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Editorials
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Editorial
Gayyoom's
false allegations against his critics is nothing new
The new allegation against the Maldivian opposition
being devised by Gayyoom is just another pathetic
attempt by Gayyoom to halt the activities of his critics
who continues to expose his dictatorship to everyone.
Since Gayyoom came to power, everyone who has opposed
him has been accused of outrageous crimes with most of
them serving years in prison.
read more
Editorial
Gayyoom's
so called Foreign Policy destroyed the hopes and
aspirations of the people of Addu Atoll
Addu Atoll is a very strategically located group of
island with the second largest population concentration
in the Maldives which is just over 30,000 representing
more than 10% of the total population.
Addu people are sometimes classed as English
Maldivians based on the interaction the people of Addu
had with the British who worked and lived in the British
RAF Naval Base in Gan Island, which is the largest plot
of wasted land in the country now because Gayyoom does
not want the people of Addu to prosper.
read
more
Editorial
 Gayyoom
National Day Dawn Speech
Yesterday was the Maldives National Day, celebrating the
liberation fight of the Maldivian Hero, Mohamed
Thakurufaanu, who fought the Portuguese occupation in
the 16th Century. History has noted that the
Portuguese occupation of Maldives was from 1558 – 1573,
during which they tried to convert the Maldivians to
Christianity. The invasion or the assault was believed
to be led by a Maldivian King, Hassan IX, who converted
to Christianity and fled to India but later organised
the whole plot to takeover his regency. There appears to
be no record of any Portuguese State sponsored invasion
of Maldives and hence, it is widely accepted amongst
most historians as an internal problem rather than a
foreign aggression.
read more
Editorial
 A
2 Billion Dollar Church in Maldives – desperate
propaganda from the dictator's parrots
When anyone opposes and criticises the dictatorship of
Gayyoom, they get labelled by his lackeys as traitors,
terrorists, fundamentalists and/or Christian
missionaries. Dhivehi Observer, Maldivian Democratic
Party and other opposition organisations have been
blamed by Gayyoom and his top officials for trying to
spread Christianity in Maldives and attempting to
destroy the religious unity in the country. Gayyoom's
cronies claim the opposition is fully funded by
Christian organisations with the objective of converting
Maldives to their faith.
read more
Editorial
 Dictator
Or Not?
The illicit government of Maldives is run by Gayyoom
with maximum control over all affair of it. The
ministerial portfolios of Gayyoom's nepotistic
government have no powers whatsoever over their affair
and everything has to be approved by the Dictator
himself, including the agenda of meetings, down to the
very fine details such as which verse of Quran should be
recited in meetings.
read more
Editorial
 “It
was not laws, but money that limited press freedom” says
Dr. Shaheed
Dr. Shaheed needs to get a health check-up because
lately he has been babbling nonsense in the name of the
Maldivian people aimed at saving the rule of his Master,
Gayyoom “the hypocrite of the millennium”.
The most outrageous comment he has made to date was the
one on BBC on 24th January this year, when he
said “Gayyoom is the father of reform in the Maldives.”
Perhaps he was trying too hard to prove his point and
got carried away. But, as Chief Government Spokesman he
really should not get carried away on world media when
billions are watching him.
read
more
Editorial
 Gayyoom’s
Tourism Master Plan is unprofessional and economically
unsound
Winners of the 11 new resorts tendered last year was
announced today but the basic mood amongst the bidders
is that of disappointment and utter waste of time and
money. As anticipated they were awarded to the same
parties which scored the highest points in the
controversial markings done by Ismail Firag’s “Angels”
belonging to the unknown American firm who completed the
evaluation is world record time.
