Niger: How deep Salou Djibo can go…

By on June 3, 2010
Formerly put in the corner, Niger is gradually coming back into the international community. The resumption by the World Bank of its payments and the announcement by the U.E of a possible “gradual” cooperation, «according to the efforts done “, translate the international support for the current process, realised by the Junta, so far.

From Inside, a relative benevolence has been dominating for a long time, towards the new regime, credited for its action to resolve the grave food crisis which still strikes the country and for the political “detente”, still showing in the agenda.
The destiny of Mamadou Tandja, always detained, does not mobilise the crowds, and the anxieties arisen from the arrest of his close relations quickly became blurred with their liberation in last April. However, this quasi-consensus begins to crack: first doubts appear and the harsh criticisms made to the junta. The shake-up within the administration, where hundreds of new appointments have been made, arouses strong contesting. Mamane Hamissou, the emblematic figure of the civil society, denounces the «opaque management» that facilitate relatives, friends and allies “to the top responsibilities of the system. The new electoral code also added more dissatisfaction, specially the obligation made for the candidates to be holders of the high school diploma, prior to participate for the general elections.
Many people of Niger will be out of the race, because the immense majority of the population is illiterate, and the former ruling party fustigates this decision as a “lack of realism”, while Mr. Mamane  Hamissou  condemned the situation as of “apartheid”.
However, the government swears that the dialogue “is not closed “. It sees the electoral code as a “good starting point” towards free and transparent ballots.

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