NIGER: Military Seize Power in Coup d'Etat

NIGER: Military Seize Power in Coup d

allafrica.com

Nigerien troops stormed the presidential complex amid deadly gun battles in Niamey yesterday and seized President Mamadou Tandja and his cabinet in a coup d’etat.

(visit the link for the full news article)



[edit on 20-2-2010 by devildogUSMC]

""Nigerien troops stormed the presidential complex amid deadly gun battles in Niamey yesterday and seized President Mamadou Tandja and his cabinet in a coup d'etat.

International news agencies reported that "gunfire and loud explosions reverberated across the city as soldiers assaulted the palace where Tandja, the country's strongman for the past decade, presided over a cabinet meeting."

Diplomatic source said that Tandja's own presidential guard took part in the coup.""

"It happened after a cabinet meeting. It would appear that President Tandja is currently in the hands of the rebels and that the members of the government are themselves held," the diplomat said.

The diplomat based in the world's third-biggest uranium producer confirmed the capture, saying several senior government figures had been arrested. "Tandja is among them. The rebels have taken the upper hand," he said.

State radio suspended its programmes and played martial music as the West African country's long-simmering political tensions erupted. Tandja, 71, has spent more than a decade in power, having extended his term through a controversial referendum last August after dissolving parliament and the constitutional court.

Niger has since been isolated on the international stage. Witnesses said they saw the bodies of at least three soldiers being lifted out of a badly-damaged armoured vehicle which pulled up outside the morgue of the main hospital. One said he had seen a rocket striking the vehicle.

France, the former colonial power, urged its nationals to stay indoors in a country where French nuclear giant Areva is the biggest private employer. "We heard automatic gunfire and then large detonations. The house was shaking. It lasted about a half hour, non-stop," said Claire Deschamps, one French national living in Niamey.

She said the violence began around 1200 GMT. Army helicopters hovered over the presidency during the afternoon. Sporadic shooting continued into the afternoon before gradually subsiding.

The city was largely calm as the population fled into their homes and soldiers deployed across the city. An AFP correspondent outside the presidency complex said he saw an armoured personnel carrier driven out of the palace gates before he was ordered away by a soldier.

The African Union condemned the violence in Niger, the latest in a litany of states such as Guinea, Madagascar and Mauritania, where coups and unrest have replaced democratic rule.

















allafrica.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

[edit on 20-2-2010 by devildogUSMC]

[edit on 20-2-2010 by devildogUSMC]

Just wish to clarify:

This is NIGER, not NIGERIA... The only reason I say this is the article states Nigerian troops, so could be easy to get confused.

reply to post by stumason


Thanks that flew right past me. This is a pretty big deal no? A leader of a county taken prisoner by military rebels.

reply to post by devildogUSMC


To be honest, this has been brewing for a while. The President has been seeking to extend his term past the Constitutionally allowed 2 terms, apparently so he can complete reforms and investment projects. The Army took a dim view of this and claim to be acting to defend the Constitution and Democracy.

It will be interesting to see if they honour their pledges to restore democracy or will go the way of other Coup's in Africa nad remain in power.

They did the right thing by defending their constitution againt an illegal and corrupt leadership. Could it be that easy?

reply to post by devildogUSMC


On the face of it, yes they did do the "right thing". However, there is a history in Africa of this sort of thing happening, yet somewhere along the way they grow accustomed to power and never deliver on the promises that led them to the coup in the first place.

Only time will tell.

reply to post by stumason


That sounds alot like the United States to me. What do you think the right thing to do here would be?

reply to post by devildogUSMC


The US, or Niger?

If the US, I'd suggest more political plurality, meaning you need more than just the two Parties you have. More competition usually means better service and value for money, as it were.

In Niger, it'll just have to run it's course. I suspect the Army have good intentions, but it is to be seen whether they deliver on their promises of restoring democracy.

reply to post by stumason


Do you think the people behind the left/right paradigm, 2 party system rouse would ever let another party fairly debate, get their message heard, and campaign in any federal election, when they know that they will, without a doubt, lose to anyone who could expose their crookedness to the people en masse and offer honest solutions that work for the people? They cannot let that happen; it would ruin all of their plans. Plurality is not and option in the United States Government. TJMO.

So far as I could tell this needed to happen. Short timeline of events:

-Niger president wants to extend beyond two term limits.

-Niger constitutional court declares the act unconstitutional

-Niger president dissolves constitutional court

-Niger parliament attempts to intervene

-Niger president dissolves parliament

-Niger military take over the government

This is exactly how a military coup d'etat should be, not disagreement with policy or some cockamamee thing like I've seen suggested before. But outright tyrannical takeover of the government.

Here's hoping the military follows through with their promise of bringing democracy back.