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尼日爾政變：為什麽有些人希望俄羅斯加入而法國退出
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-66365376
作者：Tchima Illa Issouou 和 Beverly Ochieng
BBC 世界台，尼亞美和內羅畢
自尼日爾政變以來，人們對西方的敵意日益增強，一名商人在被廢黜的總統穆罕默德·巴祖姆的傳統中心地帶自豪地展示了自己穿著俄羅斯國旗顏色的服裝。
自政變以來，軍方與西方之間一直存在口水戰。
巴祖姆先生是西方打擊激進伊斯蘭分子的堅定盟友，也是強大的經濟夥伴。
尼日爾擁有法國軍事基地，是世界第七大鈾生產國。 這種燃料對核電至關重要，其中四分之一流向歐洲，尤其是前殖民國家法國。
自從7月26日阿卜杜拉哈曼·奇亞尼將軍發動政變推翻總統以來，俄羅斯色彩突然出現在街頭。
周日，數千人參加了首都尼亞美的抗議活動，一些人揮舞著俄羅斯國旗，甚至襲擊了法國大使館。
現在看來，這場“運動”正在全國蔓延。
這位商人住在 800 公裏（500 英裏）外的津德爾市中心，出於安全原因，他不願透露自己的名字，並要求我們模糊他的臉。
“我是親俄羅斯的，我不喜歡法國，”他說。 “我從小就反對法國。
“他們掠奪了我國的所有財富，如鈾、石油和黃金。最貧窮的尼日爾人因為法國而無法一日三餐。”
這位商人表示，數千人參加了周一在津德爾舉行的抗議活動，以支持軍事接管。
他說，他已要求當地裁縫采用俄羅斯白、藍、紅顏色的材料為他製作一套服裝，但否認親俄團體支付了費用。
尼日爾有 2,440 萬人，其中五分之二的人生活在極端貧困之中，每天的生活費不足 2.15 美元。
尼日爾的政變支持者，支持尼日爾軍事接管的示威活動經常出現俄羅斯國旗
巴祖姆總統於 2021 年上任，這是尼日爾自 1960 年獨立以來首次民主、和平的權力過渡。
但他的政府是與伊斯蘭國組織和基地組織有聯係的伊斯蘭武裝分子的目標，這些武裝分子在撒哈拉沙漠的部分地區和南部的半幹旱薩赫勒地區遊蕩。
在伊斯蘭主義者的壓力下，鄰國馬裏和布基納法索的軍隊近年來奪取了權力，這兩個國家也是法國擁有大量利益的前法國殖民地，並稱這將有助於打擊聖戰分子。
和尼日爾一樣，這兩個國家此前也有大量法國軍隊提供幫助，但隨著伊斯蘭主義襲擊的持續，整個地區的反法情緒高漲，這三個國家的人民開始指責法國沒有采取足夠的措施來阻止他們。
馬裏軍政府上台後，對俄羅斯雇傭軍瓦格納集團表示歡迎，他們首先驅逐了法國軍隊，然後又迫使數千名聯合國維和人員離開。
盡管馬裏的伊斯蘭襲擊仍在繼續，但布基納法索的軍政府也與俄羅斯關係密切，並驅逐了數百名法國軍隊。
在尼日爾，巴祖姆政府經常禁止反法抗議活動。
2022 年年中，一些民間社會團體開始升級反法抗議活動，當時巴祖姆政府批準將法國新月軍部隊在奉命離開馬裏後重新部署到尼日爾。
其中的關鍵是 M62 運動，該運動由活動家、民間社會運動和工會聯盟於 2022 年 8 月組成。 他們帶頭呼籲反對生活成本上升、治理不善和法國軍隊的存在。
摩托車上的俄羅斯國旗，尼日爾街頭突然流行俄羅斯色彩
該組織計劃的各種抗議活動均被尼日爾當局禁止或暴力鎮壓，其領導人阿卜杜拉耶·賽杜 (Abdoulaye Seydou) 於 2023 年 4 月因“擾亂公共秩序”被判入獄九個月。
巴祖姆總統下台後，M62 似乎又重新煥發了活力。
國家電視台援引其成員的不同尋常舉動，動員群眾抗議支持軍政府，並譴責西非領導人對政變的製裁。
目前尚不清楚該組織是否與國家保衛祖國委員會（CNSP）軍政府或俄羅斯有聯係。
但組織周日抗議活動的卻是傘式組織，民主鬥爭協調委員會（CCLD）布卡塔和尼日爾青年行動等較小的民間社會團體也出席了活動。
回到津德爾，這位親俄羅斯商人對莫斯科如何幫助他的祖國持積極態度。
“我希望俄羅斯在安全和糧食方麵提供幫助，”他說。 “俄羅斯可以提供技術來改善我們的農業。”
但同樣住在津德爾的農民穆塔卡駁斥了這種說法，並表示政變對每個人來說都是壞消息。
“我不支持俄羅斯人來到這個國家，因為他們都是歐洲人，沒有人會幫助我們，”他說。 “我愛我的國家，希望我們能夠和平相處。”
Niger coup: Why some people want Russia in and France out
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-66365376
By Tchima Illa Issoufou & Beverly Ochieng
In a sign of growing hostility towards the West since the coup in Niger, a businessman proudly shows off his outfit in the colours of the Russian flag in the traditional heartland of deposed President Mohamed Bazoum.
