:: Dhivehi Observer :: Peoples Press ::

Maldivians back opposition parties

By Hussain Shareef (Independent correspondent) 12th June 2004

Feeling isolated against the government over the issue of political freedom, many Maldivians are ending years of political apathy and actively supporting the opposition.

The country's criminal court will rule this July on whether police were responsible for the murder of Maafushi inmates and whether other opposition groups were involved in the uprisings.

Most people believe President Gayyoom, who has ruled Maldives since 1978, backed the shootings. Gayyoom is facing his greatest challenge to date from the opposition groups in upcoming elections.

Thousands of educated and young Maldivians have rallied with the opposition; to an extent Gayyoom has hired a PR firm in UK to defend his International image. However, the opposition claims this is another way of squandering the resources of the country as the the President's Bangladeshi son-in-law, is reportedly the agent who hired this firm.

'A make or break situation'

Two powerful families, which make up less than 30 people in Maldives population of 300,000, control much of the country's wealth and power.

July 26 is the 39th anniversary of independence from the British rule of Maldives. But it comes as the country faces its worst political crisis and amid strong support for the opposition groups.

Growing support from many islanders buoys MLD leader Ismail Saadiq’s rising popularity.

"We really see this as a make or break situation, not only from the Gayyoom family point of view, but from the entire country's point of view," said Jameel an MDP supporter.

President Gayyoom, however, has seized on the issue of political reforms and promised unprecedented reforms, which many believe, is a PR event.

"They are paying money, lots of money, from the coffers of the country. We are ready to fight and it will be a fight to the finish," MDP supporter in Male' said.

The other opposition leaders in exile echoed the threat.

"There is no other government that will come and rule this country while we are still alive, and what we want to assure everyone that we are ready to fight and we are ready to do so now," a close relative of Gayyoom told his invited guests.

Gayyoom defends political freedom

In Male', Gayyoom defended the political freedom and humane treatment of prisoners, he has provided to the people and denied that such practices occurred under his rule."

"My people are happy," Gayyoom said on the sidelines of the recent visit to Singapore. “They are not complaining about their freedom.”

"It is not a fight against the opposition parties as such; it is a fight against a particular group who wants to change our religion and faith," he added.

Gayyoom pointed out that the political reforms would come once the people are ready to accept a different and open system of government. But now we are not ready, he added.

"What they have done is merely to run a loose organization within island communities and in some cases run a website, a small group of supporters who consist of criminals and drug addicts created havoc in the name of a peaceful demonstration, and they were arrested, because they have been guilty of acts of violence," Gayyoom said. He acknowledged, however, that some opposition groups are influencing his programs in the Maldives. He rejected that he found Mr. Saadiq the biggest threat to his regime, but he quickly added that he was not taking him lightly.

"We have appealed to the people not to take law into their own hands, but to let the law of the land takes its course. We will regularize the process of political parties, once the people are ready," he added.

He blamed a few individuals of opposition parties for the crisis, saying they reneged on the previous political reforms he proposed to help the young and educated people who are returning to the Maldives.

But in Male', business owners accused the Gayyoom family members of targeting opposition workers in a fresh wave of intimidation. Many MLD members openly have defended their exiled leader.

Mr. Saadiq the President of the MLD said, "There is a pattern of intimidation and witch-hunting in the islands. We have information on many cases of serious threats to many of our members even in Male."