Malian Party of Labour
Encyclopedia
The Malian Party of Labour (French
: le Parti malien du travail, PMT) is a Marxist-Leninist party
in Mali
and a member of the coalition supporting the Alliance for Democracy in Mali
of president Amadou Toumani Touré
. Founded in 1965, it was prominent in the student resistance to the 1968-1991 military regime of General Moussa Traoré
. It continues as an extra-parliamentary Hoxhaist-Communist faction within the Social-Democratic ADEMA-PASJ coalition, supporters of the Alliance for Democracy and Progress.
of Modibo Keita
. The PMT formed a separate entity in 1965, and was even during the RDA period a semi-clandestine organisation.
. From 1968, the PMT was one of the most active of underground opposition to the Military regime, and especially drew from student groups. The PMT was one group that had been involved in the leftist Union Nationale des Élèves et Étudiants du Mali
(UNEEM), which the regime of Moussa Traoré replaced with a state controlled organisation, the Union Nationale des Jeunes du Mali (UNJM). The PMT and other elements of the UNEEM—those who had prodded the RDA government from the left like the PMT, and those that had been part of the ruling RD, became the basis for much internal resistance to the military. This mostly took place in the form of labour struggles, propaganda, and the printing and distribution of illicit newspapers and pasting of anti-government placards in the streets of Mali's cities.
University program, a breeding ground for resistants to the government while outside Mali. Other prominent activists included Yaya Maïga, Aly Sankaré, Hamidou Ongoïba, Aboubacar Oumar Maïa, and Ali Nouhoum Diallo. Some elements of the PMT entered the government as clandestine Communists, including Dr. NGolo Traoré and the future Prime Minister of Mali, Alpha Oumar Konaré
, who joined the Military government as Labour Minister from 1978-1980.
Senegal
the PMT joined a coalition with the underground former youth wing of the RDA, the Malian Party for Revolution and Democracy (le Parti Malien pour la Révolution et la Démocratie PMRD) and the French based Democratic Peoples Front of Mali (Front Démocratique et Populaire Malien FDPM). This new group was called the National Democratic Peoples Front (Front National Démocratique et Populaire FNDP). They were joined by other clandestine groups, including the Groupe Tiémoko Garan Kouyaté. In 1990, the remnants of the RDA also joined, forming the Alliance for Democracy in Mali
(ADEMA-PASJ), the political coalition that penned a famous 7 August 1990 open letter demanding General Traoré step down and was heavily involved in the 1991 popular unrest overthrew of his regime.
of president Amadou Toumani Touré
. On 24–25 February 2007 ADEMA-PASJ delegates voted to expel Boubèye Maïga, along with former PMT members Issa Diarra, Ibrahima Kantao, Binta Yattassaye and Oumar Ag El Méhidi.
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
: le Parti malien du travail, PMT) is a Marxist-Leninist party
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
in Mali
Mali
Mali , officially the Republic of Mali , is a landlocked country in Western Africa. Mali borders Algeria on the north, Niger on the east, Burkina Faso and the Côte d'Ivoire on the south, Guinea on the south-west, and Senegal and Mauritania on the west. Its size is just over 1,240,000 km² with...
and a member of the coalition supporting the Alliance for Democracy in Mali
Alliance for Democracy in Mali
The Alliance for Democracy in Mali-Pan-African Party for Liberty, Solidarity and Justice is a political party in Mali....
of president Amadou Toumani Touré
Amadou Toumani Touré
Amadou Toumani Touré is the president of Mali. He overthrew a military ruler, Moussa Traoré in 1991, then handed power to civilian authorities the next year...
. Founded in 1965, it was prominent in the student resistance to the 1968-1991 military regime of General Moussa Traoré
Moussa Traoré
General Moussa Traoré is a Malian soldier and politician. As a Lieutenant, he led the military ouster of President Modibo Keïta in 1968. Thereafter he served as Head of State from 1968-1979, and President of Mali from 1979 to 1991, when he was overthrown by popular protests and military coup...
. It continues as an extra-parliamentary Hoxhaist-Communist faction within the Social-Democratic ADEMA-PASJ coalition, supporters of the Alliance for Democracy and Progress.
Formation
The PMT was a Marxist-Leninist outgrowth of the Parti africain d'Independence (PAI-Soudan), founded in 1958, itself collaborating with the US-RDASudanese Union-African Democratic Rally
The Sudanese Union-African Democratic Rally is a Malian political party.The party was formed in 1945 by Mamdou Konaté and Modibo Keita, with the name Sudanese Bloc...
of Modibo Keita
Modibo Keïta
Modibo Keita ; was the first President of Mali and the Prime Minister of the Mali Federation. He espoused a form of African socialism.-Youth:...