read more
Editorial
Drug Abuse Widespread in Maldives
It is not hard to establish the correlation between drug
addiction and Gayyoom’s rule in the Maldives. His
education and vocational training policies were
inadequately funded from the very beginning which meant
that several thousands children have no or very little
education and hence are unable to get a job and fend for
themselves. So, the best thing Gayyoom could do was let
the drug use be allowed and create a huge population of
drug addicts, whose only need is drugs and will do
anything to get it. In return, this will also allow him
to mobilise these disgruntled youth to be used for his
heinous policy of creating fear and insecurity amongst
the population reinforcing the need for a ‘wild’ police
force in the Maldives.
read more
Editorial
 Maumoon
Abdul Gayyoom; the Hypocrite of the Millennium
Gayyoom embodies all the characteristics of a true
hypocrite. He never delivers on his promises, says one
thing and does the complete opposite. He was amongst the
few graduates in Maldives at the time and significantly
he was revered as an Islamic Scholar back in 1978. This
was enough to convince the largely uneducated public at
the time that he would be a good president.
Nevertheless, he broke the law from day one. According
to senior officials in government at the time, Gayyoom
and his associates bribed several members of the
parliament to get elected in the secret presidential
ballot of 1978. Once nominated by the parliament, the
referendum was a sure thing because Maldivians were
pleased to see an Islamic Scholar presiding over their
affairs, which they thought would be bring equality,
prosperity, affluence and social justice. To the
contrary, his reign was going to be anything but.
read more
Editorial
 Maldives
and the Tsunami Experience
Naturally, last
night was a very daunting night for most Maldives as it
was for the peoples of the whole of the Indian Ocean
region. People have just begun to get on with their
lives after the devastating tsunami of last December,
which brought untold devastation and death to a the
people of the Indian Ocean region.
read more
Editorial
 Role
of India in Shaping Maldives Politics
India has always been there for us in our times of need.
India came and rescued us from the turmoil of November 3rd
coup attempt in 1988. India came and rescued several
Maldivians and tourists after the tsunami. They
subsequently played a major role in the relief efforts
as well. India provides Maldives with vital human
resources and has been a hub of business for many
Maldivians. India is also one of the most frequently
visited countries for Maldivians seeking medical or
educational opportunities.
read
more
Editorial
Why
are Maldivians so scared of Gayyoom?
The answer is
simple. Gayyoom is a murderer who has killed many
Maldivians since he took office in 1978. Gayyoom is a
heartless torturer, thousands of Maldivians will testify
to that. If anyone says anything against him or any of
his policies or his corrupt officials, then you simply
get locked up in jail for an indefinite period. You then
undergo a transformation of learning to accept the
injustices of Gayyoom for the sake of your family and
livelihood. That is the idea anyway and many have given
up their fight for democracy and freedom after such
ordeals but at the same time a handful of people have
continued with their campaign and work in spite of such
experiences.
read more
Editorial
The
cornerstone of building a better Maldives is the
rejection of Gayyoom's dictatorship
How can anyone believe anything
Gayyoom says anymore? He said he will reform Maldives
back in 1993 as we proved by publishing AFP interview in
Haveeru, dated October 7th 1993. In that he promised
'Sweeping Reform' but we have seen nothing but more
oppression and control of the media.
read more
Editorial
Torture
in tropical paradise II – the torture begins
A 28 year old man has died
whilst in custody under suspicious circumstances in
Maldives today. Muaviyath Mahmood was arrested on 4th
of this month for a drug offence. He has been
arrested before but his mother has stated that he was
not a heavy drug addict and that when he was arrested,
he was a healthy man.
read more
Editorial
Mass
demonstration on the street of Male’ and other larger
islands is the only way to remove Gayyoom from power
The public outcry on September 19th 2003
after witnessing the brutal murders of Evan Naseem and
his colleagues like Abdulla Ameen was extraordinary.
