NIGER – DOWNFALL OF DEMOCRACY.

An opportunity for an authentic democratic build-up is already lost, though not forever! People relying on their experience distanced themselves, discrediting true democracy!

A great deriding contradiction:

France, the US, and the West with the EU and the UN, are struggling to keep pace with the rapidly changing ‘Sahel Area’ and have been trying to command over it since the last decade. But the protective umbrella they are appeared holding up above the African region filled with contradictions and ambivalence. Sometimes concerned for a doomed democracy and sometimes backing autocracy that back them, an apathy towards a leader guarding true intersests and then initiating controversial changes. Establishing military bases, economic gateways disciplining governments, neglecting suffering, migrating people from the African continent. The spoiled fruit automatically then falls in a lender or hired protectioner contry’s lap to get further exploited. The story goes on in the evolving coup of Niger. which is the story of the African continent.

The military coup in Niger on July 26 saw democratically elected President of Niger Mohamed Bazoum, a key Western ally, held by its troop members of the presidential guard who declared a coup on national television. The head of this presidential guard Abdourahamane Tiani is now the new leader. The US and UN have announced their full support to the ousted president. Immediately, Niger ambassadors to France the US, Nigeria are withdrawn. Land and air borders are closed. Niger barred foreign diplomats or representatives of the UN to visit.

The captivated President Mohamed Bazoum warned that if the coup succeeded, it would have devastating consequences for Niger, region, and the entire world. ” Fighting for our shared values, including democratic pluralism and respect for the rule of law, is the only way to make sustainable progress against poverty and terrorism. The Nigerien people will never forget your support at this pivotal moment in our history, the entire central Sahel region could fall to Russian influence via the Wagner group, whose brutal terrorism has been on full display in Ukraine”. President Bazoum’s government was supporting European countries trying to stop migrant flow across the Mediterranean Sea and also agreeing to take back hundreds of migrants from detention centers in Libya and cracked on human traffickers.

There are demonstrations in Niamey, the capital of Niger where people openly backed the coup leaders and criticized West African countries for imposing financial and trade sanctions on Niger. People are seen waiving Russian flags.

The African trading block ECOWAS warned military action if the ousted president isn’t restored. Its first deadline is already over last Sunday (August 6). Niger has not acceded to its demand and, along with Mali and Burkina Faso, threatened action against any intervention.

ECOWAS is deciding its further action in the second meeting on Aug 10. It is backed by the US, UN, France and may find lucrative deal for Nigerto keep Wagner out of it and may be able to settle issues amicably. Or may extend limit with more sanctions. Its Chairmanship is with Nigeria, the militarily strongest country in the region, with a 10000 plus force. But before an uncertain war proceeding, Senate permission is necessary. As all these countries interwoven amongst different clans, military action will be difficult in the face of the local population and clearly stood behind the junta. France stopped all aid and backed ECOWAS and warned against damage to its assets. The US continued only food and humanitarian assistance and believe diplomacy is the best way for a solution.

NIGEREINS in this testing and tiring process are reluctant to get back into the folds of protecting democracy that no longer remained their aspiration and they are freely airing their views that they are tired of poverty, poor health and no welfare in last 10 years of attempted pseudo democracy. And, even more categorically, they are favoring the coup, demonstrating to keep it, supporting autocratic junta leaders, and ‘Wagner’ mercenaries from Russia. To whom can we credit this failure?

Unfortunately, the weakening of democratic values is the result of neglecting democratic nations. No holistic approach was seen; only military view. It appeared as compromising with democracy, overlooking people welfare and protecting assets only. An evolution, really!

