Madagascar is on the verge of civil war, the US ambassador warned yesterday, after soldiers who support an opposition leader ousted the country's army chief. The move came as opposition leader Andry Rajoelina, who has been locked in a three-month power struggle with President Marc Ravalomanana, said he would boycott peace talks due to start today. The US ambassador to the Indian Ocean island, Niels Marquardt, said: "I note with a great deal of concern and a great deal of sadness that Madagascar is nearly on the verge of civil war."
Madagascar on the verge of civil war, US ambassador warns
Madagascar on the verge of civil war, US ambassador warns
* Alex Duval Smith in Cape Town
* The Guardian, Thursday 12 March 2009
Caption: Madagascan soldiers separate supporters of opposition leader Andry Rajoelina and President Marc Ravalomanana in the capital Antananarivo February 14, 2009. Photo: Reuters/Carl Hocquart/Files
Madagascar is on the verge of civil war, the US ambassador warned yesterday, after soldiers who support an opposition leader ousted the country's army chief.
The move came as opposition leader Andry Rajoelina, who has been locked in a three-month power struggle with President Marc Ravalomanana, said he would boycott peace talks due to start today.
The US ambassador to the Indian Ocean island, Niels Marquardt, said: "I note with a great deal of concern and a great deal of sadness that Madagascar is nearly on the verge of civil war."
At least 100 people have died since supporters of Rajoelina, the former mayor of the capital, Antananarivo, began demonstrations against the president on 24 January.
Army chief Edmond Rasolofomahandry on Tuesday gave the opposition 72 hours to desist. But dissident soldiers responded yesterday by taking over army headquarters and forcing him to resign. They chose a new armed forces leader, André Andriarijaona. On Tuesday they had forced the defence minister, Vice-Admiral Mamy Ranaivoniarivo, to quit.
Rajoelina was sacked as mayor of Antananarivo on 3 February. He then placed himself at the head of a "supreme transitional authority" and announced it was replacing the government of the minerals-rich country.
Most of the casualties in the Madagascar dispute were shot by security forces at the beginning of last month. The relative calm that followed saw protesters go back to work and prompted observers to speculate that the dispute would be settled through talks. The mediation effort due to start today has been led by United Nations envoy Haile Menkerios and Madagascar's Council of Christian Churches.
However, it now appears clear that a critical mass within the armed forces have rallied to Rajoelina's cause.
The new military chief yesterday said his predecessor had been removed after "negotiations" among senior officers, a signal that President Ravalomanana is no longer in control of the armed forces. "Now all the corps in Madagascar are behind me and our cohesion has not been affected," said Andriarijaona.
The youthful Rajoelina, 34, has been in hiding for several days, some of the time at the embassy of the former colonial power, France. His presence there prompted activists to accuse France of supporting "a coup" against the government.
Elected mayor in December 2007, Rajoelina spearheaded protests against the rising cost of living and alleged corruption in Ravalomanana's government. His supporters' street demonstrations were reminiscent of those which saw rags-to-riches businessman Ravalomanana win power in 2002 from Marxist ruler Didier Ratsiraka, who had ruled for 23 years.
Ravalomanana is praised by diplomats for his energy, but critics say he is authoritarian and neglects the poor.
