VZCZCXRO2332
RR RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHGI RUEHJO RUEHMA RUEHMR RUEHPA RUEHRN RUEHTRO
DE RUEHAN #0873/01 3560422
ZNR UUUUU ZZH ANTANANARIVO
R 220422Z DEC 09
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
INFO AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE
AMEMBASSY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 WASHDC 000873 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR AF/E MARIA BEYZEROV 
PARIS FOR WALLACE BAIN 
LONDON FOR PETER LORD 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL MA SF
SUBJECT: OPPOSITION REJECTS NEW PM, PLANS PARALLEL GOVERNMENT 
 
REF: A) 09 ANTANANARIVO 868, 
B) 09 ANTANANARIVO 870, 
C) 09 ANTANANARIVO 858 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: Andry "TGV" Rajoelina has removed all of the 
opposition leaders from positions held under the failed Maputo 
process, and named a retired army colonel, Albert Camille Vital, as 
 
his new prime minister.  The opposition movements announced they 
would continue implementing the Maputo Charter of the Transition 
without Rajoelina, essentially by forming a parallel government. 
Plans to "intensify" protests in Antananarivo have not yet resulted 
 
in any action, and it appeared on December 21 that Rajoelina and his 
 
new PM may attempt to arrest opposition leaders before renewed 
street 
protests gain any momentum.  While most Malagasy desperately hope 
that calm will prevail over the holiday season, Rajoelina's call for 
 
a "holiday truce" appears ever less likely to succeed. END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2. (SBU) Shortly after permitting the Maputo III participants to 
return to Madagascar on December 18 (reftel C), Rajoelina issued a 
decree (2009/1385) abrogating the nomination of consensus Prime 
Minister Euguene Mangalaza, effective immediately.  He then 
nominated 
Vice Prime Minister for the Interior Cecile Manorohanta as interim 
Prime Minister, effectively delivering on his mid-week statements 
indicating that he would no longer cooperate with Madagascar's other 
 
political movements. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Opposition leaders were quick to respond, with a press 
conference of their own at 20:00 that same night.  Former President 
 
Albert Zafy, along with Transition Co-President Fetison Rakoto 
Andrianirina and President of the Congress Mamy Rakotoarivelo (both 
 
representing Former President Marc Ravalomanana), reaffirmed their 
support for Mangalaza, and denounced Rajoelina's statements from his 
 
December 16 televised speech.  They opposed his plan to unilaterally 
 
organize elections in March 2010, and stated that they would instead 
 
continue implementing the Transition Charter, as agreed in Maputo 
and 
Addis Ababa from August to November.  Zafy called on the military to 
 
remain neutral and stay in their barracks, to avoid conflict as the 
 
three movements sought to "install" their new government in the 
coming days. 
 
¶4. (SBU) On December 18, Rajoelina also released an ordinance 
(2009/12) abrogating the Charter of the Transition (from Maputo) and 
 
the Additional Act (from Addis Ababa), thus rendering (in his view) 
 
the positions of Co-President, President of the Congress, and 
President of the National Reconciliation Council "null and void", 
despite opposition claims to the contrary.  He also indicated that 
there may be legal consequences for the December 18 press 
conference; 
on December 21, it was widely reported that Mamy Rakotoarivelo had 
been called into court for questioning, and rumors of arrest 
warrants 
for several opposition leaders began circulation again. 
 
¶5. (SBU) On December 20, Rajoelina named Colonel Albert Camille 
Vital 
as Prime Minister.  Vital is relatively unknown, and claims to have 
 
not met Rajoelina prior to December 20.  As a member of the Vezo 
ethnic group, from Tulear, he may satisfy those in the south-west 
who 
were incensed over the October sacking of PM Roindefo Monja (also 
from Tulear), but his appointment has little other immediate 
benefit. 
Vital holds a degree in civil engineering from the USSR, and twice 
studied in French military schools, in 1991 and 2001.  His highest 
military assignment was as Chef de Corps of the First Regiment Fifth 
 
Military in Tulear from 1998 to 2001.  He left the military in 2007 
 
to launch a private security company in Tulear, and has been 
President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Tulear since 
 
WASHDC 00000873  002 OF 002 
 
 
¶2008.  He has ties to both the Ratsiraka and Rajoelina political 
factions, but has little experience in politics.  Vital is rumored 
to 
have been Rajoelina's third choice, after Rear Admiral Hyppolite 
Ramaroson and General Ismael Mounibou. 
 
¶6. (SBU) COMMENT: Consensus Prime Minister Mangalaza has thus far 
refused to step down, stating that he is the "prime minister 
accepted 
by the international community" Q although that claim is unlikely to 
 
help his cause among Rajoelina's movement.  Opposition leaders have 
 
announced plans to intensify their rallies at Magro (on the north 
side of the city) to protest Rajoelina's recent moves, and leaders 
at 
today's rally reportedly announced plans to "install" 156 members of 
 
the transition congress on December 22 at the building of the former 
 
National Assembly in Tsimbazaza, in Antananarivo.  The next 24 hours 
 
will provide either an opportunity for the opposition to show its 
support, or for Rajoelina to steamroller their plans in the name of 
a 
one-sided "holiday truce". END COMMENT. 
 
 
MARQUARDT