Protest Against New Madagascar Leader Continues For Second Day

March 24, 2009 8:14 p.m. EST

Antananarivo, Madagascar (AHN) - Thousands of people gathered in the capital of Madagascar for the second day on Tuesday to continue their protest against the removal of President Marc Ravalomanana by Andry Rajoelina and the military.

The demonstrators estimated to number 10,000 waved 2006 electoral campaign banners of Ravalomanana, who was forced to resign on March 17, and sang campaign songs of the ex-president and the national anthem before dispersing.

The demonstrators plan to continue the protest Wednesday. "Our aim is the return to constitutional and legal order," Andrianatoandro Raharinaivo, a spokesman for Ravalomanana's TIM party, told Agence France-Presse.

Rajoelina had called for the resignation of Ravalomanana last week and with the help of the army forced the latter to step down. Rajoelina took his oath as the new president of the Indian Ocean island on Saturday in a ceremony attended by 40,000 of his supporters in Antananarivo.

Rajoelina has suspended the parliament and said new elections will be held after two years.