Junta deposes ambassadors
Niger’s President appeals to the world community
8/4/2023 4:23 am
The democratically elected president of Niger reports from house arrest. In a newspaper article he warns of the consequences of the military coup across his country. Meanwhile, the new junta is threatening its West African neighbors and withdrawing mandates from ambassadors.
Just over a week after the coup d’état in Niger, the West African country’s incumbent President Mohamed Bazoum issued an urgent appeal to the international community to save the “last bastion of respect for human rights” in the Sahel. “This attempted coup is a tragedy for Nigerians, but its success would have devastating consequences far beyond our borders,” Bazoum warned in a op-ed for the Washington Post.
The democratically elected Bazoum was arrested last week in Niger by officers of the Presidential Guard and declared disempowered. The commander of the elite unit, General Abdourahamane Tiani, subsequently proclaimed himself the new ruler. Shortly thereafter, the putschists suspended the constitution and dissolved all constitutional institutions. After military coups in Mali and Burkina Faso since 2020, Niger became the last of the three neighboring countries in the Sahel to be led by a democratically elected government.
He is writing as a hostage, Bazoum said in the Washington Post. “Niger is under attack by a military junta trying to overthrow our democracy, and I am just one of hundreds of citizens who have been arbitrarily and illegally imprisoned,” the president wrote. The coup against his government has no justification whatsoever. If it succeeds, it will have consequences for the entire world.
His government came to power in democratic elections in 2021. Any attempt to overthrow a legitimate government must be stopped, Bazoum said. He is now calling on the US government and the entire world community to help his country restore constitutional order, Bazoum continued. Only by defending common values such as democracy and respect for the rule of law can progress be made in the fight against poverty and terror. His country is at a turning point in its history.
Ultimatum expires in three days
The military junta has meanwhile deposed the Nigerien ambassadors in four countries. “The functions of the Ambassadors Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Niger” in France, Nigeria, Togo and the USA “have ended,” said one of the putschists in a televised address. The junta also declared that it would react immediately to any “aggression” by West African countries. “Any aggression or attempted aggression against the State of Niger will result in an immediate and unannounced response from the Niger Defense and Security Forces to any of the members (…),” it said. “Friendly countries” are exempt from this, stressed the putschist, referring to the neighboring countries of Burkina Faso and Mali.
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) had ordered an economic blockade against Niger in response to the coup and demanded that the ousted President Mohamed Bazoum be reinstated within seven days. This ultimatum expires on Sunday. The states declared that they were prepared to intervene militarily as a “last option” should negotiations fail.
Bundeswehr brings 30 people to Germany
The Bundeswehr flew around 30 people out of Niger, and the plane landed in Wunstorf in Lower Saxony during the night. According to the “Spiegel”, the majority of those flown out are Bundeswehr soldiers, but according to information from the dpa, ten European civilians are said to have been on board.
The Bundeswehr operates an air transport base in Niamey, which is the central hub for the Bundeswehr in West Africa and is important for the ongoing withdrawal from neighboring Mali. More than 100 German soldiers were last stationed there. After last week’s coup d’état, the federal government decided not to carry out its own evacuation flights. Around 60 German nationals were taken out of the country on French planes. The French evacuation operation was declared over after five flights.