Cablegate: Madagascar: Security Minister Stops Politicians' Return

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DE RUEHAN #0856/01 3481445
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 141445Z DEC 09
FM AMEMBASSY ANTANANARIVO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3130
INFO RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANTANANARIVO 000856

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DEPT FOR AF/E MARIA BEYZEROV
STATE PLEASE PASS USTR FOR CHAMILTON AND WJACKSON
PARIS FOR WALLACE BAIN
LONDON FOR PETER LORD
TREASURY FOR AIERONIMO AND FBOYE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL MA SF
SUBJECT: MADAGASCAR: SECURITY MINISTER STOPS POLITICIANS' RETURN
(FULL TEXTS)

REF: A) 09 ANTANANARIVO 850, B) 09 ANTANANARIVO 848, C) 09
ANTANANARIVO 853

1. (SBU) The de facto GOM has clarified its intention to keep rival
political leaders from returning to Madagascar after their summit in
Maputo, Mozambique (reftel A and B). Minister of Internal Security
Organes RAKOTOMIHANTARIZAKA issued a note on December 11 listing 25
individuals who were to be prevented from travelling to Madagascar,
and then followed up on December 12 with a statement providing
background to his decision. Citing "threats to public order and
internal security", the GOM has barred their return indefinitely,
pending an eventual "normalization" of the security situation. In
our view, the purported "security concerns" behind the ban are
nothing more than a pretext for ill-advised actions driven by Andry
"TGV" Rajoelina's hardline supporters, including this minister. On
December 15 at 0900, Ambassador Marquardt will join other local COMs
demarching Rajoelina on this issue. This follows multiple
unsuccessful calls over the weekend to senior GOM officials by the
US, French, and Mauritian (on behalf of SADC) ambassadors seeking
the get the ban lifted and permit the return of the stranded
delegations. Please see reftels A and C for further analysis of the
current situation.

2. (U) Following is a complete translation of note number
0366-MSI/CAB, issued by Minister of Internal Security
Rakotomihantarizaka on December 11.

[BEGIN TEXT]

REPUBLIC OF MADAGASCAR
Nation - Liberty - Development
Note No. 0366-MSI/CAB
THE MINISTER OF INTERNAL SECURITY

In view of the Constitution,
In view of the Charter of Transition,
In view of the pressing need to maintain public order and peace
inside the territory of the Republic,
Given that the return of the individuals listed below seriously
threatens public order and the country's internal security,

Takes the following measures:

Article 1: The following individuals are denied access to the
territory of the Republic of Madagascar:

Albert Zafy/Fetison Rakoto Andrianirina/Manandafy
Rakotonirina/Emmanuel Rakotovahiny/Eugene Regis Mangalaza/Regis
Manoro/Tabera Randriamanantsoa/Ange Andrianarisoa/Azaly Ben
Marofo/Baro Rafatrolaza/Denis AndriamandAroso/Marcel Miandrrisoa
Serge Radert/Roger Ranaivoson/Jose Vianey/Roland
Ravatomanga/Rakotosoa Ramisandrazana/Didier Ratsiraka/Tantely
Andrianarivo/Sophie Ratsiraka/Mamy Rakotoarivelo/Yves Aime/Fulgence
Fanony/Heritafika Ratsimbazafy

(NOTE: Two individuals listed above did not attend the talks in
Mozambique, and are still in Madagascar: Jose Vianey and Fulgence
Fanony. They have not been arrested, although an arrest warrant
against them is rumored to have been issued. END NOTE.)

Article 2: Requests airline companies servicing the Malagasy
territory to prevent them from boarding any flights to Madagascar.

Article 3: Urges all civil and military authorities to take all
necessary measures to enforce the present measures.

Antananarivo, December 11, 2009

MINISTER OF INTERNAL SECURITY
Organes RAKOTOMIHANTARIZAKA

[END TEXT]

3. (U) Following is a complete translation of a statement issued by
Minister of Internal Security Rakotomihantarizaka on December 12,
further explaining the previous document.

[BEGIN TEXT]

REPUBLIC OF MADAGASCAR
Nation - Liberty - Development

ANTANANARI 00000856 002 OF 002

Statement

The Minister of Internal Security, also in charge of maintaining
public security and order, has decided to temporarily deny access to
the territory of the republic by the delegations of the three
movements.

We can state without ambiguity that a strongly negative reaction and
a harsh contestation by the population have surfaced as a result
of:

1. The resolutions signed by the three movements' leaders and
adopted in Maputo, after the meeting of the delegations and other
figures in attendance;
2. The letters sent to the United Nations Secretary General and to
the Prime Minister of Denmark, and signed by the figures from the
three movements, namely Professor Albert ZAFY and Mr. Fetison RAKOTO
ANDRIANIRINA, Doctor Emmanuel RAKOTOVAHINY and Mamy RAKOTARIVELO;

These resolutions and letters, in addition to the defamatory
statements, have respectively been seen by the Malagasy population
as:

1. An act of treason, harmful to Malagasy sovereignty, given that
any procedure aimed at setting up the people's government should not
take place outside the Malagasy territory;
2. A serious offense against the nation, considering the two-fold
unlawful insult to the Malagasy head of state, which, for the
population, is a violation of Malagasy national pride at the
international level.

Considering these elements, some individuals have been preparing
violent reactions of hostility against these factions, which would
have caused public disorder or even clashes that we must prevent in
order to protect the republican institutions and preserve public
order in general.

This measure is absolutely not an action of hostility against the
individuals affected by the decision, but is part of the normal
mission of the Ministry of Internal Security, which must prevent any
action likely to affect public security and order.

We need to point out that this decision is a preventive measure from
the administrative police and is aimed, on one hand, at ensuring
serenity and calm in the country as we are moving closer to
Christmas and New Year, and on the other hand, to preventatively and
effectively ensure the individual security of each member of the
delegations of the three factions.

All security measures shall be taken so that we can preventatively
normalize the security situation for all, eventually allowing for an
abrogation of this decision.

Antananarivo, December 12, 2009

THE MINISTER OF INTERNAL SECURITY
Organes RAKOTOMIHANTARIZAKA

[END TEXT]

MARQUARDT

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