Madagascar:The president of Madagascar remained holed up in a palace south of the capital on Tuesday as members of the country's military stormed his home in Antananarivo and overran it. Soldiers are shown taking positions on the streets of Madagascar's capital, Antananarivo, on Monday night.
Soldiers are shown taking positions on the streets of Madagascar's capital, Antananarivo, on Monday night.
The military took over President Marc Ravalomanana's primary palace in Antananarivo, the capital, about 1800hrs on Monday, intensifying turmoil over whether he stays in office, a government worker told CNN.
"The president is still at the palace ... which is south of the capital," said his spokesman, Andry Ralijaona. "There is a crowd that spontaneously (has) come to protect the palace and also to intimidate the military from any attempt of violent action against the president."
Ravalomanana pledged on Sunday that he would remain in office despite fierce opposition, and he urged the military not to intervene.
"I am aware of the feelings of anxiety that you feel in the face of intentions to seize power by force," Ravalomanana told a crowd gathered at the president's palace in Lavoloha on Sunday, according to a statement issued by his office. He pledged to "remain faithful to the people and never leave her alone." Video Watch more from iReporters and Twitterers on the crisis »
The president has offered to organize a referendum if that would help solve the crisis, but the opposition has rejected it.
"There is clear talk between the military that stay in the legal line and those that have been manipulated and showed themselves as being part of the opposition," Ralijaona said. "Right now the hope lies in trying to make those people reasonable."
The country was plunged into political instability in January after thousands of people took to the streets to protest rising food prices and what they perceived as autocratic behavior by Ravalomanana. Among the protesters' grievances was a report that the president bought a $60 million airplane in poverty-stricken Madagascar, where the World Bank estimates the average annual income at $320.
The protests were led by opposition leader Andry Rajoelina, and they soon degenerated into rioting and looting.
A week of violence left about 100 people dead, and Rajoelina declared that he was in charge of the country. He gave Ravalomanana until early February to step down.
The president responded by firing Rajoelina as mayor of the capital, prompting the latter's supporters to once again descend on the streets. More deadly violence followed
Comments
0 comment