ASC-075287668-2887-01

160 CHAPTER 4We had no ideological concepts that come with a revolution. We were essentiallymotivated to save our identity and by the wish to reconquer the independence theFrench had given to us, and which the Malians had confiscated to their own benefit.12But what did independence mean? The question arises whether we shouldsee Alfellaga as an expression of Tamasheq nationalism. The answer to thisquestion depends on whether or not one is prepared to see nationalism disconnectedfrom the state. Without a doubt, the ifulagen wanted independencefor the Kel Tamasheq nation. But their concept of independence was framed invisions on leadership, political order and the structure of society as they hadcome to know it through French colonial rule and the pre-colonial histories oftheir society. Only the reasoning of political science and, for want of a betterterm, ‘Western’ political concepts explicitly link ‘nation’ to ‘state’. The exactcontents of these concepts were then still largely alien to most Kel Tamasheq.From a military point of view the armed uprising of a few dozen lightlyarmed men against a few thousand soldiers equipped with tanks, airplanes andheavy artillery could have amounted to suicide if it wasn’t for the advantagesthe rebels had in their knowledge of the terrain and their partisan-style tactics(infra). But the tactical advantages of the rebels could never make up for theirsimple lack of men and means. A rebel military victory was out of the question.What then, was the strategic goal of the armed rebellion? First of all, by wagingwar on the Malian state, the rebels manifested their discontent with the regimetowards that regime and towards the population. Undoubtedly, the rebels hopedfor support from other Kel Tamasheq groups, both in Mali and perhaps inNiger, as had been the case during the massive Kel Tamasheq revolts againstthe French colonial forces in 1916. But it seems that the rebels mainly hopedthat Algeria and France would come to their help. This becomes clear from thestatements of Amouksou ag Azandeher on the ways the rebels hoped to wintheir cause:XIIIRXIVRXVRIn what time schedule have you planned to win from Mali?There is no time limit, but we intend to fight to the day of our victory or to theday we are convinced that we have lost the cause.Are you not convinced that Mali is much stronger than you are?We are convinced of this as long as you have more arms than we have, but wenevertheless believe that we can win one day.On who do you count to reach that goal? What do you expect exactly fromoutside support?We count first and foremost on Algerian support, but also on France. As forAlgeria, its territory is our greatest support. We also expect arms from Algeria,12Interview by Sidi Mohamed ag Zimrou with Bibi ag Ghassi, n.d. n.p. Courtesy ofGeorg Klute.