Remembrance of March 29th, 1947: A brash daring the historical comparison.

The holy and painful date of March 27th 1947 has been turned into a shameful propaganda argument for a putsch. One year after been left in control of the state, Rajoelina is now compelled to play his patriotic melody on a brand new account: remaining in control of the state despite growing challenges. In Moramanga, he addressed a clear message to a young, bold and inexperienced but very much targeted audience. “I am young, let me address me the youth “, he dared to say to the 1947 veterans. “The independence that we are enjoying did not fall from heaven, it is the result of unbreakable patriotism “, he added.  

Andry Rajoelina did not miss the occasion to attack the ousted president Marc Ravalomanana again, even though the reference was far too unsuited to be caught by everyone. “The history of the country can’t be forgotten” he said, pretending to address the Malagasy youth.  “As a matter of fact, we were not even born in 1947, but the past cannot be erased “. In his time, Marc Ravalomanana had diplomatically answered reporters’ questions during president Chirac’s visit in Madagascar, as stating that the past was to remain what it was, and that the future had to be tackled. The controversy stemmed from his reference to his birth date: “I was born in 1949 “, he had added.  Marc Ravalomanana probably meant that being the first president born after the 1947 uprising was a mile cornerstone for the walk towards the future. 

In his show of March 29th, 2010, Rajoelina hinted that “his” current struggle would be a re enactment of the 1947 Malagasy fight against French oppression. The speech is vivid: “veterans rose up against violations of the Malagasy people’s rights, against economic colonization of Madagascar, and against opposition to the Malagasy’s right to freely decide for the management of their future “. The following part of the speech is… a show. “The time for new political, social and economic bases has come”, said Rajoelina. He subsequently invited the audience to defend the advent of his 4th Republic, whatever it costs them.  

The HAT leader is striving to enlarge his ranks in his crusade for his personal republic, this we know for sure. “Solidarity within diversity is a pledge for success “, he argued. In Moramanga, Rajoelina generously spoiled the veterans: mattresses, bedsheets and… tents… would be distributed. The HAT also found the illumination by creating a special medal for the veterans of March 29th, 1947. It would certainly wish the international community’s palm was greased as so easily as those of some old patriots in their eighties.