US embassy cable - 97NIAMEY5135

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 NIAMEY 005135 
 
 
PARIS FOR MORAN; LONDON FOR PFLAUMER 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/03/07 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, EAID, SOCI, NG, IR, KISL 
SUBJECT:  ISLAMIC FUNDAMENTALISM, IRAN, AND NIGER 
 
REF: NIAMEY 3264 
 
CLASSIFIED BY AMBASSADOR CHARLES O. CECIL. REASON: 
1.5(D). 
 
1.  (C) SUMMARY:  MOST NIGERIENS BELIEVE ISLAMIC 
FUNDAMENTALISM CONSTITUTES A LONG-TERM THREAT TO THE 
SECULAR STATE ESTABLISHED UNDER NIGER'S CONSTITUTION. 
IRAN IS WORKING QUIETLY AND WITH SIGNIFICANT RESOURCES 
TO PROMOTE SHI'ISM IN NIGER.  SHIA RELIGIOUS LEADERS IN 
NORTHERN NIGERIA ARE ALSO A FORCE FOR CONSERVATISM IN 
THE MARADI AREA OF NIGER.  GON OFFICIALS ARE SUSPICIOUS 
OF IRAN, BUT FOR THE MOMENT TOLERATE ITS PRESENCE AND 
ITS ACTIVITIES, PROBABLY IN THE HOPE OF RECEIVING 
ECONOMIC ASSISTANCE FROM THE IRANIAN GOVERNMENT IN THE 
FUTURE.  SIMULTANEOUSLY, THE GON IS DETERMINED TO TAKE 
STRONG ACTIONS AGAINST THE EXPRESSION OF FUNDAMENTALIST, 
SHIA DOCTRINES WITH THE AIM OF MINIMIZING NIGERIAN 
INFLUENCE IN NIGERIEN RELIGIOUS CIRCLES.  POVERTY AND 
DESPAIR MAY BE A GREATER SOURCE OF CONSERVATIVE AND 
FUNDAMENTALIST TENDENCIES IN NIGER THAN EITHER OF THESE 
TWO OUTSIDE INFLUENCES, BUT TNE OUTSIDE INFLUENCES CAN 
REINFORCE SOCIAL AND RELIGIOUS TRENDS ALREADY UNDER WAY. 
REDUCING NIGER'S POVERTY IS LIKELY TO BE THE MOST 
PRODUCTIVE WAY TO HALT THE SPREAD OF FUNDAMENTALIST 
IDEAS IN NIGER.  END SUMMARY. 
 
---------------------------------------- 
IS ISLAMIC FUNDAMENTALISM A THREAT TO NIGER? 
---------------------------------------- 
 
2.  (C) "EXTREME POVERTY IS A GREATER CAUSE OF ISLAMIC 
FUNDAMENTALISM THAN IRANIAN EFFORTS," SAID FORMER PRIME 
MINISTER HAMA AMADOU TO AMBASSADOR CECIL OVER LUNCH ON 
OCTOBER 23.  "WHETHER FUNDAMENTALISM GROWS OR NOT WILL 
DEPEND ON WHETHER THE GOVERNMENT MAKES PROGRESS IN 
COMBATTING POVERTY," ADDED AMADOU.  IN NIGER'S CURRENT 
POSITION (NUMBER 173 OUT OF 175 COUNTRIES) ON THE UNDP'S 
1997 REPORT ON HUMAN DEVELOPMENT, ONE WOULD HAVE TO 
CONCLUDE THAT NIGER IS ONE OF THE MOST FERTILE GROUNDS 
ONE COULD FIND FOR FUNDAMENTALISM TO TAKE ROOT. 
 
