VZCZCXYZ0017
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHAN #0312/01 1201130
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 301130Z APR 09
FM AMEMBASSY ANTANANARIVO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2377
INFO RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI PRIORITY 0468
RUEHPL/AMEMBASSY PORT LOUIS PRIORITY 0520

UNCLAS ANTANANARIVO 000312 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR AF/E-MBEYZEROV, PRM-EOBRIEN 
NAIROBI FOR JZIMMERMAN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: CVIS PHUM PREF MA MP
SUBJECT: REFUGEE ADMISSIONS REFERRAL: 
RANDRIASANDRATRINIONY, YVAN 
 
REF: A. 08 STATE 110175 
     ¶B. 09 ANTANANARIVO 282 
     ¶C. 09 ANTANANARIVO 292 
 
¶1. (SBU) Embassy Antananativo is referring Yvan 
RANDRIASANDRATRINIONY and his family to the U.S. Refugee 
Admissions Program (USRAP).  Randriasandratriniony is the 
former President of the Malagasy Senate and President of 
political party Tiako-i-Madagasikara (TIM), and fled to 
Mauritius following the military coup in March 2009; his 
family remains in Madagascar.  Below is biographic 
information for the principal applicant and his two 
dependents, and relevant information for referral into the 
USRAP. 
 
¶2. (SBU) Principle applicant data: 
 
Name: RANDRIASANDRATRINIONY, Yvan 
DOB: 25-DEC-1961 
POB: Fianarantsoa, Madagascar 
Nationality: Madagascar 
Gender: M 
Address: Lot MB 75 Mahabo, Andoharanofotsy, Antananarivo, 
Madagascar (currently in Port Louis, Mauritius) 
Telephone: (Mauritius)  230 713 5613, (Madagascar)  261 33 11 
078 85 
Email: ryvan84 (at) yahoo.fr 
Marital Status: Married 
 
¶3. (SBU) Dependents' data: 
 
Name: RAOLINIRINA, Vololona Brigitte 
DOB: 20-JUL-1961 
POB: Antananarivo, Madagascar 
Nationality: Madagascar 
Gender: F 
Marital Status: Married 
Address: Lot MB 75 Mahabo, Andoharanofotsy, Antananarivo, 
Madagascar 
Telephone:  261 33 20 773 07 
Email: milamiresaka (at) hotmail.com 
Relationship to PA: Wife 
 
Name: RANDRIASANDRATRINIONY, Fenohoby 
DOB: 04-MAR-1991 
POB: Antananarivo, Madagascar 
Nationality: Madagascar 
Gender: M 
Marital Status: Single 
Address: Lot MB 75 Mahabo, Andoharanofotsy, Antananarivo, 
Madagascar 
Telephone:  261 34 13 216 01 
Email: milamiresaka (at) hotmail.com 
Relationship to PA: Son 
 
¶4. (SBU) DESCRIPTION OF PERSECUTION CLAIM: Yvan 
Randriasandratriniony has been President of 
Tiako-i-Madagasikara (TIM, the political party of 
recently-deposed President Marc Ravalomanana) since October 
2007, and President of the Malagasy Senate from May 2008 
until the military coup on March 17, 2009.  In the weeks 
preceding the coup, Yvan and numerous other high-ranking 
members of the former government received direct threats 
against their lives and property from opposition protesters. 
Although these protesters have now taken power and formed a 
transition government (the High Transitional Authority, or 
HAT) under "President" Andry Rajoelina, the threat persists, 
and is made worse by the inability of the GOM to provide 
security for public figures on either side of the political 
divide.  A recent explosion at a pro-HAT military facility 
south of Antananarivo, a molotov cocktail attack against the 
residence of former National Assembly President Jacques 
Sylla, and arson attacks in the last two months against 
(pro-Ravalomanana) Senator Moxe Ramandimbilahatra and interim 
head of the Antananarivo city government Guy-Rivo 
Randrianarisoa are just a sampling of the increased use of 
violence from militant elements in both camps. 
 
¶5. (SBU) The HAT recently issued arrest warrants for former 
President Ravalomanana and former Minister of Finance and 
Budget Haja Razafinjatovo for acts allegedly committed during 
Ravalomanana's rule; the former had already fled the country 
(as have several other former ministers), and the latteris 
reputed to be in hiding in Madagascar.  It is not likely that 
either would receive a fair trial in the current political 
climate.  Security forces recently imprisoned four members of 
parliament for as-yet-unspecified involvement in the anti-HAT 
 
protests, and additional political arrests have occurred in 
the past 24 hours.  They have also allegedly framed the head 
of GOM anti-corruption unit BIANCO for possession of illegal 
hardwoods in order to engineer his removal, and arrested a 
leading anti-HAT protester and her husband.  Yvan justifiably 
claims to fear similar reprisals due to his former positions 
and political affiliations if he returns to Madagascar, as 
well as due to the possible claim that he -- and not the HAT 
President -- is the rightful head of state. 
 
¶6. (SBU) JUSTIFICATION FOR RESETTLEMENT: After initially 
going into hiding after the coup, Yvan then fled to Mauritius 
where he attempted to obtain a visa to the United States in 
order to join his 22 year-old daughter, who is currently 
studying in Texas (he has two daughters over 21 years old, 
who have not been included in this referral).  He was refused 
the visa, as the consular officer was unable to evaluate 
Yvan's ties to Madagascar under the circumstances. 
Regardless, Yvan has no personal or cultural ties to 
Mauritius, is unable to return to Madagascar, and his family 
will remain separated until they are able to be resettled 
elsewhere.  His child in the United States is his only close 
personal tie abroad. 
 
¶7. (SBU) BACKGROUND: Former Mayor of Antananarivo Andry 
Rajoelina was swept to power in violent protests that 
stretched from January to March 2009.  While the immediate 
cause was the December 2008 closure of Rajoelina's television 
station after he aired a speech by exiled former President 
Didier Ratsiraka, the movement grew quickly to include a 
diverse array of forces aligned against former President Marc 
Ravalomanana and his party.  Accused of abuse of power and 
mixing affairs of state with those of his vast business 
empire, Ravalomanana and his party, TIM, were quickly 
overwhelmed after a mutiny within the army removed his 
control over the country's security forces.  In the month 
since the coup, the HAT has been unable to consolidate its 
control over the country, opposition protests have continued 
almost daily, and the last two weeks have seen an 
increasingly harsh crackdown against the anti-HAT opposition, 
including members of the former government.  For a complete 
summary of the month since the March coup, see reftels B and 
¶C. 
 
¶8. (SBU) ASSESSMENT OF THE NEED FOR URGENCY: Yvan has fled to 
nearby Mauritius, and can only remain there until June 1, 
¶2009.  (At this writing, it is rumored that he may now be in 
Addis Ababa, but we have no confirmation of that claim.)  At 
that time, he will have to seek to adjust his status in 
Mauritius, or depart for another third county.  In the 
meantime, his wife and son remain in Madagascar, and the 
current government is unable to guarantee their security. 
 
¶9. (SBU) Embassy POC for this referral is Political Officer 
Jeffrey Hulse, email HulseJA (at) state.gov, office  261 20 
22 212 57, fax  261 20 22 345 39, mobile:  261 33 02 007 35. 
MARQUARDT