• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

Madagascar - Forces Armees Populaires

After he came to power in 1975, Ratsiraka promised to create a "socialist revolution." As part of this policy, Ratsiraka enlarged and reorganized the security forces to make them appropriate for a "people's army" in a "socialist revolutionary" state. In 1975 he renamed the National Army the People's Armed Forces (Forces Armees Populaires—FAP) and expanded its mission. Henceforth, the FAP engaged in civic action programs and spread ideological education in the countryside.

Under the new 1975 Constitution, the role of the Malagasy Armed Forces, their organization, their mission was revised: dubbed "People's Armed Forces," they had to defend the Revolution and its achievements. In addition to their traditional missions, the military were also uniformed militants featuring institutional foundations, including the Military Committee for Development. The latter, in accordance with Articles 56 and 98 of the 1975 Constitution participated in the development of organizational principles of the National Defence and the economic and social development projects whose implementation was entrusted to the People's Armed Forces. In addition, he gave his opinion on any national program related to defense, economic and social development.

The decree 76-338 of 9 October 1976 established the Ministry of Defence. The Ministry had, firstly, of the Armed Forces (Popular Army and Zandarimariam-Pirenena) and, secondly, the Civil Defense system (continuity and security of the administrative apparatus, the moral capacity of resistance of the population ...) if necessary. Lieutenant Colonel MAMPILA Jaona was the first to hold the post of Defense Minister. This department was responsible for implementing the means in personnel and equipment made available to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity, to fight external aggression and, if circumstances require, to maintain order and public security within the country.

Also it was:

• prepare guidelines for the negotiation of Defense;
• coordinate the preparation and implementation of defense measures involving several government departments;
• chair the Interministerial Committee for Defence;

The Department executed in collaboration with other relevant departments, the development program following the instructions from the Government, and that the advice of the Military Committee for Development:

• training young recruits of the National Service;
• maintenance of large infrastructures;
• creating production cooperatives;
• literacy, technical support to Fokonolona, ??vocational training, assistance to populations in poor regions and under-equipped;
• education of the population in the context of crime prevention;
• supplies of the population;
• medical evacuation;

Between 1975 and 1980, the FAP doubled in size. This reorganization diluted the power of the former National Army, which owed little loyalty to Ratsiraka. To prevent the FAP from challenging his authority, Ratsiraka started transferring able and experienced officers from troop command responsibilities to more senior, but less powerful, positions. Invariably, the new posts were in the inspector general's section of the Office of the President and in various Ministry of Defense committees that studied how the FAP could best facilitate national development.

Despite these changes, the FAP contributed little to the country's "socialist revolution" although it remained a potentially important political player. Nevertheless, Ratsiraka, relying on manipulation and intimidation, retained almost absolute control of the armed forces until the growth of the prodemocracy movement in the early 1990s. Prodemocracy and antidemocracy factions emerged in the FAP and many other government security services. Clashes among these factions added to the political turmoil sweeping through Madagascar, eventually dooming the Ratsiraka regime.

The FAP was divided into two operational services, the army and the aeronaval forces. The former was responsible for land operations and groundbased air defense; however, its primary role had been to defend state institutions and the president from armed opposition. The latter conducted air, naval, and amphibious operations. The 20,000-member army, which was deployed as a coastal and internal security force, consisted in 1994 of two battalions and one engineer regiment. The organization of the Armed Forces was revised in 1975, and Decree No. 75-269 of 14 November of the same year fixed creation:

• Development of the Army (consisting of all units of the Land element, and Civic Service Engineer Regiment) over six Military Regions.
• a Technical Army formed by all of the element 'Air' and Marine Corps units, and which constituted the air forces.
• Forces of Intervention, consisting of all Airborne troops (paratroopers companies), reconnaissance platoons and marine riflemen units.
• Prime Signals Regiment and services created from units of the Battalion Command and Services;
• military training schools.

Because Madagascar lacked an indigenous arms production industry, the army imports all its equipment. The army weapons system includes Soviet PT-76 light tanks, various reconnaissance vehicles, and United States M-3A1 half-track armored personnel carriers. The army also had air defense guns, artillery pieces, mortars, and rocket launchers.