Updated: 09/12/2005 05:49:37 - Email to Editor in Chief    

Archive from 29th August - 7th September 2004   Tuesday, 7th September 2004  The Hindu Repeal emergency, says European Union COLOMBO, SEPT. 7. The European Union today urged the Maldivian Government to "immediately repeal the emergency," which was imposed on the atoll-nation's capital, Male, and neighbouring islands last month and "restore all fundamental rights" to the detainees. read more     The Hindu The Maldives in transition - II MALE: Among the serious issues confronting the Maldives in its proposed move to democratic governance, the immediate ones relate to strengthening the basic institutions — the legal system and the administration of justice. For a nation criticised by human rights watchdog Amnesty International, the existing legal system is a major lacuna. The lack of separation of powers between the judiciary, the legislature, and the executive is another. read more  News in brief    Qasim, Dr. Munavvar and Zaki transferred to Feydhoo Finolhu Island today Male’, 7 Sept. 2004, unconfirmed reports say that Honourable members of the constitutional assembly Mr. Qasim Ibrahim, Dr. Munvvaru and Mr. Ibrahim Hussain Zaki have been transferred today to Feydhoo Finolhu. This cannot be independently verified. Reports say that Gayyoom has no intention of releasing any of the key reformists. Some family members are allowed to go and visit the detainees but only those who have friends in the higher ranks of the police. Death of an 18 year old trainee under suspicious circumstance at Girifushi Training Camp Male', 7 Sept. 2004, A young 18 year old boy died today at Girifushi Island, military training island cum detention centre. A Rasheed who died today is from the island of Fuahmulaku. Cause of death is reported to be drowning during training. However, the informant says that this was an attempt to eliminate this young private as he was leaking information about the detainees of Black Friday, 13th August 2004. Several detainees are still kept there and this boy saw all the horrible activities of Black Friday and reported these to many in Male'. There can only be speculations on these issues. Gayyoom’s regime does not attach much important to human life, post-mortems and pathology reports are not compulsory. Public inquiries are not allowed in the Maldives and under very special circumstances one can have a Presidential Inquiry, finding of these inquiries are published after Gayyoom censors it in the name of national security. This news was kept from the public today and mobile SMS service was not available today to stop the news from spreading.    A blast from the past  World Bank To Help The Government Of Maldives Strengthen Social Service Delivery Washington, D.C., July 6, 2004 The World Bank today approved a $15.76 million credit to support the Government of Maldives to deliver education, health and nutrition, employment, and community services, particularly to remote island regions. read more    The Hindu The Maldives in transition - I After placid acceptance of a 25-year rule by their leader, President Maumoon Abdul Gayyoom, a prosperous, but politically restive Maldivian citizenry now wants a transition to full-fledged democracy. On the streets of its capital, Male, appreciation for Mr. Gayyoom's economic transformation is matched by political weariness and apprehension of what lies ahead. Officially, the Maldives is a democratic republic, but the basic building block of present-day democracies — a political party — is not permitted. "We have undoubtedly gained on the economic front, but it is time for some form of basic political rights," is a feeling commonly and increasingly voiced in Male, the main island of the Maldives, spread across a total of 1,192 islets. The country's 2.85 lakh population lives in 199 islands, but its main source of income is from the 87 tourist resorts that cater to top-bracket global clientele. read more   caesWmitclia egcnutiycawr egukwtuLotwa cSwaumUycawq cludubwA unUmuawwm * urihWz WnIs Wyirev egunUmed *   cneL umclif ELuk iawb iawb un ulwYwb *       Monday, 6th September 2004  Local News Concern over the health of Ibrahim Hussain Zaki Confirmed reports say that Ibrahim Hussain Zaki’s health has been deteriorating over the past few days. Hon. Zaki is the Member of Parliament for Alif Atoll South and former cabinet Minister as well as former Secretary General of South Asia Association for Regional Cooperation. He has been in detention since 13th August along with other pro-reformists. Hon. Zaki had severe chest pains on Friday and was even by a Doctor during the weekend. Hon. Zaki is a heart patient. ‘We hope the situation is not too serious. Gayyoom is a monster, he doesn’t care about anything but staying in power’ said a close friend of Zaki.   