Veloma Toliara!

It has been more than a year with all possible feelings; confusion, happiness, loneliness, frustration, pleasure, fun, fear and even some anger. Life in the dusty city of Toliara doesn’t leave you indifferent. Time has come for us to say goodbye to Toliara. The last weeks we’ve once again gone through the whole specter of feelings, but the last days the feeling barometer seems to have stopped on contented.

We had a nice dinner with the Fredskorpset-team down here on Thursday. It’s not always easy to know what Malagasy people think, so it was very satisfying to get nice feedback from them concerning our stay here.


Venusia took the initiative to another important event this week, the collection of the money to the NGO, Bel Avenir. Writing to only a few friends, we were overwhelmed by the generosity. The people at the NGO had the same reaction as well when they received 3.5 Million Ariary (1300 EURO) Friday afternoon. Thank you all! That NGO is doing a great job here. All there projects are targeted directly at the people who needs it most, with an emphasis on basic education. It was with pride we could act as a liaison between the great work they’re doing and generous friends and family back in Europe.




Saturday three of our students at the English Center presented their final papers. We’ve been working as advisers for them all, and we participated in the jury (se pervious post). It was a formal ceremony, where the presidency of the University, journalists and family were present. Even though the classroom is not very big, we were of course equipped with a microphone to underline the importance of the event ;-) The students made an excellent job presenting their work, and it was obvious that it meant a lot to them to receive the course diploma.

After that it was time to say goodbye for us. It was nice to hear all the nice words and even to receive presents from both teachers and students. We were also able to give something back to the students, by creating a mini-library for the center, also with the help of some material we got from friends... We hope it will make it easier for them to access information in English.

Since we’re both extremely tough, we almost made it without crying when we left Toliara. The saddest moments were to say goodbye to Voahangy, who’s been working for us throughout the year, and to the pousse-pousse (Rickshaw) drivers outside our building. Seeing them waving and their toothless smiles when we drove off was touching even for experienced goodbye-wavers like us.




We were happy to leave Toliara with the satisfaction of knowing that we have done what was expected of us, and that we can return to cold Norway with warm memories of Toliara.

Market day

Things you can have fun buying at the market in Toliara for much less than 10€ (80NOK):

1Kg white flower
1Kg cornflower
2Kg Malagasy rice
Potatoes
Squashes
Aubergines
Peppers
Carrots
Tomatoes
Onions
Garlic
Limes
Oranges
Bananas
Green Bananas
Mangoes
Avocados
Basil
Parsley
Coriander
Plus a couple of things I only know by Malagasy name: the white carrot-like vegetables, and those fruits looking like small yellow mangoes.

Buon Appetito!

Do we know the truth?

It sounds like a philosophical question, but I would just like to know if the news and information we get are complete and correct. Because the idea we have of the world we live in, comes from the information we can gather about it.

This consideration springs mostly from a “research accident”. The other day I was hunting for some information on the Internet. Typical Google search with key words, and an article published by the Malagasy Presidency (the site of the HAT, not Ravalomanana’s), caught my attention (in French: http://www.madagascar-presidency.gov.mg/actualite/index.php?shw=pourquoi).
It’s an interview between Jean-Luc Raharimanana a Malagasy writer and Colette Braeckman a Belgian journalist. It raises an interesting issue for me, so I decide to track down the journalist to ask her some more questions. By doing so I found the original version of the interview both on her blog (in French: http://blogs.lesoir.be/colette-braeckman/2009/03/16/madagascar-le-foncier-au-coeur-de-la-crise/) and on The Observer (in English: http://observers.france24.com/en/content/20090317-why-ravalomanana-out-step-down-army-madagascar-rajoelina). What did I discover? Well, that in the original article, the journalist was interviewing the writer, so the given answers are form a Malagasy person. While in the Presidency’s version it seems to be the opposite: the Belgian journalist seems to be the one giving the answers and not the one asking them!

This is a very important difference, as the article is quite harsh against the former President Ravalomanana, and the Presidency is giving the impression that this criticism comes from a foreign journalist. It is well known that the current government is lacking international approval, and is trying hard to give the opposite impression trough the media. Furthermore, and not surprisingly, the interview on the Presidency’s website is also lacking the last 5-6 lines, those saying that Andry Rajoelina in charge now, is not so different from the former President. So, now I know that if I want more answers on the topic relevant to my research, I probably have to contact Mr. Raharimanana instead of Colette Braeckman; but how many knows that?

You might think that this is mostly an African problem, but Italy is facing an attack to the freedom of the press (and the judiciary). And this is done through a decree and not a law, to avoid a longer and more rigorous process (in Italian: http://www.repubblica.it/2009/06/sezioni/politica/ddl-sicurezza-6/ddl-sicurezza-6/ddl-sicurezza-6.html).

That is why I’m worried and I ask again: do we know the truth? Can we at least access it if we want to?


Italiano: Sappiamo la verità?

Sembra una questione filosofica, ma quello che vorrei sapere è solo se le notizie e le informazioni che riceviamo sono complete e corrette. Perché l’idea che ci facciamo del mondo nel quale viviamo, scaturisce dalle informazioni che otteniamo su di esso.

