GRENADE ATTACK ON PRESIDENT'S COMPANY IN TULEAR

UNCLAS ANTANANARIVO 001131 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT FOR AF/E, AF/FO, AND INR/AA PARIS FOR D'ELIA DEPT FOR DS/IP/AF CKOLLMAR E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV KDEM ASEC MA SUBJECT: GRENADE ATTACK ON PRESIDENT'S COMPANY IN TULEAR REF: 06 ANTANANARIVO 972 ¶1. (SBU) An early morning grenade attack on a MAGRO building, part of the TIKO conglomerate owned by President Marc Ravalomanana, slightly injured one gendarme and caused minor material damages November 5. Local security forces in the southwestern city of Tulear have launched an investigation to identify the unknown assailants. The city of Tulear is calm at this time. On the same day, a military sergeant was arrested for stealing weapons from a military camp stock room south of the capital of Antananarivo. At that time, gendarmes noticed an undetermined number of weapons, likely AK-47s, had previously been taken. ¶2. (SBU) COMMENT: Gendarme contacts are characterizing these acts as attempts to destabilize the populace preceding the December 12 municipal elections. Over the years, Post has reported on similar incidents, usually grenade attacks against symbolic buildings and political figures' homes. Often done after hours, these expressions of political discontent have usually resulted in minimal damage or injury (reftel). The President's MAGRO factories in Tamatave and Fianarantsoa have both sustained grenade attacks with minimal damage since he took office in 2002. END COMMENT. MARQUARDT