In Geneva Switzerland, the HAT is crucified by the Human Rights’ Council

The Ravalomanana mobility’s delegation wanted the periodic assessment of Madagascar’s human rights’ situation to be called off at the time of the 7th session ending on Wednesday February 17th in Geneva. It was keen on denying the Rajoelina team any opportunity to claim any shadow of international recognition. However, the Human Rights’ Council members decided to take advantage of this tribune to address the HAT Justice minister, Christine Razanamahasoa, face to face, as she was part of the delegation. 

The HAT won political recognition from rows of empty chairs, namely those of all African nations, and had to face up to a hostile wall of questions from those who deigned to show up. The HAT has successively been blamed for the non respect of the Maputo agreements, for series of on going violations of human rights since the putsch of last year’s March ( arbitrary arrests, freedom of speech and contestation denial, tortures, abductions, and so on…). 24 countries went on with their questions one after the other. No less than 75 recommendations have been stated. 

As an example, according to Melanie Hopkins, the United Kingdom’s representative, « Madagascar’s so far positive human rights balance sheet has been dramatically upset. The United Kingdom deplores that the HAT deliberately failed to comply with the agreements which it signed in Maputo and Addis-Ababa, though they are constituting a valid solution frameword in the resolution of the crisis ». 

According to… France… » warrantless arrests and subsequent use of excessive police violence keep happening. « . Mr. Emmanuel Pineda, France’s representative asked the regime for its intended actions to do so that « nobody be no more arrested and charged for having pacifically used freedoms of speech, contestation and gathering » 

Mrs. Razanamahasoa tried to respond as well as possible while « noticing all recommendations ». Concerning the arrests, she answered that « three journalists in all have been arrested and indicted with common right charges… « . « The detainees who happen to be challenging the HAT have been convicted for common right crimes…  » But she refrained from expressing views about the Maputo agreements’ issue. 

Let it be reminded that all of the member states have congratulated all of the Ravalomanana governments’ efforts completed to serve the respect of human rights before 2009, namely the ratification of all human rights protective international texts, the completed progress in the respect of women and children’s rights, as well as the respect of democracy and the good governance. 

Outside of the UN facility, about a hundred GTT representatives were demonstrating, asking for the putsch’s regime to step down, or to be brought down.