Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
It was intended that the island would be under the authority of Heinrich Himmler
though largely administered by the Jews themselves. Franc, in a speech in July 1940,
even claimed that Jewish leaders had accepted The Madagascar Plan. But the Jews
had been deceived if they thought that Madagascar had been chosen as the place for
a sustainable Jewish homeland. Madagascar was to be a vast 'reservation' in which,
because of the harsh climatic and agricultural conditions, the Jews would slowly die
out. Some have gone even further and suggested that Madagascar was to be the place
where the mass extermination of the Jews - with the gas chambers, ovens and all the
associated paraphernalia ofthedeathcamps-wouldtakeplace. Certainly theremote-
ness of Madagascar would have provided the Germans with the privacy they wanted
for conducting such atrocities.
Until well into 1941 The Madagascar Plan was Germany's stated 'Final Solution'.
It was only when such a policy became impractical, and it was the Royal Navy's mas-
teryoftheseaswhichmadetheplanimpractical,thatexportationgavewaytoexterm-
ination and another, and more terrible, Final Solution to the Jewish Problem took its
place.
John Grehan is the author of
The Forgotten Invasion (
see
Further information).
THE FIRST 40 YEARS OF INDEPENDENCE
The first president, Philibert Tsiranana,
was 'pro-France' but in 1972 he stepped down in the face of increasing unrest and student
demonstrationsagainstFrenchneo-colonialism.AninterimgovernmentheadedbyGeneral
Ramanantsoa ended France's special position and introduced a more nationalistic foreign
and economic policy.
In 1975, after a period of turmoil, a military directorate handed power to a naval officer,
Didier Ratsiraka, who had served as Foreign Minister under Ramanantsoa. Ratsiraka es-
tablished the Second Republic, changing the country's name from The Malagasy Republic
to The Democratic Republic of Madagascar. He introduced his own brand of 'Christian-
Marxism' and his manifesto, set out in a 'little red book', was approved by referendum.
Socialistpoliciessuchasthenationalisationofbanksfollowed.Withinafewyearstheeco-
nomy had collapsed and has remained in severe difficulties ever since. Ratsiraka was nev-
ertheless twice re-elected, though ther ewere claims of ballot rigging and intimidation.
Albert Zafy defeated Ratsiraka in elections in 1993, but his Third Republic was to be
short-lived. The constitution was revised but Zafy refused to accept the limitations on his
presidentialroleandcontinuedbreachesoftheconstitutionledtohisimpeachmentin1996.
IntheensuingelectionformerpresidentRatsirakaemergedthewinner,andhepromptlypi-
lotedthroughmajoramendmentstotheconstitutionrestoringmostofthedictatorialpowers
he had formerly enjoyed.
