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Heavy fighting in Madagascar
BBC News ^
| Monday, 3 June, 2002, 09:16 GMT 10:16 UK
| BBC News
Posted on 06/03/2002 2:55:55 AM PDT by colette_g
Heavy fighting in Madagascar
The blockades are causing severe hardship
Madagascar's long-standing leader Didier Ratsiraka has dispatched his elite troops to fight off an attack from new President Marc Ravalomanana on a north-eastern airport.
The BBC's Jonny Donovan in Madagascar says that heavy fighting is continuing on Monday morning after the airport in Sambava was seized by Mr Ravalomanana's forces over the week-end.
Mr Ravalomanana's officials have recently threatened to use military force to break the blockades on their stronghold in the capital, Antananarivo.
The fighting comes as the Organisation of African Unity prepares to meet to discuss the turmoil in Madagascar, which follows last December's disputed elections.
'Creeping'
Mr Ravalomanana was sworn in as president last month but Mr Ratsiraka has refused to recognise his defeat.
Ratsiraka is refusing to stand down
|
Mr Ratsiraka's supporters, who control much of the countryside around Antananarivo including the main ports, erected roadblocks around the capital in February.
Fuel and food is becoming scarce and aid workers warn of a "creeping" humanitarian emergency.
Last week, an attempt to take control of the airport in the country's second port city of Mahajanga by Mr Ravalomanana's forces was repulsed.
TOPICS: Breaking News; Foreign Affairs
KEYWORDS: africawatch; fighting; madagascar
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1
posted on
06/03/2002 2:55:55 AM PDT
by
colette_g
To: colette_g , belmont_mark
Another communist thug raised by the West and indoctrinated by the East attempting to convert remnants of his christian population to Marxist materialism. Will the gun and man-made famine prevail over the spirit and the jurisdiction? Time will tell. We are facing the same problem with Russian and Chinese nukes, for they too can test our resolve and dependencies.
2
posted on
06/03/2002 3:27:18 AM PDT
by
lavaroise
To: colette_g
3
posted on
06/03/2002 3:33:13 AM PDT
by
backhoe
To: backhoe
Thanks for that link, really informative.
4
posted on
06/03/2002 3:46:12 AM PDT
by
colette_g
To: colette_g
Those fact books are very useful, and easy to find with a web search... "CIA World Factbook-___" ( fill in the blank ) will get all sorts of info.
5
posted on
06/03/2002 3:49:55 AM PDT
by
backhoe
To: backhoe
I am in your debt :-)
6
posted on
06/03/2002 4:02:35 AM PDT
by
colette_g
To: colette_g
Thank you kindly!
7
posted on
06/03/2002 4:28:22 AM PDT
by
backhoe
To: colette_g
Didn't I see that Ratsiraka guy on "Planet Of The Apes"?
To: Future Snake Eater
To: backhoe
What I want to know is, what does Max Rakoto-Andriantsilavo think about all this?
To: colette_g
sore looserman
To: lavaroise; colette_g ; belmont_mark
J'ai la solution juste. Retour du territoire au l'état de départment dela France, suivé en suite par l'applications très fortes des contraceptives aeriennes et le remplacement des inutiles indigènes avec les braves colonistes de Zimbabwe.
To: Hazzardgate
man...
To: Kenny Bunk
D'après les indigènes et Ratsirac, eux savent mieux gérer notre budget d'aide extérieur que nous savions gérer leur propre pays.
To: lavaroise
D'accord.
To: Kenny Bunk
Africa did well under European colonization. Perhaps if some of the new countries were to apply for admission to Western countries as states the situation could be stabilized. Which countries would like to become part of the United States, 51st state, etc.
To: RightWhale
Africa did well under European colonization.
This fact, although largely correct, especially in the case of Zimbabwe, Uganda, Somalia, etc. is extremely Politically Incorrect and most inconvenient to the .000005% of Africans who are robbing their compatriots blind and thriving in the chaos.
They may never develop the common sense of those South Pacific islanders who voted to rejoin France and now enjoy prosperity, while their independent neighbours starve.!
To: Kenny Bunk
Perhaps there is another form of liaison possible, say, between our friends in Kenya and Tanzania, not a full statehood with America, not a territorial administration nor a colony, but something strong that permits the advantages of statehood without the drawbacks.
To: *AfricaWatch
To: lavaroise
Another communist thug raised by the West and indoctrinated by the East attempting to convert remnants of his christian population to Marxist materialism.I admit, I am unfamiliar with this particular situation.
I'd appreciate it if you could explain the following:
- How does one distinguish between the feuding factions?
- What vital U.S. interests are threatened?
Naturally, I'd prefer to see peace and prosperity for the people of this region.
However, out of respect for their right to self-determination, I see no reason to intervene in their domestic quarrels, no matter how unpleasant they may become.
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