VZCZCXRO3517
RR RUEHMA RUEHPA
DE RUEHNM #1173/01 3581045
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 231045Z DEC 08
FM AMEMBASSY NIAMEY
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4770
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RUEHAS/AMEMBASSY ALGIERS 3471
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 0766
RUEHTRO/AMEMBASSY TRIPOLI
RHMFISS/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NIAMEY 001173 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR AF/W (DENNISON) and AF/RSA 
 
Paris for AF Watcher 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL MCAP SCUL SOCI NG
SUBJECT: NIGER: DECEMBER 18 REPUBLIC OF NIGER (RON) JUBILEE 
 
NIAMEY 00001173  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1. Summary. The RON celebrated its 50th anniversary with week-long 
(December 14-20) festivities in the regions of Tillabery and Niamey. 
 There were cultural/sports events, a parade (including a display of 
security/military hardware), a banquet hosted by Government of Niger 
(GON) President Tandja at the Presidential Palace, and sensational 
firework exhibitions.  With the exception of brief remarks at the 
National Day parade to decorate several persons with medals of merit 
(including a former U.S. Peace Corps volunteer (PCV) from the 1960s 
era), President Tandja was a spectator and made no remarks at any of 
the other National Day public events.  President Tandja's televised 
speech on the eve (December 17) of Republic Day paid homage to 
members of security forces felled in hostilities in northern Niger. 
He cited several infrastructure projects as examples of progress 
made over the course of calendar year 2008.  Though widely 
anticipated, there was no mention of elections in 2009.  Governor of 
Tillabery Idder Adamou delivered the only official remarks on the 
night of the December 16 cultural event, mostly laudatory of the 
President Tandja's efforts.  End summary. 
 
¶2.  The Nigerien Minister of Youth and Sports Aldourahamane 
Seydou was named the National Coordinator for the 50th Anniversary 
festivities, though planning for the Tillabery venues were largely 
in collaboration with Governor Amadou.  GON President Tandja 
attended all the public events.  Most activities were cultural or 
sportive in nature, with venues in the regions of Tillabery and 
Niamey.  There were four signature events.  The first event was the 
December 16 cultural night in Tillabery, with a mobilization of the 
Government of Niger (Cabinet Ministers, National Assembly Members, 
other governmental institutions), the diplomatic corps, members of 
civil society and the general public to Tillabery (about 115 
kilometers/70 miles from Niamey).  The event featured youth 
performances around the theme of agricultural life in Tillabery, 
dances characteristic of the various ethnic groups from the eight 
regions of Niger, and a spectacular, 15-minute closing fireworks 
exhibition. 
 
¶3.  The second event was the December 18 civil and military parade 
that featured youth, union members, civil society groups, security 
and military personnel marching, dancing or performing stunts.  At 
the parade, GON President Tandja decorated several persons for 
distinguished service to the nation, including a gold medal to 
former PCV, Dr. William Kirker, for work in the health sector.  Dr. 
Kirker opened a health facility in the region of Diffa, in his 
former PCV service village, Maine Soroa, that also is President 
Tandja's home town.  National Junior Soccer Team Coach/Trainer, 
Frederic Acosta, also was decorated for leading the junior team to 
its first ever qualification (in 41 years of federation membership) 
for the Africa Cup of Nations scheduled to take place in Algiers in 
¶2009.  The Presidential Guard security forces conducted stunts on 
motorcycles and the security, public safety and military services 
displayed hardware (e.g., riot gear, tanks, fire trucks, vehicles, 
helicopters, light aircraft, etc.). 
 
¶4.  The third event was President Tandja's dinner at the 
Presidential Palace, catered by the Grand Hotel for one thousand 
guests (mostly government institutions, diplomatic corps and 
international organization representatives and members of civil 
society).  Several well-known Nigerien singing groups and one group 
from Burkina Faso performed for guests and the night concluded with 
another spectacular, 15-minute fireworks show.  The final event was 
the December 19 Hippodrome event, with a couple hundred riders 
mounted on elaborately dressed camels from Tahoua region and horses 
from Diffa (President Tandja's home region) ornate in armor of 
bright colors and silver.  The riders had the camels and horses 
perform various maneuvers and equestrian stunts, respectively. 
 
¶5.  The President's December 17 televised remarks on the eve of 
RON Day were brief.  First, he paid homage to the fallen members of 
security and military forces, casualties of the hostilities in 
northern Niger.  Second he cited as accomplishments for the year, 
the launch of several infrastructure projects:  the Kandadji Dam, a 
second bridge (being built by the Chinese) in Niamey, an oil 
refinery (being built by the Chinese), a dairy, a cement factory, 
roads, rural electrification, and a plan to launch in 2009 the 
construction of a dry port in the Dosso region.  Despite speculation 
that President Tandja, as he enters the last year of his mandate, 
might use the National Day celebration to mention elections 
anticipated for 2009, he didn't speak a word about 2009 elections. 
 
¶6.  A December 21 event that was scheduled to occur at the 
Supreme Court to celebrate the fourth anniversary of President 
 
NIAMEY 00001173  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
Tandja's investiture in his second five-year term was cancelled late 
night December 20.  Curiously, the void for that event was filled 
with a rally of thousands of supporters calling for an extension of 
Tandja's term of office (to be reported septel).  Subsequent to the 
rally, numerous opposition party leaders and civil society groups 
voiced opposition to a prolongation of Tandja's mandate, labeling 
such calls a lack of respect for the Nigerien Constitution. 
 
¶7.  Overall, Nigeriens proudly celebrated the Republic's jubilee 
with week-long festivities, but the jubilation was slightly clouded 
by the lingering uncertainty about the 2009 elections. 
 
¶8.  Tripoli minimize considered. 
 
ALLEN