Military Reform – 2002
2002
Although the integration of former combatants from several armed groups was ongoing, reform within the military organization was a serious issue. On 1 August 2002, «army mutineers in Diffa, 1500 km east of the Niger capital, Niamey, were on Thursday reported to have detained various defense, security and civilian officials, including the prefect of the region, a parliamentarian and the town’s mayor». Niger often had mutinies by soldiers demanding better living conditions and the dismissal of their officers. Such movements usually started in barracks in the north or east before spreading to the rest of the country. In some cases, the demands end up becoming political.1 On 4 August 2002, the loyal government army was sent to recapture the Diffa region from mutinous soldiers. Negotiations between the government and the mutinous soldiers failed. The Mutinous soldiers fled to the northern mountain to fight against the government.2