The military operations started around 2012 against the rapidly spreading insurgency, and Jihadists, many of whom crossed over from Libya (After Muammar Gaddafi’s assassination). Mali called upon past colonist France when jihadists encroached Mali capital Bamaco.  Operation Sereval launched in 2013 to oust Islamic jihadists in the Sahel region. It has driven out the jihadist in Northern Mali (but the problem of insurgency remained the same) and scaled up to Operation Barkhane in Mali, Chad, Burkina Faso and Niger in 2014. Operation Barkhane ended on 9 November 2022. The France forces acted in coordination with UN Peace Keeping Force, West African Forces, Canada, European States. It was a complex international operation in which many jihadi leaders were eliminated though it didn’t succeed in preventing Jihadists groups to rise again. The operation folded amid a growing rift with Mali government accusing France as neo-colonial, condescending & paternalistic and breaking promise of elections in February 2023. The Russian mercenaries entry also a reason of ending it.

It saw Mali and Burkina Faso fall back to military rule after numerous coups, while the helping nations succeeding in protecting their assets regardless of corruption and deterioration in human lives setting in. And so, in the ultimate face off, people started to support the junta now! We already saw failed efforts of a US diplomat who returned clueless, perhaps told the effects of their ventures point blank, failing to meet coup leadership. Who is responsible for this loss of faith in democracy by the people of Niger? If war visits this deliberately deprived area, then what fate awaits its people is anybody’s guess….  Welcome to Sahel.

What is Sahel

Sahel is Sahil – an Arabic word ( al-sahil), meaning coast or shore. Sahel is the shore of the vast Sahara Desert. It is situated on the southern edge of Shahara. Sahel measures around 6000 kms with a population of 103 million dominated by Sunni Muslims. Information available on the net informs us that France is their protector both in bi-lateral terms and on the European and United Nation fronts. The area is constantly in news for its insurgency, numerous coups, Jihadist, terrorists, draughts and overall deterioration in environment due to poor land management (read over mining), deforestation, overuse of natural resources. The list of countries included in Sahel will automatically enlightens one with news on TV and sometimes in screaming bold lines; but mostly in snippets about terrorist groups like Al-Shabab Boko Haram, Al-Qaeda or IS supported terror acts, insurgency, ethnic strife, coup and army bases established with killing of foreign soldiers. parts of northern Senegal, southern Mauritania, central Mali, northern Burkina Faso, southern Algeria, Southwestern Niger , northern Nigeria, central Chad, central Sudan and northern Eritrea. Also, its prominence does exist in Uranium ore, oil and natural gas, gold, iron, phosphorous, coal, manganese found beneath its crust and Wagner mercenaries above the ground. Take the example of Niger. It is rich in Uranium, and its major portion goes to France. It would not be an exaggeration to say that the Niger Uranium forms a major chunk of  running French atomic plants. France, the US, and the West are now backing the African economic block ECOWAS to take the lead, if possible, militarily.

ECOWAS – The Economic Community of West African States headed by Nigerian President Bola Tinubu.

To facilitate trade amongst these nations and with the outer world and also to double up as security partners, ECOWAS came into existence in 1975. It is the Economic Community of West African States for economic cooperation among member states in order to raise living standards and promote economic development and also to address some security issues by a peacekeeping force. Its 15 countries are are Benin, B.Faso, Cabo Verde, Cote  d’lvoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea – Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo. Guinea, Burkina Faso, and Mali are already suspended from the organization. To its credit, it is already proven inefficient in controlling increasing terrorism, arrival of Wagner,  poverty , anti -French sentiments, and unemployment.

BAD NAME TO DEMOCRACY

The CNN on how are people of Niger are taking the transition, reflected that Many Nigeriens are torn – the country has seen multiple coups and dictatorships, but at the same time poor governance has tarnished the idea that democracy is the solution. It’s one of the poorest countries in the world, and people are suffering. Basic necessities like food and shelter are priorities. Some have welcomed the coup. Protests on the street saw Nigeriens denounce France and praise Russia, which through Wagner mercenaries help some West African leaders. CNN further says quoting a Nigerien journalist, Ali Sounama, “There are pro -coup protests all over the country, not just in Niamey. There has been bad governance in Niger for the past 10 years and lack of justice and a general feeling of insecurity. There are also poor schools and health institutions. All this has led to people welcoming a change of regime.” So, CNN concludes that the military intervention may not be welcomed across the country. …. to be continued