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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANTANANARIVO 000772 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR AF/EPS AND AF/E - MBEYZEROV 
USDOC FOR BECKY ERKUL - DESK OFFICER 
TREASURY FOR FBOYE 
PARIS FOR RKANEDA 
LONDON FOR PLORD 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV AORC SOCI MA
SUBJECT: ELECTORAL REFORM ON A SLOW ROAD TO NOWHERE 
 
ANTANANARI 00000772  001.2 OF 003 
 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary:  President Ravalomanana pledged to 
undertake needed electoral reforms following senate elections 
in April 2008; however, the GOM has taken no action on these 
issues, instead leaving the ball in civil society's court. 
Civil society groups, while in broad agreement on goals, have 
been unable to agree on the manner in which to approach the 
government.  They complained to Emboff about lack of access 
to information and limited freedom of expression and 
association, and requested further funding from the USG.  The 
GOM responded defensively to these complaints and argued that 
the government would consider a reform bill if one were to be 
submitted and good arguments were to be made as to why such 
reforms were necessary.  End summary. 
 
Background on Electoral Reform 
------------------------------ 
¶2. (SBU) Madagascar wrapped up a string of elections in April 
2008, after which time President Ravalomanana had pledged to 
undertake reforms of the electoral system, such as 
implementing a single ballot (rather than one for each 
candidate) and developing a truly independent electoral 
commission.  To date, the GOM has not moved on these issues, 
and civil society members have been unable to agree on an 
approach to press the government for change.  The time for 
implementing these reforms prior to the next election is 
trickling away, as Madagascar is legally obliged to hold 
elections for regional governors before October 2009.  Both 
civil society groups mentioned below requested further 
support from the USG, as an ESF-funded National Democratic 
Institute (NDI) program ended in early 2008, and the groups 
have been unable to move their reform agenda forward since 
that time. 
 
CNOE -- Pessimistic about Reform and Civil Liberties 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
¶3. (SBU) On October 8, the Consortium of National Election 
Observers (CNOE) Secretary General Bruno Rakotoarisoa 
requested Emboff's assistance in promoting electoral reform 
in Madagascar.  He explained that since the NDI program 
ended, civil society groups were having difficulty 
coordinating and pushing an electoral reform agenda with the 
Ravalomanana administration.  He complained that the GOM did 
not pay attention to civil society groups unless they had 
international backing.  He noted that President Ravalomanana 
had publicly stated in early 2008 that the GOM was 
prioritizing economic development rather than electoral 
reform.  He complained that civil society lacked access to 
GOM officials at the decision-making level, i.e. prime 
minister, and lacked access to information.  CNOE has drafted 
a bill regarding freedom of information, but is concerned 
that it will not be able to push the bill forward without the 
president's backing, as his party controls the parliament. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Mr. Rakotoarisoa also noted that a television 
program on the role of senators prepared by CNOE during the 
senatorial elections last April was first censored and then 
blocked from airing by the GOM.  He further mentioned that 
election coverage filmed by CNOE could not be aired on public 
TV, but was shown by private stations.  In addition to 
concerns about access to information and freedom of 
expression, Mr. Rakotoarisoa added that civil society groups 
were wary of convening meetings of more than a few people for 
fear of the GOM's reaction. Overall, he lamented, the 
political and civil rights situation was not improving in 
Madagascar. 
 
Civil Society Platform -- Slightly More Upbeat, but Fragmented 
--------------------------------------------- ----------------- 
¶5. (SBU) President of the Civil Society Platform Lalao 
Randriamanpionina was slightly more upbeat about the present 
administration, perhaps because her husband is the minister 
of public works.  She explained to Emboff on October 9 that 
the Platform represented over 2,000 members from throughout 
the island. The Platform aims to provide a unified voice for 
civil society, which she said is often ignored by the 
government, help the government to understand the role of 
civil society, and strengthen the technical capacity of its 
members many of whom are unable to analyze state policies 
and/or lack access to information regarding such policies. 
She said that the GOM was beginning to pay attention to them 
 
ANTANANARI 00000772  002.2 OF 003 
 
 
and cited examples of input the Platform had had into policy 
documents used by and decisions made by the administration. 
 
