Government of Self-Declared President Installed in Madagascar

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Wednesday, March 06, 2002

Government of Self-Declared President Installed in Madagascar

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Four more ministers nominated by Madagascar's self-declared President Marc Ravalomanana have taken control of government office buildings on Tuesday after 13 others of the same government did so on Monday.

The four ministers, each escorted by a large number of supporters, entered the ministry buildings previously under control of ministers of Ravalomanana's rival -- incumbent President Didier Ratsiraka.

As of Tuesday, the 17 ministers, who entered the government offices without military involvement, have announced that they are functioning.

But Ravalomanana's Prime Minister Jacques Sylla and Defense Minister Mamizara Jules have not taken their posts yet.

Ratsiraka's ministers have reportedly left the capital city of Antananarivo last week.

On Monday, five of the country's six provincial governors said the country should have a rival capital to opposition-controlled Antananarivo, suggesting Tamatave, an eastern port city which is Ratsiraka's heartland.

They also condemned Ravalomanana, who declared himself president on February 22, following unsettled disputes over election results.

Neither Ravalomanana nor Ratsiraka won an outright majority in last December's general elections, thus the government decided to hold a run-off election this month.

But the move of Ravalomanana, who accused the Ratsiraka government of falsifying the election results, attracted criticism and condemnation from home and abroad.

A mediation mission of the Organization of African Unity (OAU), led by former president of the Cape Verde Islands Antonio Monteiro, is expected to arrive in Antananarivo on Wednesday.

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