Andry Rajoelina, trapped between ecological dream and social reality

The issue addressed by the Rio +20 Conference quite closely concerns Madagascar. In 2025 food and water supplies will get scarce to a constantly growing world population. The island’s northern and eastern parts have now more water than needed whereas its southern and eastern ones are turning into a larger desert with every single year.

According to Andry Rajoelina, a significant environment protection challenge and a better management of its natural resources are awaiting for Madagascar’s consciousness to rise. “We will be in for renewable energy production, we have got enough water to do so” he said. The major is in no way the lack of natural resources but the lack of investments in such large scale construction programs like dams and power plants.

Big mining exploitation companies are now active on the island and generate over  who derive huge profits on the wealth of a couple of percents of the country’s production tax. They turn out to be the Malagasy’s only potential source of investments into king size power plants expected to boost the national network. The reality was made of pocket power plants mainly dedicated first and foremost to these companies and barely powerful enough to supply their local users.

The foreign propaganda developed by the very likely runner up to the presidency focuses on a “green economy for development”, namely nowaday’s headline in fashion. Andry Rajoelina  talked about days he could not have experienced when Madagascar was once famed as the sixties’ and seventies’ rice barn. The rise of agricultural production and the support to producers were demonstrably ruined by his rise to power, but uttering words like “promised self sufficiency” does actually not cost a penny, does it?

Politics and Security

Rajoelina equally boasted an alleged willingness to meet with President Ravalomanana. “The world expects from us to display evidence of consciousness for the sake of settling issues. Nothing but political stability for the country matters” he declared. The elected mayor of Antananarivo city did put a grip on power through arsons, rampage and military rebellion three years ago. Yet many ones still wonder, whether he has any single idea of what he does.

“Politicians should not be a hurdle on the development’s path, they must show the example” did he declared while pointing at his political adversary… as if the world was turning a blind eye on the fact that he is the one blocking every single attempt to settle issues on the Great Isle.

As a cover up for his authority dramatically challenged on a daily basis, the ruling power’s leader reminded that the army would arguably be full of officers bound to defend him to death…. An army challenged itself by dahalo militiamen wedging war to order in the south. “I put my trust in our security forces’ know how. We’ve got to join forces and hit together, and then we’ll do away with these outlaws”, said Rajoelina.

So how? The tenant of Ambohitsorohitra subsequently paraded his long military expertise: “There are ways such as four wheel drives or helicopters. If four wheel drives fail to track them down, I do not object the use of helicopters.” The concerned helicopters are actually everything but gunship choppers. They are small, slow, not armed and have not a single square inch of armor. Any likely operation would eventually take place after the national day’s celebrations