Crisis resolution in Madagascar
Sceptical about the effectiveness of the ‘roadmap’ being implemented by Madagascar’s ‘de facto authorities’, CCOC (Collective of Citizens and Civic Organizations) has issued a memorandum on resolving the country’s two-year crisis.
MEMORANDUM OF CCOC (Collective of Citizens and Civic Organizations) ON THE CRISIS RESOLUTION IN MADAGASCAR
19 MAY 2011
The CCOC was created in February 2009 to help solve the crisis in Madagascar (which was at its beginning) and prevent the return of cyclical crises.
It is convinced that,
- Respect for human dignity, freedom and fundamental rights guaranteeing social peace;
- Restoration of a genuine rule of law;
- Economic recovery and hence the creation of jobs;
- Recovery of the functioning of the Civil Service;
- Establishing of a legal framework for national dialogue
are the only cornerstones of sustainable solutions to the crisis and help prevent its return.
Currently, more than two years after the onset of the crisis, Madagascar is far from those solutions and the economic, social and structural damages are getting deeper and deeper.
The CCOC expresses openly its significant skepticism about the roadmap being implemented unilaterally by the de facto authorities. Indeed:
- The roadmap is reduced to the single step of trying to give a possible international recognition of the de facto authorities;
- It does not take into account the real needs and desires of the people and processes a superficial and partial substantive issues;
- It ignores the concerns of other stakeholders in the national life of Madagascar, in particular, the private sector and civil society in all its components.
The CCOC recalls here the necessary conditions to ensure a sustainable exit from crisis:
- The establishment of a consensus agreement and inclusive management of the transition;
- The return to an atmosphere of peace and confidence throughout the territory that will be achieved through the adoption of a general amnesty (under the roadmap);
- CENI (Independent Elections Committee) truly independent and impartial;
- An elections timetable set out in common;
- The Heads of institutions of the Transition and 4 movements Heads cannot stand for presidential and legislative elections;
- The establishment of a framework credible, neutral and transparent rules-based under international supervision and with UN technical, financial, material and logistical (to provide the means to dispel any suspicion of manipulation);
- The establishment of an independent and neutral body to monitor and to control the implementation schedule and the work of the Executive
The CCOC warns the decision to endorse the elections carried out unilaterally, that would solve the situation in the short term but would lead sooner or later again on a crisis.
The crisis has failed to get solved so far because of lack of a clear / proven political will to adopt compromises from politicians who are more concerned about their guaranteed privileges than by finding solutions in favor of the country interests and of the people of Madagascar: so they do not mind taking the present and the future of twenty millions of Malagasy hostages.
The CCOC again urges politicians to put national interest above all other considerations and to reach a consensual and inclusive agreement for the leading of the Transition to truly credible and transparent elections.
The CCOC is grateful to the international community as a whole to maintain its role as guardian of democratic principles and to stay firm before the inclination of some countries to recognize a unilateral transition.
BROUGHT TO YOU BY PAMBAZUKA NEWS
* Please send comments to [email protected] or comment online at Pambazuka News.