SADC mediator wants members of Madagascan gov't named immediately

SADC mediator wants members of Madagascan gov't named immediately
The chief mediator of the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC), Troika Marius Fransman, who is leading the mission over the Madagascan crisis, has urged the Indian Ocean island country to name the members of transitional government immediately, the local press said on Saturday.

"I want to ask you (political groups) to re-examine your positions today so that the prime minister and the president could name the members of government between now and the end of the day (Friday)," Fransman, who is also South Africa's deputy foreign affairs minister, was quoted as saying by L'Express de Madagascar, a local daily.

"We have already passed the deadline of appointing members of government, the people are continuing to suffer and yet politicians are just playing musical chairs with the positions," Fransman pointed out.

Fransman's reaction came after the postponement of the appointment of members of government, which was supposed to be known by Nov. 17 in conformity to the roadmap signed to end Madagascar's political crisis.

Madagascan Prime Minister Omer Beriziky postponed the appointment "to an opportune moment because of differences of opinion between the camp of High Transitional Authority (HAT) President Andry Rajoelina and the opposition, which is led by the camps of ex-presidents Marc Ravalomanana and Albert Zafy and the ex-HAT prime minister, Monja Roindefo.

According to the SADC's roadmap to end the Madagascan political crisis, members of the national unity government should form on Nov. 17 and the members of the transitional parliament should come into being by Nov. 30.

The roadmap was signed on Sept. 17 by Madagascan political groups under the guidance of the SADC to end the country's political crisis that began in December 2008.

Unlike the rest of sub-Saharan Africa, Madagascar is yet to move out of the shadow of coup since Rajoelina replaced Ravalomanana in March 2009 with the backing of the military. The rival camps have signed several documents to end the crisis, the roadmap being the latest. Differences over power sharing, however, remain serious for a unity government.

Editor: Fang Yang

English.news.cn   2011-11-19 14:59:21 FeedbackPrintRSS
ANTANANARIVO, Nov. 19 (Xinhua)