3.  (U) GON OFFICIALS TAKE THE THREAT OF FUNDAMENTALISM 
SERIOUSLY; A NUMBER OF OFFICIALS HAVE EXPRESSED THEIR 
DETERMINATION THAT IT NOT SPREAD.  MARADI AND ITS 
NEIGHBOR GUIDAN-ROUMDJI ARE CONSIDERED TO BE THE CENTER 
OF FUNDAMENTALIST TENDENCIES IN NIGER; SOME MUSLIMS IN 
THAT AREA CONSIDER TNEMSELVES SHI'ITES.  ACCORDING TO 
THE FORMER PREFET OF MARADI, LTC MALLAM OUBANDAWAKI, 
FUNDAMENTALIST MOVEMENTS IN NIGER DATE FROM THE 1980S. 
(OBVIOUSLY THE COLONEL WAS THINKING IN MODERN TERMS OF 
REFERENCE.  MANY HISTORIANS QE THE REFORM MOVEMENT LED 
BY OUSMANE DAN FODIO IN NORTHERN NIGERIA AROUND 1800 AS 
A FUNDAMENTALIST MOVEMENT, THAT IS, A RETURN TO THE 
LITERAL INTERPRETATION OF THE KORAN AND ITS STRICT 
APPLICATION TO DAILY LIFE.)  IN THE 1990S THESE EARLIER 
FUNDAMENTALIST TENDENCIES HAVE BECOME MORE VIGOROUS, 
SAID THE COLONEL, PARTLY BECAUSE OF THE WAVE OF 
DEMOCRATIZATION SWEEPING THE AFRICAN CONTINENT. 
OUBANDAWAKI CONSIDERS THE ORIGIN OF THESE FUNDAMENTALIST 
TENDENCIES TO BE NORTHERN NIGERIA, WHERE CERTAIN 
RELIGIOUS LEADERS ARE DIRECTING A CONSCIOUS CAMPAIGN TO 
SPREAD THEIR VERSION OF ISLAM INTO NIGER.  THE OBJECTIVE 
OF THE FUNDAMENTALISTS, IN THE COLONEL'S VIEW, IS TO 
ESTABLISH AN ISLAMIC STATE IN WHICN SHARIA LAW IS THE 
LAW OF THE LAND. 
 
4.  (U) MINISTER OF INTERIOR IDI ANGO OMAR, IN JANUARY, 
TRACED THE RISE OF FUNDAMENTALISM IN NIGER BACK TO 1989. 
PUTTING HIS OWN SPECIAL TWIST ON IT, HE ACCUSED THE 
FUNDAMENTALISTS OF BEING INCLINED TO USE VIOLENCE TO 
SPREAD THEIR VIEWS, AND ACCUSED THEM OF WORKING IN 
CONCERT WITH THE OPPOSITION TO PRESIDENT BARE, WHICH WAS 
AT THE TIME PREPARING A SERIES OF PUBLIC DEMONSTRATIONS 
TO MARK THE FIRST ANNIVERSARY OF THE BARE COUP. 
 
5. (C) FORMER GENDARMERIE COMMAWDER GENERAL YOUSOUFA 
MAIGA, NOW AMBASSADOR TO ALGERIA, EXPRESSED TO THE 
AMBASSADOR HIS OWN CONCERN OVER FUWDAMENTALISM, CITING 
IRANIAN ADVERTISEMENTS AND ACTIVITIES, PLUS AN EID AL- 
FITR CLASH BETWEEN SHI'ITES AND SECURITY FORCES IN THE 
MARADI AREA LAST FEBRUARY.  MAIGA VOWED THAT THE GON 
WOULD NOT LET FUNDAMENTALISM GET OUT OF CONTROL.  IN THE 
INCIDENT REFERRED TO, SHIA MUSLIMS HAD WANTED TO 
CELEBRATE THE EID AL-FITR A DAY LATER THAN THE OFFICIAL 
DAY OBSERVED BY NIGER'S SUNNI MAJORITY, BUT SECURITY 
FORCES STOPPED THE OBSERVANCE.  THE AMBASSADOR ASKED 
NIGER'S FORMER DCM FROM ITS WASHINGTON EMBASSY WHY THIS 
POINT SHOULD BE IMPORTANT TO GON AUTHORITIES.  HE GAVE 
TWO REASONS.  FIRST, ISLAM IS A COMMUNAL RELIGION; THE 
COMMUNITY IS SUPPOSED TO DO IT TOGETHER.  "IF 900 PEOPLE 
WANT TO CELEBRATE A FESTIVAL ON A CERTAIN DAY, YOU CAN'T 
HAVE 100 OTHERS DOING IT SOME OTHER TIME.  IT ISN'T 
RIGHT," HE SAID.  SECONDLY, THE GOVERNMENT WISHES TO 
MINIMIZE NIGERIAN INFLUENCE BECAUSE NIGERIANS ARE MORE 
PRONE TO VIOLENCE THAN ARE NIGERIENS.  NIGERIA'S ISLAMIC 
CALENDAR HAS OFTEN PUT IT ONE DAY OFF THE CALENDAR 
OBSERVED IN NIGER, SAID THE DCM; IT'S A SMALL POINT BUT 
IT CAN'T BE IGNORED.  ANOTHER NIGERIEN SAID THAT THE 
SHIAS ARE JUST TESTING THE GOVERNMENT.  IF THEY GET AWAY 
WITH ONE SMALL CHANGE, THEN THEY WILL FEEL EMBOLDENED, 
AND PRESS FOR OTHERS. 
 