Mr. Thorig of G. Kodhdhipparu is in serious condition We have confirmed reports that Mr. Thorig is in a serious condition with swollen testicles and having problems passing urine. According to friends, he was beaten up badly even at the time of arrest. He was brought to Male’ during the weekend and was taken back to Maafushi Jail. Mr. Thorig did not even participate in the demonstration on Black Friday 12th August.    The Hindu  Interview  Maldives ready for change, says Gayyoom Last month, Mr. Gayyoom (66) imposed a state of Emergency following public protests by pro-democracy dissidents and political opponents. As the world watches how the reforms unfold, Mr. Gayyoom justifies the arrests of dissidents saying he did so to contain "mob violence." Courteous but firm, soft-spoken but assertive, Asia's longest-serving head of state says he wants to replicate the economic miracle on the political front. Excerpts from an interview with V.S. Sambandan in Male on September 2: read more   Maldives Police: Old Wine in a New Bottle Maldives Royal Family They are the same personnel operating out of the same premises. Only the uniforms and paint on vehicles have changed. However the newly formed Maldive Police Service does not have the power of arrest outside Male'. The metamorphosis of the boys in khaki into the boys in blue is an adventure without a legal framework. read more     Open Letter to Maldivians The Maldives: From Charybdis to Scylla? Maldives Royal Family "Will the Maldive people be able to rise out of the chaos and finally freely choose to live in a prosperous and free society where law and order, including respect for each others' freedoms, rule?"   Xavier Romero-Frias and Aishath Naazneen's Open letter to the Maldive People. read more     Maldives political reforms cosmetic - opposition Reuters AlertNet The chief political opponent of Maldives President Maumoon Abdul Gayyoom on Friday accused Asia's longest serving ruler of continuing to stifle democracy despite his pledges of reform. Mohamed Latheef, head of the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party, said Gayyoom's move this week to give up the key defence and finance portfolios he has held in the idyllic Indian Ocean holiday island cluster was just cosmetic. read more     !WvcaedcSokctwmWlws cnutiycawr .ah cnumwkirevWlwb egurwfuawj Wsuawj *   To the beloved people of Beslan, Russia On behalf of the readers of Dhivehi Observer, we send our deepest sympathy to the grieving families of Beslan, Russia. Our thoughts and prayers are with those who perished and those who were injured in this most heinous act of barbarism. We hope that those injured will recover fully in the shortest time possible. We love you all very much and we are thinking of you all in this most difficult of times.       Sunday, 5th September 2004  cSwrohog egunevuLwk csevuTOsir urwviliv    Human Rights Features Maldives: 'Unique Democracy' Run By Typical Autocrat   Maumoon Gayyoom and NSS officers - 2004 The human rights situation in the Maldives took a turn for the worse about one year ago, drawing international attention to the severe deficiency of freedoms and democracy in the tiny nation. The volatile situation has again erupted into violence as President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom attempts to violently crush the nation’s blossoming pro-democracy movement. read more   Saturday, 4th September 2004 ...cnumurukurwycawh cmisWg Wmurub *   cnwkumcnihum egumutoa caeaITrWp IsWyis iawgEjcaWr *     SPECIAL REPORT  by News Insight - India China acquires a base in Maldives against India with some help from Pakistan The location of the Republic of Maldives astride the major sea lanes in the Indian Ocean is of strategic relevance to India. -- Ministry of Defence's annual report, 2000. 27 July 2001: China has engineered a manner of a coup by coaxing Maldives' Abdul Gayyoom government to let it establish a base in Marao. Marao is one of the largest of the 1192 coral islands grouped into atolls that comprise Maldives and lies 40 km south of Male, the capital. Coral islands make fine submarine pens. The Peoples' Liberation Army Navy or PLAN proposes to deploy nuclear submarines fitted with sea-launched Dong Feng-44 missiles and ballistic missiles (SLBMs) in Marao. read more    Telegraph - UK MEP calls for boycott after campaigners arrested in Maldives A British MEP is calling for a boycott of tourism to the Maldives, following the detention of more than 100 pro-democracy campaigners. They were arrested last month during a demonstration in the capital, Male'. read more uzWjwm IsWyis cmWf cnim - EvOn caeaIswrckomiD iawgEjcaWr *   Friday, 3rd September 2004  Editorial   by A.S.I.Moosa (Sappe') Maumoon Abdul Gayyoom is the biggest and the only terrorist in the Maldives   "Free countries do not export terror.  Free countries provide listen to the dreams of their people.  By serving the cause of liberty, we're helping others and we're making our country more secure.  By serving the cause of liberty, we're helping to spread the peace that we all want.  By serving the cause of liberty, we're serving the deepest ideals of our country.   