Political Crisis Continues in Madagascar
March 14th, 2009 at 11:55 am - by Blake Allen
Andry Rajoelina emerged from hiding on March 14th, 2009 to address a crowd of 5,000 supporters sporting orange t-shirts, banners, and hats from Antananarivo’s 13 May Plaza. In his address, Rajoelina said President Ravalomanana has until the end of the day to step down, he also threatened to lead a group of opposition supporters to Iavoloha (the Presidential Palace) so that he could “say goodbye to him”.
The opposition led by Rajoelina has also, with the assistance of a mutinied military force early on Saturday, taken control of the Prime Minister’s office and declared they want Roindefo Zafitsimiyalo Monja to be made the new Premier as well as establishing an alternative cabinet with Rajoelina as President. Monja has promised new elections within a year and at his rally today Rajoelina said he was ready to “carry out the democratic handover of power”.
But President Ravalomanana says he has no plans to resign, saying that he will continue to govern until his mandate expires in 2011. Ravalomana issued a radio appeal urging citizens to help defend the Presidential Palace on March 13th; Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade has offered to hold peace talks between Ravalomanana and Rajoelina.
Ravalomanana has helped to open Madagascar to foreign investment, though over 70% of the country’s 20 million-strong population still live off an income of under $2 a day.
Violence in Madagascar
On January 24th anti-government protests began but were met with violence; by January 26th two protesters had been shot dead and by the 27th another 20 bodies were found in a burnt down shop; today at least 100 protesters have been killed in the suppression of these protests against Ravalomanana’s government which was re-elected in December 2006.
Andry Rajoelina, the then-mayor of Madagascar’s capital-city, Antananarivo — known by locals as Tana — declared he was “in-charge” of the country on January 31st following a rise in violence against the protesters, but on February 3rd Rajoelina was sacked as mayor of the capital. By March 5th, after security forces attempted to arrest him, Rajoelina went into hiding until making his public address today from 13 May Plaza — an important center in the country for popular revolts since Madagascar obtained independence from France in 1960.
By March 8th a significant portion of the Madagascan military had mutinied and joined the opposition claiming they have moved tanks into strategic locations around the nation’s capital. Col. Noel Rakotonandrasa claims the tanks are a precaution, in case the government hires mercenaries to counter the military mutinies as many in the opposition fear. On March 10th, the Defense Minister was ousted and the Army Chief of Staff was forced out a day later. The Military Police announced they would stop taking government orders on the following day.
Foreign governments are currently advising people not to travel to Madagascar and more than 95% of foreign bookings have been canceled, devastating the tourism industry, one of Madagascar’s key moneymakers.