---------------------------------------- 
IRAN'S ROLE 
---------------------------------------- 
 
6.  (C) CERTAIN EVIDENCE OF IRAN'S PRESENCE AND ACTIVITY 
CAN BE EASILY SEEN IN NIAMEY: A SCHOOL, A HEALTH CLINIC, 
AND A SMALL TRADE FAIR LAST JANUARY.  THE SCHOOL ACCEPTS 
NIGERIEN CHILDREN FROM AGE FIVE THROUGH THE LATE TEENAGE 
YEARS.  WHEN THE FORMER ALGERIAN AMBASSADOR EXPRESSED 
CONCERN OVER THE SCHOOL TO GON OFFICIALS, HE WAS TOLD 
THAT PERMISSION HAD NEVER BEEN GIVEN TO OPEN IT AND THAT 
IT WOULD BE CLOSED, BUT THAT HAS NOT HAPPENED YET. 
ACCORDING TO THE ALGERIAN, PATIENTS AT THE CLINIC, WHICH 
OFFERS FREE CARE FOR THE NEEDIEST, ARE ALSO SUBJECT TO 
SHIA INDOCTRINATION.  ONE SOUS-PREFET TOLD THE 
AMBASSADOR THAT WHEN SUNNI MUSLIMS BECOME SHIAS, THE 
IRANIANS REWARD THEM WITH MONEY TO BUY NEW CLOTHES "SO 
THAT THEY CAN BE PROPERLY DRESSED WHEN THEY GO TO THE 
MOSQUE."  IN JUNE THE FORMER SAUDI CHARGE TOLD THE 
AMBASSADOR THAT THE IRANIANS WERE SPENDING A LOT OF 
MONEY IN NIGER TO PROMOTE THEIR RELIGION AND THEIR 
IMAGE.  HE DID NOT THINK THEY WERE ACHIEVING MUCH, BUT 
ADDED THAT THEY WERE TAKING THE LONG-TERM VIEW. THE 
TRADE FAIR LASTED A WEEK AND CONSISTED OF HANDICRAFTS 
AND SMALL MANUFACTURED ITEMS DISPLAYED BY 24 FIRMS.  THE 
EXHIBIT WAS OPENED BY THE DIRECTOR OF AFRICAN AFFAIRS IN 
THE IRANIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY, IDENTIFIED AS A MR. "JENID 
(ALSO "DJAWID") GHORBER OGHLI" (SIC).  THE OTHER IRANIAN 
VISITOR OF NOTE DURING THE YEAR WAS THE MINISTER OF 
FOREIGN AFFAIRS WHO CAME ON JULY 12 AS PART OF A 
REGIONAL TRIP SOLICITING SUPPORT FOR THE HOLDING OF THE 
OIC SUMMIT CONFERENCE IN TEHRAN IN DECEMBER. 
 