Freedom is not America's gift to the world; freedom is the Almighty God's gift to every man and woman in this world" - George W Bush   For over 26 years Gayyoom has terrorised the people of Maldives with illegitimate use of force, with arbitrary arrests, he has undermined the constitution of the Maldives time and time again, when it suits him. His government is marred in nepotism and corruption. There is no freedom of speech, association and assembly. There is no rule of law but his will. There is no free press. He rules the most peace loving people in the world with absolute terror. This peace loving people are now talking about resorting to violence and the world must pay attention to their cause. They want to get rid of the Gayyoom by any mean possible. Thousands of family members and pro democracy activists in the Maldives who have tasted the torture and cruelty of Gayyoom are talking the language of violence. Maldivian pro democracy elements abroad are not able to communicate with all these people because even the websites are blocked. People are scared to speak on the phone or even reply to a text message. Violence is inevitable if Gayyoom continues his torture trail. The world must act before it is too late. read more     Gayyoom is just a revision of Saddam Hussain Gayyoom is just a revision of Saddam Hussain. The difference is Gayyoom cooperates with the international community whereas Saddam failed to do so. Even Saddam showed an above 90 percent support few months before he was toppled. But a large number of Iraqi people celebrated his removal from power. We urge the international community not to listen all what Gayyoom’s government is saying. Send your special envoys and talk to the ordinary people and the prisoners. Help us to get our basic human rights. It is the duty of the World’s biggest powers to spread the democracy all over the world and to provide human rights to each and every human being.  We further believe Great Britain has to play a lead role for two reasons. Firstly, Royal Air Force of UK had an Air Base in Maldives and we still have graveyards of your martyrs on our land. Secondly, Maldives is now one of the best holidaying destinations for the Britain. We believe the responsible parties would take necessary actions to calm down the situation in the Maldives and to bring real democracy to the nation. read more     An insight into the fate of Black Friday detainees   Just after 3 pm Fri 13/8 Police pounded on the demonstrators and arrested hundreds We are now able to give a clearer picture of how some of the people were arrested on the 13th August 2004 in connection with the pro democracy demonstration in Male'. This report has been compiled with first hand information both from Maafushi Jail and Dhoonidhoo interrogation centre. Most of the detainees were blindfolded and hand cuffed for the first 20 hrs of their arrest. They were taken to Girifushi, which is a training camp for the NSS. 176 of them were held in Girifushi for 8 days. There were many children and youth among those initially detained. They were also treated in exactly the same manner and fashion as the adults. Many were severely tortured during this period. Women detainees were even sexually molested.  read more   ujcaemukin 3     Thursday, 2nd September 2004 Amnesty International Appeal Further Information on UA 249/04 (ASA 29/005/2004, 17 August 2004) - Incommunicado detention/fear of torture or ill-treatment read more    Editorial  The Hindu   This is paradise? FOR ALL HIS talk of political reform, President Maumoon Abdul Gayyoom has once again demonstrated a reluctance to loosen his absolute grip over the Maldives. Following a protest against his regime in the capital city of Male on August 12 and 13, President Gayyoom proclaimed an Emergency and jailed several prominent figures in the country's incipient pro-democracy movement, including the former Secretary-General of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, Ibrahim Hussein Zaki. Such a response is characteristic of a police state rather than a nation that counts itself as a respected member of the international community. It causes justifiable concern that Mr. Gayyoom is not serious about the constitutional reform process he announced in June 2004, months after anti-government riots took place in Male. read more    BBC  NEWS Maldives leader names ministers Maldives President Maumoon Abdul Gayyoom has named defence and finance ministers amid calls for greater reform. Asia's longest serving leader had held the posts since taking office in 1978. A statement promised further changes. Mr Gayyoom was criticised after pro-democracy protesters were arrested in August. He accuses them of attempting a coup. read more   MDP Newsletter 19 Released Articles include: Gayyoom's Crackdown Continues Villainizing parliament – self-delusions of an aging dictator Gayyoomspeak on BBC Letters - Gayyoom the Congenital Liar Have Mercy on