The former army Chief of headquarters is extolling talks to end the crisis

He has been involuntarily “exiled” for still unclear motives. The former army chief of headquarters has been retained abroad after his participation as “consultant and military expert” in the second summit of Maputo.  

General Rasolomahandry had to specify that exile is far from comfortable. Hence was that one more reason to support the rights of all Malagasy, without mentioning any name, and to live in his homeland. He specified that “Madagascar belongs to all Madagascans “. 

After the Maputo summit, rumours of arrests actually compelled general Rasolomahandry to remain abroad. Here he is back, a couple of weeks after the Maputo political meeting which failed to reach a consensus between the four mobilities starring in the Malagasy crisis. 

Some close collaborators of the High Authority of Transition are considering him as being a pro-Ravalomanana officer. His negotiated return can be seen as a will to have a lull within the deeply divided armed forces since the putsch back in mid-March. 

As a sign of respect and good will, the current army chief of headquarters, colonel André Ndriarijaona, has come to the airport to welcome general Rasolomahandry. “he is one of our peers” commented Ndriarijaona, before answering a journalist’s question as follows: “we don’t intend to arrest him”. 

General Rasolomahandry declared that talks remain the best way to solve the current political crisis. He is calling upon the implementation the Maputo agreements. Then he estimated that the army failed to level the disputes which are undermining its unity by making three mistakes: the first was the refusal of the national security and defense reflection council, then the second was the rejection of the general amnesty and the last but not the least, the denial of key positions within the Transition.  

Generally speaking, both chiefs of headquarters are straining to display a neutral army face. “The army’s unity is my business, let politicians mind their own disputes between each other” added colonel André Ndriarijaona.  

As far as he is concerned, Rasolomahandry is planning to meet the Armed Forces minister, colonel Noel Rakotondrasana. “I will put some proposals forward to drive us out of from the crisis” he announced.  

The will for neutrality is definitely emphsized. The reality seems, however, quite different. Words have been well measured; declarations from both officers have been short. No one was keen to recall that the former mutinous, currently on top of the army,  had actively contributed to the birth of the hugely contested High Authority of Transition directed by Andry Rajoelina, as well as to the forced exile of Marc Ravalomanana, the president reelected iby the end of 2006.