New blogs

Leherensuge was replaced in October 2010 by two new blogs: For what they were... we are and For what we are... they will be. Check them out.

Sunday, April 6, 2008

Niger and the Tuareg


Tuareg Culture and News blog has an interesting article on the seldom heard of dramatic situation of Niger and specially Tuaregs in this country. What is on the stake for President Tandja (formerly leader of the military junta) is the free explotation of the bountiful uranium mines in the Sahara, displacing the Tuaregs and exhausting their wells, as well as getting an excuse to change the constitution and extend his mandate indefinitely.

France-backed Niger remains one of the most autocratic states in Africa, where slavery still exists and where freedom of speech is virtually unheard of. It is a situation very similar to that of Darfur but it's not almost touched by the media, partly because of Tandja's success in banning free press, specially in the Tuareg territory.

References:
- Wise Uranium: New Uranium mining projects in Niger.

2 comments:

NIGER1.COM said...

Hello Maju I am from Niger and i just learned about these Niger projects i manage a website about Niger
www.niger1.com
My email is niger1.com@gmail.com

Maju said...

Hi there. Interesting site. As you may have noticed I do not have any special focus on Niger, just I blog on things that catch my attention - on a wide range of sucjects. I do have an interest on what is happening on distant places though (well, Niger is not so distant anyhow), specially in areas that are not recieving enough of fair media coverage (say Niger, say Palestine, say Kurdistan...).

Also I recently joined a Berber forum (http://www.afrique-du-nord.com/forum/index.php) because, even if I'm not Tamazhig, I am interested in their issues: after all Basques and Berbers may be the only cultural remnants of the once buoyant Megalithic civilization. It was via that site (actually their main site: http://www.north-of-africa.com/) from where I found that interesting blog on Tuaregs.

Enjoy.