Rajoelina opponents rally in Madagascar

ANTANANARIVO, Monday

Opponents of Madagascar's new President Andry Rajoelina rallied on Monday for a planned march to the same square where he led protests prior to an army-backed takeover condemned as a coup by foreign powers.

The demonstration was organised by supporters of former president Marc Ravalomanana, who stepped down last week after a seven-year rule on the Indian Ocean island.

About 2,000 people had gathered in a park by late morning, before the meeting's scheduled start, witnesses said. Organisers said many more were coming and the protesters would walk to the May 13 square used by Rajoelina supporters in past months.

Unrest before the handover of power to Rajoelina killed 135 people, crippled the $390 million-a-year tourism industry and spooked foreign investors in the important mine and oil sectors.

Rajoelina, who is Africa's youngest president at 34, appears to have strong support among the young and poor in the capital Antananarivo.

He also has the military top brass behind him.

Yet Ravalomanana supporters, buoyed by international condemnation of Rajoelina including the African Union's suspension of Madagascar, are determined to put pressure on him.

Several thousand held a counter-rally on Saturday while Rajoelina was being installed as president.

The new leader, a businessman and former disc jockey with little political experience beyond a year as Antananarivo mayor, was holding a Cabinet meeting on Monday.

Civil servants milled outside, hoping to return to their desks. "The president asked us to come here today for a meeting," said one man, who asked not to be named.

"If he asks us to go back to work, we will do so."

"Back to work"

Many Malagasy are fed up with the disruption in the capital since the start of the year when Rajoelina's protests began.

"It will be good to be able to go back to work. It has been hard for us," said one lady who cooks at the city centre palace where the president and ministers were meeting.

Having presented themselves as a pro-democracy, reformist movement fighting an old-fashioned dictator, Rajoelina's camp is stung by the widespread international disapproval.

He is six years too young to be president, according to Madagascar's constitution.

The African Union and European Union have called the changeover a coup. Washington and Norway have cut aid.

Rajoelina says he is leading a transitional government that will organise new elections within two years.

But foreign nations say a vote should be held much sooner than that. Among them is former colonial power France, whom some analysts say is tacitly backing Rajoelina.

The whereabouts of Ravalomanana, 59, remain unknown.

He has gone to ground since leaving his residence on Tuesday and handing power to the military.

The military conferred power, in turn, on Rajoelina.

Multinationals in Madagascar's fast-developing minerals and hydrocarbon industries are waiting to find out their fate after Rajoelina's government said it may re-negotiate any deals deemed not in the public interest.

The new president has, however, pledged to maintain the free-market economic policies of his predecessor, while stamping out waste and corruption, and paying more attention to poverty. (Reuters)