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| Malagasy leader given ultimatum | Malagasy leader given ultimatum |
| (4 days later) | |
| Madagascar's opposition leader has threatened to lead marchers to the presidential palace if President Marc Ravalomanana does not step down. | Madagascar's opposition leader has threatened to lead marchers to the presidential palace if President Marc Ravalomanana does not step down. |
| Andry Rajoelina, who emerged from hiding to address a mass rally in the capital, said the president should resign "humbly" within hours. | Andry Rajoelina, who emerged from hiding to address a mass rally in the capital, said the president should resign "humbly" within hours. |
| His followers have begun forming their own government. | His followers have begun forming their own government. |
| But after the opposition's deadline passed, Mr Ravalomanana was still refusing to stand down. | But after the opposition's deadline passed, Mr Ravalomanana was still refusing to stand down. |
| "I am still president," he said after emerging from the presidential palace outside the capital, Antananarivo, to address hundreds of supporters. | "I am still president," he said after emerging from the presidential palace outside the capital, Antananarivo, to address hundreds of supporters. |
| An aide to Mr Rajoelina, who did not wish to be named, said after the deadline had passed that the opposition was still waiting for the president to quit. | An aide to Mr Rajoelina, who did not wish to be named, said after the deadline had passed that the opposition was still waiting for the president to quit. |
| I, Andry Rajoelina, am ready to carry out the democratic handover of power Madagascar opposition leader Madagascar's 'young pretender' In pictures: Madagascar unrestQ&A: Madagascar in crisis | I, Andry Rajoelina, am ready to carry out the democratic handover of power Madagascar opposition leader Madagascar's 'young pretender' In pictures: Madagascar unrestQ&A: Madagascar in crisis |
| "If we don't receive the call [from the president to say he has resigned], something will happen," the aide told Reuters news agency. | "If we don't receive the call [from the president to say he has resigned], something will happen," the aide told Reuters news agency. |
| The BBC's Jonah Fisher reports that the opposition does not seem to have the appetite for a violent confrontation with the president and his supporters and prefer, instead, to keep turning up the pressure. | The BBC's Jonah Fisher reports that the opposition does not seem to have the appetite for a violent confrontation with the president and his supporters and prefer, instead, to keep turning up the pressure. |
| Nor, our correspondent adds, has there been any indication that the opposition would settle for a coalition with Mr Ravalomanana. | Nor, our correspondent adds, has there been any indication that the opposition would settle for a coalition with Mr Ravalomanana. |
| The Indian Ocean island nation has been rocked by seven weeks of riots, protests and looting which have left about 100 people dead. | The Indian Ocean island nation has been rocked by seven weeks of riots, protests and looting which have left about 100 people dead. |
| The opposition leader - who was sacked by the government as mayor of the capital last month - went into hiding on 5 March after security forces tried to arrest him. | The opposition leader - who was sacked by the government as mayor of the capital last month - went into hiding on 5 March after security forces tried to arrest him. |
| On Saturday, 5,000 of his supporters, clad in orange T-shirts and hats, gathered as Mr Rajoelina reappeared to speak at Antananarivo's 13 May Plaza. | On Saturday, 5,000 of his supporters, clad in orange T-shirts and hats, gathered as Mr Rajoelina reappeared to speak at Antananarivo's 13 May Plaza. |
| "There is only one demand, that's the departure of Ravalomanana," the 34-year-old businessman and former DJ said. | "There is only one demand, that's the departure of Ravalomanana," the 34-year-old businessman and former DJ said. |
| "I, Andry Rajoelina, am ready to carry out the democratic handover of power." | "I, Andry Rajoelina, am ready to carry out the democratic handover of power." |
| He added that he was going to the presidential palace "to say goodbye". | He added that he was going to the presidential palace "to say goodbye". |
| Mr Rajoelina - who accuses the president of being a tyrant who misspends public money - has been trying to establish an alternative cabinet, with himself as president. | Mr Rajoelina - who accuses the president of being a tyrant who misspends public money - has been trying to establish an alternative cabinet, with himself as president. |
| CRISIS TIMELINE December 2006: Marc Ravalomanana returned as president for second term31 January 2009: Opposition leader Andry Rajoelina says he is in charge of the country after weeks of bloody protests3 February: Mr Rajoelina is sacked as mayor of Antananarivo5 March: Mr Rajoelina goes into hiding13 March: President Ravolamanana urges supporters to turn out and defend his authority14 March: Mr Rajoelina re-emerges and gives president just hours to resign | CRISIS TIMELINE December 2006: Marc Ravalomanana returned as president for second term31 January 2009: Opposition leader Andry Rajoelina says he is in charge of the country after weeks of bloody protests3 February: Mr Rajoelina is sacked as mayor of Antananarivo5 March: Mr Rajoelina goes into hiding13 March: President Ravolamanana urges supporters to turn out and defend his authority14 March: Mr Rajoelina re-emerges and gives president just hours to resign |
| On Wednesday, the leader of a widening mutiny within the army ousted the chief of staff and a day later the military police said it would no longer take orders from the government. | On Wednesday, the leader of a widening mutiny within the army ousted the chief of staff and a day later the military police said it would no longer take orders from the government. |
| The crisis has hurt the country's economy. Its tourist industry, worth nearly $400m (£290m) a year, has now had two months with no revenue. | The crisis has hurt the country's economy. Its tourist industry, worth nearly $400m (£290m) a year, has now had two months with no revenue. |
| Under President Ravalomanana, Madagascar's economy opened to foreign investment but 70% of the nation's 20 million population still live on incomes of less than $2 (£1.40) a day. | Under President Ravalomanana, Madagascar's economy opened to foreign investment but 70% of the nation's 20 million population still live on incomes of less than $2 (£1.40) a day. |