Mali refugees flee French neo-colonial war

This photo of a French Foreign Legion soldier, part of the invasion of Mali, shows the real face of that war.

That war is not “against Al Qaeda terrorism” (supported by the French government in Libya, and still in Syria). It is not for women’s rights, human rights or secularism.

It is in support of a military dictatorship.

It brings death, mainly to Malian civilians.

This war is a neo-colonial war.

The French Foreign Legion became infamous in the nineteenth century for its atrocities while imposing colonial rule in Algeria and elsewhere. Now, it plays a role in twenty-first century neo-colonialism as well.

From daily The Morning Star in Britain:

Refugee numbers at crisis levels after Mali intervention

Friday 12 April 2013

Medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres warned today of a growing humanitarian crisis in west Africa where around 70,000 Malian refugees are stranded in the Mauritanian desert camp of Mbera.

MSF emergency co-ordinator Henry Gray warned that “more than 100,000 people from northern Mali are currently displaced within their country or have escaped abroad as refugees.

“Most of the refugees are from the Tuareg and Arab communities. They fled, often for fear of violence due to their presumed links with Islamist or separatist groups.”

Mauritania has been poor in terms of health and nutrition for many years, but since the French military invaded MSF says the situation has deteriorated.

It said the intervention triggered an influx of 15,000 new refugees.

Consultations in MSF clinics have increased from 1,500 to 2,500 per week and the number of children admitted for severe malnutrition has more than doubled.

Alps shootings: French Foreign Legion soldier ‘top of suspect list’. Patrice Menegaldo, who killed himself last year, fits profile of hitman behind murder of British family and French cyclist in 2012, prosecutor says: here.

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• UN Says it Needs More Troops, Equipment in Mali After Recent Attacks (reason.com)