With regards to the Tuaregs, they are steadfastly against the Sadafists. Remember, the Sadafists kidnapp foreigners but they kill the Tuaregs (at least those who are in military operations, policing the desert).

The Sadafists have some support, sure. They are not so different from foreign missionaries; they travel around the brousse, distribute aide with ideology. But popular support is absent -- their movement is largely Algerian/Arab and their actions are in conflict with the Tuareg interests.

For example, watch how these militant actions affect the region. Tourism is just one facet. The real problem is the ONGs who will either pull their foreign staff, or close completely (as concerns of corruption often prevent them from funding non Western operated projects). The foreign aid is going to be blocked from the actions of the Sadafist. This is clearly bad for the region of the North. The Tuaregs have a vested interested in their region that extends to a militant nationalism. The Sadafists, on the other hand, have no interests. It's not their desert, it's just where they've been driven to hide after they were expelled from Northern Algeria.

That being said, there's a reluctance for the military to hand over extensive control to the former rebels...it's a tenative peace. If the Sadafists have their run of the desert, it's not because the Tuaregs are looking the other way, but more of a fault of the government in Bamako that wants to avoid aiding those who would demand independence of "azawad."

Hello Kirkley,

Nice blog you have. I tried to contact you by e-mail as I am writing an article for a Dutch magazine about Touareg-music, but could not find your adress. Can you send me your mail?

Greetings,
Gerbert

Yea, no problem...

ckirkley gmail com

Azawad, yes, a lovely idea, but the touaregs are too divided to between themselves to move in that direction.
If the Mali government is reluctant to remove the Aqim, they should encourage the touaregs to do the job.
But my question was if you think the touaregs are soon motivated to finish off Aqim themselves even without the go-ahead from Bamako?

The general attitude at this moment amongst those in ville (and the Ibrahim's rebels; not from a first, but second hand source), is that the problem rests in Bamako. The big gift of 4.5 million in military aid from the US, where is it?

I don't think Ibrahim Bangha's group is likely to finish AQIM. Why? It's a dangerous battle, and it's not really their fight. Everyone wants a piece of the money. Maybe they'll hold out for exactly that reason - pay us, and we'll make a move. But I don't think they'd look the other way. If I was in bush, I'd rather be accompanied by rebel than the fragile Malian military, whom maybe never even fired a shot.

That is why I am thinking there must be a point where touareg interests are so obviously hurt by Aqim presence that they decide to make a move against them.

Mali army guys generally make me nervous.

But who are the local "contractors" for AQIM. I suppose it must be some Touareg. Or not?

That is what the Mali and Niger governments wants you to believe,

Tuareg = bandit

Serves political purposes.
While certainly not all touareg abide by the law, I prefer not to pass on what is part of a dirty political game.
I would like all who travel the desert and write about it to be aware of this.

When talking with touaregs about this very old subject of who is doing what in the desert, they say that the role of the touareg is generally that of the camel conductor, guide, driver, etc. The one who actually owns the merchandise on the camels' backs is not a touareg.

Then there is the question: who is a touareg? Some are of mixed descent, say touareg mother and arab father.
So it is a complex topic.
Perhaps the kidnappings are indeed carried out by touaregs selling them on as any merchandise to the Aqim.
This is how the Canadian kidnapping in Niger was presented. As Fowler got to tell the story, there were no touaregs involved.

No official source on this, but word on the street (in Kidal) is that "the kidnapping is not due to al-qaida, but to a problem between two tamasheq tribes linked to drug smuggling."

Another rumour is that the alleged had a problem with a local chief.

Again, no source -- but just as valid as the guesswork coming out of the embassy.

Safe travels!