day of independence…fety be?

June 26th, 2009 § 0

Vingt-Six, 2007

Vingt-Six, 2007

Usually vingt-six Juin is the best celebration of the year in Madagascar. People all over the country look back on years of colonization and oppression, and remember the day of their independence from France on June 26, 1960. There are children’s parades, parties, dances, a lot of liquor-drinking and toasting, as well as appearances and speeches by officials and politicians.

Today has been different. The usual international envoys were not present, and Rajoelina’s rhetoric about the new direction of Madagascar and the importance of making changes that will benefit the whole country, not just one person or party, sound empty and vapid to me. (Reuters India has the story)

youth in crisis

June 25th, 2009 § 0

IRIN has an in-depth article today about a recent report released by UNICEF about how the youth are being affected by the political crisis in Madagascar – particularly in Antananarivo. As you can imagine, this ongoing battle between multiple ideologies, values, the concepts of ‘right’ and ‘wrong’, has changed the way kids think about their lives and their futures. It has been extremely detrimental, and will continue to be so until things are resolved.

The youth’s perceptions of the crisis pointed to a weakening of the law enforcement and justice structure, opening the door to even greater dangers: easily available drugs, trafficking of children, prostitution, child abuse and the creation of criminal youth gangs, are all finding fertile ground in this volatile situation, the report noted.

from IRIN

from IRIN

You can read the comprehensive report, compiled by UNICEF, here: Pandora’s Box: Youth at a Crossroads

Here’s an excerpt from the intro, followed by a poem written by one of the young people interviewed:

If only one concept has to be remembered after having read this report, it is that the youth in Madagascar are at an important crossroad. Choices taken in these months of transition will substantially impact not just their present and future life, but also that of the country. The
crisis has opened Pandora’s Box: youth have witnessed, or have been involved in, violence; traditional and moral values previously regulating social interactions have been eroded; sentiments of division and anger have been instilled in the younger generation; close allies have been turned against one another. The ideology of national unity has been challenged and this is felt as a serious concern for future youth development. Ignoring these signals would be to turn a blind eye to lessons learned from tragic episodes of African history, where civil conflict could have been prevented.

…

CRISIS
Political crisis! Political crisis!
Our programme is not yet complete, so the fight must
go on.
Our professors are arguing while our programme goes
nowhere.
Everything is subject to change and this is depressing.
Here we are.
We represent those who want to get out of this
struggle, which is going where?
Nowhere.
There is no love.
Life is nothing but darkness.

counter-coup?

June 25th, 2009 § 0

From Reuters yesterday, reports of Ravalomanana’s impending return, and Rajoelina’s accusation that  he’ll go to any length to get power back. Do counter-coups work? Also, again with the mercenaries? That line is so played out. I seriously doubt that Ravalomanana would do something that stupid. I also hope he wouldn’t, because I’m on the cusp of buying some very expensive plane tickets.

Side note, I heard rumors that Rajoelina was angry enough to carry out his coup plans because he was trying to date Ravalomanana’s daughter, and R8 wasn’t having it. At this point, I’d believe it.

Ravalomanana, who fled to southern Africa, insists he remains the legitimate leader of the

from World Culture Pictorial

from World Culture Pictorial

Indian Ocean island and has rejected sharing power with Rajoelina.

“Today there are people who are thirsty for power,” Rajoelina told French RFI radio in an interview recorded on Friday. RFI released written excerpts of the interview, which is due to be broadcast Thursday.

“There are people who are even ready to come and retake power with mercenaries. Everyone is talking about it. And that is what Mr Ravalomanana is doing,” Rajoelina said.

keeping busy

June 19th, 2009 § 0

I haven’t been posting very much lately. I’ve been reading a lot of novels and gazing at this view:

the viewI’ve also been transcribing some tomato newsletters for my father, the NC Tomato Man, and trying to focus on my impending trip to Madagascar. I have been doing a very bad job of it, and I think it’s because I have to decide on just one path for my research there. I will be writing the travel guide, of course, but that is a side project. The real reason for my trip, the academic one, is to zero in on just one thing that I believe will make a good capstone presentation, and hopefully influence what is happening over there. I have narrowed this down to a couple of topics.

