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One day, Tahina and I proposed “Climate change” as a discussion topic for our club. We were so astonished (or shouldn’t we???) that all the members felt reluctant so we could guess that they were not interested in it. I believe that a lot of people around the world behave like these members when it is to talk about “Climate change”.
I have registered to this Blog Action Day (BAD) because first of all, I feel concerned about it, and also it is so great to see the numerous blogs which are taking part in posting articles about “Climate change” – BAD’s topic of this year. This makes me feel NOT ALONE 
Since this morning, I have deeply thought about what I will post this evening. And on my way home, I saw this big truck which smokes. I took out my camera and came nearer the driver and asked if I could take a pic. The big guy hesitated as I explained that it was for my blog. He could guess that I will talk about environment so he said “Make sure you don’t put me and the number of the truck in.” So I took the pic and showed it to him. Then I asked a “silly” question: Why he didn’t want to appear in the pic. He laughed and said: “I know that this smoke is bad but this truck is my money resources so I have to do with it… Anyway, I’m not the only one [shy smile]“
I lived that guy cuz I started to cough with the smoke. I went home and I have noticed that my neighbour is using charcoal. And bingo! here is our topic. Most of Malagasy homes (I am tempted to say 90%) use charcoal. Why? Because this is cheaper and you can buy it at any time in small quantity. Though if you use gas you have to pay it once. Don’t even think of electricity!!! But where does the charcoal come from??? Peasants in countrysides cut trees of forests to make the charcoal. Though none of them thought about re-planting trees. They prefer to move on to the nearby forests and so on. We, who are aware of the environment, know what goes with this act: no rain, endemic fauna and flora disapear, heat, erosion…
I think that the main problem here in Madagascar is that people are so busy to search for what they are going to eat today. We then become selfish and just think of ourselves. We forget our neighbours and our future generation.
One day, I really wanted to watch a documentary movie about “Why have we waited until it is too late to save our planet?”; yet, many believe that they still have time to think about the problems of climate change tomorrow or even later. People are not aware at all. Though, here in Madagascar, we should now be in hot and rainy season. I remember, when I was a kid, in october like this it rained almost every day… but this october 2009, till today, we only had 5 or 6 rainy days. Some may feel happy cuz they won’t need to buy and bring umbrella; peasants are not cuz of their farming.
I hope that the Bloggers’Action of today will wake up millions… billions of people… governments… poor countries… rich countries… and then, we will altogether rescue the Earth. What I can and already do now is planting my own trees 
The Crazy Team
My friends and I (I’m used to call us “Crazy Team”) went to a Karaoke party on saturday. And as usual, we really had FUN (‘cuz this is the reason why we go to such place; right?). We joked (between us), we made gestures while singing, we didn’t care if we were “occasionnaly” out of tune, we chose music that rocks (of Evanescence, Pink, Avril Lavigne, Queen, System of the Down, our favourite one’s Mika…) … And a girl just in front of us (we’ll have to admit that had a good voice) was really upset ‘cuz she couldn’t understand the happy faces we had, the laughs we could make, the pokes, the hugs… She was trying her best to copy on Bodo, Whitney Houston, Poopy and all those famous stars with angel’s voice and she was so great… though SHE WAS NOT HAPPY… everyone could see it on her face that SHE DIDN’T HAVE FUN like we did . And then, I told my friend that I have to write something about this (and here we are )
This girl wasn’t the only one who didn’t understand our excitement and most of them thought we could be drunk with 1 bottle of THB, 2 Fresh and 1 Eau Vive. (Were we? LOOOL) This is absolutely wrong. We’re the kind of people who believe that alcohol is not the special ingredient for having FUN. I’m not really good at maths but, for us,
FUN = happiness, jokes, pokes, hugs, smiles, laughs, “seriousless”
(I created this word )
C’est avec un cœur plein de peine, d’effroi et en même temps de colère que j’écris. Depuis quelques jours, les militaires sous le régime de la HAT ont fait subir des malheurs à la population de Tanà: des hommes politiques, des manifestants, de simples citoyens, des passants, des journalistes, des journalistes citoyens, des travailleurs, des écoliers, des hommes, des femmes, des enfants.
