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Let me remind you a little story which had happened on December 2008. The ministry of telecommunication closed Andry Rajoelina’s station: VIVA TV. The reason of this decision was because this station had broadcasted a 45 minutes video in which Didier Ratsiraka, former president of Madagascar, called Malagasy people for a coup.
Reaction: Andry Rajoelina called people of Antananarivo for a strike to get Viva TV back. At that time, Andry Rajoelina got thousands of followers who wanted to fight for his cause: freedom of speech, freedom of sharing news and information. Since the TGV leaders kept on adding their requests to end with a coup, many of his followers have changed their mind. Well, this is not what I will talk about in this article.
What I want to stress on is the problem that journalists and bloggers are facing now that Andry Rajoelina gots the “power”. Yes, all media corps, especially those who are not pro TGV, live through frights.
Some of blogger friends were “invited” by armed militaries… I meant, they were forced to delete all pics they have taken.
thierry_ratsiz had been questionned by the force army if the pics would be shared on internet, things that they do not want. After negociation, thierry-ratsiz could keep his camera after having deleted all the compromising pics.
r1lita twittered that Pakysse had lived the same situation.
Avylavitra witnessed more serious fright and wrote:
Miala any ny mpanaogazety, Tsy mila mpanao gazety eto. Miala sao tifiriko eo an.
Here come journalists. We don’t need them here. Go or I shoot.
We were all astonished when no MIDI Madagasikara newspaper were published on March 12th and MaTV did not transmit for hours on the same day. In fact, a group of people frightened to burn this media company. We have to admit that they were doing great job covering the crisis and trying to tell how things really happened. We can understand why the TGV do not like them.
Andry and I were trying to report on the TGV movement at 13 Mai at that time, and Sareraka said: “All journalists can join unless they disagree with our cause or support a specific person”.
So, where is the so called freedom of speech?
Pics from The Cyber Observer
March 28, the pro Ravalomanana were 15,000 to 20,000 to rally at Ambohijatovo Democracy Square. Right after the rally, on their way home, the crowd planned to pass by Analakely but the militaries started to fire. At the beginning they shot into the air and fired tear gas. Then, those militaries fired on the protesters.
I was unfortunately not in Ambohijatovo to see what really happened so I watched the news on local TV to know more about it but it seems like the media cannot stop changing the reality. There were a lot of divergence about the information.
When the TV plus announced that there were 22 injured from Analakely, MaTV said more than 30. @dadandry went to HJRA and confirmed that 34 wounded people were registered at this hospital.
TV plus announced that they were clashes between TGV supporters and pro Ravalomanana so the militaries had to open the fire to disperse the crowd. Though Le monde.fr did not mention those clashes.
I really needed to understand that detail, I meant that big difference, so I asked a blogger friend who witnessed the event to tell what really happened. Andry said that, after the rally in Ambohijatovo, the 20,000 pro Ravalomanana wanted to go down to Analakely, like they used to do before going home.
Pic from The Cyber Observer
Pic of Avylavitra
The first line arrived in front of the restaurant Planète when the militaries started to fire into the air then exploded tear gas. Suddenly, those militaries shot on the crowd. “I could see people laying down on the ground full of blood”, Andry said “but the most sad thing I’ve seen yesterday was, a little girl who cried because she could not find her mother”.
Pic from The Cyber Observer
I will tell you a personnal opinion on this, Andry Rajoelina does not want the crowd from Ambohijatovo go to the Place du 13 Mai because people will discover that these pro Ravalomanana are 3 or 4 times more numerous than the TGV protesters of few weeks ago.
Another personnal opinion, the militaries were told to fire on the crowd so these Ravalomanana followers will be afraid to come back to the general strike planned for next Monday.
Still a personnal opinion, Andry Rajoelina was (one more time) mistaken because now the whole world can see and understand his “real democracy”: getting the power through violences and frights, then letting criminals go freely out of jail, and now shooting on people because they are against his coup, …
As agreed, the pro Ravalomanana still made a rally at Ambohijatovo Democracy Square on wednesday. The number of the crowd has increased a lot. When on saturday, we said they were 3,000, on monday they were more than 6,000. Tuesday and wednesday, the crowd joining the fight against the coup were around 10,000. The park of Ambohijatovo was full.
