Sorry to be the bearer of this horrible news. This is from Tinariwen's manager in the UK:

Dear Friends,

There is terrible news coming out of Niger, where the FAN (Forces Armée du Niger) are pursuing a government backed policy of terrorizing and harassing innocent civilians, in a bid to quell a Touareg uprising led by the new rebel group, the MNJ (Mouvement des Nigériens pour la Justice). Please read below for two officially unconfirmed reports of recent civilian massacres.

Many thanks for your interest.
More news to follow.
Best Regards, Andy Morgan.




========================================
Andy Morgan
TINARIWEN
www.tinariwen.com
www.myspace.com/tinariwenofficial
www.youtube.com/tinariwen


SIMPLICITY IS FREEDOM
====================================

Begin forwarded message:


From: QUEEN B <tacoho@hotmail.com>
Date: 9 October 2007 05:20:29 BDT
To: Abdallah Inlamawan <inlamawan@yahoo.fr>, abdou Salam <ag_assalatt1@hotmail.com>, abdou salam <abdousalam.touaregtours.com@agat.net>
Subject: FW: Touareg Situation

Hi
this sad news came from our friend in Germany
Love
Berta

_u will be aware that the situation in Niger with the Touaregs has had another sad "highlight" ...
PLEASE pass on the info as much as you can. I did also inform the UN Commiette on Arbitraty Executions.
We posted info on indymedia and tried to inform other NGO / HR organisations.
talk to you later
Gunter

* * * * * **

Since February, we are watching the so-called Touareg-conflict in the North of Niger. We do also have some contacts.
Within the last days, we were notified about two massacres, actually arbitrary killings of civilians without warrants, court verdicts or the like.
We figure you will be aware of the overall situation in the North of Niger and the atrocities happening there.

Execution of 12 civilians, October 1st
According to our sources, on October 1st, the FAN Forces Armee du Niger (Forces Armee du Niger / Army of Niger) had stopped five vehicules close to the Algerian border. The passengers were urged to leave the vehicules; the soldiers separated them up in lighter-skinned and darker-skinned persons. The light-skinned individuals, supposedly Touaregs, altogether 12 individuals, were shot to death instantly. Remaining passengers of the convoi witnessed the shooting and the fact that these persons were shot on reason of the color of their skin. They gave witness in the towns of Arlit and Tamanrasset.

Execution of 17 (22) civilians, October 2nd
According to our sources, the same military patrol of the FAN / Army of Niger pulled a number of individuals out of their tents in the vicinity of a pist between Assamakka and Arlit (also in the far North of Niger, close to the Algerian border), north of Iferouane. Due to their lighter color of skin, these persons were classified as Touaregs and instantly shot to death. The number of individuals killed in this incident varies - according to the sources - between 17 and 22 persons.

All individuals shot and killed were civilians and not involved at that time in any combat situation.
All individuals have been executed without any accusations or any court decision.
The executions have taken place arbitrarily and without any reasons other than the person's color of skin.

Please find at the end of this email a list of names of some of the executed persons.

We ask you to understand that it is very difficult to get information / confirmation out of the North of Niger since the Nigerian Government is actually blacking out all news from that area. As you will be aware, even RFI Radio France International has been forbidden to broadcast for a month earlier this year due to the fact that they had reported about the conflict. RFI's journalist Mousa KAKA is still imprisoned in Niger prisons at Niamey for the same reason.

Our means as a small organisation are limited. Therefore, we ask you urgently to put pressure on the Niger Government to stop the violence against civilians and to seek a peaceful resolution of the conflict. We also ask you to press for an inquest / investigation in this case and for a punishment of the persons and officers responsible for this act / crime.

Please feel free to contact us anytime for further information.

yours
Gunter Wippel
HUMAN RIGHTS 3000, Freiburg, GERMANY

Sources:
MNJ website: m-n-j.blogspot.com/ 1. and 2. of October 2007
as well as Direct communication from Niger

List of names of some of the persons executed on / just before October 1st
Zeyda ag Badi
Ahmadu ag Moussa
Ghoumour ag Ahmad
Mohamed ag Akarfa
Ismaghil ag Akam
Rhissa ag Attaher
Bikim ag Ilyas
Akloua ag Hama
Oumra
Lahcen