Russian Federation
The article attempts to explain one of the reasons for the political instability that many countries in the world and, in particular, Africa face. This is the problem of multiethnicity and various forms of its instrumentalization to destabilize the country. the author of the article will try to demonstrate the involvement of internal (political) actors but also the place of Western institutions such as France as well as other external regional and international actors such as the UN and certain countries in the region. The purpose of this article is to show that the ethnic factor is one of the political means of weakening and segmenting former African colonies by Western powers. It is important and necessary to clarify the following tasks to try to achieve this goal: consider the colonial policy of France towards African states; identify the main ethnic groups and analyze their actions to destabilize the state; prove the cooperation and support of Western powers to these ethnic groups. The hypothesis put forward by the author is that the destabilization of the state of Mali associated with ethno-separatism and terrorism finds support mainly from Western powers and, in particular, from the former colonialist France. The article is based on several scientific methods, such as a historical and comparative approaches, a review of works and reports on the issue, and experience gained in our university courses. The article provides a brief political science excursion into the history of the instrumentalization of the ethnic factor as a source of political destabilization in time and space, before focusing on the cases of the Tuareg and Fulani ethnic groups in Mali, which reached the stage of political separatism and international terrorism. The practical value and theoretical necessity of this analysis is seen in the fact that the results of the work can be studied in the educational process at universities and in centers of political research, as well as in the process of negotiations and political decision-making. The author of the article comes to the conclusion that the problem of destabilization of Malian and other states in the Sahel (Burkina Faso and Niger) is associated with the expansive policy of Western powers, especially France, to obtain, preserve and strengthen their national, geopolitical and geostrategic interests in the region. The main instrument for the implementation of this policy is the creation and maintenance of ethno-separatist and terrorist groups.
The Sahel, Mali, multi-ethnicity, Peulh, Tuareg, separatism, terrorism, political instability, instrumentalization, military intervention, France, West
1. Kamara S. Vzaimosvyaz' mezhdu etnichnost'yu, separatistskimi nastroyeniyami i terrorizmom v stranakh Sakhelya: na primere Respubliki Mali. [The relationship between ethnicity, separatist sentiment and terrorism in the Sahel countries: the example of the Republic of Mali]. Voprosy politologii [Questions of Political Science]. 2019, V. 9, I. 11 (51), pp. 2473-2479. (In Russian). EDN: https://elibrary.ru/ZGWLYI
2. Kamara S. Terrorizm i mezhetnicheskie konflikty v centre Mali kak posledstviya tuaregskogo separatizma // PolitBook – Cifrovizaciya politicheskogo prostranstva. 2019. – № 4. – S 149-161.
3. Medvedev N.P., Kamara S. Problema separatistskih tendenciy v Afrike: Nacional'no-Osvoboditel'noe Dvizhenie AZAVADA (MNLA) v Mali // Evraziyskiy Soyuz: voprosy mezhdunarodnyh otnosheniy. – 2018. – № 1 (23). – S. 17-24. EDN: https://elibrary.ru/XOSOIX
4. Tishkov V.A. O perepisyvanii narodov, ili dekonstrukciya perepisey naseleniya // Etnograficheskoe obozrenie. – 2023. – № 4. – S. 183–211. DOI: https://doi.org/10.31857/S0869541523040085 EDN: https://elibrary.ru/HJKIZH.
5. Amselle J-L., M’bokolo E. Au cœur de l'ethnie : ethnies, tribalisme el État en Afrique. La Découverte. – Paris, 1985. 227 p.
6. Boilley P. Un complot français au Sahara ? Politiques françaises et représentations maliennes // Mali-France : regards sur une histoire partagée. – 2005. – P. 161 – 182.
7. Bourgeot A. Les sociétés touarègues. Nomadisme, identité, résistances // Journal des africanistes. – 1995. – I. 2 (65). – P. 268 - 271.
8. Chandra K. What is Ethnic Identity and Does It Matter? // Annual Review of Political Science. – 2006. – Vol. 9. – P. 397–424. URL: https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev. polisci.9.062404.170715 (data obrascheniya: 03.25.2024).
9. De Villepin X. la politique française en Afrique à l’aube du nouveau siècle // La revue internationale et stratégique – 2002. – I. 2. – P. 143-148.
10. Gado A. Mutations et conflits au Sahel: de l’ethnicité à la religion comme source de mobilisation politique // Cahier de l’Histoire immédiate – 2018. – I. 51. – P. 45-62.
11. Luiz J.M. The Impact of Ethno-Linguistic Fractionalization on Cultural Measures: Dynamics, Endogeneity and Modernization // Journal of International Business Studies. 2015. – Vol. 46 (9). – P. 1080–1098. URL: https://doi.org/10.1057/jibs.2015.6 (data obrascheniya: 03.01.2024). EDN: https://elibrary.ru/DCUIIK
12. Niang A. Le « Boom » des saisons dans l’espace sahélo-saharien, Proto-révolution, désintégrations et reconfigurations sociopolitiques // Afrique contemporaine. – 2013. – I. 1 (245). – P. 53 – 69.
