Madagascan protesters resume election action
Hundreds of Madagascan opposition supporters returned to the streets on Monday to protest against the president and a deadly crackdown by security forces on a demonstration against the government.
Two people were killed and at least 16 wounded at protests in Antananarivo on Saturday that President Hery Rajaonarimampianina denounced as an attempted coup.
As on Sunday, security forces banned access to the May 13 square in the city centre during the morning before withdrawing to allow the protesters to gather peacefully.
“To avoid violent clashes, which could cause great damage between Madagascans, we chose to leave the place we had previously protected,” Defence Minister Beni Xavier Rasolofonirina said.
But he warned the protesters that the police would not “accept any state institution established outside the election process, because that is what is consistent with the constitution”.
The demonstrators have been protesting against new electoral laws that the opposition claims could bar some candidates from standing in upcoming presidential elections.
The island is due to hold polls in late November or December.
Authorities had declared the Saturday protest illegal, but about 1,000 opposition activists defied the order and security forces used tear gas to break up the crowds.
Elected in 2013, Rajaonarimampianina has not yet said whether he will stand for reelection. But two former heads of state have mooted runs: Marc Ravalomanana and Andry Rajoelina, who removed Ravalomanana in a coup. Both were barred from running in 2013 and their parties have been involved in the protests.
“I call on all the people of Madagascar to be calm and respect democracy, but what happened on Saturday is nothing but a coup,” Rajaonarimampianina said on Sunday.
The EU mission in Madagascar called on political actors to exercise restraint and expressed its support for “credible, transparent and inclusive presidential elections in 2018”.
AU representative in Madagascar Ahmed Youssouf Hawa also called for calm, restraint and accountability.