Madagascar

Riots claim at least 34 lives, France appeals for calm

Article published on the 2009-01-28 Latest update 2009-01-28 10:03 TU

President Marc Ravalomanana
(Photo: AFP)

At least 31 bodies have been found after Monday's riots in Madagascar, bringing the known death toll to 34. President Marc Ravolamanana has accused his opponent Andry Rajoelina of causing the unrest but called for dialogue. A curfew is in place to prevent a repeat of the violence, which affected provincial towns as well as the capital, Antananarivo.

French Foreign Affairs Minister Bernard Kouchner called for "calm and dialogue" on Tuesday, according to an official communiqué, which said that he called President Ravalomanana to encourage all sides to seek a "peaceful and lasting way out fo the current crisis".

Ravalomanana told the AFP news agency that Rajoelina, who is mayor of Antananarivo, is the "initiator of the unrest", although he says that he is ready to talk to his rival. The President has called for mediation by foreign governments and churches.

Rajoelina on Tuesday called off his protest movement, which began at the weekend, but said he will not meet the President until a guard who allegedly killed one of his supporters is put on trial.

Rajoelina's camp also says that "mercenaries" have been employed in the country and demands that they be kicked out.

Rescue services found dozens of bodies on Tuesday, the largest number, 25, in a shopping centre ravaged by fire.

"The victims … believed that they found themselves trapped in one of the many buildings set on fire by looters Monday night," says correspondent Nick Champeaux. "A fireman said that it would be difficult to identify the bodies.

"Meanwhile six other bodies were found in a supermarket owned by President Marc Ravolamanana," Champeaux told RFI. "It’s believed they were trampled to death when looters panicked and started running to make their way out of the shop. And an inmate was killed in a jail riot in one of the capital’s largest prisons."

There were also riots in at least five provincial towns and shops owned by Ravolamanana were looted.