Timbuktu

It never ceases to amaze me how some people manage to get around the clock UN soldier surveillance in Timbuktu- I have tried now and then to muster some security presence for my visits here, but have never even received a reply from MINUSMA, who is the body in charge of security arrangements. I just have to sign a form agreeing that they are in no way responsible for my safety.  Oh well, never mind. They do supply me with the UN flight here, and I am grateful. That is perhaps all that is necessary.  Besides, an escort of soldiers would undoubtedly cramp one’s style...but nevertheless, can’t help wondering why I am unsuccessful when everyone else seem to be surrounded by  a small private army.

Take these two German journalists for instance, here on a brief visit for Die Welt Sunday magazine. They arrived this afternoon at the Djingareyber Mosque in not one but TWO UN vehicles and with TEN blue helmeted fully armed UN soldiers standing guard all around the mosque while they made their visit. ‘Why do these people get all this entourage?’ I commented to Baba Mulai Haidara, one of the digitization team. ‘ Peut etre que ce sont des grands Boss? ’ said Baba. ‘Je suis plus Boss qu’eux ‘ I said immodestly but I believe, truthfully. I am in charge of a project here that needs to continue. They are two journalists passing through.

Oh, I am not complaining, really. When things went pear shaped in August, we were after all rescued by the Swedes and well looked after in Camp Nobel.

So what is happening? As usual quite a difficult and highly charged time here- much has to be accomplished in the three days I am allocated for security reasons.  The team is working well, and the local manager Halimatou and I have been ironing out various rather dull administration matters to do with social security payments etc. On the more exciting side of things, we are beginning to move into the Al Wangara library by the Sidi Yahia Mosque: the library is being put into shape once more to receive the manuscripts  which have been stored  for years.  We opened one of the hiding places to which  part of the books and manuscripts were removed in great haste in 2012, thereby disturbing years of desert   dust .

 

The Timbuktu staff is really quite a well educated lot- I am quite amazed at the calibre of the new recruits. Have just met Alpha Cisse, my new digitization worker at the Al Wangara library. He has a licence (B.A.) in English, and a Masters in Business Administration.  He is far too qualified of course for this position that we are offering him, but there is no other work available so he is pleased about his new job.  He is also interested in the manuscripts and passionate about literature and the culture of Timbuktu. He and some like minded  young people have started  a sort of literary association here that organizes  evenings called ‘les dunes literaires’when they congregate on some sand dunes just outside Timbuktu and invite  local writers or poets  to read and to discuss their work. Such writers of Timbuktu are Sanchirfi Alpha and Salem Ould El Hadj, a Timbuktu historian. This group has even produced an antology of Timbuktu poetry, recently published by the Bamako publisher Innove.  Wow. I am impressed...  Dare I go with them on a Dune Literaire next time I go to Timbuktu?

Other delights this time was my visit to the Djingareyber Mosque for the very first time – have only seen it from the outside until now.

...and just ran into the German journalists at the hotel: they are writing an article about the MINUSMA: the UN forces in Mali.  Now, that explains the concentration of UN troops looking after them! I feel less neglected as a consequence...