In Mali, thousands of people who had fled their homes are now returning to their villages in the Bankass area, located in the central part of the country. This return has been made possible by local agreements between village communities and the Support Group for Islam and Muslims (JNIM), an Al-Qaeda affiliate.
The villagers are allowed to go back to their houses and cultivate their fields, though under conditions imposed by the jihadist groups. These include mandatory wearing of the veil for women and a ban on Western-style education in schools.
School closures and mandatory veiling imposed
The conditions cover dress codes and prayer rituals. Men are required to wear short trousers, public schools are shut down, and female veiling is compulsory. In exchange, the mostly Fulani and Dogon villagers are now permitted to carry out farming and herding activities as the rainy season begins in June.
“We returned without our wives”
An educator from the village of Bare Darsalam in the Bankass circle, who asked to remain anonymous, came back after seven years away due to the conflict. He returned without his wife and children. Speaking about the public school and dress code imposed by JNIM, he said:
“Our school was destroyed by the armed terrorist groups when the village was displaced in 2019. They broke everything. Even if they asked us to rebuild the school immediately, we would not agree. We resumed our activities after guarantees from the mayor of Bankass. We have not yet started wearing short trousers. Nor have we brought back our wives, to see if we must wear the Islamic veil or something like that.”
Farming resumes in the fields
According to Allaye Guindo, mayor of the urban commune of Bankass, the signing of agreements between village communities and armed groups has led to a significant return of displaced people.
“Thanks to the signed agreements, people are returning to all the abandoned localities. The 13 villages that are welcoming back their residents include two villages of Kani Bozon, one village from the rural commune of Dimbal. The rest are villages from the commune of Bankass. It is raining now, and many returnees have started cultivating their fields in safety. Everyone is satisfied.”
The terms of the local agreements state that customary authorities and notables must adapt to the rules set by the armed terrorist groups, who make the application of Islamic law (sharia) the cornerstone of their collaboration with the villagers.
