Tar Sands, at the best of times, are problematic, as our friends in Northern Alberta will attest.    Industrialists and environmentalists agree that we would normally leave this dirty oil in the ground were it not for the price of oil, our addiction to it, and our willingness to externalize costs.  Now, add the situation in Madagascar, home to the billions of barrels of oil estimated in the Bemolanga and Tsimiroro tar sands.  Madagascar  has a politically-unstable government, a limited water supply, and bitumen counts at only 5.5 percent (as compared to 11 percent in Canada's tar sands.)  "If they can't control the damage in Canada, a developed country," says Malagasy activist  Holly Rakotondralambo , "imagine in a developing country where they have no financial or human resources. I think the impacts will be much worse." 

 

The IMF has ranked Madagascar among the world's poorest nations (170th out of 182 countries.)  Madagascar Oil, despite its title and its lemur as a logo, is based in Houston, TX.  It's Board of Directors and executive are all North American or European.  Madagascar Oil's partner is Total Oil of France.  These companies have negotiated very profitable terms.  For the first decade the companies keep 99 percent of the profit, with only one percent given to the country.   This increases to a 80/20 split for the next decade, 70/30 for the next, and so on.

Latest news is that permits and plans are on hold--one of the benefits of political instability.  Here's a window of opportunity for our prayers. 

• "Lord, please lead us into a solution for the larger problem.  Please bring renewable energies on-line, and please reverse our consumption patterns, so that tar sands might forever remain in the ground."   
• "Lord, give wisdom and compassion to the Madagascan government.  Make them mindful of their people's poverty and of their island's rich bio-diversity."  
• Holly Rakotondralambo is a person, as are the subsistence farmers of the Melaky region. . . as are the board members, executives, and shareholders of Madagascar Oil and Total Oil.  "Lord, help all these persons act and decide with the justice that gives glory to your name." 
• Madagascar is a majority Christian nation, which has benefited greatly from periodic revivals.  Ethnic religion still abounds, and Islam is growing, particularly among the Sakalava people groups on the west coast.  Pray for the evangelistic work of AIM and the Lutheran Church.

• Holly Rakotondralambo is a Malagasy activist presently touring Europe to oppose tar sands financing.

    Many groups, including YWAM, YFC, and CEF are working among young people.  Pray for the success of their efforts. 

Link: Interview with Rakotondralambo Photo of Malagasy men: World Development Movement  

Photo of tar sands: Rezac/WWF-UK  

Photo of Rakotondralambo: Macdonald Stainsby