Thousands of protesters gathered on Friday near a military base housing French forces in the Nigerien capital Niamey to demand the departure of French soldiers, AFP journalists said.
This “sit-in” organized at the call of the M62 Movement, a coalition of civil society organizations hostile to the French military presence in Niger, was preceded by numerous rallies with similar demands since the coup of July 26, and must last until Sunday.
“France must leave and it will leave, because it is not at home in Niger,” said Falma Taya, a leader of the M62 Movement, haranguing the crowd.
In the shade of the walls of the houses bordering the base, the demonstrators were sitting on carpets and mats under a strong heat.
“We are here for as long as it takes, until the last French soldier empties the place,” said Ibrahim Abdou, a member of a “Military Support Committee”, wearing a t-shirt bearing the image of General Abdourahamane Tiani, the country’s new strongman.
On 3 August, the soldiers who seized power in a coup d’état denounced several military agreements with France, which has 1,500 soldiers deployed in the anti-jihadist struggle in Niger.
The agreements all contained different notices for their effective end, one of which, relating to a 2012 text, was one month, according to the military.
Several calls for “sit-ins” were launched by civil society organizations from Friday afternoon to request the departure of French forces.
Niger’s military regime is engaged in a diplomatic standoff with France, a former colonial power.
The diplomatic immunity and visa of the French ambassador to Niger were withdrawn and the authorities notified Tuesday in Paris of their intention to expel him.
Last Friday, they had initially left 48H to Sylvain Itté to leave the territory, an ultimatum rejected by Paris that argues that this government is illegitimate and has no authority to base such a request.
