MicroWaveAug 26, 2023

Niger junta orders troops on maximum alert in case of attack

https://lemmy.world/post/3884257

Niger junta orders troops on maximum alert in case of attack - Lemmy.world

The junta in Niger has ordered its armed forces to go on highest alert, citing an increased threat of attack, according to an internal document issued by its defence chief on Friday that a security source in the country confirmed was authentic.

Show threadrockSlayerAug 26, 2023
I keep trying to find it, but nothing covers this aspect: what is the junta seeking to accomplish? Like, what was the reason they took the president captive, what are the political goals, what are the details for their transition back to democracy, etc? It’s hard for me to trust ECOWAS when it’s an organization that is pretty clearly a tool for neo-colonialism, even though I understand and empathize with their opposition to the junta.
Show threadarbitrary
How, in your opinion, is ECOWAS a tool for neocolonialism?
Aug 27, 2023 at 7:55amWeb
Show threadrockSlayerAug 27, 2023
One of the major exports from Niger is uranium and gold. The junta has stopped all exports to France, and then ECOWAS threatened to invade. Something to note, almost all of the gold reserves in France come from their former colonies, and at least 33% of all of their nuclear power comes from uranium in Niger. The former president is backed by neo-colonialist and neo-imperialist powers of France and US, and Niger was considered one of the last US allies under the former president. This is the 5 second overview, there’s obviously a ton more on both sides worth discussing. Here’s an interview from someone more knowledgeable than me on the subject
Niger, West and Central Africa’s current war against neo-colonialism

What is striking and at the center of these changes on the continent, though, are a youth that no longer wants to be subjected to neocolonialism

San Francisco Bay View
Show threadarbitraryAug 27, 2023

So your definition of neocolonialism boils down to ‘has trade and diplomatic relations with the US and France’?

And isn’t that quite offensive against the African states? You imply that they could not have created an intranational community without centering it around Western powers, no?