spotlight madagascar

The Associated Press: Opposition radio station back on air in Madagascar

This one is pretty comprehensive, but vague at the same time. Since most media has been cut off in Madagascar, things must not be getting out. People are hungry for news, especially my fellow Returned Peace Corps Volunteers who are trying to get in touch with friends and loved ones. Unfortunately, the American media seems a little behind, though this country should be extremely worried about where it’s going to get its vanilla from now on, and what the film, Madagascar 3, might look like with cartoon flames and lemurs rioting.

The New York Times: Madagascar: Protesters Seek Government’s Resignation

Thanks NYT, a pretty disappointing “blurb”–I guess there are bigger fish to fry.

Reuters: Madagascar opposition calls more protests

And last but not least, Reuters, with at least one typo.

Those scenes revived memories of past political volatility on Madagascar, the world’s fourth largest island, and will not help the government’s efforts to present the nation as a tourist haven and sound destination for investment in mining and oil.

This quote jumped out at me–soooooo the political volatility will make it tough for tourists and foreigners that wish to rape and pillage the natural resources.  And let’s face it, a lot of tourists aren’t so kind to the earth either.  What they’re saying is that this is going to make it inconvenient for other people to go to Madagascar with the intention of extracting the good parts, whether that be oil or a lovely bungalow by a pristine beach.  I think we’re forgetting some key stakeholders here.  Perhaps the people of Madagascar are going to suffer a bit more now that the infrastructure that their economy and livelihoods rest on is being destroyed (some of it by them in a frenzy of lawlessness); maybe one should also consider the delicate ecosystems that will continue to be exploited until there’s nothing left but desert.  Will there be tourism then?  To witness a tattered, dirty and destroyed landscape–but oh, how much money some will have made…

During the last political crisis, prices skyrocketed for basics like cooking oil and rice (and pretty much everything), certain places were rife with violence, and it took a long time to recover from that.  Read about it here.  Just some food for thought. 

I’d like to chat about this business of the European Union giving a few million dollars (giving or lending?) to help them decentralize their government.

Decentralization would result in rapid and sustainable development of local areas, 90 percent of which were very poor, the minister told the EU official.

Madagascar’s local development fund has focused on the improvement of local governance over the island country by providing the skills and necessary know-how for local leaders as well as material and financial resources that they need.

First of all, I can’t understand why the EU has decided to do this. Why now? Are they doing it because they feel bad about the shambles they left on that island of capable, bright folks who haven’t had a chance to define their own quality of life?

EU to provide $19.5 mln to Madagascar

The Government of Madagascar will work in partnership with the ICF to deliver a series of changes to the country’s business licensing systems in a bid to deliver a thirty per cent reduction in the time and expense currently required to adhere to the country’s existing licensing regulations.

This strikes me as a horrific idea. Faster licensing for investment firms? Foreign investment firms? Imperialist countries buying Madagascar’s resources, creating a chain where Madagascar is forced to export everything produced on its own soil, and then import the goods that the people buy? I know I ask this a lot, but WHAT IS HAPPENING?

Read the Article here