By Okechukwu Onuegbu
The West African Civil Society Organisation, a conglomerate of civil society groups in the Africa's subregion, has urged the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS) to perish plan to deploy military action in resolving the coup d'etat challenges in Niger.
The CSOs in a press statement, argued that employing a military action in the impasse would trigger new conflict, proliferation of weapons, untold hardships, among others.
They said, "An additional military action in the country will trigger open new source of conflict and cause a sporadic increase in the proliferation of weapons and armed fighters in the Sahel region, exacerbating the mass displacement of citizens and disruptions to children’s education. Apart from being neighbours, Niger maintains a special relationship with Nigeria.
" Niger currently depends on Nigeria for 70 percent of its power. Border closures as well as cutting off electricity supply from Nigeria to Niger in line with the sanctions, are already having crippling effects on economic production, delivery of goods and services and the sustainability of livelihoods in both Niger and Nigeria. Military intervention by ECOWAS will only compound the economic woes, and push the largely impoverished populations across both countries deeper into poverty.
"Not only that, the displacement of over 27 million people that will likely to result from the planned military intervention in Niger, is totally avoidable. Neighboring nations like Nigeria will be plagued with a large number of internally displaced persons (IDPs), putting pressure on the already weak public infrastructure in the subregion. Conflicts harm and disproportionately affect women and children.
"Armed military operations increase the exposure of women and children to mass killings, disability, sexual violence, poverty, homelessness, sex trafficking, sexual exploitation, rape, forced separation, malnutrition, deteriorating health conditions and a multitude of human rights violations Above all, military invasion is inconsistent with the esteemed international law principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of any sovereign state.
"The looming humanitarian crisis and human rights abuses that usually flow from military action provide an incentive for exploring other alternative solutions to military takeovers. We urge ECOWAS to shelve its planned military intervention in Niger and seek alternatives to war. Other alternatives include considering a comprehensive ln approach that encompasses political, security and diplomatic dimensions or allowing for a systematic transition to democratic rule in Niger.
"Flawed elections obstruct the civic space and lay the foundation for military takeovers. West African leaders can significantly reduce the occurrence of unconstitutional change of power by creating an enabling environment for the conduct of free and fair elections across the subregion. Citizens of West African countries have the rights to determine who shall lead them, and this right is inalienable."