VZCZCXRO2399
RR RUEHMA RUEHPA
DE RUEHNM #1200/01 3001406
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 271406Z OCT 06
FM AMEMBASSY NIAMEY
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3045
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 0477
RUEHLMC/MCC WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NIAMEY 001200 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT: FOR AF/W, BACHMAN; PASS TO MCC; AF/RSA FOR HARPOLE; 
PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KDEM NG
SUBJECT: NIGER: A NEAR MISS ON ABRIDGEMENT OF FREE SPEECH 
 
 
NIAMEY 00001200  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1.  SUMMARY: On October 24, International news organizations 
(Radio France International and the BBC French Service) 
reported that the Government of Niger (GON) had banned 
something called the "social forum," a meeting of 
anti-globalization activists from Niger and several foreign 
countries. By day's end the situation had clarified, with the 
GON rescinding an apparently ill-thought-out and illegal ban, 
and the national Economic, Social, and Cultural Council 
(CESOC) stepping up to assume its role as mediator between 
government and civil society. The end result is another small 
win for Niger's young democracy, and another cautionary tale 
of how much democratic acculturation remains to be done at 
the highest levels of the Nigerien government. END SUMMARY 
 
¶2.  Reacting to press reports that Nigerien activists had 
invited foreign guests to present at a "social forum" 
organized by Nigerien anti-globalization activist Moussa 
Tchangari, GON Interior Minister Mounkaila Modi issued a 
letter banning the event on October 20. Addressed, rather 
inaccurately, to the "President of the Committee organizing 
the Nigerien Social Forum," the Minister's letter read: "The 
Government has come to know through the media that a group of 
NGOs and '(civil society)' associations envision holding the 
second edition of the social forum in Niamey from October 27 
to 30 2006. In this connection, certain organizers have 
appeared on TV and radio stating that this forum will bring 
together persons who oppose the current government of Niger. 
The Government of the Republic of Niger, a product of free 
and transparent elections, solicitous and respectful of 
democratic principles, cannot accept the organization on the 
national soil of this event, which is, moreover, done by 
foreign nationals." 
 
¶3.  On the 23rd, the GON's spokesman, Minister of 
Institutional Relations Mohamed Ben Omar, gave a television 
interview in which he stated that the GON would not authorize 
the organizers to hold the conference, because their main 
objective was to destabilize the regime. He added that the 
GON would not allow foreigners to criticize it in its own 
country. 
 
¶4.  Press FSN spoke with Tchangari on 24th, the day the story 
broke. Tchangari stated that his organization - Groupe 
Alternative - had sent a letter to the GON some time ago 
informing them of their intention to organize the forum. He 
stated that he was shocked by the GON's reaction, and 
reiterated comments made earlier in the day to international 
media to the effect that the Minister's letter was 
"astonishing and ridiculous." While Tchangari and Groupe 
Alternative initially sought to challenge the order in court, 
they accepted mediation by the CESOC late on the 23rd. 
According to Tchangari, President Tandja had recommended that 
the CESOC mediate the dispute. 
 
¶5.  The CESOC, headed by veteran politician and ruling 
coalition member Cheiffou Amadou appears to have fulfilled 
its role. Set up in the aftermath of massive civil society 
led protests against a value added tax in the spring of 2005, 
the CESOC is designed to mediate between the GON and the 
civil society organizations and NGOs that often oppose it. 
However, this was the first occasion on which the CESOC, 
generally perceived as a retirement sinecure for Cheiffou 
Amadou had played its intended role. In an e-mail to PolFSN 
on the afternoon of the 24th, Abdramane Ousmane, of the 
Journalists' Network for Human Rights (RJDH), noted that he 
was participating in the negotiations as part of Tchangari's 
team. He reported that the negotiations were on the verge of 
authorizing the forum. 
 
¶6.  Under an agreement brokered by CESOC on the 26th, the GON 
agreed to authorize the forum, which will now take place from 
November 3rd. Groupe Alternative agreed to take the GON's 
concerns "into account." CESOC will moderate the forum. 
Tchangari and the other organizers convened a press 
conference the same day, reiterating that the GON had no 
legal right to ban the ceremony and that any Nigerien group 
or individual has the right to propose alternative policy 
choices for the country. 
 
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COMMENT: 
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¶7.  The dust up over Groupe Alternative's efforts to organize 
the social forum underscores the continued difficulty that 
certain GON officials have with some of the basic tenets of 
democracy. Moussa Tchangari is an opponent of globalization, 
capitalism, the IMF and World Bank, and all of the usual 
 
NIAMEY 00001200  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
"villains" associated with the global market economy. He is 
also an opponent of the current GON, which has worked hard to 
improve the country's economy and lessen its debt load 
through adherence to IMF strictures. Tchangari's views on 
structural readjustment are shared by many of similar 
ideological persuasion around the world. For years, Tchangari 
and Groupe Alternative have held meetings and presented 
papers, flown to international conferences opposing 
globalization, and brought foreign (usually Canadian) 
activists to Niger to support them in their work. Nothing 
here was really new; nothing about the low-profile and poorly 
attended forum realistically threatened the GON. 
 
¶8.  Mounkaila Modi's allergic reaction seems to have 
proceeded without clearance from the Prime Minister or 
President. Thus, the GON was willing to step back from the 
decision via the face-saving measure of CESOC mediation. End 
results: an unqualified success for Tchangari and company, 
who would never have received media attention on this scale 
for the forum itself; another nail in the professional coffin 
of Mounkaila Modi, whose name already appeared on many short 
lists of Ministers to be reshuffled out-of-a portfolio in a 
long-awaited cabinet reorganization likely to take place by 
the end of the year; and, another lesson learned for 
Nigeriens of all political persuasions who continue to do 
their level best to make their young democracy work. 
ALLEN