Violence in Antananarivo: the condemnation before the lawsuit

As comics’ bad boys, five collaborators of Marc Ravalomanana are henceforth in the High Authority of Transition’s sight. Their names and photos are spread in broad daylight, in newspapers’ front pages. 

It is a real condemnation before the lawsuit for Raharinaivo Andrianantoandro, former deputy and ex-president of the TIM party, Andry Ralijaona, ex Chief of Staff of the MAP, within the presidency of Republic, Mejamirado Razafinihary, ex-minister, Henri Rabesahala, presidency’s Good Governance watchdog, and Henri Razakariasy, former Secretary General of the Finance Ministry, and minister of the same department in the Manandafy Rakotonirina government.  

These five former collaborators with the president in exile are presented by the interior security minister, Organès Rakotomihantarizaka, as being the main brains behind the bomb attempts projects and the recent raid on Viva Channel’s headquarters, belonging to the HAT’s president. The raid made a couple of dead.  

As a matter of fact, the concerned individuals denied their involvement in the violence that shook the capital city.  

In the same way, the legalistic movement leaders, in favour of Marc Ravalomanana, were keen on specifying that the president’s partisans opted for pacific demonstrations. They even condemned the violence in the capital city, while recalling that they were also victims. Because, in the night of July 18th, armed soldiers wrecked havoc in the demonstration place, in Magro Ankorondrano, requisitioning chairs, burning streamers and posters of the president.  

To show their innocence, Raharinaivo Andrianantoandro and Mejamirdo announced on the day after the Interior security minister’s statement, that they would surrender to the authorities.  

The spot gets tightened for the leaders of the legalistic movement. An increasing number of them have to spend time behind bars. Others have been on the run for months. And the crisis goes on.  

Putting forth that violence is unacceptable, the HAT decided to boycott the negotiations in Addis-Ababa, programmed on July 22nd. An attitude that will only complicate the situation. Any possible compromise within the next weeks would just be utopia.