Tranquility in Tana?

The day is calm in this capital city. Street vendors hawk their wares, vendors sell their street side treats for all to enjoy, most importantly, at a normal price. The news reports on your favorite major websites are desperately lacking on information from other cities, but they do what they can. Mid-range to larger cities in this country have suffered heavy damage; between looting and mobbing, Sambava, Mahajunga, and Toliara are reported to have been the worst hit. Here in Tana, many smaller stores, family dreams, and long-established neighborhood fortunes have been destroyed. But that is over now.

Tomorrow is largely believed to be a tipping point in this fragile sandglass. If the demonstration proves to be peaceful, Tana will live to see another day for the better. If things go the wrong way, well, there’s no telling how many years it will set back this beautiful country, and how many tears may roll down my cheek. Should a riot mentality set in on this metropolis, they have the capability to destroy this city and all others around this country. It is not promising that the mayor of Tana still refuses to a dialogue with President Ravalomanana

Peace Corps update is as follows: We go to Mantasoa on Saturday, 30th January. We will be on lockdown there for longer than we ever should be. God, I wish to hell I was out of this hellish purgatory. More to follow. This is Justin Selb reporting live, from Antananarivo.