🔗 Share this article

A multitude of protesters against Madagascar's president were supported on the streets of the capital on Saturday by military personnel from an specialized army squadron, who earlier in the day stated they would not shoot at demonstrators.

Proceeding Together with Armored Transports

Activists walked together with military personnel from the Capsat unit, who piloted armored transports, some brandishing Madagascar flags, from their headquarters in Soanierana in the south of Antananarivo.

Addressing the Gathering

A Capsat leader, Lylison René de Rolland, then spoke to the cheering gathering in front of the city hall in 13 May Square, which activists had previously been blocked from accessing. Capsat troops installed the current president, Andry Rajoelina, to authority in a coup in 2009.

Increasing Pressure on the Head of State

The military's participation ratcheted up pressure on Rajoelina, who demonstrators have been demanding resign. The student-led rallies erupted on 25 September, initially over service disruptions. However, they quickly widened into calls for a total overhaul of the government system, with the gen Z protesters not placated by Rajoelina removing his administration last week.

Police Actions

Earlier in the day, police deployed disorientation devices and chemical irritants to try to disperse the protesters. The freshly assigned minister of the armed forces also called on soldiers to "remain calm", at a media briefing on Saturday.

"We call on our brothers who are against us to prioritise discussion," general minister Deramasinjaka Manantsoa Rakotoarivelo said. "Madagascar's armed forces is still a peacemaker and constitutes the nation's last line of defence."

Army Resistance

However, a Capsat leader supported by a sizable contingent of troops appealed to other troop formations to "disobey commands to fire upon your allies", in a video that was posted on social media before they left their base.

"We should unite, troops, gendarmes and police, and reject payment to fire upon our allies, our brothers and our compatriots," he declared, also urging military personnel at the aviation hub to "prevent all aircraft from taking off".

"Shut the access points and wait for our directions," he said. "Do not obey directives from your commanders. Aim your weapons at those who order you to attack your military brothers, because they will not take care of our loved ones if we die."

Leader's Silence

No information has been posted on the head of state's online profiles since Friday night, when he was seen discussing with the leaders of 10 of the nation's higher education institutions to talk about enhancing educational conditions.

Demonstrator Worries

An protester who joined Saturday's rallies said she was worried about the role of Capsat, due to their involvement in the 2009 coup that brought Rajoelina to power. She also denounced politicians who made brief speeches to the gathering in front of the municipal building as "those seeking advantage".

"For this purpose I'm not feeling joyful at all, because all of those people involved in this 'development' are all dangerous," commented the demonstrator, who requested anonymity for apprehension for her safety.

Youth Viewpoint

A member of the young activists, a leaderless collective of young people that has assisted in organizing the demonstrations, also raised questions about what would transpire in the future. "We are delighted, but significant events are unfolding [and] we don't want another dishonest individual to assume control here, so we will take all measures to have the opportunity to choose who to install in leadership," he commented.