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Radama I et les Anglais : les négociations de 1817 d’après les sources malgaches (« Sorabe » inédits)
Omaly sy Anio (Hier et Aujourd’hui) : revue d’études historiques, volume 3-4, janvier - décembre 1976, pp. 9-104Auteurs : Munthe L., Ravoajanahary C., Ayache S.
Mots clés : HISTOIRE/SOURCES/MANUSCRITS ARABICO-MALGACHES/SORABE/RADAMA I/DIPLOMATIE/RELATIONS EXTERIEURES/TRAITE DES ESCLAVES/NEGOCIATIONS/TRAITES/1817/MADAGASCAR/GRANDE-BRETAGNE
[ MLA ] Ity Sorabe tamin’ny taona 1817 ity, izay hofakafakaina etoana, no taratasy tranainy indrindra nivoaka avy amin’ny Malagasy, mikasika ny fifandraisana ara-diplomatika sy ara-toekarena nifanaovan’i Madagasikara sy Eropa. Azo lazaina raha izany fa izy ity no loharano nipoiran’ilay fifandraisantsika tamin’ny vahiny nandritra ny taon-jato faha-XIX. Tany Londra, tao amin’ny British Museum (tahirin’i Farquhar) no nahitana azy. Andriamahazonoro ilay Katibo fantà-daza izay mpitan-tsoratr’i Radama, no nanoratra azy. Hafatrafatry ny mpanjaka ho an’ireo masoivohony notarihin-dRatsilikaina izy ity. Nalefa tany Toamasina izy ireo hanao sonia ilay fifanarahana tamin’ny Anglisy momba ny famarinana andevo sy izay ho setrin’izay ara-toe-karena, ho an-dRadama.
Ilay tena taratasy nosoratana mihitsy izy ity sady azo antoka, noho izany azo ijerena amin’ny endrika vaovao ireo taratasy maro nosoratan’ny vahiny mikasika ilay fifanekena nifanaovana tamin’ny 1817. Hatramin’izao manko, dia izay filazan’ny vahiny ihany no azon’ny Mpitantara nampiasaina raha mandinika io raharaha io izy. Fantatsika anefa fa lehibe dia lehibe ny vokatr’io fifanekena io eo amin’ny tantaran’i Madagasikara. Azontsika fariparitana tsara ankehitriny ny zava-niseho marina tamin’ny fotoana nikarakarana ilay fifanekena, ny zavatra marina nokendrena izay mikasika ny votoatin’ny rafitry ny Fanjakana merina, izay ho vokatr’izany eo amin’ny lafiny ara-toe-karena sy ny fiaraha-monina, raha nofoanana ny famarinana andevo.
Na eo aza ireo masoivohon’ny mpanjaka, dia i Farquhar, governora tao Morisy, no tena nanaovan-dRadama ity Kabary ity. Hita mazava ato ny finiavan-dRadama hahazo fanampiana ara-teknika mahomby eo amin’ny lafiny ara-tafika, mba hisy setriny ara-drariny tokoa ilay nanafoanana ny famarinana andevo. Natsidik’i Radama mazava tsara tamin-dry zareo Anglisy fa azony atao tokoa ny mangataka amin’ny Frantsay ireo fanampiana ireo, raha ilaina izany, satria efa hatramin’ny ela no nifandraisany ara-barotra tamin-dry zareo Frantsay. Ny Sorabe tamin’ny 1817, raha izany, dia ahazoantsika mahalala mazava tsara kokoa izay anjara toeran’i Madagasikara eo amin’ny lafiny diplomatika teo amin’ny fifandraisan’ny firenen-dehibe sy ny mpanjana-tany tamin’izany fotoana izany, ny tena fifandanjan’ny hery : ny lanjan’ny fanjakana merina teo anoloan’ny tetika samihafa nampiasain’ireo firenena lehibe ; ny fisalasalana niseho teo amin’ny Frantsay tamin’ny taona 1817 anefa na izany aza, nety ho nahasongona tokoa ny Anglisy izy ; ny fahakingan’i Farquhar teo amin’ny tetik’ady vaovao nampiasainy : nekeny manko ny maha-fanjakana mahaleotena ny Malagasy mba ahazoany misakana ny Frantsay tsy handroba an’i Madagasikara.
Ity “toro-làlana” nalefan’ny mpanjaka tamin-dRatsilikaina ity koa, izay efa ahitana taratra sahady ny fahombiazana tamin’ny 1820, dia manazava amintsika tsara ny toetran-dRadama : malina sady maranitra, tsy mitratrevatreva eo amin’ny fifandraisany amin’ny vahiny nefa mampiseho mazava tsara tamin’izy ireo fa izy no tompon’ny fahefana ; raha nikarakara ny fifandraisan’ny taniny tamin’ny vahiny ny mpanjaka dia tsy nihevi-tena velively ho maivan-danja eo anatrehan’izy ireo, vonona mihitsy aza izy hampiasa ny rohim-pihavanana rehetra azony atao amin’ny tany rehetra izay azony anaovana izany, mba hahatanterahany ny firaisam-pirenena sy hiarovany ny fahaleovantenan’ny taniny.[ ENG ] The object of the study, the « Sorabe » of 1817, constitutes the oldest written Malagasy source concerning the diplomatic and economic relations between Madagascar and Europe, a prelude to the cultural relations in the 19th century. This document was discovered in the British Museum (Farquhar Coll.) in London. Elaborated by
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Andriamahazonoro, the wellknown Antaimoro scholar, the secretary of King Radama, it contains the King’s instructions to the Merina authorized agents, led by Ratsilikaina, sent to Tamatave in October 1817 to conclude the agreement with the English concerning the slave abolition, in exchange for economic compensations to the advantage of Radama.
The original and authentic Malagasy document allows us to reinterpret a number of foreign documents which, up to now, have been the only source used for the study of the history of the 1817 Treaty, which is most important for its results. Thus we can trace successively the real historical background of the negociations, their true aim which, on account of the economic and social consequences of the slave trade abolition, touches the foundation of the Merina state.
Through the negociators, Radama’s “kabary” is addressed to Farquhar, the governor of Mauritius. It clearly shows the king’s desire of obtaining above all an efficient military technical assistance as a just compensation. But Radama implies also that he might, if need be, ask for the same advantages from the French who have been his commercial partners for a long time. So the “Sorabe” of 1817 throws a new light upon the diplomatic situation of Madagascar in the international and colonial context of that time : the true power plays ; the weight of the Merina monarchy in that interplay of influences ; the undecisiveness of the French – though they might still succeed in 1817 (they are far from being defeated by the English then) ; the skillfulness of Farquhar’s new doctrine, acknowledging the independence of Madagascar in order to utilize it against the French.
The instructions to Ratsilikaina, the application of which will prepare the final success of 1820, at last delineate and enhance Radama’s character : cautions, subtle-minded, negotiating with as much flexibility as authority, dealing with the matter of the new foreign contacts of his country without any “inferiority complex”, but determined to utilize any alliance towards the realization of unity, the maintaining of independence.