A mutinied army unit declared Sunday that it was taking control of all Madagascar military forces as President Andry Rajoelina said an "attempt to seize power illegally" was under way.
The CAPSAT contingent of administrative and technical officers joined thousands of protesters in the city centre on Saturday in a major shift in a more than two-week anti-government youth-led protest movement.
The unit had earlier declared that it would "refuse orders to shoot" and criticised the gendarmerie, who have been accused of using heavy-handed tactics against protesters, causing several deaths.
"From now on, all orders of the Malagasy army – whether land, air or the army – will originate from CAPSAT headquarters," officers of the CAPSAT contingent of administrative and technical officers claimed in a video statement.
The officers said they had named General Demosthene Pikulas as the head of the army – a post that had been vacant since the former head was appointed minister of armed forces last week – although it was not clear if the posting could be considered official.
There was no immediate response from other units or the military command.
Soldiers based in the outskirts of Antananarivo on Saturday morning called on security units to "join forces" and to "refuse orders to shoot", repudiating the violent crackdown on the protests.
Calls to resign
They clashed with gendarmes outside a barracks and rode into the city on army vehicles to join the demonstrators on the symbolic Place du 13 Mai in front of Antananarivo's city hall, where they were welcomed with cheers and calls for Rajoelina to resign.
The president released a statement Sunday saying "an attempt to seize power illegally and by force, contrary to the Constitution and to democratic principles, is currently under way."
"Dialogue is the only way forward and the only solution to the crisis currently facing the country," he said, calling for "unity".
Officers of the gendarmerie, which has been accused of violence against protesters, on Sunday morning released a video statement recognising "faults and excesses during our interventions" and calling for "fraternity" between the army and the gendarmes.
"We are here to protect, not to terrorise," they said, adding that "from now on, all orders will come solely" from the gendarmerie's headquarters.
The soldiers calling on the military to desist from cracking down on protesters were from the CAPSAT contingent of administrative and technical officers in the Soanierana district on the outskirts of Antananarivo.
The Soanierana military base in 2009 led a mutiny during a popular uprising that brought Rajoelina to power.
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The African Union Commission on Sunday expressed "deep concern" at the situation in Madagascar.
"The Chairperson of the Commission welcomes the Government's renewed commitment to dialogue and urges all Malagasy stakeholders, both civilian and military, to exercise calm and restraint," it said in a statement.
Neighbour South Africa also called upon "all parties to respect the democratic process and constitutional order".
Ready to listen?
Saturday's demonstration in Madagascar's capital Antananarivo was one of the biggest since the protest movement erupted on 25 September, sparked by anger over power and water shortages.
The United Nations has said that at least 22 people were killed in the first days of the protests, some killed by security forces and others in violence sparked by criminal gangs and looters in the wake of the demonstrations.
Rajoelina has disputed the toll, saying last week there were "12 confirmed deaths and all of these individuals were looters and vandals".
According to local media, the emergency services reported another two dead and 26 injured on Saturday. The CAPSAT unit said a soldier was also shot by gendarmes and died.
In an effort to address the unrest, Rajoelina last week dismissed his entire government. On Monday he appointed army General Rufin Fortunat Zafisambo as prime minister and gave him six months to improve basic services and curb corruption, a move which has failed to ease tensions.
The government on Sunday ensured that Rajoelina remained "in the country" and was "managing national affairs", while the newly appointed prime minister said the government was "standing strong" and "ready to collaborate and listen".
Also on Sunday, Air France announced a suspension of flights to Madagascar for two days.
(with AFP)
