Political and religious figures in Malian city of Timbuktu have welcomed the return of ancient manuscripts that were removed to the capital, Bamako, more than a decade ago to prevent them from falling into the hands of militants linked to al-Qaida.
According to a UN expert mission, jihadists destroyed more than 4,000 manuscripts and as many as nine mausoleums after occupying the desert city in 2012. Workers at the state-run Ahmed Baba Institute used rice sacks to smuggle the remaining documents out of the city a number of ways, including by donkey cart and motorcycle.
Mali’s military junta began returning manuscripts on Monday, citing the threat posed to them by humidity in Bamako. Officials said the first tranche involved a shipment of more than 200 crates weighing about 5.5 tonnes.
“We now have a responsibility to protect, digitise, study and promote these treasures so that they continue to enlighten Mali, Africa and the world,” the country’s higher education minister, Bouréma Kansaye, said at a return ceremony.
Local political and religious figures who have been clamouring for the return of the manuscripts hailed the move. The documents “reflect our civilisation and spiritual and intellectual heritage” said Timbuktu’s deputy mayor, Diahara Touré.
There appeared to be limited enthusiasm, however, among everyday Malians, who despite being proud of their cultural heritage, seem preoccupied with immediate concerns such as economic hardship and insecurity.
The Malian army and allied Russian mercenaries hold Timbuktu, but the surrounding countryside remains in the control of jihadists who carry out regular hit-and-run raids to unsettle the government. Militants detonated a car bomb near the airport’s military base in June, and at least 30 soldiers and about a dozen attackers were killed in the explosion and ensuing gun battle.
Before the attack, authorities had attempted to show that they were in control by hosting diplomats in Timbuktu. The junta also plans to host a cultural biennale to showcase the city’s cultural heritage in December.
Ulf Laessing, the Bamako-based head of the Sahel programme at the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, a German thinktank, said the government’s gestures were intended as a show of stability, projecting Mali’s ability to improve security.
The militants have mostly attacked the military, but there are concerns that the symbolism of Timbuktu could eventually make it a tempting target.
The manuscripts are unlikely to be targeted, but travel logistics remain fragile. UN and commercial flights operate weekly, but fuel shortages can strand passengers.
