NIGER: AF DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARY MOSS VISIT

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 NIAMEY 000608

SIPDIS

STATE PLEASE PASS TO USAID
PARIS FOR AF WATCHER

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/16/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM MARR EAGR EAID NG
SUBJECT: NIGER: AF DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARY MOSS VISIT

REF: 07 NIAMEY 1444

Classified By: Ambassador Bernadette M. Allen, Reasons:1.4(a) and (d)



1. (SBU) Summary.
--------------
On June 1, 2008, Department of State Bureau for African
Affairs (AF) Deputy Assistant Secretary (DAS) Todd Moss met
with several Government of Niger (GON) officials (including
President Mamadou Tandja) and a human rights organization,
participated in a national press interview related to the
Tandja meeting and, at a dinner hosted by Ambassador Allen,
discussed with several Mission Chiefs accredited to Niger
issues of common interest (e.g., food security, conflict in
northern Niger, human rights issues, 2009 elections.) The
same topics were covered with Tandja and GON officials, as
well as discussions about military cooperation, energy,
banditry and smuggling (arms, drugs). Tandja rejected the
suggestion of an outside mediator to negotiate peace between
the rebels and the GON; all the GON officials we met were in
lock step with Tandja,s view that the conflict is a matter
for Nigeriens alone to resolve. Fighting banditry and
smuggling of arms, drugs and cigarettes is high on the GON
action list and the GON hopes, with assistance from the
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC),to host a
regional conference on these issues before end September

2008. The National Human Rights Association (known by its
French acronym ANDDH) leadership complained about lack of
access to the conflict zone, a hinderance to the
organization,s ability to investigate allegations of human
rights abuses.


2. (U) AF DAS Moss met with GON President Tandja, the
Ministers of Justice (Dagra Mamadou),Interior and
Decentralization (Albade Adouba),Foreign Affairs Secretary
General (Dan Maradi) and High Commissioner for the
Restoration of Peace (Mohamed Anacko). Ambassador Allen
accompanied DAS Moss to all the GON meetings and DCM Koran
accompanied him to the ANDDH meeting. Three FSN LES
Assistants (POL, ECON, and Protocol) shared interpreter
duties. (Note: The Prime Minister, Ministers of Foreign
Affairs, Defense, and Finance were out of the country to
attend the 4TH Tokyo Summit on Development in Africa. End
note.) End summary.


3. (SBU) Negotiation only between Nigeriens.
-------------- --------------
The meeting with Tandja lasted about 90 minutes. Much of the
discussion with Tandja centered around the conflict in
northern Niger, including questions about Mouvement des
Nigeriens pour la Justice (MNJ) demands and whether the GON
is inclined to accept a mediator from a neighboring country
to negotiate a peace settlement. Tanda strongly rejected the
suggestion of a mediator and stated Nigeriens who have
elected their own democratic, sovereign government can manage
their own internal affairs. He suggested that in due time,
sooner rather than later, the conflict will be resolved. He
insisted the MNJ must lay down its arms before the GON will
sit at the negotiating table. He reported that 7 of 11
fronts had already layed down their weapons, met with him and
the Prime Minister in the Presidential office and had now
returned to their families. He rhetorically asked how many
governments would meet with armed bandits and drug
traffickers to discuss a settlement, that the GON already has
gone a step farther than he believes the leadership in other
democratic nations would go to deal with criminals. Other
GON officials echoed Tandja,s view that the conflict is a
matter to be negotiated between Nigeriens, and that talks
cannot begin until the MNJ rebels lay down their arms. When
asked about a regional security conference, Albade responded
there may be a meeting between Mali, Niger and Algeria on
Tuareg-related issues, possibly in late June (venue to be
determined).

Moss asked Tandja and Albade in their respective meetings to
share their views about the MNJ demands. Both men responded
they have no clear understanding of what the MNJ demands are,
that the GON has never received any formal list of
grievances. Albade added that demands printed in local
newspapers have little validity because the GON had met most
all the demands, such as integrating former rebels into the
military, reserving 15 percent of revenues generated from
natural resources in Agadez for the Agadez region. He
suggested that Agadez is already favored above other regions,
that it not only gets the 15 percent, but also benefits from
the remaining 85 percent that is shared nationally. Other
regions, much poorer than Agadez, are not demanding that a

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certain level of revenue earned from natural resources in
their respective regions be reserved for them. He said
natural resources are national wealth for the entire nation,
not just one region.


4. (C) Human rights concerns.
--------------
Moss then raised the matter of the seven civilians killed in
December 2007 (reftel) by military personnel and the status
of the GON investigation of the incident. He emphasized that
until there is some accountability for the killings,
military-to-military programs will be severely affected
because the USG cannot ignore its legal obligations. He
stressed that Congress could suspend a number of programs, if
not satisfied that the GON respects human rights. Tandja
replied that the matter is in the hands of the GON Ministry
of Justice. He then took pains to state that he retired his
military gear to defend democracy, said that almost a decade
ago he had military officers tried for alleged human rights
violations, that those found guilty served time and those not
found guilty were freed. He insisted that he and his
government believe in the democratic process, the rule of law
and expect justice to be served. With respect to the killed
civilians, he said that family members of the victims had
visited him in his office to discuss the case and the ongoing
investigation.