13. Pérouse de Montclos M-A. La politique de la France au Sahel: une vision militaire // Éditions La Découverte. – 2019. – I. 172. – P. 137 -152.
14. Poupart P., Shourjya D.,Diarra T. Enquête sur les perceptions relatives à la sécurité dans les régions de Mopti, Tombouctou, Gao au Mali // Just Future – 2021. – P. 25-37.
15. Saidou A.K. Le projet indépendantiste touareg : Quête de reconnaissance ou quête de pouvoir? // Canadian Journal of African Studies/Revue canadienne des études africaines – 2023. – I. 3 (57). – P. 543-564. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/00083968.2023.2253934; EDN: https://elibrary.ru/SJOLUX
16. Shourjya D., Baudais V. Les défis de la collecte de données dans les zones de conflit : une étude de cas dans la région du Liptako-Gourma // SIPRI. – 2022. – I. 12 (53). – P. 43-45.
17. Tounkara A., Gaye B. Le djihad à Ké-Macina dans le centre du Mali: Prosélytisme religieux ou enjeux socio-économiques ? // Revue Afrique en mouvement, – I. 2. – P. 100-102.
18. Kamara S. Terrorizm i mezhetnicheskiye konflikty v tsentre Mali kak posledstviya tuaregskogo separatizma [Terrorism and interethnic conflicts in the center of Mali as the consequences of Tuareg separatism]. PolitBook – Tsifrovizatsiya politicheskogo prostranstva [PolitBook - Digitalization of the political]. 2019, I. 4, pp. 149-161. (In Russian).
19. Medvedev N.P., Kamara S. Problema separatistskikh tolkovaniy v slovosochetanii: Natsional'no-osvoboditel'noye dvizheniye AZAVADA (MNLA) v Mali [The problem of separatist tendencies in Africa: National Liberation Movement of AZAWAD (MNLA) in Mali]. Evraziyskiy Soyuz: voprosy mezhdunarodnykh otnosheniy [Eurasian Union: issues of international relations]. 2018, I. 1 (23), pp. 17-24. (In Russian).
20. Tishkov, V.A. O perepisyvanii narodov, ili dekonstruktsiia perepisei naseleniia. [Counting the Peoples or Deconstructing Population Censuses] Etnograficheskoe obozrenie [Ethnographic review]. 2023, I. 4, pp.183–211. DOI: https://doi.org/10.31857/S0869541523040085 EDN: https://elibrary.ru/HJKIZH (In Russian).
21. Amselle J-L., M’bokolo E. At the heart of the ethnic group: ethnic groups, tribalism and the State in Africa. La Découverte. Paris, 1985. 227 p. (in French).
22. Boilley P. A French plot in the Sahara? French policies and Malian representations. Mali-France : regards sur une histoire partagée. 2005. pp.161 – 182. (In French).
23. Bourgeot A. Tuareg societies. Nomadism, identity, resistance. Journal des africanistes. 1995. I. 2 (65). pp. 268 - 271. (in French).
24. Chandra K. What is Ethnic Identity and Does It Matter? Annual Review of Political Science. 2006. Vol. 9. pp. 397–424. URL: https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev. polisci.9.062404.170715 (Accessed: 03.25.2024).
25. De villepin X. French policy in Africa at the dawn of the new century. The international and strategic review. 2002. I. 2. pp. 143-148. (in French).
26. Gado A. Changes and conflicts in the Sahel: from ethnicity to religion as a source of political mobilization. Cahier de l’Histoire Immediate. 2018. I. 51. pp. 45-62.
27. Luiz J.M. The Impact of Ethno-Linguistic Fractionalization on Cultural Measures: Dynamics, Endogeneity and Modernization. Journal of International Business Studies. 2015. Vol. 46 (9). pp. 1080–1098. URL: https://doi.org/10.1057/jibs.2015.6. (Accessed: 03.01.2024). EDN: https://elibrary.ru/DCUIIK
28. Niang A. The “Boom” of the seasons in the Sahelo-Saharan space, Proto-revolution, disintegration and socio-political reconfigurations. Contemporary Africa. 2013. I. 1 (245). pp. 53 – 69. (in French)
29. Pérouse de Montclos M-A. France's policy in the Sahel: a military vision. Éditions La Découverte. 2019. I. 172. pp. 137 -152. (in French).
30. Poupart P., Shourjya D., Diarra T. Survey on perceptions relating to security in the regions of Mopti, Timbuktu, Gao in Mali. Just Future. 2021. pp. 25-37. (in French)
31. Saidou A.K. The Tuareg independence project: Quest for recognition or quest for power? Canadian Journal of African Studies /Revue canadienne des études françaises. 2023. I. 3 (57). pp. 543-564. (in French).
32. Shourjya D., Baudais V. The challenges of data collection in conflict zones: a case study in the Liptako-Gourma region. SIPRI. 2022. I. 12 (53). pp. 43-45. (in French).
33. Tounkara A., Gaye B. Jihad in Ké-Macina in central Mali: Religious proselytism or socio-economic issues? Africa on the Move Review. I. 2. pp. 100-102. (in French).