Gayyoom Plans to assassinate dissidents   !Evurwv Wv csIrwtcnwa Wmwkea !ejcaiLoa cawtumWzin egEyinud * .....iawkwTcSwmulWtcawn WDcnegwporcp egurWkurwsim *     Wednesday, 1st September 2004  EDITORIAL    Ismail Shafeeu is the new Defence Minister not Gayyoom Gayyoom relinquishes some of his powers and makes changes to the cabinet Today, Gayyoom has made decorative changes to his cabinet, relinquishing two portfolios that he has held from the time he assumed office in 1978, Defence Minister and Finance Minister. It is apparent that Gayyoom is still hesitant to make formidable changes and bringing in new blood to his cabinet or sack the corrupt elements such as his brothers Hameed and Yameen, because he can only trust the ones he has groomed who submits to him completely. Three specific changes to the cabinet were made and announced today. read more   cnuSwdegcaenElcp iLwhOd uruBim iaWnWfukinwm ,IkwncnemuDwguLwa  iawgutog egcnurwdIl InId egclwbcqwtcsum egEjcaWrihevid  ...csevwmwn .evencnubilWY ivunof cSwnwtim iawkwTcSwmurukurWycawt   !eveSWrwaEh .eveSWlEh .evenUmuawm *   Gayyoom's system  Vs. Egyptian; astonishing similarities 'Torture in Egypt is committed on a daily basis and is widespread in police stations, state security headquarters, and prisons,' said the report. 'Torture is regularly used by police to extract confessions from suspects or their relatives leading to many deaths.' Twelve-year-old Abdullah Rizq Abdallah was one of those cases. His small body finally gave out after seven days of torture by police using electrical shocks to make him confess to theft. In another case, a widow told EOHR that the last time she saw her husband alive in a police cell he told her that he was going through 'torture that no human being can imagine.' Freedom of expression in Egypt fared no better last year. Newspapers and books were frequently confiscated, said the report, and journalists had been arrested despite President Hosni Mubarak's ban on the imprisonment of journalists for writing 'offensive' articles.' The government has exhausted all its excuses to prolong the state of emergency by claiming they are fighting terrorism 'No militant operations have taken place in Egypt since the Luxor massacre of 1997,' said the report.  Read more in the Middle East Times   Torture frequent and widespread in Egypt Egypt's leading human rights organization released its 2004 annual report last week indicating that torture in prisons across the country was common and widespread despite government denials. read more  Blast from the past After the brutal killings in Maldives jail by Gayyoom's security forces last September, BBC reported the incident to the world; what happened next? These article are proof of how Gayyoom reacts to criticism. He went to the extreme of writing to the BBC alleging that BBC had unlawfully attempted to influence the outcome of the Presidential Election on 17th October 2003. Gayyoom was furious that BBC had broadcasted a report critical of his heavenly rule. They also reported in local TV and Radio and newspapers that BBC had blurred the picture by interviewing someone who was critical of the regime. Eevan Naseem was beaten to death by 12 police guards on 19th September 2003. On 20th September 19 unarmed Maldivians were shot, 3 of whom died.   The Government condemns the BBC's unlawful attempts to influence the outcome of the Presidential Election held yesterday  Maldives Culture special report BBC plot to destabilise Maldives, says regime Gayyoom government media machine gets nasty         Tuesday, 31st August 2004  Travel Video Televition News Maldives campaigners demand 'trickle down' of tourism wealth Friends of Maldives, the UK-based group campaigning for greater democracy in the island nation, has demanded to see evidence that vast tourism revenues are “trickling down” to ordinary people. The group claimed it has received messages of concern that the money from the tourism industry is helping Maldivian President Gayoom to maintain a political stronghold that is depriving people of basic human rights. read more     cSokurukcSwrwv cnuludegcaetiycawrihevid .....uhwfcSwmulWtcawn cnwkirev urWtcKumuduK egunUmuawm *   udIxwr wrwkcswg unWmWh EdcaokirIt wrUs egunUmuawm unuawaurif *   The Truth : Gayyoom is a tyrant - Is Amnesty International lying? Making up stories? - Is the US State Department lying, making up stories? - Is the BBC and the world media lying? - Aren't the people of Maldives deprived of basic human rights? - Isn't Gayyoom the longest serving elected leader in Asia? - Doesn't Gayyoom have his family and friends in the cabinet? - Who should the world believe, a liar, a tyrant or the innocent people of Maldives?  