(Xinhua) -- Chairperson of the Commission of the African Union (AU) Jean Ping on Wednesday appealed for calm in Madagascar, as the country's tens of thousands of opposition supporters took to the street in the capital Antananarivo. In a statement, Ping said he was "deeply concerned by the prevailing political tension and the risk it poses to the stability of the country." He deplored the loss of lives caused by the violent incidents that had occurred in Antananarivo. The death toll from Monday's violence rose to nearly 40 people, media reports said. Ping urged all stakeholders "to resolve the current crisis through dialogue and respect for constitutional order and legality."