Gayyoom’s brutality was fully exposed that day and ever
since there has been vocal criticism and organised
opposition against him. His image of a benevolent leader
is no longer the case and world over now know what kind
of a ruthless dictator he is. However, to this day,
people are still waiting for him change or even step
down but everyone knows that Gayyoom has no intention to
surrender his palaces and other amenities and everything
indicates that he wants to cling on to power for as long
as he can and pass the reign of power to his daughter
Dunya Maumoom. Even international political analysts
have made this prediction.
read more
Editorial
 Need
for a Workers Union in Maldives
In Maldives, there is an urgent need for a General
Workers Union to address the various issues of
employment. The main principles of such a union would be
to promote workers’ prosperity and welfare. Their
working conditions must be up to internationally
acceptable standards, their pay must be enough to
provide them with a decent living and they must be able
to get justice if and when such a need arise, such as
unfair dismissal and salary cuts.
read more
Editorial
It is our
future and we have to protect is with our lives
There is no rule of law in
Maldives and Gayyoom's will is the law. The country is run by a Dictator without
any regard for the adopted constitution. The prime responsibility of protecting
the constitution lies with the Member of the Parliament and they have so far
failed to do so. However, after mounting pressure from dissident both abroad and
in Maldives coupled with international pressure and media criticism of the
regime of Gayyoom, the last election has given some hope to great many
Maldivians who have waited for more than 50 years for a proper state to emerge.
read more
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Editorial
 Gayyoom
is responsible for the systematic torture and killings
in Maldives
Many people have died in custody in Maldives and the
police detain people arbitrarily. In almost all cases,
mental and physical torture occurs. The case of Evan
Naseem and what followed in September 2003 was not a
mistake nor a one-off. It was an incident of a system
that uses institutionalised torture to stay in power. It
also marks the beginning of the emergence of a unified
opposition and dissent against the tyranny in Maldives,
the Worlds' Secret Dictatorship.
read more
Editorial
How
can we trust the person who undermines the constitution
of the Maldives to amend it and reform the country?
It does not take a
genius to conclude that Gayyoom does not have what it
takes to amend the constitution of Maldives and bring
about democratic reform to our small nation. Here are
some very simple reasons to verify this statement.
The problem in Maldives is not that the current
constitution is evasive or lacks democratic principles.
The problem is that Gayyoom has had no regard for the
rule of law and has ruled the country as a private
limited company. Paradoxically, he announced ‘sweeping
reforms’ on 9th June 2004, after mounting
pressure from the people of Maldives and the
international community and not because he wants to
reform the country but because it is the only way he can
hold on to power, for the time being at least.
read more
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Editorial
How can there be "Reform" in Maldives without a free
media?
In Maldives, Gayyoom controls all forms of media. The
only TV and Radio stations are fully owned and managed
by the government. The three main daily news papers and
weekly magazines are owned by Gayyoom's family, close
associates and cabinet Ministers, in other words, by
hardcore cronies of Gayyoom who have become filthy rich
in the process. There are a number of other monthly
magazines but they all have a self-censorship scheme
because a simple word out of place and that is the end
of it all. Imprisonment and torture is thereafter
imminent. Sadly, all this is being done despite a
constitutional guarantee on freedom of expression.
read more
Editorial
 GAYYOOM
THINKS HE IS GOD
"A long habit of not thinking a thing wrong, gives it a
superficial appearance of being right" Thomas Paine
"Gayyoom thinks he is God and we are all his servants" was the
description of Gayyoom by a former cabinet member. "No, no, he really
believes that and all that he does for us, big or small is out of the
good of his heart, his mercy on us, not because he has to" the
minister reiterated his assertion. Many Maldivians fear Gayyoom not
because they believe he is God but because they have witnessed or
personally experienced ill-treatment, imprisonment and torture for
opposing Gayyoom. Perhaps many believed that he is immortal but the
tsunami waves upset Gayyoom hugely by bringing coconuts to the courtyard
of his Grand Palace. Now, if he was God, he would not have allowed that
to happen.
