Hundreds of people protest in Niger to demand the departure of troops from France

They accuse Paris of “destabilizing the Sahel” and hindering collaboration with the Malian military junta

Sep. 19 (EUROPA PRESS) –

Hundreds of people have demonstrated in Niger to protest against the rising cost of living and demand the withdrawal of French troops from the country, in what was the first authorized demonstration in the capital, Niamey, for the last five years.

The protest, which has been marked by the slogans ‘The criminal French Army, out’, ‘No to the increase in fuel prices’ and ‘No to the increase in the cost of life’, has ended without incident, in the midst of a major security deployment.

The demonstration was called by the M62 –made up of about 15 organizations–, whose general coordinator, Abdoulaye Seydou, has demanded “the departure of the French ‘Barkhane’ force from Nigerian territory for an attack on sovereignty and contempt for the people Nigerian, illustrated in the multiple massacres of the civilian population”.

Seydou has accused the French troops of “destabilization in the Sahel” and has said that they are responsible for “an obstacle to the essential collaboration between Niger and Mali in the fight against terrorism”, according to the Nigerian news portal ActuNiger.

“We reaffirm our solidarity and support Mali in defending its sovereignty,” he said, after the deployment of French troops in Niger after his departure from Mali due to tensions between Western countries and the military junta established in this country after the coup. State of August 2020.

Likewise, he has shown his support for the Nigerien forces “in their noble fight in defense of the national territory” against the jihadist threat, after the dozens of attacks registered in the country in recent years, especially in the west and in the lake basin Chad.

On the other hand, he has demanded “the annulment of the measure on the increase in the price of diesel” and measures by the authorities to deal with the increase in the prices of electricity, basic food and rent.

Seydou has also demanded that the authorities hand over former President Mahamadou Issoufou to court for “high treason” for alleged acts of corruption during the construction of a railway line in the country.

Along these lines, he denounced “a decade of chaotic, mafia and scandalous management of state power (…), Niger finds itself in a situation of unprecedented misery, despite the important natural resources (which it has)” .

Seydou has also accused Issoufou of “a liquidation program” of the Nigerien Army “for the benefit of the French forces and businessmen of the war, which has caused an upsurge in insecurity, with the consequence of thousands of dead civilians and soldiers” .

“The Sahel faces a terrorist war invented by France with the assassination of the Libyan guide (referring to Muammar Gaddafi) and the delivery of weapons to terrorist groups that attacked Mali and expanded their terrorist actions to neighboring countries, such as Niger and Burkina Faso. , with the complicity of local agents who allowed France to set up military bases with the aim of seizing resources and seizing sovereignty from the states,” he denounced.

“After a decade of fighting terrorism, we easily understand that the French forces of ‘Barkane’ train, equip and coordinate terrorist organizations in the area of ​​the three borders, as Bamako denounces”, he explained, before denouncing the “submission” of the authorities to Paris.