read more    Monday, 30th August 2004 Previously on DO Gayyoom is the greatest leader world has ever seen Below are some of the articles published on DO that will bring to light Gayyoom's 'democratic' rule in Maldives which is into its 27th year now. These are important pieces that the world needs to review to better judge the character of this noblest of men. Can it be, that the world at large is wrong, lying and taking advantage of the situation and the only one who means well for the people of Maldives and who is telling the truth, the only one who can bring democracy to the Maldives is Maumoon Abdul Gayyoom; The mighty 'God' of the Indian Ocean. Are fair elections held in the Maldives? In the Maldives the elections are closely monitored in a ‘command center’ where the votes are counted. Ordinary civil servants are included in the counting process but the final decisions are made by people who are very close to the ruling regime. Sometimes the results are announced after a long delay, in which the results are tampered with. read more Maze of Power - 25 years of rampant nepotism in the Maldives Maumoon's government consist of family and friends who appear to have no other obligation except to serve one of the world's most evil dictators. A small island nation of less than 300,000 people, their livelihood, basic human rights and liberty are taken for granted by the ruling elite. read more December 8, 2003 / Vol. 162 No. 22 TIME Asia A Paradise Divided Has Asia's longest-serving head of state lost touch with his restless populace?  BY ALEX PERRY | MALE' The Abuse of foreign aid in the Maldives              Maldives has the unique feature of a town straddling two sides – The islands, yet lacks portable drinking water for the simple reason that there has been no effort in 25 years to provide them the basic utility services.  Few residents of Male' earn more than a Swiss national, while the islanders dig shallow wells to get drinking water. read more Maumoon is the traitor Maumoon is a cunning leader, a dictator by all measures. He destroys people who became a threat to his rule by defaming them and accusing them of attempting to overthrow him, which incidentally is linked to the national security. This is the absolute truth. read more   Tourism or freedom? We have been accused of harming the tourism industry in our attempt to bring about change to this government. Those who raise this issue need to look into the fact of the matter, which is of principle. read more    A Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission - August 27, 2004 Maldives: Government suppresses popular calls for democratic reform Government of Maldives must end intolerable rights abuses Reports from the Maldives in recent weeks indicate increasingly disturbing use of authoritarian powers by its government intended to suppress popular calls for democratic reform. After protests on August 13, President Gayyoom declared a state of emergency, and mass arrests by the security forces followed, including of members of the National Human Rights Commission, former senior government members and other people now labelled "fundamentalists" by the president. Reports indicate that National Security Services personnel have tortured many of those detained, most severely, opposition party activists Mohamed Ziyad and Muad Zaki, the former of whom is understood to have been in intensive care since August 13, and to have been transferred to Singapore after his condition deteriorated. read more    Maldives Culture collated Report Over 1,000 Maldivians arrested in state-sponsored terrorism Over 1,000 Maldivians have been arrested during the on-going emergency in the capital Male'. Official figures are less than 200, with large releases and some new arrests also mentioned in the government-controlled media. Over 70 children aged between eleven and fourteen years were arrested. While being held in Male', they were kicked, beaten and made to lie down on the floor, and the NSS trampled them. read more South Korea Issues Travel Warning for Maldives Yonhap News SEOUL, Aug. 30 (Yonhap) -- South Korea issued a travel warning for Maldives on Monday, citing possible terrorist attacks. read more   Reconciliation for the Maldives, says former Seychelles leader Travel Wire News Joining a growing list of governments and international organizations, the former president of the Republic of Seychelles, Mr. James R. Mancham, on Friday expressed concern at recent developments in the Maldives. In a statement hand delivered to an eTurbo News correspondent, Mr. Mancham said there is growing international interest for the well-being of the detainees as well as genuine worry about the impact on the smooth path of democratic reform initiated by the president of the Maldives. read more     DO  SALUTES   Qasim Ibrahim; Leading by Example The Epitome of a Maldivian Dream "Mr. Qasim Ibrahim is indeed a self-made man, displaying the virtues of hard work, versatility and vision. He has been involved in trading and shipping for over two decades. Today he is a major Maldivian ship owner and operator. In recent years he has also become a key player in the tourism industry. He now owns or operates a number of resort hotels in the Maldives with a combined bed capacity of over 1,700. I am pleased to note that Mr. Qasim Ibrahim is the first Maldivian to secure a loan from the International Finance Co-operation (IFC), which has an impressive track record in identifying and backing commercially viable enterprises. He is also the winner of three national awards for his outstanding contributions to trade and tourism development. His achievements show that opportunity awaits those with vision, energy and drive. Starting from almost scratch, he has set a fine example for others to emulate."  