Vanilla, a destabilizing factor?

The vanilla industry within the so-called SAVA region, in the Northern corner of the Great Island, is currently going through some troublesome period.
Local sources indicate that never before has this industry experienced as much violence, and as many acts of banditry.

Mr. Marcelin Ianonjafy, the Mayor of the city of Sambava, points out that the current vanilla campaign which is taking place under the watchful, but indifferent eyes of police officers, is one of the most dangerous ones.
It is a known fact that the vanilla industry has always attracted its share of banditry incidents which have generally taken human lives.
This time, however, the bandits seem to be heavily armed.
Why?
It is because many weapons of war used in the island’s last political crisis have yet to be recovered, or accounted for.
So much so that Mr. Marcelin Ianonjafy currently believes that the lure of financial gain is not the only cause of the incidents.
According to him, these incidents could very well destabilize the new leadership.
This pro-Ravalomanana mayor thus deplores the fact that, so far, no actions of greater scope, and magnitude have been taken against the troublemakers who are so well informed that they have attacked all vanilla collectors, and in some cases they have gone as far as to export their products.

In this new war against the acts of banditry within the vanilla industry, the indifference of local police officers are worrying quite a few people.
Especially, according to Mr. Ianonjafy, given that the police officers know exactly who the key perpetrators are, but are choosing not to lift a finger.
Other sources believe that the authorities are waiting for the beginning of operation “VAHORO”, a rural area anti-banditry operation, before going into action.
This operation is mainly concerned with these vanilla theft incidents.

Translated by J. F. Razanamiadana