VZCZCXRO9208
RR RUEHMA RUEHPA
DE RUEHNM #0684/01 2611358
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 181358Z SEP 09
FM AMEMBASSY NIAMEY
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5327
INFO RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA 1661
RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE
RUEHLMC/MCC WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NIAMEY 000684 
 
DEPT FOR AF/W AND AF/RSA; PLS PASS TO USAID/AFR/W 
ACCRA ALSO FOR USAID/WA 
PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHER 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: PGOV KDEM SOCI AU NG
SUBJECT:  Update on Niger's Political Situation 
 
Ref:  a) Niamey 653   b) Niamey 646    c) Niamey 640 
d) Niamey 597   e) Niamey 593   f) Niamey 584 
 
NIAMEY 00000684  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1. Summary:  On September 13, fifty former National Assembly members 
who were arrested for allegedly embezzling funds from State coffers 
denounced President Tandja for making false accusations against 
them.  In a separate, yet similar case, opposition leader Mahamadou 
Issoufou appeared before a tribunal judge in connection with his 
alleged involvement in embezzling funds from the National Assembly. 
On September 15, the Court of Appeals released civil society leader 
Marou Amadou; since then, Amadou has gone missing, and there are no 
confirmed sights of his whereabouts.  Meanwhile, an AU Pan-African 
Parliamentary delegation is in Niger to meet with the main 
protagonists of the political crisis.  End summary. 
 
Ex-Parliamentarians Reject Accusations of Fraud 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
¶2. On September 13, over 50 former National Assembly members issued 
a statement denouncing their recent arrests, court cases, and travel 
bans imposed by the GON (refs a, b, and c).  The former Assembly 
members accused the President of seeking revenge for their refusal 
to agree to a three-year extension to his original mandate, forcing 
a constitutional referendum.  They added that because they failed to 
carry out the President's wishes, National Assembly members suddenly 
found themselves alleged to be guilty of embezzling funds from state 
coffers. 
 
¶3. The former lawmakers concluded their statement by saying that 
they "will never accept the insult incurred through this fallacious 
accusation of embezzlement of public funds from people whose 
families are involved in corruption scandals estimated at several 
million dollars and shares in various companies." 
 
¶4. The following is a translation of the list of demands made by the 
former lawmakers. 
 
(Begin text) 
 
Following the recent accusations by the GON, we wish to state that 
we: 
 
--Reject the accusation against them as being fallacious, without 
any legal grounds, and for the sole purpose of settling political 
scores; 
 
--Denounce their placement under house arrest within the city of 
Niamey as an infringement of their basic freedom of movement; 
 
--Call to the nation's attention the deliberate option taken by the 
President and his new friends to cultivate discord and endanger the 
country's peace and stability; 
 
--Welcome the decisions made by the ECOWAS parliament through its 
resolution of 09/09/2009 and call on ECOWAS, the African Union, and 
the UN for a timely treatment of Niger's case; and 
 
--Request political parties, labor unions, civil society 
associations, and all Nigerien democrats to mobilize. 
(End text.) 
 
Opposition Leader Appears Before the Court 
------------------------------------------ 
¶5. On September 14, Mahamadou Issoufou, president of the Nigerien 
Party for Democracy and Socialism (PNDS), and Niger's opposition 
leader, appeared before the investigating judge at the Niamey 
Tribunal in connection with the ongoing National Assembly case (refs 
a, b, and c).  The judge charged Issoufou with receiving undue 
payments and misuse of public funds, and subsequently granted him 
provisional release.  When he stepped out of the court, Issoufou was 
hailed by supporters and swarmed by reporters.  He stated that the 
whole case was a political maneuver to intimidate and denigrate 
those who oppose President Tandja's plan to remain in office beyond 
December 22.  He accused President Tandja of fomenting a coup and 
preparing to establish a monarchy.  He indicated that President 
Tandja's regime would have to face international sanctions likely to 
affect the next budget, and that the opposition would continue to 
fight President Tandja's dictatorship. 
 
¶6. The judge also presided over the case involving Hamid Algabid, 
president of the political party Rally for Democracy and Progress 
(RDP), and incumbent High Commissioner for Territorial 
Collectivities president.  The judge pressed the same embezzlement 
charges and released Algabid, one of the political figures who 
supports President Tandja's project to remain power. 
 
Civil Society Activist Released on Bail 
 
NIAMEY 00000684  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
--------------------------------------- 
¶7. On September 15, the Niamey Court of Appeals examined the case of 
Marou Amadou, president of the United Front for the Preservation of 
Democratic Gains (FUSAD), who was arrested and jailed on charges of 
"management of an unauthorized organization" (refs d, e, and f). 
Marou's lawyers' filed an appeal against the state prosecutor's 
decision to challenge the lower court judge's ruling that granted 
him provisional release on August 28.  The Court of Appeals, after 
reviewing the request, granted Amadou provisional release.  Amadou 
left the Koutoukale maximum security prison on September 15 in a 
motorcade of fellow civil society supporters and political party 
representatives blowing their horns, making victory signs, and 
chanting "the fight continues."  Amadou and other civil society 
leaders thanked all who expressed their moral support for him and 
pressed for his release, namely citing the United States, France, 
Denmark, the European Union, and ECOWAS. 
 
¶8. On September 16, Radio France International (RFI) and private 
radio stations interviewed Amadou, wherein he criticized President 
Tandja.  Subsequently, on September 17, Amadou moved from his house 
to a secure, undisclosed location with the assistance of friends and 
supporters.  According to Embassy contacts, Amadou was frightened by 
a large contingency of police and security officials outside his 
home, which prompted his sudden move.  Many believe that because of 
the strong criticism that Amadou leveled against President Tandja, 
the police were there to arrest him on new charges. 
 
Pan-African Parliamentary Delegation Visits Niamey 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
¶9. In the midst of the ongoing political developments, a delegation 
from the African Union (AU) Pan-African Parliament is on a September 
14-19 visit to Niamey to find ways to resolve the Nigerien political 
crisis.  The delegation met with President Tandja, the Prime 
Minister, the Chadian Ambassador (as dean of the diplomatic corps), 
the EC Head of Delegation, the U.S. Ambassador and team (on 9/19 - 
septel), several opposition political parties, the media, and civil 
society organizations.  This is the fifth high-level delegation to 
Niger since May 2009; although the public welcomes the visits, many 
wonder if such missions will lead to a solution in the near term. 
 
ALLEN