EXTERNAL (for general distribution)AI Index: AFR 37/05/94

Distr: UA/SC

UA 214/94Extrajudicial Executions/fear of further killings6 June 1994

MALI12 Tuareg civilians extrajudicially executed in Ménaka on 21 April 1994, including:

- Hamma Ag Sidi Mohamed, 50, father of six children

- Erless Ag Koti (30), and his mother aged 70,

- Al Hassan Ag Taghalit, 30

Five Tuareg civilians extrajudicially executed at Diré on 10 May 1994 including:

- Al Hassan Ag Anasbagor

In recent weeks at least 17 Tuareg civilians have been extrajudicially executed by the Malian army apparently on the sole basis of their ethnic origin. No independent inquiry appears to have been ordered into the killings nor any legal proceedings initiated against any of the soldiers responsible for them. Amnesty International believes that this impunity may encourage further extrajudicial executions, and it fears for the safety of other members of the Tuareg community who could become innocent victims of reprisals by the army for attacks by armed groups operating in northern Mali.

On 21 April, 12 civilians of Tuareg ethnic origin including Al Hassan Ag Taghalit, Hamma Ag Sidi Mohamed, Erless Ag Koti and his mother aged 70, were reported to have been extrajudicially executed in Ménaka, northern Mali, by the army. At least 20 others were said to have been injured. They appeared to have been shot in reprisal for the killing of two soldiers in Ménaka on 20 April by former Tuareg fighters recently integrated into the armed forces.

In another incident on 10 May, five Tuareg civilians were reportedly extrajudicially executed in Diré, near Tombouctou, by members of the armed forces. The soldiers went to the market in Diré looking for Tuareg suspected of stealing a vehicle. They reportedly opened fire without warning on five Tuareg men. As they made no attempt to establish their responsibility for the theft it appears they were killed only because of their ethnic origin.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

In April 1992, a peace agreement was signed between the government and the Mouvements et fronts unifiés de l'Azawad (MFUA), a coalition of the four main Tuareg armed factions, bringing an end to nearly three years of Tuareg armed rebellion in northern Mali. Nevertheless, the north has remained unstable because of widespread banditry and since late 1993 there have been increasing attacks by armed groups on civilians and non-governmental organizations operating in the area. It is unclear, however, whether these renewed attacks are launched by armed robbers or by dissident Tuareg armed groups disillusioned over the slow progress in implementing the provisions of the 1992 peace accord.

RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send telegrams/telexes/faxes and airmail letters either in French or in your own language:

- while recognizing the government's responsibility to take action in the face of increased banditry, expressing concern at reports that 12 Tuareg civilians, not believed to have had any involvement in acts of violence, including Al Hassan Ag Taghalit, Hamma Ag Sidi Mohamed, Erless Ag Koti and his mother aged 70, were extrajudicially executed in Ménaka on 21 April 1994 apparently in reprisal for the killing of two soldiers by former Tuareg rebels, and that five Tuareg civilians, including Al Hassan Ag Anasbagor, were extrajudicially executed by soldiers in Diré on 10 May 1994;

- expressing concern also that no inquiry appears to have been ordered into these incidents nor any legal proceedings initiated against any of the soldiers responsible for these killings;

- calling for an immediate and impartial inquiry into these killings with a view to bringing those responsible to justice.

APPEALS TO

1) President:

Monsieur Alpha Oumar KONARÉ

Président de la République

La Présidence

BP 1463, BAMAKO, Mali

Faxes: + 223 22 39 80

Telegrams: Président Konaré, Bamako, Mali

Salutation: Monsieur le Président / Dear President

2) Minister of Defence

Monsieur Dioncounda TRAORÉ

Ministre de la Défense

Ministère de la Défense

BP 215, BAMAKO, Mali

Telexes: 2582

Telegrams: Minstre de la Défense Traouré, Bamako, Mali

Salutation: Monsieur le Ministre / Dear Minister

3)Minister of Territorial Administration (Interior)

Lieutenant-Colonel Sada SAMAKÉ

Ministre de l'Administration territoriale et de la Sécurité

Ministère de l'Administration territoriale

BAMAKO, Mali

Telegrams: Minstre Samaké, Ministère de l'Administration territoriale, Bamako, Mali

Salutation: Monsieur le Ministre / Dear Minister

4) Minister of Justice, Keeper of the Seals

Monsieur Boubacar Gaoussou DIARRA

Ministre de la Justice,Garde des Sceaux

Ministère de la Justice

B.P. 97, BAMAKO, Mali

Telegrams: Ministre de la Justice Diarra, Bamako, Mali

Faxes: +223 23 00 63

Salutation: Monsieur le Ministre / Dear Minister

COPIES OF YOUR APPEALS TO:

Newspapers:

L'AuroreLe RépublicainL'Observateur

BP 3150BP 1484BP 1238

BAMAKO, MaliBAMAKO, MaliBAMAKO, MALI

Les Echos

BP 2043

BAMAKO, Mali

Human rights organization:

Association malienne des droits de l'homme

BP 367, BAMAKO, Mali.

and to diplomatic representatives of Mali accredited to your country.

PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY. Check with the International Secretariat, or your section office, if sending appeals after 18 July 1994.