Facing what he describes as "diabolical" acts, Colonel Michaël Randrianirina has launched a vibrant appeal for national solidarity, unity of hearts, and mutual trust. Confronted with a wave of kidnappings shaking the capital, the president of the Refoundation of the Republic evokes "acts of terrorism." But between announcements and panic, public opinion awaits concrete action. The atmosphere is electric at the top of the state. Twenty-four hours after the Prime Minister's forceful media appearance late Tuesday, it was Colonel Michaël Randrianirina's turn, president of the Refoundation of the Republic of Madagascar (PRRM), to speak publicly yesterday. It was from Ambatolampy Tsimahafotsy, Tongarivo, and Bongatsara that the president of the Refoundation chose to express himself to firmly condemn what he considers a threat of a different nature: "acts of terrorism."
Old Practices
Indeed, for several days, the capital Antananarivo has faced panic born from a series of kidnappings sometimes resulting in cold-blooded murders. Citing unofficial data, the colonel advanced the alarming figure of 90 disappearances. According to his assessment, the return of 43 of them has been confirmed, while the fate of the remaining 47 remains uncertain. "What is happening now is no longer politics, it is terrorism. Perhaps it is something being shown to the International Community to make them believe Madagascar is a completely unstable country," he hammered with vehemence. As a reminder, nearly a week ago, the strongman of the Refoundation claimed that "there is no problem in Madagascar." Pushing his analysis further, Colonel Randrianirina draws a direct parallel with the nation's recent past, seeking to assimilate these acts to old practices of former leaders, without providing concrete evidence. According to him, this scourge recalls dark memories: "These events already occurred in 2018, if you remember. I won't elaborate on the reasons, but they already did it in 2017-2018," he maintained, specifying that it will now be up to the Defense Minister to publish official data.
Kidnapping Alert
Facing these acts he qualifies as "diabolical," the senior officer has launched a vibrant appeal for national solidarity, unity of hearts, and mutual trust. He urges the population to work closely with law enforcement—police, gendarmerie, and military—to identify and quickly arrest criminals. Praising the commitment of security forces, who have already deployed several operational centers and multiplied security patrols in neighborhoods, he strongly encouraged the continuation of their efforts. The colonel also requested the establishment of an emergency system similar to the "kidnapping alert" existing in France, but adapted to local realities: "As soon as a child disappears, churches ring their bells and fokontany presidents use whistles so the population is immediately informed," he recommended. Furthermore, he calls for establishing vigilance committees (andrimasom-pokonolona) in each neighborhood, specifying that the Presidency of the Refoundation is fully prepared to finance these committees. In any case, on the ground, like the Prime Minister's declarations, Colonel Michaël Randrianirina multiplies condemnations and announcements, but public opinion still awaits concrete results.