. The PMT formed a separate entity in 1965, and was even during the RDA period a semi-clandestine organisation.
Under military rule
The group began to gain prominence only after the 1968 coup by General Moussa TraoréMoussa Traoré
General Moussa Traoré is a Malian soldier and politician. As a Lieutenant, he led the military ouster of President Modibo Keïta in 1968. Thereafter he served as Head of State from 1968-1979, and President of Mali from 1979 to 1991, when he was overthrown by popular protests and military coup...
. From 1968, the PMT was one of the most active of underground opposition to the Military regime, and especially drew from student groups. The PMT was one group that had been involved in the leftist Union Nationale des Élèves et Étudiants du Mali
National Union of Students and Pupils of Mali
National Union of Students and Pupils of Mali was a student movement in Mali.UNEEM was founded in January 1979. It was banned by the government....
(UNEEM), which the regime of Moussa Traoré replaced with a state controlled organisation, the Union Nationale des Jeunes du Mali (UNJM). The PMT and other elements of the UNEEM—those who had prodded the RDA government from the left like the PMT, and those that had been part of the ruling RD, became the basis for much internal resistance to the military. This mostly took place in the form of labour struggles, propaganda, and the printing and distribution of illicit newspapers and pasting of anti-government placards in the streets of Mali's cities.
Underground activism
Prominent PMT activists in the 1960s and 70s included Abdrahamane Baba Touré (A PAI founder), Soumeylou Boubeye Maïga, and Cheick Moctary Diarra, who at the same time was a prominent government journalist. The last two were both graduates of the Senegalese CESTICesti
Cesti can refer to:*Antonio Cesti, Italian Baroque composer*Cestus, a Classical weapon...
University program, a breeding ground for resistants to the government while outside Mali. Other prominent activists included Yaya Maïga, Aly Sankaré, Hamidou Ongoïba, Aboubacar Oumar Maïa, and Ali Nouhoum Diallo. Some elements of the PMT entered the government as clandestine Communists, including Dr. NGolo Traoré and the future Prime Minister of Mali, Alpha Oumar Konaré
Alpha Oumar Konaré
Alpha Oumar Konaré was the President of Mali for two five-year terms , and was Chairperson of the African Union Commission from 2003 to 2008.-Scholarly career:...
, who joined the Military government as Labour Minister from 1978-1980.
Coalitions
On 20 January 1986 at ThiaroyeThiaroye
Thiaroye is the name of a historic town in Sénégal, situated in the suburbs of Dakar, on the southeast coast of the Cap-Vert peninsula, between Pikine and Rufisque....
Senegal
Senegal
Senegal , officially the Republic of Senegal , is a country in western Africa. It owes its name to the Sénégal River that borders it to the east and north...
the PMT joined a coalition with the underground former youth wing of the RDA, the Malian Party for Revolution and Democracy (le Parti Malien pour la Révolution et la Démocratie PMRD) and the French based Democratic Peoples Front of Mali (Front Démocratique et Populaire Malien FDPM). This new group was called the National Democratic Peoples Front (Front National Démocratique et Populaire FNDP). They were joined by other clandestine groups, including the Groupe Tiémoko Garan Kouyaté. In 1990, the remnants of the RDA also joined, forming the Alliance for Democracy in Mali
Alliance for Democracy in Mali
The Alliance for Democracy in Mali-Pan-African Party for Liberty, Solidarity and Justice is a political party in Mali....
(ADEMA-PASJ), the political coalition that penned a famous 7 August 1990 open letter demanding General Traoré step down and was heavily involved in the 1991 popular unrest overthrew of his regime.
Post 1991
The PMT continued as a Hoxhaist-Communist faction within the ADEMA-PASJ coalition. In 2007, former PMT leader, 2002 presidential candidate and then ADEMA vice-president Soumeylou Boubèye Maïga openly opposed their support of the ruling Alliance for Democracy and ProgressAlliance for Democracy and Progress (Mali)
The Alliance for Democracy and Progress is an alliance of political parties in Mali, that supports president Amadou Toumani Touré. In the 1 July and 22 July 2007 Malian parliamentary elections, the member parties of the alliance won 113 out of 160 seats....
of president Amadou Toumani Touré
Amadou Toumani Touré
Amadou Toumani Touré is the president of Mali. He overthrew a military ruler, Moussa Traoré in 1991, then handed power to civilian authorities the next year...
. On 24–25 February 2007 ADEMA-PASJ delegates voted to expel Boubèye Maïga, along with former PMT members Issa Diarra, Ibrahima Kantao, Binta Yattassaye and Oumar Ag El Méhidi.