Many Malagasy bloggers/twitterers followed the exchange on the UN webcast and reacted instantly via twitter as the crisis in Madagascar took another improbable turn.
As Rajoelina was about to take the stage, Malagasy blogger Aliotsy noted:

Congo's rep just called on member states (SADC or UN?) to walk out on Rajoelina if he speaks. http://www.un.org/webcast/ #Madagascar #fb

Rashaja is a bit perplexed:

situation is quite funny actually…total mess, total confusion. President of Session and advisor not experienced enough? #UN #Madagascar

Samganegie adds (fr):

président de l'assemblé est même sorti de sa tribune, et ses assistant sont completement paumés !!#madagascar

Streetrover bemoans the state of politics in Madagascar:

Rajoelina shunned at the UN, its ambassador @ UN publicly named in an internatnl bribery scheme on the same day! #madagascar needs a break!

HairyT and Solofo agree that it was a low point in Madagascar's history:

RT @solofo: What a shame for #Madagascar . I don't care about #Rajoelina/ RT Pdt Prevented from Taking Floor at #UN

The pro-government blog Madagate weighs in on the incident (fr):

Ce moment irritant dans l’histoire de Madagascar fait déjà partie du passé. Car cette crise aura une fin, quoi qu’il puisse arriver. Pour le moment, la majorité des Malgaches de Madagascar commence à la vivre très mal car ils se perdent en conjectures.

In the meantime, Unrest has once again broken in the aftermath of the UN fiasco. Investgasy posted on twitter today:

#Madagascar: shootings in Anosy (Tana) right now, armed 4×4 are everywhere

. The report was later confirmed by Reuters, reporting tear gas launching and wanring shots fired at demonstrators.

Finally Jentilisa reports that young reservists of the army who fought by Rajoelina's side early in the crisis are now demanding that Rajoelina keep his promises (mg):

..ny rezervista tanora, nitolona tamin'ny andron'ny TGV, hidina an-dalambe izy ireo hitondra sora-baventy satria tsy tanteraka ny fampanantenana natao tamin'izy ireo, toy ny hanomezana asa ho azy ireo tahaka ny hoe fampidirana azy ho miaramila ary hotsinjovina manokana ny rezervista nanohana ny tolona.

Presidential elections in Gabon were mired with accusations of fraud as Ali Bongo, son of recently-deceased president, Omar Bongo, was declared the victor. Post-electoral violence lead to the torching of French consulate in Port-Gentil, a city that also hosts the offices of French oil company Total.

In Madagascar, promising peace talks initiated in Maputo by an international mediation group eventually fizzled and today, protests were violently repressed by the transitional government. In the capital, Antananarivo, a few protesters were seen harassing vazaha ( foreigners) near hotel Glacier as military forces repressed protests against the formation of a government that did not include all the political groups as was agreed during the Maputo peace talks.

And in Mauritania, General Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, who took over after a coup d' etat a year ago, saw his power legitimized in an election that his opponents consider as potentially fraudulent. Yet Mauritanians wonder why France was one of the first nations to recognize (fr) the outcome of the elections.

The notion of Francafrique is such a widely accepted concept that in January 2008, former French Secretary of State for Overseas Development, Jean-Marie Bockel, stated that he was willing to “sign the death certificate of Françafrique”

The cozy living conditions that African leaders enjoy in France has been well-documented. The map of real estate properties in Paris of family of African dictators published by Rue89 is a telling evidence that France's effort to distance themselves from dictators is more words than action. The NGO cellule Francafrique lists details of evidences supporting the Francafrique concept with reports and photos on flickr.

For instance, Malagasy and French blogs were quick to point out that French Ambassador Chataignier was the first foreign officer to meet with Rajoelina the day after the coup d'etat in Madagascar. Malagasy blogger NJ links to the following video that aims to explain how Francafrique works in Madagascar:

A reason bloggers often cite for France's involvement in Madagascar is the potential for oil farming in the region of Bemolanga. Total has acquired 60% ownership of the Basin and is expected to produce 180,000 barrels of oil per day for more than 30 years. Reuters reports that the reserve of Tsimiroro could produce 1.7 billions barrels.

The enduring resentment towards France's actions for what is perceived, rightfully or not, as deleterious mingling into Africa's own development has sometimes taken violent proportions.

However, one Malagasy blogger Vony offers an alternative to anger towards French citizen in reaction to Francafrique. Vony writes in an open letter to French citizens in Madagascar (fr):

On dit que vous, Français, venez du pays des droits de l’Homme

Mais on sait aussi que vous vivez désormais dans un pays où la terreur règne,
Parce que Madagascar est aussi une partie de votre histoire, nous vous demandons
solennellement de nous soutenir et nous aider à retrouver notre dignité de
Malgaches et notre fierté de vivre sur cette île [..] Nous Malgaches au pays, en France et à l’étranger faisons appel à votre solidarité envers votre peuple ami et à votre foi en la démocratie et le respect des droits de l’Homme.
Parce que vous êtes aussi menacés par l’avenir sombre et désastreux qui nous guettent tous, , ne détournez pas les yeux mais tendez nous la main pour mieux dénoncer ce que vous ne toléreriez pas dans votre propre pays!

Tahina writes about yesterday's violence and how it brought back traumatic memories:

My bus line passes through the 13 Mai Square, a hot spot if not the hottest after the Ambohijatovo Park. And this logical question asked to the conducteur before getting on the bus “Do you go till Analakely?”, “Yes, Sir.” Along the street you pay attention to any abnormal things, people gathering at one place, suspicious traffic, you to stretch your ears to over hear others’ conversations. You take out your mobile and try to call someone who’s supposed to be downtown to know if he’s safe and ask him what he’s witnessed. All of that recalls me bad things. Things that I’m likely to live again in the days to come.

In Gabon, Malagasy blogger Harinjaka, who is currently based in Libreville, writes about potential evidence of fraud that led to Ali Bongo's victory:

of the cards featured in the image above, the one on the left is authentic, while the one on the right has been forged. The difference is quite clear - the one on the left has been stamped after the photo was attached, whereas the photo on the right was not stamped with the card, meaning that the photo can be changed - so that several people can vote with the same electoral card.