Les témoins racontent et c’est trop dur de les croire; puis des photos viennent prouver les témoignages. Malheureusement, les médias ne sont plus fiables, je dirai, la plupart. Certaines informations ne sont pas partagées avec parfois des commentaires froids et fades pour protéger “quelqu’un” (une couleur politique ou sa propre peau). J’admire le courage des journalistes citoyens qui se débrouillent merveilleusement bien et ne ratent aucun événement; je les admire surtout pour leur courage d’oser partager… parce que le monde a le droit de savoir.
Je citerai dans cet article quelques faits racontant les barbaries de cess militaires.
- On a récemment parler de journalistes et de bloggers menacés par ces militaires. Ces derniers ont obligé des amis à effacer les photos qu’ils ont pris et qui pourraient nuire à leur image. Ils ont surtout peur que ces images soient diffuser sur internet.
- Lundi, un écolier sortant de l’école a été tué par balle à Anosy.
- Jeudi, un jeune homme à genoux, les mains (sans armes) sur la tête a reçu des coups de pieds d’un militaire fier de sa bestialité. Un bébé et sa maman, en revenant du marché, ont été blessés par balles (Heureusement, ils vont survivre à leurs blessures).
- Vendredi, une femme a succombé après avoir reçu une balle en pleine tête. Un passant, tiré par les militaires, est également décédé à Anosy.
- On ne va pas oublier les violences envers le Pasteur Lala Rasendrahasina lors de sa détention au CAPSAT le 17 mars.
- Razily, le célèbre Homme au Drapeau Malagasy, où est-il actuellement? Je n’oserai pas imaginer ce qu’il a pu subir et ce qu’il est devenu.
- …
Les militaires ici ne sont plus des anti-émeutes mais des “Killers”. Ils ne tirent pas pour disperser une foule en colère; ils ouvrent le feu parce qu’il est 11:20 puis courent après les gens, les traquent, les tuent, les arrêtent (pour ceux qui ont un peu de chance, ne vont pas être torturés ou violés pour mourir plus tard). Ils ne choisissent pas sur qui tirer mais ceux qui se trouvent au mauvais moment au mauvais endroit reçoivent les balles.
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, …
Madagascar is now deeply lost in a political crisis which has created social and economical disturbance, a real kaos for the Island.
Democracy, legacy, legitimacy are words that we Malagasy people have heard a lot these last weeks of crisis.
Now, I have in mind the definition of democracy taught in school: Power of the people, from the people and for the people.
We are all aware that there are two main protagonists now in Madagascar who are “fighting” for the Power, both wanting to get the government of the Island. And amazingly, both sides are using this famous word “democracy” to defend their cause.
Democracy and Andry Rajoelina
Let us start with Andry Rajoelina’s protests. This TGV leader claim for democracy and says that the presidency of Ravalomanana is full of dictatorship.
I guess, we can remember that the beginning of this protest was because of VIVA TV which had not been allowed to transmit. Democracy means here freedom of speech and freedom of sharing information (even if we, Malagasy listeners would admit that what VIVA has broadcated these last weeks were full of provocations and “esoeso”).
Andry Rajoelina and followers always shouted on the Place du 13 Mai that Madagascar is a democratic country where people got the power, give the power and take it back.
For this team, democracy can allow them go and attack or take private and public properties ( MBS, Palace of Ambohitsirohitra, Priminister’s office of Mahazoarivo, ministries, Guy Rivo’ house…).
Was it democracy when the Ministry of National Defense was frightened and detained until he wrote and read his resignation letter?
Democracy and Marc Ravalomanana
Despite the request and the ultimatum of Andry Rajoelina and Cies, Marc Ravalomanana will not give up nor resign. “I am the President and I have been elected by the Malagasy people”. The fact that Marc Ravalomanana was voted by the majority of electors show that he has got this position through Democracy.
For this side, the rally at the Place du 13 Mai is just a street movement full of threats and violences.
