Niger’s military government has announced the nationalisation of the country’s sole industrial gold mine, accusing its Australian operator of “serious breaches” as the junta seeks greater control of natural resources.

The military junta has ruled the West African nation since seizing power in a 2023 coup, promising to crack down on Niger’s myriad security issues.

Juntas in Niger, neighbouring Burkina Faso and Mali have ramped up pressure on foreign mining companies in recent years, with Niger nationalising the local branch of French uranium giant Orano in June.

  • Cowbee [he/they]@lemmy.ml
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    13 days ago

    This is pure chauvanism, the Nazis gained popularity through colonizing their neighbors and appealing to racist conspiracy. The government of Niger is popular because they kicked out the imperialists and have been investing in development, and you’re finger-wagging the people of Niger as though you know better than them.

    • chaogomu@lemmy.world
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      12 days ago

      I can’t find any actual evidence that the Military Junta is in any way popular…

      They seem to have crashed the economy, then implemented a law that lets the military rob from the rest of the government in order to enrich themselves.

      They partnered with various mercenary groups, including the Wagner group, to put down juhadists and dissidents as if those were the same thing…

      Pretty much exactly what you’d expect from a military dictatorship.

      • Cowbee [he/they]@lemmy.ml
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        12 days ago

        Niger was hit with massive sanctions following the coup in 2023, which heavily damaged the economy. Sanctions are an act of brutal imperialist violence. On the economic side, Abdourahamane Tchiani’s government has been nationalizing key industries and kicking out French and Australian imperialists. Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso make up the Alliance of Sahel States, which together have been banding together to kick out foreign plunderers and have been developing rapidly because of it. The West has, as a response, sponsored terrorist groups and mercenaries against them.

        Stop batting for imperialism.

        • chaogomu@lemmy.world
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          12 days ago

          And in February of this year, Niger made corruption legal for the military.

          The Sahel States are three very brutal military dictatorships. All three seem to arrest journalists on sight, including local bloggers.

          No freedom of the press, no freedom of association, and no guarantee that you won’t be arbitrarily arrested or even gunned down.

          But sure, they kicked out all the foreigners, including the red cross and other aid orgs.

          You might as well be praising Eritrea or North Korea, although those two are more established dictatorships, meaning that you are actually safer on the streets of Asmara than you are anywhere in the Sahel States.

            • chaogomu@lemmy.world
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              12 days ago

              Full of hope and life and no civil liberty.

              Mali’s dictatorship will straight up murder you if say something they don’t like.

              But to you, that sounds hopeful?

              Niger will let the neo-nazi mercenaries roaming the country side do whatever they want, but you seem to love it.

              All three Sahel states will full on abduct and torture journalists and bloggers who stray from the allowed narrative.

              And you seem to be 100% on board with it.

              • Cowbee [he/they]@lemmy.ml
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                12 days ago

                I’m 100% on board with the popular anti-imperialist national liberation movement going on in the Sahel States. You’re functionally no-different from the liberal-Zionists that whine about Hamas and use that as justification for Israel’s genocide of Palestine. I disagree with they way you paint the Sahel States, and if you actually listened to the people living there you’d realize you’re parroting far-right imperialist propaganda uncritically.