MADAGASCAR: Does eighty percent of Malagasy citizens skipping out on the Referendum civic duty?
Madagascar have started voting today in a referendum on constitutional changes that may help lift the country out of its 20-month diplomatic and economic isolation.
Voting got off to calm, about eighteen per cent of total electors have voted at 11 AM. It's less than usual participation but Malagasy citizen's express their opinions safely fulfill their civic duty and vote to restore constitutional order. In 2007 for example, there was only thirty percent of voters and that same figure is expected.
The question here is: If the result of that vote participation is less than 50 percent, will the international community accept and recognize Madagascar as Democratic country?
As for malagasy citizen's, they know that the issue of the actual crisis depend on this poll. Some people are worried and don't want to think about the victory of the "NO" campaign, some are just happy about the day off and just want to have a rest because of the hard life they are living every day since the biggining of this crisis.
"If the "NO" campaign win, I will not be sure about the future of my kids “says Razanajatovo Alexandre, a 70 year old retired Train Conductor " for myself, I am here to do my citizen duty. “He added.
At this referendum voting in Madagascar, most of the politicians are predicting the victory of the "NO" in Antananarivo the capital city and the victory of the "Yes" campaign in the rest of the country.
Photos taken today (17/11/2010) by Harinjaka Andriankoto Ratozamanana
