The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) canceled a disaster assembly about Niger that was scheduled for Saturday, because the bloc’s parliament stated it could ship a delegation to fulfill coup leaders within the nation.
The regional bloc had authorized a army pressure to reinstate elected President Mohamed Bazoum, who was ousted by members of his guard on July 26.
Chiefs of workers from member states of the West African bloc have been scheduled to attend a gathering on Saturday within the Ghanaian capital Accra however later indefinitely suspended it for “technical reasons.”
Sources stated the assembly was initially set as much as inform the group’s leaders about “the best options” for activating and deploying the standby pressure.
“The military option seriously envisaged by ECOWAS is not a war against Niger and its people but a police operation against hostage takers and their accomplices,” Niger’s Foreign Minister Hassoumi Massaoudou stated Saturday.
ECOWAS is set to cease the sixth army takeover within the area in simply three years and has severed monetary transactions and electrical energy provides and closed borders with landlocked Niger, blocking much-needed imports to one of many world’s poorest nations.
Thousands of coup supporters rallied within the Niger capital Niamey on Friday to protest in opposition to the ECOWAS plan to ship troops.
‘Down with ECOWAS’
Protesters gathered close to a French army base on the outskirts of Niamey shouting “Down with France, down with ECOWAS.”
Niger’s new leaders have accused former colonial energy France, an in depth Bazoum ally, of being behind the hardline ECOWAS stance.
Many protesters brandished Russian and Niger flags and shouted their assist for the nation’s new strongman, General Abdourahamane Tiani.
“We are going to make the French leave! ECOWAS isn’t independent, it’s being manipulated by France,” stated one demonstrator, Aziz Rabeh Ali.
France has round 1,500 troops in Niger.
It is going through rising hostility throughout the Sahel, withdrawing its forces from neighboring Mali and Burkina Faso final yr.
Niger’s new leaders scrapped protection agreements with France final week, whereas a hostile protest exterior the French embassy in Niamey on July 30 prompted Paris to evacuate its residents.
Fears for Bazoum
The European Union and the African Union joined others in sounding the alarm for Bazoum on Friday, whereas on Saturday his entourage stated he was in a position to see a doctor.
Bazoum “had a visit by his doctor today,” a member of his entourage instructed AFP, including the doctor had additionally introduced meals for Bazoum, his spouse and his son. “He’s fine, given the situation,” the supply added.
U.N. rights chief Volker Turk stated Bazoum’s reported detention circumstances “could amount to inhuman and degrading treatment, in violation of international human rights law.”
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock warned that the “coup plotters must face harsh consequences should anything happen” to Bazoum or his household.
Top U.S. diplomat Antony Blinken stated he was “dismayed” by the army’s refusal to launch Bazoum’s household as a “demonstration of goodwill.”
A supply near Bazoum stated: “He’s OK, but the conditions are very difficult.” The coup leaders had threatened to assault him within the occasion of army intervention.
Human Rights Watch stated it had spoken to Bazoum earlier this week. The 63-year-old described the therapy of himself, his spouse and their 20-year-old son as “inhuman and cruel,” HRW stated.
“I’m not allowed to receive my family members (or), my friends who have been bringing food and other supplies to us,” the group quoted him as saying.
“My son is sick, has a serious heart condition, and needs to see a doctor,” he was quoted as saying. “They’ve refused to let him get medical treatment.”
Under stress to stem a cascade of coups amongst its members, ECOWAS had beforehand issued a seven-day ultimatum to the coup leaders to return Bazoum to energy.
But the generals defied the deadline, which expired on Sunday with none motion being taken.
The coup leaders have since named a brand new authorities, which met for the primary time on Friday.
Nigeria non secular chiefs in Niamey to fulfill Niger army leaders
Meanwhile, Nigerian non secular leaders arrived in Niger on Saturday to fulfill members of the army who seized energy final month, a supply near the regime instructed AFP.
Newly appointed Prime Minister Ali Mahaman Lamine Zeine acquired the delegation within the capital Niamey.
Source: www.dailysabah.com
