Niger: Democratic Rally of the People-Jama'a-RDP (Rassemblement démocratique du peuple-Jama'a), including its leadership, its youth clubs, the role that the party holds following the assassination of President Ibrahim Mainassara on 19 April 1999; whether its members are involved in strikes or demonstrations demanding an inquiry into the President's assassination. If so, the date and location of these strikes, and response of the current government to participants on strike; whether arrests were made following these strikes (April 1999-September 2002)

While The Political Handbook of the World: 1999 refers to RDP-Jama's as Democratic Rally of the People-Jama's (1999, 719), other reports refer to the party of the late president Ibrahim Baré Mainassare as the Rally for Democracy and Progress-RDP-Jama'a (Rassemblement pour la démocratie et le progrès-Jama'a and to Hamid Algabid as its president (Groupe Alternative 12 Sept. 2002; Elections Around the world 16 May 2002; IRIN 24 Jan. 2001; Financial Times 22 Nov. 1999; AFP 7 Apr. 2002; Europa 2001 2001, 2991).

However, the Niamey-based Groupe Alternative newspaper noted that there are two factions within RDP-Jama's that are fighting each other in order to take control of the party (2 Aug. 2001). According to the Niger newspaper, one faction is for Hamid Algabid faction while the [translation] "renovator" (renovateur) or "dissident" faction belongs to Idi Ango Omar (ibid.). The report explained that the matter, now under the tribunal concerned the nomination by Hamid Algabid of the RDP-Jama's executive members (Groupe Alternative 2 Aug. 2001). According to Groupe Alternative, the "dissident" faction pretended that the executive's nomination was illegal (2 Aug. 2001). The same source of information did not provide names of those nominated by the Hamid Algabid.

With its 8 seats on the total of 83 within the Niger's National Assembly, RDP-Jama'a ranked fourth among the five parties present in the parliament (Elections Around the World 16 May 2002; Europa 2001 2001, 2981; AFP 27 Nov. 1999). Citing local sources, a 30 March 2001 Financial Times article noted that "Niger's parliamentary opposition, comprising the Niger Party for Democracy and Socialism (PNDS/Tarayya) and the Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP/Jamaa) have been elected into the bureau of the National Assembly."

Regarding strikes and demonstrations in connection with the late president Ibrahim Baré Mainassara's assassination, a 7 April 2002 AFP article stated that [translation] "around 3,000 persons have demonstrated on Sunday in Niamey [the capital of Niger] to demand an international inquiry into the 19 April 1999 assassination of the former president Ibrahim Mainassara." The demonstration took place before the Assemblée nationale [National Assembly] two days before the third anniversary the Ibrahim Mainassara death. (ibid.). While, its was Hamid Algabid, the Democratic Rally of the People (RDP)' president who took the word and declared that [translation] "we will never cease to demand the international inquiry into this assassination," other leading opposition parties participated in the demonstration (ibid.).

According to Africa Research Bulletin (ARB), "on April 8th [2001], there was a demonstration in front of the Assemblée Nationale to demand full independent inquiry into the death of General Ibrahim Bare Mainassara. The crowd was estimated at about 2,000 people by the BBC and at "several thousand" by Agence France Presse" (31 May 2001, 14387). The same source did not specify the identity of those who demonstrated. However, it added that "on April 21st [2001], the Assemblée Nationale overwhelmingly voted down a proposal by the RDP-Jama'a, the party of late General Ibrahim Mainassara, to overturn the constitutional amnesty granted to those responsible for both the general's 1996 coup and the 1999 coup in which he lost his life" (Africa Research Bulletin 31 May 2002, 14387).

Citing RDP-Jama'a officials, one source of information stated that four activists from the Assembly for RDP-Jama'a were arrested by Niamey police on 17 September 1999 (ibid. 25 Oct. 1999, 13685). Accused of "having contacted army officers and being in possession of pamphlets calling on the people to rise up", the four members were from Arewa in the southwest where the assassinated president came from (ibid.). Africa Research Bulletin also provided the cases of (1) Yahaya Tounkara, the former defence minister who was put under house arrest for having demanded an independent inquiry into Mainassara's death, (2) Jacques Nignons and Garna Djibo, both former ministers in Mainassara as well as (3) Maman Labo Souley, the general secretary of the RPD, who have been held in prison for months for financial "wrongdoing" as examples of RDP supporters "persecution" and "arbitrary arrests (25 Oct. 1999, 13685)." However, citing the RDP-Jama'a official, the same source of information noted that the persecution was aimed at "hampering party activities only a week away from the beginning of the presidential election campaign" (ibid.).

Information on either RDP-Jama'a youth clubs or on whether the party members are currently at risk of arbitrary arrests by reason of their membership could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

Agence France Presse (AFP). 7 April 2002. "Assassinat de Mainassara: manifestation pour exiger une enquête." (NEXIS)

_____. 27 November 1999. Serge Arnold. "Triomphe de Mamadou Tandja (papier journée)." (NEXIS)

Africa Research Bulletin (ARB) [London]. 31 May 2001. "In Brief: Niger."

_____. 25 October 1999. "Niger: Opposition Activists Arrested."

Elections Around The World. 16 May 2002. "Elections in Niger." [Accessed 12 Sept. 2002]

The Europa World Year Book 2001. 2001. 42nd ed. Vol. II. London: Europa Publications.

The Financial Times [London]. 30 March 2001. "Niger Opposition Grabs Four Seats at Parliament Bureau." (NEXIS)

_____. 22 November 1999. Souleyman Anza. "Tanja, Issoufou to Battle for the Presidency." (NEXIS)

Groupe Alternative [Niamey]. August 2001. No 256. "Lutte pour le leadership du RDP Jama'a : les héritiers politiques du Général Baré à couteaux tirés ». [Accessed 12 Sept. 2002]

Integrated Regional Information Network (IRIN). 24 January 2001. "Niger: Opposition Wants Probe Into Former President's Death." (Africa News/NEXIS)

Political Handbook of the World: 1999. 1999. Edited by Arthur S. Banks, Thomas C. Muller. Binghamton, NY: CSA Publications.

Additional Sources Consulted

Africa confidential [London] April 1999-July 2002.

Africa Research Bulletin [London] April 1999-June 2002.

L'Autre Afrique [Paris]. January-August 2002.

IRB Databases.

LEXIS/NEXIS.

Resource Centre Country file. Niger.

West Africa [London] April 1999-2002.

Websites including:

Africatime.

Allafrica.

Amnesty International.

Groupe Alternative [Niamey].

FIDH.

HRW.

Le Républicain [Niamey].

Le Roue de l'Histoire [Niamey]