• Director(s):

    GEORGES (NATHALIE)

  • Producer(s):

    ARTE GEIE

  • Territories:

    Worldwide.

  • Production year:

    2013

  • Language(s):

    German, French

  • Rights:

    TV, DVD, NON-THEATRICAL, INTERNET, VOD

Oumou Sall Seck, who has been mayoress of Goundam for 9 years, had to flee her town just before the Islamists arrived and has not returned there since. It was a question of life or death.

Goundam, near Timbuktu, was occupied by several groups who imposed sharia law, established a reign of terror and pillaged all State buildings. The French military intervention in the spring resulted in an Islamist retreat but Northern Mali remains unstable. These conditions are making it difficult to organise the presidential elections, due on July 28.
 
Since early May, the town of Goundam has been under the protection of a military contingent of the African force, from Burkina Faso, and the Mali police. Oumou Sall Seck has therefore decided to return to her town, over a year after she left it. In 2009, she won a second mandate and turned her commune into an example for the region. She spoke of “dynamism and development”.
 
After 14 months away, the returning mayoress was welcomed by cheering crowds. For two days, she toured the town to meet her administrators, taking stock of the damage caused by the pillaging, launching municipal activities once again, and drawing up the list of priorities. It was an arousing visit that has brought hope to the entire Northern Mali region.