OPPOSITION WON'T JOIN MADAGASCAR UNITY GOVERNMENT

       Madagascars opposition movements refused to join Andry Rajoelinas unity government yesterday and warned the island nation was heading towards a dangerous situation.
       Mr Rajoelina, who seized power in a March coup, declared on Friday he would head the transition and ordered his prime minister to form a government of national unity and restore constitutional order after months of turmoil.
       Of course we will not participate in this government. We reject it, said Emmanuel Rakotovahiny, a senior member of ex-president Albert Zafys delegation.
       The country is moving towards a dangerous situation where there may never be peace, he added.
       Madagascars four power brokers Messrs Rajoelina, Zafy and former presidents Marc Ravalomanana and Didier Ratsiraka signed a power-sharin g accord last month but have been deadlocked since on who should take key posts. Under the agreement, the four rivals must pick a consensus government,sharing the posts of president, vicepresident, prime minister, and 28 other ministers, among the four parties.
       In a signed statement posted on the popular blog site Sobika, the Ratsiraka movement said Mr Rajoelina had violated the deal by appointing himself and his prime minister to the two key posts.
       [Andry Rajoelina] has flagrantly contradicted what was agreed at Maputo ...the Ratsiraka movement, and all those who support it, reject this decision of Mr Rajoelina, a statement from the Ratsiraka movement declared.
       Mr Rajoelina, a former mayor of Antananarivo, led deadly street protests that toppled Mr Ravalomanana, with help from dissident military officers. He has refused to give up control of the president and prime ministers posts.
       A senior Ravalomanana ally, Fetison Andrianirina, called yesterday for the international community to intervene.
       To unilaterally set up a government was not part of the Maputo deal. Its a form of dictatorship theyre establishing,Mr Andrianirina said.