Madagascar-O.A.U: the « coup d’état » of Addis Ababa

OAU has 52 member countries left since Morocco?s withdrawal from the union.
Its Central Committee, made up of 17 ministers, is designed to prevent, manage, and regulate conflicts.
Last Friday, the Central Committee met in Addis Ababa in the presence of former Malagasy President Didier Ratsiraka, despite the fact that he is considered a terrorist in his country, and has been condemned, time and time again, by the International Community.
With the official backing of France, the former colonial super power, the participants decided to temporarily suspend Madagascar?s membership to the African Organization.
They refused to acknowledge President-elect Marc Ravalomanana, until new elections are held.

In Madagascar, the demand for new elections is viewed as a veiled attempt at a ?coup d?état?.
The Malagasy people listened in dismay, and disbelief to the radio broadcasting of this resolution.
A journalist wondered to himself: ?I guess they want Ratsiraka back in power, don?t they??

Germain Rakotonirainy, one of the major voices in Malagasy Politics, thinks that the African heads of state have obviously listened well to Didier Ratsiraka?s message which was rebroadcast by two major French Television networks shortly before the Addis Ababa meeting went into session.
He called to them to defend their power by uniting against the Malagasy people?s uprising.
Germain Rakotonirainy specifically mentioned:
?Every single one of these African presidents have acceded to power through dubious means?.

The sham of a pseudo-ethnic war

The OAU summit took place as a result of a French-speaking media information blitz aimed at demonstrating that Madagascar is in the midst of a civil war and that the two heads of state are locking horns to the detriment of the Malagasy people.
Secession rumors spread like a wild fire, while a military campaign, fully backed by the local population, and
aimed at liberating the cities and provinces held hostage by pro-Ratsiraka governors was underway.
Everywhere you go in the country, it is obvious that the population stands steadfastly behind their new leader.
Although the crisis has hurt the Malagasy people in ways one could never imagine, they stoically stand united behind the only true hope they have for ending the reign of corruption, nepotism, and terror which they have endured during the former regime.

Should Madagascar withdraw from OAU ?

The OAU charters indicate that one of its objectives is to ?defend the sovereignty, the territorial integrity, and the independence? of member states.
For the Malagasy people, OAU?s latest resolution blatantly violates all of these three principles.
It infringes on the country?s sovereignty by seeking to overturn the high court decision confirming the election of Marc Ravalomanana as head of state.
It breaches the country?s territorial integrity by encouraging pro-Ratsiraka supporters to resume their secession efforts, and by returning Ratsiraka to Toamasina as a winner following the summit.
It is an affront against the country?s independence because it empowers France to orchestrate all of OAU?s moves.

The sharpest criticisms of the new president emanate from France.
The mercenaries came from France.
Didier Ratsiraka took refuge in France.
Last but not least, France is the only country who immediately applauded the OAU resolution.
Simply put, if it walks like a duck, and it quacks like a duck, it more than likely is a duck.

If the United Nations and the international community go along with this resolution, it would mean that, in Africa, a few heads of state can easily do away with a former colony?s democratically elected government.

For Madagascar, it would mean many more months of hardship, a general economic embargo which will be a lot worse than the barricades erected by the former dictator.
Should the abandoned Malagasy people simply accept the harsh and unilateral dictates which France is trying to ram down their throat?

Democracy?
What kind of Democracy?

The members of OAU?s Central Committee in charge of preventing, managing and regulating conflicts are:
South Africa, Cameroon, Congo, Egypt, Erythrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Libya, Lesotho, Mali, Namibia, Senegal, Tanzania, Togo, and Zambia.

Egypt has been in a state of emergency for the last twenty years.
Togo?s President Eyadéma is the leader who holds the record for being the longest in power (since 1967).
According to Amnesty International, Togo?s latest elections took the lives of hundreds of militants.
The Togolese opposition leader is still in prison.

Many of the heads of state who were physically present at the summit are French-speakers, and they have very close economic ties with France.
Many of them impose censorship on their media.
Every single one of them hopes to be re-elected in their respective country.
It is not surprising at all that these heads of state would try to shield one another?s interests.
After all, they came from the same corrupted mold.

This is why it should come as no surprise that Marc Ravalomanana, an atypical African President, a maverick politician, in his own right, does not think he should have to answer to them.
Why indeed, should he?

Translated by Jeanne Françoise Razanamiadana