The rally organized by TIM at Mahamasina was an image of Democracy because this team wanted to show to the world that they still got the majority of the population supporting the President. The organizers called people who support real Democracy, legality and peace to attend those meetings at Mahamasina.
Sunday, the President Marc Ravalomanana agreed to organize a referendum in order to know if really the majority of the Malagasy people are for TGV protest or not. This is democracy.
Behind Democracy
Behind democracy, Malagasy politicians use religion to win the crowd’s heart. Marc Ravalomanana and Andry Rajoelina both pretend to be the real believer and convince “their” people that God listens to their prayers. As we talk about democracy, this is their right.
I was hurt and upset today when I heard on radio VIVA how a journalist of this station (pro TGV) treats people who publish news on internet. This man said that news from internet are stupidity that VIVA listeners should not care about. As I am a blogger and as I am spreading news from Madagascar through internet, I am personnaly feeling insulted.
I tell you man that bloggers are not paid like you to tell what your boss wants you to tell. Bloggers are journalists who try to relate only truth, only what they really see and what they really hear.
I was never pro Ravalomanana nor pro TGV and I tell you that I risked myself to get news from each side without getting paid. And this is the proof of real love of sharing true information. Here, I am talking about all information but not only those which sweet the person you “serve”.
Let me remind you what happened on Monday, January 26th, 2009.
Andry Rajoelina led “his people” to the Palace of Justice at Anosy where some of those strikers threw stones to RNM/TVM station. But, according to the Mayor, he and his followers kept on their way and went to CENAM. Since ” his people” shouted “MBS…MBS…MBS”, this is what Andry TGV replied:
“Tsofy rano aho andeha fa tsy ho any amin’ny MBS mba tsy isian’ny hoe ny Ben’ny Tanàna no nitondra anareo any. Fa satria izay angatahan’ny vahoaka no atao dia tsofy rano aho andeha ary tsofiko rano ianareo ho any”.
[free translation] “Let me leave you and not go to MBS so noone can say that the Mayor brought you there.Because we do whatever the people want, let me leave you but I let you go there (to MBS)”
This reply was a BIG, BIG, and BIG MISTAKE.
In a Mayor’s interview on Radio Antsiva (see previous post Tana on a strike: January 27th, 2009), he said:
We (the Mayor and his followers) are Pacifists. We want Peace. That’s why we wear orange, colour of Pacifism. (In fact, orange is colour of Democracy)
When you are PACIFIST, you are against any kind of violence. Andry Rajoelina exactely knew that his followers wanted to attack and to destroy MBS but, as a leader, what did he do? or should I say what didn’t he do? Andry Rajoelina did not even try to convince “his people” not to go to MBS because of the “Pacifism” he always mentions. Instead, he “blessed” his followers to go to (and to destroy) MBS.
Let me remind you the following of this story. There were gendarmes at MBS, protecting this propriety. Well, foreigner gendarmes or mercenaries said the Mayor. (I don’t know because I was not there). Two young people among the crowd were shot by those agents. Reaction of Andry Rajoelina?
I would not meet the President until the gendarmes who shot the young guy at MBS will be judged. (one of the conditions)
And he even kept on with “Arresting Roland Ratsiraka or Dolin shouldn’t be the matter but condemning the “real” criminal who is this gendarm who killed the young guy of 18″
(Well, there were two young guys who died in this MBS story but, I guess, only one family agreed to use the death of their son, brother as a “hero” for having fought for the country’s delivery from, what do they call?,… “autocraty”).
This decison was another BIG, BIG, and BIG MISTAKE.
Firstly, we should all know that everyone has the right to protect their propriety, right? By coming in the zone of MBS, these young guys and the crowd were wrong. The agents shot in the air first to prevent those strikers to continue their goal but… they did not care, they kept on. The shots were gone and … you know what heppened.
Secondly, by accepting that this young guy (we will use only one as I said) was killed during the protest led by the Mayor, Andry Rajoelina totally agreed that the responsible of the destruction of MBS is TGV followers. Though, he completely denied the other attacks and robberies. I am sorry, but it is normal if people are confused.
