Madagascar : Bloggers react to Red Saturday's bloodshed
Since riots and lootings claimed fifty dead in Madagascar on January 26, the situation has become bleaker. Saturday, February 07 was an even bloodier day. Dubbed “Red Saturday” by some, it saw the presidential guard fire upon a crowd of protesters who had gathered outside the Presidential palace of Ambohitsirohitra.
The crowd had marched to the palace where it wanted to install Monja Roindefo. Roindefo had minutes before been nominated “Prime Minister” by Andry Rajoelina, himself proclaimed “President”, by the protestors that started demonstrating in December, when Andry Rajoelina's TV station was shut down by the Ravalomanana government. The protests have since become violent, resulting in lootings and riots, and with its supporters demanding Ravalomanana's resignation.
Among the victims of Red Saturday was Ando Ratovonirina, a 26 year old cameraman for the television station RTA. He is no stranger to the Malagasy Global Voices team, as he was the one who reported on citizen media in Antananarivo, as encouraged by FOKO, a Rising Voices grantee.
Bloggers have reacted strongly to the news, struggling to understand what circumstances led Malagasies to fire upon each other. Bloggers discuss who bears final responsibility for the massacre: those who incited, then led, demonstrators to the presidential palace, knowing that it was marked a “red zone” and that the soldiers there would have liberty to fire upon anyone violating the “red zone”, therefore creating “martyrs” for a protest movement running out of steam; or those who gave the orders to shoot.
“Pour provoquer la sortie de l’impasse créée par une auto-proclamation, les tenants de la prise de pouvoir insurrectionnelle emmènent la foule marcher sur un Palais présidentiel. Classés zones rouges, ces bâtiments sont protégés par un régime de protection spéciale qui expose les contrevenants au pire.
Quel que soit le Président en fonction, quel que soit le Palais concerné, quel que soit l’opposant qui mène la foule, quelle que soit la cause à défendre, quels que soient les militaires, les règles sont immuables : on ne peut impunément pénétrer dans un Palais d’Etat.”
Regardless of who is the sitting President, of which Palace may be involved, of who may be the opposition leader leading the crowd, the cause to be defended, or the soldiers involved, the rules are immutable: one cannot enter a state palace with impunity.”
Solofo, Avylavitra and Barijaona were eyewitnesses.
Solofo posts pictures of before and after the shootings and pointedly wants his readers to notice a certain man wearing a grey tie and black suit. The same man is apparently shown in a video posted on topmada.com .
“J'étais persuadé que tout avait été négocié à l'avance, que la foule resterait gentiment à distance, que seule une petite délégation entrerait à l'intérieur des grilles du palais et que c'est cette délégation qui demanderait ensuite à la foule de se disperser.
J'étais trop loin pour savoir ce qui s'est passé dans la foule peu avant que le cordon de sécurité ne lâche. Si un responsable du mouvement a laissé entendre qu'on pouvait “y aller”, sa responsabilité est énorme.
Je ne peux parler que de ce que j'ai vu et entendu de mes propres yeux, mais ai trouvé étonnant que Andry Rajoelina et Monja Roindefo soient restés à l'écart des délégations négociant l'entrée dans les grilles du palais.”
Avylavitra wonders if laws are void during exceptional times like these:
“Satria tokoa mantsy na aiza na aiza, dia ny vahoaka no tompon’ny fahefana fa mpindrana fotsiny ny mpitondra. Ka raha vahoaka haka izay nampindraminy no andraisana azy ireo, tsy ho azo natao ve ny nifampiresaka taminy? Raha ny fandraisako azy mants (tsy asiko firehana an!), dia rehefa tonga amin’ny fara-tampony toy izao ny fitakian’ny vahoaka, dia efa lasa ambonin’ny lalàna rehetra izany fitakiana izany, ka mihisaka maka zoron-trano daholo aloha na ny Lalampanorenana, na ny hafa. Diso ve aho? Raha eny, mba hazavao ny saiko.”
He writes about his visit to the injured at the HJRA hospital and posts pictures of the wounded and dead (Warning: very explicit pictures).
