‘Caught in a vice’: traditional authorities trapped between a warring state, radical armed groups and clashing communities in Central Mali

Abstract

In recent years, Central Mali has witnessed increasing violence perpetrated by radical armed groups and communal militias. This article analyses the role of traditional authorities in the Central Malian conflict situation. It discusses how traditional authorities have become the object of killings, co-optation attempts and marginalisation by radical armed groups, and how they have promoted community cohesion and mediation in reaction to increasing insecurity and communal conflict. The article subsequently describes how traditional authorities in the region have been caught between the warring state and radical groups, both of which constitute serious physical threats, causing the institutional decay of traditional governance.