 PARIS - The west African state of Niger has reversed a decision to expel tens of thousands of nomadic Mahamid Arabs to Chad, telling foreign diplomats the figure will be about 4,000, a French foreign ministry spokesman said on Thursday.
| Not the 150,000 quoted yesterday. |
“According to the Niger authorities, the number of people concerned is of the order of 4,000,” Jean-Baptiste Mattei said in Paris, adding that the French government was “very vigilant (over) any risk of destabilisation in the region”.
| If there's to be any destabilizing, the French want to do it. It's worked well in Ivory Coast and they have hopes in Senegal. And Paris. And Lyon. |
The government in Niamey on Wednesday announced it planned to expel tens of thousands of Mahamid Arabs, who have immigrated mainly from neighbouring Chad and gathered in the southeastern Diffa region, stating that the nomads posed a threat to local people because of frequent clashes over water sources.
| And because they look at the local women with cat-eyes. |
One Niamey official who asked not to be named said the number of those to be expelled under military escort could be as high as 100,000, while others put the figure at between 50,000 and 150,000.
Niger’s Foreign Minister Aichatou Mindaoudou, however, provided details and the numbers in a meeting Wednesday with France’s ambassador to Niamey and other members of the diplomatic corps, Mattei said. “Mrs Mindaoudou said these operations will be carried out by local authorities in the Diffa region with respect for human rights and dignity,” Mattei said.
The Mahamid people originate mainly in Chad, where President Idriss Deby ItnoÂ’s French-backed regime faces a rebellion in the east. ChadÂ’s government urged Niamey to reconsider its decision.
| Chad doesn't need any more problems right now with their crazy cousins to east fighting the Janjaweed and all ... |
“We will remain very vigilant on the issue in order to avoid any risk of destabilisation in the region. We are maintaining contact with the Niger authorities and with the United Nations to obtain a more precise analysis of the situation, particularly its humanitarian angle,” Mattei said.
The number of Mahamid Arabs in southeast Niger swelled during conflicts after the 1970s and because of unrest in Sudan on ChadÂ’s western border, but no exact census has been conducted. |