Niger rebels say air raids threaten French hostages
By Abdoulaye Massalatchi
NIAMEY, June 24 (Reuters) - Tuareg-led rebels in Niger accused the government on Tuesday of trying to bombard their bases and endangering the lives of four French uranium workers they took hostage at the weekend.
Niger Justice Movement (MNJ) rebels kidnapped the employees of French state-controlled nuclear group Areva (CEPFi.PA) at Arlit in the north of the West African country on Sunday.
"Early this morning, for the first time in 17 months, the army used the combat helicopters it recently bought to try to bombard our bases," the MNJ said in a statement, published on the rebels' website m-n-j.blogspot.com/.
"Is their intention to kill the Niger soldiers held as prisoners of war and the four French citizens working for Areva with the Machiavellian aim of making us take the blame?"
The rebels have captured dozens of government soldiers during more than a year of inconclusive on-off fighting in which at least 200 rebels and 70 government troops have been killed.
Red Cross staff have been working since Sunday to try to secure the release of the French hostages.
"This is the latest case of the abduction of civilians in what appears to be a worrying trend by the MNJ," said Corinne Dufka, senior West Africa researcher for U.S.-based Human Rights Watch.
"The abduction and arbitrary detention of the 4 AREVA employees is a clear violation of their human rights, and they should be released immediately," she said.
The rebel group said on Sunday it had taken the hostages to disprove government assurances that it would protect investors in the country's vital minerals industry. A rebel statement said the hostages would be released unharmed straight away.
Niger hopes to become the world's number two uranium producer by 2011 by increasing overall output to 9,000-10,000 tonnes a year through development of two new mines.
The uranium sector was long dominated by former colonial power France but Niger is now opening up its mining areas to companies from China, Canada, the United States and Japan.
The rebellion, like a similar revolt in neighbouring Mali, follows 1990s Tuareg uprisings. The MNJ complains of marginalisation and harassment by the army, and demands greater autonomy and control over revenues from mining in their area.
Niger's government has ruled out peace negotiations unless the rebels first lay down their arms, saying they were bandits with no legitimate demands. (For full Reuters Africa coverage and to have your say on the top issues, visit: africa.reuters.com/) (Writing by Ingrid Melander and Alistair Thomson, editing by Diana Abdallah)
