Madagascar opposition stands firm

The general strike has entered its third day

Madagascar's opposition leader Marc Ravalomanana has told hundreds of thousands of supporters that he will not stand in a second round of presidential polls.

I will never accept to go to a second round

Opposition leader Marc Ravalomanana

Mr Ravalomanana spoke to the massive crowd in the capital Antananarivo on the third day of a general strike held to demand that he be declared president.

The opposition leader, who is mayor of the capital, said he would defy international pressure to take part in a second round, ordered last week by the island's high court.

The High Constitutional Court ruled that neither he nor incumbent President Didier Ratsiraka had won 50% of the vote in December's first round.

The opposition has held vast street protests almost every day since, accusing President Ratsiraka of rigging the vote, which they say Mr Ravalomanana won outright.

International appeals

"I will never accept to go to a second round. I am not afraid of the pressure and threats from outside," he told about 500,000 supporters in the capital's central square.

Ravalomanana enjoys huge support in the capital

"The international community is pushing Marc Ravalomanana to go to a second round," he was quoted as saying by the AFP news agency.

"We have already pledged not to stop until we win power."

The former colonial power, France, the United Nations Security Council, and the Organisation of African Unity have all appealed to him to stand in the second round.

But the capital's mayor said he had already won.

By early afternoon, the protesters had left the square, vowing to return on Thursday.

Total shutdown

The strike has shut down all banks and shops as well as the main airport.

Correspondents say the central bank shut its doors after a delegation of opposition supporters held talks with the governors.

President Ratsiraka is keeping a low profile

"The general strike will only end when the truth of the ballot boxes becomes entirely clear," Mr Ravalomanan was earlier quoted as saying.

On Wednesday, Mr Ravalomanana's supporters managed to briefly silence state television transmissions in their escalating campaign.

Correspondents say it remains unclear whether opposition protests in the capital have been mirrored elsewhere in the country.

But President Ratsiraka, who has remained largely silent since the crisis erupted, still enjoys a high level of support in rural areas.

Although the military appears to be siding with Mr Ravalomanana, correspondents also say the capital's mayor is not trying to seize power by force.

In 1991, street protests forced Mr Ratsiraka to introduce multi-party elections and he lost the first contest in 1993, before being re-elected three years later.