The most exciting and encouraging thing for these Ravalomanana followers was the direct call made by their “President” (yes, for them, Ravalomanana is still the President) saying that he will be home soon. Marc Ravalomanana thanked his people who trust in him and who are ready to fight for him to come back, to fight for the Tanindrazana (ancestors land).
At 01.45 p.m., this 10,000 people went to Analakely. The pavement was compledely blocked. And when I noticed a bus which was still trying to cross the crowd, I could hear the people wacthing from the sidewalk stating that “When TGV protesters made a rally like this before, they would have attacked this bus”.
Nevertheless, they were clashes. A little group of teenagers (from the orange revolution camp) were throwing stones and insults to the crowd. Those pro TGV also took the pics of Ravalomanana from the hands of “their opponents” and teared them. When I tried to take pics, those little guys frightened to attack me and to destroy my camera. I could get a very short video anyway.
Monday, I passed by Rarihasina at Analakely and was attracted by this parasol where portraits were hanged up. I decided to come nearer to see the beauty of the works and I could not restrain myself to talk to the responsible.
His name is Mahery and he is a portrait painter.
Mahery told that when he was only a child, his relatives were already convinced that he was exceptionally good at drawing.
In 2002, Mahery decided to sign up for some training at the Cercle Germano-Malagasy ( German Cultural Center) to improve his know-how.
Mahery’s first customers met him in an art gallery, Gasik’Art Creation at Ambondrona. Since December 2008, Mahery has decided to go nearer the public and after several tries, now he has chosen to stay in front of Rarihasina at Analakely from 8.00 a.m. to 6.00 p.m.
From 2002 to 2008, Mahery made different paintings from landscapes to portraits. For he has discovered that malagasy people were more interested in portraits, Mahery then prefers to deal only with this.
There are two kinds of portraits:
- For the “portrait minutes“, the person sits to be the model. This portrait can be realized within 30 minutes. A 24X32 cm of portrait costs 12,000 Ariary.
- Mahery can also make a copy of a picture. This one is more expensive with a minimum price of 40,000 Ariary for this kind of portrait can take 24 hours to realize.
Mahery has already make portraits of famous Malagasy singers and actors such as Rolf, Honorat (of Fohy Hehy), Aina Quach, Kaliba…
The tool that Mahery mostly use is pastel but can use pencils or paints as well.
Mahery confided that portrait painting is enough to make him live. He said that Malagasy people are more and more interested in arts and in portrait paintings; nevertheless, they are not yet conscious of the real value of an art and most of the time find it expensive. “We, artists, would dream of a special place devoted for us to work and to exhibit our arts”, added Mahery.
Mahery believes that being gifted is not enough, he would like to go abroad to get more knowledge about this domain. While waiting for this chance, he is sharing his skill to youngsters from 14 to 20.
To contact Mahery, you can join him directly in front of Rarihasina at Analakely or call him through the numbers (+261) 033 08 026 80 or (+261) 032 40 820 33 or email him at maherjer@yahoo.fr
Sunday night , a friend informed me through sms that the President Marc Ravalomanana has called for a general strike starting from Monday. This news was heard on Radio MADA International which has transmitted on short wave 5895KHz since saturday and latest news, can also be caught on FM100.6.
Monday, they were more than 5,000 people to answer the call of their beloved President… more… Father Marc Ravalomanana.
We want noone else but our dear Father
The Democracy sqare was full of crowd who do not accept the transitional government which they qualified as coup. The main protests we could here were:
- Why didn’t Andry Rajoelina wait for elections? Real democracy is respecting the choice of electors who have given Ravalomanana five years of presidency.
No to Coup d'Etat
- Andry Rajoelina seized the power by arms and force, but we do not give up, we did not “loose”, we keep on fighting for the “real” democracy.
For that, these pro Ravalomanana are ready for a daily rally at the park of Ambohijatovo.
Monday, some militaries in a 4×4 tried to intimidate these Andry Rajoelina’s opponents by firing a tear-gas. The crowd replied with a big and massive “oooooh… oooooh” to show that they were not afraid at all.
Like on saturday, after the rally, the crowd went all down to Analakely.
