New youth-led protests hit Madagascar despite government's dismissal

Thousands rallied in the capital Antananarivo following calls on social media and descended on the central neighbourhood of Ambohijatovo, where the various groups of demonstrators were told to converge.

Large crowds marched, chanting for Rajoelina to quit and waving flags with a pirate skull from the Japanese anime "One Piece", which has become the symbol of the youth-led demonstrations.

Explosions and screams rang out as large police contingents backed by an armoured vehicle dispersed crowds with tear gas and rubber bullets, while smoke rose from fires lit in the streets.

- President fires government -

Protests started in Antananarivo on Thursday and spread to other cities across the country of nearly 32 million people.

Widespread nighttime looting broke out after last week's protests in the capital, prompting authorities to declare a dusk-to-dawn curfew.

Rajoelina on Monday fired his entire government, apologised for his ministers' inaction and vowed to find a solution to the country's problems -- but it was not enough to end the protests.

The sacking of the government "was a small victory," said 30-year-old activist Masova, using a pseudonym for fear of reprisals.

"We really want change, the rule of law, justice for all. That's why it's no longer just a Gen Z movement," she told AFP.

"The fight will never stop until the goal is reached," the Gen Z movement posted on social media Tuesday night, calling the Malagasy people to "wake up".

The main union representing the national water and electricity distribution company meanwhile announced on Tuesday it was going on general strike.

- President urged to resign -

Protesters have demanded the resignation of Rajoelina, 51, who first came to power in 2009 following a coup sparked by an uprising, which ousted former president Marc Ravalomanana.

"Mr Andry Rajoelina, when you led protests, you were allowed to, it was fine. But when we young people rise to fight for our country, you try to silence us," a student protester said Monday, dressed in black, in line with a call on social media to mourn those killed.

Previous demonstrations have been met with a heavy police response, with at least 22 people killed and more than 100 injured, according to the UN.

Some of the victims were protesters or bystanders killed by the police or the security forces, according to the office of the UN's human rights chief, who condemned the use of live ammunition. 

The government has rejected the tally as unverified and "based on rumours or misinformation".

- 'Corrupt system' -

After not contesting the 2013 election due to international pressure, Rajoelina was voted back into office in 2018 and reelected in 2023 in contested elections boycotted by the opposition.

On Monday, he invited applications for a new premier over the next three days before a new government is formed.

"The president is part of a corrupt system," said a 30-year-old agricultural engineer, who spoke on condition of anonymity. "He is trying to make us believe that something will change." 

An appeal by the president urging candidates for ministerial posts to send in a curriculum vitae by mail or by LinkedIn was meanwhile widely mocked on social media. 

The unrest is the latest in a series of disturbances to hit Madagascar since independence from France in 1960.

Philibert Tsiranana, who led the country through the post-independence era, was forced to hand over power to the army in 1972, after a popular uprising was bloodily suppressed.

Madagascar ranks among the world's poorest countries but is the leading producer of vanilla and has natural resources in farming, forestry, fishing and minerals.

Nearly 75 percent of the population lived below the poverty line in 2022, according to the World Bank.

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