RENEGADE GENERAL FIDY CAPTURED

UNCLAS ANTANANARIVO 001389 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT FOR AF/FO, AF/E, INR/AA, DRL FOR DS/IP/AF AKORT FOR DS/DSS/ITA DROTHSTEIN PARIS FOR D'ELIA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM PINR ASEC CASC MA SUBJECT: RENEGADE GENERAL FIDY CAPTURED REF: ANTANANARIVO 1297 ¶1. (SBU) Mixed Police and Gendarmes forces arrested "coup" leader and renegade General Andrianafidisoa (Fidy) in Antananarivo the evening of December 12 (reftel). Media reports indicate General Fidy was surprised and did not resist. As a military suspect, Fidy is held by the Gendarmes Brigade in Antananarivo. Fidy is reportedly charged with breach of State safety, disturbing the public order (in distributing fliers and making statements about the overthrow of the government),and for the murder of the soldier killed at the air base during the failed "coup" attempt November 17 and 18. ¶2. (SBU) Media attention to the search for Fidy had recently subsided with the announcement of election results, but of course returned to the front page December 13. Newspapers reported, almost with a sigh of relief, that the Fidy story was over with his capture. One article noted Fidy's fall from heroic leader during the 2002 governance crisis to arrested criminal. Another noted the general was unarmed and wearing a simple t-shirt. ¶3. (SBU) COMMENT: The Fidy story reveals two important indicators of Madagascar's current political climate, both positive. Given that Fidy grossly over-estimated support for his "cause," other would-be troublemakers (Lahiniriko comes to mind) must doubt how easily they can summon people power when most Malagasy cherish stability. In addition, Post commends the GOM for its measured response to Fidy's actions. The initial military reaction November 17 led to just one death, when worse violence could have ensued. In hindsight, GOM security forces were prudent to allow the Fidy fiasco to run out of steam on its own. END COMMENT. McGee