Saturday, more than 3,000 people gathered in the Garden of Ambohijatovo to protest against the installation of Andry Rajoelina as High Authority of Transition. Those people have choosen the Place of Democracy because they believe that the “Coup d’Etat” made by the TGV is not the real Democracy that Malagasy people are really dreaming of.
Don't frighten us
We could hear the enthousiastic crowd wanting the President Marc Ravalomanana they have “freely” voted for to be back. “Avereno ny Dadanay” (Bring our Father back) or “Aiza ‘zahay zay resy eo” (look, we did not loose).
from the Place of Democracy
whistling at the militaries
After the rally at Ambohijatovo, the crowd went altogether down to Analakely passing by the military region #1 in Andohan’Analakely. The crowd whitsled at the militaries who just stood behind the fence.
The Big Boss
Wednesday, March 19th, FOKO Madagasikara organized a workshop about using Ushahidi at Teknet. This workshop was organized by Stéphane and led by Tahina ( a very good teacher 
).
working seriously
Recently, FOKO has signed up at this website called Ushahidi which means “Testimony”. Yes, and, from now, you are all invited to share all events you have witnessed at this link:
To take part into sharing news on Foko – Ushahidi, log on the link above, then go on Submit an Incident and start to report. To finish, you just need to Submit it.
You can put a link of a blog, a website or a video to support the information you share. See you all on
Wednesday was a day full of different feelings for the Malagasy people (and maybe other people from all over the world).
Pro Ravalomanana were crying or got angry because they are against this TGV protest and are not willing Andry Rajoelina to get the power. Pro Ravalomanana all believe that this ex DJ of 34 years old will not be able to brighten the future of the Island. Because since the beginning of this TGV protest, frights, violences and robberies have increased a lot in the whole country.
Pro TGV are proudly happy because their “fight” finally won. They now start to dream of a 10,000 FMG the liter of oil and 3,500 FMG the kilo of rice. Civil servants will finally not start work at 9.00 a.m but can come if they want to and leave any time they will decide to (because this is what they always called dictatorship during Ravalomanana’s presidency). And they never know, maybe they will become rich as they all expected when taking part to the “orange revolution”.
The world is just amazed. Many still cannot understand what really have happened in Madagascar.
My colleagues and I could not believe when we heard on Antsiva radio that Ravalomanana has resigned. Laterer, Radio Fahazavana explained that this is just a rumour so the President Marc Ravalomanana does not plan to resign nor to quit Iavoloha (nor Madagascar).
Though few minutes later, still on Radio Fahazavana, the President Marc Ravalomanana made a communiqué in which he announced that the government of Charles Rabemananjara broke and, “This is a tough decision”, he said, but he hands the power to military.
The military administration will be lead by the most senior military officer who is navy admiral Hyppolite Ramaroson.
Four generals, who were supposed to lead the military administration, wanted to organize a press conference in Antanimena. Since, Andry Rajoelina and TGV leaders disagreed this President Ravalomanana’s decision, mutineer militaries have arrested the four Generals.
A pastor, Rasendrahasina, has also been arrested by those TGV militaries.
Tuesday evening, I heard from friends and through tweets that the Palace of Iavoloha had been attacked by the “TGV” militaries. A big dark smoke was seen from the President Palace. The President Marc Ravalomanana has already moved from Iavoloha a few hours before but noone is sure of where he can be.
Read this:
http://www.madagascar-presidency.gov.mg/index.php/view/news/item/1346
Tuesday, we understand why the militaries following TGV have attacked and taken the palace of Ambohitsirohitra the day before.
Tuesday, early in the morning, the militaries were still in Ambohitsirohitra and Antaninarenina. All people (piedestrians and cars) passing by had to explain where they were going.
At noon, we noticed religious women (all in white) praying in the surrounding of the Palace of Ambohitsirohitra (and I guess inside as well) in order to “cast out devils”. And amazingly, those religious have discovered “ody and sampy” (amulets) in the palace. Frankly speeking, I believe that the TGV team have put those items there in order to tarnish Ravalomanana’s reputation.
At 2.00 p.m., all TGV protesters from Place du 13 Mai went up to Antaninarenina to put officially Andry Ranjoelina, the High Authority of Transition, in his presidential offices.
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