Jean Ralaimongo (1885–1944) was a teacher who came to prominence after campaigning to get the French government to give citizenship to the people of

Madagascar Madagascar, officially the Republic of Madagascar, is an island country that includes the island of Madagascar and numerous smaller peripheral islands. Lying off the southeastern coast of Africa, it is the world's List of islands by area, f ...

. Ralaimongo wanted Madagascar to become a French

département In the administrative divisions of France, the department (, ) is one of the three levels of government under the national level (" territorial collectivities"), between the administrative regions and the communes. There are a total of 101 ...

and therefore part of

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

. He came to prominence after 3,000 demonstrated following speeches in a cinema in 1929.

Biography

Ralaimongo was born in 1885 to a pastor at one of the missions in Madagascar. This was the same year that a treaty was made between the main ruler of the Island and France. The terms of this treaty would serve as a pretext for France to invade ten years later. Ralaimongo became a teacher and after visiting France in 1910 he, like 40,000 of his fellows, served in the first world war. A fifth of these 40,000 did not return, but those who had shown this allegiance to France may have felt that France may also owe them some allegiance. Ralaimongo wanted to be given the chance to be a Frenchman.The French Empire Between the Wars
Martin Thomas, accessed 6 August 2008 In 1913, the ''

Vy Vato Sakelika ''Vy Vato Sakelika'' was a nationalist secret society formed in Madagascar in 1913 by '' Hova'' ''Merina'' elites to inspire rebellion against French colonial rule on the island. The colonization of the Kingdom of Madagascar in 1896 prompted a po ...

'' was formed. Nominally a cultural organisation, the literal translation of ''VVS'' as the iron and steel network gives better clues to its intentions. The authorities convinced by its cell network, sentenced some members to imprisonment in 1916 using tribunal power. These sentences were not removed until November 1922. As leaders of VVS, both Ralaimongo and D were watched closely, although Ralaimongo's intentions were not at that time militant. He wanted to see On Madagascar become part of France and saw the naturalisation of his fellow citizens as a gradual way forward. However the authorities tried and convicted him of

sedition Sedition is overt conduct, such as speech or organization, that tends toward rebellion against the established order. Sedition often includes subversion of a constitution and incitement of discontent toward, or insurrection against, establ ...

in July 1922. Faced with imprisonment he went to Paris and became involved with journalism. He founded a paper called ''L'Opinion'' which together with other newspapers they arrange to have published in their home state. At the beginning of 1924 Ralaimongo was still in Paris meeting others of a socialist view including his roommate, the future

Ho Chi Minh (born ; 19 May 1890 – 2 September 1969), colloquially known as Uncle Ho () among other aliases and sobriquets, was a Vietnamese revolutionary and politician who served as the founder and first President of Vietnam, president of the ...

.African Politics
P.F.Gonidec, 1980, , accessed 8 August 2008 Ralaimongo returned to Madagascar later that year and became involved with labour relations.
, accessed 6 August 2008 A system was introduced by the French to put forward two committees that would be delegates for the people views, but these people had no power. These committees were called ''Délégations Économiques et Financières'' and were a victory for Ralaimongo, but the administration led them strongly, arguing with the colonists views and ignoring the Malagasy.The Cambridge History of Africa
: Volume 8: c. 1940 to c. 1975, Chapter 13: Madagascar, 1984, Bonar A. Gow, accessed 6 August 2008 In 1929, 3,000 protesters arose after a meeting at a cinema on 19 May where they heard a speech by Paul Dussac. They gathered around the Governors office in

Tananarive Antananarivo (Malagasy language, Malagasy: ; French language, French: ''Tananarive'', ), also known by its colonial shorthand form Tana (), is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Madagascar. The administrative area of the city, known ...

where they were armed with sticks and red flags. By the time the next Governor General arrived,

Léon Cayla Leon, Léon (French) or León (Spanish) may refer to: Places Europe * León, Spain, capital city of the Province of León * Province of León, Spain * Kingdom of León, an independent state in the Iberian Peninsula from 910 to 1230 and again fro ...

, the police repressions had made heroes of the leaders of the 19 May demonstration. The new General tried to increase the number of applications approved for French citizenship but it was still very low, and far short of the demonstrators demand for mass naturalisation. Ralaimongo and Joseph Ravoahangy were placed under house arrest in 1930, and not given an amnesty until 1936.Historical Dictionaries of Africa - Madagascar
, Philip M. Allen and Maureen Covell, 2005, accessed 8 August 2008

Afterwards

Ralaimongo died in 1944 and it was only at the end of

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

that the French Government allowed some form of democracy. At the end of 1945, two people were elected by the Malagasy to represent them in Paris. These were Joseph Raseta and Joseph Ravoahangy. Both of these were now committed to self-determination for Madagascar. On 29 March 1947 the French put down an uprising in Madagascar. Estimates of up to 80,000 dead are made, but later estimates put the figure as low as 11,000. Madagascar gained its independence on 26 June 1960.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ralaimongo, Jean Malagasy politicians Malagasy activists Malagasy communists 1885 births 1944 deaths