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African Union warns Madagascar opposition leader

BARRY MALONE | ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA - Feb 01 2009 08:14

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The African Union (AU) has warned Madagascar's opposition leader after he said he had taken power on the Indian Ocean island, stressing that the continental body's rules on coups could not be broken.

A week of civil unrest on Madagascar has killed 100 people, according to the United States ambassador, in some of the worst violence the politically volatile nation has seen for years.

Opposition chief Andry Rajoelina, the 34-year-old mayor of the capital Antananarivo, told a rally on Saturday that he was now in charge of government. President Marc Ravalomanana (59) denied that and told reporters he remained in charge.

Jean Ping, chairperson of the AU Commission, told Reuters late on Saturday that his organisation's rules on coups were clear.

"It's totally forbidden to take power by non-constitutional means," Ping said.

"So if a decision taken in Madagascar by one camp or the other is in conformity with the Constitution it is no problem. If it is in violation of the Constitution then the rules of the AU will apply," he said.

"We ask them [the Malagasy people] to cool down, to keep talking and to solve their problems with negotiation."

The AU has excluded Mauritania and Guinea, which both suffered military coups in recent months, from a three-day heads of state summit that starts in Ethiopia on Sunday.

AU officials said that proved the continent had moved on from its chequered past, when leaders were often criticised for failing to speak out against violent and tyrannical rule.

CONTINUES BELOW

Madagascar's Rajoelina has waged a campaign of strikes and public rallies against Ravalomanana's government, which he accuses of abusing state powers and threatening democracy.

The political crisis is likely to hurt the huge island's fast growing popularity as a safe destination for foreign investment and tourists.

Analysts say the president, who founded his business empire hawking yoghurt off the back of a bicycle, faces a serious challenge as Rajoelina has popular support.

Major foreign companies are investing in the island's oil and mineral sectors, including Rio Tinto and Sherritt International, which plan to mine nickel, cobalt, bauxite and ilmenite. - Reuters

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Comments

So Mugabe is in power by constitional means? With no AU comment. Sounds like a flexible interpretation of the rules.

David Hurst on February 1, 2009, 11:01 am

The hypocrisy in the AU's response to the Madagascan crisis is absurd; Zimbabwe has suffered immensely as a result of an unconstitutional, violent coup by the incumbent leader - and has not been excluded from any AU heads of state conference, much less been reprimanded. And the AU claims to have progressed from its former days when tyrannical leaders went unchallenged? It's laudable that they have challenged the Madagascan leaders, and that they have excluded the leaders of Mauretania and Guinea. But it is tragic, and in fact criminal, that they have continued to support the tyranny of the self-styled president of Zimbabwe, in the face of enormous suffering and horrendous violence. Until all tyranny and violence on the continent is treated with the anger and justice that it deserves, the AU cannot hope to be taken seriously, either within Africa, or in the larger world context.

Nathan Rose on February 1, 2009, 7:14 pm

African Union, you are a bunch of hypocrites. How can you openly dictate to one country what to do and you can't tell Mugabe the same, or is this a case of interpretation again. Africa is its own worst enemy.

Hein Huyser on February 2, 2009, 6:36 am

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African Union warns Madagascar opposition leader

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