Izaho aloha tsy azo atao hoe mpanao gazety na dia maniry te ho izany aza. Ity koa angamba tsy hoe natao ho an’ny mpanao gazety rehetra fa ho an’ny sasantsasany izay tafalatsaka amin’ny fitantarana ny tranga politika eto amintsika.
Malalaka ve ny fanaovan-gazety eto amintsika ? Araky ny fahitan’ny olon-tsotra (sa andeha atao hoe olom-pirenena) toa ahy dia malalaka ny asa fanaovan-gazety eto amintsika. Tsy ny firenentsika no tsy mahafeno izay zo izay fa ny orinasa fampahalalam-baovao iasan’ny mpanao gazety ihany.
Asa aloha ny mpihaino fampahalalam-baovao sy mpamaky gazety raha toa ahy fa leo an’ny zavatra lazaindry zalahy aho.
Ry zareo ao amin’ny MBS dia mpomba ny fitondrana dia tsara laza ery izay zavatra rehetra ataon’ny Filoha sy ny mpomba azy rehetra na hatrany amin’ny zavatra kely tsy dia manao ahoana akory aza. Mazava ho azy fa mody tsy tantaraina ny tsy tomombana rehetra. Dia kihana marary ho an’ny tsy mpomba. . Ohatra izao vao omaly dia nisy resaka momba ny mpivarotra eny amin’ny arabe manodidina ny Hopitaly Befelatanana – Anosy. Ekena anie fa raràna ilay ataon’ny mpivarotra e fa dia araraotina izany anomezan-tsiny ny sasany fotsiny ; izay no tena ventin’ny hafatra.
Fa angaha nareo mihevitra fa ny mpomba ny Filoha ihany no manana io toetra io ? Ny VIVA koa ohatra mba manana ho kihanina. Resaka teny Besarety izy ity. Hoe tokony aloa eny amin’ny Kominina hono ny hetra-na parking. Dia ilay fivarotana koa moa tsy nahalala dia naloa tany amin’ny Filoham-pokontany ity vola . Dia indro indray ary le kihana e : olona toa izany ve hono no hametrahan’ny Filoha fahatokisana? Nefa efa be izay fotona sy vola lany tamin’ny fampiofanana ny Sefom-pokontany manerana ny nosy izay. Hitanareo amin’izany ?
Nisy namana mpanao gazety izay niasa tao amin’ny TV Plus taloha nilaza tamiko hoe : « Izahay angaha moa mpomba an-dRatsiraka fa niasa tao dia tsy maintsy e ».
Mbola ohatra fotsiny ireo an.
Dia mba ahoana izany ny momba ny olom-pirenena ; vaovao inona marina no tokony arahany ?
Ambondrona
When Ambondrona band started out, one of my cousin said she did not like their songs because they only copy on Scorpion but as we all liked the band, she changed her mind and finally loved them.
At my office, one of my colleague invited us to a karaoke party and everybody was in. Finally, on the D Day, only a few people came. Still at the party, a guy from our team who usually drinks beer could not refuse an invitation to have whisky.
I was used to be dressed like men (with large pants and T-shirt) and all my relatives and friends wanted me to be a real girl by having long hair and wearing clothes for girls. I did not like the idea but as they all insisted, I finally gave up and follow their advice.
My best friend never wanted to drink beer but as we all did so, he started with fresh and now he can have THB.
There is a girl at work who changes her age all the time. It depends on the age of people surrounding her. If we are 25, she is 25. Or if we are 30, she is 30. Well, I’m wondering if she would be10 if we were 10 too.
The idea of those examples is: we are not what we are. We are what the others want us to be. We cannot say NO when we disagree; instead we lie or we give up and accept. We easily accept because we do not want to be different. Have you ever agreed with what your friend said though you did not totally share their opinion? Here is a typical example: look, those green pair of shoes are great, what do you think about them? Here is the usual answer: Oh yes, they are great! (even if you prefer the orange ones lol)
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