Uranium Goes Critical in Niger: Tuareg RebellionsThreaten Sahelian Conflagration

Abstract

The article analyses the causes and implications of the ongoing Tuareg rebellions in Niger and Mali. While the larger and more widespread rebellion in Niger is generally attributed to the Niger Tuareg's demands for a greater and more equitable share of the country's uranium revenues, the article reveals that both rebellions, while centering on grievances associated with marginalisation, indigenous land rights and the exploitation of mineral resources, are far more complex. Other key elements are the continuing impact on the region of the global war on terror; competing imperialisms and subimperialisms; the associated interests of multinational mining companies; environmental threats and the interests of international drug-traffickers. The article also details the human rights abuses inflicted on the civilian populations in both Niger and Mali by the recently US-trained militaries.

The global uranium rush and its Africa frontier. Effects, reactions and social movements in Namibia

“…Australian aboriginal communities such as the Mirrar have been fighting the Ranger and Jabiluka uranium mining projects (Fagan, 2002) and so have, for decades, aboriginal Canadian communities in Saskatchewan (Harding, 1988). The Tuareg rebels have reacted against French Areva's mines in Niger (Keenan, 2008), the 'Jharkandi Organization Against Radiation' formed in Jharkhand, India (Ramana, forthcoming) and there is the more publicised fight of the Navajo in the US (Eichstaedt, 1994;Shuey, 2001). However, for each uranium mining project that created resistance and made it to the news, there are several others that passed unnoticed, without open reaction and conflict, or with oppression and silencing.…”

Pastoralism in the time of oil: Youth perspectives on the oil industry and the future of pastoralism in Turkana, Kenya

“…This research suggests that large-scale mining activities offer few livelihood opportunities to pastoralists and can have direct, negative impacts on pastoralist livelihoods (see Cronyn, 2012;Keenan, 2008;McKune and Silva, 2013;Snorek, 2014;Larsen and Mamosso, 2014). However, other research complicates such findings by examining the livelihood impacts of artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASM) in various parts of West Africa, where pastoralism is also practiced.…”

Does Uranium Mining Increase Civil Conflict Risk? Evidence from a Spatiotemporal Analysis of Africa from 1945 to 2010

“…Both mines were developed and are still run by the French state-owned company AREVA (Keenan 2008). While there is no evidence that the native Tuareg fought for the control of the uranium mines themselves, their central demand was a higher share of the revenues from the uranium being extracted in their homelands.…”

“…Water sources are contaminated at levels up to 500 times the WHO's threshold for radiation. Additionally, groundwater levels have sunk from 50 to 300 meters since uranium mining started (Greenpeace 2010;Keenan 2008).…”

“…The MNJ demanded a higher share of uranium revenues and more effective regulation of the mining process in order to protect the environment (Keenan 2008;Lawel 2010;Muna 2009). …”