HARD LABOR PAYS DIVIDENDS FOR MALAGASY PRISONERS

UNCLAS ANTANANARIVO 000009


DEPT FOR DS/IP/AF
DEPT FOR DS/TIA/ITA/AF
DEPT FOR INL
DEPT FOR INR
DEPT FOR AF/E

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ASEC MA PTER
SUBJECT: HARD LABOR PAYS DIVIDENDS FOR MALAGASY PRISONERS

REF: 08 ANTANARIVO 00788


1. (SBU) On January 4, 2009, 22 prisoners broke out of the
high security prison located in Tsiafahy. The prison is
located 17 kilometers south of Antananarivo and is considered
Madagascar's most secure, housing the country's most violent
criminals and a host of alleged political prisoners.


2. (SBU) At 2:00 am, the 22 prisoners made their escape.
During the jail break, one prisoner was shot dead by the
prison guards and four were apprehended. One of the
apprehended prisoners told police they initiated their escape
plan on January 1, 2009 by digging a crude tunnel with
homemade tools and cooking pots from their prison cell. Once
the tunnel reached the exterior prison grounds, the group
used a rope fabricated from clothing and bedding to scale the
perimeter wall.


3. (SBU) RSO's police contacts stated 17 fugitives remain at
large and none of them were political prisoners. One high
priority and dangerous fugitive is a Malagasy male who
participated in the home invasion robbery of the French DCM's
residence in January 2005.


4. (SBU) Following this bold prison break, two additional
breaks occurred in different regions of the country. On
January 4, nine prisoners escaped from a prison in the Tulear
province. On January 5, seven prisoners escaped from a prison
in the city center of Tamatave.


5. (SBU) Recently, RSO learned that in late November the
Malagasy Minister of Justice traveled to a South African
prison managed by Group 4 Securicor (G4S) who is also the US
Embassy Antananarivo's LGF contractor. G4S funded all
expenses and provided the Minister of Justice with a tour of
their Mangaung Correctional Center, in Bloemfontein. G4S
floated a tentative proposal to the Government of Madagascar
(GOM) to build and fund the capital investment of a modern
and secure prison. G4S would then recoup their capital
investment with a 30 year contract to manage the prison with
the capital costs paid back over the 30 year life of the
contract.


6. (SBU) RSO assessment: This most recent prison break will
continue to attract the attention of the Malagasy public and
local media to the decrepit state of Malagasy prisons
compounded by the general public's perception that the police
are unable to mount an effective response to the rising crime
rate. The GOM recognizes the chronic problems within the
prison system and the Minister of Justice has received
marching orders to develop a plan of action to repair the
system. However, with a lack of new financial funding and the
prison system at the bottom of the list for resources for law
enforcement funding, it is doubtful that any improvements
will occur in the immediate future. The only hope for the GOM
would be if a foreign donor stepped forward with a financial
grant and provided technical assistance to rectify the
deficiencies of the prison system.


7. (SBU) RSO assessment continued: G4S was quick to recognize
a potential business opportunity when a series of prison
breaks occurred in November 2008. Even with a business
proposal of a new prison with zero out of pocket costs for
the GOM by G4S, it is doubtful the GOM can even afford a deal
involving a 30 year repayment plan to a professional western
security company.

MARQUARDT