peasants angry

The pro-Ravalomanana demonstration, following the Coup of mid-March, doesn’t seduce city-dwellers only. Some temporary countrymen, often take the time to participate in this movement of opposition to the High Authority of Transition.

Raivola, from a village of the Ambositra region, on the Downs, was among the “legalistic” demonstrators in beginning of week. His disappointment is deep, indeed, since the last months as his region seems to enter in a phase of uncertainty.

In his village of Alatsinainy the Ravalomanana era allowed Raivola and his siblings to enjoy one public primary school,  basic health center and, also, a financing of their agricultural activities through the Support Project to the farming development (PSDR). Today, the unchecked increase of the manure prices deeply worries Raivola. In the same time, the basic goods are more expensive than before, paraffin oil, the food oil etc. As much reason for peasants as Raivola to despair especially when some development projects as the PSDR risks to break if the current situation lasts.

Raivola testifies: many peasants benefited from the different development projects started under the presidency of Marc Ravalomanana. Most of these projects were sustained by external financings whereas the silent partners have all decided to freeze help for Madagascar after the Coup, excepted the humanitarian helps and financings granted later on.

The peasants are probably not entirely wrong to be angry, especially as the insecurity seems besides to be on the rise according to other testimonies. Since the political takeover by the putschists, for any mysterious reasons, some army contingents have been removed from some localities. A situation that encourages banditry. Legalistic supporters born in some faraway villages admit it: all was not pink of the time of Marc Ravalomanana but the trend gets worse currently however. The choice is therefore rather easy.