Madagascar's political future remains on a knife-edge today as it awaits the next move between its president and the coup plotters determined to oust him.
A group of about 20 dissident military officers, who yesterday made a premature declaration that they had overthrown the government, is holed up in their barracks while the streets remain calm.
President Andry Rajoelina, who at 36 is Africa's youngest leader, claimed the rebels had threatened to assassinate him but dismissed them as an irrelevant minority.
Rajoelina appears to have the backing of top military leaders but the former DJ who himself came to power in a coup last year, faces growing political pressure to step down.
Former president Albert Zafy today threw his weight behind the coup attempt.
"We support the action of the rebel officers," Zafy told Reuters. "Andry Rajoelina and [prime minister] Camille Vital should resign and not cling on to power.
"If there are officers who say things are bad, it is because corruption, bad governance and a lack of respect for the people are proven".
Residents of the capital, Antananarivo, said everything appeared to be normal today. Nani Ratsifandrihamanana told the Guardian by phone: "It's quite quiet. It doesn't seem like there has been a coup ... I don't know about the areas near the military camps but downtown there is nothing".
Ratsifandrihamanana said people were taking the latest coup attempt in their stride. "I think people are not worried. They think, 'Another one again'".
Rajoelina, who drove the former leader Marc Ravalomanana into exile and held a referendum yesterday to legitimise his rule, appeared unruffled when he spoke to reporters.
"They've threatened me with death if I don't step down," Rajoelina said late yesterday. "But I'm not afraid of threats".
It was not immediately clear whether the army chiefs backing the government would try to negotiate an exit for the dissidents, or use force to nip the rebellion in the bud.
"For the moment there is a strong desire not to use force," said Colonel Philibert Ratovonirina, head of communications for the army. "We are still trying to negotiate without violence".
The military has endured several rifts since the 2009 coup. One of the rebels, General Noel Rakotonandrasana, initially backed Rajoelina's power grab and became armed forces minister. But he was sacked in April after rumours of a planned coup in the economically poor but environmentally rich island.
The dissidents' declaration was made by Colonel Charles Andrianasoavina, another of the officers behind the coup that brought Rajoelina to power. He said Madagascar had been awaiting a resolution of the political crisis for months.
The Guardian
