The disagreement after Maputo, chronicles of a forbidden demonstration,

On Saturday, partisans from the Zafy and Ravalomanana mobilities as well as militants of the movement for the implementation of the Maputo agreements have come in significant number at around 10 am. When the crowd got judged important enough, the police forces engaged it with tear gazes. Lalatiana Ravololomanana gave the reason of her talks with colonel Richard Ravalomanana. “We called upon help to restore clam in Mahamasina “, she reported. 

This move toward the Ankadilalana state police has, somehow, surprised a little, as the demonstrators all around Mahamasina were being carelessly dispersed with tear gazes. It was, thus, a voluntary move but no convocation. Colonel Ravalomanana recalled that the police forces were there to do their job. He did not miss the occasion to slam the demonstration’s organizers who failed to join the location granted by Antananarivo’s town hall. “There has been misunderstandings on the authorization “, later justified Lalatiana Ravololomanana. 

Forbidden 

“We made a demand to organize a peaceful demonstration” emphasized Lalatiana Ravololomanana. The movement for the implementation of the Maputo agreements has, all along the week, been directing a call on the population to join the Mahamasina stadium on September 26th. “Antsonjobe does not match us, it is here in Mahamasina that we want to explain our ideas, we cannot step back”, explained Lalatiana Ravololomanana. For colonel Ravalomanana, “it is a forbidden demonstration so it is necessary to disperse it”. 

“The campaign aims at explaining the contents and the implications of the Maputo agreements to the population”, reminded Lalatiana Ravololomanana. The problem is not a matter of idea, rather more an expression issue. The authorities of the transition are accusing the three mobilities of not respecting the Maputo agreements by organizing political demonstrations anew. Paradoxically, these forbidden demonstrations are aiming at denouncing the de fact authorities led unilateral actions, and at defending the implementation of these so-called agreements. 

Errors 

The Prime minister of the Rajoelina mobility slammed the” bad faith” of the three other mobilities which turned down organizing their demonstration in Antsonjobe.  He endorsed police forces led repressions; Monja Roindefo declared that demonstrations would be allowed, when instigators would be able to perfectly master their organization. Six persons have been arrested, of whom a woman who has only risen the tone to protest against the police forces’ action. 

On the other hand, Monja Roindefo recognized the error endured by a civilian. “The incident occurred outside the peacekeeping zone and we condemn it”, he declared. Among the eight injured individuals entered at the hospital, a 45 year old woman has been hit in the foot by a genuine bullet. “It is an act of violence perpetrated by a drunken soldier who, besides, failed to respect the rules of engagement concerning the use of weapons”, explained the Prime minister. “It is an isolated act; imposing sanctions in such cases is the state’s responsibility”.