The transition’s military inclination is coming forth with a vice admiral at the Foreign Office

March 17th, 2009, the military board of directors made of three high ranked army officers is held at gunpoint by musclemen loyal to the HAT, that time’s insurgent authority. Surrounded by Capsat elements as well as other mutinous officers, they have been invited to transfer the power freshly lost by the elected president Marc Ravalomanana. Hyppolite Ramaroson was supposed to have the highest rank, even if the point was briefly challenged. The debate does no more make any sense now since the navy officer has been promoted Vice Admiral by Andry Rajoelina.  

This promotion in the Ravalomanana regime’s former minister’s career is not a simple reward. Hyppolite Ramaroson served Andry Rajoelina i a good stead as political argument in his vehement defence of « his » vision of « reality ». Pleading for a putsch which is definitely a putsch is, however, proving very hard. In a full year on top of his authorities, the former mayor of Antananarivo city has failed to convince anyone from the international community. One month away to the ICG ultimatum, and to the likely resumption of the Maputo Charter’s based process, he is putting his latest card up his sleeve on the canvas, by appointing one of the single day old military dictatorship at the Foreign Office.  

Hyppolite Ramaroson seems to be the best figure in the suit of the man who can confirm worldwide that Marc Ravalomanana’s power transfer to Andry Rajoelina was legal. Unfortunately, the brutal Capsat led operation in Antanimena and the young self proclaimed chief of state’s fierce declarations against the international community’s representatives in March 2009 are in to go down in history. The strategy is simple: despite the apparent brutality displayed by the hostage taking having targeted three generals and one cleric, power transfer to that time’s mayor of Antananarivo has not been enforced. The transfer’s legality has been subsequently freely validated by a High Constitutional Court, despite « superficial » evidences of terror. The attempt is not the month’s scoop since Hyppolite Ramaroson has been required time and time again by Andry Rajoelina to repeat the same story to the international community without much success.  

Andry Rajoelina is compelled to make a breakthrough with his power’s so named legality in order to avoid an uncomfortable national unity government. Does the Vice-admiral stand any better chances to convince as Foreign Office’s boss? The bet is desperate and risky. Such an appointment is, on the contrary, increasing suspicion against a HAT longing for a military government for its interests’ defence, although having army officers in a Malagasy government is not really unprecedented. Marc Ravalomanana’s presidency itself had a chief of government and a foreign office minister in uniforms. Andry Rajoelina would have had to reintegrate some of the previous Rabemananjara government’s ministers in order to shape up a shadow of transitional unity government, with the retired general Marcel Ranjeva at the Foreign Office’s helm.