wfn.org | Missionary sends urgent request for prayer in Madagascar political crisis

[ENS@ecunet.org]

2002-025

Missionary sends urgent request for prayer in Madagascar political crisis

by Mary W. Cox

     (ENS) The Rev. Todd McGregor, a missionary from the Diocese of Southeast 
Florida who has worked in Madagascar for the past ten years, sent an urgent 
request for prayer early on the morning of Friday, January 25.

     At an informal dinner at McGregor's home the previous night, Archbishop Rimi 
Rabenirina, primate of the Province of the Indian Ocean and bishop of 
Antananarivo, gave McGregor an alarming view of the political situation in 
Madagascar.

     "The country has spent the last month waiting for an answer to the election 
of December 15," McGregor explained. "There is contention on who has won the 
election. [Didier] Ratsiraka, the former president of about 26 years, is refusing 
to step down and says that he received the majority of votes. His opposition 
refuses to accept this, as he has reason to believe that the former president has 
made an illegal election, stuffing ballot boxes and paying people to 'miscount' 
votes and vote for him. It is not a pretty situation.  

     "Since the election, there has been a recount, of which the opposition was 
found to win by a majority vote, again the president refusing to step down 
Archbishop Rimi has heard that the former (current) president will announce his 
re-election, stating that he has won by a majority vote. The Malagasy people will 
not accept this and to quote Archbishop Rimi, 'there will be bloodshed for 
sure.'"

     The nation's high court ruled on January 25 that neither candidate had won 
enough votes to be declared president, and set a second round of voting for 
February 24. The announcement triggered widespread strikes and massive protest 
demonstrations by supporters of the opposition candidate. 

     McGregor said that although US president George W. Bush has written to 
Rasiraka, asking that he step down peacefully, the 20% of the military who back 
the former president are ready to fight to keep him in power.

     He added that the archbishop feels the situation is worse than in 1991, when 
the country was "shut down for months" by a general strike and 137 people were 
massacred by Ratsiraka's troops shooting from a helicopter. 

     The archbishop himself is on a list of persons--including three other 
religious leaders (Roman Catholic, Lutheran and Reformed)--who would be arrested 
if Ratsiraka remains in power. He told the McGregors that he may need to leave 
Antananarivo and flee into the countryside for his own safety. "He is a bit 
concerned for his life, but even more so for the truth to be revealed in this 
country," said McGregor.

     The missionary asked for prayer, specifically for protection for "Archbishop 
Rimi" and his family and for the opposition presidential candidate, Marc 
Ravalomanana, whose his life is being threatened; "for many innocent lives--that 
bloodshed would be kept to a minimum"; and "that the truth would be revealed and 
God's will would be done for the good of Madagascar." 

     He also asked for prayers for "stability and peace for our family." 
McGregor, his wife Patsy, and daughters Corby and Charese are scheduled to be on 
furlough in Florida beginning in August, but now fear they will have to leave 
their ministry in Madagascar "sooner than we think."

--Mary W. Cox is director of communications for the Diocese of Southeast Florida.