NIGER: DETAILS AND UPDATE ON MISSING UNITED

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 NIAMEY 001166 NOFORN SIPDIS //C O R R E C T E D C O P Y ADDING OTTAWA AS AN ADDRESSEE// DEPT FOR AF, AF/W, AF/RSA, DS, INR/AA, CA, AND DS/IP/AF PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHER E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/16/2018 TAGS: ASEC CASC PGOV PREL UN NG SUBJECT: NIGER: DETAILS AND UPDATE ON MISSING UNITED NATIONS SPECIAL ENVOY AND OTHERS REF: A. NIAMEY 1160 ¶B. 07 NIAMEY 1453 NIAMEY 00001166 001.4 OF 002 Classified By: DCM ERIC P. WHITAKER, REASON: SECTION 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (S/NF) Summary. The unexplained disappearances of United Nations Special Envoy (SE) Robert Fowler, Special Assistant Louis Guay and their unidentified driver remains a mystery. The Government of Niger (GON) initial reaction generally has been one of anger, placing blame on the SE for allegedly having dismissed the assigned Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) protocol officer in order to manage on his own a personal trip to a gold mine on Sunday, December 14. Canadian Ambassador Massip (resident in Abidjan) reported to date neither she nor the Canadian Foreign Minister (FM) have been able to speak with the GON FM Mindaoudou or Minister of Interior (MOI) Albade, but Massip was hopeful that the Canadian FM would connect with Mindaoudou before day's end. Massip expects to arrive in Niamey on Wednesday, December 17 to meet with GON officials and some members of the diplomatic corps. The Front des Forces de Redressement (FFR),a splinter group from the Mouvement des Nigeriens pour la Justice (MNJ),issued a statement on its internet blog claiming responsibility for the disappearances, but the credibility of the statement is suspect. The GON military and security forces have been mobilized to search for SE Fowler, SA Guay and the driver. End summary. ¶2. (C) Embassy Niamey first learned about the late evening December 14 disappearances of the SE and two others through Canadian Cooperation Director Guy Villeneuve at opening of business on December 15. Additionally, U.N. System Coordinator Khardiata Lo N'Diaye called a meeting to brief the diplomatic corps Chiefs of Mission (COM) about the disappearances. The GON has not held a meeting to brief the diplomatic corps. The GON FM expressed in the media grave concern about the disappearances. The GON Spokesperson/Minister of Communications Ben Omar's remarks to the press emphasized that the SE had dismissed his assigned protocol officer to arrange a program of his own for Sunday, December 14. He said the GON was unaware SE Fowler was planning a visit to the Samira gold mine, that the SE had, two days prior to his disappearance, requested permission to visit Imourarene in northern Niger (a uranium exploration site managed by the French company Areva),but that the SE's request was turned down. ¶3. (C) The U.N. System Coordinator noted in her briefing to the diplomatic corp COMs that she had only returned to Niamey from travel abroad the night before and had not been informed of the purpose of the SE's visit to Niger, that the Acting U.N. System Coordinator (the FAO Director) had only been informed that the SE's visit was to be "discreet, but not secret." (Note: Fowler made two prior visits to Niger since being named SE in July 2008, and those visits were publicized. End note.) According to N'Diaye, the SE participated in meetings from the time of his December 11 arrival with the Ministers of Interior, Defense and Justice (the latter in his capacity as acting FM) and some civil society group members. He was accompanied to all those meetings by an MFA-assigned protocol officer. Reportedly, the SE informed the MFA protocol officer his services would not be needed on December 14, and no information was provided to the MFA or the local U.N. office concerning his plans to visit the gold mine. The local U.N. office provided a vehicle and driver at Fowler's request, but beyond that had no information concerning his plans. Canadian Cooperation Director Villeneuve's last contact with SA Guay was at 17h40 (Ref A). Villeneuve pointed out that had it not been for the dinner plans he had made with Guay (a friend of 25 years), first knowledge of the disappearances may not have come to light until December 15. Villeneuve and N'Diaye asked for assistance in obtaining information regarding the disappearances. COMs raised questions concerning the background of the driver, potential witnesses from the village nearby, the state of the vehicle, markings if any on the road (reported as none),etc., but neither Villeneuve nor N'Diaye could provide answers. NIAMEY 00001166 002.4 OF 002 ¶4. (C) The region of the disappearances, Tillabery, is the venue for the 50th Anniversary of the Niger Republic Day activities. The FFR issued a statement claiming responsibility for the disappearances, which spoke of four persons and did not place the last contact with the missing persons on December 14; consequently, the FFR claims are suspect. The FFR statement warned the diplomatic community to stay away from the 50th Anniversary events. Some have speculated that the disappearances may be an effort to embarrass the GON on its National Day, similar to last's years efforts to do so with a landmine explosion that occurred in Tahoua, the venue for the 2007 National Day activities, in the section reserved for the diplomatic corps and GON officials (Ref B). ¶5. (S/NF) At a military academy graduation on the morning of December 16, Embassy Niamey Ambassador Allen was seated next to GON Minister of Defense Djida, and inquired whether he had heard of any developments on the disappearances. Djida's response was consistent with the accounts given the day before by the local Canadian and UN System officials. He added, however, that Fowler had come to Niger to tally and note markings of illegal weapons (arms, mines) the GON military and security authorities had confiscated, as well as to attend the Niger Republic 50th Anniversary celebrations. He echoed other GON officials' disgust that the SE would dismiss the MFA protocol officer to map out his own personal trip. ¶6. (S/NF) Canadian Ambassador Massip phoned Ambassador Allen to express thanks for USG offers of assistance. She said she was aware that Villeneuve had been in touch with Embassy Niamey's team and that the Government of Canada appreciates any assistance offered. She asked Allen whether "the attitude of the GON had improved" and added that Villeneuve was quite shaken by the tone of the GON Ministry of Interior Secretary General's interrogation the day before with questions such as, "what the devil do you people think you are doing, why do you think you don't need to notify our government about the travel plans of high level officials?" Allen responded that the U.N. System Coordinator had informed the diplomatic corps COMs in her briefing that she too has been bombarded with questions. Massip opined that she believed the GON officials were in shock, that she hoped they have by now calmed down. She said efforts to reach the GON FM had been futile, that a call between the FMs of both capitals (Niamey and Ottawa) had been scheduled before the disappearances, related to the helpful GON vote on the Iran resolution that the Canadians had sponsored at the United Nations, but since the disappearances the GON FM has not been available. Massip was hopeful that a connection with the FM would be made before day's end. ¶7. (SBU) In sum, no more light has been shed on the disappearances since yesterday. No demands have been made by any particular group and no credible claims of reponsibility are known. GON military and security officials continue to comb the area for clues and continue their search for the missing persons. MINIMIZE CONSIDERED ALLEN