NIGER: Ambassador Allen Hosts Political Parties

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SUBJECT: NIGER: Ambassador Allen Hosts Political Parties

REF: Niamey 448

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1. (SBU) Summary: Ambassador Allen hosted a series of dinners at the
Chief of Mission Residence (CMR),June 4-30, inviting six of Niger's
most influential political parties. These dinners allowed Embassy
officials to meet political party leaders and gain insight into
party perspectives on upcoming legislative and presidential
elections and the deteriorating political landscape in Niger.
Discussions were intense, direct, and broad in scope. While some of
the parties supported President Tandja's plan for a constitutional
referendum, the majority were against it, and believed that
President Tandja was acting outside of the law. End summary.

Rally for Democracy and Progress - The People
RDP -Jama'a)
-------------- -

2. (SBU) The June 9 dinner at the CMR with RDP leaders came on the
heels of President Tandja's May 26 decision to dissolve the National
Assembly. When asked their opinion on recent political
developments, the RDP leaders responded that they supported the idea
of a constitutional referendum because they favor a presidential
regime and believed that Article 141 of the current constitution,
which provides amnesty for the perpetrators of the 1996 and 1999
military coups, should be excluded from any new text. Asked if they
would support the referendum even if the amnesty were not removed,
they responded that they would. The RDP leaders did say, however,
that they were surprised and disappointed that President Tandja
would seek a new constitution providing for a three-year "transition
period" during which he would remain in power. They also stated
that they were not in favor of organizing a referendum before
holding legislative elections.

National Party for Democracy and Socialism - Unity (PNDS-Tarraya)
-------------- --------------

3. (SBU) At the June 16 dinner with the PNDS leadership, PNDS
President Mahamadou Issoufou opened the dialogue by welcoming the
statement issued by the State Department on May 29. This dinner
came four days after the Constitutional Court issued its ruling that
President Tandja's plan for a constitutional referendum was
unconstitutional. Issoufou was very candid, providing intimate
details about meetings he had held with President Tandja. Issoufou
expressed his disappointment in President Tandja, citing meetings
during which Tandja repeatedly assured him that he would not seek a
third term. Issoufou admitted that he had been taken in by
President Tandja's deception. He went on to say that in April 2009,
Issoufou had encouraged President Tandja to step down at the end of
his term in December, but that Tandja responded that he is the only
person capable of ruling Niger.


4. (SBU) PNDS members condemned President Tandja's bid to remain in
office and expressed a desire for a stronger condemnation by the
international community, and said that they planned to devote more
efforts in the future to relations with the US Government. Embassy
officials sought clarification on the rationale for President
Tandja's remaining in power. PNDS stated that Tandja had asserted
that the "semi-presidential" regime provided for by the 1999
constitution is inadequate for Niger. Issoufou noted that this
provision could be revised without changing the constitution in its
entirety. PNDS believes Tandja has a weak argument. They noted
that any group or voice contrary to Tandja's plans is excluded from
the public media. It was abundantly clear that PNDS leaders firmly
oppose President Tandja's plan to draft a new constitution and
prolong his presidency.

Social Democratic Rally - Truth (RSD - Gaskiya)
-------------- --

5. (SBU) At the June 17 dinner, RSD leadership stated that they are
a relatively new party, created a few weeks before local and general
elections in Niger in 2004. Despite this obstacle, they were able
to obtain seven seats in the National Assembly and several local
council members throughout the country. For example, the RSD
controls all three communes and the City of Maradi. RSD asserted
that they are strong supporters of democratic principles, yet are in
favor of a referendum to change the constitution. However, they
were surprised to learn that President Tandja would like to extend
his term in office by three years, as they find no justification for
him to do so. Asked about the president's decision to have all
National Assembly members repay the excess money that they had
received prior to increased allowances were permitted by law, RSD
President Cheiffou thought this made sense, but blamed the National
Assembly President for presumably failing to inform parliamentarians
that they had to stop receiving the extra payments.


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6. (SBU) One guest, however, a former Minister of Finance, disagreed
and stated that the money had been budgeted and that responsibility
fell on more than the parliamentarians. He noted that the Executive
Branch approved the funding that had been requested and passed by
the National Assembly, that the bill was signed subsequently by the
Minister of Finance. In his view, it was not fair that the
President use non-repayment of the funds by National Assembly
members as grounds for dissolving parliament. According to him, the
President's aim, one year after this dispute occurred, was to
prevent those former members of parliament who oppose "Tazarce"
(Note: Hausa language for "let it continue". End note.) from
returning to the National Assembly.