Here is a video of a Gabonese woman accuses France of being directly responsible for Bongo's fraudulent election (fr):

Such statements have often been dismissed in the West as nothing more than conspiracy theories. Unfortunately, the recent turmoils in Gabon, Mauritania and Madagascar have made Francafrique feel very real to African bloggers and citizens.

Malagasy Blogger Cyber Observer hints at one of the issues faced by journalists while performing their duties:

In most of Francophone African countries, journalists become the ”agents” or the ‘’spokepeople” of political movements or parties.

Over the past 4 weeks, we have spoken to 7 journalists, most of them testifying anonymously only about investigations they were conducting and how the ensuing threats aborted the publication of the information. four of them are from print media, one from radio, one from television and one is from an online news site. The following article is a collection of testimonies on what journalists are going through on a daily basis and their thoughts on the current state of Journalism in Madagascar.

VNR explains the atmosphere in the news room now:

”TM (a friend who works for another renown daily newspaper and also a contributor to news website topmada.com) and I were reticent to come talk to you because it is increasingly difficult to know who to trust in the community. I was told two weeks ago that it was my choice if I wanted to denounce the abuse of power by the current administration but that the team will not pay for my indiscretion and that I was on my own. I was investigating the appropriation of a private food factory by the government to provide discounted staple products to the population. My chief editor comes to me and say that the journal is not to sink because of me, that if I wanted to commit career suicide, I could not drag the whole paper with me. Another journalist, LA, from a different newspaper, also worked on the case. The security forces came to their news room and in no uncertain terms stated that LA was to: “resign or else”. Neither her findings or mine were ever fully published.”

TM adds:

“ Topmada.com has been a fairly successful news website, compiling reports from journalists like myself in a real time manner. It was updated twice a day since the beginning of the crisis but the owner's family was recently threatened so it has not published a new article since early June. I have submitted articles several times but was told no to bother writing anymore.”

Understandably, most of them did not want the names of their workplaces revealed. One of them, Evariste Ramanantsoavina, ex-journalist for Radio Mada, did not care for anonymity anymore since his name was already dragged in the public eye. He explains the circumstances of his arrest on May 5th, why he was freed and his perspective on journalism during the crisis:

formerly jailed journalist of radio mada via http://pakysse.wordpress.com

“ I am a mere sports radio journalist. At the height of the crisis in March, no one would come to work at radio mada anymore so I was left alone to mane the radio. I would read bulletin that were sent to me by the producers, most of them heavy on communique from former president Ravalomanana. I am an old man with health issues so by mid-April, I had to take a leave from radio mada. I heard that the new government was looking for me because I allegedly taught people how to make Cocktail Molotovs and throw them at armed forces on the radio. That is just a blatant lie. I was not working anymore at the time of the alleged accusation as I was in Antsirabe, getting treatment. As a matter of fact, after they arrested me, the judge found that there was not enough evidence to those charges and I was released. I thought of hiding for my family's sake when I heard the rumors. However, I figure I had nothing to hide and I am too darn old to keep running away so I decided against it. The part that saddens me is that many of my colleagues wrote about my arrest without even asking for my point of view. I was treated well in prison but I cannot say more about my imprisonment because there are more people still in prison. One day I will write about all of this but not now, the time is not right yet. I am grateful that some of my colleagues started a strike when they heard of my arrest and that bloggers wrote about it. After Malagasy people, truth has been the second most offended victim during the crisis. People would just write anything as long as it serves their interests.”

Not everyone agrees on the reason for information retention and the seemingly lack of punch of a few members of the media.

MMR, chief editor of a daily newspaper and a weekly magazine, has been in the journalism business for 25 years. He remembers the golden age of journalism in Madagascar, right after independence. He asks:

“ Do those people you interviewed still consider themselves the 4th power ? What a travesty. The independence of journalists has been an issue for a long while now. It has just been exposed in greater details during the crisis. Can anyone say that they are fully confident about the news they hear or read anymore in Madagascar ? There are many reasons for such a decline but no one wants to discuss it. There was a time when journalists played their roles of safeguard for democracy in Madagascar in the 60's. That epoch is way past us now. Consider this, I am the chief editor of two gazettes and I recieve 1.2 millions ariary (about $618/month). A new journalist receives about $320/month, that is quite limiting considering the increased cost of living. Additionally, a journalist is hard press to have what we know here as a vady asa ( a 2nd job) because being a reporter is too time consuming. Given those conditions, one can understand if not only they don't want to put their jobs in jeopardy but that a few journalists may consider sitting on a few critical information for under-the-table deals. Still, journalism is supposed to be about more than just a mean for living, and that notion got lost in the reality of politics in Madagascar for some times now”.

Still, stories of direct repression of freedom of press abound during the crisis from both sides of the political spectrum.

RL, reporter at MaTV, a national tv station who already tragically lost reporter Ando on February 7th, recalls the day armed forces stormed their news room without a mandate to look for incriminating footage of excessive use of firearms by soldiers. Commander Charles Andrianasoavina, notorious for threatening to shoot foreign diplomats, among others US Ambassador Niels Marquardt on March 17th, asked the MaTV team to quit reporting or posting photos of soldiers or they would close the tv station:
LR:

“ this story is neither new or secret. Everyone knows soldiers stormed the building and took some of our materials under the pretense of an investigation. Beside the TV channel, we also publish a print only gazette called “Ma Laza” and since the soldiers' visit, no one here signs articles with their real names.”

However, the issue of military repression is not limited to journalists. The following journalists have had specific stories about abuse of power, witch hunt and arbitrary arrest that they just cannot publish themselves. DN, a veteran of journalism in Madagascar, was following the arrest of Heriniaina Razafimahefa, executive director of ALMA, Asa Lalana Malagasy, a business unit belonging to former president Ravalomanana. . He was arrested on June 16 on charges of embezzlement and improper use of public funds. He learned that Mr Razafimahefa was denied familial visitation rights three weeks ago and that he has not been heard of since then. Similar stories about former staff members of Marc Ravalomanana being harassed and racketed by soldiers are legions. TA, a free lance journalist, learned that homes of close relatives of former head of MAP, a Ravalomanana supported project, were raided and that his brother was chased down by soldiers in the vicinity of Antananarivo before he could escape the country.

