8 civilians killed every day in violence in the Central Sahel
A new report from Sahelian civil society reveals the scale of the security crisis in the region
and calls for a radically different approach based on the needs of the people
Dakar, 16 June 2022 - An average of 8 civilians are killed every day in attacks in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, according to a new report “Sahel: What Has Changed”, published today in Dakar by the People’s Coalition for the Sahel. The study, the result of a groundbreaking collective effort by 49 Sahelian and West African civil society organisations, supported by international NGOs, sheds new light on the scale of the security crisis in the central Sahel and the failure of counter-terrorism strategies over the past decade to halt the spiral of violence.
Faced with this situation, the People’s Coalition for the Sahel calls on Sahelian governments and their international partners to radically change their approach and formulate a series of recommendations to effectively place the protection of populations at the heart of their strategies. Although this long-established observation by civil society is now increasingly shared by policymakers, it has not yet translated into the adoption of new practices.
The report also reveals that extremist armed groups killed twice as many civilians between April 2021 and March 2022 as they did in 2020, despite the intensification of military operations, particularly in Mali in recent months. On the other hand, slightly fewer civilians were killed by members of the security defence forces (-11% over the same period), who are still suspected of being responsible for 27% of civilian deaths, according to data from the NGO ACLED (Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project).
“Over the past 18 months, the central Sahel has seen many upheavals”, says Alioune Tine, founder of the Afrikajom Center. “One transitional government has replaced another in Mali. An elected president was overthrown in Burkina Faso. The region has become a geopolitical battleground with the ongoing redeployment of French Barkhane and European Takuba forces from Mali to Niger, and the arrival of the Russians in Mali. But what has changed for the people of the region?”
The report also reveals the contrast between ever-increasing humanitarian needs (nearly 4 million displaced people, a food crisis looming with the lean season between two harvests) and the drastic drop in funding: only 46% of needs have been funded in 2021 (compared to 60% in 2020).
“I am making an urgent appeal to donors”, said Clementine Tarnagda, director of the Burkina Faso-based Organisation for New Initiatives in Development and Health (ONIDS). You have the opportunity to save lives. Don't turn away from our region, despite the many other crises, like in Ukraine.”
The People’s Coalition also points to positive developments. Trials of perpetrators of abuses against civilians have taken place in Mali and Burkina Faso. However, impunity remains the rule in the region, particularly with regard to the defence and security forces. There were also encouraging signs on the issue of a negotiated solution to the crisis.
“Negotiation and dialogue as a political solution to the crisis are increasingly being considered as a complementary or even inseparable option to armed intervention in Niger and Burkina Faso with the latter seeing the creation of “local dialogue committees”. In Mali, this is also the direction that was defined during the inclusive National Dialogue in 2019 and the National Conference of Understanding in 2017”, said Niagalé Bagayoko, President of the African Security Sector Network (ASSN).
It is still too early to measure the impact of these announcements on insecurity levels - but it is in line with the People’s Coalition’s recommendations. We call on the African Union and ECOWAS, as well as all international partners, to encourage and support these efforts towards negotiated solutions.”
The progress report “Sahel: What Has Changed” follows on from the People’s Coalition’s first report “Sahel: What Needs to Change- Towards a New People-Centred Approach”, published in April 2021. As promised, the People’s Coalition is following up by:
Analysing what has changed for civilians since 2020;
Measuring progress on each of the 8 benchmark indicators identified as critical to implementing a new crisis response that is more effective in protecting people;
Providing updated recommendations to Sahelian policymakers and their international partners.