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About Us
Dhivehi is the language of the
Maldivians (called Dhivehin)
Email
:
dhivehiobserver@gmail.com
In
November 2003, Dhivehi Observer
began publishing in UK as a news
and information website
promoting freedom, democracy and rule of law in
Maldives, an Indian Ocean
country spanning the vital oil
sea link between East Asia and
the Middle East. Maldives also
has lucrative tourism and
fishing industries, and a small
population of less than 350,000.
But nearly half its people
suffered from malnutrition.
This strategically important country was ruled by a dictator, Maumoon
Gayyoom, who methodically terrorised Maldivians for 30
years. Until
September 2003,
his crimes were hidden by clever public relations and
international disinterest but with the Internet, dedicated
writers and artists published true information about
his crimes, on mediums like the Dhivehi Observer, which
initially began publishing on
www.e-maldives.com
and was later renamed 'Dhivehi Observer' in May 2004.
Dhivehi Observer's
main aims was to
expose the tyranny of Gayyoom
and promote
the establishment of proper
democratic institutions in the Republic of Maldives.
We had correspondents on every
inhabited island in Maldives who volunteered throughout the
campaign period, from 2003- to this date, and
managed maintain an informed circle of
international sources.
Dhivehi Observer
is not formally affiliated to any political group or
party. Some editorial staff have
close links with the Maldivian
Democratic Party (MDP) but
content decisions are made by DO
staff and contributors. Dhivehi Observer was however,
aligned to MDP, from the start, as it's founder was also a
founding member of the democracy movement that began in
October 2003, after the killings of inmates in Maafushi
Jail, in September 2003. Ahmed Moosa (Sappe'), was also a
member of the first general council of the party.
Dhivehi
Observer
was
officially banned in Maldives
by the Gayyoom dictatorship from its launch until he lost
power in October 2008.
Many Maldivians, especially those who were at the forefront
of the democracy campaign (2003 - 2008) that led to the fall
of Dictator Gayyoom in October 2008's presidential election,
give credit to Dhivehi Observer for the role the news
website played in exposing the regime and educating the
public on human rights, freedom and democracy.
Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP)
is now the ruling party and formed its first government on
11th November 2008.
Dhivehi Observer continues
to publish materials relating to social, political and
economic situation of the Maldives and hopes to enter the
print press medium in the near future.
Staff
and Contributors
Founder
and Editor-in-Chief - Ahmed Moosa
(Sappe') based in UK.
Email:
dhivehiobserver@gmail.com
Other
staff maintained anonymity
due to fear of arrest and
torture during the first years of operation.
Our work was made possible by
contributions from many readers. Please feel free to
help us any way you can. You are
invited to print out and
distribute information from our
website.
Maldivians
were aware of the
risks involved in helping DO and we are grateful for
their contribution and proud of their courage in working
with us to bring an end to 30 years of oppression under
one-man rule.
Freedom of expression
( from 1997 Constitution of the
Maldives)
Chapter II, Clause 25
"Every
citizen shall have the freedom to express his conscience and
thoughts orally or in writing or by other means, unless
prohibited by law in the interest of protecting the
sovereignty of the Maldives, of maintaining public order and
of protecting the basic tenets of Islam."
UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS
Article 19
Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression;
this right includes freedom to hold opinions without
interference and to seek, receive and impart information and
ideas through media regardless of frontiers.
Contact
Dhivehi Observer at
dhivehiobserver@gmail.com
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