samedi 28 janvier 2012

Rajoelina Hangs Tough

26 January 2012


The government of Andry Rajoelina in Madagascar is colluding with France to prevent the return of ousted president Marc Ravalomanana to the island, undermining the SADC Road Map agreed upon last year to return Madagascar to political and economic stability.

Last weekend SADC faced the most serious challenge to its authority and its ability to implement its decisions and impose its will on member states, following the near collapse of the Road Map process.

In the most dramatic illustration of the Road Map being in trouble, Ravalomanana - exiled in South Africa for three years - attempted to return to Madagascar, but his commercial flight was refused entry into the country by Rajoelina's government. Article 20 of the Road Map, to which both Rajoelina and Ravalomanana are signatories, guarantees the "unconditional return" to Madagascar of exiled political leaders, including Ravalomanana. However, Ravalomanana has a warrant out for his arrest following his conviction in absentia for murder and "crimes against humanity" by a Malagasy court.
Relevant Links

Mediators Demand Return of Ousted Leader
PM Offers Prospect of Pardon for Ex-President
Police Teargas Ex-President's Supporters
South Africa Welcomes PM, Cabinet Stepping Down
Nation 'Could Pardon' Exiled Ex-President Marc Ravalomanana

Ravalomanana's move and the Rajoelina government's response has provoked an angry rejoinder from South African diplomats, who feel the two sides are not fully co-operating with the SADC-sponsored reconciliation effort in the troubled Indian Ocean island. An urgent meeting of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Troika countries (South Africa, Zambia and Tanzania) on Tuesday had strong words for the Malagasy political leadership and their attitude to the Road Map.

Deputy South African International Relations Minister Marius Fransman, the man responsible for getting 10 of Madagascar's 11 mouvances to sign up to the Road Map last year, did not mince words: "It was very unfortunate and irresponsible of President Ravalomanana [to attempt a unilateral return to the island]. The move could have impacted negatively on the lives of innocent passengers on the commercial flight he took.

"Equally, it is irresponsible of President Rajoelina to continue to speak about warrants and arrests when he agreed to an amnesty process for [Ravalomanana] to allow him to return home. All parties must abide by the provisions of the Road Map agreed to last year."

But implementing the SADC roadmap - let alone forcing all parties to abide by it - will be a tall order for the regional group, whose legal and security instruments are perennially weak and subject to manipulation by outside powers.

In Madagascar, SADC's efforts are currently being undermined by France, the island's former colonial rulers. The troika countries have evidence that Rajoelina is working with Paris, Madagascar's Army Chief of Staff General Andre Ndriarijaona, and the commander of the Gendarmerie (police), Bruno Razafindrako, to deny Ravalomanana his right to re-enter the country.

On 21 January, the day Ravalomanana attempted his quixotic return, Rajoelina attempted to persuade SADC to delay his arrival for three months.

At the same time, France commenced its own intense lobbying in other international bodies to keep Ravalomanana from the country. The aim of these delays appears to be to prevent Ravalomanana - who continues to command significant popular support on the island - from being in Madagascar when an election is held under the terms of a transition agreed to last year.

Security services in the region say they are aware of a 6-point strategy devised by Paris and Antananarivo to prevent Ravalomanana from returning. According to these sources, Rajoelina, his heads of security and France decided to:

Deploy security forces loyal to Rajoelina inside the Ivato International Airport in Antananarivo.
Deploy Rajoelina supporters outside the airport to antagonise and destabilise the estimated 100 000 Ravalomanana supported expected at the airport to welcome him home.
Issue statements threatening the Ravalomanana supporters with arrest.
Threaten to arrest Ravalomanana on arrival.
Lobby the international community to persuade SADC not to allow Ravalomanana back.
As a last resort, issue a Notice to All Airmen (NOTAM) to deny landing rights to all airlines. This effectively closed down the country's airspace.

Anticipating an unfavourable reaction by SADC to these manoeuvres, Antananarivo hastily issued a statement on Saturday justifying its actions. In it, Rajoelina's government denied turning the South African AirLink flight back and instead blamed the decision on the flight's captain, who it said had chosen to go back to Johannesburg after being informed the authorities would execute the arrest warrant against his most famous passenger.

In the statement, the Rajoelina government threatened to send a "special plane" to fetch Ravalomanana from Johannesburg back to the island to "face justice. Actions related to this will be initiated immediately with the South African government," they said.http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif

That suggestion alone - though it is unactionable, since no extradition agreement exists between Pretoria and Madagascar - incensed South African officials so much they had Rajoelina on the phone on Saturday night, warning him about "inflaming" the situation in the country.

