Hi this sad news came from our friend in Germany Love Berta
_u will be aware that the situation in Niger with the Touaregs has had another sad "highlight" ... PLEASE pass on the info as much as you can. I did also inform the UN Commiette on Arbitraty Executions. We posted info on indymedia and tried to inform other NGO / HR organisations.
talk to you later
Gunter
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Since February, we are watching the so-called Touareg-conflict in the North of Niger. We do also have some contacts.
Within the last days, we were notified about two massacres, actually arbitrary killings of civilians without warrants, court verdicts or the like.
We figure you will be aware of the overall situation in the North of Niger and the atrocities happening there.
Execution of 12 civilians, October 1st
According to our sources, on October 1st, the FAN Forces Armee du Niger (Forces Armee du Niger / Army of Niger) had stopped five vehicules close to the Algerian border. The passengers were urged to leave the vehicules; the soldiers separated them up in lighter-skinned and darker-skinned persons. The light-skinned individuals, supposedly Touaregs, altogehter 12 individuals, were shot to death instantly. Remaining passengers of the convoi witnessed the shooting and the fact that these persons were shot on reason of the color of their skin. They gave witness in the towns of Arlit and Tamanrasset.
Execution of 17 (22) civilians, October 2nd
According to our sources, the same military patrol of the FAN / Army of Niger pulled a number of individuals out of their tents in the vicinity of a pist between Assamakka and Arlit (also in the far North of Niger, close to the Algerian border), north of Iferouane. Due to their lighter color of skin, these persons were classified as Touaregs and instantly shot to death. The number of individuals killed in this incident varies - according to the sources - between 17 and 22 persons.
All individuals shot and killed were civilians and not involved at that time in any combat situation. All individuals have been executed without any accusations or any court decision. The executions have taken place arbitrarily and without any reasons other than the person's color of skin.
Please find at the end of this email a list of names of some of the executed persons.
We ask you to understand that it is very difficult to get information / confirmation out of the North of Niger since the Nigerian Government is actually blacking out all news from that area. As you will be aware, even RFI Radio France International has been forbidden to broadcast for a month earlier this year due to the fact that they had reported about the conflict. RFI's journalist Mousa KAKA is still imprisoned in Niger prisons at Niamey for the same reason.
Our means as a small organisation are limited. Therefore, we ask you urgently to put pressure on the Niger Government to stop the violence against civilians and to seek a peaceful resolution of the conflict.
We also ask you to press for an inquest / investigation in this case and for a punishment of the persons and officers responsible for this act / crime.
Please feel free to contact us anytime for furher information.
yours
Gunter Wippel HUMAN RIGHTS 3000, Freiburg, GERMANY
Sources: MNJ website: http://m-n-j.blogspot.com/ 1. and 2. of October 2007 as well as Direct communication from Niger
List of names of some of the persons executed on / just before October 1st Zeyda ag Badi Ahmadu ag Moussa Ghoumour ag Ahmad Mohamed ag Akarfa Ismaghil ag Akam Rhissa ag Attaher Bikim ag Ilyas Akloua ag Hama Oumra Lahcen Bei AOL gibt's jetzt kostenlos eMail für alle! Was es sonst noch umsonst bei AOL gibt, finden Sie hier heraus AOL.de. Reply Re
ただマリ出身と言ってもティナリウェンは単にマリでデビューしたのであって、メンバーがリビア・アルジェリア・マリのトアレグによって構成されている点、そして90年代には今回病気になった Ibrahim と Keddu がニジェールの軍部隊との戦闘に参加していた点を考慮すれば全く関係ないとは言い切れないと思います。