Of soldiers, storms and a very loud "fizzle"

Kebab barbecuers downtown

So, it's Saturday afternoon, and since writing yesterday it seems as if there has been a whole lot of nothing going on in Tana! Well, nothing that we are meant to be aware of, anyway!

Firstly, yesterday morning the military ordered civilians in the immediate area of the barracks where the mutinous coup leaders were holed up to evacuate. Shortly afterwards, with military vehicles rolling past our school, the defence minister announced that they had no desire to use force to end the standoff.

Reuters reported prime minister Camille Vital as saying "it had never been the government's intention to storm the barracks and the steps taken in the morning were to prevent children and civilians from witnessing negotiations between soldiers." Does anyone else find that hilarious?

But Malagasies are, to a large extent, very laid back ... They've watched their country go down the tubes under this current regime and, for the most part, have done nothing.  I heard a funny first-hand story related to the crisis yesterday evening. Two nights ago locals set tyres alight, and barricaded the main road to the airport; soldiers in riot gear were patrolling; it was tense You'd imagine people would stay away, but within a stone's throw of the acrid smoke the regular sidewalk  kebab sellers were doing their regular thriving trade, as if it was the most normal night of the year.

Speaking of soldiers in riot gear - a crowd of civilians apparently ignored the order to leave the area last night, and were, according to some press reports, clashing with the military when a very timely storm rolled in to drive everyone under cover. And that was the end of that for the evening. Thank the Lord for the violent tropical weather ...

It seems there may be a clampdown on information here too - the local website that normally has live news updates is reporting on inane things like the president meeting taekwondo and volleyball teams. This on top of rumours circulating about a private TV station being banned from broadcasting ... It's quite laughable, really, but there's a strange sense of déjà vu to all of this ...

As I write I hear sirens outside, and we've just seen more army trucks and other military personnel moving towards the airport. Reuters has just reported (5.30pm) that security forces have stormed the barracks, and that gunfire was heard... We wait with bated breath to see what happens, believing all the while that this is all in God's good will ... 

I think I'll go and watch a game of rugby.