:: Dhivehi Observer :: Peoples Press ::

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.

Maldives is one of the oldest sovereign nations in the world; kings and queens based in Male' have ruled Maldives for over one thousand years.

Infighting, nepotism and corruption among the elite always had been the cause of instability and suffering for the Maldive people. Despite Maumoon Gayyoom's public claims to be the leader of a new modern 'democracy', the present situation in Maldives has not changed in any meaningful way. Gayyoom devotes great energy to hiding the truth from both Maldivians and foreigners. Below is a chart showing the web of nepotism and influence that Gayyoom uses to control the government structure. Combined with his command of the NSS, this structure has resulted in one of the world's most complete dictatorships.

Holding over 15 cabinet posts in the government, Gayyoom and his family head more than 10 different portfolios, including the powerful post of the Speaker of the Majlis (The Parliament) headed by his own brother Abdulla Hameed, who is also the Atolls Administrator, which allows him to control and influence more than 75% of the Maldivian population in the islands. Hameed previously held the post of Education Minister, among other cabinet portfolios. Abdulla Yameen, another brother of Gayyoom, is the Trade Minister and also holds the posts of the chairman of the State Trading Organisation, Island Aviation and the Electricity Board. These are some of the largest companies owned by the government of Maldives. Mr. Yameen is not only the Chairman of the State Electric Company but also the head of the regulatory body for Electricity.

Gayyoom's brothers-in-law are uneducated, unqualified and ruthless people. Ilyas Ibrahim, the brother of Gayyoom's wife Nasreena Ibrahim, is the current Transport and Civil Aviation Minister. He was previously the State Minister for Defence and National Security as well as Atolls Administrator and head of State Trading Organisation. However, in 1993, Mr. Ilyas challenged Gayyoom in the Presidential election, which resulted in Gayyoom charging Ilyas with corruption and even of plotting to assassinate the President by Black Magic. Ilyas was sentenced in absentia, as he 'conveniently' fled the country straight after the 1993 elections. However, to the amazement of all Maldivians, Ilyas was pardoned and came straight back into the cabinet in 1998.

Another brother-in-law is Ibrahim Manik, who is married to a sister of the President’s wife, is the Minister of Information, Arts and Culture. He has no understanding of his portfolio, and functions as a puppet of Gayyoom.

Gayyoom's nephew, Midhath Hilmy is the Minster of Communication, Science & Technology. Another of his nephews Hamdhoon Hameed, has become the Planning Minister. Another of Gayyoom's brothers, Majeed, is a Deputy Minister. In addition to all the cabinet posts, key chairmanship posts are shared within the family.

Other powerful members of the cabinet, who have served Gayyoom since his accession to power in 1978, are Foreign Minister Fathulla Jameel and the Youth & Sports Minister Zahir Hussain, who are his faithful friends since his school days in Egypt. Other long-serving members of the cabinet are Ismail Shafeeu, Abdulla Kamaaludeen and Umar Zahir.

Combined, these puppets ensure that Gayyoom's supremacy is sustained without question. For these Ministers, Gayyoom's word is greater than God’s, and nothing is more important to them than pleasing Gayyoom. Whatever their private views, their attitude in cabinet meetings is almost always one of fawning servility and fearful adoration.

This lack of ministerial responsibility and integrity should be challenged and reformed; the people of Maldives deserve better. The vast majority of Maldivians have long been deprived of their most basic rights to freedom, decent wages and living conditions, and most of all a proper justice system.

Gayyoom's family members exhibit such power that people in Maldives fear them. People go out of their way to please them, and this includes most of the businessmen in the country as well as underprivileged Maldivians.

For these elite rulers of the Maldives, maintaining a hostile, intimidating and fearful atmosphere is more important than promoting democracy, good governance and observing the rule of law. Cabinet Ministers live millionaire lifestyles in a country classed among the most underdeveloped in the world. Gayyoom hand-picks these people and the selection criterion is absolute allegiance to his rule and supremacy. Most of Gayyoom's cabinet Ministers are uneducated and inept, and the few who were competent have been sidelined and end up resigning or being removed.

