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48 CHAPTER 1danese domination. We have the strongest confidence that glorious France will notgive us away freely to anyone’. 66This would not be his last petition. The Qadi travelled extensively throughthe Sahara and Sahel. He first travelled to Ouargla, where a similar petition tode Gaulle was written and signed in the name of the traditional chiefs, theAghas, Caïds, Chioukhs, the religious leaders, the notables and merchants ofOuargla. In Tindouf, he wrote a third letter of petition, which was signed by theCaïds, Kebar, merchants, the Qadi, the Imam, the notables of the Tajakant andRgaybat. The letter was written in French and Arabic, and signed and sealedfirst by Abdallahi ould Sidi Senhouri, Caïd of Tindouf, followed by 152 othernotables. 67 The Qadi also visited the Hoggar and Ajjer areas in Southern Algeria,but apparently the chiefs and notables in these regions saw nothing in hisproject and refused to sign the petition. 68 Back in Timbuktu, he wrote a fourthletter, in the name of the traditional chiefs, notables and merchants of the NigerBend, Timbuktu, Gao and Goundam, in which he restated the demands of hisletter of 30 October 1957. Two hundred seventy-six persons signed this last andlongest letter. 69 The Qadi did not limit his campaign to the nomad populations.He sought to include a maximum number of sedentary Canton and villagechiefs as well. The reception of his ideas in these circles was greater than couldbe expected. In September 1957 Mohamed Mahmoud and his followers had theopportunity to explain their petition in person to a delegation of the SoudaneseGovernment, including Madeira Keita and Modibo Keita, who visited Timbuktu.70 During the Minister’s reception in Timbuktu, the Qadi of the Kel Araouane, MohamedMahmoud ould Cheick, insisted on presenting the nomad position. At his6667686970Le Télégramme de Paris, 23/12/1957. In: Lesourd, M. Black and White (manuscript,May 1958). Fonds privées, Papiers Lesourd, Carton 1. SHAT – 1K297.Les Caïds, Kebar, Commerçants; le Qadi, l'Imam, les Notables Tajakant et Regeibat;et tout ceux qui ont soussigné à Monsieur le Président de la République Française,Tindouf 05/02/1958. Fonds privés, Papiers Lesourd, Carton 2. SHAT – 1K297. Theletter in French is typewritten as are the names of the signatories. The Arabicversion is hand written, the names of the signatories are in the same handwriting.Ibid.Claudot-Hawad. 1993a. Of all the letters I have seen, this is the only one carryingsignatures, most in Arabic, a few in French and many thumb prints. All signatorieswere inhabitants of the Niger Bend, none of the signatories originated from theAzawad or Adagh. A number of them were Songhay. Songhay interest in thepetition is confirmed in Territoire du Soudan Français, Brigade Mobile de Gao.Renseignements A/s propagande en faveur du rattachement des Cercles de Goundam,Tombouctou et Gao à l'OCRS. 5 August 1958. ACG.Territoire du Soudan Français, Cercle de Goundam. Revue mensuelle du mois deSeptembre 1957. ACG.