This week the troika countries called a meeting with all Malagasy parties and emphasized that the Road Map, especially the amnesty process meant to pave the way towards election later this year, should be speeded up to prevent any future repeats of last weekend's dramatic events.

source : http://allafrica.com/stories/201201270077.html

vendredi 27 janvier 2012

Press statement of the Ministerial Committee of the Organ Troika, 26 January 2012
  1. The Southern African Development Community (SADC) Ministerial Committee of the Organ (MCO) Troika, comprising of South Africa as Chair, the Republic of Zambia and United Republic of Tanzania as well as the SADC Secretariat, convened an urgent meeting in Pretoria. The meeting was attended by the Malagasy political stakeholders among them; the representatives of President of the Transition, Prime Minister of Consensus, the Deputy Prime Minister, the President of the Congress of Transition and Mouvances (Political Parties) Ravalomanana and Zafy, respectively.

  2. The meeting of the MCO Troika took place within the context of the progress made in the implementation of the SADC Roadmap "To end the Crisis in Madagascar." The Organ Troika reflected on the political situation in Madagascar, progress made and challenges experienced.

  3. The MCO Troika reaffirmed that there has been much progress made in the past few months by all political stakeholders in the implementation of the Roadmap, however it was also noted that some critical challenges still remains to be resolved.

  4. The events of 21st January 2012 in which former President Ravalomanana attempted to enter Madagascar unilaterally are seen as setback. There is already an agreed process in place in which the MCO Troika has undertaken to ensure the safe and secure return of all political exiles as required by Article 20 of the Roadmap.

  5. The MCO Troika noted that this action by former president was unfortunate as it had the potential to jeopardise further implementation of the Roadmap to which most political parties had agreed. However the MCO Troika further noted that these actions could have been precipitated by the perception that the process to ensure the return of political exiles in terms of Article 20 of the Roadmap had not been given sufficient attention.

  6. Equally so, the MCO Troika was disappointed by the immediate response and statements made by the Transitional Authority to this incident. Moving forward, the MCO Troika demands that the Transitional Authority and all stakeholders involved urgently find a consensual approach for the implementation of the Roadmap in its entirety and in particular, Article 16,17,18,19 and 20 read together with Article 45 of the RoadMap.

  7. The MCO Troika emphasised the need to avoid the selective implementation of the Roadmap. Therefore, the Malagasy stakeholders are urged to expedite the process of implementing all the other outstanding articles of the Roadmap especially those relating to confidence building measures. These include the enactment of amnesty legislation; release of political prisoners; the unconditional return of political exiles and protection and promotion of human rights as they relate to the freedom of assembly, association and expression.

  8. The MCO Troika furthermore calls for an immediate prioritisation of the enactment of the amnesty legislation by 29th February, 2012 in order to facilitate implementation of outstanding matters as per the Roadmap.

  9. The MCO Troika remains seized with complaints by some of the signatories and in particular the complaints related to the formation of the transitional government. The MCO Troika aims to resolve these issues by the 29th of February, 2012.

  10. The MCO Troika reiterated the importance of adherence to the letter and spirit of the Roadmap in its entirety. The Roadmap is the most viable instrument that can contribute towards ensuring peace, stability and democracy in Madagascar. These include the principles of consensus, integrity, impartiality and inclusivity in all actions by all the signatories. The signatories should take up their positions and fully participate in the Transitional Authority.

  11. The MCO Troika reaffirmed the significance of the Roadmap as the only mechanism to resolve the current political crisis. It re-emphasized that the Roadmap is also aimed at facilitating a process leading to the holding of free, fair, credible and transparent elections. The MCO Troika also stressed the urgency for the establishment of a credible and acceptable electoral body (CENI) that will prepare and conduct elections that is free and fair. It also noted the positive progress in this regard i.e. the recently passed legislation by parliament as well as the expert support that the UN provided in this process.

  12. The MCO Troika, after having carefully considered the current challenging political environment, implores upon all the signatories and their supporters to desist from engaging in any further decisions and activities that are designed to create division and which casts aspersions on the current SADC sponsored political process.

  13. The MCO troika furthermore makes the clarion call to all stakeholders, their supporters, civil society and the media to end the current rumour-mongering, disinformation and slandering of the Malagasy leadership deployed to lead the implementation of the Roadmap, as these actions amount to a violation of Article 22 and 23 of the Roadmap and distracts and deters these otherwise dedicated persons in helping to move Madagascar forward. Instead it calls upon all these stakeholders to positively contribute to this process by helping to create the conditons for an environment of consensual engagement, compromise, nation building and forgiveness.

  14. The MCO Troika also appeals to all political leaders of the various parties to act responsibly by providing the necessary leadership, political maturity and functional coherence in finding ways of working together during this critical period. The interests of the Malagasy nation must be placed above narrow party political,emotional,historical and individual interests.

  15. In conclusion the SADC MCO Troika will continue to remain seized with the Malagasy political process in order to ensure that there are free and fair elections and that Madagascr returns to constitutional normalcy and becomes a democratic dispensation based on the will of all the people.

