Crisis Madagascar: first consequence of neo-colonialism by Vincent Jarousseau land (from the national site of A World of advance)
Media coverage of the riots that shook Madagascar now, do not always understand the reasons for the crisis. Since the end of January, a worrying resurgence of violence shakes Madagascar. The crisis that has paralyzed the country is not a surprise for those interested in this country. Some observers describe it as a dispute between the young mayor of Antananarivo (Tananarive) Rajoelina, (34 years) and Marc Ravalomanana, President of the Malagasy Republic, elected in 2002 after 23 years of rule of the regime of Didier Ratsiraka (with a break of four years in the mid 90s). The facts go far beyond this simplistic view. The soil of the crisis is above all social.
Friday, February 13, 2009
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If the early years of power Ravalomanana has enabled the country to recover somewhat from the 2002 crisis (construction of roads, 7% growth, inflation control, exponential tourism, protection of biodiversity Madagascar improved), then (especially after 2006, when his re-election) is a long list of broken promises, obstacles to freedom, an autocratic and especially a Malagasy people that continues to sink into poverty. This was clearly not the main concern of international donors. Both the IMF and World Bank rely on running their business, for trade and investment take place in a "favorable climate and environment." The nature of the regime and the living conditions of the population do not matter. 
Calculation risky by investors in this country that Westerners considered "pacified". Three triggers were enough to turn on an end to the Malagasy people socially (a liter of gasoline than a euro, a bag of rice prices almost at the minimum wage, or about 30 euros): the end of November 2008 Daewoo The purchase by the President of the Republic of a Boeing 737, worth $ 60 million and the closure of TV Viva Mayor of Antananarivo. No wonder then, that the rioters attacked first taken to the different interests President's private fire to his chain of supermarkets, inaccessible to almost all of the Malagasy population, and both symbols of places frequented by a tiny minority very privileged. They also attacked the warehouses in free zones, a symbol of foreign investment, where the exploited workers receive 16 hours per day on average 30 € per month. In this tense environment of confrontation, the young mayor, president installed, has urged people to begin a general strike on January 24. The rest we know, a hundred dead and one exit today very uncertain. Placing himself immediately in the position of the right man Rajoelina calls today for a transitional government and demands to be headed. Without program, without a proposal, with no real political party, he sincerely proposed an alternative policy to the current president? Hard to tell, but the personal ambition of the mayor of Tana strangely reminiscent of the way through his opponent Ravalomanana.
Beyond the social dimension of the crisis is a new form of colonialism land which we are perhaps now seeing. Not content to plunder the mineral resources Northern countries are now possible to rent million hectares of arable land in southern countries to meet their consumption, and this for trivial benefits for local people. This is the famous case of Daewoo. The South Korean giant Daewoo Logistics has announced the signing of a "rental" of 1,300 million hectares of arable land for 99 years for the corn and palm trees. The contract details are very disturbing:
The rented space is equivalent to half the arable land in Madagascar.
Daewoo plant corn on 1 million hectares West Area and palm oil to the East on 300 000 hectares. Palm seeds will be imported from Indonesia and Costa Rica, maize United States (Le Monde, November 20, 2008). The gross harvest will be sent in South Korea.
the agreement does not provide for payment of money to the Malagasy government, investments ($ 6 billion over 25 years) in infrastructure necessary for the implementation of the project will be "rental".
Daewoo Logistics uses essentially the workforce of South Africa by the Financial Times quoted by AFP.
How to accept this absurdity ? Madagascar, one of the world's poorest countries do not have enough resources to feed its population, but enough to send oil palm will be converted into biofuel for South Korea? The search of arable land by large international groups in the poor South is a trend found in the world today. FAO has warned the country in search of land to cultivate abroad cons related to a system of "neocolonialism."
This new trend is not unrelated to the financial crisis on the planet. Most Africans live and emerging panic in fear of a massive withdrawal of foreign capital. The fear of a decline in foreign direct investment made by international organizations as the panacea to the problems haunting the development, leading some African leaders to make every effort to get foreign currency, as the massive transfer of farmland. The process is well under way is expected to accelerate. Hundreds of thousands of hectares of arable land is under threat. Hundreds of thousands have already been alienated by this new form of colonization called "concession".
The tragedy the people of Madagascar is another example of an ultra-liberal global economy which strangles people. It takes place in a near silence of the international community. Between people's food crisis and greed of speculators and collusion of politics and business, the Malagasy example can only make them think.
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