read more
 "Sometimes
it falls upon a generation to be great. You can be that
great generation” – Nelson Mandela
Putting President Maumoon Abdul Gayyoom in-charge of the
reform process has ‘disaster’ written all over it. The
unfolding UN-Iraq oil-money scandal is neither the first nor
the last wake-up call to International aid donors, the
United Nations (ironically) and European Countries about the
importance of properly assessing the credibility of the
Governments which they assist. It is time for Maldivians to
understand that neither aid-donors nor tourists would come
back as long as we have an International Money-launderer cum
dictator at the helm of our Nation. Quoting Former-president
of South Africa, Nelson Mandela at the speech he gave at
Trafalgar Square – “Like slavery and apartheid, poverty is
not natural. It is man-made and it can be overcome and
eradicated by the actions of human beings”
read more
Maldives Prisoners of Conscience – Naushad, Zaki, Didi,
Nisreen and Fareed must be free now
When we talk about reform
and democracy, and when Gayyoom is claiming to be the
champion of it all, the question that we need to ask is
‘why are there still prisoners of conscience in
Maldives?’ In a society that is supposedly waking up to
the 21st century, these abuses of most basic
rights to express ones views and being imprisoned for
life for doing so really do not make sense to anyone but
to Gayyoom.
The writers and associates of Sandhaanu have been behind
bars for simply expressing their views in an online news
magazine. Naushad Waheed is behind bars for apparently
writing a letter to Amnesty Internation and Fareed for
giving religious speeches.
There are rumours now in Maldives that Gayyoom is trying
to negotiate and talk to dissidents in Male’ and abroad.
Yes, nothing can be solved without discussions and
without talking but it is essential that both sides get
off to a good beginning. Before any meetings are setup
or any discussions begin between the two sides, as a
gesture of good intent, Gayyoom should really release
these prisoners of conscience.
read more
 Post
Election Rhetoric!
In the current political situation also he jumped on the
bandwagon and he put up a manifesto on 9 June 2004 and
now he calls himself as the father of democracy. In that
case, Winter Shareef is the great-grandfather of
democracy! This is the biggest joke in the history of
Maldives, isn’t it? His chief political prostitute Dr.
Ahmed Shaheed had rather said to the BBC, Gayyoom was
the ‘clown of democracy’ in Maldives. Then Dr. Shaheed
would not have been embarrassingly gob-smacked. These
guys are trying to fabricate history. In Maldives,
democracy has existed in the past and then reverted back
to dictatorial rule. This is a common phenomenon in many
countries like ours; look at Pakistan for instance.
read more
Time for Sovereign Guarantees for Resort Owners and Other Big
Investors
 The
best thing Gayyoom can do to revitalise the local
economy, in particular the tourism industry, is to give them
sovereign guarantees, so that they can obtain financing from abroad and
overhaul their finances - refinance their loans with low interest loans. Commercial loans from Europe and Asia
region can be obtained at less than 6%. The problem has always been the strict regulations and
the agreement with the government and also the refusal from the side of the
government to issue sovereign guarantees. Tourism Ministry official do not
have to travel and make arrangements for the resort owners, they can do it
themselves; stop interfering with their operations and management.
read more
Meetings, Meetings, and More
Meetings to Meet in Future!!!!
Maldives under Gayyoom has
always been a nation of committees and meetings. It is a
custom that Gayyoom brought from Egypt. Egyptians sit
around in the verandas of teashops sipping sweet black
tea, puffing the hubble-bubble and do nothing but talk.
In such meetings they will convert the Nile into a
stream and the Red Sea to the Mediterranean. There
thought process does not go beyond what is in sight.
Nothing fruitful comes out from these meetings but they
all agree to meet again soon. That’s what the Government
of Maldives has been doing for the last 27 years.
read more
Tsunami
Disaster
 A
Concept to Manage the Homeless People of
Maldives
The overriding
belief must be that there should not be a
single Maldivian without a proper roof over
his or her head, without access to clean
drinking water and without food. It can be
achieved by following the righteous path, by
adhering to a Human Agenda.
