This chapter explains the security issues created by tensions within Malian society, and describes how the central government tried to address them. Thriving on illicit trafficking and mixing with local populations, these groups managed to gradually gain influence before the 2012 crisis. The ethnic divisions and lawlessness, due to the withdrawal of the Malian state, that characterised the aftermath of rebellions presented a window of opportunity for terrorist groups to settle in the north. The aftermath of the rebellions and the negotiations that led to ‘peace agreements’ also fostered tensions among northern communities, as some groups used those situations to advance their own interests. The subsequent rebellions in Mali have, in turn, aggravated the long-standing community distrust. The popular support among Tuareg and Arab populations for some rebel movements and armed groups, and the authority the rebel leaders have had over some northern populations, are good illustrations of the inequalities collectively experienced by the northern population. By ignoring northern aspirations for economic development (especially social and economic infrastructure) or political representation (lack of governmental seats for instance), the Malian authorities have paved the way for violent contestation and separatist actions. Historical lack of understanding and mutual distrust between Bamako and its northern territory have played an important role in Malian instability for decades.
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