Mali, Land of Gold and Uranium: UN Prepares to Send in ECOWAS Troops Share:





August 9th, 2012

NewsRescue– As UN prepares to finalize its approval of an ECOWAS force 3,300 men strong into Mali, the real facts surrounding global interest, positions and actions on Mali come into perspective.

Mali is Africa’s third largest producer of gold, after South Africa and Ghana. In addition to other minerals, Mali has great deposits of Uranium. Previously known as one of the most stable nations in Africa, with so much resource, yet, “surprisingly”, one of the poorest nations in the world.

Tuareg Islamists have progressively gained control of Mali, following the NATO organized, abhorred, staccato overthrow of the Libyan government by foreign Al-Qaeda agents and a Benghazi ‘unpopular’ uprising. See: NewsRescue– Al-Mahdi al-Harati: The Next Osama Bin Ladin; Mercenary from Libya to Syria… Coming to a Town Near You!

The Tuareg used to be a prominent ethnic group in western Africa, Mali, Niger etc. These countries proved highly resistant to French occupation and when the French reluctantly gave independence to these Nations, they ensured that the Tuareg remained sidelined, denied and deprived of education and not a part of governments, despite being a majority.

“Tuareg leadership in the resistance to colonization meant that their territories were among the last in Africa to be colonized, with Mali and Niger only signing peace treaties with the French in 1905 and 1917 respectively. However, their role in resisting colonization and their reputation as a fierce and rebellious people, led the French to marginalize the Tuareg. Tight restrictions were placed on nomadism and Tuaregs were heavily taxed and their labour exploited. The French also refused them schooling and when Niger and Mali achieved independence in the early 1960s the Tuareg immediately found themselves a disadvantaged and under-represented minority within new nation states ruled predominately by members of sub-Saharan ethnic groups. In Mali, Tuareg uprisings began soon after independence seeking autonomy for their regions, but these were brutally put down by the Malian military.” http://rehmat1.com/2009/03/31/mali-al-qaeda-no-its-gold-uranium-and-israel-stupid/

The Tuareg lived as ‘guests’ in Libya, Niger and Mali.

Ghadaffi was very hospitable to these black Africans and hosted over 2 million as residents in Libya.

After Libya fell to NATO and Benghazi forces, the Libyan conquerors were seen locking up Tuareg and other black Africans in zoos and engaged in mass deportations. See: NewsRescue– Black Africans Put in Zoo, Forced to Eat Libya’s Flag: Obama and NATO’s post-Gaddafi Libya

The emigrants left with thousands of ammunitions, including rocket propelled grenade launchers and other surface-to-air missiles. These they used to overthrow the Amadou Toumani Touré democratic government of Mali on the 21st of March 2012. Many of these ammunitions are causing mayhem allover North and West Africa, including further off nations like Nigeria.

But now with the western orchestrated fall of Libya, the delayed has come to the forefront as the Tuareg restate their claims to land and leadership.

Though the Tuareg crumbled to international condemnation and on the 6th of April, and agreed with ECOWAS to hand over to a transitional government, this done on May 16th, with parliament speaker Dioncounda Traoré put in power, the Tuareg retained control of the nation.

“Nearly 90 per cent of France’s electrical energy generation, much of which is exported around Europe, comes from nuclear power plants, and their nuclear industry is almost entirely dependent on uranium from Niger. The recent dispute between Russia and Ukraine that disrupted natural gas supplies across Europe demonstrated the fragility of the continent’s energy policy and the importance of the nuclear power industry. Rather than acknowledge the Tuareg’s legitimate frustrations it has proved easier for the Tuareg to be dismissed both internally and internationally as extremists. Labeling the Tuareg fighters as terrorists or Islamic jihadists provides a smoke screen for repression and an excuse to ignore their claims.

The insurgents are accused of having links with Islamic extremists in order to garner support for military action from the international community – says Issouf ag Maha, elected mayor of Tchirozerine, Niger, and member of the rebel MNJ based in France…..” http://rehmat1.com/2009/03/31/mali-al-qaeda-no-its-gold-uranium-and-israel-stupid/

As the Tuareg extremists conduct radical Islamic behavior in Mali, the western world, worried about the implications on resource exploitation from Mali are using their actions, which include destruction of heritage sites and an amputation of a thieves hand yesterday as reasons to justify an ECOWAS overthrow and UN follow up in Mali.

But what is the interest in Mali all about? As we mentioned earlier, Mali as with many African nations holds great resource.

“Mali is Africa’s third largest producer of gold – after South Africa and Ghana. It’s known gold reserves are estimated to be around 350 ton.

The Canadian Heritage Oil Corporation (est. in Calgary in 1992 but last year it moved its head office to Jersey), is involved in Mali’s oil sector and the firm accounts for 30% of world investment in African mining sector.

Mali is estimated to have more than 5,000 ton of Uranium deposits in Falea area and the Kidal project.”

The prior stability of Mali was celebrated by the western world, and in the report below, during the beginning of the uprising, the west sat on the edges of their seats and hoped Mali remained simple and in order:

“On March 19, The Gold Report published an interview with Mark Lackey, chief investment strategist with Toronto-based Pope and Company, about investment opportunities in West Africa. Lackey stands by his statement that Mali is indeed one of Africa’s safest jurisdictions.

“We saw a fairly significant selloff in some of the stocks yesterday but we’re not changing our view that Mali is one West Africa’s most stable countries,” Lackey told The Gold Report Friday morning. “Our geologist was recently over there and he’s made contact with some people in Bamako and their view is that things seem calm. There has been no loss of life. . .Things would have to change dramatically (in Mali) for me to change my view.”