Tsy nitsahatra ny fivezivezen’ireo taxi sy fiaran’olon-tsotra ary fiara mpamonjy voina hatramin’ny fito ora hariva (19h) nialako teny amin’ny HJRA androany. Noho ny fahafenoan’ny toerana tao amin’ny tranom-paty dia nisy tamin’ireo razana no napetraka teny ambony bozaka teo an-tokontany aloha mandra-pandamina ny tao anatiny. Be ireo olona tsara sitrapo no namonjy hainga ny HJRA mba hanone maimaim-poana ny rany ho vonjy aina. Hatramin’ny karana aza dia tonga teny. Nanontany azy ireo aho ny amin’ny antony nahatongavany teny hanome rà. Sao mba misy havany marary ao. Rehefa tonga tety tokoa mantsy ka natao ny fanisana faramparany azoko natao talohan’ny nialako ny hopitaly dia dimampolo latsaka ny maty voatifitra. Ny naratra moa dia miditra isaky ny minitra angamba. Misy ny afaka nalefa nody fa ratra vokatry ny fifanosehana kely, fa nisy ireo nojerem-potsiny fa tsy nisy azo natao aminy intsony, nefa tsy vitan’ireo mpitsabo koa ny tonga dia hanatitra olona miala aina ho any amin’ny tranom-paty avy hatrany.
He also reports on people's reactions on radio:
“Ireo onjam-peo izay henoina amin’izao ora izao dia mikiaka valifaty noho ny rà latsaka , ary mitaky ny fisamborana an-dRavalomanana daholo izay antso an-tarobia tafiditra. Miantso tody ihany koa ho amin’ny taranak’ingahy Ravalomanana, ary misy mihitsy aza ny midradradra ny amin’ny hisamborana sy hamonoana azy.”
Jentilisa writes on immediate reactions in the streets after and during the shootings, with other reactions than those cited by Avylavitra. He also reports on opportunists who pounced on the occasion to wreak more havoc and loot some more:
“Ny nahavariana, teny Soarano indrindra aho no nandre ny tifitra voalohany, fa nikoropaka avokoa na dia ny olona tany aza. Samy nandositra avokoa na ny mandeha an-tongotra na ny mpitondra fiarakodia ka nisy ny tsy nahatandri-tena intsony ka nodonin'ny fiara izay nanavotr'aina ihany koa. Mafy dia mafy ny nahazo ilay ramatoa voadona… Tsitapitapitr'izay fa nikatona avokoa ny toeram-pivarotana rehetra. Maro tamin'ny mpivarotra amoron-dalana no nanangona ny entany. Tsy niala tamin'ny toerany kosa anefa ny atsasaky ny mpivarotra teny Isotry (tsena ny andro Asabotsy) izay mihevitra fa tsy hanenjika olona hatreny kosa ny mpitandro ny filaminana. Nahare poa-basy koa ny teny Besarety, nahavariana ihany io raha ny halavitry ny toerana no heverina, hay saiky hisy hamaky avy hatrany indray ny shoprite teo Ambodivona izay tsy vaky nandritra ny andron'ny talata 27 janoary 2009. (…)
Nitantara mivantana avokoa manko ny ankamaroan'ny fampielezam-peo tamin'ity vanim-potoana “lehibe” ity… ka maro tamin'ireo tsy mankasitraka ny tolona no efa mitaintaina nahatonona mihitsy hoe “tifiro! tifiro amin'izay!” ary mba nahatonona koa izy ireo hoe “ela loatra koa izy izany!”. Malahelo aho milaza aminareo fa maro tamin'ireo izay tsy niomana ho eny, no nahasahy nilaza mihitsy hoe “nahazo izay notadiaviny izy izany!” ka toa tsy antra fo tamin'izay niharam-pahavoazana mihitsy aza. Ny mpankasitraka ny tolona sy izay nankeny Ambohitsorohitra kosa (ny teny Isotry no tena nohenoiko) dia mamerimberina hatrany fa “ny mpikarama an'ady” (ilay laingalainga nafafy hatry ny ela) no nitifitra fa tsy nisy Malagasy nitifitra izany. Maro tamin'izy ireo no nanozona ny filoha Ravalomanana sy nilaza azy ho mpamono olona. Inona koa? ny filoha Ravalomanana sy ny Praiminisitra no naneho voalohany ny fiaraha-miory sahady… fa i Andry Rajoelina kosa tamin'ny 18:30 vao nanao izany sady “nitomany” nanameloka an-dRavalomanana ho tompon'andraikitra amin'izao vono-olona izao. “
Almost all radio stations reported this “great” event live..and many of those who are not followers of the movement were heard saying “shoot! shoot now!” and some expressed their impatience “this is taking too long!”. I am sad to report that many of those who did not walk to the Palace dared to say that “they got what they deserved!” appearing to have no sympathy for the fallen. The followers of the movement and those who went to Ambohitsirohitra (I heard opinions from those in Isotry mostly) repeated that mercenaries (lies long spread by some) had shot because no Malagasy would fire. Many cursed President Ravalomanana and condemned him as a murderer. What else? The President and his Primeminister were first to express their condolences… Andry Rajoelina waited until 18:30 to do so, and then “cried” when condemning Ravalomanana as the one responsible for the deaths.”