Much of the information was withheld from the public eye by different means whether by threats, bribes or intimidation. Not only a culture of transparency is yet to be implemented in Madagascar but dubious information are also being thrown out in public by the administration with dubious evidence. For instance, on July 21st , five names were published publicly as instigators of potential bombings in Antananarivo a few hours after the bombs were allegedly discovered.

A lot of effort still needs to be invested in support of the independence of journalism as a safeguard for democracy in Madagascar. There was a time when media deserved the title of 4th power. One wonders if there is still time for media to recover from the ashes of the current political crisis.

[ Most identities have been replaced by intials for safety reasons]

The free exchange of ideas, power of personal testimonies, and the quality of interventions during the meeting produced an enriching conversation that highlighted the need for a collective effort to report complete, factual information despite unfavorable conditions.

This meeting built on the foundation posed by the organizers and the participants of the first Malagasy Barcamp in October 2008.

One of the most striking aspects of the meeting was the substantial attendance despite recent reports from Reporters without Borders and the Committee to Protect Journalists that many journalists and bloggers received threats to themselves and their relatives during the crisis. Participants took a stand for freedom of expression, knowing well that their names and faces were now public knowledge and that members of former and current administrations were present in the room.

Audience at information meeting via ariniaina

The discussion had to happen because such authentic, powerful and apolitical testimonies were too important to not be told publicly and on record.

Here is an overview of the time line of the event:

An estimated 80 to 90 people came from 5 different regions and 4 different countries.

Alain Andriamiadravola, former journalist and now new media enthusiast, opened a meeting that turned out to be a free-flowing conversation with plenty of dissident opinions and unexpected authorities in the field of information and journalism.

I gave a quick overview of collaboration between traditional media and new media worldwide, its tremendous impact during crises and our hope that such a collaboration can come to fruition in Madagascar. A smaller meeting that was part of the American Cultural Center-driven “Friday talk” between journalists and bloggers allowed for an open friendly criticism of both sides and showed that there are room for partnership and mutual growth.

The poignant part of the meeting came when citizens from all over the country gave their account of how they used personal media to share what they saw during the crisis and how it cost them. Andry explained that his thirst for raw information drove him to be where trouble was brewing. Jentilisa explained that it was very odd that on black Monday (Jan 26th) people would announce that a building was burning even before it actually happened, hence suggesting that some events were probably planned and not just random acts of protests. Avylavitra told a story of how he feared for his life on March 28th when a soldier hold him at gun point and demanded his camera. Jaona from Fianaratsoa explained how his blog was mentioned at a public meeting as a threat to social order in Fianarantsoa and should be shut down. Many other bloggers/twitterers shared similar stories of major hardships while covering the crisis.

Thierry Andriamirado explained the increased relevance of online social networks in dispatching news about the crisis. Thierry was the first to exhaustively live-tweet the first tragic event of the crisis, “Black Monday,” and explained that he felt compelled to share the stories in real-time for a time-stamped digital record of the events.

Former minister of culture and communication Tsilavina Ralaindimby emphasized that such testimonies and citizens' willingness to report troubles are civic acts and must be protected at an institutional level.

Tsilavina Ralaindimby, former minister of communication, encouraging citizen journalism.

Barijaona Ramaholimiaso argued that his personal ethic as a blogger demanded that he reveal his true identity and pointed out that there is another form of pressure in Madagascar, the social peer pressure that prevents people from freely expressing their minds.

Christie Turner and Affick Gassard presented an initiative to promote the development of community radio in Madagascar. Some remote rural areas were aware of the development of the crisis thanks to a radio center that received online news feed through dial-up connection and broadcast the information to  rural communities.

Claire Ulrich gave a complete report on censorship online in the world building on examples from Iran and China, emphasized the importance of protecting first and foremost the well-being of journalists and bloggers. She also warned the audience to be mindful of the fine prints in the upcoming bill on the regulation of online communication in Madagascar. She also pointed out that both communities, traditional and new media, ought to come together to ensure that the memory of journalists killed during the crisis, like Ando and others, is never forgotten.

Finally, Harinjaka, Arinaina and Tahina presented the Foko Ushahidi platform, explaining how it came about and how SMS reports to a local phone number can be utilized for crisis reporting, but also other urgent humanitarian news and election monitoring.

Journalists also weighed in. Randy Donny, journalist and advocate of citizen journalism argued that there are no difference between journalism and citizen journalism in Madagascar. If anything he said, citizen journalist covered the crisis better because they were not under direct pressure from whichever regime ruled at the time.

The consensus at the end of the meeting was that the flow of information was/is severely affected bythe crisis. The information community came to a common agreement that we all needed to make a conscious effort to fight censorship and provide news free of government pressure. It was also an opportunity for people who followed the crisis through blogs to meet in real life the people behind the coverage.  For instance, Jacqueline, in the audience, was still beaming from chatting with blogger Jentilisa. She said

:” I read his blog everyday since January. It is just awesome to put a face and a personality on such remarkable people. “

Stay tuned for more on the current state of media in Madagascar.

Here are additional reports from the meeting:

Ariniana:
Tahina:
Avylavitra
Harinjaka:
sixthman:
photos
Madagascar matin ( print only version)

Recent weeks have seen an increase in acts of censorship, with in the arrest of reporter Evariste Ramanatsoavina, jailed on May, 5th, and the firing of Ravoajanahary Johary, director of National Television on May 19th. Journalists demonstrated for freedom of speech on May 15th, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and Reporters without Borders (fr) reported

Mohamed Hassim Keita of CPJ explains:

The protestors were showing solidarity for Ramanatsoavina, a presenter held in Antananarivo's Antanimora Prison on charges of “incitement to rebellion” and “civil disobedience,” according to defense lawyer Fidele Rakotondrainibe. The journalist, who denies the charges, is expected to appear in court for sentencing on Wednesday.

