Madagascar: Curfew on the eve of a presidential election boycotted by the opposition

by Lovasoa and Rabary

ANTANANARIVO, Nov 15 (Reuters) – A nighttime curfew was introduced in Madagascar on Wednesday on the eve of a tense first round of the presidential election, after more than six weeks of protests repressed by authorities with tear gas .

In recent days, 10 of the 12 opposition candidates withdrew from the presidential race, arguing that the current president, Andry Rajoelina, was ineligible and calling on their supporters to boycott Thursday’s vote.

“If this election is not postponed, Madagascar will experience a major crisis because the population will contest the results,” declared Marc Ravaomanana, a former Malagasy president who is calling for a boycott.

The police chief, Angelo Ravelonarivo, announced “strengthening the security of the election” to avoid any excess.

Despite reserves of nickel, cobalt, gold, uranium and other minerals, Madagascar is one of the poorest countries in the world.

Some 11 million Malagasy people are registered on the electoral lists in a country which has a population of 30 million inhabitants.

Opposition calls to postpone the election were followed by the organization that brings together the island’s four largest Christian churches, which said it will not participate in the vote, citing an unsuitable political environment and a lack of criteria.

The Malagasy president does not seem discouraged and called on his supporters, Sunday during a political meeting, to go to the polls.

The island’s constitutional court called for calm on Monday and asked the population to demonstrate by voting, adding that the vote should be held on Thursday as planned. (French version by Zhifan Liu, editing by Kate Entringer)