I am another malagasy citizen living here in the USA.
And I have to say I am no fan of Andry Rajoelina.

Thanks Matt for your last question and thank you for your interest in what’s happening currently in Madagascar.

Let me try to answer your last questions, “What ever happened to DAEWOO the company that inspired the civil unrest because of its “colonial” grab of Malagasy land? Why are they no longer part of the demand for reform?”,
questions Mialy Andriamananjara just didn’t want to answer.

The DAEWOO story, in my opinion, was just one of those fallacious pretexts to attract people. It has become clear and clearer, over time, that their ultimate goal is simply a “coup d’etat” as Andry Rajoelina is one of those malagasy politicians who just care only about their own interests.

This “movement” was started to demand the reopening of his own -but not belonging to the city of Antananarivo- radio and television broadcast station, which had been shut down by the government mid-december 2008.
And he led that “movement” as Mayor of Antananarivo, not as the owner of the TV station, a truly an abuse of power for me!
And when the government ignored his warning, he had to find out another pretext to continue to attract and gather people, by “inaugurating” a square to be the democracy square.
Then Daewoo story come!

As you suggested, if they are true democrats as they pretend to be, and if Ravalomanana’s economic policy has failed socially, why can’t they just wait for the next presidential, which will be held in less than three years from now?
Democracy does exist in Madagascar, and as a proof, he has been elected as the Mayor of the city of Antananarivo with a score of 63%, while only 40% of the eligible voters casted their ballots I have to add!

Andry Rajoelina is just incompetent at his job of being Mayor, and had to find excuses here and there as cover-up.
In his place, I would have courted President Ravalomanana to help me on the job. Instead, looks like what he wanted to prove something as a “viable” competitor of Marc Ravalomanana.
I don’t deny the fact that the government was not very cooperative with him since, but so was Ravalomanana’s case when he held the same position. And Ravalomanana could manage it quite well. There was even time Ravalomanana had to use his own money for the city. Andry Rajoelina, even if he pretends as wealthy as he is, doens’t want to share his wealth with his community, and he was just whining at his job.

Other, regarding the bloody Saturday February 7, 2008, that afternoon Andry Rajoelina was nowhere to be seen while his own radio station encouraged the people to “invade’ that palace, and those simple citizens received the bullets in front of the presidential Palace.
Andry Rajoelina himself sent his “prime minister” to “take” that palace. A true “President” as he claims to be, should have been at the side of his own “prime minister”, to die with him if needed! (And that was the case during the presidential march of august 10, 1991 Mialy Andriamananjara mentioned above.)
I believe Andry Rajoelina is just a trophy recipient!

There’s more to be told about Andry Rajoelina but I want just to point out that the journalists at his own radio and TV station are just conveying message of hate, and for more looting/vandalism and destruction! Unfortunately for his camp, those messages have been recorded to be part of the history of Madagascar.

To finish, I am sorry to say that I have no consideration of the person of Andry Rajoelina as he not a responsible one, and just another selfish typical politicians!

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Comment to Mialy: why don’t you just let post immediately our posting, and then let other readers notify you, should be by a button usually, if the rule on posting here has been abused?

“If you lived in Zimbabwe where the President lost the election and still would not leave, you have no recourse for change, then you might resort to some aggressive civil disobedience.”
This happened in 2002. Ratsiraka lost the elections to Ravalomanana, yet refused to concede. The people then resorted to mass demonstrations. It paralyzed the whole country for about 8 months but at the end RAtsiraka fled the country and took refuge in France, where he still is in exile. There was civil war in my opinion in 2002, although big cities were somehow untouched, militaries and volunteers were pursuing militias and rogue soldiers in forests.

I would like to answer Avylavitra’s question about right of people…
“Because in any country, the power belongs to the people, the president is merely the borrower. So if the people wants to take back what has been merely lended, how can one not negotiate with them? According to my understanding (and without my leaning towards anybody!), when people’s demands are this extreme, they should supersede any laws, and the Constitution and any other laws should take second place. Am I wrong? If I am, please enlighten me.”

My friend, thank you for asking for a different view point on the situation. Although I am an outsider and can’t afforad to come visit your lovely country I have been getting all the information I can the past few years over the web. I do not speak french so that limits my ability a lot and I thank Global voices for providing this awsome site with translations! I am so tired of the paid media that won’t report on anything!
Without laws, rules and following the process of them there is no country.
None.
Just a bunch of bandits.

Malagasy may be upset and they have a legal process they can follow. To be honest it appears the majority of the people do not follow the opinion of the revolutionist.

Your president was elected by a majority vote and his term will end. There are many peaceful avenues that the Malaglasy people can take to change their governement without rioting, looting, and death.

Simple peaceful rallies as the Philippines used to regain control of their government work. It worked because the majority of the people were tired of illegal oppression of decades. The nuns marched in front and the tanks could not shoot. Where were the Malagasy nuns?

No one had to die in the looting fires and no one had to die at the Palace. Hate can not win over Hate. Peaceful block rallies with BBQ, music, and conversation on how to improve your situation. Ideas build a country violence tears it down.

If you lived in Zimbabwe where the President lost the election and still would not leave, you have no recourse for change, then you might resort to some aggressive civil disobedience.

Peaceful rallies and demonstrations are the only way to resolve the problems in your country. By going to violence your country income will suffer, your infrastructures are being torn down, your country is killing itself.

Who will pay for the damage the violent rallies have caused?

How will this destruction help the average Malagasy citizen?

Also, a little remembered story while Bush was in office about a homeless man outside the US White house with a knife. The secret service killed this single man and he was outside the gates with just a knife and he was crazy. No charges were brought for this murder. The US would have acted no different if the situation happened here. Never forget Ohio!

PS What ever happened to DAEWOO the company that inspired the civil unrest because of its “colonial” grab of Malagasy land? Why are they no longer part of the demand for reform?

Merci beaucoup pour les traductions en differentes langues. Grace a vous nous savons ce que pensent reellement les malgaches.

J’espere qu’il ait paix en votre pays et la communaute internationale defende la democratie.

Excusez-moi si mon francais est mauvais. Je ne suis pas francophone.