Ambassador's Speeches

Speech at the Opening Session of the Conflict Resolution Training for Community Radio Operators in the North of Mali
January 30, 2008

(as prepared for delivery)

Wargassabou

Taghlassam

Kheir Alee Koum

Honored guests, ladies and gentlemen, it is both an honor and a pleasure to join you today as you begin this important conference on Conflict Resolution.

Since independence, Mali has worked diligently to grow its rich tradition of democracy and human rights, a tradition that has its roots in the jurisprudence taught in the fourteenth century in the great universities that were located here in the North of your country.  Your forefathers laid the groundwork for Mali’s current leadership of the Community of Democracies, and you can be extremely proud of the example that you provide for developing countries around the world.

In Mali, as in the United States, the media plays a critical role in the democratic process, particularly in fulfilling the essential task of keeping citizens informed and engaged in their politics, society, and culture.   In Mali, community radios are, arguably, the most important media in the country  – a lesson that I learned almost 10 years ago, while assigned to the US Embassy in Lome.  At that time, I had a very interesting conversation with a member of a Togolese opposition party who had served as an international observer of the 1996 Malian elections.  When I asked him about his impressions of the electoral process in your country, he responded in words that still remain in my memory.  He said, “Community radios make a democracy.”   He then went on to tell me about the rich radio resources that were playing a key role in keeping citizens informed and helping them understand the democratic revolution that was underway at that time in Mali.

Since that conversation, I have discovered for myself that community radio in Mali is truly an integral part of society.  In many ways, Malian community radio is a natural evolution of your country’s rich griot tradition – providing voices of counsel, telling stories of history and culture, and continuing to serve, in a real sense, as the keeper of memories and laws.  Community radio is by definition an example of democracy in action – a natural reflection of the community which it serves, able to respond to local needs at the same time that it helps inform and enrich the lives of its listeners.  

As all you know, the responsibilities that you bear as community radio directors and journalists are manifold – you are asked on a daily basis to assist in the development of your communities, your regions, and your country on issues as diverse as education, religion, health, water management, environmental awareness, agriculture, and economic growth.  All of these are of vital importance, particularly here in the North of Mali, where people’s livelihoods depend on remaining informed and engaged in the decentralization process underway in the country.

It is very clear, however, that a prerequisite for any kind of development to take place anywhere in the world is peace and stability.  This is why we are here today to talk about the very important role that each and every one of you can play in helping to resolve conflict so that energies may be focused on advancing the common good, instead of time wasted on quarrels and misunderstandings.

Conflict can erupt on many different levels and in many different settings.  It can be a simple misunderstanding between neighbors, a long-standing dispute between families, or a pernicious and extremist message brought in by outside influences.  No matter where it begins, conflict can and must be resolved, and the community will often need to play an important role in its resolution. You, as community radio operators, will have to decide in each situation whether you wish to be part of the solution or whether you choose to exacerbate the problem. 

Recent history in Rwanda and Kenya indicate that this is not a hypothetical choice, nor is it one that you can undertake lightly.  We are all painfully aware of the massive destruction caused by Radio Télévision Libre des Mille Collines (RTLM), a Rwandan radio station which, from 1993 to 1994,  projected hate propaganda against Tutsis, moderate Hutus, Belgians, and the United Nations mission.  It is shocking to know that this one radio station is widely regarded today as having played a crucial role in creating the atmosphere of charged racial hostility that allowed the genocide in Rwanda to occur.

On the other hand, we have radio stations such as Pamoja FM, a Kenyan radio station that has recently received wide and positive international media coverage for its efforts to bring calm to the current tense atmosphere in the country.  As reported in the Christian Science Monitor, “like most radio stations in Kenya, Pamoja FM broadcasts hours of African music, reggae, and hip-hop – as well as mellow encouragements to remain calm and nonviolent during the country's worst political crisis since independence in 1963.”  The owners and deejays at Pamoja FM are making a daily decision to act responsibly when others around them are bent on destruction and violence.

It is clear that community radio, as the voice of the community, will often be the best and most effective way to help calm fears, soothe tensions, and remove the ignorance that so often serves as the basis of conflict situations.  This is the important task laid at your feet, and one that I thank and congratulate you for having the courage to accept.

We know, however, that conflict resolution is a shared responsibility, one that extends from the government in Bamako to the governor’s offices in each of the regions to the military checkpoints and barracks in your communities.  That is why we are very pleased to have enlisted the support and guidance of your local leaders and community elders, as well as the participation and insight of our partners in the Malian armed forces, during this conference.  I am confident that working side by side, you will find ways to work together for the common good of your communities.

Please be assured that the government and people of the United States are serious in our support of your efforts in the areas of conflict resolution and development.  We are working hand in hand with Malians around your three regions in projects funded by the Department of State, USAID, the Department of Defense’s Humanitarian Assistance program, and the Peace Corps.  We are proud to see the positive effect that USAID community radio support has had in Gao, Timbuktu, and Kidal and look forward to working with you to continue to build your capacity to carry out your important role in Malian democracy and development today. 

I wish you the best of luck for this conference, and I look forward to hearing the fruit of your labors for many years to come. 

Wandagoye
Alkheir adjen
Choukran