Madagascar army urges security forces to defy orders amid protests
4 Min Read
As Gen Z-led protests sweep Madagascar, a defiant army unit urges troops to reject violent orders, deepening a political crisis under President Rajoelina.
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Madagascar police react to protesters demonstrating against chronic electricity and water cuts in Antananarivo, Madagascar, Tuesday, September 30, 2025. (AP)
A contingent of the Madagascar army stationed near the capital Antananarivo issued a call on Saturday for troops and security forces to refuse orders to shoot at protesters, as large-scale demonstrations intensified across the country.
The soldiers, based in the Soanierana district on the outskirts of the capital, urged their fellow troops, gendarmes, and police to “join forces” and stand against violent suppression.
“Do not obey orders from your superiors. Point your weapons at those who order you to fire on your comrades-in-arms,” they said in a video message. The group also called on soldiers stationed at airports to block aircraft from taking off.
The call for disobedience comes amid a surge in public anger over power and water shortages, which has evolved into a broader anti-government movement led by youth under the banner of the Gen Z movement.
Soldiers join protesters
After the call to "refuse orders to shoot" at demonstrators, groups of soldiers joined protesters in Madagascar's capital Saturday, AFP journalists saw.
Vehicles of armed soldiers joined thousands of protesters in the Lake Anosy area, where police had fired tear gas to try to disperse them.
Madagascar: soldiers at CAPSAT barracks mutiny and side with the youth uprising. "Our children are suffering, we are not here to kill and beat them. We are experiencing the same suffering. We must support them. Let us not allow ourselves to be manipulated by money or position." pic.twitter.com/Hkrj75D8Pk
— Jorge Martin ☠(@marxistJorge) October 11, 2025
Protesters called out "Thank you!" to the soldiers, some of whom were waving Madagascar flags, the images showed.
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Gen Z movement leads largest demonstrations yet
Saturday witnessed the largest protest in Antananarivo since unrest began on September 25. Thousands marched through the streets despite a heavy security presence. According to AFP reporters, security forces responded with tear gas and stun grenades in an attempt to disperse the crowd.
The Gen Z-led protests are demanding political change, denouncing deteriorating living conditions under President Andry Rajoelina.
In response to the unrest, Rajoelina initially took a conciliatory tone by dismissing his entire government. However, he has since shifted toward a more hardline stance, appointing a military officer as prime minister on October 6 and filling his new cabinet with officials from the armed forces and police sectors.
“The country no longer needs disturbances,” Rajoelina said, signaling a zero-tolerance approach to future protests.
The Soanierana base, now at the center of the army’s internal dissent, has historical significance. In 2009, it led a mutiny that resulted in the ousting of then-President Marc Ravalomanana and paved the way for Rajoelina’s first rise to power.
UN condemns police violence as death toll disputed
The United Nations has urged authorities to avoid the use of excessive force and respect the right to peaceful assembly. “We call on authorities to desist from unnecessary force and to uphold the rights to free association and peaceful assembly,” the UN said on Friday.
At least 22 people have been killed since the start of the protests, according to UN figures. However, Rajoelina has disputed the death toll, claiming only 12 people have died and referring to them as “looters and vandals.”
Video footage circulating on social media has shown scenes of police brutality, including one widely shared clip of a protester being chased and beaten unconscious, an incident also witnessed by AFP reporters.
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Political unrest in Madagascar echoes 2009 uprising
Madagascar, one of the world's poorest nations, has faced repeated cycles of political unrest since gaining independence from French colonial rule in 1960. The current protests bear resemblance to the 2009 uprising, which led to a change in leadership through military backing.
President Rajoelina, who returned to power through contested elections in 2018 and 2023, now faces a familiar challenge: mass mobilization and dissent within the military ranks. The newly appointed Armed Forces Minister, General Deramasinjaka Manantsoa Rakotoarivelo, urged calm, stating, “The Malagasy army remains a mediator and constitutes the nation’s last line of defense.”
Despite the minister's appeal, the rebellion within the army and growing public resistance suggest that the crisis is far from over.
