SUMMARY

The conflict between the coalition of ARLA (Armeé révolutionnaire de liberation de l’Azaouad; Revolutionary Army for the Liberation of Azaouad), FIAA (Front Aslamique Arabe de lAzaouad; Islamic Arab Front of Azawad) and FPLA (Front Populaire de Libération de l'Azawad; Popular Liberation Front of Azawad) on the one side and MPA (Mouvement Populaire de lAzaouad; Azawad Peoples Movement) on the other took place in the northern parts of Mali during 1994. The conflict was limited to one episode of violence that was played out during the summer of 1994. The events in question that left 30 people dead was described, by reporters, as the three groups, ARLA, FIAA, FPLA targeting MPA. The fractionalization of MPA began in 1990 and by 1991 there were four different groups, including MPA, representing the Tuareg cause. These different groups all stemmed from MPA and had splintered at different times creating an intricate dynamic within the Tuareg minority.

The Touareg umbrella organization MUFA (Mouvement et Fronts Unifiés de l'Azaouad: Unified Movements and Fronts of Azawad) signed a peace agreement in 1992 with the Malian government agreeing to halt the fighting and to integrate the Tuareg fighters into the Malian national army. The agreement, Pacte Nationale, was signed on 11 April 1992 and amongst the signatories was Zeidane Ag Sidi Alamine representing MUFA. The signing of the accord proved to be a volatile issue.

The domestic politics of Mali were affected by the sudden outbreak of violence in the Tuareg community. Prior to the attacks the government had been negotiating and working to incorporate all the different Tuareg factions into the national army. After the instigation of violence by ARLA, FIAA, FPLA, the government’s only remaining counterpart in the Tuareg populated north was MPA. Needless to say the umbrella organization MUFA was disbanded when its members started to fight each other.

While the details of the events in question are rather hazy, it is however clear that the clashes took place between 10 to12 June 1994. During these three days 30 people lost their lives. It is difficult to ascribe fatalities to each side as news reports covering the event are sketchy, at best. News reports describe the disturbances as three separate events of violence, that all took place between 10 to 12 June 1994.

The violence in this conflict was confined to the northern parts of Mali.

The non-state conflict between ARLA, FIAA, FPLA on the one side and MPA on the other is first included in UCDP data in 1994. In June that year clashes between the two sides resulted in more than 25 battle-related deaths.