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French ambassador is being 'held hostage at the French embassy' in Niger, says Macron (edition.cnn.com)

submitted 1 year ago by alphacyberranger@sh.itjust.works to c/world@lemmy.world

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[-] Kes@lemmy.blahaj.zone 62 points 1 year ago

Countries have the right to expel foreign diplomats and embassies as long as they don't arrest them or go through their stuff when they leave. The newly couped Niger junta requested the French ambassador leave and revoked his visa, but the French are still refusing to leave, claiming that because they don't recognize the legitimacy of the new junta, they don't have to follow the junta's orders to leave. Regardless of your opinion of the new junta, in how does a former colonial power be in the right when they are blatantly ignoring the legal rights and sovereignty of their independent former colony's government that is doing things by the book? They stopped sending the ambassador food and are confining him to his embassy until he leaves, especially given the current junta that is extremely gentle treatment

[-] nonailsleft@lemm.ee 44 points 1 year ago

The problem with your picture is that you're calling the junta a sovereign and independent government doing things by the book. They're army personel that took power from the elected government at gunpoint.

It might be so that France will have to accept the new dictatorship one day, but historically more than one such coup has failed days or weeks after. If France were to accept the dictatorship from day one that would be seen as throwing in the towel and dooming any chance of the democratic government regaining power...

[-] toomanyjoints69@lemmygrad.ml 10 points 1 year ago

My understanding is that the majority of the population supports the coup even when the poll is done by biased media opposed to the coup like the Economist or Forbes. If the majority of people supported overthrowing the government then it doesn't seem like an actual democracy. At least, its not something imposed on the people against their will.

I guess its a matter of perspective where if you care about the will of the people or if you care about power being transfered via elections even if the elections aren't for anyone who represents the people. I definatley don't like the second option but some people do feel that way I suppose.

[-] Dremor@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago

Can't find such poll on Forbes or the Economist, could you give it a link?

[-] toomanyjoints69@lemmygrad.ml 2 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Sure :)

Here is an image of the poll https://hexbear.net/pictrs/image/b4bd0c20-8521-465f-955e-522fd5a3abfc.png

Here is the actual article, but you'd have to pay the Economist to see the whole thing. https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2023/08/07/after-nigers-coup-the-drums-of-war-are-growing-louder

Upon actually finding the specific poll I was talking about, it is actually that the vast majority of people in Niger feel the coup should remain in power, which is technically not the same thing as saying they wanted it to happen. However you can look around and find that support for the coup is very high. Niger's government was not popular. Only 21% of people polled by this very hostile to the coup source wanted the old president to be restored to power.

[-] Dremor@lemmy.world 8 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

These findings are not necessarily representative of opinion across the country because the poll was conducted quickly, with a small sample, made up mainly of men in the capital.

As stated in the actual The Economist article. So I won't say like you do that "a vast majority of people in Niger" support the coup.

Even so, it provides an indication of the mood.

I do agree with that. It is unfortunate that such an anti-occident sentiment grew there, but it is understandable considering France (and many European countries) colonial past.

Still to call for the Russian, considering all the war crimes they are accused of (and the massive number of proofs already gathered), is kinda worrying for their safety.

[-] nonailsleft@lemm.ee -1 points 1 year ago

Major thing is that Wagner/Russia is prepared to take the gloves off in fighting islamists. Slaughtering villages or regions that support islamist groups is something western powers are very afraid off, while the locals prefer it and Russia dgaf.

[-] nonailsleft@lemm.ee 2 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

The poll these publications refer to isn't done by themselves. Whoever told you this is lying.

And it's apparently based on a few hundred respondents from the capital.

Not saying there's better sources available but it seems you've been largely misled on this

[-] toomanyjoints69@lemmygrad.ml 1 points 1 year ago

It really seems like a distinction without a difference since its on their site. The capital is going to be where the supporters of the old regime are. Its a biased poll designed to get a result in favor of the old government and it failed.

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[-] stepan@lemmy.ca 2 points 1 year ago

Damn. I think they should still give food, but yeah he should gtfo.

[-] zefiax@lemmy.world 22 points 1 year ago

People keep blaming Russia as if Africans are somehow incapable of making their own decisions. The reality is Africans are tired of French neo colonialism. Niger is a perfect example. They were selling france uranium for $0.8/kg when the market price is $200. That's Niger's resources going to power French power plants, while the people of Niger are struggling to survive. Fuck that shit.

