your afternoon update
Posted in Progress reports by saralehoullier - Mar 13, 2009
I’ve got updates from the following, please add to the community news on the sidebar if you’ve got relevant stories to share. I know I’m not getting everything that’s out there.
Ushahidi has launched an open source platform for the crisis in Madagascar. The Ushahidi tool will allow Madagascar based individuals to send information on incidents via SMS messages to the geospatial friendly Ushahidi platform. As you may have seen in the current political crisis, especially during the unrest of January 26, when no news from the traditional media were available, information came in through new social media tools. Ushahidi will help gather all the information, confirmed and unconfirmed, and help visualize it on a map. The number for sending SMS to Ushahidi in Madagascar is 00447800000197.
Around 500 people have gathered in the capital of Madagascar in response to an appeal by President Marc Ravalomanana to help defend his palace.
Reuters Blogs (here’s who the “mercenaries” are):
Rumours have been rife in the city all week that Ravalomanana might call in hundreds of mercenaries, perhaps from South Africa, to defend him now that parts of the armed forces no longer listen to him. The mutineers said they had deployed tanks specifically to “intercept” any private mercenary forces that tried to enter the capital.
Media-Newswire (Press Release):
COMMENTS(Media-Newswire.com) – The following statement was issued today by the Spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon:
The Secretary-General has been following with concern the escalating tensions in Madagascar.
He reiterates that the only solution to the current crisis is the resumption of dialogue and calls on both parties to fulfil their commitment to resolve their differences within the framework of an inclusive National Conference
While there is concern over divisions within the armed forces, he welcomes the decision by the armed forces to continue to respect Constitutional order.
The United Nations Senior Adviser, Tiébilé Dramé, remains engaged to help facilitate the talks and provide full United Nations support to the much needed national reconciliation process.