afternoon updates
BARRY BEARAK has written a very thoughtful piece on the Madagascar crisis for the New York Times:
Playing to the poor — something that both the president and the mayor excel at — usually goes over well in a country where most people get by on less than $1 a day. But the Malagasy have now lived under colonialism, socialism and democracy, with the masses remaining destitute.
“Politicians always use the poor people to get into power, and then they forget us,” said a woman who called in to Radio Mada, a station broadcasting from the capital. “I don’t believe them any more.”
The International Herald Tribune features a Malagasy columnist, Alain Iloniaina, this afternoon:
“We are here to request a return to democracy and better human rights,” said Tila Ralvaralarivo, waving a small orange flag, the colour that has come to symbolise the opposition movement.
