Niger facing catastrophic hunger crisis

[cory777]

Source: BBC

Millions of people across central and western Africa are going hungry.

The worst affected is Niger, a country larger than the US states of California and Texas put together, but with a population of just 15 million.

The United Nations has called for international help and whilst that call has been answered to some extent - it has not been enough.

Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-11312019

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News that Matters http://activistnews.blogspot.com

[Bryn]

1. Just think Meg Whitman spent 100+ million dollars for governor job she may not get

She could have used her money for good causes.

[bananas]

2. Niger's uranium coup

http://www.greenleft.org.au/node/43347

Niger's uranium coup
Saturday, March 6, 2010 - 11:00
By Tony Iltis

On February 18, Niger's President Mamadou Tandja was overthrown in a military coup. A military junta calling itself the Supreme Council for the Restoration of Democracy, headed by Major Salou Djibo, took power.

<snip>

However, the junta is unlikely to confront the causes of Niger's extreme poverty: Western-imposed neoliberal austerity and the environmentally and socially destructive plunder of natural resources, particularly uranium.

<snip>

Niger is the world's third-largest exporter of uranium. Uranium mining in Niger is dominated by Areva, the world's largest nuclear corporation that is part-owned by the French Atomic Energy Commission (CEA). Areva gets 45% of its uranium from Niger.

<snip>

The neocolonial secret agreements giving Areva below-market prices mean that very little of the wealth from Niger's uranium remains in the country.

<snip>

[bananas]

3. France More Worried about Niger's Uranium Than its People

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-hughes/france-more-worried-about_b_470217.html

Michael Hughes
Posted: February 22, 2010 01:04 PM

France More Worried about Niger's Uranium Than its People

One is hard-pressed not to cringe when hearing the moral outrage over the recent coup d'etat in Niger that has been exuding from the mouths of French officials as of late. Not to say the distress itself is not genuine, however, the principles espoused are not quite as altruistic as advertised, because it doesn't take much effort to realize the French care much less about the human rights of Niger's citizens than they do about the yield of Niger's uranium deposits.

<snip>

This is precisely why the "love of the people" rationale just doesn't add up compared to the way in which France's investments do, because Niger provides up to 40 percent of France's uranium consumption, making it quite the strategic interest when weighing the fact that 76% of the country's energy is derived from nuclear power.

<snip>

After taking all of this into consideration it is becoming clearer that the enemy in this case is not tyranny or oppressive governance, but instability. And once one sees through the transparently deceptive rhetoric, it is quite clear that instability is the enemy not because it threatens the inalienable rights of Nigeriens, but because it threatens the economic interests of the French.