20/07/2007
simmering since February this year in the north of the Republic Nigerian unrest again. Already many are dead - including civilians - and reported missing. Unresolved conflicts will lead to a new version of the events of 1990-95?
Many Tuareg some representatives of the Tuareg rebellion of the nineties have been last February to a new front with the name of the Mouvement pour la Justice of Nigeria "*, short MNJ, together. Since then there have been several armed clashes between the army of the Niger and the MNJ. Also, more commercial time in foreign institutions attacked, such as a uranium mine in the French company Areva.
The arrest and murder of three civil, very old Tuareg men by the military in the region Tezirzayt (now several, including military sources in Niger confirms) and missing persons from over 250 after arrests missing civilians, brought the conflict to escalate. As retaliation, the rebels of the MNJ attack on the military base made in Tezirzayt, killing 17 Nigerien soldiers were wounded 43 and captured 70. called shortly after the attack MNJ of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the medical care of severely injured prisoners secure. On 25 June, released the 30 severely wounded soldiers and handed over to a delegation of the ICRC to transfer to hospital of Arlit.
Despite international attention, which found the events in recent weeks, the government of Niger continues to speak of "armed bandits" and "drug smuggling". She refuses, the Tuareg rebels and to recognize their organization MNJ, which is according to the MNJ website for all of Nigeria, regardless of ethnicity, uses. Accordingly, many have already connected the non-Tuareg MNJ fighters.
addition to the government's refusal to recognize the rebellion, an active censorship of the press is operated: On 1 July, suspended the independent newspaper "Aïr Info" in Agadez for their reporting on the events for 3 months. Three other private newspapers in Niamey were given warnings.
The Tuaregrebellen have repeatedly signaled its willingness to hold talks with the government. This, however, under the condition that her organization as a rebel MNJ movement recognizes.
kuriserten several times (but unconfirmed) information according to which the government of Niger had asked other countries for military Untersützung. Most recently, on 3 July on the website of the MNJ announced, President Mamadou Tandja sought to acquire from the Ukraine battle helicopters MI-24, to attack the camp of the MNJ.
The reasons for the conflict can be seen in the continuing deprivation of the North and in the exploitation and exploration (particularly by France and China) of the rich uranium deposits that a significant Health and environmental risk for the local population is. Under the mediation of France, Algeria and Burkina Faso 1995, the last armed rebellion by the Tuareg, a peace agreement between the Tuareg and the Niger government had ended. This agreement will find a comprehensive administrative and military decentralization of the country also increased investment in the northern region, particularly in education and primary health care. Similarly, the population of the North, consisting largely of Tuareg, granted some autonomy. According to the MNJ, the concessions in the peace agreement of 1995 by the government is only selectively or not at all put into action.
* movement of Nigeria for justice
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