Accessing Malagasy Citizenship
The Nationality Code and Its Impact on the Karana
In: Tilburg Law ReviewSearch for other papers by Caroline McInerney in
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At the time Madagascar gained independence, only those who had been naturalized French citizens had the opportunity to choose Malagasy citizenship. Foreigners who had settled in the country, but did not have French citizenship were left stateless. Many of these foreigners have been in the country for four or five generations and are still waiting to be naturalized. These individuals are mostly Muslim or of Indian/Pakistani decent. Those of Indian/Pakistani decent, called Karana, occupy a unique space in Malagasy society because the Karana are estimated to contribute close to one-third of the country’s GDP. Preventing the Karana from accessing citizenship disincentives the wealthiest in the country from investing in its growth. As Madagascar develops, access to citizenship will come to the forefront of the political agenda. The government has the opportunity now to peacefully reform the citizenship system and build a strong foundation for a vibrant participatory democracy in the future. Madagascar can reform the citizenship system by amending the Nationality Code to protect against statelessness and discrimination, addressing institutional barriers to access, and promoting integration of the Muslim and Karana communities.
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On 23 February 2008, Madagascar Tribune reported a kidnapping. An Indo-Pakistani merchant was taken around the time his shop was supposed to close. He was among the Karana who received kidnapping threats at the end of the year. Manou, ‘Un Karana d’Andravoahangy enlevé’ Tribune Madagascar (Antananarivo, 23 February 2008); Madagascar Tribune, reports that a 9 year old child of Indo-Pakistani decent was kidnapped outside a mosque in Mahajanga. A ransom of 3 billion ariary (a little over 1 million USD) was demanded. ‘Kidnapping Karana à Mahajanga’ Tribune Madagascar (Antananarivo, 2 February 2010); La Gazette de la Grand Ile, reported on the kidnapping of the 5th Karana in a month and the 2nd in a week. Not all these victims have been rich. ‘L’insécurité règne: 5ème kidnapping de Karana’ La Gazette de la Grande Ile (14 January 2012).
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Bhapoo, ‘La minorité Indienne de Madagascar’ Temoignages (3 January 2007).
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Accessing Malagasy Citizenship
The Nationality Code and Its Impact on the Karana
In: Tilburg Law ReviewSearch for other papers by Caroline McInerney in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
At the time Madagascar gained independence, only those who had been naturalized French citizens had the opportunity to choose Malagasy citizenship. Foreigners who had settled in the country, but did not have French citizenship were left stateless. Many of these foreigners have been in the country for four or five generations and are still waiting to be naturalized. These individuals are mostly Muslim or of Indian/Pakistani decent. Those of Indian/Pakistani decent, called Karana, occupy a unique space in Malagasy society because the Karana are estimated to contribute close to one-third of the country’s GDP. Preventing the Karana from accessing citizenship disincentives the wealthiest in the country from investing in its growth. As Madagascar develops, access to citizenship will come to the forefront of the political agenda. The government has the opportunity now to peacefully reform the citizenship system and build a strong foundation for a vibrant participatory democracy in the future. Madagascar can reform the citizenship system by amending the Nationality Code to protect against statelessness and discrimination, addressing institutional barriers to access, and promoting integration of the Muslim and Karana communities.
| All Time | Past Year | Past 30 Days | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abstract Views | 772 | 132 | 10 |
| Full Text Views | 218 | 3 | 0 |
| PDF Views & Downloads | 41 | 5 | 0 |