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REBELLION: AL-JEBHA 293ness; deceitfulness; and bloodthirstiness. Hence, in a desire to erase the other bymaking him akin to self, they should be converted into civilised sedentarycitizens practising agriculture, just like the Songhay do. Apparently, thethoughts of administrators on Tamasheq society had not much changed sincethe days of Modibo Keita.Where the Kel Tamasheq had not been able to provide an answer to theessentialising stereotypes during the 1950s and 1960s, they now had the meansto defend themselves in words. Freedom of the press in Mali ensured that notonly the Ganda Koy or the Government could be heard. The Kel Tamasheq alsohad a sympathising press. The newspapers l’Union; Nouvel Horizon; and Ataram,le vent du Nord ensured that those who were interested could read a differentstory. Particularly l’Union and its editor-in-chief Houdaye ag Mohamedardently exposed the atrocities committed by the Ganda Koy and offered a platformfor Tamasheq intellectuals of the more radical movements to counter theaccusations made. In an interview with Nouvel Horizon in September 1994,Zeidane ag Sidi Alamine aired his grievances about the image of the KelTamasheq in no uncertain terms.From Modibo Keita to Alpha Oumar Konaré, from Moussa Traoré to General AmadouToumani Touré, the Tuareg question has caused the flow of much blood, ink,sweat and tears, without ever being fully understood by the national opinion. Becausethe Tuareg have always been treated by certain compatriots as nationless.Because the Tuareg have always been considered by certain compatriots as slavers.Because the Tuareg have always been considered by certain compatriots as separatists.Because the Tuareg have always been considered by certain compatriots asracists. Because the Tuareg have always been considered by certain compatriots asinvaders. Because the Tuareg have always been considered by certain compatriots asstrangers. Because the Tuareg have always been considered by certain compatriotsas traitors. Because the Tuareg have always been considered by certain compatriotsas dictators. Because the Tuareg have always been considered by certain compatriotsas outlaws. Because the Tuareg have always been considered by certain compatriotsas a useless part of the nation. Because the Tuareg have always been consideredby certain compatriots as fugitives. Because the Tuareg have always beenconsidered by certain compatriots as mercenaries. Because the Tuareg have beenconstrained by certain compatriots to be eternally on the move. Because the Tuareghave always been considered by certain compatriots as “the darlings” of the Westernand Arab countries. 74Iyad ag Ghali, remaining outside the conflict in the Niger Bend, was ofteninterviewed by the newspapers L’Essor and Les Echos, which tended to bemore government-supporting, in which he could give his views on the reasonsand origins of the conflict. From the fall of Moussa Traoré in March 1991, andthe signing of the National Pact in April 1992, to the renewal of hostilities in74‘Zeidane ag Sidalamine réagit’, Nouvel Horizon Quotidien, 06/09/1994.