VZCZCXRO5346
RR RUEHMA RUEHPA
DE RUEHNM #0630/01 2431553
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 311553Z AUG 09
FM AMEMBASSY NIAMEY
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5284
INFO RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA 1651
RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEHLMC/MCC WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NIAMEY 000630 
 
DEPT FOR AF/W AND AF/RSA; PLS PASS TO USAID FOR AFR/W 
ACCRA ALSO FOR USAID/WA 
ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU - J MAYBURY 
PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHER 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: PGOV KDEM SOCI PHUM ASEC CASC NG
SUBJECT:  Niger:  ECOWAS Envoys Visit to Niger; Police Disperse 
Opposition Protest 
 
Ref:  a) Niamey 618    b) Niamey 596     c) Niamey 584 
d) Niamey 531    e) Niamey 375 
 
NIAMEY 00000630  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1. Summary: On August 29-30, a delegation from the Economic 
Community of West African States (ECOWAS) met with various actors of 
Niger's political spectrum in an effort to find a solution to 
Niger's political quagmire.  All meetings took place behind closed 
doors, and envoys informed local media they will report findings to 
the ECOWAS Heads of States Special Summit scheduled to convene on 
September 5.  On August 30, police dispersed a rally by the 
Coordination of Forces for Democracy and the Republic (CFDR) aimed 
to re-instate former Deputies of the dissolved National Assembly. 
End summary. 
 
---------------------------- 
Envoys meet President Tandja 
---------------------------- 
 
¶2. The delegation representatives from Burkina Faso, Sierra Leone, 
and the Nigerian Deputy Foreign Minister, met with President Mamadou 
Tandja, in the presence of Foreign Minister Aichatou Mindaoudou and 
the President's Director of Cabinet Bachir Yahaya. (Note: According 
to post information, Benin did not sent a delegate.  End note.) The 
visit to Niger follows the August 24 recommendation of the ECOWAS 
Mediation and Security Council "to constitute a four-member ad-hoc 
ministerial committee led by Nigeria and composed of Benin, Burkina 
Faso, and Sierra Leone."  Burkina Faso's representative indicated to 
local media that the delegation was tasked "to collect information 
and to report findings to the Head of States Summit for decision." 
 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
Meetings with political parties, civil society, and unions 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
 
¶3. Envoys met with CFDR opposition parties, labor unions, and civil 
society organizations. They also met with civil society 
organizations supporting President Tandja - namely the Patriotic 
Movement for the Defense of the Nation and the People (MPDNP). 
 
¶4. After meeting with the ECOWAS delegation, Mahamadou Issoufou, 
president of the Nigerien Party for Democracy and Socialism (PNDS), 
the main opposition party, told journalists that opposition parties 
had briefed the delegation on the difficult situation in which 
Tandja has put Niger by perpetrating a "constitutional coup."  He 
further stated, "the CFDR has clearly explained its position, that 
is, Tandja must repeal all the illegal decisions he has taken, 
including the enactment of a new constitution." 
 
¶5. Trade Union leaders and civil society organizations informed the 
press that they explained to the delegation that their position had 
not changed since a prior meeting (Ref D). Unions wondered why 
ECOWAS negotiators insisted on meeting with them if they had nothing 
new to propose.  Moustapha Kadi, President of the Collective of 
Organizations for the Defense of Human Rights and Democracy (CODDHD) 
said, "Niger, as a State Member, has signed the ECOWAS Supplementary 
Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance... We would like to see 
action taken in that respect... It is as simple as that." 
 
¶6. Nouhou Arzika, leader of the MPDNP indicated that the 
opposition's preconditions do not fall in line with their 
"position-sharing policy.  He claimed, "to reactivate the 1999 
constitution and to reinstate some institutions is like trying to 
awaken a dead body." 
 
¶7. Moctar Khalidou of Niger's Islamic Association (AIN) in a radio 
interview in Hausa indicated that the AIN disagrees with "those who 
suggest an 'embargo' against Niger" because this may adversely 
affect an already destitute population. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
Police Forcibly Disperse Peaceful Opposition Protest 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
 
¶8. On August 30, CFDR supporters (estimated by police as 1000, but 
by others as several thousands) gathered at the PNDS headquarters 
for a rally to reinstate the dissolved National Assembly under the 
1999 Constitution.  Sixty-seven (67) former Deputies present at the 
rally read a statement in which they vowed to call an extraordinary 
meeting of the Parliament. After the declaration, the crowd decided 
to march toward the National Assembly building, but was stopped by 
police who used teargas and batons to disperse the protesters. Some 
 
NIAMEY 00000630  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
demonstrators used stones to retaliate. Police tracked down, beat 
and injured several people in the neighborhood, including reportedly 
innocent onlookers. There were reports of minor damage caused by gas 
canisters on private property in the area. The police made no 
arrests. Some protesters in press interviews said that the police 
violence only boosts their determination "to continue fighting 
against dictatorship and for the restoration of democracy." 
 
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Comment 
------- 
 
¶9. This is the fourth time since the beginning of Niger's political 
crisis that an ECOWAS delegation has meet with the main 
protagonists. In May, the ECOWAS Council of Wise Persons urged 
President Tandja not to seek term extension (Ref E).  In June, a 
delegation led by former Nigerian Head of State Abdulsalami Abubakar 
delivered a special message from the Chairman of the Authority of 
ECOWAS Heads of State and Government, President Musa Yar'Adua of 
Nigeria.  July 20-21, two weeks before the August 4 controversial 
referendum, a joint UN-AU-ECOWAS delegation met with various actors 
of Niger's political spectrum, in an attempt to defuse the ongoing 
political crisis (Ref D). 
 
¶10. The ECOWAS Mediation and Security Council meeting, held on 
August 24, called for an extraordinary summit of Heads of States and 
Government for September 5 in Abuja in an effort to resolve the 
crisis in Niger. 
 
ALLEN