Sawaba

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Union of Popular Forces for Democracy and Progress-Sawaba is a political party in Niger, founded as the Nigerien Democratic Union in 1954. It was founded by Djibo Bakary, who had been a leader in the Nigerien Progressive Party. In 1956 Bakary became the mayor of Niamey.[1]

In 1957 the party won the legislative election. Bakary became governor. After the election the party took the name Sawaba (Hausa for 'Freedom').[2]

The party had support from trade union sectors. Sawaba launched a violent campaign in 1959, and was banned by the authorities. The party was forced underground. Bakary went into exile, to Ghana, East Germany and Guinea until 1975.[3] In June 1960, 18 sawabists were arrested on conspiracy charges, including Abdoulaye Mamani, Amadou Sekou and Issaka Koke.[4]

Gradually Sawaba moved from a pro-Soviet to a pro-China position. On April 13, 1963, the party tried to kill president Hamani Diori with a grenade attack. Guerrilla forces were trained in Algeria, Ghana and China. In November 1964 the Sawaba guerrillas entered Niger via Ghana. They were however defeated by state forces. The party reoriented itself back to a pro-Soviet position.[3][5]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Behnke, Alison. Niger in pictures. Minneapolis: Twenty-First Century Books, 2008. p. 28
  2. ^ Abbink, J./de Bruijn, Mirjam/van Walraven, Klaas. Rethinking resistance revolt and violence in African history. Leiden/Boston: Brill, 2003. p. 225
  3. ^ a b Busky, Donald F.. Communism in history and theory. Asia, Africa, and the Americas. Westport Praeger, 2002. p. 110
  4. ^ Abbink, J./de Bruijn, Mirjam/van Walraven, Klaas. Rethinking resistance revolt and violence in African history. Leiden/Boston: Brill, 2003. p. 226
  5. ^ Abbink, J./de Bruijn, Mirjam/van Walraven, Klaas. Rethinking resistance revolt and violence in African history. Leiden/Boston: Brill, 2003. p. 218