Armed forces: two commanders defending a fragile unity

“We confirm that the armed forces are united under a single one command, that of Brigadier General André Ndriarijaona, joint chief of headquarters, and that of Brigadier General Bruno Razafindrakoto, chief of the national state police “. Both commanders broke the silence following the declarations produced by the “heroes” of the political takeover of March 2009, and by the latest other hero who defended the old politician Manandafy Rakotonirina against the formers’ wrath. 

The sanctions announced by the defence secretary against lt colonels René Lylson, Charles Andrianasoavina, and against the other “young officers” of the presidential security have been confirmed but not unveiled. One pro-Ravalomanana officer, the first to be punished had banned from accessing any military facility. Though both mutinous officers are now working more in an office than in military barracks as chiefs of the CNME, the GESTAPO like political police in charge of the manhunt after president Ravalomanana’s supporters. 

Commander Roger Luc is also punished. He replied to the presidency’s officers who tried to press politicians to leave the sovereignty ministries to Andry Rajoelina. Are we in for roars, challenges and threats? Both armed forces’ leaders are keen on restoring order in the ranks. “There is only a supreme chief of the armed forces, and it is president Andry Rajoelina”, read their statement, in reference to the Malagasy transition’s charter’s additional act  signed in Addis Ababa, which more or less confirmed the author of the putsch, with the help of an army’s fringe, as  joint chief of state 

Both armed forces’ leaders, then, tried to justify their involvement in the Coup against the elected President: “the army had to be turned back into a mean of protection of the people’s life, and not a mean of repression “. Generals Ndriarijaona and Razafindrakoto “regretted” that “police forces could not achieve their duty to the people for being retained in the main cities to insure public order”. So are they excusing the State’s impotence in face of the outbreak of a criminal pandemic in rural areas.  

Both army chiefs are also keen on disarming the new Co Leaders through their bodyguards. The new state officials are being informed that only state authorized soldiers are, from now on, allowed to insure their security. Mahazoarivo’s security battalion provides bodyguards to ministers. The presidential security’s direction is supposed to insure the Co Presidents’ protection. In regards of the military involvement in political conflicts, this measure is not exactly welcome in this crisis of…confidence. 

In any case, generals Ndriarijaona and Razafindrakoto ordered soldiers with “other jobs” to join their basic barracks and to give weapons back. Nobody is allowed to get away with it, could there be any breach of in force rules. In spite of a message of unity, the psychosis of the army’s division remains very lively. These bodyguards could eventually defect, take away their weapons and, by so doing, create a potential danger for the armed forces. The rub is that both of the current armed forces’ chiefs did exactly the same thing as taking part into the mutiny, and into the Coup which paved the way to power for Andry Rajoelina.