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Rebels force president of Madagascar to step down
Ed Harris17.03.09
The president of Madagascar today agreed to step down, the day after troops loyal to the opposition stormed his palace in the capital.
Marc Ravalomanana, who was holed up in a second presidential palace nine miles away after yesterday's apparent coup attempt, announced shortly after midday that he would hand over power to the military.
Mr Ravalomanana, 59, was earlier surrounded by thousands of die-hard supporters at his residence on the outskirts of the capital Antananarivo, and had claimed he was ready to fight to the death.
But his spokesman later said that power had been handed to the most senior figure in the military, navy admiral Hyppolite Ramaroson.
"He [the president] came to the conclusion this is best for the country. He behaved as a statesman," said spokesman Andry Ralijaona. He added that Mr Ravalomanana had left the second palace for an "undisclosed location".
The seven-week power struggle between Mr Ravalomanana and opposition leader Andry Rajoelina, a 34-year-old former disc jockey, has spawned a military mutiny and violent protests that have left an estimated 135 people dead on the Indian Ocean island.
Officials from the opposition movement today said their leader would head a transitional authority. Speaking at a ceremony when Mr Rajoelina entered Mr Ravalomanana's offices, the officials said the opposition would organise elections within 24 months and re-write the constitution to create a "Fourth Republic".
Mr Rajoelina is too young to be president according to Madagascar's present constitution, which stipulates 40 as a minimum age. After the president stood down today the army chief of staff said the military favoured Mr Rajoelina. "If we go with the vice-admiral we will throw ourselves into another crisis," said Colonel Andre Ndriarijaona, who last week said he had replaced the military chief of staff.
The head of the paramilitary gendarmerie echoed his view.
However, the African Union said the military should not hand over power to the opposition leader.
The organisation had already condemned the "attempted coup d'état" and called on Madagascar to respect its constitution. The European Union had warned it would cut aid to anyone coming to power by force.
The turmoil has crippled Madagascar's tourism industry and scared foreign investors in the mining and oil exploration sectors.
Lydie Boka of the France-based risk consultancy StrategieCo said: "Now the country has to convince donors that it is going back to democracy - organising an election and putting in place a transition government."
