Many went to the Bourse du Travail on Thursday, June 8, to answer the call of the “Enough is Enough” movement to protest against the constitutional amendment project adopted by the National Assembly on Saturday, June 3.
“We believe that this constitutional amendment is a step back from the ideals of March 1991. We believe that this country does not need such an amendment. We are not necessarily against the amendment as such. We are against certain provisions of this amendment which will consecrate power to the hands of one man. We are also opposed to the creation of a Senate. We already have a chamber which is the National Assembly which is yet to be perfected. Why rely on a new experience when the one we already have is failing to deliver the desired result”, says Djimé Kanté, a member of civil society.
He added: “In any case, if we do not succeed in blocking it here, we will do it in the ballot box, in spite of the scam and all the embezzlement that are being prepared”.
The march was eventually prevented by the large number of police deployed on the scene. “The policemen here outnumber the number of demonstrators and this is a real hindrance to democracy. We will simply say that the State must understand that it is also a right for us and for all other Malians to give their point of view in relation to this referendum”, said Aboubacar Diarra, another demonstrator.
After a few clashes with the police, the protesters, obliged to retrench themselves in the premises of the Bourse de Travail, gave each other a rendezvous this Saturday June 10 at the monument of independence.
The constitutional referendum is scheduled for July 9. The election campaign will be opened on Friday 23 June and closed two days before the vote, according to the government.
Sory Kondo