Jentilisa also analyzes the two only possible outcomes of Saturday's rally when Andry Rajoelina nominated Monja Roindefo, as “prime minister” of his governement:
“Tranga roa no tsy maintsy hitranga nanomboka ny tolakandro ka efa tafakatra teny Antaninarenina amin'izay ireo olona (miala tsiny mivantambantana miteny hoe ny avy any ambany tanàna no tena maro an'isa tamin'ny fitarihana sy fialohavana teny ampilaharana tonga teny Antaninarenina): Na mitifitra ny mpitandro ny filaminana na may Ambohitsorohitra, ireo ihany, tsy misy hafa. Raha nanaiky ny hidiran'ny vahoaka ny lapan'Ambohitsorohitra ny miaramila tao anatiny dia mivandravandra fa tsy mifehy ny tafika intsony ny filoha Ravalomanana ka tsara ho azy ny miala ny toerany avy hatrany. Ny olona koa etsy andaniny efa mihorakoraka ny “ela loatra” ary tsy maintsy handroso (“jusqu'à la mort” hoy ny tarigetran'ny mpanohana ny TGV izay). Ny zavatra nahavariana dia tsy niakatra nankeny Antaninarenina mihitsy i Andry fa ny lalana mody ny azy no nasiany olona, noho izany dia ny Jly Dolin Rasolosoa no tena nandrindra ny fihetsiketsehana rehetra sy ny fifampiresahana tamin'ny mpitandro ny filaminana. Ny “Praiminisitra” vao notendrena Monja Roindefo Zafitsimivalo kosa moa dia karazana kofehy manara-panjaitra ihany.”
POV, a cartoonist, wonders what led the demonstrators to rush towards armed soldiers:
“Puis les coups de feu ont éclaté. Les enquêtes démontreront peut-être ce qui s’est passé. Je doute que ceux qui étaient en première ligne allaient se ruer sur une rangée de soldats prêts à tirer. Je soupçonne que la pression de la foule en arrière les a poussés à faire un pas trop loin, vers la zone sécurisée.”
POV condemns Andry Rajoelina's actions :
“En lâchant sa foule sur le palais présidentiel, il a su (et espéré ?) qu’il y aurait certainement de la casse. Tel un général sur le champ de bataille, il se tient en retrait, observant les manœuvres de sa troupe, dirigée par ses lieutenants.
De tous les endroits où il pouvait envoyer sa horde, il a choisi le palais présidentiel. Symbolique, certes, mais c’est également une zone rouge – un site où les gardes sont autorisées, voire tenues d’ouvrir le feu sur ceux qui outrepassent les limites. Il a galvanisé la foule de rhétoriques du genre « entrez-y, le palais présidentiel appartient au peuple ! » Selon des témoignages, les gens ont d’abord flotté autour du site. Des pourparlers étaient en cours entre les lieutenants de Andry Rajoelina et les chefs de la garde présidentielle.”