( video credits to pakysse )

Reporter Without Borders has further details on the arrest of Ramanatsoavina:

He was arrested at his home at 5 a.m. on 5 May by masked soldiers as his daughters looked on, and was taken to the National Mixed Committee for Investigations (CNME), which is located in the suburb of Ambohibao, in premises that used to be the headquarters of the former domestic intelligence service, the DGID [..] The decision to bring charges against Ramanantsoavina contradicted an initial statement by communication ministry secretary-general Charles-Aimé Randriamorasata that the authorities had arrested him simply to find out where Radio Mada was broadcasting from.

Razily's Release

For its part, the Malagasy blogosphere was buzzing about the good news of Razily's release. Ndimby on fijery blog explains the key role bloggers played in pressuring the government and what his release means for the online community following the Madagascar crisis:

Devant la démission des médias traditionnels sur le sujet, et il faut bien le dire, de l’opinion publique nationale devenue par la force des choses blasée, ce sont les blogueurs qui ont mis la pression. Alors qu’on n’a jamais vu un article de la presse écrite malgache poser la question, les internautes malgaches se sont mobilisés aux quatre coins du monde. Des gens qui ne se connaissaient pas, qui ne se parlaient pas, qui ne connaissaient pas Razily, en ont fait le symbole de leur lutte pour la démocratie et les droits de l’homme. Rappelons que suite à la mobilisation de la société civile et des blogueurs, le haut-commissaire des Nations unies aux droits de l’homme a envoyé discrètement un émissaire discuter avec le pouvoir de transition. Ce diplomate a rencontré à plusieurs reprises le Colonel Rakotonandrasana, le chef des mutins devenu Ministre de la défense

Blogger Avylavitra wonders why there is so much mobilization now and where everyone was earlier in the conflict (mg) ?

Fanamarihana kely avy amiko fotsiny ny hoe: fa maninona moa no tsy nihetsika toy izao ny mpanao gazety fony nitranga ny fahafatesan’i ANDO (RTA)?

demonstration photo by http://gazetyavylavitra.wordpress.com/

( March against censorship by Avylavitra)

A prominent Malagasy, website TopMada, notes that the committee of journalists in Madagascar is weary of the increased partisanship of journalists in the Malagasy political landscape:

Selon le comité des journalistes, l’image du journalisme est fortement ternie suite à la participation active de certains de leurs confrères dans les actions et activités politiques. Les journalistes veulent revenir à la déontologie et à l’éthique de la profession

Representatives of the UN security council and the African Union are meeting for a “Madagascar contact group” in Addis Ababa to ensure that the nations take a common position in pushing for a return to constitutional order in Madagascar. Although each Malagasy political party announced that they had representatives present at the meeting, it turns out that none of the opposition parties were present during the decision-making process meeting.

In the meantime, former president Marc Ravalomanana, in exile in South Africa, appointed a new prime minister, Mandandafy Rakotonirina, to form a new government, in effect disputing the legitimacy of the transitional government. A few days after Rakotonirina listed the new members of his cabinet, he and his acquaintances were arrested by the security forces on charges of “illegally declaring himself as prime minister, vandalism & possessing weapons”.

Malagasy bloggers were quick to react news of the arrest:

Rakotonirina arrested by Commander Andrianasoavina via andrydago.wordpress.com

Malagasy blogger, andrydago posts photos and describes the circumstances of the arrest of Rakotonirina in details and wonders whether the military thinks that this arrest will put an end to the movement.

Avylavitra posts the video of the arrest on his blog:

Jentilisa describes and transcribes what is happening on the video:

Efa tsy zoviana intsony fa ny Komandà Charles Randrianasoavina no nitarika ny miaramila hisambotra ireto mpitari-tolona ireto. Io Komand io no nitazona tamin'ny vozon'akanjony ny praiminisitra Manandafy sady niedinedina hatrany niteny hoe : “Ahy ialahy manomboka androany! Ahy ialahy manomboka androany!”.

The transitional government justifies the arrest by saying that Manandafy Rakotinirina is charged with illegitimately declaring himself prime minister, instigating the destruction of property and illegal possession of firearms.

A video taken the day after shows an assigned to residence Rakotonirina with bruises on his face.

The instances of dubious actions by the military forces are not limited to the excessive use of force during arrest. Many bloggers report that armed personnel are roaming around in the city in 4X4 vehicles and shooting in the air to intimidate passersby. Solofo posts photos of a vehicle showing a man with a rifle standing outside the car window following a military truck full of armed soldiers.

Vola, in the comment section of the post, writes that the head of the army explains thusly the cause of death of 2 protesters:

… ils se sont cognés avec des véhicules dans la mêlée [..] il est comique Noël Rakotonandrasana sur ce coup là quand même. Ecoutez l'interview [RFI] à la fin

Another instance of abuse of power by the military can be found in the ongoing case of Razily. Razily is the young man who marched towards the armed forces carrying a flag and who was arrested on the spot for flag theft. Ethan Zuckerman explains the background behind Razily 's story. A petition has been created to demand that the armed forces provide updates on the status of Razily and a time frame for his trial date. The petition has already gathered a few signatures and has been relayed by a few twitter users:

twitter users concerned about Razily's fate

Stephen Ellis, co-author (with Solofo Randrianja) of Madagascar: A Short History, and professor at the Free Unversity of Amsterdam, explains the roots of the turmoil in Madagascar:

Madagascar's instability derives in large part from the combination of extreme poverty (the fate of some 70% of its people) and the fact that the island has one of the world's highest birthrates (the population has increased from less than 3 million around 1900 to 6 million in 1960, to 20 million today). The arrival of large numbers of young people every year looking to join the job market has created a volatile atmosphere in Antananarivo[..] Ravalomanana was elected to a second term in 2006. But even as president he continued to pursue his interests as one of the country's leading businessmen, and there is no doubt that this contributed greatly to his downfall [..] He also made a grave error in negotiating with a South Korean company that wanted to lease an enormous agro-business concession to grow food for export. This raised fears over land tenure in a country where people are intensely attached to their ancestral land

Ethan Zuckerman explains the relationship between the failed land deal with the South-Korean company Daewoo Logistics and the current unrest:

The Korean corporation recently signed an unprecedented agreement to lease 3.2 million acres of arable land from Madagascar at $12 an acre [..] Daewoo plans to put most of the land under corn for export to Korea and the remainder under oil palms, hoping to export the oil on the bio-fuels market. This is a very odd deal, given that Madagascar is a nation that faces food insecurity and has a population that, for the most part, is composed of subsistence farmers[..] Given the ecological sensitivity of the island, it seems like untouched land might be a resource the nation would want to conserve in the long term.

