Issa Lamine
Encyclopedia
Issa Lamine is a Niger
ien politician. He led the Toubou-based Front Democratique Revolutionnaire, one of several rebel groups operating in the far north and east of Niger in the late 1990s. Lamine entered government as a representative of the eastern town of N'Gourti
in 2000. As a member of the Democratic and Social Convention
(CDS-Rahama), he was a Deputy in the National Assembly of Niger
and then served in the government of Niger as Minister of Public Health from 2007 to 2009. He left the CDS-Rahama in 2009 and was elected to the National Assembly as an independent candidate.
region.
, and from 5 January 2000 served as Minister in a series of governments. He was named Nigerien Minister of Youth and Sport in the first government of the Nigerien Fifth Republic, keeping this portfolio through a change in personnel on 17 September 2001. Lamine served in this second government, also under MNSD-Nassara Prime Minister Hama Amadou
, until 9 November 2002. Both these appointments were as an independent, represented officially as leader of the former rebel FDR.
Lamine was elected to the National Assembly as a CDS candidate in the December 2004 parliamentary election
, and during the parliamentary term that followed he served as Vice-President of the Foreign Affairs Commission.
Lamine opened a center for continuing education about the disease noma
, which was funded by a non-governmental organization, in Niamey
on 23 January 2009. On that occasion, he credited the non-governmental organizations Sentinelles, Campaner, and Hilfsaktion for their work combating the disease in different parts of Niger.
, Lamine and the other CDS ministers were replaced on 29 June 2009. When the CDS decided to boycott the October 2009 parliamentary election
, along with the other major opposition parties, Lamine ignored the boycott and stood as an independent candidate in N'Gourti
, which was considered his electoral stronghold. He won a seat in the National Assembly, and when the National Assembly began meeting for the new parliamentary term in November 2009, he joined the nine-member Independent Parliamentary Group, which was composed of independents and deputies from small parties. He was also chosen as President of the General and Institutional Affairs Commission, one of the National Assembly's seven standing committee
s, at that time.
In February 2010, the military seized power in a coup d'état
, dissolving the National Assembly after it had been sitting for only three months. Lamine thus lost his parliamentary seat, but he was appointed as Special Adviser to the President of the Supreme Council for the Restoration of Democracy
, Salou Djibo
, in March 2010; he was also given the rank of minister. Following the January 2011 parliamentary election
, Issa was accused by local military governors in N'Gourti
and Diffa Region of attempting to fix the elections in N'Gourti by orchestrating the kidnap of election officials, and organizing groups of his CDS-Rahama supporters and ex-combatants from his 1990s rebel group to attack areas presumed loyal to rivals.
Niger
Niger , officially named the Republic of Niger, is a landlocked country in Western Africa, named after the Niger River. It borders Nigeria and Benin to the south, Burkina Faso and Mali to the west, Algeria and Libya to the north and Chad to the east...
ien politician. He led the Toubou-based Front Democratique Revolutionnaire, one of several rebel groups operating in the far north and east of Niger in the late 1990s. Lamine entered government as a representative of the eastern town of N'Gourti
N'Gourti
-References:...
in 2000. As a member of the Democratic and Social Convention
Democratic and Social Convention
The Democratic and Social Convention - Rahama is a political party in Niger. It was founded in January 1991. In the 1993 presidential election, the party's leader, Mahamane Ousmane, was elected president...
(CDS-Rahama), he was a Deputy in the National Assembly of Niger
National Assembly of Niger
The unicameral National Assembly of Niger is the country's sole legislative body. The National Assembly may propose laws and is required to approve all legislation.-History:...
and then served in the government of Niger as Minister of Public Health from 2007 to 2009. He left the CDS-Rahama in 2009 and was elected to the National Assembly as an independent candidate.
Rebel leader
In the late 1990s Lamine was "Head of External Affairs", later overall leader, of the Toubou-based Front Democratique Revolutionnaire rebel movement active in the southern part of the KaouarKaouar
The Kaouar, or Kaouar Cliffs is a north-south escarpment running some 150 km in north east Niger. Surrounded by the Ténéré desert and the dunes of the Erg of Bilma, easterly winds striking the 100 meter high escarpment of Kaouar provide easy access to groundwater for ten oases on the leeward side...
region.
Political leader
Following the 1999 coup and return to civilian rule, Lamine became political leader from his base in N'GourtiN'Gourti
-References:...
, and from 5 January 2000 served as Minister in a series of governments. He was named Nigerien Minister of Youth and Sport in the first government of the Nigerien Fifth Republic, keeping this portfolio through a change in personnel on 17 September 2001. Lamine served in this second government, also under MNSD-Nassara Prime Minister Hama Amadou
Hama Amadou
Hama Amadou is a Nigerien politician who was Prime Minister of Niger from 1995 to 1996 and again from 2000 to 2007. He was also Secretary-General of the National Movement for the Development of Society from 1991 to 2001 and President of the MNSD-Nassara from 2001 to 2009...
