Border dispute flashes into flurry of fighting

Press, 27 December 1985, Page 6

Border dispute flashes into flurry of fighting

NZPA-Reuter-AP Abidjan, Ivory Coast Border tension between the West African countries of Mali and Bourkina Fasso exploded into war on Christmas Day despite efforts by other African countries to avoid bloodshed. Mali said yesterday that it had "freed" four border villages occupied by Bourkina Fasso soldiers and had struck-deep inside the latter’s territory to neutralise military targets. Bourkina Fasso and that Malian air raids and ground attacks had killed four of its civilians. The attacks had been directed at a country welfare centre and two grain stores. Bourkina Fasso aid that it had taught the Malian Army a lesson, killing 10 soldiers and destroying six tanks. Mali denied the claim.

Mali said that only one of its soldiers had been wounded and that no tanks had been lost in a successful counter-attack aimed at recapturing the border villages and recovering the country’s territorial integrity. Mali and Bourkina Fasso, two of the world’s poorest countries, are run by Leftist military Governments. Their dispute concerns a 160 km strip of land reputedly rich in minerals, which both have claimed since independence from France 25 years ago. It is where Mali’s southern border meets Bourkina Fasso’s northern frontier.

They fought a brief but bloody war over the border zone 11 years ago. This fighting began after Bourkina Fasso soldiers moved into four Malian villages to help with a national census of Bourkina Fasso residents on December 14. Bourkina Fasso later said that the troops, which were sent to protect the census-

takers, had pulled back behind the border at the demand of friendly African countries.

But Mali maintained that they were still there and sent its own troops into action.

Several African countries including Niger, Togo, and Algeria, had made frantic diplomatic efforts to prevent fighting breaking out. The Algerian Foreign Minister, Mr Ahmed Taleb

Ibrahimi, arrived in Ouagadougou yesterday. Envoys from the three countries and officials of Anad, a regional defence pact, to which Bourkina Fasso and Mali belong, were due to visit the border area today. Mali and Bourkina Fasso, formerly known as Upper Volta, have tried repeatedly to resolve the dispute, including through the International Court of Justice, with no success.

Bourkina Fasso leader, Captain Thomas Sankara, has ordered a general mobilisation.

Mali has been supported by France, the former colonial Power, revolutionary Bourkina Fasso has been supported by Libya. Without mentioning France Bourkina Fasso radio said that a European Power was behind the attack.

“For three days now, a European imperialist Power has been off-loading war material and so-called instructors in Mali. This material is being used to attack our people ...” the broadcast said.

The Libyan leader, Colonel Muammar Gadaffi, visited Mali and Bourkina Fasso recently. In Ouagadougou, the Bourkinabe capital, Colonel Gadaffi strongly criticised France’s role in African affairs.

France was showing signs of moving again to block Libyan intervention in Chad. Colonel Gadaffi told Captain Sankara that if he could support the elimination of all Western influence in Africa, Libya “will give you everything you need.” Mali, which had turned from France to the East after independence, now actively seeks Western aid. Mali settled similar disputes in 1983 with Algeria, Mauritania, and Niger.