On March 17th, deposed president Marc Ravalomanana handed over power to a military committee so that a referendum on the state of the nation could be organized.   The then-opposition rejected that arrangement and power was transferred to the opposition leader Rajoelina.

Citing this rapid transfer of power, the new government argues they did not stage a coup, an opinion the international community does not share.  U.S. Ambassador Niels Marquardt declared to Midi Madagasikara newspaper that he witnessed first-hand the use of military force and threats during the takeover (fr):

J'ai pu voir de mes propres yeux jusqu'à quel point on a eu recours à la force dans ce coup d'Etat. Moi-même, j'ai été menacé verbalement et avec des fusils. Ce n'est pas normal que les militaires d'un gouvernement menacent les diplomates accrédités dans le pays.

Here is a video of the events narrated by the US Amabassador:

A few days later, several countries froze aid to Madagascar.

The pinch from this suspension of funds was felt almost immediately by  many by entrepreneurs in Madagascar. Andriatefihasina Hary wrote on the Facebook bulletin board entitled:” What do you fear about the suspension of international aid? (fr):

A titre personnel, je trouve problématique la suspension des aides extérieures. A titre d'exemple, nous faisons un chantier financé par la banque mondiale. Si leur retrait se confirme, nous serons obligé de licencier tout le monde

Hary's example is only one of many. Eric Koller, head of Madagascar's hotel and restaurant federation explains to the BBC :

Eighty per cent of hotels are closing and the provinces have been especially hard hit. Most hotels have reduced staff by 50%, and some have laid off all staff without pay.

Even Madagascar's biodiversity is now facing urgent threats. Revkin on the New York Times Dot Earth blog explains that Marojejy National Park, famous for its endangered species, is now being invaded by loggers and its director threatened.

March 28th may turn out to be another turning point in the enduring crisis in Madagascar.

Videos taken during the demonstration against the coup show that police dispersed the crowd by firing on protestors and using tear gas (fr):

A protester named Razily carrying a Malagasy flag has struck the imagination of the Malagasy blogosphere. He was filmed marching towards the armed forces alone, while bullets hit the ground around him until he was eventually pushed into a van by the police. A video of Razily was also posted on the New York Post:

Razily facing police March 28th (via topmada.com)

Many twitterers reacted to Razily's act of bravery.

Hery notes (fr):

Un manifestant courageux arreté par les militaires à #madagascar

TJ writes that the video has a familiar feel to it:

video from #madagascar : man (alone) w/ a malagasy flag arrested by military force, scene reminiscent of tiananmen square.

Aliostsy adds:

This “Tiananmen” moment in #Madagascar could rally opposition to the new TGV regime. “

Given the events of the past couple of days, it seems that tension has yet to ease in Madagascar.   The Economist suggests that the new government is still on rather fragile ground.

Finally, as we look back at the cause of this crisis, Alex Evans blogs at the Global Dashboard that South Korea still does not seem to understand what the fuss is all about: one of the largest national newspapers, Chosun Ilbo, publishes a rather controversial cartoon depicting a black-faced mob with sticks going after a Korean worker seeding the land.

The power struggle that has plagued Madagascar since January may have come to an end.  Yesterday, after attempts by Andry Rajoelina supporters to remove President Marc Ravalomanana from office, the army, which has now sided with Rajoelina, took control of the presidential palace in Ambotsirohatra.

A few hours later, Ravalomanana officially resigned and transferred power to a military committee (mg/fr) composed of four army generals loyal to him. Rajoelina refused to accept the handover, and the generals were arrested by soldiers loyal to Rajoelina, along with a pastor assisting with the mediation (mg). The pastor was also later found beaten by civilians.

Footage of the abusive treatment of the army generals by former mutineers were a reminder that violence might still be erupting in a divided country.

There were many celebrations in the streets of Antananarivo following the news that Ravalomanana resigned.

However, Ravalomanana supporters are said to plan be planning a rally for Wednesday in Mahamasina stadium to protest what they consider a “coup d'etat”.

Malagasy soldiers in Antananarivo

[Photo credit to Foko-Madagascar on Foko-Madagascar on Flickr]

Desepite this major turning point, the simmering tension and division among Malagasy bloggers who are afraid of what tomorrow may bring, was palpable.

Journalist/Blogger Mialy Randriamampianina talked to Voice of America about what the people fear:

There is great confusion among the people because up to now we don't really have any information about what the rally is going to be about and what they are going to do. And again, we are worried about trouble in terms of clashes between supporters of Marc Ravalomanana and the supporters of Andry Rajoelina. There was an event just over a week ago where there were some confrontations and violence between the two camps. So, that kind of rally always creates trouble and we are worried about violence in this country

Blogger Lomelle echoes that statement in her interview with Le Monde even though she is “glad” Ravalomanana resigned (fr):

…on ne sait pas vraiment ce que veut faire l'opposition. Je crains le pire. Rajoelina n'a pas l'étoffe d'un président. Il est trop jeune et manque d'expérience. Je doute de sa capacité à mener le pays

Madagate is thrilled that Ravaloamana is out and that Rajoelina is in charge of the HAT (the transition government) (fr):

Marc Ravalomanana, le petit laitier d’Imerikasinina, a été renié par ceux à qui il venait de remettre les pleins pouvoirs. Ils n’ont pas voulu vendre leur âme au diable. Les carottes sont cuites pour ce président qui a montré son véritable visage. A force de jouer avec le feu et les idoles, on se brûle. Ce fut vraiment le combat de la lumière et des ténèbres.

