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Explosions near Madagascar presidential palace |
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Monday, March 16, 2009 2:20:00 AM |
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ANTANANARIVO: Explosions were heard near Madagascar's presidential palace on Monday, raising tensions in the crisis between President Marc Ravalomanana and the opposition.
Opposition leader Andry Rajoelina has been demanding Ravalomanana's resignation and calling himself Madagascar's de facto leader in a crisis since the start of this year which has killed at least 135 people and is crippling the economy.
The opposition is due to give its response to the president's offer of a referendum to end the crisis.
Witnesses and officials spoke of two or three blasts about a mile from the palace. But there was no indication they represented an attack on Ravalomanana, who is hunkered down in the whitewashed colonial-era chateau, with supporters milling round outside vowing to repel any opposition assault.
"There were two loud explosions at around 3 a.m., but I don't know where they came from. They were strong enough to shake the house," said local resident Solanje Rasoamanana.
A colonel within the presidential guard told Reuters three shells were fired, landing on a bypass near the palace.
"This was to intimidate the mass of supporters," he said.
A statement read out on Radio Mada, owned by the president, said five 4x4 vehicles with masked men inside were seen leaving
after the explosions.
Opposition leader Rajoelina was to lead another rally in the capital Antananarivo from 1 a.m. local time (7 GMT) where he is expected to give a response to Ravalomanana's proposal at the weekend for a referendum.
The president did not say what question would be posed, but analysts assume it would be a simple vote on whether Malagasy want to keep him in power or not.
Rajoelina, 34, a former disc jockey who was sacked as Antananarivo's mayor earlier this year, says Ravalomanana is an autocrat running the island like a private company.
The president's supporters call Rajoelina a maverick and troublemaker bent on seizing power illegally.
REUTERS
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