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POLITICAL TURMOIL IN MALI

On April 2nd sanctions against Mali started after the coup leader refused to step down. By that time, the banks were already pretty much out of money, the gas stations out of gas, and food prices had already gone up. The land borders closed that day, completely isolating Mali and cutting it off from all much-need imports.

Our kids stopped going to school as we had not stocked up on gas (only food and money). The coup leader started secret talks as he soon realized that Mali could not continue functioning for long with the sanctions in place.

On April 4th, our American family left to return home - two months earlier than planned. Two days later I left for Austria - 5 days earlier than planned. That same day - April 6th - the coup leader announced that he had signed an accord with the neighboring countries that meant that Malian law would go into effect again and that he'd step down.

A week later - on April 12th - the former parliament speaker was sworn in as interim president; he seemed a very reasonable man. On April 17th, an astrophysicist who's worked for NASA and Microsoft was named prime minister. That very same day the "stepped down" coup leader Sanogo had 22 officials of the toppled government arrested, causing an international outcry. At that time it became known that the toppled Malian president had been hiding in the Senegalese embassy, and after a short stand-off, the coup leader allowed his departure into exile in Senegal. Three days after the arrests, he freed all the officials again.

On April 25th the new cabinet of 24 people was set in place - with the military holding 3 key positions. Just days later the neighboring countries talked about the deployment of 3000 soldiers to help with the rebellion in the north of Mali, but the coup leader strongly opposed that plan. Captain Sanogo is still the one holding power and controlling the media, while the interim government remains silent.

Yesterday (April 30) fighting erupted in Bamako after the coup leader tried to arrest another key person from the toppled government, but this time the soldiers still loyal to the old government rose up to fight back and try a counter-coup. At this time, the fighting is still going on, with the coup leader seeming to keep the upper hand; the airport has been closed since last night and has announced it will remain so for one week. 14 people have died, and 40 been injured.

While the neighboring countries (ECOWAS) have given Mali 12 months until elections need to be held, coup leader Sanogo has already announced that he will take his place as the head of Mali again after the projected 40 days for the interim president are over - which is in about 3 weeks. ECOWAS is discussing deployment of troops against the coup leader, as well as putting the sanctions back into place.

Needless to say, Mali needs your prayers big time. I keep you updated about what's going on on my Facebook page.

Articles:

May 1 - Mali coup: Bamako gunfire continues for second day (BBC)

May 1 - Rival factions clash in Mali capital, junta claims control (Reuters)

April 28 - Mali coup leader rejects ECOWAS (BBC)

April 27 - Mali junta rejects West African troop deployment (Reuters)

HUMANITARIAN TURMOIL IN MALI

I talk to Paul every few days, and he and the kids are doing fine. It is life as usual on our base - except for the Westerners missing. Paul said he's gotten into a good routine with his additional tasks.

Hundreds of refugees from the occupied north come into the capital Bamako every day. In the north women have been raped, sharia law has caused hands to be cut off, Christians are being persecuted, and people are hungry. Apart from that, 3 million people are in danger of starving this year, and all the humanitarian organizations trying to help have had to stop their operations. New sanctions would be a catastrophe hitting the people already suffering the most.

Please pray for Paul and everyone on our base, as well as the many needy people.

QUICK NEWS

•       Our village church in Dara - Paul is ministering there on a weekly basis again.

•        Our village church Goro - Paul has been unable to reach anyone there, and with the crisis heating up again, it's too dangerous to travel there for now.

•       On Our Base - On April 23rd our kids started going back to school, and have been following our regular schedule again. They're doing well.

•        Itinerary - I have changed my travel schedule, moving my July US trip up to May/June and returning to Mali a month later than planned, on June 14th (God-willing). Look to the left to see when I'm where, with more and always current details on the CALENDAR page of our website.

•        My Book - My book can now be ordered from all over the world. Just click on the link on the left side.

•       Volunteers - We still need volunteers, but as of now, it is NOT advised to travel to Mali.

Is there anyplace I can go to avoid your Spirit? to be out of your sight? If I climb to the sky, you're there! If I go underground, you're there! If I flew on morning's wings to the far western horizon, You'd find me in a minute — you're already there waiting! (Ps 139:7-10, MESS)

In HIS hands,

Claudia