An army policing in the streets as well as in politics

The police forces’ senior officials presented their assessment with some satisfaction and without concealing the blunders in the operation supposed to secure the city of Antananarivo and its surrounding areas from March 28th to April 2nd, 2012. 1584 police, national police and army men were deployed. Some 8,000 tests were conducted.
The police forces recorded 824 offenses, fifty of which involving drunken drivers dangerously playing with the steering wheel. 406 arrests were completed. The point of the report produced by General Richard Ravalomanana, commander of the Emmo Reg squad must have been the way to deter criminals from arguing with the armed forces determined to deal with any of them as they would with enemies. To such an end, 8 thwarted attempted robberies were reported.
The current defense minister acknowledged though, that there was a flaw behind this report. “The system is not properly synchronized since there are people who do not take their responsibility,” declared General Lucien Rakotoarimasy. He subsequently rejects the rumors of armed forces arguably pulling out of from security operations.
The armed forces are moreover more that concerned. A constantly pending mutiny of soldiers and police forces and the recent murder of a state police’s commander are darkening the horizon.

The big green machine engulfed in political muddle
The triple homicide against General Ramananarivo’s family definitely stirred tensions up. The fact that documents proved to be more interesting for the raiders rather than money is massively pointing at a politically motivated crime. In 2006, General Claude Ramananarivo was in command of the squadron which thwarted plans made by a group of militaries to shoot the presidential aircraft in 2006. The putsch makers led by general Andrianafidisoa were arrested, convicted and imprisoned in Tsiafahy. Regarded as political prisoners, they were released and rehabilitated by Andry Rajoelina after the second putsch in 2009.
Shortly before the eviction of President Ravalomanana, senior military officers gave a warning to him as well as to the mayor of Antananarivo who was trying to bring him down. They had to reach a solution, otherwise, these officers including General Claude Ramananarivo would “take their responsibility.” So was the idea of a potential military board of directors born.
When President Ravalomanana left them the responsibility of installing the military board, the four stars declined, under the threat of the putsch leading squad led by a certain Charles Randrianasoavina. As one of the military board’s member, General Ramananarivo was the Episcopate in Antanimena coup when the Rajoelina supportive rebels attacked in March 2009.
Just like every general who was not supporting the TGV, Ramananarivo Claude was sent to retirement in December 2009. Would he have won some state secrets in his grave? The very same Lieutenant Colonel Charles Randrianasoavina attempted to reveal inconvenient secrets, but proved to be luckier than him. He was condemned to a life sentence while being on holidays in a hospital abroad.