Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Antananarivo (Agenzia Fides)- While Madagascar waits anxiously for national dialogue to begin, the country is preparing to celebrate the annual National Holiday on 26 June. “The situation is calm, although both the police and the army have tightened security measures, considerably slightly stricter than in previous years, Fides learned from Don Bosco Radio, the Island's main Catholic radio station.
“Most of the Malagasy population is peaceful, but supporters of outgoing president, Marc Ravalomanana, continue to demonstrate calling for respect for constitutional legitimacy and the return of Ravalomanana. Some small groups try to heighten tension launching attacks with rudimental devices and other forms of provocation. Yesterday, 22 June, for example, a gang of youths improvised a road block on one of the capital's streets, but the youths were soon dispersed by the police”.
“The only unknown factor - Fides sources add - is the attitude of Ravalomanana, who has promised to return to the country from exile in South Africa, to lead a ceremony, alternative to the official one organised by the Supreme Transition Authorities. The former President has not yet returned to the country. If he does arrive he could reproduce the same situation as a few months ago, endangering national dialogue which is about to begin. In January, it was the President of the Supreme Transition Authorities, Andry Rajoelina, who led street demonstrations against the then president Ravalomanana. The latter, pressured by the people and part of the army, resigned, handing over power to a military directory, a body not contemplated by the Constitution. Ravalomanana's critics say he was the first not to respect constitutional order (claimed now by his supporters), when he handed power to a body not contemplated by the Constitution”.
The way out of the crisis is national dialogue which is due to start at the end of June (see Fides 22/6/2009). In the meantime drought in the southern provinces is causing a serious food shortage affecting about half a million people (see Fides 18/6/2009). “The drought affected areas have always had this problem, due to climatic conditions ” say Fides Sources. “However this year the drought is worse and the Island's political crisis only aggravated the situation, slowing down and even stopping humanitarian assistance”.
Yesterday however the US Ambassador in Antananarivo signed an agreement with local NGOs including Catholic Relief Services Madagascar, for 85 million dollars worth of development programmes over a period of 5 years. “The Supreme Transition Authorities plan to come to an agreement with Saudi Arabia to sell water to be shipped to the Arabian Peninsula. The profits should fund the construction of water systems in arid parts of the country” Fides sources add. “Apart from the south, Madagascar has plenty of water. However the country needs water systems to store and distribute it uniformly to ensure that the whole nation benefits to the same degree ”.
The possible sale of water (undrinkable, for agricultural use only) to Saudi Arabia has met with criticism in the country, the same which followed a contract negotiated by Ravalomanana with a South Korean multinational company for the concession of 1 million hectares of workable land. Beside Constitutional reforms and a new electoral law, it is on the use of national resources that Malagasy political parties will have to reach an agreement if the political crisis is to end. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 23/6/2009 righe 46 parole 617)