5. (U) Food security.
--------------
Moss stressed to Tandja the importance of the Government of
Niger (GON) making known its food security needs quickly. He
emphasized that many other countries on the continent are
being aggressive in making their respective needs known in
order to secure a place at the top of the food assistance
list. Tandja responded that the GON is working on the matter
and announced that the GON will use the USDA 12,000 tons of
sorghum that have been in storage for free distribution to
the most vulnerable communities.


6. (U) Thugs and smuggling.
--------------
Tandja and the other GON officials (i.e., Ministers of
Justice and Interior) raised concerns about banditry and
smuggling of arms, drugs and cigarettes. The Ministry of
Interior is charged, in coordination with the UNODC, to plan
a regional conference to address banditry and smuggling
across the Sahel countries, to be held in Niamey before
end-September 2008. In response to Moss, question as to
whether some donor partner countries would be invited to
participate in the conference, Albade implied that
invitations likely would be tendered to some partners, given
the need for financial assistance and technical expertise.


7. (U) Energy.
--------------
Prompted by an electrification chart posted in the
Presidential Office Building, Moss briefly touched on Niger
energy policy. He asked Tandja whether the GON had any solar
energy plans in the works. Tandja replied the GON was
primarily looking at potential to expand hydroelectricity
power once the Kandadji Dam project is completed. He agreed
solar energy is a good fit for Niger, but said technology and
technical expertise in Niger is lacking. He made mention of
Niger,s energy potential and other benefits resulting from
its uranium deposits and gas prospects.


8. (U) Elections in 2009.
--------------
Moss addressed questions about the 2009 local, legislative
and Presidential elections to Justice Minister Dagra. He
asked whether there will be further postponement of
elections, given the initial timeframe for local elections
already had slipped. Dagra responded that voter registration
is on track to begin on June 19. Amb. Allen inquired whether
the conflict in the north would cause that region to be
excluded from the registration process. Dagra responded that
the conflict should be over soon, if not, persons in the
conflict zone will not be disenfranchised, that some
accommodation will be made for citizens living in then north.
He stated, at worst, citizens could report to the larger
cities (Agadez or Arlit) to register, that population numbers
have been very small in the north (even pre-conflict) because
of the nomadic lifestyle. He mentioned budgetary concerns to
fund the registration process and actual elections in 2009.
He said a new registration list is direly needed because the
current rolls include names of deceased persons, too many
common names without reliable identifiers (such as date of
birth),duplicate registrations with different addresses, etc.

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9. High Commissioner for the Restoration of Peace (HCRP).
-------------- --------------
Moss asked HCRP Anacko his take on the prospects for peace.
His view mirrored that of other GON officials; that is, the
GON is prepared to meet MNJ rebels only after they lay down
their arms. He emphasized that the laying down of arms is
not in the literal sense, that the GON is not trying to
humiliate the rebels. Amb. Allen inquired how the newly
created Front des Forces de Redressement (FFR) would affect
potential negotiations. Anacko responded that the new group
does complicate matters, but that he expected all along from
his own past experience as a front leader in the 1990
rebellion that splinter groups (some based on clan
affiliation) would begin to materialize. He expressed
concern about conflict between herders and farmers along the
Niger-Mali border and asked Moss whether the USG provides
training in peace negotiating. Moss responded that many
private institutions facilitate such training and stated he
would inquire whether the Woodrow Wilson Center and/or the
U.S. Institute of Peace may have interest in offering
training. Amb. Allen asked Anacko whether he had
participated in an IVLP program on peace negotiation and he
responded that it was his predecessor of some years ago who
had participated in an IVLP on conflict resolution.


10. (SBU) ANDDH meeting.
--------------
In their meeting with Moss, the leadership of the National
Human Rights Association (known by its French acronym ANDDH)
reviewed human rights trends in Niger, particularly since the
1999 democratic transition. While there has been progress in
many areas, problems remain. The conflict in the north has
resulted in illegal detentions, the arrest of journalists,
and travel restriction. It has seriously affected
agriculture and tourism in the north, and has led to the
displacement of large numbers of people. The ANDDH officials
complained that GON restrictions make it difficult to
investigate human rights allegations, but they have confirmed
a number of abuses based on interviews with people from the
north, including the mayor of Dabagaba. They have asked the
GON for permission to travel in the north, as well as to
interview the Nigerien soldiers who were recently released by
the MNJ.

The 2009 election will be key to Niger,s democratic
transformation. The officials said that there has been
little improvement in the status of women, and noted the
National Assembly,s refusal to ratify the AU women,s rights
protocol. ANDDH considers access to education, health care
and food as human rights, and detailed problems in those
sectors. The ANDDH officials said that the GON has been slow
to enact measures to combat trafficking in persons, and
reviewed their own activities to address that problem.


10. Working dinner.
--------------
The Ambassadors of France, Germany and the European Union and
the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) Resident
Representative (who concurrently serves as the UN System
Coordinator in Niger) discussed matters related to the
conflict in the north, food security and the 2009 elections
(everyone was concerned about the lateness of GON requests
for funding for the registration and election process).
Remarks around the table validated much of what Moss learned
in the day,s earlier meetings.

AF DAS Moss has cleared this message.

ALLEN