We should pay attention

In  less than a year, broad swathes of the West African country Mali have been seized by Islamist militants with links to Al Qaeda who now control and govern several of the country's most important northern cities. 

In March 2012, a coalition of armed groups relaunched a decades-long struggle for independence for nothern Mali and quickly scored major victories over government forces.

With the Malian government in disarray following a military coup the same month, Islamist groups grabbed the opportunity to seize control of the north and established a fundamentalist regime similar to the Taliban government in Afghanistan.

Music, dancing and entertainment of all kinds has been prohibited – according to the New York Time's Adam Nossiter, the Islamists have even banned cell phone ring tones.

Women's rights have been sharply curtailed, if not abandoned altogether – women are now required to wear veils, risking flogging if not complying.

Justice is meted out swiftly and brutally, without fair trial – those found guilty of theft risk public amputation of hands or feet and at least on one occasion, a couple was stoned to death for adultery.

Centuries-old mausoleums of Islamist saints in Timbuktu, listed as World Heritage Sites, were torn down by the Islamists, who condemned the tombs as idolatrous.

Now it seems only military force will dislodge them – probably resulting in more pain and suffering for civilians who are cramping under the harsh regime.

The spotty reporting from northern Mali makes for grisly reading, to be sure. But why should we care?

In our busy daily lives, with so many challenges facing us, how much time do we have left to pay attention to what happens in a faraway African desert?

We might not have the time to pay attention and understand the situation in Mali, but we should make it. 

An Islamist-controlled northern Mali is exactly the kind of incubator that spawned the September 11 attacks – we ignore it at our peril.

That's exactly why we need to pay attention to northern Mali – not just because the extremists' rule runs contrary to our own views of human rights and good governance, but because it could be a serious threat to our national security.