7.  (C) IRANIAN ACTIVITY IN NIGER IS REGARDED WITH 
SUSPICION BY THE GON.  PRESIDENT BARE TOLD THE ALGERIAN. 
AMBASSADOR RECENTLY THAT THE GON KNOWS WHAT IS GOING ON 
IN THE IRANIAN SCHOOL AND THE CLINIC AND THAT ALL 
IRANIAN ACTIVITIES "ARE CLOSELY MONITORED."  BARE TOLD 
AMBASSADOR CECIL IN SEPTEMBER QUITE EMPHATICALLY THAT 
NIGER (HE HAS TO MEAN THE GOVERNMENT) HAS RECEIVED NOT 
ONE DOLLAR FROM IRAN.  IT IS TRUE THAT SEVENTEEN 
NIGERIENS WERE GIVEN UNIVERSITY SCHOLARSHIPS FOR STUDY 
IN IRAN SOMETIME IN THE LAST YEAR, BUT WHEN ONE RETURNED 
TO NIGER TO REPORT THAT ALL HAD BEEN SENT TO QUM WHERE 
THEY WERE GIVEN INSTRUCTIONS IN THE USE OF ARMS, THE GON 
CALLED THEM ALL BACK AND THERE ARE NOW NONE THERE. 
 
8.  (C) THIS DISTRUST OF IRAN MAKES IT HARD TO 
UNDERSTAND THE RATIONALE BEHIND FOREIGN MINISTER 
MAYAKI'S JUNE VISIT TO TEHRAN, AFTER WHICH IT WAS 
ANNOUNCED THAT IRAN AND NIGER WOULD RAISE THEIR 
RELATIONS TO THE AMBASSADORIAL LEVEL.  (IRAN IS 
REPRESENTED BY A PERMANENT CHARGE IN NIAMEY; NIGER HAS . 
NO REPRESENTATIVE IN TEHRAN.)  ACCORDING TO THE FORMER 
ALGERIAN AMBASSADOR, IRAN OFFERED TO PAY RENT, 
UTILITIES, AND TELEPHONE FOR A NIGERIEN EMBASSY IN 
TEHRAN.  FORNMIN MAYAKI TOLD THE ALGERIAN THAT HE NEVER 
AGREED TO ESTABLISH AN EMBASSY IN TEHRAN--MERELY TO 
ELEVATE RELATIONS TO THE AMBASSADORIAL LEVEL.  NIGER'S 
CLOSEST AMBASSADORS IN THE AREA ARE IN RIYADH, KUWAIT, 
AND CAIRO.  AMBASSADOR CECIL HAS ASKED NUMEROUS GON 
OFFICIALS FOR THEIR VIEWS CONCERNING THE REASONS FOR 
ELEVATING NIGERIEN-IRANIAN RELATIONS, BUT NONE HAVE 
GIVEN ANY SUBSTANTIVE REPLY.  MFA SECGEN SEYDOU IN 
OCTOBER TOLD THE AMBASSADOR NOT TO ATTACH TOO MUCH 
IMPORTANCE TO THE MATTER.  WE NOTE THAT AT THE TIME OF 
THE VISIT, TEHRAN SPOKE OF "IRAN'S READINESS FOR 
COOPERATION WITH NIGER IN THE FIELDS OF AGRICULTURE, 
ANIMAL HUSBANDRY, DAM BUILDING, AND COMMERCE." (FBIS 
LONDON 301454Z JUN 97).  WHEN SEEKING THE MOTIVATION FOR 
NIGER'S POLICIES ONE MUST ALWAYS CONSIDER THE 
POSSIBILITY THAT A SEARCH FOR ECONOMIC ASSISTANCE IS THE 
PRIMARY FACTOR. 
 
