Here's my favorite picture from my visit there in 1968, at Nosy Be, a small island on the west coast towards the north end of the island. I promise this is my picture and not a travel poster, though it could be.
Posted on 03/14/2009 10:56:48 PM PDT by bruinbirdman
Opposition leaders, who occupied the offices of the prime minister, claimed that they had set up a new government and promised fresh elections following months of unrest and political violence that has left over 100 people dead on the Indian Ocean island.
"The President of the Republic, the National Assembly and the Senate, and the government are removed from their duties," said an opposition leader Roindefo Zafitsimivalo Monja, reading from a declaration signed by the opposition chief Andry Rajoelina.
"We commit to organising presidential, parliamentary and district elections, in not more than 24 months," said Mr Monja, the opposition's nominee for the post of prime minister.
However, President Ravalomanana insisted later that he was still in power.
A statement issued by his office said that the opposition "lacks the power given by the people in democratic elections" to take office.
"This movement is ... a manifestation from the street which uses terror and repression to survive," the statement alleged. "Self-proclamation gives no legal power."
The attempted power grab by the opposition, which has accused Mr Ravalomanana of running a dictatorship, came after the president acknowledged making mistakes in a crisis that has claimed scores of lives since the start of the year.
Mr Monja, who was speaking from the prime minister's office after the opposition took control of the building, was accompanied by other opposition ministerial nominees and around 30 soldiers.
"We state that the president of the republic is no longer in a position to exercise the role allocated to him by the constitution and that it is clear the armed forces refuse to obey the president," he said.
Mr Rajoelina, who has been in hiding for over a week, made his first public appearance since disappearing from public view at a gathering of several thousand supporters in the
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
Here's my favorite picture from my visit there in 1968, at Nosy Be, a small island on the west coast towards the north end of the island. I promise this is my picture and not a travel poster, though it could be.
Very nice, thanks for sharing.
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