Since the coup, there has been a war of words between the military and the West.
Mr Bazoum was a staunch ally of the West in the fight against militant Islamists, and was a strong economic partner as well.
Niger hosts a French military base and is the world's seventh biggest producer of uranium. The fuel is vital for nuclear power with a quarter of it going to Europe, especially former colonial power France.
Since General Abdourahamane Tchiani overthrew the president in a coup on 26 July, Russian colours have suddenly appeared on the streets.
Thousands took part in a protest in the capital Niamey on Sunday, with some waving Russian flags and even attacking the French embassy.
It now seems this "movement" is spreading across the country.
The businessman, based 800km (500 miles) away in the central city of Zinder, didn't want to give his name for safety reasons and asked that we blur his face.
"I'm pro-Russian and I don't like France," he said. "Since childhood, I've been opposed to France.
"They've exploited all the riches of my country such as uranium, petrol and gold. The poorest Nigeriens are unable to eat three times a day because of France."
The businessman said thousands had taken part in Monday's protest in Zinder in support of the military takeover.
He said he had asked a local tailor to take material in the Russian colours of white, blue and red and make an outfit for him, denying that it had been paid for by pro-Russian groups.
Niger is home to 24.4 million people where two in every five live in extreme poverty, on less than $2.15 a day.
IMAGE SOURCE,AFP Image caption,
President Bazoum entered office in 2021 in Niger's first democratic and peaceful transition of power since independence in 1960.
But his government was a target for Islamist militants linked to the Islamic State group and al-Qaeda who roam across parts of the Sahara Desert and the semi-arid Sahel just to the south.
Under pressure from the Islamists, the armies in both neighbouring Mali and Burkina Faso, also former French colonies with considerable French interests, seized power in recent years, saying this would help in the fight against jihadists.
Like Niger, both these countries previously had significant numbers of French troops helping them but as the Islamist attacks continued, anti-French sentiment rose across the region, with people in all three countries starting to accuse the French of not doing enough to stop them.
Once in power, the junta in Mali welcomed Russia's mercenary Wagner Group as they first forced out French troops and then pushed for thousands of UN peacekeepers to leave.
Although Islamist attacks have continued in Mali, Burkina Faso's junta has also grown close to Russia and expelled hundreds of French forces.
In Niger, anti-French protests were frequently banned by Mr Bazoum's administration.
Several civil society groups began escalating anti-French protests in mid-2022, when Mr Bazoum's administration approved the redeployment of France's Barkhane forces to Niger after they had been ordered to leave Mali.
Key among them is the M62 movement, formed in August 2022 by a coalition of activists, civil society movements and trade unions. They led calls against the rising cost of living, poor governance and the presence of the French forces.
Image caption,
Various planned protests by the group were banned or violently put down by Niger's authorities with its leader Abdoulaye Seydou jailed for nine months in April 2023 for "disrupting public order".
The M62 appears revitalised in the wake of President Bazoum's removal.
In an unusual move, its members were quoted by state TV mobilising mass protests in support of the junta, as well as denouncing sanctions by West African leaders over the coup.
It is unclear if the group is linked to the junta known as the National Council for Safeguarding the Homeland (CNSP) or to Russia.
But it was the umbrella group organising Sunday's protest, where smaller civil society groups such as the Coordination Committee for the Democratic Struggle (CCLD) Bukata and Youth Action for Niger were also present.
Back in Zinder, the pro-Russia businessman is positive about how Moscow can help his homeland.
"I want Russia to help with security and food," he said. "Russia can supply technology to improve our agriculture."
But Moutaka, a farmer who also lives in Zinder, rejects this argument and says the coup is bad news for everyone.
"I don't support the arrival of Russians in this country because they are all Europeans and nobody will help us," he said. "I love my country and hope we can live in peace."
