Background
He was born on March 21, 1931, son of a school teacher at Tananarive.
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Richard RATSI MAN DRAVA
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Minister of the Interior, appointed May 18, 1972. First minister chosen by General Ramanantsoa—a week before the rest of the cabinet—on taking over full powers from President Tsiranana. Commander of the Gendarmerie since June 1968 when the last French commander left. His control over security is wide- ranging, extending from police and special branch to provincial commissioners and prefects.
Education
Educated at the Lycee Tananarive, then sent to France to the French Military College at Saint-Cyr. Commissioned into the French Gendarmerie in 1954 after passing through the Ecole Supérieure de Gendarmerie at Melun, 30 miles southeast of Paris.
Career
After service in France he was posted to the Gendarmerie in Morocco and Algeria. He returned to Madagascar at independence in 1960 and two years later was promoted captain. In 1968 he took command of the Gendarmerie and was promoted lieutenant-colonel. Soon after he took charge at the Ministry of the Interior he released the prisoners held since the rebellion in the south in 1971.
Personality
Thoroughly honest, methodical without much flair, he has the reputation of a very reliable officer. No revolutionary, he is less pro-French in his attitudes than older Malagasy officers but he is by no means anti-French. Although no intellectual, he has respect for academics—and he has a sister who is chief librarian at the National Library.
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Born
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Nationality
Malagasy
Career
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May 18, 1972