That incident brought the international community down like a hammer on Mali's junta. Sanogo signed an accord agreeing to step down and retreated from public life. Despite his retreat, there were numerous signs suggesting that the junta still called the shots in Bamako.
On state television Tuesday, Sanogo accused Diarra of pursuing his personal ambitions rather than the good of the country.
"We didn't force him. We facilitated (his resignation). A few weeks ago, he himself told us that if we really wanted him to leave, that he would hand in (his resignation) but not to the president of the republic, nor to any other authority — only to us," said Sanogo. "Yesterday we realized that it was really necessary for him to resign. And it's for this reason that we brought him to Kati."
Human Rights Watch's senior researcher for West Africa, Corinne Dufka, said the events fit with the pattern of abuse by soldiers since the coup eight months ago.
"They've arrested, beaten and intimidated journalists; tortured and disappeared military rivals; and now, apparently, arbitrarily detained the prime minister. None of these incidents have been investigated and those responsible appear to have been emboldened by the shameful lack of accountability," Dufka said.
Bamako remained calm Tuesday, despite waking up to what is being called a "mini-coup." People went about their daily lives, yet with a sense of disappointment in this nation once held up as a model democracy in Africa.
"I really am struggling to understand — so if the prime minister is not doing his job properly, it's up to the junta to come and arrest him?" said Aboubacrine Assadek Ag Hamahady, a university professor. "Based on what law, on what legal text can the junta justify this arrest?"
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Callimachi reported from Dakar, Senegal. AP writers Geir Moulson in Berlin, Don Melvin in Brussels, Bradley Klapper in Washington, Edith Lederer at the United Nations and Jamey Keaton in Paris contributed to this report.
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Rukmini Callimachi can be reached at www.twitter.com/rcallimachi
Baba Ahmed can be reached at www.twitter.com/Babahmed1
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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