Gayyoom should move all the homeless to
Male' and to Addu Atoll. For two simple
reasons, there are enough places to house
them in both these locations, which are
strategically located with easy access by
sea and most importable by air. Male'
International Airport and Gan Airport (which
was an earlier Military base built by the
British) can be used to deliver food,
medicine and other equipment needed for
their survival.
read more
No
change for the extra dollars - Maldives police and
military split is NSS charade
Gayyoom
wanted to create a
personal presidential
guard to suppress human
development in Maldives
and act as a politicised
military force maintaining
his control regardless of
criticism from ministers,
the judiciary or
bureaucracy who had
traditionally shared power
with kings and queens.
Gayyoom's new NSS would
swear allegiance to the
president alone, not the
Dhivehi state. It could
act in a wide range of
roles, from religious
police to enforcers
for businessmen; its
operations were above
scrutiny by the courts or
the majlis.
read
more
End
Game for the Baathists -
Time to Fix the Votes
In
recent elections, SAARC
has provided a motley crew
of blind dignitaries to
verify voting procedures.
During the October 2003
presidential referendum,
these observers failed to
notice that Gayyoom
overturned the results,
brought in suitcases of
bogus votes and illegally
installed himself as
president. Are the
Commonwealth team going to
adjourn to their New
Year's Eve parties while
Gayyoom fiddles the paper
again?
read
more
Anti-Gayyoom candidates are stretched financially, who will help them?
DO has information that anti-Gayyoom candidates are unable to get any funding
for their campaigns, and some members can't pay for travelling
costs to visit their constituents, let alone meet the production cost of campaign
material. There are many private businesses and wealthy Maldivian who want to
help these candidates, but their movements and activities are closely monitored
by Gayyoom's cronies and hence these people are scared to help any anti-Gayyoom
candidates.
read
more
Hiyalee is a disgrace to
the Cradle of Knowledge; Addu Atoll
Addu Atoll is undoubtedly
a cradle of knowledge and home to several intellects. It
is home to some of the brightest brains in the Maldives
and yet, our rights represented by ignorant and self
centred crooks like Hiyalee Rasheed, who do nothing but
travel on an official passports as an MP and tell his
associates that he is the MP for Addu.
So, why on earth are the
people of Addu allow themselves to be enslaved by crooks
like Hiyalee who did not even pass his O levels
properly? And, why on earth is Hiyalee trying so hard to
secure his seat in the parliament?
read more
Votes must be counted and announced in the islands
The electorate does not have the right to choose, because
people are forced to
vote for government candidates. All ballot
boxes are transported to Male' by the NSS and
results are counted secretly in the
capital. Then the totals are faxed to Gayyoom
at Theemuge (the multi-million dollar
Presidential Palace) for approval before
anything is announced.
read
more Hithadhoo, Naifaru and
Male' - NSS controls the gangs
It is no coincidence that Maldives' most violent crimes are occurring in Male', Hithadhoo and Naifaru. All these islands are under strong NSS influence.
The drug addicted gangs that Gayyoom has organised to break the influence of the reform movement, can be directed and paid off easily. Also, when the
paateys have to be arrested, they can be processed and released without delay.
read
more
Doctor
for the Dictator - Tourism
Minister Mustafa Luthfee
Like the other doctors serving the dictator Gayyoom, the new tourism minister Dr Mustafaa Luthfee is an ambitious
and greedy man without ethics. He is supporting Gayyoom in the belief that
his ruler will grant access to great wealth.
The doctors in the
president's office collect millions in bribes for Gayyoom each year; the money is often laundered by senior administrators in the Maldives Monetary Authority.
read
more
Time
for a Government the People can Trust
There are many
other reasons why people take drugs, and historically humans have always been drug-sodden creatures.
Maldives' drug consumption has similarities to
nearby Sri Lanka and coastal India, except alcohol is officially banned.
