The Nigerien's Movement for Justice (in French ''Mouvement des Nigériens pour la justice'', MNJ) is a largely

Tuareg The Tuareg people (; also spelled Twareg or Touareg; endonym: ''Imuhaɣ/Imušaɣ/Imašeɣăn/Imajeɣăn'') are a large Berber ethnic group that principally inhabit the Sahara in a vast area stretching from far southwestern Libya to southern Alg ...

ethnic, northern

Niger ) , official_languages = , languages_type = National languagesmilitant group. But the MNJ also includes other nomadic ethnicities, within this area, such as the

Toubou The Toubou or Tubu (from Old Tebu, meaning "rock people") are an ethnic group native to the Tibesti Mountains that inhabit the central Sahara in northern Chad, southern Libya and northeastern Niger. They live either as herders and nomads or as ...

and the

Fulani The Fula, Fulani, or Fulɓe people ( ff, Fulɓe, ; french: Peul, links=no; ha, Fulani or Hilani; pt, Fula, links=no; wo, Pël; bm, Fulaw) are one of the largest ethnic groups in the Sahel and West Africa, widely dispersed across the region. ...

have also joined the group, which has been battling the Niger government since 2007. The MNJ wants a greater share of the revenues from northern Niger's uranium wealth to be invested in the region. Niger is one of the top five

uranium Uranium is a chemical element with the symbol U and atomic number 92. It is a silvery-grey metal in the actinide series of the periodic table. A uranium atom has 92 protons and 92 electrons, of which 6 are valence electrons. Uranium is weak ...

producers in the world. It is also one of the bottom five poorest countries on earth. The MNJ also want a restriction of the area that will be affected by the expansion of the uranium mines, to protect the space they need to raise their animals. The Niger government has dismissed the MNJ as "bandits" and "drug-smugglers", and turned the northern half of the country into a closed military zone under curfew and military law suspending certain freedoms. Journalists are strictly prohibited from covering the rebellion.

Events

MNJ has claimed a series of attacks on the Nigerien Military and foreign economic interests since February 2007. The organization has taken responsibility for attacks which have killed 45 people and seized several Nigerien soldiers. In 2008, the MNJ claimed to have some 3,500 fighters, many of them defectors from the Nigerien military. In June 2007, the MNJ attacked northern Niger's main airport at

Agadez Agadez ( Air Tamajeq: ⴰⴶⴰⴷⴰⵣ, ''Agadaz''), formerly spelled Agadès, is the fifth largest city in Niger, with a population of 110,497 based on the 2012 census. The capital of Agadez Region, it lies in the Sahara desert, and is also ...

and overran an army outpost in the Aïr Mountains taking over 70 Nigerien soldiers prisoner. On 6 July 2007, the MNJ kidnapped a

Chinese Chinese can refer to: * Something related to China * Chinese people, people of Chinese nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity **''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation ** List of ethnic groups in China, people of ...

nuclear engineer working for China Nuclear Engineering and Construction Corps, holding him for about 10 days until releasing him to the Red Cross. The company had been prospecting for

for some time in Teguidan Tessoumt in cooperation with the Niger government, and MNJ wanted them to cease their operations. On 22 June 2008, the MNJ kidnapped four employees of Areva, the French state nuclear corporation which has been exploiting northern Niger's uranium for over forty years. The French nationals were released to the Red Cross three days later.

Leaders

The MNJ is led by Aghaly ag Alambo, a former member of the '' Front de libération de l'Aïr et de l'Azawagh'' (FLAA), and Mohamed Acharif, a former captain in the Nigerien Armed Forces who defected to the rebels in May 2007. Aghaly Alambo, from

Iferouane Iferouane (french: link=no, Iférouane), also spelled Iferouan, is an oasis town and commune in northern Niger, in Agadez Department. It is located northeast of Arlit in the northern Aïr, in the Ighazar valley near the Tamgak Range. Iferou ...

in northern Niger, was apparently inspired by the

Mali Mali (; ), officially the Republic of Mali,, , ff, 𞤈𞤫𞤲𞥆𞤣𞤢𞥄𞤲𞤣𞤭 𞤃𞤢𞥄𞤤𞤭, Renndaandi Maali, italics=no, ar, جمهورية مالي, Jumhūriyyāt Mālī is a landlocked country in West Africa. Mal ...

based Tuareg group '' May 23, 2006 Democratic Alliance for Change'' (''Mai 23, 2006 Alliance démocratique pour le changement - ADC)'', ex-combatants who led a short campaign in the north of Mali from May to July 2006, when they signed a peace deal with the

Bamako Bamako ( bm, ߓߡߊ߬ߞߐ߬ ''Bàmakɔ̌'', ff, 𞤄𞤢𞤥𞤢𞤳𞤮 ''Bamako'') is the capital and largest city of Mali, with a 2009 population of 1,810,366 and an estimated 2022 population of 2.81 million. It is located on the Niger Rive ...

government.Jusqu?où ira la rébellion?
Jeune Afrique: 15 July 2007. In late March 2008, the ADC restarted its armed uprising against the Mali government.

References

{{reflist * 6. (Italian) Parla Aghaly Alambo

Cristiano Tinazzi, Left: 12 ottobre 2007
Al Jazeera English Special Coverage Page: Unrest in the SaharaThe Niger Movement for Justice (Mouvement des Nigériens pour la justice, MNJ) Press site
: three to ten communiqués a week have been posted since April 2007

External links

IRIN - humanitarian news and analysis with frequent reports on the situation in northern Niger
* (French
The Niger Movement for Justice (Mouvement des Nigériens pour la justice, MNJ) Press site
: three to ten communiqués a week have been posted since April 2007
Reputed press site of the '' ALLIANCE TOUAREGUE NIGER-MALI''
created 31 August 2007

Rebel groups in Niger Guerrilla organizations History of Niger Niger Movement for Justice 2000s in Niger Organizations established in 2007 2007 establishments in Niger

Events

Leaders

See also

References

External links