2011: Republic of transition in Madagascar

On December 11th, 2011, many Malagasy had not yet understood why were free spectacle and fireworks offered. It was the first birthday of a republic instituted by the TGV Constitution. 

It is the text of an empty, illegitimate State, deprived of institutions and sovereignty in spite of the ruling power´s led propaganda. Somehow it has recovered some substance from a roadmap held as a transitional fundamental lay by a High Constitutional Court completely bewildered since the year 2009´s putsch.   

The SADC refereeing according to the roadmap 

The SADC´s roadmap, implementation of which has been rather poorly tackled, is now held by a HCC decision as the fundamental law governing the transition. Paradoxically, its compliance with the constitution is being declared. 

The SADC´s roadmap actually respects Madagascar´s true Constitution and in no way the HAT´s unilateral law which has officially never been recognized. 

In any case, the HCC delivered message as wanted by its masters: the roadmap is not prevailing before the Constitution of the HAT´s 4th virtual Republic. The HCC strained to restore the balance anyway by specifying that only the SADC is allowed to referee in the roadmap´s implementation process. 

The debate over the SADC´s role is now opened. Andry Rajoelina has so far succeeded in implementing the roadmap his way: he enlarged his institutions, included the opposition to a certain extent, and took the necessary steps to keep undisputed control. 

Inclusiveness might have been a first step, the opposition keeps on denouncing the lack of the most relevant ingredient though, namely national unity. The national unity government and the transitional parliament´s composition were rigged for the sake of reducing the opposition´s relevance to a wee bit more than nothing. 

The other spheres launch resistance 

« We are not intending to play any second role « , protested Mamy Rakotoarivelo from the Ravalomanana sphere. « The implementation of the roadmap doesn’t run the way it should « , he denounced. 

The President´s group is expecting to give a boost to the true implementation of the roadmap from within the transitional parliament. « Political and social appeasement, the release of political prisoners and the return of political exiled figures seem to be forgotten as a matter of fact « . 

The Ravalomanana sphere is calling upon the SADC´s arbitration in face of the HAT´s led violation of the roadmap. « We are waiting for a troika failing to respond to some questions. Is it a conscious maneuver of a way to skirt around responsibilities? « , asked Mamy Rakotoarivelo. 

The Ravalomanana sphere´s led resistance is intending to trouble the Rajoelina sphere from within the transitional institutions. » We won’t tolerate any unilateral policy « , that is the motto 

Pending withdrawal from the government or from the transitional parliament doesn’t move a HAT seemingly holding international recognition for granted, thanks to the legitimacy collected from the opposition. The next stage of the implementation of the roadmap will be the extension of the electoral commission instituted the HAT. 

Soon any 5th Republic? 

Madagascar is bound to enjoy one more year of crisis. Andry Rajoelina and his sphere are firmly intending use some of the roadmap´s articles and reinforce their grip on power. Confusion between the transition and the fictional 4th Republic is deemed to remain up to any next 5th Republic. 

The present constitution was conceived by and for Andry Rajoelina and his TGV party whose electoral success amounts to a  mayor and some municipal advisers countrywide. A republican, neutral, democratic and long term constitution is nowhere near for a real democracy ruling the country