- Title: Niger junta supporters protest sanctions as region considers intervention
- Date: 3rd August 2023
- Summary: NIAMEY, NIGER (AUGUST 3, 2023) (REUTERS) CROWD AT PROTEST MEDIA CROWD (SOUNDBITE) (Hausa) PROTESTER, ABDOU DJAMILOU, SAYING: "We thank God for allowing the military to take power from evil people. I'd like the military to keep an eye on the shopkeepers, most of whom are supporters of the former regime. They are taking advantage of the situation to raise the prices of consumer goods. Take, for example, a 25 kg bag of rice, which two days ago sold for between 11500 and 12000 fcfa, they are now selling for 15000 fcfa. These are actions of undermining and sabotage. This is my appeal to the military." WOMAN SPEAKING INTO MICROPHONE (SOUNDBITE) (French) PROTESTER, ABDOUL KARIM ATAHER, SAYING: "All Nigerians, all supporters, are backing the CNSP, the junta in power. So they have our support, thank God. And we are against the sanctions imposed by ECOWAS and the IMUA. We are against these sanctions." MAN SITTING ON MOTORCYCLE WITH BULL HORNS TIED TO IT WOMAN AT PROTEST CROWD CHEERING MAN SITTING ON MOVING CAR HOLDING RUSSIAN FLAG MAN WEARING SHIRT WITH IMAGE OF COUP LEADER ABDOURAHAMANE TIANI CROWD HOLDING SIGNS (SOUNDBITE) (French) PROTESTER, MOUSSA BOUBACAR OUATTARA, SAYING: "I have a message for the people, more specifically for the chairman of the C.N.S.P. We want them to do an audit. The people who took the state's money are here. They are in this country. And they must not let us down. The people have gone out, we've not seen this type of popular movement since 1960. They must not let the people down." CROWD RUSSIAN FLAG BEING HOISTED UP ON POLE NEXT TO NIGERIAN FLAG MAN WEARING SHIRT READING (French): "A MAN DOES NOT HAVE TO HAVE TWO HOMELANDS / BETWEEN NIGER AND SERVING, FRANCE IS FORBIDDEN" (SOUNDBITE) (French) PROTESTER, NANA AICHATOU, SAYING: "Really, now, we're free today. Nobody thought this day would come. At last, the people of Niger are free. Free to move." MAN HOLDING UP CHILD CLOTHED IN MILITARY FATIGUES, CROWD CHEERING SING IN CROWD READING (French): "DOWN WITH FRANCE / LONG LIVE THE C.S.N.P." PROTESTERS ON ROOF OF BUILDING HOLDING FLAGS CROWD MAN HOLDING SIGN READING (French): "DOWN WITH FRANCE / LONG LIVE THE M62 / LONG LIVE THE C.N.S.P."
- Embargoed: 17th August 2023 15:17
- Keywords: africa civil conflict coup diplomacy emerging foreign france government markets military niger nigeria peace policy politics protests russia sahel unrest war west
- Location: NIAMEY, NIGER
- City: NIAMEY, NIGER
- Country: Niger
- Topics: Africa,Conflicts/War/Peace
- Reuters ID: LVA001200703082023RP1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Hundreds of supporters of Niger's junta marched in the capital Niamey on Thursday (August 3) to protest against West African sanctions, as regional defence chiefs discussed possible intervention to restore democracy.
General Abdourahamane Tiani, the former head of Niger's presidential guard, confined President Mohamed Bazoum to his residence last Wednesday and declared himself head of state in the seventh coup in West and Central Africa since 2020.
The main regional bloc, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), has imposed sanctions and said it could authorize the use of force if soldiers did not restore Bazoum to power by Sunday.
ECOWAS, which said that coups would no longer be tolerated in the region following recent military takeovers in Mali, Burkina Faso and Guinea, has taken its hardest line yet with Niger, saying it has to show that it "cannot only bark but can bite."
Tiani, who has won the backing of the juntas in Mali and Burkina Faso, has said his country would fight back.
(Production: Abdel-Kader Mazou, Cooper Inveen) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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