A view of Tsimbazaza Park in 1957 with the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research (far left). "Academics for a Return to Ancient Ethical Landmarks." This is the title the Tuesday Notes of October 1st, 2024 gave themselves when reporting on the Exchange Days of September 3rd and 4th of the same year, focused on "Violence and Insecurity in Madagascar." Taking the bull by the horns, the Malagasy Academy tackles these burning issues already facing the Nation. We return to this. First and foremost, the Assembly of full members of the institution points to an increasingly crucial reality: "Alarm calls and mobilization campaigns combined with security force interventions have shown their operational limits in eradicating the evil which, clearly, is consolidating to the great detriment of the holder of the monopoly on legitimate violence." Faced with this wall of resistance and this debacle, the Academics therefore decide to organize a citizen forum. For people of goodwill are invited to exchange views with the most knowledgeable officials on these matters, particularly those from the Army, Gendarmerie and National Police. The first finding they make is that general indifference reflects both "the admission of the sense of powerlessness of authorities and society in the face of various forms of attacks on public order and human security, as well as the erosion of both civil and judicial authority, counterbalanced by the trivialization of the use of force." Regarding this, they affirm, the political vacuum visible in the national landscape has unfortunately opened the way to systematic recourse to force considered as the ultimate solution, unworthy of a country that prides itself on Democracy and Rule of Law. During these days, exchanges are free, direct and courteous in form, and take place in perfect respect of the Academy's epistemological and ethical requirements: justice, truth and "fihavanana." Participants reach a dual conclusion: only the State has the monopoly on legitimate violence, "but the use of this violence, to be legitimate, must conform to a certain number of very precise rules. Any contrary use can only be, on the one hand, a factor of division and harm to civil peace and, on the other hand, a factor in the development of the vicious cycle of illegitimate repression-revenge." And since Madagascar has not experienced civil or tribal wars, participants are convinced that the paths for resolving questions of violence and insecurity are not exhausted, even if traditional institutions and mechanisms (constitution, governance, popular mobilizations, law enforcement, etc.) have reached their operational limits. The urgency of addressing the evil is thus emphasized: "The impoverishment of security forces, the structure and even the modalities of execution of their budgets no longer allow guaranteeing a return to required security standards, due to the massification of salary charges at the expense of functional charges for elementary missions." Among the concrete issues that retain participants' attention are, among others, the effectiveness of the Interior Minister's responsibilities regarding public order and security in general, and the Defense Minister's for external security; the obsolescence of decree no. 84-056 intended for strictly exceptional situations; the existential and functional specificity of each body responsible for security and defense; respect for the distinction between the symbolic dimension and the institutional dimension to end confusions, at the origin of widespread flight from responsibility and disinterest in public affairs. This call from the Academics for awareness is addressed first and foremost to government authorities. Through their action to shape the Nation's future and their commitment to ensure respect for common higher ends—the common good, peace and "fihavanana," "they have the imperative obligation to abandon promises and fake actions that mislead collective imagination." This is to restore hope through the impetus of genuine public actions that guarantee access to common higher ends, such as respect for the common good, peace and harmony in "fihavanana" and mutual respect. The Malagasy soul is sick because the Nation has lost its ancient ethical landmarks. "Therefore, it is more than ever time to rediscover the civic spirit repressed deep within and to resolutely commit to the path of national healing. The remedies for the evil that gnaws at us...