Maumoon Abdul Gayyoom (1999). read more     'Fundamentalists behind violence in Maldives' Hi Pakistan ISLAMABAD: A visiting Maldivian minister on Friday accused the "fundamentalist" elements for the recent violence to destabilise the government of President Maumoon Abdul Gayyoom, and sought media support to counter "baseless" propaganda against his country. read more     cnuLug egcnutiycawr ihevid    cSwmuvureairuk urwvcnef egumuLuairid egcnutiycawr ihevid  iawgumwnim "cnuLug egcnutiycawr ihevid" cSwmuruk ctwkcawswm Whiruh egEjcaWrihevid urwbwh irevWfua egumwkejcaidefua caetwaWmwj EvuLWdiv cawrutia .evemwvunof cSwncnutiycawr   uLotwa Ikwmuruk cawkctwswm cSwa Igcawrwt eguLotwa uDcawa * caetwycailUacswm egcnutiycawr   cawkwkwt ihwvwyif urutia egIgcawrwt iaWmurukctwyWmih umuawgihevid * caetwycailUacswm egcnutiycawr Ikwmuruk ihwfugwm   cnuvcaedWzwj egcnWlwkunUlcawm *     Sunday, 29th August 2004 Wbirujwt itih - wnurwk El * .eveTcauh ukWlwh wmwh cawaelwk !evenUmuawm Ea *	Local  NEWS   Click here  Minivan   RADIO   Listen to Programs  DO  QUICK GUIDE   Click here  Detainees  LIST   Updates Information Minister Samaru buloo Ibrahim Manik to be transferred to Youth Ministry read more  DO  QUICK GUIDE  Maldivians crying out for democracy BBC TV Reports The Truth : Gayyoom is a tyrant - Is Amnesty International lying? Making up stories? - Is the US State Department lying, making up stories? - Is the BBC and the world media lying? - Aren't the people of Maldives deprived of basic human rights? - Isn't Gayyoom the longest serving elected leader in Asia? - Doesn't Gayyoom have his family and friends in the cabinet? - Who should the world believe, a liar, a tyrant or the innocent people of Maldives?  read more  LIST OF DETAINEES Amnesty International Appeal   Special Majlis Members Call them & demand justice!   Get up, stand up, stand up for your rights!     NEW CARTOONS / KOTO   cqIfwx : csWmitclia   CONTACT US DO Mobile and SMS Hotline + 44 7709911220 (UK) Submit news/articles by fax or e-mail      Fax:   + 44  808 208 3494 EMAIL dhivehiobserver@gmail.com   wvwlihevid NEW POEMS Short Story Maldives; Close your eyes and imagine the History of     Have Your Say DEBATE CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM   PHOTO ALBUM     An alternative view point Leaders of tomorrow who will be the next President of Maldives? send in your comments by email “Verily never will God change the condition of a people until they change it themselves.”  Qur’an 13:11 THE DREAM By the strength of our common endeavour, to achieve what we cannot do alone, to grant each of us the power to realize our full potential, and the means to create for this and future generations a community in which power, wealth and opportunity are in the hands of the many not the few, where the respect we receive reflect the duties we owe, so that freed from the tyranny of poverty, ignorance and fear, we could live together in spirit of solidarity tolerance and respect. [Clause 4 - Labour Party - UK]   No boundaries can hold us!   We are waking up now out of the past, to dream a bigger dream. We are friends and equals, we are diverse and unique and we should be united for something bigger than our differences. We believe in freedom and cooperation. We are a culture emerging. We find our own guidance and we discern our own truth. We go in many directions but we refuse to disperse. We are local and global, we are the wave of evolution. We are in every child's eyes, we face the unknown with wonder and excitement living in the present and we speak our truth. We cannot be quieted because our voice is within everyone. We are building a new Maldives that works for everyone!   by email - 29th August 2004   Today's Message to Gayyoom My response to Mr. President’s interview. According to Mr. Maumoon it seems very simple and all good for the people of Maldives. First of all let me congratulate Mr. president for his so called reform proposals. I hope he will stick with the proposals. Mr. president seems to insist that there are no systematic abuse or torture going on in the prisons. Mr. president, you do not have to ask any organisation for the proof but ask your citizens. Please go and talk to people of Maldives, I am sure most of Maldivians will have a horror story to tell you about them or their family members. Here is a better suggestion, ask some of the cops, they will tell you how they followed the orders. But, then again, you were the head of NSS for a long time so you might not see such behaviours as false. Mr. president also seems not aware why people really want change. He seems to think there are only few people who wants change.  “I think the vocal dissidents are very few. There are five Maldivians abroad. Three of them are fugitives from justice. I can name them.” [interview to the Hindhu]. According to Mr. president these people have personal agenda and are not voice of the majority. Guess what Mr. president, these people are representing ordinary Maldivians and there are thousands of people. Mr. president, wake up early in the morning, have a cup of tea think about this, Why do you think ordinary people do not voice their Frank opinion in Maldives? I will give you hint, in Maldives there is no freedom of expression... I agree with you Mr. President, you did brought some positive changes to our country. However, I will tell you why we ordinary people are calling for change. Its not because of some disgruntled people abroad. I am calling for change because 1- We do not have jobs, and it seems you do not have plausible economic plan for future. 2 - Problem of Drugs is out of control 3 - Robbery and Violence is maybe its highest in Maldivian history 4 - A need for major overhaul of both Education and Health sectors in Maldives is way overdue 5 - And most importantly corruption in public service is so widespread only a change of government could help to solve this problem. As always this government [Mr. Maumoon] seems to run away from responsibility, its always someone else responsibility. Here is the news Mr. president, you run the government so you must take responsibility. When things go wrong please do not blame few people abroad or group of religious activists or drug addicts. In my opinion, you must take responsibility for the events that took place in the last few months. You must have a hard look at your self and decide why this is happening. So Mr. president don’t think like a child and be delusional, we need change because it is absolutely necessary. But then again you are already in the “gang” so it is difficult. Zoom7 Maldives - Tuesday, September 07, 2004 at 03:12:36 (MDT) Read all Messages Open Forum Dear People, I like to appeal to the wives of detainees to take initiative in re-starting the public protests. This state of emergency and living under the Article 144 can soon become the ‘normality’. This is what Gayyoom is trying to do! He can, with some vested power of the executive in some clause of present constitution refrain the upcoming elections of People’s Majlis and delay the election perhaps for another year or so. Why, he has the perfect rubber stamp Majlis now as his opponents are jailed for supposed crimes of murder, terrorism, rape, fraud, spreading Christianity or fundamentalist Islam or some acts of crime. And of course! Gayyoom’s saint like heart weeps for the unfortunate circumstance of having to jail and torture MPs, but, ‘nobody can be above the law’, can they? .. and a criminal need to be treated as a criminal. We NEED to START protesting! Believe me, the longer we stay the more stagnated we become. No international community can helps us if we aren’t helping ourselves. Hell with state of emergency! Please, the wives of detainees, you take the initiative as you being the spouses have every right to be concerned about your partner, may it be in the state of emergency or outside the state of emergency. When you lead we will follow and believe me, when people see a sizable crowd it will in no time be like a crowd as the government describes a ‘few drug addicts and criminals’ Aiman Male', k Maldives - Tuesday, September 07, 2004 at 22:11:21 (MDT) Since the drug debate has been going on here for sometime... I thought I would post something here that I found a long time back in the internet. Can't remember the link now, sorry. Principles of Effective Treatment 1) No single treatment is appropriate for all individuals. Matching treatment settings, interventions, and services to each individual's particular problems and needs is critical to his or her ultimate success in returning to productive functioning in the family, workplace, and society. 2) Treatment needs to be readily available. Because individuals who are addicted to drugs may be uncertain about entering treatment, taking advantage of opportunities when they are ready for treatment is crucial. Potential treatment applicants can be lost if treatment is not immediately available or is not readily accessible. 3) Effective treatment attends to multiple needs of the individual, not just his or her drug use. To be effective, treatment must address the individual's drug use and any associated medical, psychological, social, vocational, and legal problems. 