VZCZCXRO6120
RR RUEHMA RUEHPA
DE RUEHNM #0936 3271642
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 231642Z NOV 09
FM AMEMBASSY NIAMEY
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5476
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEHLMC/MCC WASHDC UNCLAS NIAMEY 000936 
 
DEPT FOR AF/W AND AF/RSA; PLS PASS TO USAID FOR AFR/W 
ACCRA ALSO FOR USAID/WA 
PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHER 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS:          
SUBJECT:  Niger: Opposition November 22 Rally in Niamey 
 
Ref:   a) Niamey 826   b) Niamey 630 c) Niamey 618 
 
 1. Summary:  On November 22, the Coordination of Forces for 
Democracy and the Republic (CFDR) organized a rally in Niamey to 
demand that President Tandja step down on December 22, the end of 
his term of office under the constitution of the 5th Republic, which 
was supplanted by that of the 6th Republic by means of the August 4 
referendum.  The CFDR also used the event to affirm its support for 
ECOWAS' mediation of Niger's political crisis and expressed its 
willingness to negotiate with the Government of Niger (GON).  End 
summary. 
 
3,000 Rally to Demand President Tandja Step Down 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
 2. On November 22, one month before the end of President Tandja's 
second and last term in office under the constitution of the 5th 
Republic, over 3,000 protesters gathered in Niamey to demand that 
President Tandja step down from power on December 22.  President 
Tandja, who otherwise would be leaving office in December, obtained 
a three-year extension via a controversial August 4 referendum that 
ushered in a new constitution, establishing the 6th Republic. 
During the rally, Bazoum Mohamed, Vice President of the Nigerien 
Party for Democracy and Socialism (PNDS), delivered the CFDR's 
keynote remarks, which stated that "the Nigerien people would have 
been at the eve of a major event - that of a democratic alternation 
in power, within a context of social peace...with legitimate pride 
to have taken, year after year since 1999, decisive actions in 
building democracy and the rule of law.  Unfortunately, one man's 
megalomania...led him to throw us into an unprecedented political 
and social crisis...Therefore, our struggle is just, because it aims 
to restore the rule of law, basic freedoms, and constitutional 
legality provided by the fundamental law of August 9, 1999." 
Members of the opposition vowed to put an end to the current 
"autocratic drive" and noted that after December 22, President 
Tandja would lose legitimacy. 
 
Opposition Welcomes ECOWAS Role, Mediator 
----------------------------------------- 
 3. At the same time, the CFDR reminded supporters that it had 
responded to ECOWAS mediator former Nigerian head of state General 
Abdul Salami Abubakar's call for consultations and declared that it 
"favorably welcomed the mediation engaged by ECOWAS and believes 
that this is the final opportunity to broker peace in Niger, and 
that President Tandja and his clan would be wrong to spurn it."  He 
added, "We are determined to accompany the mediator's efforts in 
finding a way out of the crisis based on dialogue and respect for 
the rule of law and democratic principles." 
 
GON:  No Return to 5th Republic in Cards 
---------------------------------------- 
 4. Responding to the CFDR's statement, the GON Minister of 
Communication and Government Spokesperson, Moctar Kassoum, indicated 
in a BBC Hausa interview on November 22 that returning to the 5th 
Republic (Note:  the one based on the August 1999 constitution.  End 
note.) would be out of the question, and that the GON would not back 
down. 
 
Comment: 
-------- 
 5. The CFDR's rally, which occurred immediately after the ECOWAS 
mediator's departure from Niger, took place while three key 
opposition figures - Mahamadou Issoufou, Mahamane Ousmane, and Hama 
Amadou - embarked on missions to gain international support in 
Paris, New York, and Paris, respectively.  The rally proceeded 
peacefully, without violence or arrests.  End comment. 
 
ALLEN