Madagascar amnesty prevents Ravalomanana’s return: official

Ousted Madagascar president Marc Ravalomanana will not be allowed back to the island state despite draft amnesty legislation released in Antananarivo, his spokesman said on Wednesday.

“The draft legislation says murderers are not supposed to be covered by the amnesty,” Mutumwa Mawere told AFP from South Africa.

Ravalomanana, who lives in exile in South Africa, was convicted in absentia of conspiracy to commit murder during the 2009 coup.

“They will exclude him on the basis that there is a conviction against him,” he said.

“That guy has vowed that he will not allow the president back,” he said, referring to current leader Andry Rajoelina.

Meanwhile, South Africa’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Marius Fransman who heads the regional mediation group, said he believed the process to adopt the amnesty legislation was on track.

“There will be a second meeting and thereafter the draft will go to parliament,” said Fransman.

“The key thing is the process has passed its first step. Had it not done this, we would have been concerned,” he added.

Madagascar’s main political factions signed a “roadmap” in September to install a transitional unity government to guide the vast Indian Ocean island to new elections.

Authorities in Madagascar have twice blocked Ravalomanana from returning to his home country.