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Antananarivo (Agenzia Fides) – Madagascar's suspension from the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) does not seem to be cause for concern among the island's new leaders. “Andry Rajoelina, President of the Transition Government, declared that Madagascar's participation in the SADC was mainly a concern for a local firm, implying that it is the group “TICO” of former President Marc Ravalomanana, and therefore, as far as he is concerned, the country's suspension from the organization will not be of great consequence for the national economy. Rajoelina added that he hopes to discuss the participation in the SADC with other national firms,” Agenzia Fides was told by sources at Radio Don Bosco in Antananarivo.
“The extraordinary summit suspends Madagascar from all community institutions and organs until the return of the country to constitutional order," declared SADC Secretary Tomaz Salomano, expressing his hope that power on the island will return to the elected President Marc Ravalomanana. Just hours beforehand, the SADC leaders at the Summit in Mbabane (capital of Swaziland) called Rajoelina's rise to power “unacceptable” (see Fides 30/3/2009).
The economy is one of the main themes for understanding the crisis in Madagascar. The opposition, which is now governing the country, protested against the concessions made to several foreign firms during Ravalomanana's presidency. Rajoelina has called for a revision of the contracts that had been made by the former administration with various foreign groups. Among these are several working on exploitation of ilmenite (used in plastics and paints), as well as nickel, cobalt, and carbon deposits.
On an economic level, the strikes held by the opposition against the new government do not seem to have had a large participation. “The majority of the state employees went to work, the Ministries and other public offices remained open, and the majority of the students attended classes,” Fides' sources observed. “Rajoelina's opponents continue meeting in Democracy Square, which was inaugurated just a few days ago by Rajoelina himself, when he was Mayor of Antananarivo. However, there have not been any serious incidents, as there had been in the past when police fired on demonstrators, wounding thirty people.” Today, March 31, Rajoelina will reveal the names of the members of the Transitional Government.
On March 27, the Catholic Bishops issued a statement affirming that they no longer continue in their role of mediators, which had been entrusted to Archbishop Odon Marie Arsène Razanakolona of Antananarivo, and proposed a reflection on the issues that should be addressed by the transitional government. The Bishops highlighted the need to revise the Constitution, especially in what concerns that attributes and powers of the President, and the adoption of a new electoral law. They also advise Rajoelina not to run as a candidate in the next presidential elections. (LM) (Agenzia Fides 31/3/2009)
