Mali native expresses hope for his homeland

To hear Maiga’s interview with “The Takeaway”go to http://www.thetakeaway.org/2013/jan/15/malian-us-reflects-war-his-homeland/ .

To hear Maiga’s interview with “On Point” go to http://onpoint.wbur.org/2013/01/16/the-conflict-in-mali . (His interview begins at 13:46.)

Doctoral student Assoumane Maiga was proud to talk about Mali with a national radio audience this week, despite the fact that he could be putting himself and his family in danger from radical Islamists who are trying to overtake his country.

“They (the extremists) are usually from outside my country and they want to establish Sharia law and force their brand of religion on the Mali people, who are largely moderate Muslims,” said Maiga, a graduate research associate at Oklahoma State University. Born and raised in Timbuktu, he originally came to OSU on a Fulbright scholarship in 2009.

The fact that Mali’s diplomats don’t often talk about their country and its needs has served to further isolate it and make it an easier target for the radicals, according to Maiga. He says his background in agricultural communications served him well when he returned to Mali, though the local military put him in jail for speaking out against a recent coup. “My country is in danger, so I cannot help but speak out about it. There will be many casualties in the long-term but with the help of the French, the U.S. and other countries, we can build a stronger government that is elected by the people.” 

Maiga sat in a KOSU control room while participating in a live nationwide radio conversation about Mali with Tom Ashbrook, host of the news call-in show “On Point.” The grad student publicly thanked the French for sending troops into his country this week to fight back the invaders. “If not for the French and the freedom they represent, Mali would have been conquered by now,” he said.

The recent occupation of the northern part of the country by the radical groups has already resulted in the widespread destruction of basic services from hospitals to water and electrical systems. Maiga and others formed a humanitarian organization to get food and medical supplies to the communities after the occupation.

Maiga frequently talks by phone with his immediate family. He is hopeful that his wife and children can join him sometime this year so he can be sure they are out of harm’s way.