News2Dago reproduces a column written by Valiavo Nasolo Andriamihaja, where the latter wonders if President Ravalomanana is still in charge in the country and calls for him to resign if he has lost control:
“Impiry impiry, hatramin’ny nanombohan’izao raharaha izao, no nitsangana sy niteny ny olona maro sady tsy momba ny atsy no tsy momba ny aroa : «mampidi-kizo izao fiziriziriana izao, tsy maintsy ny resaka no vaha-olana». Tsy misy nihaino isika.(…)
Ilay Filoham-pirenena, tsy hita, tsy nandrenesam-peo, mahabe ahiahy ny olon-tsotra manara-dalàna sady tsy tia korontana. Raha mba miteny indray, lavitra loatra, toa zary miafina, sanatria toa efa lositra. Fa Fanjakana inona loatra ity eto amintsika ity ? Tompon’andraikitra amin’ny haja sy voninahitra fotsiny fa mialangalana rehefa misy fahasahiranana ? Ianao ihany, Ravalomanana, no nihomehy ilay mpiandry omby miandry omby tokana : «tsy fantatra intsony, hoy ianao, iza no sefo, izy sa ilay omby». Mbola sefo ve ianao, Ravalomanana ?”
A feeling echoed by a commenter on Avylavitra's blog:
“Maninona raha noraisina fotsiny ireo solo tenan’ny mpitokona dia nosamborina raha nilaina dia naparitaka fotsiny ny olona avy eo ? Raha tsy mandray andraikitra haingana ianao sy ny gouvernemantanao eny fa na amin kery aza raha ilaina hampandeha ny raharaha andava,andro dia tokony ary rariny raha mametra pialana ianao.”
On rumors spread by the VIVA and Antsiva stations, both supporters of Andry Rajoelina, that the presidential guard did not warn before shootings and on the rumored presence of weapons among the demonstrators, Jentilisa comments on Avylavitra's blog:
“Miarahaba anao rahalahy! Tamin’ny vaovao manokana navoakan’ny Tvplus voalohany indrindra tamin’ny Asabotsy dia nisy iny tovolahy naratran’ny bala tamin’ny tongony iny. Nisy nibata ilay zalahy io ka rehefa napetraka tamin’ny tany tao amin’ny toerana vonjimaika hitsaboana ilay zalahy dia nisy bala niraraka avy tamin’ilay olona sivily nibata io naratra io. Tsy niverina intsony ilay ampahantsary fa notapahina nandritra ny vaovao manokana hafa rehetra tamin’io andro io. Midika izany fa “nisy” nitondra fiadiana avy taty amin’ny vahoaka, izay nolazain’i Andry Rajoelina tamin’ny resaka nifanaovana tao amin’ny Viva TV androany, fa na nitondra fitaovam-piadiana aza ny vahoaka araka ny nambarany tsy tokony hamaly mihitsy ny mpitandro ny filaminana.”
Finally, Lomelle and Pakysse both write moving hommages to Ando, the journalist who lost his life while covering the rally and the siege of the Presidential Palace.
19 comments
A comment from USA citizen.
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?
Wow, everybody, thank you for your interest and your comments.
I have to answer Matt here because I guess because there are so few news about Madagascar, not very many know the history of demonstrations in Madagascar the last 20 years.
“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?”
In 1991 and 2002, there were mass demonstrations, on a much larger scale than what is now seen in Antananarivo, throughout all of Madagascar. The demonstrations took place for months, largely peaceful, and nobody needed to pay the people to attend the rallies then. It was truly a revolution, as the vast majority of people wanted to remove Ratsiraka from power. The nuns took part in it. It was mainly very peaceful, (except during another presidential march, on august 10, 1991, when Ratsiraka shot at the people from his helicopter, and countless people died and disappeared. You can see a video of the 10 August massacre here http://www.dailymotion.com/search/mavoloha/video/x2a3s6_madagascar-carnage-du-10-aout-1991_politics, and see the contrast with what you are now seeing on Rajoelina’s place du treize mai). Malagasy people were very proud of their revolution, their peacefulness and they claimed an exception because of their insularity.
“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.
Re: Matt!
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?