Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07ANTANANARIVO758
2007-07-30 12:50:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Antananarivo
Cable title:  

MADAGASCAR M.P. ARRESTED ON CORRUPTION CHARGES

Tags:  PGOV PREL KCOR KDEM PHUM MA 
pdf how-to read a cable
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RR RUEHDU RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHAN #0758 2111250
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 301250Z JUL 07
FM AMEMBASSY ANTANANARIVO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0145
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE
RUEKDIA/DIA WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
C O N F I D E N T I A L ANTANANARIVO 000758 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR AF/E, AF/FO, AND DRL
PARIS FOR D'ELIA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/30/2017
TAGS: PGOV PREL KCOR KDEM PHUM MA
SUBJECT: MADAGASCAR M.P. ARRESTED ON CORRUPTION CHARGES

REF: A. ANTANANARIVO 749


B. ANTANANARIVO 721

C. ANTANANARIVO 718

Classified By: Charge d'Affaires George N. Sibley for reasons 1.4 B,D

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANTANANARIVO 000758

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR AF/E, AF/FO, AND DRL
PARIS FOR D'ELIA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/30/2017
TAGS: PGOV PREL KCOR KDEM PHUM MA
SUBJECT: MADAGASCAR M.P. ARRESTED ON CORRUPTION CHARGES

REF: A. ANTANANARIVO 749


B. ANTANANARIVO 721

C. ANTANANARIVO 718

Classified By: Charge d'Affaires George N. Sibley for reasons 1.4 B,D


1. (SBU) Roger Zara, a former deputy from the island of Nosy
Be who represented President Marc Ravalomanana's Tiako I
Madagasikara (TIM) party in the recently dissolved National
Assembly (ref A),was arrested July 27 on corruption-related
charges. He was reportedly summoned to the tribunal, accused
of indulging in corruption, abuse of power, and tribalism,
and subsequently put under pre-trial detention. Zara is a
vocal member of a dissident wing of TIM seeking to reform the
party (ref B). The recent dissolution of the National
Assembly has been perceived, at least in part, as a move by
the President to regain control amidst infighting in the
ruling party.


2. (C) COMMENT: Zara's imprisonment is the latest in a
string of arrests suspected to be politically motivated in
the President's favor (ref C). While the corruption charges
are likely well-founded, the timing of recent arrests
suggests they are politically targeted. It raises serious
issues of equal application of the law if the regime holds
"passive" dossiers of law-breakers who are political
supporters, only to unveil these charges when the politician
in question crosses over to the opposition. This kind of
political coercion was apparently a common feature in
previous Malagasy regimes, but it is troubling to see
Ravalomanana starting to follow their bad example. That
said, the GOM does have plenty of cover on this case. Recent
presidential efforts to crack down on corruption in Nosy Be
to improve the local economy include the suspension of other
local officials on related charges. END COMMENT.

SIBLEY