Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06ANTANANARIVO1432
2006-12-22 05:08:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Antananarivo
Cable title:  

OFFICIAL ELECTION RESULTS COMING DECEMBER 23

Tags:  PGOV PREL KDEM EAID PHUM PINR MA 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO2040
OO RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHJO RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHAN #1432 3560508
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 220508Z DEC 06
FM AMEMBASSY ANTANANARIVO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4082
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 0773
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUEKDIA/DIA WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEHLMC/MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE CORPORATION
UNCLAS ANTANANARIVO 001432 

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DEPT FOR AF/E, AF/FO, INR/AA, AND DRL
PARIS FOR D'ELIA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM EAID PHUM PINR MA
SUBJECT: OFFICIAL ELECTION RESULTS COMING DECEMBER 23

REFTEL: ANTANANARIVO 1389 AND PREVIOUS

UNCLAS ANTANANARIVO 001432

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DEPT FOR AF/E, AF/FO, INR/AA, AND DRL
PARIS FOR D'ELIA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM EAID PHUM PINR MA
SUBJECT: OFFICIAL ELECTION RESULTS COMING DECEMBER 23

REFTEL: ANTANANARIVO 1389 AND PREVIOUS


1. (U) Madagascar's High Constitutional Court (HCC) has invited the
diplomatic community, journalists and opposition candidates to the
strategically-timed announcement of the official presidential
election results December 23. Opposition candidates have filed
nearly 25 procedural complaints at the HCC to date, contesting
defects in the electronic voter registration lists, the misuse of
public staff and vehicles, and other alleged irregularities.
Breaking two weeks of silence, fourth place presidential candidate
Herizo Razafimahaleo submitted a request to the HCC calling for the
organization of a new presidential election. In a press conference
December 20, he used statistically-questionable calculations to
criticize errors in the total voter population, the candidates'
access to public media coverage, the collection and publication of
the election results, and the nationwide coverage of the President's
privately owned MBS radio and television stations. (Note:
Razafimahaleo's complaints regarding equal access to public media
are without merit. A USG-financed media observation analysis showed
that state media fulfilled its obligation to provide equal and free
airtime to presidential candidates, of which 12 of the 14 candidates
took advantage. In addition, Razafimahaleo was second only to
President Ravalomanana in buying airtime on private and public media
stations. End Note.)


2. (U) After a series of house searches and arrests, the Government
of Madagascar (GOM) is rapidly tying up loose ends in renegade
General Fidy's botched coup attempt (reftel),arresting his
accomplice Colonel Welson Ralaikoa December 20. Only presidential
candidate and former Mayor of Fianarantsoa, Pety Rakotoniaiana, a
Fidy sympathizer charged with unrelated crimes, is still at large.
General Fidy is being transferred to Tsiafahy maximum security
prison -- home to a number of prisoners Fidy had arrested for acts
of violence during the 2002 crisis when he helped Ravalomanana
restore order.


3. (SBU) International donors agreed at a recent meeting there was a
clear winner (Ravalomanana) in Madagascar's generally free and fair
elections. However, many voiced concerns about the number of
procedural complaints filed at the HCC and the lack of complete
transparency throughout the election process. Donors identified
four main areas of advocacy for electoral reform in the months
ahead. On the technical side, the EU will continue to correct the
electronic voter registration list through April 2007 and compile an
inventory of leftover election material in preparation for the
upcoming rounds of senatorial and gubernatorial elections. (Note:
The date of these two elections is still unknown. However, National
Assembly elections are anticipated for late 2007. End Note.) On
the political side, donors will work to raise the political will
among GOM officials and legislators to adopt a single ballot and an
independent national electoral commission. Some donors also
expressed interest in lobbying for laws regulating political parties
and campaign financing.


4. (SBU) COMMENT: By choosing to announce the official election
results December 23, the GOM is banking on the hope that the
public's focus on holiday festivities will undermine the efforts of
any would-be political troublemakers. Despite the proliferation of
procedural complaints, Post remains skeptical they will gain
traction at the HCC because the claims broadly dismiss the entire
electoral process rather than presenting specific or well-researched
complaints. END COMMENT.

MCGEE