May’s elections: the scepticism within the HAT

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Roland Ratsiraka is, at least, right on one point: the transitional authorities’ time is going by very fast, could May 2010 be retained as their elections’ date. The three months’ deadline is almost over. But nothing is yet to be held for granted since the HAT has previously well created surprises through its express orders. « I get no sign from the Home Affairs ministry », worried the vice-president of the HAT to a brunch of reporter. On this account, Andry Rajoelina’s propaganda service created this sign. The HAT deputy Prime minister Cécile Manorohanta has been invited to provide insurances in face of the growing concerns over the preparations and the National Independent Electoral Commission’s settlement.  

THere’s been nothing tangible but lots of good will statements, as usual. The ID card operation is moving forward, even though the foolish ambition of setting biometric cards in a world record time has been dropped. Three months away from elections sharply opposed by the three other mobilities and by the international community, the unique ballot issue is being addressed. « Mrs. minister, we are ready to run the elections, so when shall you show us any of them? », challenged Roland Ratsiraka. The president of the MTS party reminded that technical details were requiring time, an increasingly seldom commodity. In the end, he definitely expressed his doubts on May 2010’s realism as election period.  

Further more issues have been addressed by Roland Ratsiraka who did not go easy with the transitional authorities. He asked the government, namely the Interior ministry for account concerning the CENI settlement. Even the HAT members are quite nervous on this crucial point supposed to be these unilateral elections’ key of legitimacy. The vice-president representing Toamasina expressed his interrogations about the settlement process itself… « Who will be its members? He is not yet too late to call upon the other mobilities’ involvement in the organization of these elections « , argued Roland Ratsiraka. The call might fall in a deaf ear though, since the Madagasikara mobility, uniting the partisans of Ravalomanana, Zafy and Ratsiraka definitely denied recognition to an electoral operation basically aiming at strengthening the dictating authorities.  

« Only elections can clearly display Madagascar’s leading mobilities « . Roland Ratsiraka is anxious to demonstrate that the international Contact Group is having it all wrong when straining to impose its inclusive and consensual Transition. Then he pressured the HAT leader to enact an amnesty law. « There are politicians and militaries indicted in relation to cases of the years 2002, 2006, 2007, 2008 and even 2009 who are longing to run the elections », entrusted the admiral’s nephew. The single adversary feared by Roland Ratsiraka is, what a coincidence, the latest ousted president. He called upon the HAT to concentrate its diplomatic efforts on « the important international institutions as the United Nations and the European union », while voluntarily dropping the African Union off the list for its alleged inclination to support the elected but ousted president. « Imposing us the reinsertion of Marc Ravalomanana in the national reconciliation process and in the 4th Republic’s creation process is nearly an insult to the Malagasy people « , revolted Roland Ratsiraka. The HAT politicians and allies are increasingly turning into B series extremists lurking behind a controversial notion of « people », aren’t they?