Madagascar's Military Colonel Sworn In Weeks after Church Leaders Called for “peace, dialogue”

The Indian Ocean nation has been experiencing a social and political crisis since September 25, following a series of mass protests, which reportedly left at least 22 dead and more than 100 injured.

The demonstrations, led mostly by the youth, erupted in Antananarivo amid prolonged power and water outages. The protests quickly spread to other cities such as Mahajanga, Fenoarivo, and Diego Suárez, reflecting widespread discontent with the government of President Rajoelina.

On September 26, FFKM members representing Catholic, Anglican, Protestant Reformed, and Lutheran leaders, called for an end to “bloodshed, hostility, the destruction of infrastructure, and the looting of people’s property in its various forms.”

They called on citizens to “draw closer to one another, forgive one another, and advance towards peace and dialogue in search of urgent and lasting solutions—leading to harmony and development, so that the entire population may enjoy their basic rights such as electricity, water, peace, work, order, and security.”

FFKM members also urged the people of God to “show solidarity, always preserve the common good, and have hearts of compassion and mercy like Jesus, in the face of the suffering and hardships endured by others.”

“The only true solution for our nation is to return to God, through confession and repentance, which will lead to truth and reconciliation,” the church leaders said.

In an interview with ACI Africa on October 6, Archbishop Benjamin Marc Balthason Ramaroson of the Catholic Archdiocese of Antsiranana said the protests were an expression of legitimate frustration among young people demanding that their basic rights be respected.

“The youth, unarmed, wanted to claim their fundamental rights, but the repression was very harsh, and we must acknowledge that. There were deaths, including three in the Archdiocese of Antsiranana,” Archbishop Ramaroson lamented.

He underscored the importance of dialogue and reconciliation, saying, “We must encourage everyone to come around the table of reconciliation. These protests and their repression will not lead the country toward a brighter future.”

“We are ready to serve as conciliators and mediators to help bring peace because violence solves nothing and does not help build the future. Let us help them sit down at the table and work together to move forward,” he said.

On October 1, during his weekly General audience, Pope Leo XIV expressed concern about the deadly protests, and implored, “Let us pray to the Lord that all forms of violence may always be avoided and that the constant pursuit of social harmony may be fostered through the promotion of justice and the common good.”

On their part, members of the Episcopal Conference of the Indian Ocean (CEDOI) expressed their solidarity and “spiritual closeness” with the people of God in Madagascar following the protests.

In an October 5 statement, CEDOI members said, “In these moments of tension and trial, we wish to assure you of the fraternal and spiritual closeness of the Churches of the Indian Ocean.”

Meanwhile, Fr. Paul Sympenue, a native of Madagascar, has said that the Catholic Church wields significant influence in the politics of the Indian Ocean nation, often serving as a moral voice and a mediator in moments of national crisis.

“The Catholic Church has a lot of say as far as politics of Madagascar are concerned,” Fr. Sympenue told ACI Africa, noting that the close relationship between the Church and the State has been partly due to the ousted President Rajoelina’s strong ties with the Catholic faith.

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“The president is a very active Catholic member himself, and he likes attending Catholic functions, both national and Diocesan,” he said, adding that this cordial relationship gave the Church a platform to speak out on national issues.

The Malagasy member of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit (CSSp./Holy Ghost Fathers/Spiritans) recalled, “Many times Bishops are called to give their views on the state of the nation, and the Episcopal Conference could write to the president about issues affecting the country and the people—lack of electricity, lack of clean water, the high cost of living, education, and health.”

The Kenya-based Spiritan Priest said that the Catholic Church also plays a central role in peacebuilding and national reconciliation during political crises.

“Any political crisis in Madagascar, the Catholic Church always intervenes in the name of Malagasy brotherhood—Fihavanana Malagasy,” he shared, and continued referring to FFKM, “This is not just Catholic leadership but also other churches that belong to the ecumenical movement ... Many times, they initiate political or brotherhood dialogue among political stakeholders.”

Recalling the recent Gen Z–led demonstrations, which started while President Rajoelina was attending the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Fr. Sympenue said, “The president was not around, and Gen Z took advantage of that and went to the streets. When the president came back, he gave a press briefing and asked forgiveness for the failure.”

In response to the unrest, the country’s Catholic Bishops called for dialogue between the president and the youth, he recalled, and added, “The Episcopal Conference gave a statement and called for dialogue between the president and Gen Z, and it happened at the State House.”

“(Désiré Cardinal Tsarahazana) also spoke about some of the issues affecting the country,” the Spiritan Priest said, emphasizing the Church’s continued moral leadership in guiding the nation “towards peace, dialogue, and national unity.”