Does that mean investors should hold onto to their positions in companies operating in Mali?” http://news.goldseek.com/GoldSeek/1332684000.php

But this is changing as the Tuareg increasingly gain control, and the west is not waiting. This Friday a meeting will be held in Bamako to give the go ahead for ECOWAS forces to be deployed to Mali. The rest can be predicted.

As happened when ECOWAS forces led by Nigeria, stabilized Liberia. The ECOWAS forces went first, only to do the ‘dirty work’, thereafter the UN came in, reaped the benefits of “bounty”, and hundred year long contracts were signed between US corporations and the Liberian puppet Sirleaf government.

According to Lade Warsaw, a freelance poet, writer and native Liberian residing in Orange County, CA:

“Harvey Firestone started the largest single rubber plantation in Liberia. And my understanding is that they have a one hundred year contract. As far as Firestone is concerned, I’m very disappointed, I think the word that I would use would be, “disgusted”. If you see the way the employees of Firestone who tap the rubber. They work 8-16 hours a day to make 2 dollars, and some like 59 cents or something like that a day. That would never be allowed to happen here in America, but it’s allowed to happen over in Liberia, a third world country, or a developing country. Liberia, we held our own for so many years. Liberia was a beautiful country. We have been peaceful for more than a hundred years, and then all of the sudden, we are coming, you know, we are facing war and rumors of war and stuff. Well they go in, like Firestone, and they drain the resources of a country, and then when a country needs them, they are not there for the people. I think one of the issues that they need to be addressing are those companies where they go to foreign countries, especially the 3rd world countries and exploit the people. They make all the money, the millions and stuff, off the sweat of the local employees. The housing for the local employees at the Firestone plantation in Liberia is very appalling, and I urge anybody to go and see for themselves.”

The same can logically be predicted to occur in Mali, as ECOWAS prepares to go in.

The following resource used for this article describes opinions on the criteria for the crises in Mali and UN intervention:

According to the USAID, Mali used to be one of the most socially and economically stable countries in Africa – but being a Muslim majority country which has no diplomatic relations with the Zionist entity since 1973 and being full of industrial natural resources – it’s has become a thorn in Zionist policy in Muslim Africa.

“Israel’s success in developing its relations with western African states – especially those falling south of the great Sahara region, bordering Arab African states – shall achieve very important strategic gains for it, which shall overcome areas of its strategic weakness due to the tight band of Arab states surrounding it, to reach to the open Arab back in a place Arabs do not expect…..,” – General Hayem Laskoff, former Israeli Chief of Staff.

China, another oil thirsty world power – is also trying to vow Mali. Chinese president Hu Jintao paid 2-day visit to Bamako last month where he had discussed mutual interests with Mali president Amadou Toumany Toure, who attended the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Games in August 2008. During 2008, Mali and China had a trade of US$200 million.

Stefan Simanowitz, a writer, journalist and broadcaster – in his recent article Bluemen and Yellowcake: The struggle of the Tuareg in West Africa, wrote:

“Despite several peace agreements, the situation in Mali and Niger remains far from peaceful and is complicated by the fact that the lands over which the Tuareg have wandered for centuries are home to some of the world’s largest uranium deposits and substantial reserves of oil. International energy companies jostle for concessions to mining and oil concerns amid accusations of government corruption, whilst rumours of activity by groups sympathetic to al-Qaeda have ensured that these countries have become a frontline in the so-called ‘war on terror’. As energy-hungry world powers vie for resources, the plight of the Tuareg is seldom considered and their traditional way of life is increasingly under threat.

Islam was brought into this largest country in the West Africa by the Berber and Tuareg nomads during the 9th century. During King Mansa Musa (1312-1337), the country became famous for mosques and King’s golden-laiden pilgrimage to Makkah and country’s capital Timbuktu became one of world’s greatest cultural centres. The French began colonizing this part of Africa in 1880 CE and named it Soudan. In 1893, Mali was added to Soudan. In 1959, Soudan joined Senegal to form the Mali Federation, which became independent within the French community on June 20, 1960. The Federation collapsed on August 20, 1960 when Senegal seceded. On September 22, 1960, Soudan proclaimed itself the Republic of Mali and withdrew from the French community.

On November 19, 1968, a group of young military officers staged a bloodless coup and renounced the country’s Constitution based on socialism. On June8, 1992 democratic elections were held in the country. The current population of country is estimated around 14 million (90% Muslims, 9% indigenous religions, 1% Christians, and 1000 native Jews). Radio France International reported in June 1996 reported the existence of Zakhor (Jewish community) in Mali, one of whose member was quoted as saying: “It is G-d who made Timbuktu our land of refuge, and we are Muslims.” These Crypto-Jews, like the Donmeh in Turkey – are the dependable friends Israel has among Muslim countries. The US Agency for International Development in Bamako, is the link between these Jews and Israel.” http://rehmat1.com/2009/03/31/mali-al-qaeda-no-its-gold-uranium-and-israel-stupid/

—

How long can you sideline and exploit a people without them ever coming to claim their right to land and life? The eruption in Mali was bound to happen, more-so as the colonial powers get more careless and ruthless in their hunger for global resource.

Even though the establishment of Tuaregs in Mali may very well need check and some sort of order, this should be handled totally and completely by neighbors and African nations that share their culture and interests and not, once again by the colonial masters.

The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of NewsRescue

Of course this is not the case, as impotent African nations await orders from the UN. And will after restoring order, hand over to the UN once again, because African leaders are plain impotent idiots. With recent history to reflect on, it is easy to predict the happenings of the next few days to years and the future of Mali under the new aggressive colonial quest and economic recolonization of Africa and the Middle East.