Madagascar: more protests, clashes likely nationwide ahead of 9 Nov. presidential vote

Madagascar’s outgoing president Andry Rajoelina has launched his re-election campaign ahead of the 9 November vote, as UN Human Rights Office expresses concern about the deteriorating human rights situation in the island nation after security forces used unnecessary and disproportionate force to disperse four peaceful protests in the past two weeks.

Rajoelina launched his re-election campaign on Tuesday (10 October), promising “an orange wave” to thousands of supporters wearing his party color who gathered in the capital, Antananarivo. Voters in Madagascar will elect a president next month but the run-up to the poll has been marred by tensions after disputes over its regularity. Recent demonstrations held by opposition parties against what they call an “institutional coup” to keep Rajoelina in power have routinely been dispersed by police. UN Human Rights Office has issued a statement, “(urging) the Malagasy authorities to ensure respect for human rights and the rule of law throughout the electoral period – and beyond. “Further protests are likely in Madagascar for the duration of the political campaign and ahead of the presidential elections on 9 November,” Crisis24, a leading integrated risk management company, has warned.

“Campaigns have historically proven tense periods in Madagascar, involving an increased risk of political violence,” Crisis24 added in its latest assessment of the situation in the Indian Ocean island country. These will be Madagascar’s third free elections following a 2009 coup and the incumbent president of the ruling Tanora malaGasy Vonona (TGV) party is seeking a third mandate. Twelve other candidates are running, including two other former presidents, Hery Rajaonarimampianina and Marc Ravalomanana, who will likely be Rajoelina’s main challengers. Eleven of these candidates have been protesting under the name “collectif des 11” against Rajoelina’s running due to his reported acquisition in 2014 of French citizenship. Based on Malagasy law, in such as case, Rajoelina should have lost his Malagasy citizenship and in turn been constitutionally banned from running and being elected president.