spotlight madagascar

So, great news today (she says, dripping with sarcasm). Andry Rajoelina, ‘strongman’, doesn’t WANT to participate in talks to fix Madagascar’s political decrapitation. AFP today:

Madagascar’s strongman Andry Rajoelina rejected Thursday an African Union invitation for talks in Addis Ababa next week to end a standoff among the country’s four main political factions.

Rajoelina will “not go to the Ethiopian capital,” a statement from the presidency said.

Photo from TopNews.in

I don’t wanna go!

The World Bank seems to have realized that the international community’s decision to pull aid out of Madagascar, cancel AGOA benefits that provided thousands of jobs in the textile indistry, and THEN threaten economic sanctions, may be having a detrimental effect on ‘vulnerable populations’ – nearly everyone in Madagascar. I also read today about a horrible rumor – Andry is allegedly behind a $50 million shipment of illegal rosewood – (thanks informer on WildMadagascar.org – check the comments section). This may be the first time I’ve posted something positive about The World Bank.

These various efforts were designed to avoid a situation in which the most vulnerable segments of the population targeted by our programs are disproportionally affected by the crisis. In the interest of the poor segments of the population and in order to secure their access to the benefits of development, we can only hope that conditions for the resumption of our activities will be in place soon. This is the reason why, even though the World Bank is not a member of the International Contact Group and therefore not directly involved in the current phase of mediation, we have nonetheless – within the limits of our mandate – continued to support the efforts of the institutions whose role it is to facilitate the identification of solutions to the political crisis.

From ReliefWeb

Thank goodness.

“It is my responsibility as president of the Transition is to give the Malagasy people a voice. Only a legitimate authority will be able to democratically put an end to this difficult period of trouble.”

Andry Rajoelina, Letter to the Wall Street Journal

Photo: Conor Byrne

Fine. Journalists are not OK though. That’s weird. So what you mean is that you want to give the Malagasy people a voice, but only if it’s the same as your voice.

Wycoff also noted U.S. concerns over an “atmosphere of intimidation” in Madagascar where he said media and journalists are being harassed. Opposition figures are unable to operate freely and the security services are continuing to “infringe” human rights, he said.

from Bloomberg.com

The Protestant Church is not OK either? Also weird. And not very democratic.

The beginning of the year in Madagascar has been marked with yet more protests where protesters have been fired upon and the harassment of those perceived as close to the former regime of Marc Ravalomanana, including several journalists and the protestant Church of Jesus Christ in Madagascar.

read the whole article on Global Voices

A friend once told me that her mother says ‘I’m spittin’ kittens’ when she’s extremely angry. Yes, it’s the same friend who told me the ‘sittin’ on a Christmas tree story’ below. Funny how both phrases are so germane to my feelings these days. Today, I’m spittin’ kittens about Andry Raojelina’s Open Letter to the Wall Street Journal.

I posted a link to the article on my facebook page before I went to bed, and woke up with several comments. Comments like ‘Wtf?!?! What a sad, illusory man’, and ‘The only thing necessary for Evil to flourish is for Good men to do nothing’, among others.

It seems like lots of folks are spittin’ kittens too, judging by these comments and the number of reposts.

I feel like a good person, and I certainly don’t want to let evil flourish, but what can I do? What should we do? We who care about Madagascar, and who are just as confused as everyone else trying to find a way to build a positive future for the country? Should we write an open letter? Will anyone read it? Will Andry read it? Can he read it? He obviously couldn’t have written that letter in English. Who does he have on his side that’s willing to translate that, and then have it published?

OK, I actually agree with him one thing, but the fact that he knows that it’s a little insane to be negotiating with two ex-presidents who were exiled (ahem, Ratsiraka and Zafy, you know I’m talking about you) because they were SO INCOMPETENT at being president, does not make me think he’s doing the right thing. Or even saying the right things. I want to go through his letter point by point to pull the rug out from under him, but that would be long and boring. I’ll just stick with saying that, though he claims that ‘the will of the large majority of the Malagasy people is to see me lead the Transitional Government’, I did not meet ONE PERSON, not one, during my time there that thought he should lead anything (and I talked to a lot of people).

The really sad thing, though, is that it does seem like there’s no way out of this. With the international community setting fire to Madagascar’s life rafts by pulling AGOA benefits and threatening sanctions (what in the Hell will they sanction?), it’s the people who suffer, and suffer big. In all of our years of experience in international ‘development’, have we not learned that these types of actions do not cause the desired outcomes, and that the people in charge – the rich, the powerful, the people who are rumored to have French passports and can escape at any time (it’s just a rumor, Andry Rajoelina), are largely unaffected? They just float along on their waves of self-righteousness, in well-built ships of ideology, comfortable in tailored suits, saying ‘Well I’m not to blame – I’m doing the right thing. For my people, obviously’.

So, what’s the answer?

There is so, so, so much news happening right now. I can’t keep up with it all, much less tear it apart for analysis. I’m going to do what I did yesterday, and give you some of the headlines. You’ll hear more from me later, as I process things.

• ‘I fear a civil war’ (BBC News)

Do I have the energy?

That’s a good question. I don’t know. Not today anyway.

It’s a very gloomy day.

It is like we are in Africa.

• Madagascar president: Giving up power was ‘very hard’ (3rd Roundup) (Monsters and Critics)
• Why Ravalomanana is out (The Observers) This one is very interesting…

• Madagascar risks condemnation after change at top (Reuters)
• Madagascar is blessed with resources but cursed by politics (Telegraph UK)

• FACTBOX-Madagascar’s new president Rajoelina (Reuters)
• ‘Change needed’ in Madagascar (BBC News)
• Madagascar’s top court accepts change of president (The Associated Press)

“I’m not sure it’s really over,” said Emeline Raharinandrasana, a retired office worker. “Is this new authority legal? If not, will the international community continue to help us? That worries me the most.”

• Troubled Madagascar’s oil hopes (BBC World Service)
• Presidential palace looted (BBC Video)
• UPDATE 1-Madagascar’s new leader says Daewoo land deal off (Reuters)

“In the constitution, it is stipulated that Madagascar’s land is neither for sale nor for rent, so the agreement with Daewoo is cancelled,” Rajoelina told reporters.

“We are not against the idea of working with investors, but if we want to sell or rent out land, we have to change the constitution, you have to consult the people. So at this hour the deal is cancelled.”