The army claims its unity in favour of the Rajoelina transition and against Ravalomanana

Amnesty, the word frightens the military and politician camp which holds the real power in the transition’s regime. There won’t be any general amnesty from scratch since discussions are to be held on two stages: first, the great pardon for the 2002 political crisis related events and facts, then, the same for those of 2009. 

According to Didier Ratsiraka, the question is judicial. The admiral yearns for concemnation cancellations for himself and his partisans. The other mobilities agreed. On the Ravalomanana case, Andry Rajoelina doesn’t want to give up such a judicial weapon even though the accusations against the elected president remain all political apart from the presidential plane case.  “The discussions stall on the question of president Ravalomanana’s return in the country “, said Andry Rajoelina following discussions of Maputo. 

The former rebels and current officials in charge of the army, keep the pressure up on the one that they put in power. Andry Rajoelina is asked to stand against any agreement or convention that would allow the elected president’s return in the country, either as chief of state or as simple citizen. 

The headquarters’ chief, colonel Ndriarijaona André, emphasized what has been qualified as half military half civilian putsch was a responsible action from the armed forces for the restoration of order and security. He is using the same pretext to announce that the political resolutions of Maputo, even in case of charter signature, won’t be accepted by the army if they don’t match the “people’s expectations”. 

Although, Colonel Ndriarijaona is denying the political engagement of a part of the army and firmly berates those who still express their loyalty to the elected president. He is denying any division of the army, following general Rasolomahandry’s statements, according to which the large majority of the army regrets the military involvement in the putsch of latest March. The CEMGAM emphasizes that there is only one command and that only this command gives the orders. 

This threat from current army commanders would justify Marc Ravalomanana’s project to resort to foreign professionals to insure his security in case of return in the country. In Maputo, the president doesn’t presently care much about the army’s warning. His delegation chief in Madagascar, however, denounced the early unproductive pressures over negotiation. According to Fetison Andrianirina, “the army must not interfere in political matters”.