26 January 2012

Pretoria


source : http://www.dfa.gov.za/docs/2012/sadc0126.html

mardi 3 janvier 2012




Hihaona tsy ho ela isika hoy ny filoha Ravalomama
2 janvier 2012


Na dia tsy afaka niara-nitsena ny taona vaovao 2012 tamin’ny vahoaka Malagasy aza ny Filoha Ravalomanana Marc, dia tsy nanadino azy tamin’ny fiarahabana sy ny firarian-tsoa. Tamin’ny alàlan’ny fidirana mivantana an-telefaonina teny amin’ny kianjan’ny Magro, ny sabotsy 31 desambra 2011 teo no nanaovany izany.

Amin’izao faran’ ny taona 2011 izao, hoy izy, dia miarahaba antsika tratran’ ny faran’ ny taona. Fotoana iray izay ahafahana ihany koa manao jery todika ny lasa sy ny hoavy izao vanim-potoana 31 desambra izao. Nandritra ny 365 andro izay, hoy izy, dia samy nanana ny andin-tsainy ny tsirairay amintsika, ny fifaliany, ny fahasahiranany. Nisy ny fitiavan-tena izay ahitana tsy fitezany koa. Fotoana fanoherana sy fandinihan-tena izao, hoy izy.

“Nandritra izay telo taona izay, raha dinihina ny fiainam-pirenentsika, dia azo lazaina ary hitan’ny vahoaka roapolo tapitrisa sy hitan’izao tontolo izao fa tsy nisy fampandrosoana vita na iray aza teto. Tsy misy tombon-tsoa ho an’ny vahoaka afa-tsy ho an’ireo vitsy dia vitsy nanararaotra ny fahasahiranan’ny Malagasy”. Ny antony, hoy izy, dia tsotra : Manandranandrana ary mitsapatsapa ny sasany, amin’izany fitondrana firenena izany. Tao mihitsy aza ny nanao “copie” na naka tahaka ny fihetsika nataoko sy ny dia izay nalehako, mba hahazoana ny fankatoavana iraisam-pirenena.Nalaina ireo olona sasany tao amin’ny Ankolafy Ravalomanana mba hahazoana izany fankatoavana iraisam-pirenena izany. Tsy nanaiky izany ny fianakaviam-be iraisam-pirenena. Mila fifampitokisana sy fahendrena, ary indrindra indrindra maodely, ny fitantanana izany firenena izany.Ilaina ny manao fihetsika maotina amin’ny vahoaka , mba hampisehoana amin’ izy ireo fa misy ny manampy sy mijery azy. Izay no antsoina hoe “leadership”, hoy Ravalomanana Marc, fa tsy izay olona miteniteny foana na olona manao fihetsika tsy mahomby sy milaza zavatra tsy marina. Matoa aho miteny an’izany dia fotoana andinihan-tena iza”.

Amin’izao fotoana itenenako izao dia sao diso ny fanantenan’ny sasany , fa ho azo izany fankatoavana iraisam-pirenena izany. Tsia, diso izany, hoy ny fanazavana. Mazava tsara ny voalazan’ny CPS fa ny fanatanterahana ny Tondro Zotra no hanesorana ny sazy ho an’i Madagasikara. Koa samia mandini-tena tsara ianareo milaza azy fa mpitondra ny firenena ireo , fa mbola tsy izy akory io. Ny tena izy, hoy Ravalomanana, dia tonga ve ny vola avy any amin’ny Vondrona Eoropeanlna hanampiana ny tantsaha ?

Nambarany ihany koa fa nanome toky ny fianakaviam-be iraisam-pirenena fa vonona hanampy an’i Madagasikara rehefa tafaverina eto an-tanindrazana ny tenany. “Ny fiverenanay izay aty ivelany, hoy izy, no vahaolana hivoahana amin’ny krizy”. Nohamafisiny fa tsy maintsy ho avy i Dada na misy aza ny “notam” ataon’ny sasany. “Ny andrasana fotsiny dia tsy maintsy mampiseho maodely izahay. Tsy atao filan-tsy mahita ny SADC fa tsy maintsy hajaina izay lazainy. Ho hitanareo, hoy izy, fa ho avy i Dada. Tsy hitondra korontana velively ny fahatongavako any fa hitondra fampandrosoana ho an’ny firenena. Mila mandini-tena isika amin’ity taona 2012 ity, satria izany olona manao sonia ny zavatra nifanekena izany dia tompon’andraikitra”.

Nambarany ihany koa fa “ity taona 2012 dia hitondra fahasalamana sy hery ary tanjaka ho antsika rehetra, indrindra indrindra fa nomen’Andriamanitra Fanahy Masina isika mba hahafahantsika mandini-tena. Mino isika, hoy Ravalomanana Marc, fa hihaona tsy ho ela”.