Madagascar: What Next, After Former President Is Denied Entry? · Global Voices
Former President <PERSON> attempted for the second time to return to Madagascar last Saturday 21 January, 2012. Malagasy citizens anxiously witnessed his attempt at returning home after three years in exile. But as reported by <PERSON> in the Mail and Guardian:
<PERSON>'s attempt to set foot on Malagasy soil was thwarted an hour before it was due to happen. According to the airline's security chief, the pilot had been informed by ground control at Ivato International Airport that it had been closed due to “security concerns”.
News filtering through suggested that large crowds — estimated between 20 000 and 30 000 — had gathered at Ivato in expectation of <PERSON>. No one would say who had given the order to close the airport down, but <PERSON>'s aides suggested that it must have been an executive order from someone in the government of <PERSON> (who had deposed <PERSON>'s democratically elected government in a 2009 coup).
Video of the attempted return uploaded by Jentilisa to YouTube on January 21:
<PERSON>, a local blogger reports emotionally on the bitter sweet feelings of his supporters [fr, mg] who came in great numbers to welcome him:
Et aujourd’hui quand tu es rentré chez toi le cœur triste de ne pas avoir retrouvé celui que tu es venu accueillir, tu te consoles : nous sommes venus nombreux, c’est notre victoire. Tu t’encourages : <PERSON> alina aza… Et tu sais que tu reviendras encore au prochain appel.
que deviendras-tu si tu te sens vaincu ? Tu n’es peut-être pas LE peuple mais tu en fais partie, et on n’a pas le droit de t’ignorer. Mais n’oublie pas que personne ne prendra soin de toi, sauf toi-même. Des gens se moqueront de toi : tsy ho avy eo izany ny dadanareo… Pour d’autres, tu n’es qu’objet d’analyse et de reportage. Certains se serviront sûrement de toi. Mais défends ton choix et assume le reste.
And today, you went back home with a heavy heart, you have not met who you came to welcome, but you [can] console yourself: we came numerous, that is our victory. 165
You get courage: We will wait until 8 pm… And you know you will come back at the next call. What will you become if you feel vanquished? You may not be THE people, but you are part of it, and there is no right to ignore you. But do not forget that nobody will take care of you. Some will laugh at you : your father will not come… For others, you are a subject of analysis and reporting. Others will use you. But defend your choice and accept the rest.
Malagasy crowd at Ivato airport on January 21. Image by <PERSON>, used with permission.
Apparent dissent amongst <PERSON>'s transitional government was pointed out by bloggers, as the Prime Minister and the Minister of Communications openly contradicted themselves regarding who issued the NOTAMs (‘Notices to Airmen’), the government or <PERSON> himself, or even if NOTAMs were issued, and whether <PERSON> was going to be arrested, or not.
Prime Minister <PERSON>, a moderate politician, as interviewed on RFI [fr]:
Je peux vous assurer que le gouvernement, à aucun moment, n’avait donné l’ordre de fermer les aéroports à Madagascar. Le retour de l’ex-président était possible. Cependant, j’aurais souhaité que le retour de <PERSON> se fasse dans d’autres conditions. Je pensais qu’il était possible d’arriver à une solution consensuelle, c’est-à-dire que toutes les parties prenantes de la feuille de route puissent trouver ensemble une manière consensuelle de faire revenir le président dans sa patrie.
I can assure you that the government never ordered the closure of the airports in Madagascar. The return of the former president was possible. 165