Entry Title: " Bloodbath in Madagascar"
Name: walter astrada, Spain
Category: Professional, War/Conflict


Entry Description: Mr. Andry Rajoelina, Madagascar city's mayor, a 34-year-old former disc jockey and entertainment impresario, has held almost daily rallies along Antananarivo's main boulevard, lambasting Mr. Ravalomanana as a millionaire dictator more interested in his own business empire than the needs of Madagascar's impoverished citizenry.

On Jan. 26, at the conclusion of a rally, protesters rampaged through the streets of the capital, setting fire to factories and stores belonging to Mr. Ravalomanana. The president's television station was also attacked.

On Saturday 7, with thousands attending his latest protest, Mr. Rajoelina announced that Roindefo Monja, a politician from the southwestern city of Tulear, would be the prime minister of his "transitional government". A first cordon of anti-riot police retreated as the protesters advanced. But suddenly security forces inside the palace opened fire over the protesters killing 28 and wounding 212.

Finally on March 18, Rajoelina became Madagascar's acting president; a day after the army ended a months-long power struggle and swept him to power. After weeks of unrest more than 100 people in Antananarivo and elsewhere had died including 28 shot down in cold blood by the presidential guard.

Walter Astrada was born in 1974 and began his career as a staff photographer with La Nación newspaper in Buenos Aires, Argentina. During 1999, he traveled around Brazil, Chile, Bolivia and Peru to develop a personal project on faith. In September 1999, Astrada joined The Associated Press in Bolivia and later in Argentina. From 2000 to 2002, he worked for The Associated Press based in Paraguay. During 2003, Astrada worked as a freelancer in Buenos Aires and Madrid, later rejoining AP based in the Dominican Republic, covering events in the Caribbean countries. In March 2005, he worked for a year as a freelancer for Agence France Presse in the Dominican Republic and was represented and distributed by World Picture News. In March 2006, he lived and worked freelance in Spain. In 2008 and 2009, he covered Eastern Africa as a freelancer and stringer for AFP out of Uganda. In February 2010, Astrada joined Reportage by Getty Images. Currently, he is working on a long-term project about violence against women. Awards 1st Prize Sonny World Photography Awards - Current Affairs, 1st prize stories, Spot News - World Press Photo China international Press Photo Contest - News war Single – Gold, China international Press Photo Contest - News War - Award of Excellence, 3rd prize - Picture Story of the Year- The PGB photo award, Days Japan Public Prize by Jury., Angers Scoop Festival - Grand Prix Jean-Louis Calderon, The Bayeux-Calvados award for War Correspondents, NPPA-BOP "Photojournalist of the Year", NPPA-BOP-Best of show, The PGB photo award "Photographer of the Year", The PGB photo award "Picture of the Year", 1st prize stories, Spot News - World Press Photo, Days Japan 1st Prize "Post-election violence in Kenya", NPPA-BOP-1st Place, International News Picture Story, "Post-election violence in Kenya", 2nd Prize - Fotopres - Fundación "la Caixa", China international Press Photo Contest - War and Disaster News Stories - Gold Stories, PDN Photo Annual, 1st prize - Kellicutt International Photo Show - Through A Lens: Contrasting Elements, 3rd prize - Kellicutt International Photo Show - Through A Lens: Contrasting Elements, NPPA-BOP-3rd place and HM, International News, Award of Excellence, Spot news - 66th Picture of the year, 1st prize single - BJP British Journal of Photography, 1st prize in Photojournalism - American Photo Magazine - Images of the Year Competition, 1st prize singles, Contemporary Issues - World Press Photo, 2nd prize - International Photojournalism Award "Fundación Caixa Galicia-Juan Cancelo", Honorable mention - XII International Photojournalism Award "Ciudad de Gijón", Juror's Choice awards for the Santa Fe Project Competition "Femicide in Guatemala", Days Japan Special Prize by Jury "Femicide in Guatemala", 2nd prize - International Photojournalism Award "Fundación Caixa Galicia-Juan Cancelo", Honorable mention - International Photojournalism Award "Gjon Mili Kosovo", Honorable mention - X International Photojournalism Award "Ciudad de Gijon", Award of Excellence, Spot news - 62nd Picture of the year , "Women and immigration" Award - IX Humanitarian Photography Award Luis Valtuena, Medicos del Mundo (Spain) , Accessit Award - VIII Humanitarian Photography Award Luis Valtuena, Medicos del Mundo (Spain) and the Revela-oleiros 08 and Alexia Foundation Grants