The powerful family members can get away with any crime. While ordinary Maldivians are whipped, imprisoned and exiled for fraud, sodomy, adultery, unmarried sex and drug-dealing, members of the elite are untouchable as far as the law is concerned. No case is ever filed against them, regardless of the evidence. The extent of corruption and abuse of power is quite astonishing, particularly while so many harsh and intolerant laws are enforced rigorously against other Maldivians.

The absolute control of this regime is not limited to just the cabinet posts. All the other influential and powerful positions, such as Chairmanships of State Electric Company, Maldives Water and Sewerage Company, State Trading Organization, Maldives Airports Authority, Telecommunication Company Dhiraagu are all held firmly within the family and by other members of the cabinet. These companies are 100% or majority owned by the government.

Furthermore, Television Maldives [the only TV station in the country], Voice of Maldives [the only radio broadcasting service in the country] which are under the direct control of brother in law Ibrahim Manik, the Minister of Information, Arts and Culture. In addition to this, all three daily newspapers, Haveeru, Miadhu and Aafathis are owned by Minister Zahir Hussain, Minister Ahmed Abdulla and brother in law Abbas Ibrahim, respectively. This subsequently provides the regime with total control over media as well.

Table below lists of some of the most powerful positions in the Maldives government machine. Gayyoom himself, his brothers, nephews and in-laws, hold a substantial number of these posts.

Maumoon Abdul Gayyoom
1. President of the Republic of Maldives
2. Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces
3. Minister of Defence and National Security
4. Minister of Finance and Treasury
5. Governor of Maldives Monetary Authority
6. Head of Judiciary (Supreme Judge)
Abdulla Hameed	(Gayyoom's own brother)
7. Speaker of the People's Majlis
8. Minister of Atolls Development
Ibrahim Hussain Maniku	(Gayyoom's brother-in-law)
9. Minister of Information, Arts and Culture
 Head, Voice of Maldives (VOM)
 Head, Television Maldives (TVM)
 Member of Parliament

Abdulla Yameen	(Gayyoom's own brother)
10. Minister of Trade and Industries
 Chairman of State Electric Company
 Chairman of Island Aviation
 Chairman of State Trading Organization (STO) Plc
 Chairman of Electricity Board Regulatory Body
 Member of Parliament
Ilyas Ibrahim	(Gayyoom's brother-in-law)
11. Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation
 Chairman, Maldives Airports Company Limited
 Chairman, Maldives Ports Authority
 Member of Parliament
Midhath Hilmy (Gayyoom's nephew)
12. Minister of Communication, Science and Technology
Hamdoon Hameed	(Gayyoom's nephew)
13. Minister of Planning and National Development
Fathulla Jameel
14. Minister of Foreign Affairs
 Chairman of Maldives National Shipping Ltd.
 Appointed Member of the Parliament
Mohamed Zahir Hussain
15. Minister of Youth Development and Sports
 Owner, Haveeru Daily Newspaper
 Appointed Member of the Parliament
Umar Zahir
16. Minister of Construction and Public Works
 Chairman, Maldives Transport & Contracting Company
Ahmed Zahir
17. Minister of Justice
 Appointed Member of the Parliament
Ismail Shafeeu
18. Minister of Home Affairs and Environment
 Chairman, Telecom. Company Dhiraagu
Abdul Rasheed Hussain
19. Minister of Employment and Labour
 Member of Parliament
Ahmed Abdulla
20. Minister of Health
 Owner, Miadhu Daily Newspaper
 Member of Parliament
Hassan Sobir
21. Minister of Tourism
 Chairman, Maldives Water & Sewerage Company
 Head, Maldives Tourism Promotion Board
 Member of Parliament
Abdulla Kamaluddeen
22. Minister of Fisheries, Agriculture and Marine Resources
 Member of Parliament
Aneesa Ahmed
23. Minister of Gender, Family Development and Social Security
 Member of Parliament
Mahmood Shaugee
24. Minister of Education
Hassan Saeed
25. Attorney General

Note on 12th October 2004 : Although cabinet has been shuffled recently, none of Gayyoom's family members have been sacked or removed. Gayyoom has since given up Ministerial portfolios such as defence and finance. His Brother Hameed has been removed from the post of Speaker of the Majlis replaced by then Justice Minister Ahmed Zahir. Other changes have occured and 2 new including 2 new appointments.