Before the crisis started, I wanted to focus on the gap between development practitioners and the people who are being ‘developed’ – that is, where the mission ends and where real life on the ground begins for the communities that are being ‘helped’. I foresee some difficulty in this, now, as a lot of development agencies in Madagascar have pulled out, which certainly says something about their goals for improving the livelihoods of people. I think I would also have a hard time getting the facts from some of these organizations, especially the ones run from the west, as I’m sure they don’t want to share secrets with a troublemaker. I’ve been thinking all along that what ultimately determines the success of an NGO is to not be needed anymore – this will put a lot of comfortable expats out of their jobs. Development as an industry is a concept that intrigues and disturbs me, and I don’t know if I want to get into that kind of battle. It would definitely raise questions of donor responsibility and restrictions, political impetus for giving aid, and some deeper thinking about the effects of good intentions.

When the Daewoo deal went sour, and the crisis started, and as it hasn’t really shown any promising signs of stopping, a conversation about citizen journalism and independent media sources started growing. On this site, I’ve been aggregating the news for the past few months, and a lot of the most interesting stuff has come from people’s blogs, posts on facebook or twitter, or text messages, instead of mainstream sources that throw around the same stale story for days. So that’s another road to take – the differences between mainstream media coverage of the crisis and the actuality for the regular folks, the impact of the crisis on people in rural areas that we’re not hearing about. The discussion about citizen journalism has grown wider and deeper, and there are a lot of questions about the problem of subjectivity, the credibility of news swiped from someone’s cellphone, and the gaps in information that exist when there is no cross-checking or fact-finding. I think the idea behind citizen-driven media is that there can be a multitude of perspectives and opinions, and when looked at as a big picture, people get a more well-rounded view of a situation. How much of mainstream media is colored by subjectivity anyway? Look at FoxNews.

The ‘land grab’ situation has my interest piqued as well. The impact on foreign direct investment in the form of agricultural acquisition on developing countries seems to be a bad one in most cases – I read on Foreign Policy in Focus yesterday that:

the World Bank and the UN are developing Codes of Conduct for Foreign Land Acquisition. The African Union will also publish investment guidelines in July, and Japan is pushing the G8 to get behind them. New websites tracking these land deals include the international land coalition and GRAIN.

I want to look more into that for a later post.

So these are the things I’m thinking about. It’s good to get them out into the world, I hope I can make a decision soon and get some research questions together.

I should add that the real, non-academic reason for my trip is to see my friend, Zo:

zo makin sambos

hard times ahead

June 15th, 2009 § 0

ReliefWeb today:

According to the latest World Bank update(2), the Malagasy economy is headed towards a severe recession. At the end of April 2009, government spending was about 1/3 lower than one year ago, thereby impacting negatively on GDP growth. The public sector has been the traditional driver of growth over the past few years. Fiscal adjustments have been described as ‘brutal’: although salaries and debt services continue to be paid for the time being, all other expenses have been stopped.

Read the full report on PDF.

to go, or not to go?

June 12th, 2009 § 0

img_0314I’ve been planning my trip to Madagascar since school let out a couple of weeks ago. I have been letting myself think about all of the wonderful food I’m going to eat there, and the friends I haven’t seen in a very long time. I’ve allowed myself to imagine the taxibrousse ride to the east coast,  the smell of the desert in the south, and I have gotten really excited about seeing the places I never got to visit during Peace Corps. I was a little wary of the political situation, but I still have lots of friends working there and outside of the capital, things seem to be going OK. I have a contract with Other Places Publishing for my travel guide, and I’m really looking forward to putting a book out there that’s accurate and useful for people who aren’t just trying to put another notch in their travel belt while  living the high life in expensive resorts, completely unaware of the rich diversity of culture and history that lives outside the high walls.

