Niger does not waver as deadline to reverse coup expires

Record ID: 1736690

  • Title: Niger does not waver as deadline to reverse coup expires
  • Date: 6th August 2023
  • Summary: NIAMEY, NIGER (AUGUST 5, 2023) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF CROWDS CHANTING AND DANCING AT CROSSROAD VEHICLES PASSING CROWD VARIOUS OF VEHICLES DRIVING TOWARDS INTERSECTION VEHICLES PASSING CROWD CROWD CHANTING (SOUNDBITE) (French) DEMONSTRATOR, IBRAHIM BANA, SAYING: "This initiative is our way, as a civil society, as a citizen, of participating in our nation's defense strategy. You know, in all countries, the defense of our homeland is not the prerogative of the military alone. As you can see, we don't have weapons, but we do have our hearts. We have our blood, and we've decided to put our blood at the service of our country's defense. This is why we are deployed not only at the main crossroads in Niamey, but also at many points and crossroads in the interior of the country." DEMONSTRATOR, IBRAHIM BANA, GREETING OTHER DEMONSTRATOR BANA RECORDING SPEECH ON PHONE BANA AND OTHER DEMONSTRATORS LOOKING AT PHONES (SOUNDBITE) (French) DEMONSTRATOR, IBRAHIM BANA, SAYING: "If ECOWAS forces decide to attack our country, before reaching the presidential palace they will have to walk over our bodies, spill our blood and we'll do it with pride, because we don't have another country, we only have Niger. Since July 26, our country has decided to take charge of its independence and sovereignty, and this is our way of demonstrating it." VEHICLES APPROACHING INTERSECTION VEHILCES PASSING THROUGH CROWDED INTERSECTION CROWD CHANTING (SOUNDBITE) (French) DEMONSTRATOR, MAIKOUL ZODI, SAYING: "It's France that's behind this ECOWAS force that wants to attack us. I think they've noticed that we have the support of Burkina, we have the support of Mali, we have the support of a certain number of partners who are ready to fight if Niger is attacked. This is a declaration of war. It's the end of ECOWAS. Because we had hoped it would be a people's CEDAO, but unfortunately it's a president's union. What worries me is that a single individual is going to destroy an entire people. Reinstate Bazoum, reinstate Bazoum. That's what it's all about. That's why people want to come and wage war against us? Well, we are ready." CROWD AT INTERSECTION (SOUNDBITE) (French) DEMONSTRATOR, AMADOU ADAMOU, SAYING: "I think that everywhere in the world, they see that the people are mobilized. They're going to have to crush us all to reach the presidential palace. Nigeriens are ready for that. And I believe that whether it's women, children or the elderly, everyone is ready to sacrifice themselves.The people of Niger have understood that these imperialists want our demise. And Inch'Allah, it's they who will suffer. The people of Niger are standing and will have their president" CROWD CHANTING AND DANCING CROWD
  • Embargoed: 20th August 2023 12:57
  • Keywords: africa civil conflict coup diplomacy emerging foreign france insurgencies markets military niger nigeria peace policy russia security unrest war west
  • Location: NIAMEY, NIGER
  • City: NIAMEY, NIGER
  • Country: Niger
  • Topics: Africa,Conflicts/War/Peace
  • Reuters ID: LVA001266306082023RP1
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text:Women, children and old people in Niamey took over roundabouts and road intersections on the way to the presidential palace on Saturday night (August 5) Sunday morning (August 6) in support of the Niger military junta and in defiance of international calls for the reinstatement of President Mohamed Bazoum.
    They said ECOWAS forces would have to drive over their bodies to get to the presidential palace, hours before an ultimatum from the West Africa regional block for the country's coup leaders to reinstate the president expires.
    Defence chiefs of the Economic Community of West African States agreed on military action on July 30, including when and where to strike, if Bazoum was not released and reinstated by Sunday.
    Blasting military tunes and tooting vuvuzelas, over 100 people set up a picket near an air base in Niamey pledging to offer non-violent resistance in support of the new military administration.
    The capital was calm on Sunday (August 6) morning, with citizens appearing undaunted by the threat of military intervention by ECOWAS. The junta has said it will not bow to external pressure to stand down following the July 26 power grab.
    The seventh coup in West and Central Africa in three years has rocked the western Sahel region, one of the poorest in the world and which has strategic significance for Russia, China and the West.
    (Production: Abdel-Kader Mazou, Cooper Inveen)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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