1000s rally for Ravalomanana
2009-05-16 21:27
Antanarivo - More than 10 000 supporters of Madagascar's ousted leader on Saturday staged a peaceful demonstration in the capital for a return to constitutional rule, despite a ban on public protests.
Gathered in a city park in a rare rally in recent days, they called for the unconditional return to Madagascar of the exiled president Marc Ravalomanana, forced out of power on March 17 by Andry Rajoelina.
"Popular pressure is necessary in this environment of dialogue," Raharinaivo Andrianatoandro, a spokesperson for Marc Ravalomanana's TIM party told AFP at the rally.
Rajoelina "must put in place all the necessary conditions for this dialogue takes place in a calm atmosphere", said Andrianatoandro.
An international team of mediators is in Madagascar to try to push through transitional deal with the four main political groups on Africa's largest island.
But on Friday, Ravalomanana insisted that he remained the country's legitimate leader and that no negotiations to resolve the country's crisis could take place until he returned home.
Ravalomanana, currently based in South Africa, has an arrest warrant issued against him in Madagascar.
Madagascar was plunged into political turmoil when Rajoelina toppled the Indian Ocean island's Ravalomanana with army backing.
The last major rally after the ban was imposed last month saw 36 people wounded when Madagascan security forces clashed with Ravalomanana's supporters.