The National Union of Banks, Insurance Companies, Financial Institutions, and Businesses of Mali (SYNABEF) announced Saturday that it would prolong its work stoppage from June 9 until authorities release their secretary general, Hamadoun Bah, and all their detained colleagues.
In their communique, SYNABEF’s National Executive Board urged its members to adhere to the directive, and commended members for their participation during the initial work stoppage. The Executive Board previously announced an immediate work suspension across all banks, insurance firms, microfinance firms, businesses, and petroleum companies, starting from June 6 until June 8, 2024, after Hamadoun Bah’s arrest on Wednesday.
According to the Anadolu Agency, former secretary of the Development Bank of Mali’s Trade Union Committee Papa Sadio Traoré filed a complaint against Hamadoun Bah at the National Economic and Financial Court for “forgery and use of forgery” as well as “insults” and “defamation.” As a result of this complaint, Hamadoun Bah was detained and incarcerated at Bamako’s central prison by the national economic and financial prosecutor, while his other colleagues were held at the 5th District Police Station.
Human Rights Watch has reported that Mali’s humanitarian and human rights situation “remains dire,” with “ongoing abuses by armed Islamist groups, state security forces, and government-aligned foreign fighters.” The US State Department has expressed concerns about the Mali government’s security forces, noting instances of arbitrary arrest and unlawful detention
Mali has been marred by enduring conflict since gaining independence from French rule in 1960, notably between ethnic Tuareg tribes and the Malian government. The situation intensified with the emergence of Islamist armed groups, linked to Al-Qaeda and ISIS. Despite the 2015 “Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation in Mali,” tensions persisted. In 2021, Mali faced its third coup in a decade, culminating in Colonel Assimi Goïta seizing power. The military junta’s governance has drawn widespread international condemnation and exacerbated clashes across the nation.
