Opposition Leader Calls President Rajoelina Leave Madagascar

JAKARTA - Madagascar's President Andry Rajoeline left the country, opposition leaders and other officials said on Monday, following protests by the younger generation.

Siteny Randrianasoloniaiko, the opposition leader in parliament, told Reuters President Rajoelina left Madagascar on Sunday after several army units defected and joined the protesters.

A military source told Reuters President Rajoelina flew out of the country on a French military plane on Sunday.

French Radio RFI said President Rajoelina had reached an agreement with President Emmanuel Macron.

The source said a French Army Casa plane landed at Sainte Marie Madagascar Airport on Sunday.

"Five minutes later, a helicopter arrived and moved its passengers to Casa," the source said, adding President Rajoelina was the passenger.

The presidential office, which previously said President Rajoelina would address the people at 19.00 p.m. local time on Monday, did not respond to requests for comment.

Demonstrations erupted in the former French colony on September 25 due to water and electricity shortages. It quickly escalated to insurgency over wider complaints, including corruption, poor governance and lack of basic services.

President Rajoelina appears increasingly isolated after losing support from CAPSAT, the elite unit of the Madagascar armed forces that helped him seize power in the 2009 coup.

CAPSAT joined the demonstrators over the weekend, saying they refused to fire on them and escorted thousands of demonstrators in the main square of the capital Antanandarivo.

Then CAPSAT said it would take control of the military and appoint a new military commander, prompting President Rajoelina to warn on Sunday about efforts to seize power in the island nation off the southern African coast.

On Monday, thousands of people gathered in a square in the capital, chanting "the president must step down now".

A hotel worker, Adrianarivony Fanomegantsoa (22), told Reuters that his salary of 300,000aries of Madagascar (Rp1,108,803) per month is barely enough to buy food, explaining why he joined the protests.

"In 16 years, the president and his government have done nothing but enrich themselves while the people remain poor. And the young, Generation Z, are the ones who suffer the most," he said.

Meanwhile, at least 22 people have been killed in clashes between protesters and security forces since September 25, according to the United Nations.