OAU still talking to rival leaders

The defence minister appointed by self-proclaimed president Marc Ravalomanana was briefly denied access to his office on Monday. General Jules Mamizara was only allowed into the building after negotiating with troops loyal to embattled President Didier Ratsiraka.

Mamizara installed himself at the defence ministry without opposition from his predecessor, General Marcel Ranjeva, or government troops on Friday. In his place, Ratsiraka appointed General Jean-Paul Bory as interim defence minister on Monday.

In yet another blow to Ratsiraka, Ranjeva resigned just hours after Ravalomanana appointed Mamizara as his replacement. He did not provide a reason for his resignation, although local newspapers reported suggestions that he had been earmarked for another position within Ravalomanana's parallel government.

Ranjeva was the third of Ratsiraka's ministers to resign since Ravalomanana declared himself president on 22 February, saying he was cheated in rigged polls.

It is not clear how much of the army - which analysts say is key to the battle for Madagascar - still remain loyal to Ratsiraka, but up to 200 officers have publicly pledged their support to Ravalomanana. The beleaguered president has remained almost entirely silent during the crisis. Though he has the support of five of Madagascar's six provincial governors, it is unclear how much of the population supports him.

The latest political shenanigans on the island state come amid emergency talks between the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) and the two rival candidates. The OAU delegation has held talks with both Ravalomanana and Ratsiraka since arriving on Wednesday, but few details have emerged from these meetings.

"We are hoping the talks between the OAU and the two leaders will be constructive. At the moment, Ratsiraka and Ravalomanana are trying to outdo each other and the Malagasy people are not benefiting from the confusion," Madeleine Ranaholimihaso, who headed the consortium of civil society organisations that supervised the disputed presidential poll on 16 December 2001, told IRIN.

The only strategic building still remaining in Ratsiraka's hands is the prime minister's palace. He has ruled island of 15 million people off southeast Africa for almost 23 years.