…Specifically in the country of Niger, where President Tandja once said “no people are starving” in the population. Or at least that’s what he wanted audiences to think back then. Ever since the famine-struck year of 2005 and before where 3.6 million people were face to face with food shortages and 150,000 to 12 million starved to death or faced starvation, the government of Niger have kept quiet about the disastrous famines both great and small.

The country of Niger, like many other African countries that was once touched by the white man’s burden had a turbulent history. The people suffered from constant famines that wreaked havoc on their crops and harvests, the breaking point came when a military coup d’etat successfully took place in the 1970′s. The ones behind the coup justified their action by saying that the government at that time was not able to take care of its population.

One of the more prominent photos taken during the year 2005 showing an obviously healthy boy, just like what the government said.

Although famine does exist and starvation always occur in some part of Niger, the Niger goverment was very reluctant to accept humanitarian aid as it made the government look incapable of supporting its own people. And once you’re unable to take care of your people as a ruler, then the possibility of a coup or social unrest isn’t far away. Despite the news feeds back then, President Tandja of Niger persistently insisted that the starvation and malnutrition is all just propaganda and had even ‘banished’ some humanitarian organizations.

Fortunately, President Mamadou Tandja was overthrown in Niger’s fourth military coup d’etat on the 18th of February and was replaced by the Supreme Council for the Restoration of Democracy (a military committee) led by former squadran leader Salou Djibo that’s currently working towards a democratic government.

Due to this coup, humanitarian aid is more likely to flow more easily into the population of Niger, where the country is now facing one of the most deadliest food shortages in recent years. Many humanitarian organizations are pressing for “pre-emptive” action before the food shortages get out of hand which may lead to a repeat of the year 2005.

No immediate response to this chain of food shortages by the current ‘government’ has been made.

- Authored By: Linxy

2/27/10