Madagascar opposition cries foul over demo arrests
AFP
ANTANANARIVO — Madagascar's opposition on Friday described the island's coup-installed regime as a repressive dictatorship following the arrest of 21 demonstrators.
Protestors were rounded up by police on Wednesday at a rally organised by Madagascar's three main opposition groups to challenge a constitutional referendum due to be held on November 17.
"Madagascar is under the yoke of a repressive dictatorship," said Guy Rivo Andrianarisoa, spokesman for the movement led by Marc Ravalomanana, who was ousted as president in March 2009 by the island's current strongman, Andry Rajoelina.
"To see this unacceptable and contested referendum process through, it has decided to tolerate no criticism whatsoever," the spokesman said in a statement.
Ravalomanana is still in exile in southern Africa but his top lieutenant in Madagascar was among those detained when security forces broke up the protest with teargas on the grounds that it had not been authorised.
Next week's referendum is the first phase of an electoral process which was outlined in August at a political forum to end the lingering crisis but was not endorsed by Rajoelina's main opponents.
Ravalomanana's movement and those of two other former presidents argue that Rajoelina should comply with agreements already reached in Maputo and Addis Ababa through international mediation efforts.
Monja Roindefo, who was once Rajoelina's prime minister and now heads his own opposition movement, described the self-proclaimed president's rule as "pure and simple dictatorship".
Roindefo plans to organise his own anti-referendum protest on Saturday and said he did not fear arrest.
The party of 36-year-old Rajoelina, who is too young to run for president under the current constitution, is due to hold its own final rally on Sunday.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jOHl-h7LHoE1ByolDKKmSV4Rg9vw?docId=CNG.4e6b770ae2ca3b8f8eb41fd7adc33980.6d1
ANTANANARIVO — Madagascar's opposition on Friday described the island's coup-installed regime as a repressive dictatorship following the arrest of 21 demonstrators.
Protestors were rounded up by police on Wednesday at a rally organised by Madagascar's three main opposition groups to challenge a constitutional referendum due to be held on November 17.
"Madagascar is under the yoke of a repressive dictatorship," said Guy Rivo Andrianarisoa, spokesman for the movement led by Marc Ravalomanana, who was ousted as president in March 2009 by the island's current strongman, Andry Rajoelina.
"To see this unacceptable and contested referendum process through, it has decided to tolerate no criticism whatsoever," the spokesman said in a statement.
Ravalomanana is still in exile in southern Africa but his top lieutenant in Madagascar was among those detained when security forces broke up the protest with teargas on the grounds that it had not been authorised.
Next week's referendum is the first phase of an electoral process which was outlined in August at a political forum to end the lingering crisis but was not endorsed by Rajoelina's main opponents.
Ravalomanana's movement and those of two other former presidents argue that Rajoelina should comply with agreements already reached in Maputo and Addis Ababa through international mediation efforts.
Monja Roindefo, who was once Rajoelina's prime minister and now heads his own opposition movement, described the self-proclaimed president's rule as "pure and simple dictatorship".
Roindefo plans to organise his own anti-referendum protest on Saturday and said he did not fear arrest.
The party of 36-year-old Rajoelina, who is too young to run for president under the current constitution, is due to hold its own final rally on Sunday.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jOHl-h7LHoE1ByolDKKmSV4Rg9vw?docId=CNG.4e6b770ae2ca3b8f8eb41fd7adc33980.6d1