Moussa Traoré

Moussa Traoré ( born September 25, 1936 in Kayes ) was 1968-1991 President of Mali.

Military career

Traoré received his training in Bamako and Kati at the Military Academy of Fréjus. When the French Sudan in 1960 under the name of Mali became independent, he returned to the country. In 1961 he was a second lieutenant and lieutenant in 1963 and was sent as a military advisor to Tanganyika. He later became an instructor at the L' Ecole militaire inter -poor in Kati and was promoted to colonel.

President

On November 19, 1968, he participated in the successful military coup against President Modibo Keïta authoritarian ruling. He was chairman of the military junta Comité militaire de la libération national and thus Head of State. After the coup, all political activities were banned and built a rigid police state. On the economic front, he said goodbye to the part of the socialist policies of his predecessor.

Mali was in 1972 and 1973 affected by the severe drought with subsequent famine in the Sahel zone. While the country has received international assistance, much but was embezzled by the corrupt state apparatus.

1974 Traoré proclaimed a new constitution for the " Second Republic ". Jailed since the coup of 1968 ex-president Keïta died on 16 May 1977 in unclear circumstances, which led to unrest in the country. Sporadic plots and coup attempts against his rule forced Traoré repeatedly to separate from senior officers and cabinet members and allow them to imprison. Torture and murder of dissidents were common practice. To strengthen its position, the Union Démocratique du Peuple Unity Party Malien ( UDPM ) was founded in 1979. As a mandatory mass organizations there was the Union Nationale des Femmes du Mali for women and the Union Nationale des Jeunes du Mali for youth. In the same year Traoré was confirmed in elections and formed a new government, in which he primarily relied civilians. Unlike its predecessor, Traoré tried to maintain good relations with the West, in October 1988, he was a four-day state visit to the United States.

Fall

1990 created new opposition groups, the Traoré regime challenged. On 22 March 1991 riots were still bloodily, but four days later a military coup put an end to his reign (see coup in Mali 1991). As in 1968 took over a junta to power, this time under the name Comité de Transition pour le Salut du Peuple. The leader of the coup, General Amadou Toumani Touré was interim president and led Mali to democracy.

1992 Traoré was sentenced for violent crimes during his tenure to death, another death sentence was issued in 1999 against him and his wife Mariam, now for embezzlement of state assets. Both were pardoned and released on 29 May 2002 by President Alpha Oumar Konaré. Traoré has in the country continues to have a certain attachment that is organized in the party Mouvement patriotique por le Renouveau (MPR ). In the 2002 elections the party won under its chairman Choguel Kokalla Maiga 2.71 percent of the votes in the second ballot she supported the subsequent election winner Touré.