, until 9 November 2002. Both these appointments were as an independent, represented officially as leader of the former rebel FDR.
Lamine was elected to the National Assembly as a CDS candidate in the December 2004 parliamentary election
Nigerien parliamentary election, 2004
A parliamentary election was held in Niger on 4 December 2004 alongside a simultaneous presidential election. 105 members were elected in 8 multi-member constituencies using the party-list proportional representation system...
, and during the parliamentary term that followed he served as Vice-President of the Foreign Affairs Commission.
Minister of Health
Later, he was appointed to the government as Minister of Public Health on 9 June 2007. In July 2008, following international condemnation of malnutrition and famine in the Maradi Region, Minister of Health Issa Lamine had Doctors Without Borders (MSF-France) teams treating malnourished children ejected from the country, accusing the MSF of giving "false" malnutrition statistics exaggerating starvation to stimulate funding.Lamine opened a center for continuing education about the disease noma
Noma (disease)
Noma also known as cancrum oris or gangrenous stomatitis, is a gangrenous disease leading to tissue destruction of the face, especially the mouth and cheek.-Causes:...
, which was funded by a non-governmental organization, in Niamey
Niamey
-Population:While Niamey's population has grown steadily since independence, the droughts of the early 1970s and 1980s, along with the economic crisis of the early 1980s, have propelled an exodus of rural inhabitants to Niger's largest city...
on 23 January 2009. On that occasion, he credited the non-governmental organizations Sentinelles, Campaner, and Hilfsaktion for their work combating the disease in different parts of Niger.
2009-2011 political crisis
After the CDS chose to withdraw from the government to protest President Mamadou Tandja's plans for a constitutional referendumNigerien constitutional referendum, 2009
A constitutional referendum was held in Niger on 4 August 2009. The purpose of the referendum was to submit to Nigerien voters the dissolution of the Fifth Republic of Niger and the creation of a "Sixth Republic of Niger" under a fully presidential system of government...
, Lamine and the other CDS ministers were replaced on 29 June 2009. When the CDS decided to boycott the October 2009 parliamentary election
Nigerien parliamentary election, 2009
A parliamentary election was held in Niger on 20 October 2009, in the wake of President Mamadou Tandja's dissolution of the National Assembly in May 2009 and a successful constitution referendum in August 2009.-Election date:...
, along with the other major opposition parties, Lamine ignored the boycott and stood as an independent candidate in N'Gourti
N'Gourti
-References:...
, which was considered his electoral stronghold. He won a seat in the National Assembly, and when the National Assembly began meeting for the new parliamentary term in November 2009, he joined the nine-member Independent Parliamentary Group, which was composed of independents and deputies from small parties. He was also chosen as President of the General and Institutional Affairs Commission, one of the National Assembly's seven standing committee
Standing Committee
In the United States Congress, standing committees are permanent legislative panels established by the United States House of Representatives and United States Senate rules. . Because they have legislative jurisdiction, standing committees consider bills and issues and recommend measures for...
s, at that time.
In February 2010, the military seized power in a coup d'état
2010 Nigerien coup d'état
A coup d'état occurred in Niger on 18 February 2010. Soldiers attacked the presidential palace in Niamey under weapons fire at midday and captured President Mamadou Tandja, who was chairing a government meeting at the time...
, dissolving the National Assembly after it had been sitting for only three months. Lamine thus lost his parliamentary seat, but he was appointed as Special Adviser to the President of the Supreme Council for the Restoration of Democracy
Supreme Council for the Restoration of Democracy
The Supreme Council for the Restoration of Democracy , led by Salou Djibo, is a military junta that staged a coup in Niger on 18 February 2010, deposing President Mamadou Tandja...
, Salou Djibo
Salou Djibo
Lieutenant General Salou Djibo is a Nigerien military officer. Following the military coup of 18 February 2010, he became head of the Supreme Council for the Restoration of Democracy and thus de facto leader of Niger....
, in March 2010; he was also given the rank of minister. Following the January 2011 parliamentary election
Nigerien parliamentary election, 2011
A parliamentary election was held in Niger on 31 January 2011, following President Mamadou Tandja ouster in a military coup and the subsequent dissolution of the National Assembly in February 2010...
, Issa was accused by local military governors in N'Gourti
N'Gourti
-References:...
and Diffa Region of attempting to fix the elections in N'Gourti by orchestrating the kidnap of election officials, and organizing groups of his CDS-Rahama supporters and ex-combatants from his 1990s rebel group to attack areas presumed loyal to rivals.