Madagascar bishops demand concrete action as violence spikes

The Conference of Bishops of Madagascar (CEM) publicly broke its silence, issuing a solemn message to the nation describing a “climate of terror” caused by a recent wave of disappearances, homicides and bodies being found across the country. Vice‑president Bishop Jean Pascal Andriantsoavina said the clergy can no longer remain indifferent and called on the authorities to move from statements to tangible measures.

The bishops urged greater transparency about the causes of the insecurity, warned that the violence threatens national cohesion, and asked the government to eradicate the crimes at their root. Their appeal echoed similar calls from the Antananarivo branch of the teachers‑researchers union, which also demanded decisive action rather than mere announcements.