Madagascar Recounting Votes From Disputed Presidential Election

VOA News 22 Apr 2002

Madagascar has begun recounting votes from December's disputed presidential elections in an effort to end the country's political crisis.

The High Constitutional Court is reexamining each ballot under an agreement signed between incumbent President Didier Ratsiraka and his rival, self-declared president Marc Ravalomanana. Under the accord, if neither party emerges a clear victor after the recount, new elections will be held within six months. The agreement, which was signed last week in Senegal, also provides for a transitional government until new elections are held.

Madagascar's Supreme Court annulled the results of the presidential vote last Wednesday. The court threw out a previous decision that gave Mr. Ravalomanana a slight lead over President Ratsiraka, but not enough to win the election outright.

Before the December vote, Mr. Ratsiraka changed the composition of the High Constitutional Court in his favor. It has now been overhauled.

Madagascar has been in turmoil since Mr. Ravalomanana, the popular mayor of the capital, Antananarivo, declared himself president on February 22. He refused a court-ordered runoff vote saying, he was the clear winner.

During the dispute, the two men have been presiding over rival governments in separate cities. Civilians and soldiers have taken sides, and at least 32 people have been killed in related violence.

At the same time, the U.S. Peace Corps has suspended its program in Madagascar, citing ongoing instability and violence over December's disputed presidential election

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In a statement released Monday, Peace Corps Director Gaddi Vasquez said 108 volunteers serving in Madagascar have been relocated to Kenya's capital, Nairobi. There they will discuss whether to continue work in other countries or re-enter the Peace Corps at a later date.

According to the director, the violence has not affected any one volunteer. But the instability has created logistical difficulties and an overall insecure environment with no guaranteed resolution in sight. Even in safer areas, the director said difficult conditions cannot justify the program's continuation. Among other projects, volunteers taught English, trained teachers and worked on health education and natural resource management.

Madagascar has been in turmoil since Marc Ravalomanana, the popular mayor of the capital, Antananarivo, declared himself president on February 22. He refused a court-ordered run-off vote, saying he was the clear winner over incumbent President Didier Ratsiraka.

Since then, the two men have presided over rival governments in separate cities. Civilians and soldiers have taken sides, and at least 32 people have been killed in related violence.

Some information for this report provided by AP