Times Of India 23.04.2002
ANTANANARIVO (AFP): An elderly Canadian monk and at least five other people were killed Friday as unrest flared in a bitter power struggle between rival claimants to the Madagascar presidency.
Clashes around the governor's hillside palace in the central town of Fianarantsoa were the first to pit military units loyal to either side against each other in a serious escalation of the conflict that has been simmering since a disputed presidential election in December.
Aides to the rival leaders, incumbent President Didier Ratsiraka and Antananarivo mayor Marc Ravalomanana, each said several people were killed, but these claims could not be independently confirmed.
A pro-Ratsiraka colonel said Ravalomanana's backers had launched an attack on a police barracks in Fianarantsoa from the adjacent Sacre Coeur monastery. A monk at the monastery, named as 76-year-old Joseph Morin, was shot several times as he leaned out of a window, according to members of his religious community.
The local hospital director, Leon Rakoto, said two soldiers and a child were slightly wounded after supporters of Ravalomanana launched the dawn attack in a bid to oust the local governor, Emilson. Pety Rakotoniaina, whom the pro-Ravalomanana group want to install as governor of Fianarantsoa, said his side had killed five "rebel soldiers" and only suffered three injuries in the attack.
However Emilson, said by telephone: "We suffered no losses, not even any wounded, but they have seven dead and about 20 injured on their side." The pro-Ratsiraka governor has been holed up in his palace for two weeks, after Ravalomanana backers took over the city and won over most of its police force to their side.
A military source said Emilson was backed by about 170 heavily armed gendarmes and troops. After fighting throughout the morning, the town calmed down. Emilsoln told AFP by phone at around 8:00 pm, "It's quiet now, there is no more shooting."
"We are ready to put up resistance to the end," he added. Earlier, he had said his forces had "repelled" the "attackers". But Rakotoniaina said his backers had forced Emilson and his officers out of the palace. "There is still resistance in the palace, around fifty soldiers. We have not yet managed to enter the palace, but we will," Ravalomanana's "interior minister" Jean-Seth Rambeloalijaona told AFP.
Fianarantsoa is a flashpoint in an increasingly violent showdown pitting backers of Ravolomanana, who says he defeated Ratsiraka outright in a December presidential election, against loyalists to the incumbent leader.
Ratsiraka supporters have for weeks starved the highland capital of fuel and other essential supplies by manning roadblocks and blowing up bridges on key routes from the coast.
A former Marxist who has ruled the island for all but three years since 1975, Ratsiraka has insisted on a second round of presidential elections on the basis of official results. These gave Ravolamanana a lead, but not an outright win.
Both sides see Fianarantsoa as key to the power struggle. For Ravololamana, control of the province to the south of Antananarivo would re-open access to the coast and supplies. Ratsiraka has ordered that it "must not fall".
Ravolamanana, who declared himself head of state in February, has set up his government in the capital, while atisiraka has taken his to the eastern coastal port of Toamasina.
The Antananarivo mayor and businessman has strong popular support, but analysts increasingly fear a civil war because neither side will budge or respond to foreign pressure to negotiate.