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REBELLION: AL-JEBHA 261because of strategic reasons it was impossible to continue the fight for more than sixmonths. 19First contact between the Tanekra and the state was made through the mediationof the tribal chiefs. The meeting took place in Tamanrasset between 10and 12 October 1990. The chiefs played their key role as intermediaries betweenstate and society, a role the state recognised and legitimised in givingthem this assignment. But to the members of the Tanekra organisation, thetribal chiefs had no legitimacy. First of all, a strong current within the Tanekramovement had always been in favour of the abolition of tribal chiefs and otherhierarchies in Tamasheq society. Second, from the start of the rebellion, themost important tribal chiefs had made it perfectly clear that they were againstthe rebellion. In a declaration transmitted over radio and television in September1990, they described the rebels as ‘(...) bandits and traitors, committingunimaginable follies disturbing the tranquillity and stability regained after yearsof merciless drought’. 20 Intalla ag Attaher, chief of the Kel Ifoghas, and theother chiefs of the Adagh, had immediately volunteered to tour the Adagh toinform the population about the activities of the Army; to search for the rebels,and to bring the young men to their senses as they had done during Alfellaga.Unfortunately, a group of soldiers disarmed and molested the chiefs when theypresented themselves to the Commandant de Cercle on the first day of the tour,as they held them to be rebels themselves. During their tour, the family of theIdnan chief Attaher ag Bissaada was killed by soldiers. Attaher ag Bissaada,speaking to Moussa Traoré afterwards, asked him not to mention this ‘incident’as one should look to the future and not to the past. 21 The Government couldthus count on the loyalty of the chiefs and decided to send them as envoys tocontact the rebels. The meeting was indecisive, as the chiefs’ delegates had nomandate to accept or refute the rebel demands.In December 1990 negotiations between the Tanekra and the Governmentwere reopened, leading to the signing of a ceasefire and declaration of intent tocontinue negotiations for final peace on 6 January 1991. These documents areknown as the ‘Tamanrasset Agreement’. This time, negotiations took placeunder mediation of the Algerian Government. The latter would remain the soleofficially mediating state between the rebels and Mali throughout the conflict.Algeria had a direct interest in the conflict as the country hosted a large amountof new refugees and a large community of previously sedentarised Kel Tama-192021Interview by Pierre Boilley with Ibiya ag Sidi. Paris, 28/06/1994, 478.Declaration made by the Malian fraction chiefs and Tamasheq ranks of the GaoRégion, 12/09/1990. Personal archives. The signing chiefs were all from the Kidal,Gao, Ménaka and Bourem Cercles, with the exception of Ehya ag Nokh, chief of theImmededdeghen.Poulton, R. & I. ag Youssouf 1998: 93.