Jentilisa has a different take (mg):

Manahy dia manahy aho raha ny zavatra hita androany no ijerena ny ampitso fa dia tena faneriterena tsy misy toy izany no hihatra amin'ny tsirairay hanatanterahana ny sitrapon'ny mpitondra vaovaon'ny firenena izay lazaiko sahady fa tsy ekeko satria an-terisetra no nanaovany ny zavatra rehetra.

Hery thinks that peace still won't settle soon in Madagascar despite this change (mg):

Tsy resy lahatra aho amin'ny hilaminan'ny politika ao Madagasikara ao anatin'ny 2 taona farafahakeliny raha mandray fitondrana ny TGV [..] Hafa ny mitolona, ary hafa ny mitondra firenena.

On Saturday, it started with Rajoelina's appointed prime minister, Monja Roindefo, walking into Prime Minister Charles Rabemananjara's offices and taking control of the building (fr) as reported by Virginie.  He declared then that his camp was now in control of the country. Later in the morning, Re_Hita reports that Rajoelina, who has been in hiding for the past week, came to Place du Mai 13 and demanded that President Ravalomanana resign from office (fr).

A few hours later, malagasy website Topmada posted a statement by the government denying that the opposition was in control and stating that they are still planning to organize negotiations between the rival sides (fr).

At Place du 13 Mai, Jacques Sylla, leader of the parliament, took the stage with Rajoelina and called him the new leader of the nation (mg).

Barijaona wrote that Rajoelina denied during his speech that he wanted to end Ravalomanana's life and reiterated that he would not send the army into the presidential palace because he wanted to avoid a blood bath. Indeed, a report from Cyril Vanier at the palace states that a few hundred people have staged a sit-in in front of the palace to protect the president.

Thierry posted that an ultimatum was sent by Rajoelina for the president to resign within 4 hours.

In the meantime Virginie wrote that looters entered the presidential palace, currently vacant because Ravalomanana is at his residence in Iavoloha.

4 hours later, the ultimatum passed without Ravalomanana's resignation. Thierry reported that the army would not attack the presidential palace.

On Sunday, the Malagasy blogosphere waited with anxiety for further developments and were quite unsure as to who is really in charge.

Ravalomanana offered a referendum as a potential exit to the crisis and warned his followers that “the crisis is not only between Malagasy people” (fr).

Arinaina suspects that the national radio frequency has been pirated yet again.

Barijoana and Re_Hita watched the first television news on a now Rajoelina-controlled national television channel. Barijaona notices that even though it featured the speech by Ravalomanana and his refusal to quit, his call for a referendum was cut out of the speech (fr).

The news also featured former members of the presidential guards (who quit the day before) and who now have joined the army. DotMG reports that the former guard called for the removal, by force if necessary, of the civilians sitting in front of the palace.  The former guards also reported the presence of mercenaries and armed civilians.

Additionally, the media wars have gotten so contentious that every single news items produced by local media is now questioned by many Malagasy citizens, all too weary of the risk of misinformation.

However, a few op-ed articles seeking to understand the roots of the crisis between President Marc Ravalomanana and the former mayor of Antananarivo, Andry Rajoelina, have struck a chord in the national psyche and were shared extensively within the Malagasy blogosphere.

On the heels of the media

Instances of contradicting information and confusion in mainstream media in Madagascar have been abundant within the past week:

• Reports on March 7th of Viva Radio station headquarters being attacked yet still broadcasting the day after (pro-Rajoelina Viva offices were in fact broken into by armed forces but not seized).

• Reports on March 8th of army mutiny echoed in the international media but still more or less denied by the head of the armed forces (EMMO-NAT).

• Reports of threats towards opposition leaders and of a hidden safety location for Rajoelina that turned out to be a residence under the protection of UN officials. The latest report states that Rajoelina is now residing at the French Embassy because the UN as mediator could not keep him.

• Reports of severe repression by armed forces (followed by removal of online video evidence ) in turn followed by reports of marked absence of the aforementioned armed forces that allowed for further looting to occur on March 9th (fr).

• Reports of hijacking of radio air waves frequency (mg).

• Reports of foreign mercenaries directing Malagasy soldiers (fr) that allegedly turned out to be mere instructors of newly acquired weaponry (mg)

In summary, the situation is a much tangled web that requires further digging into the Malagasy collective psyche.

Patrols in the streets (http://ariniaina.wordpress.com)

The psyche of a nation challenged

Enter Ndimby A.'s editorial in the Madagascar Tribune daily newspaper entitled: “Auto-derision” (fr) or “Self-depreciation”:

In his piece, Ndimby strives to expose the very nature of the Malagasy collective culture that allows for repeated cycle of political instability throughout Malagasy history and chronic bouts with extreme poverty. He lists several reasons, some are highlighted below (fr):

Le complexe de l’insulaire:
Nous nous sentons intelligents. Nous nous sentons doués. Et la pauvreté ou les crises politiques ne peuvent donc qu’être des accidents de parcours. De la faute des bailleurs de fonds, de la faute des politiciens, de la faute des réseaux mafieux, de la faute à pas de chance, de la faute au voisin, de la faute aux grandes puissances, de la faute aux cyclones, de la faute au karma, de la faute des autres. Mais, ne faisons-nous pas partie des autres ?

Le malgache et le développement:
Le malgache est-il fait pour le développement? Le malgache est-il fait pour la démocratie? A priori ces deux questions peuvent sembler être provocatrices, voire choquantes. En fait, elles le sont. Mais au-delà de la provocation, le contexte de cette crise politique et la situation de notre pays après 50 ans d’Indépendance invitent à une véritable réflexion sur la mentalité malgache, sur nos valeurs et sur nos défauts.
Dictons, proverbes et autres expressions usuelles sont une bonne illustration de la mentalité populaire. Or que dit-on à Madagascar? Ny hazo avo halan-drivotra (le vent a horreur des arbres trop hauts), véritable hymne à la médiocrité pour appeler chacun à ne pas se faire remarquer et à ne surtout pas faire de zèle.

