Life sentence for Madagascar ex-leader may prolong crisis

ANTANANARIVO, August 29, 2010

The sentencing of Madagascar's former president Marc Ravalomanana to hard labour for life may prove to be one more obstacle in the island's attempts to emerge from political turmoil.

Ravalomanana, who lives in exile in South Africa, was sentenced in absentia Saturday by a court in Antananarivo for his part in what are known as the February 7, 2009 killings, the third sentence handed him since his ouster.

On that day, Ravalomanana's presidential guard fired without warning on supporters of the island's current strongman Andry Rajoelina making their way to the presidency, killing at least 30 people and wounding more than 100.

Madagascar has been mired in political turmoil since Rajoelina grabbed power one month later, in March 2009.

"Obviously this development is quite important in as much as it's not very common for a former head of state to be convicted in this manner," Stephen Ellis, a historian at Leiden University told AFP.

"The effect will be to make a political settlement that much more difficult and I would surmise that was the intention," he said noting that ever since Rajoelina seized power he has been in a rather weak position and under pressure to accept power-sharing deals.

"This is not going to facilitate the resolution of the crisis," agreed a western diplomat in the capital who asked not to be quoted.

"I am baffled by the way the trial, which deserved an in-depth investigation, coincided with the ongoing political meetings on how to manage the transition," he said, noting that Ravalomanana's court hearing lasted just two days.

Calling it a "mock trial", Ravalomanana told AFP in South Africa its true purpose was to prevent him for running for president again and disrupt talks on resolving the Indian Ocean island's political crisis.

"I reject this verdict because it's stupid, it's ridiculous," Ravalomanana said.

Fetison Andrianirina, Ravalomanana's head of delegation in the crisis talks also told AFP in Madagascar that the ruling would "complicate any resolution to the crisis".

"How do you expect us to stay at the negotiating table?" he said, calling the sentence a "criminal ruling to which we attach no particular importance".

Joseph Breham, a lawyer representing an association of victims of the February 7 killings, AV7, however said the trial was "fair" and "respected international standards".

He told AFP the accused -- 14 of whom did not appear in court -- and their counsel employed "empty-chair" procedural tactics in order to discredit the court ruling.