This morning, a big wrench got thrown into my plans. I know I haven’t posted for a few days, and it’s not because I haven’t been paying attention to the news, I just thought things were simmering down. I was wrong.
Reuters has this today:

Madagascar’s armed forces on top alert

“In the end, that (military intervention) could become a reality. We are on maximum alert to guarantee the security of Madagascar’s territory,” said Rakotonandrasana.

How can I possibly make plans to go when I have no idea what the situation will be in June? I have to fly into the capital, and that’s where all of the hubbub is happening. I’m not sure what I should do.

OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE

June 7th, 2009 § 0

Pretoria, 7th June 2009

First Lady’s Message of Hope on Mother’s Day:

I would like to extend my warmest greetings to all Malagasy citizens -
at home in Madagascar and abroad in countries around the world.

I want to take this opportunity to speak to you from my heart and
offer a much needed message of hope.

This moment in time is a critical point for the future of our beloved
country. We are currently involved in a crisis that has affected all
Malagasy people in undesirable and tragic ways.

This is an extraordinary moment for our country in which our future
and our children’s futures will be defined by the choices we make
today.

As a wife, a mother, a sister, a daughter, the First Lady, I am moved
beyond words at the pain and suffering that this coup d’état has
inflicted on all Malagasy people. People from all walks of life – men
and women, young and old, students and professionals, wealthy and
poor, have all been hurt by the coup.

My heart is heavy from the countless stories I have heard about the
pain and suffering of the Malagasy people. I have mourned with
relatives of victims who have been killed in senseless acts of
violence. Women who are now afraid to leave their houses alone have
told me about their new fears. Mother’s of school children who have
seen a complete breakdown in their children’s prospects for a good
future have called on me.

Almost every individual in Madagascar today has a story of newfound
hardship that is a result of this coup.

I have heard your individual cries of pain and suffering and you
should know – your collective voices will not go unheard. They cannot
go unheard. Alas, there is hope.

Even from the depths of despair and oppression, I have witnessed the
spring of courage and hope, and acts of selflessness – even with
considerable personal risk at stake. I have seen courageous women and
students peacefully protesting the illegality of this coup regime -
even while mutinous soldiers who are armed with weapons lay in wait
for them. I have seen brave leaders of various movements defy the
threat of arrest, jail and beatings – they have continued to lead
their flock. I have seen the will of the public service employees who
have gone on strike – they protest their mistreatment at the hands of
the coup regime.

These seeds of courage, leadership, and principles, are tomorrow’s
flowers of democracy, solidarity, and prosperity.

The Malagasy people have many proud traditions and have shown an
unquenchable thirst for peace and harmony. President Mandela once said
we are all warmed by the same summer and chilled by the same winter –
our common humanity as Malagasy people requires that we respect one
another and strive for that peace and harmony that now seems so
elusive.

I am confident that we as Malagasy people have the power to draw on
our proud traditions of peacefulness, respect, and dignity. These are
the tools that will help us to emerge from this crisis stronger.

I believe in the triumph of human spirit over the bad deeds of a few.
I have seen the power of good in the past few months manifest itself
in many ways – and sometimes in the least expected ways. Many women
and children who have been subjected to harsh treatment during this
crisis have shown an unbreakable resolve. It is in people like these
who inspire hope in all of us.

I would like to close by quoting an inspiring woman who has tirelessly
campaigned for women’s and children’s rights – Graca Machel. She said
that “preventing the conflicts of tomorrow means changing the mind-set
of youths today”. Nowhere does that comment ring truer today than in
Madagascar.

