🔗 Share this article

Numerous activists against the nation's leader were supported on the streets of the capital on Saturday afternoon by soldiers from an specialized army division, who previously that day said they would not open fire on protesters.

Advancing Alongside Armored Transports

Demonstrators proceeded alongside soldiers from the Capsat squadron, who piloted military vehicles, some displaying national flags, from their barracks in Soanierana in the southern part of Antananarivo.

Appealing to the Crowds

A Capsat commander, Lylison René de Rolland, then appealed to the supportive gathering in front of the municipal building in 13 May Square, which protesters had earlier been prevented from reaching. Capsat troops brought the incumbent president, Andry Rajoelina, to power in a coup in 2009.

Escalating Tension on the President

The military's intervention increased tension on Rajoelina, who activists have been demanding stand down. The student-led protests erupted on 25 September, originally over water and electricity cuts. However, they quickly broadened into demands for a complete overhaul of the government system, with the younger generation demonstrators not appeased by Rajoelina removing his government last week.

Security Forces Response

Previously that day, security forces used disorientation devices and chemical irritants to try to scatter the activists. The freshly assigned minister of the armed forces also appealed to troops to "keep peaceful", at a media briefing on Saturday.

"We appeal to our colleagues who are against us to focus on communication," general minister Deramasinjaka Manantsoa Rakotoarivelo said. "Madagascar's armed forces is still a intermediary and constitutes the nation's final safeguard."

Army Opposition

However, a Capsat officer joined by a large group of troops urged other military units to "disobey commands to shoot your comrades", in a footage that was shared on digital networks before they left their base.

"We should unite, army, gendarmes and law enforcement, and decline compensation to shoot our friends, our comrades and our sisters," he stated, also calling on military personnel at the airport to "stop all planes from departing".

"Secure the gates and await our instructions," he said. "Do not obey commands from your officers. Point your firearms at those who instruct you to attack your fellow soldiers, because they will not take care of our loved ones if we perish."

President's Inactivity

No updates has been posted on the president's social media accounts since Friday evening, when he was photographed meeting the directors of 10 of the nation's higher education institutions to discuss enhancing educational conditions.

Activist Concerns

An protester who participated in the Saturday rallies said she was apprehensive about the involvement of Capsat, due to their role in the 2009 takeover that propelled Rajoelina to leadership. She also condemned politicians who made quick statements to the gathering in front of the municipal building as "self-serving individuals".

"For this purpose I'm not rejoicing at all, because all of those figures involved in this 'development' are all risky," commented the activist, who didn't want to be named for fear for her security.

Gen Z Perspective

A member of the young activists, a decentralized group of young people that has supported the arrangement of the rallies, also expressed doubts about what would occur subsequently. "We are very happy, but a lot is happening [and] we wish to avoid another dishonest figure to gain authority here, so we will take all measures to have the right to choose who to place in power," he stated.