Madagascar’s acting president Andry Rajoelina suspended parliament on Thursday as the international community slammed his army-backed rise as undemocratic.
Two days after 34-year-old Rajoelina unseated president Marc Ravalomanana, his Cabinet’s first move was to suspend parliament and replace it with two new bodies tasked with administering the country until fresh elections are held.
Since the army forced Ravalomanana to step down on Tuesday and handed power to Rajoelina — a former disc jockey and sacked mayor of Antananarivo — the international community had largely delayed its response.
But on Thursday Western powers and African neighbors condemned the power grab, which the EU described as a coup.
“This was a coup d’etat, this was not a democratic election,” said Czech Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg, whose country holds the rotating EU presidency.
The Southern African Development Community (SADC), whose 15 members include Madagascar, refused to recognize Rajoelina despite his confirmation as president by a constitutional court a day earlier.
“SADC does not and cannot recognize Rajoelina as president because his appointment does not only violate the Constitution of Madagascar, but also international principles, like the SADC, AU and United Nations protocols,” the grouping’s security organ said during a meeting in Swaziland.
The US also criticized Rajoelina’s rise to power, after a three-month struggle between his opposition movement and the regime that left about 100 people dead.
“We view this as undemocratic transfer of power,” US State Department spokesman Robert Wood told reporters.
Meeting for the first time in Antananarivo, the partial Cabinet Rajoelina had formed last month during his struggle against Ravalomanana suspended a parliament overwhelmingly dominated by members from the outgoing ruling party.
“The activities of the following institutions are suspended by the present order: the senate, the national assembly,” government spokesman Augustin Andriamananoro said.
“Priority is given to setting up the transition and guaranteeing public order,” acting prime minister Monja Roindefo said before the start of the Cabinet meeting.
Roindefo said his government would continue efforts to develop the country and voiced confidence that the transfer of power on the Indian Ocean island would not scare off donors.
“Honestly, I don’t see why they would sever ties now if they were not dissuaded by Ravalomanana’s governance,” Roindefo said.
However, Norway had announced it was maintaining a freeze on aid despite Rajoelina’s confirmation as acting president by the constitutional court.
“Bilateral aid is still frozen,” said foreign ministry spokeswoman Ragnhild Simenstad, whose country gives Madagascar US$14 million a year.
Speaking on Wednesday to 15,000 supporters celebrating victory, Rajoelina promised to tackle poverty.
Rajoelina added that his administration had slapped a travel ban on some outgoing ministers.
“There are many files pending at the moment, they should not leave the country until a real assessment of the state of the country has been conducted. A lot of money has been released from the banks in Madagascar,” he said.
The youthful president, who only became the country’s undisputed opposition leader two months ago, also said the warrant his justice minister issued against Ravalomanana last week was still valid.
The ex-president has not been seen in public since last week.
Rajoelina said that the ousted president had likely found refuge in an embassy residence.
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