¶6. (SBU) She explained that a coalition of five entities, 
including CNOE and the Platform, were working on electoral 
issues, including educating people about the electoral code 
and system.  They are seeking to gather the views of civil 
society, create consensus, and present those views to the 
government.  In informal discussions with the prime minister, 
he had recommended that the coalition should have a clear, 
coordinated strategy before approaching the GOM, and that it 
was civil society's responsibility to direct the reform 
movement.  She agreed with Mr. Rakotoarisoa that, since the 
NDI program ended, it had been hard to move the coalition 
forward. Although the coalition's goals are fairly clear, it 
has been unable to reach agreement regarding strategies to 
approach the GOM.  She conjectured that the best way to 
pressure President Ravalomanana to push electoral reforms was 
through the South African Development Community (SADC) -- she 
argued that he would respond to international pressure, if 
not domestic. 
 
The GOM Responds Defensively 
---------------------------- 
¶7. (SBU) Secretary General of Interior Gervais Rakotonirina 
explained to Emboff November 14 that the parliament was 
responsible for legal reform, not the executive, dodging the 
question of why the Ravalomanana administration had not 
prioritized electoral reform after pledging to undertake such 
reforms earlier.  He argued that the administration would 
prioritize consideration of a reform bill if one were to be 
submitted (following the proper procedures, unlike one 
submitted by FFKM) and good arguments were to be made 
concerning why the reforms were necessary.  Up until now, he 
alleged, this had not been done, and the GOM did not see any 
problem with the existing laws so had not presented a reform 
bill itself. 
 
¶8. (SBU) He then responded to various critiques of the 
present system, arguing that it would be difficult to 
implement an electoral commission that would be responsible 
for both organizing and monitoring elections, as no one else 
besides the ministry of interior had the capacity to reach 
all of the country.  He said that although some groups have 
complained that the administration was not neutral, but 
favored incumbents, there was no guaranty that a new entity 
would be impartial.  Regarding the use of a multi-ballot 
system instead of a single-ballot one, he argued that if 
certain candidates' ballots were missing in the last 
elections at certain polling stations, it was due to the fact 
that those candidates had not respected deadlines imposed for 
ballot printing.  He refused to acknowledge the greater 
susceptibility to manipulation and corruption resulting from 
a multi-ballot system, but argued that a single ballot would 
be too difficult for illiterate Malagasy who were 
mis-informed by political campaigns to understand. 
 
¶9. (SBU) He then explained the GOM's efforts to keep the 
public and candidates informed of procedures and legal 
changes through routine press releases and frequent meetings 
during electoral seasons.  He argued that if people claimed 
lack of access to information, then they were arguing in bad 
faith.  He cited the financial training provided to 
parliamentarians in early November prior to consideration of 
the 2009 budget law as an example of the GOM's efforts to 
inform decision makers, and thanked us for our support (along 
with other donors) in financing such training. 
 
Comment 
------- 
¶10. (SBU) Support to CNOE and the Civil Society Platform 
through ESF or other financing is greatly needed to help move 
the electoral reform agenda and democratic processes forward 
in Madagascar, which is in danger of resting on its political 
laurels or even backsliding without further international 
attention, encouragement, and support.  Encouraging other 
SADC countries to pressure President Ravalomanana to get the 
reform ball rolling could also help get this effort back on 
track.  At the same time, the local diplomatic community is 
acutely aware of the GOM's backsliding and is engaged with, 
 
ANTANANARI 00000772  003.2 OF 003 
 
 
particularly, the Prime Minister in quietly but persistently 
reminding him of commitments made during the last electoral 
cycle and donor expectations of reform before the next one. 
For now, our agreed strategy is to work behind the scenes -- 
rather than publicly, which could easily backfire here -- to 
prod the GOM into fulfilling its commitments.  However, if 
the backsliding continues, it will be necessary to go public, 
an effort that would be greatly reinforced with some funding 
to help unify civil society here.  End comment. 
 
MARQUARDT