WORLD
Hundreds rally in Niger, denouncing France, as the country’s new junta seeks to justify its coup
Baku, August 3, AZERTAC
Hundreds of people rallied in support of Niger’s ruling junta in the capital on Thursday, denouncing France and others who have criticized a recent coup — as the country’s military leaders sought to exploit anti-Western sentiment to shore up their takeover, according to AP.
As numbers began to swell at a demonstration organized by the junta and civil society groups on Niger’s independence day, protesters in Niamey pumped their fists in the air and chanted out support for neighboring countries that have also seen military takeovers in recent years. Some waved Russian flags, and one man brandished a Russian and Nigerien flag sewn together.
Last week’s coup toppled President Mohamed Bazoum — whose ascendency marked Niger’s first peaceful, democratic transfer of power since independence from France in 1960. It has been accompanied by strident anti-French sentiment and raised questions about the future of the fight against extremism in Africa’s Sahel region, where Russia and Western countries have vied for influence.
The coup has been strongly condemned by Western countries and the West African regional bloc known as ECOWAS, which has threatened to use force to remove the junta if they don’t hand back power to Bazoum. As tensions have grown in the capital and the region, many European countries have moved to evacuate their citizens.
At Thursday’s protest, many expressed support for the coup leaders and denounced interference from others.
The bloc has set a deadline of Aug. 6 for the junta to reinstate Bazoum, who remains under house arrest. Since Wednesday, ECOWAS’ defense chiefs have been discussing a possible plan for military intervention in the country, according to a statement by Fidele Sarassoro, executive secretary of the national security council in Ivory Coast, which is a member of the bloc.
The bloc’s sanctions include halting energy transactions with Niger, which gets up to 90% of its power from neighboring Nigeria, according to the International Renewable Energy Agency.
In a closed door meeting on Wednesday, dozens of people from civil society organizations, professional groups and trade unions spoke with the coup leaders about their vision for the country.