A Wisdom Archive on Richard Ratsimandrava

Madagascar's first President, Philibert Tsiranana, was elected when his Social Democratic Party gained power at independence in 1960 and was reelected without opposition in March 1972. However, he resigned only 2 months later in response to massive antigovernment demonstrations. The unrest continued, and Tsiranana's successor, Gen. Gabriel Ramanantsoa, resigned on February 5, 1975, handing over executive power to Lt. Col. Richard Ratsimandrava, who was assassinated 6 days later. A provisional military directorate then ruled until a new government was forme ...

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The east coast of Madagascar has lowlands leading to steep bluffs and central highlands. The Tsaratanana Massif in the north has volcanic mountains. The west coast has many protected harbors and broad plains, while the southwest is a plateau and desert region. There are two seasons: it is hot and rainy from November to April, and cooler and dry from May to October. Southeastern trade winds domi ...

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Madagascar, which has historically been perceived as on the margin of mainstream African affairs, eagerly rejoined the African Union in July 2003 after a 14-month hiatus triggered by the 2002 political crisis. From 1978 until 1991, then-President Ratsiraka emphasized independence and nonalignment and followed an "all points" policy stressing ties with socialist and radical regimes, including North Korea, Cuba, Libya, and Iran. Taking office in 1993, President Albert Zafy expressed his desire for diplomatic relations with all countries. Early in his tenure, he established formal ties ...

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During the second republic, the country was divided into five levels: Faritany (province) Fivondronana or Fivondronampokontany Firaisana or Firaisampokontany Fokontany Fokonolona The constitution of 1992 ruled that the country should be organized in decentralized territorial entities. The name, number, and limits of territorial entities should be determined by law. In the law passed by the national assembly in 1994, three such entity levels were defined: region (faritra), department (departemanta) and ...

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Following the 2002 political crisis, the government attempted to set a new course and build confidence, in coordination with international financial institutions and the donor community. Madagascar developed a recovery plan in collaboration with the private sector and donors and presented it at a "Friends of Madagascar" conference organized by the World Bank in Paris in July 2002. Donor countries demonstrated their confidence in the new government by pledging $1 billion in assistance over five years. The Malagasy Government identified road i ...

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Madagascar's population is predominantly of mixed Asian and African origin, though those who are visibly Asian in appearance and culture are the minority, found in the highland regions. Recent research suggests that the island was uninhabited until Malay seafarers arrived between about 2,000 to 1,500 years ago. Recent DNA research shows that the Malagasy are approximately of half Malay and half East African stock, although some Arab, Indian and European influence is present along the coast. The Malagasy language shares some 90% of its basic vocabulary with the Maanyan language from the reg ...

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The written history of Madagascar began in the 7th century, when Arabs established trading posts along the northwest coast. European contact began in the 1500s, when Portuguese sea captain Diego Dias sighted the island after his ship became separated from a fleet going to India. In the late 17th century, the French established trading posts along the east coast. From about 1774 to 1824, it was a favorite haunt for pirates, including Americans, one of whom br ...

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List of assassinated people - Algeria. Hiempsal, (117 BC), co-ruler of Numidia, by Jugurtha François Darlan, (1942), French Admiral, by a French monarchist, Ferdinand Bonnier de La Chapelle Maurice Audin, (1957), communist mathematician Mohamed Khemisti, (1963), foreign minister of Algeria, in Algiers by an unknown gunman Mustafa Bouyali, (1987), Islamic fundamentalist, in Algiers Mohamed Boudiaf, (1992), president of Algeria Youcef Sebti, (1993), Alger ...

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List of assassinated people - Argentina. Pedro Aramburu, (1970), former president of Argentina executed by the Montoneros Carlos Prats, (1974), Chilean general Héctor Gutiérrez Ruiz, (1976), speaker of the Uruguayan House of Representatives Zelmar Michelini, (1976), Uruguayan minister of education List of assassinated people - Bermuda ...

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List of assassinated people - Afghanistan. Habibullah Khan, (1919), emir of Afghanistan Mohammed Nader Shah, (1933), king of Afghanistan since 1929 Mohammed Daoud Khan, (1978), president of Afghanistan killed in communist coup Adolph Dubs, (1979), U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan Nur Mohammad Taraki, (1979), communist president Hafizullah Amin, (1979), communist Prime Minister of Afghanistan killed during Soviet invasion Mohammed Najibullah, (1996), presid ...

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List of assassinated people - Austria. Karl von Stürgkh, (1916), Prime Minister of Austria Franz Birnecker, (1923), Austrian labour representative at Semperit Engelbert Dollfuss, (1934), chancellor of Austria List of assassinated people - Belgium. Maximiliano Gómez, (1971), Dominican communist leader Gerald Bull, (1990), Canadian developer of the Martlet cannon, in Brussels, Belgium (possibly assassinated by Israeli ...

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