… la culture Malgache est une culture de marimaritra iraisana, qui ne signifie pas toujours consensus (ce qui aurait été une bonne chose), mais plutôt compromis. Dans le pire des cas, le marimaritra iraisana est le mauvais arrangement. C’est la compromission qui a fait tout le monde courber l’échine devant les abus de Marc Ravalomanana depuis 2002, pour éviter les « problèmes ». [..] C’est la compromission qui a fait que tout le monde, au début, a trouvé son compte dans les agissements de Andry Rajoelina, avant de s’effarer de ce train à grande vitesse sans frein ni marche arrière.

Bloggers take stock

Ndimby's tirade is echoed by a few bloggers on both sides of the conflicts, who are weary of the lack of leadership and the confusion.

Jentilisa writes (in absentia) about the latest events leading up to a pro-governmental rally attended by about 1,000 people in Mahamasina today (mg):

Koa satria tsy handray andraikitra ny mpitandro ny filaminana amin'izao fandrobana mahatsiravina, 26 janoary 2009-bis notontosaina androany 9 martsa 2009 izao, dia niantso ny mpanohana ny ara-dalàna sy tsy manaiky ny hisian'ny barazy arahina fandrobana ny tao amin'ny radio mada

At the other hand of the spectrum, Avylavitra calls out the government for stealing the air waves frequency of Viva Radio (mg):

Tsy nampoizina anefa ny zava-misy fa hay ny RADIO MADA no io henion’ny rehetra amin’ny onjam-peon’ny Viva io… Filana ady ve sa fihantsiana no anton’izany?

Others, like Tahina, are wondering whether talks of the conflict escalating to civil war are now justified:

It’s no longer safe to talk politics in public areas (buses included) because you don’t know who’s listening to you and on which side they are. A simple rumour about you can harm you or your relatives.

Blogger Pakysse has one simple request for the two rivals (mg): that they should talk to each other.

Since the first meeting between President Marc Ravalomanana and Andry Rajoelina more than a week ago, hopes for a swift resolution are fading as disagreements over the terms of the negotiations have led to a call for a national strike of undetermined length.

Riot police patrol Antananarivo (photo courtesy of Avylavitra)

XinHua and Gabonews report that on March 2nd, the day following the call for a strike, only a small, timid minority (fr) participated. However, opposition was excepted to take a harder stance following the collapse of the negotiations, as Courrier International explains (fr).

Malagasy website Topmada reports that in his public speech at 9 am on March 3rd, Rajoelina asked his supporters to take note of the companies that did not follow his call for strike (fr):

Rajoelina said:

“On connaîtra à partir de demain (mercredi) les sociétés et entreprises qui roulent pour Ravalomanana”

On March 3rd, Radio Antsiva, one of the few national radio stations, annouced that it would stop broadcasting for at least 24 hours, stirring fears of new violence. The following day, bloggers also reported that the national public radio (RNM) went silent for a few hours. Many bloggers also reported a massive military presence in Downtown Antananarivo.

The violence on March 4th spread out throughout the city, so bloggers reported the unrest on Twitter and Facebook as events unfolded in their respective neighborhoods. Corroborating reports were then matched up on the Ushahidi mash-up map for Madagascar for verification. Below are the reports for March 4th in Antananarivo:

Ushahidi reports in Madagascar (March 4th)

Some of the comments on the Malagasy blogosphere/twittersphere were quite telling of the extent of the unrest.

Thierry Ratsizehena wrote via Facebook Mobile (fr):

j'ai un mal de tete horrible apres avoir inhale une partie de la fumee des grenades lacrymogenes en milieu de journee

Andry Rarivoson adds (fr):

ils ont voulu balancer une voiture sur les militaires. en ce moment, les gens sont en train de prendre les pieces de la voiture abandonnée

Re_hita tweets and took photos of the unrest in Behoririka, district of Antananarivo (fr):

pas moyen de rentrer à la maison behoririka est un champ de bataille

He adds (mg):

nisy mpianatra nendahana ka niboridana tanteraka tao ceg antanimena s/radio don bosco

Tahina was in Ampefiloha, another district, when he posted:

Gun shots heard at ampefiloha but I don’t know where they come from

Arinaiana posted early in the morning what many felt by the end of the day:

I feel like in a war movie. I can't believe it's real. I am damn terrified.

negotiation

(photo credit Avylavitra)

Since February 7th, when the political violence that began in late January culminated in the deaths of at least 30 Malagasies from armed forces' fire,  Madgascar has been burdened by a tense political standoff.  For the past two weeks,  multiple foreign diplomatic delegations have tried to mediate a resolution between President Marc Ravalomanana and Andry Rajoelina, head of the High Authority for Transition. Despite several attempts at mediation,  the two rivals never met face-to-face as preconditions to meeting could not be agreed upon.

On Februrary 19th, Rajoelina urged his supporters to seize a few ministry offices and install the ministers he designated for the transitonal government. After the opposition delegation succeeded at entering the governmental buildings, armed forces retook control of the buildings at night. Ethan Zuckerman wrote a summary and provided a comprehensive context of this peculiar chain of events.

After vowing to do whatever it takes to bring democracy and remove the current administration, Rajoelina surprised many by finally agreeing to meet with Ravalomanana on neutral ground, namely the offices of the  the ecumenical church council of Madagascar (FFKM).

The meeting resulted in a five-point document (mg) in which both parties agreed to suspend harsh rhetoric, public protests, and political arrests, and to further negotiations. Radio France International (RFI) has reported the possibility a new transitional prime minister will be created.

Public opinion to the latest string of events varied. The long-lasting political standoff seems to have effectively divided the country into three camps: two supporting each of the political rivals and a third, which seems to support the pre-crisis status quo.

