By Matthew Russell Lee
UNITED NATIONS, September 24 -- Since Andry Rajoelina led a coup in Madagascar, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon dined at the same table with him in Istanbul, and on Saturday did a formal photo opportunity and meeting with him.
When Inner City Press asked about the Istanbul dinner, Ban's then Acting Deputy Spokesman Farhan Haq denied it, saying that Ban didn't "meet" with Rajoelina. Saturday there could be no dispute: it was a formal meeting listed on Ban's press schedule.
The fig-leaf for the meeting, and for Rajoelina to speak in the General Assembly, is that SADC agreed to a road map. But consider:
-On 17 September, 10 political groups, including those most linked to Rajoelina and Ravalomanana, signed a SADC roadmap that provides for Ravalomanana’s return to Madagascar.
-On 18 September the de facto Minister of Justice Christine Razanamahasoa announced that Ravalomanana would be arrested should he return.
- On 20 September, Gen. Richard Ravalomanana (no relation to the ousted president), who has been in charge of repressing ‘illegal’ demonstrations since the March 2009 coup, announced on television that a group of ten military were preparing to go from Madagascar to South Africa to arrest Ravalomanana.
-The Tribune de Madagascar of 21 September published copies of arrest warrants against Ravalomanana and a copy of a directive from the head prosecutor dated 17 September 2011 calling for Ravalomanana’s arrest.
Inner City Press went to the September 24 photo op. While standing with four other photographers waiting, Ban Ki-moon passed and expressed surprise, not unpleasantly. Ban's lead spokesman Martin Nesirky, once the photographers were setting in the meeting room, said to Inner City Press, "You don't take pictures of talking points, okay? Now I know."
Inner City Press showed Nesirky the last picture, half expecting to have film or SD card confiscated.
Ironically, a more senior Ban adviser later laughed, "there's nothing IN the talking points, they are as empty as the read-outs Martin gives." But when you're meeting with coup leaders, apparently, there is reason to be worried.
Why not cover up the talking points? Or better yet, why not stop meeting with coup leaders in a way that legitimates them? Watch this site.