Our responsibility as Malagasy people upholding the proud traditions
of our ancestors is to pave the road for future generations. We can
start today by making that road one of peace and righteousness. It
will be the road of opportunity and prosperity; the road of hope and
vision; the road where dreams of a better future do come true. We owe
this to ourselves and we owe it to the future generations of
Madagascar.

Like many Malagasy people who have started on their journey, I too
have embarked on that road with my family. We welcome the journey
ahead alongside our fellow countrymen and women. And we anticipate the
better days to come. Let us begin that journey of hope today so that
we can make it a reality tomorrow!

Madame Lalao Ravalomanana
First Lady of the Republic of Madagascar

if it isn’t broken, make sure to break it

June 5th, 2009 § 0

William Easterly and Laura Freschi have once more brought  something depressing to my attention:

AGOA has led to an overall increase of 8% in non-oil exports to the US, according to recent research. And Madagascar has been one of the program’s clearest success stories. The island nation’s exports tripled in the first three years of the program, led by strong growth in the apparel and textile sector. This sector remains vibrant in spite of the huge encroachments by China on African textile competitiveness since 2005, as well as the more recent shrinkage in global demand: textiles still account for 60% of Madagascar’s total exports, and 100,000 people are employed in the formal sector alone.

So why is the US now threatening to revoke AGOA in Madagascar?

The US government is using AGOA as a political lever to force President Andry Rajoelina’s questionable government to hold elections within the year. The textile exporters association says that the loss of AGOA would lead to downsizing and possibly even the collapse of the entire industry. Tens of thousands of jobs, and tens of millions of dollars of investment stand to be lost.

Read the rest of the post. Prepare to be depressed.

official press release

June 4th, 2009 § 0

OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE
PRESIDENCY OF THE REPUBLIC OF MADAGASCAR
Pretoria, 4th June 2009

The illegal regime, that seized power following a coup d’état, ended rule
of law, public policy and judicial independence in Madagascar.

The charges brought against me, and unfounded convictions, constitute
proof that justice is not independent and that there is no rule of law in
Madagascar today.

The statement made by the so-called Minister of Justice of the HAT is
invalid as it is the product of an insurrectional, illegal government, and
contrary to the Constitution of Madagascar. Only when rule of law is
restored will justice return to Madagascar.

The current illegal regime in Madagascar is a disgrace to the nation.
Unfounded and unfair accusations and criticism directed against me, and
against people who respect the law, have become a common practice of
deceit of the insurrectional regime.

Unlawful arrests and arbitrary detentions that are politically-motivated
have also become common practice. Prime Minister Manandafy Rakotonirina,
parliamentarians, journalists, and other deputies have been the victims of
these arbitrary measures. Violence and intimidation from this illegal
regime are also inflicted upon the Malagasy people every day.

We cannot accept this illegality. I appeal to all Malagasy compatriots,
who value freedom and legality, especially jurists. Let us unite together.
We must bring an end to this injustice. We must reverse this
unconstitutional and illegal regime led by Andry Rajoelina.

May God bless our beloved homeland!

His Excellency, Marc Ravalomanana
President of the Republic of Madagascar

sentenced in absentia

June 3rd, 2009 § 0

Apparently it’s important to sentence Marc Ravalomanana to 4 years in jail, for abuse of office, but mostly for buying his expensive jet. BBC covers this plot twist. Radio VOP out of Zimbabwe has a bit more detail:

“Ravalomanana mixed public interests with his personal interests,” Justice Minister Christine Razanamahasoa told reporters, announcing the Malagasy court’s decision.

…

Wednesday’s verdict echoed the trial in absentia of Ravalomanana’s predecessor, Didier Ratsiraka, who remains an influential playmaker in Malagasy politics from exile in France. (Reuters)

So, this is confusing to me. I agree that Ravalomanana abused his power a little, and definitely bought that expensive jet, but didn’t Andry just HIJACK A PLANE TO GO TO DAKAR? Since he already assumed power by illegal means, does that mean he can break all of the other laws too? I have no idea where this is going.

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