Must we fear the new task force of the HAT?

It is the pride of the transition government, the Special Task force or FIS, as called locally, has been officially presented during the parade of June 26th. Commanders Charles and Lilson’s FIS has anything of an anti-riot company. It is still a squadron which, instead of a “track and arrest cell” became a strike force. The black uniform and the hood on the face recall more a dreadful repressive hammer for politicians than a solid protective anvil. FIS has been provided with brand new vehicles, those specially imported to welcome the Summit of the African Union. 

For the state police commander Lilson René and army CAPSAT regiment’s Charles Randrianasoavina, it is nearly a medal for due services from the HAT. Having played a major role in an army faction’s “mutiny” and in the political ousting by Andry Rajoelina on March 17th, 2009, both officers have thereafter been working as sword and ax for the transition power, visible in action during demonstrations to dissuade the legalistic leaders or to make some commando operations at the time of an arrest. 

After many pranks in the medias, the one who toughly arrested the legalistic Prime Minister Manandafy Rakotonirinas withered from screens for a while. Commander Charles comes back with FIS, leaving the CNME behind for good. He explained that his mission is to assume the common command with Lilson of a task force in charge of the fight against terrorism and of the tracking of hidden suspects. 

The mist still remains though. First, is FIS supposed to track the HAT’s political enemies under an arrest warrant? The most troubling is the fact that this new entity is going to replace the Emmo, the operational mixed command made of soldiers, policemen and state policemen in case of riots. 

The CNME or mixed national commission of investigation has been elected to inquire those facts in the political crisis. After many arrests of parliamentarians and politicians, commanders Charles and Lilson’s squadron has been criticized briskly for non respect of human rights as well as for politicized police activity. 

Commander Lilson replies up to teaching Amnesty International and the United States to clear the log off their eyes first, mentioning the Guantanamo case or the punitive Israeli army expeditions on the Palestinian territories! In any case, the CNME won’t survive to the government of transition. Under pressure from all sides, the political police is likely to be dissolved by the HAT earlier than expected.