Arinaina recalls  the overtaking and reclaiming of the ministry offices:

Andry Rajoelina threatened the armed forces that their wives would be at the front line of the protests, were they to dare shooting at the people. On Thursday, TGV leaders proudly announced that 4 ministries were taken: Ministry of Education - Ministry of Interior - Ministry of Homeland Security - Ministry of decentralization. Early on Friday morning, bad news for the protesters with TGV. The news on RNM (the national radio) announced that, the night before, military forces came to the ministers and arrested the TGV agents who stayed there to keep the ministries. Those arrested were kept at the HQ of Betongolo. On Friday, angry or disappointed (I do not know), Andry Rajoelina announced the meeting at the Place du 13 Mai that the protesters will march on to keep fighting on Saturday

protest

(photo credit Avylavitra)

Jentilisa outlines the lesson learned from that eventful day when put  in a historical perspective (mg):

Hita manko fa tena fihatsarambelatsihy sy fombafomba fotsiny no nataon’ny tafika teo fa tsy zavatra hafa mihitsy. [..]
Indroa (intelo akory aza) manko izay no efa nisy fihetsika toy ireny teto Madagasikara fa tamin’ny vanim-potoana samihafa ihany koa.

Gazetyavylavitra sums up the feeling that the crisis has been going for a while now (mg):

Be  izay andro very izay. Samy milaza sy manao izay tiany hatao na ny andaniny na ny ankilany. Mbola betsaka ny olona manaraka ny hetsika eny amin’ny 13 mai. Nefa koa tsy vitsy ny mpitazana no efa manomboka maneho hevitra eny an-tsisiny eny.

Aiky, blogging at Malagasy Miray, just wants to talk about something other than the crisis for once after giving his point of view in two previous posts (fr):

Lors qu’on recherche des articles sur Madagascar, on ne parle plus que de politique et de crise sur le web. Payons nous le luxe de parler d’autres choses dans Malagasy Miray

At least 25 people were shot dead today in Madagascar's capital Antananarivo during a march to the presidential palace called by the city's mayor Andry Rajoelina after he declared himself the leader of a new transitional government at a political rally. In the past weeks, a power struggle between the mayor and the president Marc Ravalomanana has led to both violence and looting.

The political gathering took place in downtown Antananarivo around noon local time. Rajoelina announced the creation of a new transitional government, with himself as its leader, in spite of the fact that the current government is still in place. He asked his supporters to march to the presidential Palace in Ambohitsorohitra.

When the massive crowd arrived at the palace, a delegation entered the palace at 14:46 local time. This is when shots were fired. The local twittersphere and other bloggers reported:

Preliminary reports indicate that dozens of bodies are laying on the streets. Among the casualties, is said to be a cameraman from the RTA TV station (official confirmation still pending).

As of 15:40 local time, shots were still being fired. Rajoelina asked the armed EMMONAT forces, a military entity accepted by both parties and created during the crisis, to intervene and protect the crowds.

News releases (Reuters, Al Jazeera) report up to 25 deaths as images are currently streaming on national TV. BBC and AFP only reported 5 casualties so far. Live online reports can also be found in French here.

This is a live search of Twitter for “#madagascar”, which is the tag people have been using throughout the past weeks of political tension and occasional violence.

After two days of upheaval that resulted in an estimated death toll at 80 nationally, and the looting of dozens of stores, a day of relative calm greeted a stunned nation.

Soldiers are now patrolling Antananarivo, and both parties have called for supporters to stand down. The mayor of Antananarivo, Andry Rajoelina, called for a “ghost town” operation in the capital today, January 29th, urging supporters to stay at home, but attend an organized public demonstration on Saturday, January 31st. President Ravalomanana met with his executive cabinet as well as religious leaders to find a solution to the current instability. Many foreign embassies have issued alerts to their citizens about carefully considering traveling to Madagascar.

Bloggers reflect on what many locally called “Black Monday” as confusion and anger prevail.

Mialisoa Randriamampianina writes that both sides should take responsibility for this “unmitigated disaster”(fr):

Marc Ravalomanana et Andry Rajoelina se défendent de toute responsabilité face à cette incroyable débandade : cela ne les dédouanera pas d’avoir allumé la mèche sur une poudrière. En même temps, l’audace de se croire «innocents» devant ce chaos général relève d’une impressionnante mauvaise foi

( Photo of fire and car destroyed by Jentilisa )

A journalist blogging under the acronym POV explains that the animosity between the two politicians is rooted in personal rivalry but is also stoked by the agenda of former leaders (fr):

Les observateurs estiment que le jeune maire ne serait pas aussi téméraire sans être « appuyé ». Histoire de dire que toute cette manœuvre est soutenue par des hommes de l’ombre [..] A en juger par les milliards que Andry Rajoelina dilapide dans cette guéguerre, l’on estime qu’il jouit d’un puissant sponsor. Personne n’ose le dire, mais beaucoup le pensent…tout bas : les caciques de l’ancien régime.

Whatever of the behind-the-scenes maneuvering, the people are left contemplating images of burn bodies, stores broken open and general desolation. Groups on Facebook are calling for a return to peace in Madagascar and a show of love for the country regardless of political affiliation and gathered hundreds of members in a few days. Passionate conversations are taking place (fr):

On the forum, ” Ras le bol de l'instabilité politique à Madagascar“, Mandy says (fr):

je souhaite dire stop à ces politiciens qui ne pensent qu'à leurs gueules: Laissons les urnes s'exprimer.

Another group named “TSIA, tsy isan'ireo izay manakorontana” calls for unity:

Conscient que malgrès la difficulté, nous saurons relever la tete
-Conscient que la victoire ne peut s'obtenir que par l'unité
-Conscient que le patriotisme ne rime pas avec extremisme,

Finally, a group of Peace Corps Volunteers, disappointed by the lack of information in the US mainstream media, created a group to gather updates related to the crisis and the whereabouts of their colleagues all over Madagascar. John Elliot posted the following update:

Yesterday the U.S. ambassador met with Ravolamanana to try and talk sense to him, but bore little fruit. His car was attacked/rocked by a mob after leaving the meeting. Now the economic impact is more threatening than the violence. Gas prices have skyrocketed, food will soon follow. Gas stations are like parking lots, lines around the block, and most are out of gas.