Washington, DC — Madagascar's Prime Minister, Tantely Andrianarivo, has condemned opposition leader Marc Ravalomanana's threat, Wednesday, to seize power, describing it as a "projected coup d'Etat". In a communique on Thursday, Andrianarivo called on the population to remain calm but warned that "all legal means will be deployed to safeguard the country's sovereignty and public order".
President Didier Ratsiraka has not reacted to Ravalomanana's statement, in which he told supporters at a rally in the capital, Antananarivo, that it was time to take over the government and that he would hold an 'inauguration' ceremony on Friday at the Mahamasina Stadium, where independence from France was proclaimed in 1960.
Since early January, large-scale public protests in support of opposition claims of election fraud by the government have been daily occurrences in the capital and many towns across the country. The demonstrations have drawn hundreds of thousands into the streets, in a nation with a population of about 15 million people.
The government has stopped short of specifying how it intends to stop Ravalomanana from proclaiming himself President. "If I told you now what the government and security forces are thinking of doing, the others might react," said the Prime Minister, reiterating that the security forces were on the government's side.
That view is contradicted by Ravalomanana who assured supporters that the army would not interfere in the crisis, a statement apparently confirmed by the Defence Minister who said the military were "neutral and loyal". In a message to the army, Ravalomanana said: "I am not asking you descend on May 13 Square, but I implore you to protect the people."
However, Midi Madagasikara, a large-circulation French-language newspaper that favours the opposition, said on Thursday that the government is mobilising the army. A meeting for instructing generals and colonels was called as early as Tuesday night, says the paper, which also reports that the army began dusting off some of its old vehicles.
"Leaders of the Ampahibe regiment," says Midi Madagasikara, "received orders to roll out the old armoured vehicles and to prepare them for a forthcoming campaign... According to military sources, the mobilisation of these regiments no longer falls within the competence of the military hierarchy. It is a power that now accrues to the political authorities," the paper added.
As both sides continue to gear up for a showdown on Friday, Ravalomanana is adamant that the government is illegitimate on the grounds that it cheated him out of victory in the December 16 vote. He claims to have won the poll outright, but a court has ruled that he failed to reach the required number of votes and that a second round of voting is necessary.
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In OAU-brokered talks, Ravalomanana appeared on Tuesday to have agreed to a compromise decision to delay the second round of the vote by one month. By subsequently announcing his intention to seize power, however, the opposition leader appears to have reneged on that agreement. The government, for its part, has officially announced the delayed second round.
Ravalomanana may feel that any criticism over his repudiation of the compromise agreement is overcome by a larger claim. In answer to OAU Secretary General Amara Essy, who said last week that the opposition "needs to establish a link between legality and legitimacy", Ravalomanana declared: "the legality of this country is being scorned; the Malagasies have the right to install a legitimacy of their own choice."
