Open Letter To Tourists: Keeping Madagascar Free of Disease

Dear Tourist,
As a Malagasy citizen and as a student, I feel that writing to you is
my duty. I am worried about my countries healthy today. My country
has fallen sick because of many diseases are spreading. From my home
to the entire nation, people are coughing, getting fevers and crying.
One of our sisters died because she is HIV positive. Diseases we have
never seen before are dangerous for the future of my country.
I am the girl who thinks that relationships with visitors who come
here is one of the sources of this problem. Because of these
strangers who bring new diseases that our immune systems cannot fight
against.
My country is a country where the natural landscape and endemic
species attract more tourists than other countries. These tourists do
develop our country but I do not expect hat bringing diseases will
benefit the Malagasy people. This is a poem that I dedicate to all
tourists that wish to come here, and it is to make you sure that it is
not necessary to come if…
IT IS NOT NECESSARY TO COME
It is not necessary to come
If you want to change my country
My country was safe and sound
From any disease
It is not necessary to come
If you do not accept responsibility
For malaria, AIDS, FLUENZA or H1N1
Before crossing the waters to Madagascar
It is not necessary to come
If you pretend to like our country
When in fact you come and destroy it
When you are buying our beautiful ladies
Because of your dollar and euros
To realize your sex satisfaction
It is not necessary to come
If you do not want to protect my country
From the diseases
Before coming here
So stay where you are
If diseases would come with you
As the our souvenir of your visit
Your money cannot pay for our life
Even if it boosts our economy
I expect that after reading my expectations, you would understand that
despite the fact that tourism is one of the keys to our
development—tourists should be more responsible for making sure that
that statement is true.
Then, come here healthy
And our rich country
Will satisfy you
And the rest of Malagasy people
Sincerely,
Thina