Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09NIAMEY252
2009-04-08 16:09:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Niamey
Cable title:
MORE ON FORMER PM HAMA AMADOU'S RETURN TO PRISON AND
how-toVZCZCXRO2795 RR RUEHMA RUEHPA DE RUEHNM #0252 0981609 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 081609Z APR 09 FM AMEMBASSY NIAMEY TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4953 INFO RUEHAS/AMEMBASSY ALGIERS 3504 RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 0810 RUEHTRO/AMEMBASSY TRIPOLI RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE RHMFISS/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE RUEHLMC/MCC WASHDC RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
UNCLAS NIAMEY 000252
DEPT FOR AF/W, AF/RSA, AND DRL/EA
ACCRA ALSO FOR AF/WA
PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHER
DEPT PLS PASS USAID FOR AFR/W
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV SOCI PHUM PINR NG
SUBJECT: MORE ON FORMER PM HAMA AMADOU'S RETURN TO PRISON AND
UNDERLYING POLITICAL CURRENTS
Ref: a) Niamey 00227, b) Niamey 00163, c) Niamey 00214, d) 08 Niamey
00632
UNCLAS NIAMEY 000252
DEPT FOR AF/W, AF/RSA, AND DRL/EA
ACCRA ALSO FOR AF/WA
PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHER
DEPT PLS PASS USAID FOR AFR/W
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV SOCI PHUM PINR NG
SUBJECT: MORE ON FORMER PM HAMA AMADOU'S RETURN TO PRISON AND
UNDERLYING POLITICAL CURRENTS
Ref: a) Niamey 00227, b) Niamey 00163, c) Niamey 00214, d) 08 Niamey
00632
1. (U) On April 3, attorneys for former Prime Minister Hama Amadou
held a press conference to request an explanation for Amadou's
unexpected 4:00 a.m. return to prison on April 2 (Refs A and B).
The attorneys stated that Amadou had fallen unconscious during his
transfer, and that medical advisors had recommended his transfer to
Europe for further examination and care. The attorneys also
referred to their March 31 letter to the High Court of Justice
investigatory committee calling attention to the situation and
requesting urgent action to evacuate Amadou. His condition,
although previously attributed to an attack of malaria, now appears
to reflect hypertension and hyperglycemia.
2. (U) Local press dated April 5 - 7 started carrying copies of a
letter requesting that Amadou be evacuated to the American Hospital
in Neuilly, France. Although local newspapers also have published
copies of the High Court of Justice's order to transfer Amadou to
the hospital, there is no evidence of a parallel form directing that
he had been cleared medically, and was fit to return to prison.
3. (SBU) Comment: Support for Hama Amadou runs deep within the
MNSD, with an estimated 40 percent of its members backing him.
Although this has divided the party, the lead entity in the ruling
party coalition, there has also been a trend to quietly replace
pro-Hama MNSD officials in the National Assembly with pro-Tandja
ones. Recent examples include the replacement of Issaka Hassane
Djegoule, a staunch Hama supporter as First Vice President by
Mariama Alhassane, a pro-Tandja partisan. Also, Soumana Sanda,
leader of the pro-Hama movement was replaced as President of the
National Assembly Foreign Affairs Committee by Mahamadou Zada, who
is pro-Tandja.
4. (SBU) Comment, continued: it is possible that public sentiment
is shifting in favor of Amadou, and against President Tandja,
regarding the detention of Amadou in prison without trial for ten
months despite his medical condition as excessively punitive.
Gambling on Amadou's surviving his medical condition may pose a
greater risk than the GON realizes. End comment.
5. (U) Minimize considered.
Whitaker
DEPT FOR AF/W, AF/RSA, AND DRL/EA
ACCRA ALSO FOR AF/WA
PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHER
DEPT PLS PASS USAID FOR AFR/W
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV SOCI PHUM PINR NG
SUBJECT: MORE ON FORMER PM HAMA AMADOU'S RETURN TO PRISON AND
UNDERLYING POLITICAL CURRENTS
Ref: a) Niamey 00227, b) Niamey 00163, c) Niamey 00214, d) 08 Niamey
00632
1. (U) On April 3, attorneys for former Prime Minister Hama Amadou
held a press conference to request an explanation for Amadou's
unexpected 4:00 a.m. return to prison on April 2 (Refs A and B).
The attorneys stated that Amadou had fallen unconscious during his
transfer, and that medical advisors had recommended his transfer to
Europe for further examination and care. The attorneys also
referred to their March 31 letter to the High Court of Justice
investigatory committee calling attention to the situation and
requesting urgent action to evacuate Amadou. His condition,
although previously attributed to an attack of malaria, now appears
to reflect hypertension and hyperglycemia.
2. (U) Local press dated April 5 - 7 started carrying copies of a
letter requesting that Amadou be evacuated to the American Hospital
in Neuilly, France. Although local newspapers also have published
copies of the High Court of Justice's order to transfer Amadou to
the hospital, there is no evidence of a parallel form directing that
he had been cleared medically, and was fit to return to prison.
3. (SBU) Comment: Support for Hama Amadou runs deep within the
MNSD, with an estimated 40 percent of its members backing him.
Although this has divided the party, the lead entity in the ruling
party coalition, there has also been a trend to quietly replace
pro-Hama MNSD officials in the National Assembly with pro-Tandja
ones. Recent examples include the replacement of Issaka Hassane
Djegoule, a staunch Hama supporter as First Vice President by
Mariama Alhassane, a pro-Tandja partisan. Also, Soumana Sanda,
leader of the pro-Hama movement was replaced as President of the
National Assembly Foreign Affairs Committee by Mahamadou Zada, who
is pro-Tandja.
4. (SBU) Comment, continued: it is possible that public sentiment
is shifting in favor of Amadou, and against President Tandja,
regarding the detention of Amadou in prison without trial for ten
months despite his medical condition as excessively punitive.
Gambling on Amadou's surviving his medical condition may pose a
greater risk than the GON realizes. End comment.
5. (U) Minimize considered.
Whitaker