Summit Calls for ‘Inclusive’ Roadmap for Madagascar

Catherine Sasman

23 May 2011

THE SADC Extraordinary Summit said a meeting with all Malagasy stakeholders must be held at the SADC Headquarters in Gabarone, Botswana, “as soon as possible” to ensure an all-inclusive political process to end the impasse in that country.

The summit mandated the SADC Chairperson President Hifikepunye Pohamba, chairperson of the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation, Zambian President Rupiah Banda, and the SADC mediator, former Mozambican President Joaquin Chissano, to call the meeting.

The SADC roadmap on Madagascar leading to elections in that country after an illegal power take-over in a coup d’etat, was heavily criticised by three major political movements and civil society groups as not being inclusive enough and giving too much power to the de facto government under coup leader Andry Rajoelina.

On Friday at Safari Motel where the summit was underway, the Ravalomanana Movement of ousted leader Marc Ravalomanana reiterated their plea for SADC to reconsider the roadmap.

In a statement by Ravalomanana read out by Chief of Staff of the movement, Henri Ranaivoson, the group asked that the summit deliberations help restore the country to a consensual, inclusive and transparent constitutional state.

“The situation in Madagascar is absolutely critical. There is no rule of law, There is widespread detention without trial. Malagasy citizens are being tortured. There is no media freedom,” said Ranaivoson.

Ravalomanana charged that the illegal regime has destroyed the economy of the country while Malagasy people are starving, saying that the situation in the country has become “very dangerous” as the de facto government is attempting to crush the popular uprising.

Human rights lawyer, Bakoly Razaiarisolo, charged that seven people had been arrested since Wednesday for expressing their opinion on the situation in Madagascar.

“The roadmap must be changed to install a real solution,” Razaiarisolo insisted.

The Ravalomanana group said the Malagasy people have a right to choose their leaders from all candidates in a free and fair, and internationally supervised election.

Assistant to Ravalomanana, Olivier Andriansarisoa, said Ravalomanana should be allowed to participate as candidate in such an election as the constitution allows for three presidential terms.

According to the roadmap, Ravalomanana was excluded from participation as candidate, and would only be allowed back into Madagascar once his safety could be ensured after the election.

The group went on to say that the broader international community should actively support SADC’s mandate to negotiate a political solution, and that the international community should continue to impose and extend sanctions on the de facto regime until the political crisis is resolved and Madagascar returned to democracy and constitutional normalcy.

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