Bishops of Madagascar call
for peaceful, transparent election
 |
| Presidential election second round.- ANSA |
The Bishops of Madagascar call for “wisdom, maturity and a
sense of duty” as voters go to the polls in a presidential run-off in the
African island nation.
Voters began casting their ballots early on Wednesday
morning in this run off vote which will decide the next president of
Madagascar. The two men looking to lead the country are both formers
presidents. Marc Ravalomanana was elected in 2002, but was ousted in 2009
after protests led by Andry Rajoelina, who assumed the role of president.
Truth and transparency
As the country goes to the ballot box, the Bishops
Conference of Madagascar in a statement have called for wisdom, maturity and a
sense of duty. "To go to the polls is a duty for every citizen”, the
Bishops say, adding, "for this reason, we urge all those who can to
actively participate in the second round of the election, and to make a free
choice, according to conscience".
The Bishops also call on the representatives of all
institutions to "do everything possible to promote truth and transparency
in the management of election results” in the interests of credibility and
peace.
Calm and peaceful vote
To the challengers themselves, the statement asks both men
to implement the concept of "Fihavanana", a Malagasy word that
encompasses the idea of closeness, friendship and mutual respect, stressing the
importance of maintaining calm during the vote and accepting with humility the
outcome of the election.
A President for all the people
The Madagascar Bishops underline the importance of having a
new president who is a reconciler and reunifier and one who will be a leader of
to all the people in the country.
Officials say that nearly 20,000 personnel from the defence
and security forces have been deployed throughout the country, to ensure the
security of the election. Results of the vote should be known before the end of
the year.
Không có nhận xét nào:
Đăng nhận xét