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eppur_se_muova

(36,287 posts) Tue Jul 17, 2012, 08:27 PM Jul 2012

Mali unites against the Ansar Dine Islamists in Timbuktu (BBC)

By Thomas Fessy
BBC News, Bamako

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What began as a rebellion in January by ethnic Tuareg has been usurped by Islamist militant groups who have taken advantage of the coup and imposed Sharia in most of the key towns in the north.

Music has been banned from local radios, women face being beaten if they are seen with their heads uncovered and people have been whipped in public for various misdemeanours.

Imams unite

On top of that, northern residents suffer days without power, fuel and food shortages.
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"The entire local economy is gone. Everything has been torn down," said the mayor of Timbuktu, Halle Ousmane Cisse, who is Bamako to collect supplies.
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"There's no more trade, no more banks. Administrative services are non-existent: Islamists have looted everything. Timbuktu is now a ghost town."
***
more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-18870130

A long, sad article.

6 replies

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Highlight:

Mali unites against the Ansar Dine Islamists in Timbuktu (BBC) (Original Post) eppur_se_muova Jul 2012 OP

Thats too bad about banning music. HooptieWagon Jul 2012 #1

I can blame them for the banjo? Confusious Jul 2012 #4

Yes. HooptieWagon Jul 2012 #6

listened to bbc overnight`s report madrchsod Jul 2012 #2

This is so sad. ananda Jul 2012 #3

Arab Spring revolutionaries unite! Overthrowing "dictators" is good and righteous! riderinthestorm Jul 2012 #5

HooptieWagon

(17,064 posts)

1. Thats too bad about banning music.

Reply to eppur_se_muova (Original post)

Tue Jul 17, 2012, 09:47 PM

Jul 2012

Mali has a rich musical heritage, it being the birthplace of the harp and the banjo.

Confusious

(8,317 posts)

4. I can blame them for the banjo?

Reply to HooptieWagon (Reply #1)

Tue Jul 17, 2012, 10:36 PM

Jul 2012

interesting, I always blamed the rednecks.

number one most horrible sound -> fingernails on a chalkboard
Number two most horrible sound -> The banjo

Just my opinion, your mileage may vary.

PS of course, I like bagpipes, so my opinion is probably crap

HooptieWagon

(17,064 posts)

6. Yes.

Reply to Confusious (Reply #4)

Wed Jul 18, 2012, 12:16 AM

Jul 2012

Scholars currently believe the banjo is related to the akonting (sometimes spelled ekonting) from the Niger river area of Gambia, next to Mali. It has a drone string, and is played in the same clawhammer style as the modern banjo. There are historical records referring to the banjo as being a favorite instrument of slaves, and Africans from that region (upper Niger River) were experts in growing cotton and rice- two major crops of the South. Slaves from that region were highly desired, and they brought knowledge of building and playing the banjo with them.
The minstrals adopted the banjo in the 1820s and 30s, and as the minstral shows made fun of Blacks, they dropped playing the banjo. Bluegrass music is a fairly recent style, so "rednecks" are late to the party. Recently, several Black musicians , notably Otis Taylor and Keb Mo, have reclaimed the banjo as part of Black heritage. And of course the banjo has a long history as a blues and jazz instrument... it aint all just bluegrass!