General information
First Active Year: 2007
Current Name: MNJ
Current Name full English: Niger Movement for Justice
Current Name full native language: Mouvement des Nigériens pour la Justice
Original Name: MNJ
Original Name full English: Niger Movement for Justice
Original Name full native language: Mouvement des Nigériens pour la Justice
Actor Chronology
This section contains information about (if applicable) group splinters, name changes, and alliances according to the UCDP definitions of these concepts.
UCDP has not recorded any Chronology Activities involving this group.
Conflict issues
Government of Niger - MNJ
Conflict Goal Issues: Mouvement des Nigériens pour la Justice, Niger Movement for Justice, (MNJ) was a Touareg rebel group fighting for the implementation of a peace agreement signed in 1995 between ORA and the Nigerien government which would protect Touareg and other ethnic minority groups in North Niger. The group emerged in 2007, during which it stated several conflict goal issues. The group called for economic reforms to be implemented to protect the basic needs and better living conditions for people in north Niger and for revenues from natural resources in the area to benefit the population. The group also called for the civil rights of the people to be protected through bureaucratic reforms that would return regional power of governance to citizens rather than “the usual mercenary.” Military and police force reform was also raised by MNJ to protect marginalized communities and ensure representation and presence of minority groups and nomadic communities in the military. The group also called for the protection of the environment and of water resources, which also included land reforms to recognize important water and irrigation infrastructure as belonging to marginalized communities. The cultural rights of people and their cultural heritage was also raised as an important issue for MNJ, as was the language rights and access to education for the Nigerien people. Finally, the group also called for constitutional reform to recognize the rights and representation of indigenous communities and to promote their freedom of expression. In 2008, MNJ reemphasized the issue of natural resource revenue, stating their demand that “at least 20-30% of the revenues comes back”.
Conflict Dynamics Issues: The project coded no statements from MNJ pertaining to conflict dynamics issues.
Conflict Resolution Issues: In 2007, MNJ stated three conflict resolution issues. The group heavily emphasized the issue of peace agreement implementation, calling upon the government to adhere to its responsibilities to implement the previously agreed peace agreement. The group also called for a national forum to be held, calling for national dialogue, and for accountability for killings of native workers who had been killed by Chinese petroleum research companies.
Type of conflict issues: Conflict Goal Issues: Basic needs, Bureaucratic setup, Civil rights, Constitutional issues, Cultural rights, Economic reforms, Education system: culture, Freedom of expression, Land reforms, Protection of cultural heritage, Protection of natural resources/the environment, Public services, Restructure military forces, Restructure police forces, Revenues from natural resources, Water resources
Conflict Dynamics Issues:
Conflict Resolution Issues: Accountability/prosecution/investigation, National dialogue, Peace agreement implementation
Annual information
This section contains annual information systematically collected by the UCDP.
2007
Actor Active in Dyad(s):
Government of Niger - MNJ
2008
Actor Active in Dyad(s):
Government of Niger - MNJ
Group Archive
This section contains annual information no longer systematically collected by the UCDP.
2007 Group Archive
Government of Niger - MNJ
Comment on Name: Mouvement Nigérien pour la Justice, Niger Movement for Justice.
Troop Size: 700
Comment on Troop Size: According to a statement by the Vice-President of MNJ, Mohamed Acharif, in May 2007, some 700 Tuaregs had joined the ranks of the MNJ.
Secondary Support: The Nigerien government has linked various actors to the MNJ. However, its claims have not been substantiated. It has accused Libya of supporting the MNJ, possibly because of Libyas ties to Tuareg militants dating back to the Libyan-sponsored Islamic Legion of the 1970s. However, Libyan head of state Quaddafi has denied destabilising the situation and has instead offered to act as peacemaker between the government and the MNJ. Moreover, the government has accused the French national nuclear energy company AREVA of backing the rebels. AREVA denied the charges, pointing to its own financial losses due to rebel activity. There have also been allegations of an alliance between the MNJ and the Malian Tuareg splinter group ADC (Alliance démocratique du 23 Mai pour le changement, Democratic Alliance for Change of 23 May) - Ibrahim Bahanga faction that launched an armed conflict against the Malian government in 2007. This has been denied by both groups.
2008 Group Archive
Government of Niger - MNJ
Comment on Name: Mouvement Nigérien pour la Justice: Niger Movement for Justice
Comment on Troop Size: There was no information available on the troop strength of MNJ in 2008.
Secondary Support: FARS (Forces armées révolutionnaires du Sahara: Revolutionary Armed Forces of the Sahara), a rebel group active in fighting the government in the Niger (Eastern Niger) confict in the 1990s, in January announced that it would cooperate with the MNJ in its confict with the Nigerien government. However, it is unclear if any cooperation ever materialised and, if so, what type. In August the group announced that it would end its association with the Tuareg rebels.