[-] Dremor@lemmy.world 66 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Any source for said price?

Edit: Better known source says it is a baseless rumor circulating on social medias

Some accounts on social media are now circulating the claim that Niger has lifted prices from €0.80 per kilogram to €200. So far, there is no evidence for this beyond themselves quoting each other. The claim seems to trace back to a small digital outlet in Nigeria. Embarrassingly, the website has been confused as being from Niger itself.

Sources (as shared by @goo@lemm.ee) : https://www.forbes.com/sites/eliasferrerbreda/2023/09/12/more-rumours-what-is-really-happening-with-nigers-uranium/

[-] LoafyLemon@kbin.social 24 points 1 year ago

The average global price of Uranium per pound, in 2022, was $40.77 USD. Let's convert it to kilograms.

2.205 pounds ~= 1 KG
2.205 * 40.77 = 89.89785 (~90 USD per KG)

In 2022, Niger supplied 20% of France's uranium.

Sources:

https://www.statista.com/statistics/260005/monthly-uranium-price/

https://www.lemonde.fr/en/les-decodeurs/article/2023/08/04/how-dependent-is-france-on-niger-s-uranium_6080772_8.html

Please note that I'm not taking sides; I was simply curious about the actual numbers, so I'm sharing them here in the hope that someone finds them interesting.

[-] goo@lemm.ee 13 points 1 year ago

Questionable sites, not even going to link them. But Forbes states the following:

Some accounts on social media are now circulating the claim that Niger has lifted prices from €0.80 per kilogram to €200. So far, there is no evidence for this beyond themselves quoting each other. The claim seems to trace back to a small digital outlet in Nigeria. Embarrassingly, the website has been confused as being from Niger itself.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/eliasferrerbreda/2023/09/12/more-rumours-what-is-really-happening-with-nigers-uranium/

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[-] CrimeDad@lemmy.crimedad.work 21 points 1 year ago

Itte is still working, according to French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna. “The ambassador is working, I can confirm that, and he is very useful through his contacts, his team, there is still a small team with him,” said Colonna in an interview with French TV channel LCI. Colonna added that Itte “will stay as long as we want him to stay,” and that his return is Macron’s decision.

I don't think it's going to turn out well for the ambassador.

[-] jmcs@discuss.tchncs.de 26 points 1 year ago

Since harming an ambassador might be considered an act of war, and the coup leaders are not idiots, I'm sure he'll be fine.

[-] CrimeDad@lemmy.crimedad.work 4 points 1 year ago

Is denying food and treats to the ambassador not considered harm? The way Macron is talking it would seem so.

[-] avater@lemmy.world 8 points 1 year ago

he has food in form of army rations

[-] CrimeDad@lemmy.crimedad.work 5 points 1 year ago

The rations:

[-] avater@lemmy.world 5 points 1 year ago

that looks pretty damn good 😅

[-] Obi@sopuli.xyz 2 points 1 year ago

Just missing the bread which I'm sure is available in the schools where they serve this.

PS my French school lunches never looked quite that nice..

[-] jyter@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago

That image comes from a comparison of children’s school lunches from around the world. I have no idea how representative it is of either meals in the French embassy currently, or French army rations.

[-] lath@lemmy.world 12 points 1 year ago

Oh look, a reason to invade. How nice for Macron!

[-] roguetrick@kbin.social 6 points 1 year ago

This is an interesting move by France. The Junta expelled their diplomatic staff as part of the justification that France is a neocolonial power interfering with the country. The Junta benefits because having him there cements that bit of propaganda. Hopefully the locals don't get riled up enough to storm the place once that propaganda gets too effective.

[-] dhtseany@lemmy.ml 5 points 1 year ago

The French version of Fortunate Son starts playing from distant loud speakers attached to France's Eurocopter Tigers

[-] avater@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

I wonder if russia has some stakes in this...

[-] reagansrottencorpse@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago

He should have left when asked

[-] Napain@lemmy.ml -5 points 1 year ago

hahahahhahahahahahahahhahahahaha

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this post was submitted on 16 Sep 2023

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