Madagascar

Police disperse opposition demonstrators after Rajoelina pulls out of talks

Article published on the 2009-02-26 Latest update 2009-02-26 13:53 TU

Andry Rajoelina (L) and President Marc Ravalomanana (R).
(Photo: Reuters)

Police in Madagascar on Thursday broke up a demonstration of opposition supporters, after their leader Andry Rajoelina said he was pulling out of talks with President Marc Ravalomanana, who had failed to show up for their fourth meeting on Wednesday.

About 3,000 people had rallied near the City Hall of the capital Antananarivo, declaring that they would "symbolically" throw the Mayor who has replaced Rajoelina out of his office.

Police used stun grenades to break up the protest but say that there were no injuries.

“The fact that the President didn’t come means that the life of the nation isn’t a priority for him. From now on, I am running this struggle, and I will not participate in these negotiations”, Rajoelina said earlier. “Personally, I don’t see the point.”

Since the political crisis on the island nation broke out in mid-December between Rajoelina, the former mayor of the capital Antananarivo and Ravalomanana, three meetings, mediated by Odon Razanakolona, president of the Christian Council, have taken place in an attempt to quell the mass demonstrations by Rajoelina’s supporters.

Even Razanakolona is fed up.

“During these three meetings, no progress was made,” he said. "We’re completely blocked. I’m pulling out as mediator. The United Nations asked us to run the mediation. I call on the UN to make the necessary arrangements."

About 100 people have died in the violence that broke out following the government’s forced closure of Rajoelina’s private television station.