surprised me that when the Sahara is in a green cycle, there isn't somewhere else on Earth tipping into a corresponding, offsetting arid cycle .. it's really just that one spot on Earth that seems to affected by the planetary axis in such a cyclical way