AA/Bamako/Amarana Maiga
After having suffered the ravages perpetrated by the terrorist groups which occupied it between 2012 and 2013, the City of Timbuktu located in northern Mali, today faces new threats, in particular sable, climate change and a Ramy urbanization, factors that may destroy its rich architectural heritage according to experts.
The constructions of the old town, generally built based on a mixture of sand and clay resists bad weather and suffer the vagaries of climate change.
Classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988 and listed on the list of heritage in danger in 2012 (the day after the invasion of terrorists), the old town of Timbuktu carries between its walls and at every corner of its alleys the History of a prestigious era, an era when the “city of 333 saints” was a regional center known for the quality of its Islamic teaching. His scholarly scholars had such a great influence that thousands of students from various countries came to settle there to soak up their knowledge.
With the prestigious Koranic University of Sankoré and other MEDERSA, Timbuktu was in the 15th and 16th centuries an intellectual and spiritual capital and a center of propagation of Islam in Africa. Its three large mosques (Djingareyber, Sankoré and Sidi Yahia) are still testifying today of this prestigious era.
The mausoleums, places where the city’s saints are buried are perceived by the inhabitants of Timbuktu as a rampart against any external threat made which gives them a particular value. Even today religious rituals are organized there to implore divine mercy.
Today all these monuments and the symbolism they convey are threatened due to the fragility of the building, regrets El Boukari Ben Essayouti Chief of the Cultural Mission of Timbuktu.
Referring to the recent floods that have ravaged the Timbuktu region, causing significant damage, Essayouti indicates “that a magnificent mosque in the ground in the village of Toya was completely overwhelmed, and we did not have the means to protect it ».
In addition to the fragility of the constructions, the city located at the gates of the desert is threatened by the advancement of the sand that nothing stops insofar as the trees which prevented this phenomenon are becoming increasingly rare the effect of the conditions arid climatic.
The city of Timbuktu also faces urban pressure which favors modern concrete constructions which hardly respect the original architectural spirit.
-Thus we see more and more concrete buildings which decide both by their structure and by their color affecting the harmony of the architectural landscape which has continued to seduce visitors.
Modibo Bagayoko, project manager at UNESCO, describes the situation as “worrying”, not only for Timbuktu, but also for other cities like Djenné. “The abandonment or the aggression of architectural heritage is linked to economic and cultural factors. The communities cannot afford to ensure regular maintenance of these earth constructions, ”he explains.
He also warns against the growing influence of foreign cultures: “Tourists do not come to see concrete buildings, but to discover the unique style transmitted by our ancestors. ».
A situation that requires, according to the experts, to strengthen training and enhance the ancestral know-how in the field of building, estimates the expert.
Ben Essayouti indicates, in this regard, that several workshops have been organized to train masons in traditional techniques, in particular using natural improvises such as baobab powder, gum arabic or straw.
“We work with the corporations of masons so that they can preserve their know-how and respect the legislation on traditional construction methods,” he said.
To protect this heritage, it is crucial to involve local communities. “If we want to safeguard what remains, this must be done with their agreement,” said Ben Essayouti recalling the existence of laws prohibiting concrete constructions in the medina, even if they are often ignored.
Rafik Alouani, a Tunisian tourist returned to Timbuktu after 18 years, notes with regret the transformations. “The unique architecture of Timbuktu gradually fades under the effect of urbanization. This alters the cachet of the city, and it would be a shame not to remedy it. »»
For his part, Baba Moulaye, president of the Forum of Civil Society of Timbuktu, points to a lack of awareness and supervision. “Indiscipline has become a real problem. Technical services must educate populations about the importance of preserving architectural authenticity, ”he insists.
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