Malagasy President Andry Rajoelina (L, Front) attends a commemorative ceremony in downtown Antananarivo, capital of Madagascar, on March 29, 2022. Madagascar commemorated on Tuesday the 75th anniversary of its uprising against French colonizers almost everywhere in the country with ecumenical worship, wreath laying ceremony in front of commemorative steles or at martyrs' cemeteries, as well as various festivities. (Xinhua/Sitraka Rajaonarison)
ANTANANARIVO, March 29 (Xinhua) -- Madagascar commemorated on Tuesday the 75th anniversary of its uprising against French colonizers almost everywhere in the country with ecumenical worship, wreath laying ceremony in front of commemorative steles or at martyrs' cemeteries, as well as various festivities.
With the theme, "Ilo tsy very, tsy maty ao ampo, ny fanavotana ny firenena", widely translated into English as "the salvation of the country is an unquenched flame, alive in the heart", the commemoration events were notably remarkable in the capital of Antananarivo, in Moramanga (east) and in Manakara (south-east), where hundreds of Malagasy nationalists are buried in mass graves after being shot by the French.
Accompanied by youths and survivors of the 1947 insurrection, Malagasy President Andry Rajoelina laid wreaths at the Mausole Avaratr'Ankatso in downtown Antananarivo on Tuesday before flying to Manakara.
In Manakara, the centre of the celebration, the Malagasy president called for solidarity among Malagasy people. "Patriotism is the reason for the celebration of March 29 every year, it is the main message that we must transfer to our descendants," he said.
"The struggle continues, we need a lot of effort to have real independence, food independence, the fight against corruption and independence for real development," he added.
For his part, Prime Minister Ntsay Christian was in Moramanga to lay wreaths at the cemeteries where hundreds of martyrs are resting.
"The struggle made by Malagasy nationalists is not in vain. The current government has done its best to fulfil the dreams of these nationalists. Despite the negative consequences of the COVID-19 and the crisis in Ukraine, the Malagasy government is making efforts to find solutions to the difficulties of Malagasy citizens," the Prime Minister said.
On March 29, 1947, the uprising against France broke out throughout Madagascar. The most violent incident took place in Moramanga, where French soldiers shot hundreds of Malagasy demonstrators in a train.
Madagascar was colonised by France from 1896 and gained its independence on June 26, 1960. ■
Malagasy President Andry Rajoelina (Front) attends a commemorative ceremony in downtown Antananarivo, capital of Madagascar, on March 29, 2022. Madagascar commemorated on Tuesday the 75th anniversary of its uprising against French colonizers almost everywhere in the country with ecumenical worship, wreath laying ceremony in front of commemorative steles or at martyrs' cemeteries, as well as various festivities. (Xinhua/Sitraka Rajaonarison)
