Ivato base´s mutiny: ultimate negotiation round before the assault

November 19th 2010, 10:00 am, Ivato is being put under siege by the HAT and its soldiers. Cars are meeting checkpoints. General Andre Ndriarijaona`s white 4WD reached the scene. The general chief of staff´s presence is confirming the supposed on going negotiations prior to a likely assault. Will he find the words to convince his brothers in arms, with whom he reversed a legally and worldwide recognized democratically elected president to the advantage of that time´s mayor of Antananarivo, not to re enact a remake?

On Thursday, one day after the breaking news announcement of the suspension of the HAT structure by a military committee, officers and generals confirmed their projects with details. “we are craving for what is good for the armed forces and the Malagasy nation”, stated Lt Colonel Charles Andrianasoavina. The rebels´ displayed intentions are about the restoration of national reconciliation by drawing a single political sphere´s undisputed rule.

The military committee would put the main political actors on the same equal footing for the sake of reconciliation prior to elections. The Ivato base camp movement is being supported by officers affiliated to the former Presidents and pledged by the HAT´s former Prime Minister previously kicked out of the game.

On Wednesday evening, the HAT´s prime minister and army general promised severe sanctions to merely 20 officers according to his allegations. Andry Rajoelina, the dictatorial power´s leader, denounced an attempt to thwart the referendum, and replied to Colonel Charles´ statements this way: “I was empowered by the people´s courage”, emphatically pretending that the year 2009´s coup was a civilian and no military success.

In May 2010, colonel Richard Ravalomanana´s EMMO REG and Lt Colonel Rene Lylson´s FIS launched an “assault” on the FIGN base camp. Colonel Raymond Andrianjafy and his men secured the clerical movement´s worshipping ceremony in Andrainarivo. After some hours long deterrent gunfire, the real shoot outs started, in the run of which a parson affiliated to the opposition was shot in the back.

Colonel Ravalomanana denied having played a negotiator´s role in the run of this second mutiny. According to the commander of Analamanga´s National State Police services, the issue is originating from the army, and subsequently confirmed that the  state police was holding the airbase and the airport under siege