Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09NIAMEY413
2009-06-03 16:09:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Niamey
Cable title:  

Niger: Army and National Police Conduct Door-to-Door

Tags:  PGOV KDEM SOCI NG 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO9650
RR RUEHMA RUEHPA
DE RUEHNM #0413 1541609
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 031609Z JUN 09
FM AMEMBASSY NIAMEY
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5087
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE
RHMFISS/CDR USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEHLMC/MCC WASHDC
UNCLAS NIAMEY 000413 

DEPT FOR AF/W AND AF/RSA
PLS PASS TO USAID FOR AFR/W
ACCRA ALSO FOR USAID/WA
PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHER

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV KDEM SOCI NG
SUBJECT: Niger: Army and National Police Conduct Door-to-Door
Search for Alleged Inciters of the June 1 Clash

Ref: a) Niamey 406 b) Niamey 391 c) Niamey 407

UNCLAS NIAMEY 000413

DEPT FOR AF/W AND AF/RSA
PLS PASS TO USAID FOR AFR/W
ACCRA ALSO FOR USAID/WA
PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHER

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV KDEM SOCI NG
SUBJECT: Niger: Army and National Police Conduct Door-to-Door
Search for Alleged Inciters of the June 1 Clash

Ref: a) Niamey 406 b) Niamey 391 c) Niamey 407


1. (U) On June 2, the Nigerien Minister of the Interior Albade
Abouba visited Dosso (about 80 miles southeast of Niamey),scene of
the June 1 clash (ref a) between proponents and antagonists of
President Tandja's planned referendum (ref b). Embassy received
reports that the Nigerien army, national police and gendarmerie
closed off entrances to and from Dosso, Niger's Zarma (ethnic group)
center.


2. (SBU) Security forces were reported to have conducted
door-to-door searches to look for alleged inciters of the June 1
incident at a pro-"tazarche" rally. (Note: Tazarche is Hausa
language word meaning "let it continue". End note.) Local contacts
in Dosso reported that the June 2 security operation began around
5:00 a.m. and lasted most of the day. According to a
non-governmental organization employee, the security forces were
working from a list of suspects that reportedly were identified in
local media (Station RTT) footage. In viewing the footage, Embassy
Niamey officers observed that most of the injuries appeared to be
caused by civilian-on-civilian fighting (including one person who
lost an eye from being hit with a rock). Radio France International
(RFI) reported 30 arrests were made, but Embassy Niamey has
unconfirmed reports from contacts that over 100 people have been
detained in Dosso, with six persons sent to prison in Gaya (city
about 95 miles south of Dosso).


3. (U) Some members from a recently-formed, Niamey-based
anti-"tazarche" consortium made up of political parties, unions and
civil society groups, Force for the Defense of Democracy (FDD) (ref
c),have complained in local media interviews that they have been
questioned by government authorities about the incident in Dosso,
despite their having been physically present in Niamey the entire
day of June 1. President of the Nigerien Alliance for Democracy and
Progress (ANDP),Moumouni Djermakoye, a former President of both the
National Assembly and Supreme Court, as well as a former Nigerien
Ambassador to the United States, in an interview on a private
television station (Dounia TV),expressed concerns about potentially
escalating violence if the government does not drop its
constitutional referendum plan. We have not learned of any other
reports of violence in other regions in Niger. The Dosso incident
appears isolated, however, FDD has called for a simultaneous,
nationwide anti-"tazarche" rally on Sunday, June 7. Embassy will
report further developments on the Dosso incident and the announced
June 7 rally, as information becomes available.

Allen