Toamasina refugees return home

At least three buses left Antananarivo, the capital city, on Friday morning, to return ?political refugees? home to Toamasina, the former stronghold of Didier Ratsiraka, the Malagasy dictator. This departure brings to an end a fraudulent ?political exile? imposed by the former president?s militia men who relentlessly hunted down all pro-Ravalomanana sympathizers.

As was the case during the election campaign, the refugees proudly affixed posters emblazoned with the new president?s effigy on the hoods of the buses. Additionally, the windshields read: ?Toamasina Afaka?, which means ?Free Toamasina?.

Visibly happy to be back home, the political refugees, who had been the victims of the former head of state, and the former governor?s cruel schemes, will have the opportunity to attend the upcoming ceremony in which Marc Ravalomanana will officially swear in Tsizaraina Emile, as the special delegation president, replacing the former pro-Ratsiraka governor.

Meanwhile, despite the fact that peace and order have been restored, governmental forces are conducting mop-up operations designed to rid the countryside, and the forests of the last pockets of resistance, and drive out the rebels who have chosen to hide far from urban centers.

Governmental forces are also chasing down a few rebel militia men, and rogue soldiers who have fled with Colonel Coutiti. According to informed sources, this colonel, one of Ratsiraka?s most dangerous collaborators, has proposed to possibly surrender as long as his arrest is performed under the law.

Still in Toamasina, local sources indicate that about one hundred militia men, including those who patrolled the Brickaville roadblocks which were designed to economically choke, and bring the capital to its knees, have been arrested and detained.

Translated by J. F. Razanamiadana