Questa considerazione scaturisce da un “incidente di ricerca” avvenuto l’altro giorno. Faccio una tipica ricerca su Google con delle parole chiave, e un articolo pubblicato sul sito della Presidenza Malgascia (quella attuale, HAT, non quella di Ravalomanana), ha colto la mia attenzione (in francese: http://www.madagascar-presidency.gov.mg/actualite/index.php?shw=pourquoi). E’ un colloquio tra Jean-Luc Raharimanana, scrittore malgascio, e Colette Braeckman, giornalista belga.
Tratta di un argomento interessante per me, per cui ho deciso di rintracciare la giornalista per chiederle alcune informazioni in merito. Cercandola su internet, ho trovato la versione originale dell’intervista, sia sul suo blog (in francese: http://blogs.lesoir.be/colette-braeckman/2009/03/16/madagascar-le-foncier-au-coeur-de-la-crise/) , che sul sito de The Observer (in inglese: http://observers.france24.com/en/content/20090317-why-ravalomanana-out-step-down-army-madagascar-rajoelina). E cosa scopro? Be’, che nell’intervista originale la giornalista intervistava lo scrittore, quindi le risposte erano date da un malgascio. Mentre nella versione del sito della Presidenza, sembrava assolutamente il contrario: la giornalista belga sembra rispondere alle questioni e non porle!

Questa è una differenza molto importante, poiché l’articolo e’ molto critico nei confronti del Presidente uscente Ravalomanana, e la Presidenza dona l’impressione che queste critiche vengano da una giornalista straniera. E’ noto che il governo attuale risente della mancanza di approvazione sulla scena internazionale, e sta provando a dare l’impressione del contrario attraverso i media. Inoltre, non sorprende, sul sito della Presidenza mancano le ultime 5-6 righe dell’intervista; quelle che dicono che Andry Rajoelina, in carica adesso, non è poi cosi diverso dal presidente uscente. Quindi ora so che, se voglio più informazioni sull’argomento della mia ricerca, devo contattare Mr Raharimanana e non Colette Braeckman; ma quanti lo sanno?

Si potrebbe pensare che questo è un problema maggiormente africano, ma l’Italia sta subendo un attacco alla libertà di stampa (e della giustizia). Il tutto attraverso un decreto, e non una legge, per evitare un iter più lungo e rigoroso (in italiano: http://www.repubblica.it/2009/06/sezioni/politica/ddl-sicurezza-6/ddl-sicurezza-6/ddl-sicurezza-6.html)

Ecco perché sono preoccupata, e chiedo di nuovo: sappiamo la verità? Possiamo almeno arrivare ad essa se vogliamo?

Tiko

The Tiko agency, some months after the looting. People took every single stone (see older post to check how it was before).

L'agenzia Tiko rasa al suolo, dopo aver preso tutti i prodotti all'interno, poi il tetto, ogni singola pietra e' stata smontata (e apparentemente venduta). Qui c'e' la foto di com'era prima.

What now?

Trying not to think of the tragedy in Abruzzo, I put my head down in the local newspapers... and I get into a different “tragedy”: the situation in Madagascar.
Some of you asked us for an update, well, here a brief one.

As you probably know, Ravalomanana had to flee the country (he went to Swaziland to plead his case to the SADC), and Rajoelina is now the president of HAT (the high transition authority), basically the President until new elections (2010? 2011?). Many countries and international organizations have condemned the new power, labelling it as unconstitutional and speaking of coup d’etat. Supporters of the now former President are protesting in the streets of Tana, but the new power repressed some of those protests, also trough military means. Maybe forgetting the freedom of speech and democracy values, they where shouting for just few weeks ago.

In Toliara everything is calm, too calm. Restaurants and hotels are semi deserted, and tourists are basically unseen. The economy of the country is uncertain as many of the international donors froze the flow of money due to the nature of the current government. Furthermore, with this instability in the country, who is going to invest money in Madagascar? Who is going to organize an exotic and relaxing travel here?

The HAT reduced the price of the oil in the market, the prices of transport in some areas, the prices of bread. The last one came out as flop: people noticed that the bread became also smaller; making it actually more expensive for big families (those buying 1 baguette for 300Ar, now need to buy 2 baguettes at 200Ar… so 400Ar). The newspapers report the flop, but only in their 5th or 6th page. The youngest head of state in the world is in the meanwhile touring the country, making promises, and offering Zebus. We actually catch a glimpse of him parading the streets of Toliara with people flocking around him.

Going on with the newspapers reading, we can even find news about Tiko. Do you remember Ravalomanana’s private empire? The one producing and distributing milk derivates, oil, etc? Well, after the looting of the retail Tiko stores, the factory was still functioning (but not delivering) in Antsirabe. I said “was” because few days ago the factory was looted too, apparently by the military troops of a new auto-proclaimed general. Since than, Tiko is publishing adds on newspapers, reporting the “unjust” actions of HAT. According to the new power, those actions are justified, as Ravalomanana hasn’t paid taxes in the last years. Probably true. Nevertheless the HAT hasn’t said what will happen to the 3.500 employee that worked at Tiko. Nor what will happen to those transporting their products. Nor what will happen to those selling products to Tiko (milk from Fifamanor, etc.). Nor what the stores will sell now, as Tiko had the monopoly of some products in the country.

We noticed that at the Toliara famous disco, girls under 18 are numerous, seeming less scared to get checked by the police. Another “old” rule enforced by Ravalomanana, a friend told me… while waiting to see if the HAT will enforce it too entrance seems free to everyone: a small sign of a more general anarchy in the air.

Ravalomanana is gone now, however he is announcing to come back soon. We again, wait to see what will happen…

L'Aquila

This is the city where I studied for 5 years... I'm worried for the friends I haven't reached yet...

photos from www.corriere.it)










It is so sad to see those pictures. I was in panic when I heard the news, calling my friends, not getting answers... it is orrible to be far, and not being able to help.

Un abbraccio