Madagascar’s security forces employed tear gas to dissolve a public rally organised by opposition parties this past Saturday, ahead of the much-anticipated general elections in November. According to reports reaching us at the scene, such use of force resulted in injury to former president Marc Ravalomanana amongst others.
Candidates from various opposition parties, keen on challenging incumbent President Andry Rajoelina in the forthcoming poll, had assembled peaceful demonstrations across the city of Antananarivo. The protesters accused President Rajoelina of engineering an “institutional coup” aimed at extending his reign, an allegation the presidency has yet to respond to.
This incident mirrors a similar confrontation which occurred earlier in the week, when a demonstration on Monday was met with an uncompromising security response. The police force defended its use of tear gas against protesters, justifying it as a necessary measure to reinstate public order following an unapproved protest.
“They choked us with tear gas,” Jean Brunelle, one of the presidential candidates at the frontline of the protest, was heard to say. “We were in the frontline… and they just fired just like that, without warning.”
The former president Ravalomanana, who was deposed by Rajoelina through a coup in 2009, was among those injured as police took measures to disperse the crowd consisting of several hundred demonstrators.
Another past presidential figure, Hery Rajaonarimampianina, added his commentary on the events. He revealed that the protest was orchestrated with the “same philosophy [as on Monday], that of ensuring respect for the law and democracy in a peaceful manner.”
In Madagascar, a country that suffers the unfortunate status of being among the poorest globally despite its immense natural resources, citizens are now bracing for the upcoming presidential election scheduled to take place on the 9th of November.
Global players including the European Union, the United States and countries such as Britain and France have indicated their keen interest in the events leading to the election, promising to monitor the happenings with “greatest vigilance”. The involvement of these international figures underscores the global importance of Madagascar’s chance to showcase its commitment to democratic values and peaceful political transition, as the world watches.
The events of this past week, marked by growing tensions and accusations of political foul play, cast a pall of uncertainty over the upcoming elections. The nation, and indeed the international community, looks on in anticipation for peaceful, fair and credible elections in Madagascar.
Image Credit: Olivier Lejade/Wikimedia