Social Democratic Convention - Mercy and Prosperity (CDS-Rahama)
-------------- --------------

7. (SBU) At the June 19 dinner, CDS leadership was asked about for
views regarding President Tandja's plans to remain in power. The
CDS leaders were quick to remind the Embassy team that on May 14 the
CDS had asserted the principles of their party - primarily that they
abide by the constitution and that they would not support any move
that would violate the constitution. Asked why the party had not
made any subsequent public statements, CDS President Mahamane
Ousmane stated that CDS did not need to issue a statement because
the CDS is part of the ruling coalition and so would rather engage
in direct dialogue with the President. Ousmane said, "we prefer to
fight from within, rather than on the streets." (Comment: Many
political observers, however, have stated they did not understand
Ousmane's silence. End Comment.) Ousmane said that CDS would
continue to disagree "within" the ruling coalition and take
advantage of having direct contact with the President. He said he
would try to convince President Tandja to abandon his project; if
President Tandja persisted with the referendum, CDS would take
another position. Regarding President Tandja's move to have the
National Assembly members pay back unduly received allowance,
Ousmane, who has been the National Assembly's Speaker until its
dissolution on May 26, said that the President obviously intended to
embarrass the Deputies, discredit them in the eyes of public opinion
and attempt to disqualify them in the impending legislative
elections.


8. (U) He lauded Voice of America (VOA) during the course of the
dinner, notably for its broadcast in Hausa, stating that frequently
in regions outside of Niamey, VOA may be the only unbiased news
reporting the masses receive about political and other matters in
Niger. He commented how the French final added a Hausa transmission
only this past year, following the footsteps of the U.S., the United
Kingdom and the People's Republic of China.

National Movement for a Society of Development - Victory
(MNSD - Nassara)
-------------- --------------

9. (SBU) As a result of reported disorganization within the MNSD
headquarters, a dinner originally scheduled for June 12 was
postponed to June 23. A couple of members showed up on June 12, but
as the MNSD had not confirmed attendance, no dinner preparations had
been made for them. Ambassador offered them drinks and offered to
host a dinner later in the month. (Note: While the other political
parties sent their most senior leadership, the MNSD, which is the
main party in the ruling coalition, sent a few die-hard MNSD members
for the dinner. End note.) The MNSD strongly supports a
presidential regime instead of the current "semi-presidential" one
in order to provide full powers to the President. The President
could then enact policy without the endorsement of the Prime
Minister. (Note: Under the current system, the president serves as
head of state and the prime minister as head of government. End
note.) MNSD supports the President's actions, and in February held
a convention to renew the parties' leadership after the motion of no
confidence against the former Prime Minister, Hama Amadou (former
MNSD party president).


10. (U) When asked whether the current schism within MNSD is harmful
to the party, one dinner guest responded it was the MNSD leadership
that decided to remove some names from the party rolls because it
learned, after the Zinder convention in February 2008 that some MNSD
members intended to undermine the party. In his view, the party was
better off without the persons it "kicked out of the party." When
asked whether former Prime Minister/party president Hama Amadou's
new party, Lumana (Peace),would have an impact, the MNSD guests
downplayed the creation of the new party as a non-event and opined
it would not hurt the MNSD. Regarding President Tandja's June 20
decree announcing legislative elections on August 20, MNSD officials
said that they were compiling their lists of candidates. They did
not, however, discuss the referendum.

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Niger's Patriotic Movement - Youth (MPN - Matassa)
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11. (SBU) The June 30 dinner with MPN leadership took place a day
after President Tandja had dissolved the Constitutional Court, named
eight new ministers, and had an opposition civil society group
leader arrested for inciting security and military forces to disobey
unlawful orders. Embassy officials gained helpful insights into the
youth movement in Niger during the course of this dinner. MPN
leaders clearly opposed President Tandja's bid to organize a
constitutional referendum. They conveyed their fear that President
Tandja would employ any means necessary to stay in power and was
about to "cross the point of no return." This would include using
traditional chiefs to muster sufficient votes to pass the
referendum. MPN leaders are of the opinion that Tandja believes
that potential sanctions by Western countries would be nullified by
Chinese support. They noted that the MPN seeks to educate youth on
its role in politics and encourage women to participate in politics.
MPN, made of young, diplomaed entrepreneurs, has a slate of 58
candidates that will vie for seats in legislative elections slated
for August 20.

Alliance for Democracy and Progress - Living in Peace (ANDP - Zaman
Lahiya)
-------------- --------------

12. (U) The June 26 dinner scheduled with ANDP has been postponed to
a date to be determined, as ANDP is still reorganizing after ANDP
President Moumouni Djermakoye succumbed from a heart attack
following an opposition rally on June 14 (reftel).

Allen