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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

Fuel blockade

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.

Didier Ratsiraka

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
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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
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To: colette_g
CIA -- The World Factbook -- Madagascar
Description: Features map and brief descriptions of geography, economy, government, and people.
Category: Regional > Africa > Madagascar

3 posted on 06/03/2002 3:33:13 AM PDT by backhoe
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To: backhoe
Thanks for that link, really informative.
4 posted on 06/03/2002 3:46:12 AM PDT by colette_g
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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
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To: backhoe
I am in your debt :-)
6 posted on 06/03/2002 4:02:35 AM PDT by colette_g
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To: colette_g
Thank you kindly!
7 posted on 06/03/2002 4:28:22 AM PDT by backhoe
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To: colette_g
Didn't I see that Ratsiraka guy on "Planet Of The Apes"?
8 posted on 06/03/2002 4:36:34 AM PDT by Future Snake Eater
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To: Future Snake Eater

9 posted on 06/03/2002 5:09:55 AM PDT by Hazzardgate
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To: backhoe
What I want to know is, what does Max Rakoto-Andriantsilavo think about all this?
10 posted on 06/03/2002 5:13:54 AM PDT by lentulusgracchus
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To: colette_g
sore looserman
11 posted on 06/03/2002 5:46:19 AM PDT by katykelly
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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.
12 posted on 06/03/2002 6:26:36 AM PDT by Kenny Bunk
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To: Hazzardgate
man...
13 posted on 06/03/2002 6:40:28 AM PDT by lavaroise
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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.
14 posted on 06/03/2002 6:42:41 AM PDT by lavaroise
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To: lavaroise
D'accord.
15 posted on 06/03/2002 9:22:39 AM PDT by Francohio
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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.
16 posted on 06/03/2002 9:31:38 AM PDT by RightWhale
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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.!

17 posted on 06/03/2002 10:07:51 AM PDT by Kenny Bunk
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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.
18 posted on 06/03/2002 10:14:33 AM PDT by RightWhale
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To: *AfricaWatch
Bump list
19 posted on 06/03/2002 10:16:24 AM PDT by Free the USA
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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:

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.

20 posted on 06/03/2002 10:24:45 AM PDT by Willie Green
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