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DE RUEHNM #0584/01 2231538
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 111538Z AUG 09
FM AMEMBASSY NIAMEY
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5251
INFO RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA 1639
RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
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RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NIAMEY 000584 
 
DEPT FOR AF/W, AF/RSA, AND DRL/EA 
ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU - J MAYBURY 
PARIS FOR AF WATCHER 
PLS PASS TO USAID FOR AFR/W 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS:              
SUBJECT:  Niger:  Post-Referendum Tension Continues, Police Arrest 
Activist, Opposition Group Reacts 
 
Ref:  a) Niamey 582   b) Niamey 554   c) Niamey 503 
d) Niamey 493   e) Niamey 567 
 
Police Arrest Amadou on August 10; Trial Held August 11 
--------------------------------------------- ---------- 
 1. On August 10, the judicial police arrested Marou Amadou, 
President of the United Front for the Protection of Democratic Gains 
(FUSAD), a civil society umbrella group made up of 22 civil society 
organizations and labor unions, after he read at a press conference 
a statement that FUSAD issued on August 9 rejecting the August 4 
referendum results.  Officials charged Amadou, who is also a former 
member of the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) and 
spokesperson for the Front for the Defense of Democracy (FDD), a 
coalition of political parties and civil society organizations 
opposed to President Tandja's continuation plans, with "breaching 
state security."  The lower court judge who charged him issued a 
committal order to detain Amadou at Niamey prison.  He was to be 
tried on August 11 following the "caught in the act" procedure. 
 
Amadou Demands President Resign, Calls on Armed Forces 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
 2. In the statement Amadou read publicly are passages stating, 
"Tandja's coup d'etat will not work and (FUSAD) demands his 
resignation without condition... (FUSAD) launches a final appeal to 
the Nigerien Armed Forces, traditional chiefs, ulemas (traditional 
religious leaders), and intellectuals to disassociate themselves 
once and for all from Lieutenant Colonel Tandja's dictatorial and 
autocratic project...(FUSAD) declares as of this day, August 9, 
2009, a general and permanent mobilization throughout the country 
and beyond, until the fall of Lieutenant Colonel Tandja's 
'exception' government." 
 
Thousands Gather, 50 Detained in Havoc; Amadou Released 
--------------------------------------------- ---------- 
 3. On August 11, the Niamey Tribunal opened hearings on Amadou's 
case.  Civil society members present at the courthouse reported that 
the tribunal changed the charges against Amadou from "breaching 
state security" to "using ethnic language likely to create social 
tension and inciting civil disobedience."  There were reports that 
between 2,000-3,000 people gathered outside the courthouse to stage 
a protest, some trying forcibly to gain access to the public 
hearing.  The police used tear gas and batons to disperse the crowd, 
and detained about 50 people. Several people were reported to have 
been injured including Zakari Oumarou, editor of "Opinions" 
newspaper, who was evacuated to Niamey hospital with a broken arm. 
The judge momentarily suspended the hearings due to the conditions 
outside the courthouse.  The court then resumed the hearings and 
released Marou Amadou.  (Note:  the Marou Amadou hearing occurred 
the same day as Abdoulaye Tiemogo's trial.  Tiemogo, editor of the 
pro-opposition newspaper "Le Canard Dechaine," was arrested on 
August 1 on libel charges implicating the Minister of Justice (ref 
e).  The Niamey Tribunal has yet to give a verdict on Tiemogo's 
case.  End note.) 
 
CFDR Calls for Detainees' Release, Demos on Aug. 19-21 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
 4. On August 11, the Coordination of Forces for Democracy and the 
Republic (CFDR) made up of political parties, civil society 
organizations, and labor unions opposing President Tandja's plan to 
maintain his hold on power, issued a statement denouncing the 
results of the August 4 referendum as a "shameful misrepresentation 
of the people's will."  The CFDR: 
 
-- "solemnly declares" that the August 9, 1999 Constitution remains 
in effect; 
 
-- as of August 24, will see that the dissolved National Assembly is 
reinstated due to the president's failure to organize anticipated 
legislative elections within 90 days, as provided by the 
Constitution; 
 
-- states that CFDR political parties will not participate in any 
election outside the August 1999 Constitution; 
 
-- demands the reinstatement of the Constitutional Court dissolved 
in June 2009; 
 
-- calls on civil and military authorities to refrain from carrying 
out any orders violating the August 1999 Constitution; 
 
-- calls on all Nigeriens to attend protests that it will stage on 
 
NIAMEY 00000584  002 OF 002 
 
 
August 19, 20, and 21; 
 
-- denounces Marou Amadou's specious arrest on charges of breaching 
state security; and 
 
-- demands the immediate release of all those illegally detained 
citizens in Dosso, Birni N'Gaoure, Tahoua, Zinder, Koutoukale, and 
Niamey. 
 
Background Note: 
---------------- 
 5. On July 29, police arrested Marou Amadou following a radio 
interview on charges of attempting to destabilize state security; he 
was released on July 2 (refs C & D). 
 
 6. Observers had assessed that the government would manage the pre- 
and post-referendum period with a heavy hand.  On August 1, the 
police summoned and questioned Mahamane Hamissou Moumouni, 
coordinator of the Front for the Republic and Democracy (FRD), an 
umbrella group of civil society organizations, because he said that 
the FRD "would use any legal means" to prevent the referendum (ref 
b).  After the Dosso riots on June 1 and the arrest and imprisonment 
of PNDS activist Alassane Karfi on July 18 (ref b), several CFDR 
supporters and two journalists remain in detention. 
 
ALLEN