Ravalomanana delays investiture

Malagasy opposition leader Marc Ravalomanana on Thursday postponed his investiture as the country's president. The self-made millionaire's decision came in the wake of secessionist threats from four of the six provinces and the blowing up of a key bridge. Ravalomanana, who was declared the overall winner of December's disputed election, was supposed to be sworn into office on Friday. But news reports said that he would delay the ceremony at the request of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU). The move came after two key provinces, Antsiranana and eastern Toamasina, seceded on Tuesday and Wednesday respectively protesting Ravalomanana's plans to assume the presidency. The governors of the provinces said they would rescind the move if Ravalomanana's investiture did not go ahead. However, on Thursday, the governors of Toliara and Mahajanga on reportedly also declared their independence. The four provinces - Toamasina, Antsiranana, Toliara in the southeast and Mahajanga in the northwest - are controlled by Ratsiraka loyalists. The two densely populated central provinces of Fianarantsoa and Antananarivo, home of the capital and economic hub of the Indian Ocean island state, are controlled by Ravalomanana's supporters. "The governors want to completely cut the capital off from the ports. To have independent states in a country as poor as Madagascar is not viable. If the governors follow through with their plans, it could only further cripple the country," said Madeleine Ramaholimihaso, who headed a consortium of civil society organisations that supervised the country's disputed presidential poll. On Tuesday, fears of fresh violence increased as the Andrainomaitso bridge was dynamited, destroying a vital road link between Antananarivo and the south-eastern port. This was the first incident of violence since the signing of the Dakar accord in April, aimed at resolving the leadership crisis. Supporters of Ratsiraka have allegedly destroyed four bridges on supply routes into the capital since Ravalomanana declared himself president in February. The roadblocks and dynamiting of roads and bridges is seen as a tactic by pro-Ratsiraka supporters to isolate the capital and starve it of fuel and other essentials. Meanwhile, an OAU delegation is in the country in an attempt to diffuse the deepening political divisions since the results of the vote recount were announced. The OAU has called for a referendum to chose between the two political rivals. On Monday the High Constitutional Court announced that Ravalomanana won 51 percent of the ballots and Ratsiraka just 36 percent in the 16 December elections. The votes were re-examined as part of the Dakar accord. Ratsiraka and provincial governors loyal to him immediately rejected the results saying that the court had been loaded with Ravalomanana supporters.