January 26th, once upon a time there was a Black Monday

The country’s relatively short history has never recorded such a chaos, be it in Antananarivo or in either of its big cities. Demonstrators devoted to Andry Rajoelina raided “personal” properties belonging to President Ravalomanana, among others. The Magro stores, as well as facilities and vehicles belonging to the Tiko group, have been plundered and set alight.  The fake revolutionaries were reinforced by lower districts’ population, and by providential looters. 

Political violence 

The events of January 26th, 2009 had begun early in the morning in Anosy. On that day, some students were indicted in court in relation with “terrorist” attacks against the Environment Ministry’s facilities. On the place of May 13th, Andry Rajoelina was violently warming up mobs, drawing them to set the suspects free by force in spite of their legal indictment. Some tenths of police officers had already secured the tribunal’s facilities, but under the crowd’s pressure, they fled and took refuge in the national TV and radio station’s yard. 

Demonstrators swapped target, the tribunal and the students were let down. The insurgency literally implemented mayor Andry Rajoelina’s will to “overtake the national television channel” since the movement’s masterminds were not allowed to access it. The takeover of TVM did not take place as it used to during local Coup attempts. The news brand new building equipped with high tech tools has not been peacefully besieged, and no antenna has been confiscated. The power had to be deprived from communication means, whatever it took. This violent strategy subsequently engulfed President Ravalomanana’s MBS TV station in looting and arson. 

To fire and blood 

On January 26th, 2009 afternoon, lootings kept going on, boosted by the surprising absence of the police forces. President Ravalomanana’s corporation facilities in Antananarivo were the first targets. Magro stores located in Ankorondrano, Tanjobato and Behoririka have been raided, looted and set alight. Then, looters extended their operation sites to commercial centers located in Ankorondrano, in Behoririka and Analakely. Chaos reigned throughout the whole night. The Antsiva radio channel was broadcasting live the events which plunged the capital city in unprecedented collective terror. Outside the capital city, the Magro facilities have also been targeted by looters. In Antsirabe, the Tiko group’s factory has, however, been bravely defended by the population.  

Andry Rajoelina, as mayor of Antananarivo, was anxious to display evidences of responsibility after this Black Monday. He paraded the districts hit by depredations, surrounded by journalists and by his personal security service. The popular movement’s leader, by that time not yet entitled to military support, called upon police forces to intervene, a call which went down like a lead balloon. Looters operated without restriction. Few days later, President Ravalomanana revealed that the order to refrain from intervening was serving the sake of avoiding a bloodbath. Fatalities have, nevertheless, been recorded. Casualties perished in the arson of stores engulfed in fire. There were actually individuals who were on the scenes only to set areas alight.