My long time friend...very reliable and competent, wrote today:
"Over the last few days, the situation in Madagascar has deteriorated to
such a degree that we have decided it is best to send my wife and daughter
out of the country. So far, our lives have been more or less
unaffected by the political crisis that has brought certain aspects of
life here to a standstill.
However, last Friday, political partisans of the president's opponent essentially blockaded the school our daughter attends, trapping many hundreds of children inside and preventing them from leaving.
That very unstable situation pushed us to reconsider our remaining in Madagascar. Over the weekend, there was a rebellion within the military that remains unresolved. The result has been that lawlessness throughout the country is on the rise. It is unclear who is actually running the government. (Anyone who thinks that government is a bad thing should try getting along without one.)
As of today, the diplomatic community's effort to bring both sides of the dispute back to the negotiating table have not succeeded. Yesterday, I attended a "town hall meeting" of the American community in Tana. The mood was glum and pessimistic. Normally, I might chide the State Department for over-reacting. In this case, I think they have assessed the situation correctly."