---------------------------------------- 
LONG TERM TRENDS 
---------------------------------------- 
 
9.  (C) ALMOST ALL NIGERIENS WILL OPINE THAT 
FUNDAMENTALISM IS A LONG-TERM THREAT FOR NIGER. 
ANECDOTAL EVIDENCE SUGGESTS THAT CLOISTERING OF WOMEN IN 
THE EASTERN AREAS OF THE COUNTRY, ESPECIALLY THE 
ZINDER REGION, MAY BE ON THE INCREASE.  AS RECENTLY AS 
OCTOBER A GROUP OF EDUCATED, PROFESSIONAL NIGERIEN WOMEN 
TOLD THE AMBASSADOR AND THE PAO THAT ATTENDANCE AT 
ISLAMIC SCHOOLS WAS ON THE INCREASE BECAUSE MORE AND 
MORE PARENTS WANTED THEIR CHILDREN TO RECEIVE THE MORAL 
VALUES PRESENTED IN THE ISLAMIC SCHOOLS' CURRICULA. 
(GOVERNMENT SCHOOLS ARE ALSO FREQUENTLY INTERRUPTED BY 
TEACHERS' STRIKES, SEEKING UNPAID WAGES.)  EDUCATED 
WOMEN IN PARTICULAR REGRET THE GROWING CONSERVATIVE 
RELIGIOUS INFLUENCE ON PUBLIC AFFAIRS BECAUSE EFFORTS TO 
LEGISLATE A "FAMILY CODE" HAVE BEEN ON HOLD SINCE 1992 
OWING TO THE FIERCE OPPOSITION OF CONSERVATIVE, IF NOT 
FUNDAMENTALIST, MUSLIMS, SOME OF WHOM THREATENED 
VIOLENCE AGAINST ADVOCATES OF THE CODE.  THOUGH NIGER IS 
A SECULAR STATE, WOMEN DO NOT HAVE FULL EQUALITY WITH 
MEN BEFORE THE LAW IN CERTAIN AREAS, SUCN AS DIVORCE 
PROCEEDINGS AND INHERITANCE CASES.  THE FAMILY CODE 
WOULD HAVE ASSURED THIS EQUALITY. 
 
10.  (C) THE FRENCH AMBASSADOR TOLD AMBASSADOR CECIL 
THAT HIS FRENCH STAFF IS UNANIMOUS IN BELIEVING THAT 
IRAN IS WORKING COVERTLY IN NIGER TO PROMOTE SHI'ISM. 
"THEY HAVE MONEY AND ARE NOT IN A HURRY," SAID 
AMBASSADOR PAVEC.  "IT IS NOT AN IMMINENT THREAT, BUT IN 
TEN YEARS, WHO KNOWS?" 
 
11.  (C) WE CONCLUDE THAT BOTH IRAN AND RELIGIOUS 
LEADERS IN NORTHERN NIGERIA ARE WORKING TO PROMOTE 
SHI'ISM IN NIGER.  THIS IS LIKELY TO BE A SLOW PROCESS 
BECAUSE OF THE ABSENCE, IN GENERAL, OF STRONG RELIGIOUS 
BROTHERHOODS ("TURUQ", OR "CONFRERIES") IN NIGER, SUCH 
AS THE TIDJANI IN SENEGAL OR THE SANOUSSI IN LIBYA. 
THERE IS NO STRUCTURE THROUGH WHICH TO WORK TO INFLUENCE 
THOUSANDS OF BELIEVERS AT A TIME; IT'S A TASK WHICH HAS 
TO BE ADVANCED MORE ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS.  ONE NEED 
NOT BE A SHIA TO BE A FUNDAMENTALIST, HOWEVER.  THE TURN 
TOWARD RELIGION TO ASSUAGE FEELINGS OF DESPAIR AND 
HOPELESSNESS CAN EASILY BE PROMPTED BY POVERTY.  (WE 
NOTE THAT BOTH THE WORLD BANK AND THE UNDP HAVE LAUNCHED 
PROGRAMS DESIGNED TO COMBAT POVERTY.  THEY ARE NOT 
MOTIVATED, HOWEVER, BY A DESIRE TO RESIST ISLAMIC 
FUNDAMENTALISM.)  IT MAY ONLY BE A SMALL STEP FROM SUCH 
DESPAIR TO ATTACKING GOVERNMENTS, OR EVEN DONORS, WHICH 
HAVE SHOWN THEMSELVES INCAPABLE OF SOLVING THE ECONOMIC 
AND SOCIAL PROBLEMS AFFLICTING THE PEOPLE.  THE ANALYSIS 
OF FORMER PRIME MINISTER AMADOU, IN ITS SIMPLICITY, MAY 
WELL BE RIGHT ON TARGET.  BUT THE IRANIANS ARE HERE AS 
WELL, WORKING TO FORCE THE PACE A BIT. 
 
 
CECIL