4) An individual's treatment and services plan must be assessed continually and modified as necessary to ensure that the plan meets the person's changing needs. A patient may require varying combinations of services and treatment components during the course of treatment and recovery. In addition to counselling or psychotherapy, a patient at times may require medication, other medical services, family therapy, parenting instruction, vocational rehabilitation, and social and legal services. It is critical that the treatment approach be appropriate to the individual's age, gender, ethnicity, and culture. 5) Remaining in treatment for an adequate period of time is critical for treatment effectiveness. The appropriate duration for an individual depends on his or her problems and needs . Research indicates that for most patients, the threshold of significant improvement is reached at about 3 months in treatment. After this threshold is reached, additional treatment can produce further progress toward recovery. Because people often leave treatment prematurely, programs should include strategies to engage and keep patients in treatment. 6) Counselling (individual and/or group) and other behavioural therapies are critical components of effective treatment for addiction. In therapy, patients address issues of motivation, build skills to resist drug use, replace drug-using activities with constructive and rewarding non-drug-using activities, and improve problem-solving abilities. Behavioural therapy also facilitates interpersonal relationships and the individual's ability to function in the family and community. 7) Medications are an important element of treatment for many patients, especially when combined with counselling and other behavioural therapies. Methadone and levo-alpha-acetylmethadol (LAAM) are very effective in helping individuals addicted to heroin or other opiates stabilize their lives and reduce their illicit drug use. Naltrexone is also an effective medication for some opiate addicts and some patients with co-occurring alcohol dependence. For persons addicted to nicotine, a nicotine replacement product (such as patches or gum) or an oral medication (such as bupropion) can be an effective component of treatment. For patients with mental disorders, both behavioural treatments and medications can be critically important. Addicted or drug-abusing individuals with coexisting mental disorders should have both disorders treated in an integrated way. Because addictive disorders and mental disorders often occur in the same individual, patients presenting for either condition should be assessed and treated for the co-occurrence of the other type of disorder. 9) Medical detoxification is only the first stage of addiction treatment and by itself does little to change long-term drug use. Medical detoxification safely manages the acute physical symptoms of withdrawal associated with stopping drug use. While detoxification alone is rarely sufficient to help addicts achieve long-term abstinence, for some individuals it is a strongly indicated precursor to effective drug addiction treatment. 10) Treatment does not need to be voluntary to be effective. Strong motivation can facilitate the treatment process. Sanctions or enticements in the family, employment setting, or criminal justice system can increase significantly both treatment entry and retention rates and the success of drug treatment interventions. Possible drug use during treatment must be monitored continuously. Lapses to drug use can occur during treatment. The objective monitoring of a patient's drug and alcohol use during treatment, such as through urinalysis or other tests, can help the patient withstand urges to use drugs. Such monitoring also can provide early evidence of drug use so that the individual's treatment plan can be adjusted. Feedback to patients who test positive for illicit drug use is an important element of monitoring. 11) Treatment programs should provide assessment for HIV/AIDS, hepatitis B and C, tuberculosis and other infectious diseases, and counselling to help patients modify or change behaviours that place themselves or others at risk of infection. Counselling can help patients avoid high-risk behaviour. Counselling also can help people who are already infected manage their illness. 12) Recovery from drug addiction can be a long-term process and frequently requires multiple episodes of treatment. As with other chronic illnesses, relapses to drug use can occur during or after successful treatment episodes. Addicted individuals may require prolonged treatment and multiple episodes of treatment to achieve long-term abstinence and fully restored functioning. Participation in self-help support programs during and following treatment often is helpful in maintaining abstinence. So I think this is nothing new for the people who think about this grave problem in our society. The question is how can we implement these things in Maldives? Any idea? I guess a lot has to change dho....... River of ideas Male', Maldives - Monday, September 06, 2004 at 02:14:27 (MDT)
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