Mahazoarivo 2002, Ambohitsorohitra 2009, Iavoloha 2025, Analakely. You've guessed it—the allusion is easy to spot. Four locations, four exorcism sessions conducted by the Mpiandry. We thought the country was finally rid of all things malevolent, whether objects or people, freed from the power of evil and the grip of obscurantism. Yet the fact that these same actions have been repeated without changing the situation suggests this practice has accomplished little. On the contrary, multiplying these efforts has only worsened poverty, aggravated insecurity, and eroded purchasing power. If prayer alone were enough, we wouldn't be here today.
The world has thirty-six million mosques, four hundred thousand churches, 2.6 billion Christians and two billion Muslims, yet the devil does as he pleases. In Madagascar, 85% of the population is Christian, against 7% Muslim according to rough estimates—official statistics are lacking—but we now see widespread confusion facing an invisible adversary.
Relying on the Church, believing everything stems from this sacred Satan or this devilish Devil, means renouncing state secularism and accepting government failure. The population expects concrete solutions and measures, not speeches or intentions. Whether terrorism, destabilization, or organ trafficking, the State must demonstrate its capacity to protect people and their property. There is indeed a General State Policy that includes security, unless I'm mistaken or forgetful.
Downplaying the gravity of the situation, blaming all murders on the force of evil, makes governance folkloric. If the devil can act with impunity, it's because officials have failed their duty. Seeking scapegoats and believing in medieval practices only exonerate the real killers. If these so-called sacrifices were real, these supposedly occult organizations wouldn't be allowed to exist elsewhere. They would have been banned long ago.
Without thorough and serious investigation, getting to the heart of matters, the mystery will remain and abductions will continue, like bone thefts whose motive remains unknown, though this scourge has lasted forty years.
We must choose between placing complete faith in the Mpiandry and believing evil will eventually surrender, or resorting to laws, expertise and Republican values. But we can combine both. Faith and beliefs are safeguards against evil, but should not exempt the State from duties for which the president took an oath.
Sylvain Ranjalahy