'SA mercenaries to Madagascar'
2002-06-21 16:12
Johannesburg - Madagascar's consul general in Johannesburg went to the city's international airport on Friday to check the passenger list on the weekly flight to the island amid concern that South Africans might be involved in a plot to assassinate newly elected President Marc Ravalomanana.
Consul General Bruno Ranarivelo told Beeld newspaper in an
interview published on Friday that a group of South Africans could already be in Madagascar, disguised as security guards, to prepare a coup against President Marc Ravalomanana.
On Friday, he said from the airport that "nothing has been
confirmed, nothing is precise", adding that it was difficult to
ascertain whether or not rumours in Madagascar, that paramilitary
action was being prepared, were true.
But because of those concerns, he said, and because South Africa "is practically the only African gateway to Madagascar", he went to the airport to check the Air Madagascar flight, which was full.
Airport police re-checked passengers and baggage, he said.
Three Ukrainian tourists in particular were questioned by the
police, but the consul general said it appeared normal that the
plane was full, and that all the passengers appeared to be beyond
suspicion.
Left East London by helicopter
Ranarivelo said he had transmitted a note last week to South
Africa's foreign ministry to express the concerns of the new
government in Antananarivo, which is facing off against supporters of former president Didier Ratsiraka, who has rejected the results of presidential elections.
The consul general said he had no reports of any private
helicopters or fixed-wing aircraft taking off from South Africa to transport mercenaries or military material to Madagascar.
A spokesperson for Ravalomanana said in the Madagascan capital, Antananarivo, on Friday that 36 mercenaries had flown out of South Africa to "assassinate" the head of state of the Indian Ocean island.
"Reliable sources informed us that three helicopters left this
morning from East London, in South Africa, with 36 mercenaries on
board destined for the island of Sainte-Marie (off Madagascar's
east coast)," said the spokesperson, Raymond Ramandimbilahatra,
reading from a statement.
"They have orders ... to assassinate President Marc
Ravalomanana," he added. - Sapa-AFP
- SAPA