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Madagascar: Information on the treatment of Kung-Fu organizations in the country.

In August 1984, the Ministry of Youth and Sports banned the practice of Kung-Fu in Madagascar which, according to Amnesty International, was being identified with opposition to the government. Keesing's reports that the ban was ostensibly aimed at reducing urban crime and "acts of provocation and aggression". [Keesing's Record of World Events, (London: Longman Publishing Group, May 1986, pp. 34341-34342.] In response to the ban, several hundred members of Kung-Fu organizations set fire to a building which formerly housed the Ministry of Youth and Sports in Antananarivo, on 5 September 1984. [Africa South of the Sahara 1986, (London: Europa Publications Ltd., 1986), p.592.] Although the security forces were able to contain the situation temporarily, sporadic outbursts continued for several weeks. However, on 4 December 1984, the unrest came to a head in the form of a street gang war, between Kung-Fu followers and a group, Tanora Tonga Saina, TTS, (Unemployed Youths Aware of Their Responsibilities). [C. Legum, ed., Africa Contemporary Record, Annual Survey and Documents 1984-1985, (New York: Africana Publishing Company, 1985), p..B288.]

The TTS is the youth militia of commandos within the President's party, Advance Guard of the Malagasy Revolution, (AREMA). Expanding on this, Keesing's Contemporary Archives (1986), states that the Ratsiraka regime routinely mobilized unemployed youths through the TTS, to prevent the growth of anti-government protests. However, the state sponsored TTS was reported to have been increasingly involved in crime and organized violence. [Keesing's, May 1986, p. 34342.] Several sources suggest that the violence of 4 December was an attempt to curb the excesses and intimidation perpetrated by the TTS.To that end, the security forces adopted a neutral stance, sealing off the area to keep the violence from spreading and, intending to let both groups eliminate each other. [Africa South of the Sahara 1986, p.592.] The death toll was officially estimated at 28, however, both Keesing's (May 1986) and Amnesty International state that there were at least 50 and possibly well over 100 deaths. [Keesing's, May 1986, p. 34341.]

 According to the BBC Monitoring Service reports 31 July 1985 saw government forces, both police and troops, attack the headquarters of a Kung-Fu organization and the home of their leader, Pierre Mizael Andrianarijaona. Government authorities also called on citizens' security committees to help the soldiers. Government tanks were employed to quell the Kung-Fu movement, which the authorities accused of seeking to create "a state within a state" and of planning to "seize political power". In the bitter fighting that ensued, 20 people died, 31 were injured and 208 were arrested according to official figures. Keesing's also states that other estimates referred to 60-200 dead. [Keesing's, May 1986, p. 34342.]

Although most of the 245 detainees were released on bail shortly after, 38 were detained without trial in Arivonimamo Prison. It was not till 9 November 1987 that the 38 prisoners were charged with various political and criminal offenses. [Amnesty International Report 1988, London, p. 51. ] However, Keesing's reports that a special court was set up to try the 245 Kung-Fu enthusiasts on 5 March 1988. [Keesing's, June 1988, p.35945.] There is no further information available at the IRBDC presently, regarding the outcome of the trials. Amnesty International (1988) reports that Samuella Andrianarijaona, a prominent member of a Kung-Fu organization, remained in hospital, from injuries sustained at the time of her arrest in 1985. [ibid.]

Attached please find excerpts from the following documents:

Amnesty International Report, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988.

George E. Delury, ed., World Encyclopedia of Political Systems and Parties, Second Edition, Vol.11, (New York: Facts on File Publications, 1987), pp. 700-703.

Keesing's Contemporary Archives Record of World Events, Vol.XXX11, (London: Longman Publishing Group, 1986), pp. 34341-34342.

On-Line BBC Monitoring Service for 07 December 1984, 03,06 August 1985.