Re: [Gecko] Off Topic - Leann Christenson and Madagscar politics

[Robert Gundy]

It has affected my imports pretty well. It has been well over a month now that the shipment to the wholesaler I use has been postponed. For whatever reason they can't/won't ship. It looks like I may be SOL til then. --- Leann Christenson <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > This was the last AP press release. > > FEBRUARY 22, 20:46 ET > Madagascar Imposes State of Emergency > > By JOCELYNE RANDRIANARY > Associated Press Writer > > ANTANANARIVO, Madagascar (AP) - Madagascar's > government imposed a state of > emergency Friday after the main opposition leader > declared himself president > following a two-month dispute over presidential > election results. > > Marc Ravalomanana held a defiant swearing-in > ceremony before a crowd of > 100,000 supporters in a soccer stadium in the > capital, Antananarivo. A > magistrate administered the oath of office as the > crowd cheered. > > In an address delivered on state television and > radio Friday evening, Prime > Minister Tantely Andrianarivo said the government > would do everything it > could to put down the illegal insurrection, and > declared a three-month state > of emergency. > > It will enable President Didier Ratsiraka, who is > hoping to be re-elected, > to pass laws by decree, requisition the public > service and assume control of > the island nation's media. > > The military did not take any action Friday. > > Defense Minister Marcel Ranjeva told journalists > Thursday that the army was > neutral and law-abiding, and that its response to > any attempt to take over > public buildings would be ``graduated and suited'' > to the situation. > > Ravalomanana, the mayor of Antananarivo, is > extremely popular in the > capital. His support outside the city, though, is > unclear. > > In a speech following the ceremony, Ravalomanana > promised he would take > Madagascar out of poverty and bring it into the > developing world. > > He said he had decided to take power because the > misery in Madagascar had > become intolerable. > > ``I offer to quickly establish a country of truth > and justice for a > dignified and honest people,'' he said. ``We must > work together ... in order > to save the country from chaos.'' > > Ravalomanana has said he won the Dec. 16 > presidential election with more > than 50 percent of the vote. > > But official results gave him less than half the > vote, forcing him into a > runoff with Ratsiraka, who finished second. > > Ravalomanana said the count was fraudulent and has > refused to participate in > the runoff, which had been scheduled for Sunday. The > government announced > Wednesday that it was postponing the runoff until > March 24. > > Since the results were announced, Ravalomanana, 51, > has brought the island > nation to a near standstill by leading massive daily > protests and a general > strike aimed at forcing Ratsiraka to step down. > > France, Madagascar's former colonial ruler, > condemned Ravalomanana's action > and urged dialogue among the nation's political, > religious and civic groups > to resolve the crisis. > > U.S. officials called on Ravalomanana to reconsider > his move. > > Organization of African Unity Secretary-General > Amara Essy, who tried to > mediate a compromise between Ravalomanana and > Ratsiraka, had also warned the > opposition leader against declaring himself > president. > > Essy said the move could lead to the nation's > banishment from the > organization. > > Madagascar lies about 250 miles off the coast of > Mozambique in the Indian > Ocean. One of the world's poorest nations, it won > independence in 1960. > > Ratsiraka, 67, was Madagascar's military ruler for > 17 years before coming to > power in elections in 1996. > > > > > > ########################################################################### > THE GLOBAL GECKO ASSOCIATION > LISTSERV > WebSite: www.gekkota.com Archive: > [EMAIL PROTECTED]/ > The GGA takes no responsibility for the contents > of these postings. > ########################################################################### >

Robert
Robert Gundy Reptiles

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