Unlike the police forces in ports like Colombo, the NSS functions without legal restrictions and it controls immigration procedures as well. In this corrupt environment, drug smuggling is easy and police seizures are simply another source of supply.
read
more
Endemic Corruption in
Maldives: Concrete
Proof
Abdulla Shahid has a brand new 10 storey building.
Mohamed Hussain has one. Ilyas Ibrahim has a building.
Ahmed Abdulla has a building. Samarey has a building.
Fathulla lives in a nice little palace, has a holiday
retreat island. Mohamed Rasheed Ibrahim has one. Abdul
Rasheed Hussain has one. Anbaree has a building. Umar
Zahir has a building. Endherimaage is a high rise
multiplex city on its own. Who in the regime doesn't
have a building?
read more
Elections
in Maldives can never be 'free and fair'
while Gayyoom
is in power
If the international community really
wants to help the people of Maldives, they must pressure Gayyoom into
playing by the book and to respect and uphold the constitution of the
country. Sending a few election observers will simply be a way of
endorsing the dictatorship. With more than 200 islands balloting on the
same day, a handful of Commonwealth or European Union observers will only
serve as a 'rubber stamp' for Gayyoom to legitimise his autocratic and
brutal rule.
read more
 Accidents are
always on the rise in Male' during Ramazan
Going for a last minute round on your bicycle, bike or
your car minutes before the Maghrib prayer (sunset) is a
great tradition in Male'. This tradition is also seen in
other larger Maldivian islands such as Fuah Mulak and
Addu Atoll Islands. What is most amazing is that these
people are very low on energy because they are fasting
yet they drive and ride the bikes very recklessly and
dangerously. Almost everyday there are accidents some of
which has ended tragically. This is a very important
issue that we all must think about and try to solve.
read more
A new breed
of politicians needed in the Maldives
We must
work together to remove the incompetent and irresponsible
Majlis members who now occupy the legislative council. The
international attention on Maldives at this crucial time, with
the possibility of having election observers from the
Commonwealth and possibly European Union on the ground in
Maldives, with the possibility of having international media
in the country during the elections, Gayyoom is hampered in
his efforts to rig the votes and arrest his opponents. There
has never been a better opportunity to stand for the Maldives
parliament than this.
read
more
Time for Gayyoom to prepare his own cell
Countries ruled by families of
gangsters provide a breeding ground for despair and terrorism.
Indhira Gandhi and her son Sanjay thought the fanatical Sikh
separatists were a joke; in the 1980s the US thought Saddam
was an ally; and the CIA and Saudi royal family thought Osama
Bin Laden could be useful too. The civilised world is learning
the hard way that today's joke is tomorrow's nightmare.
read more
How much does Gayyoom cost us?
More than US$71.5 million over the past six years
Gayyoom's budgeted expenses are
at least 44% and 55% respectively of the National Education
and Health budgets for 2004... He is the richest man in the
Maldives because he has the whole wealth of the nation at his
disposal and no one dares to question him, fearing
repercussions which could affect their jobs, livelihood and
families, bringing years of solitary confinement or even a
life sentence in jail...
read more
Presidential Palace Theemuge
should be converted to the University of Maldives
The owner of Haveeru and retired
Minister of Youth and Sports (and one of Gayyoom and
Nasreena's closest friends) Zahir Hussein taught Islam at the
Science and Education Centre. There, he used to say to his
classes, 'Education is for the privileged few.'
Gayyoom's brother-in-law, the head of the National Council for
Linguistic and Historical Research and Gayyoom's new speaker
for the emasculated Special Majlis,
Abbas Ibrahim has appeared on Maldives TV
saying, 'Fishermen's sons should be fishermen.'
read more
Gayyoom 'loosening his
iron-fist' to gain international support
Over the
past few days, Gayyoom has released some detainees of Black
Friday including 3 members of the constitutional assembly.
Hon. Members Ahmed Adhil and Mohamed Naseem are currently
under house arrest whilst Ahmed Athif is released with travel
restrictions. Mr. Ali Abdulla has also been released with
travel restrictions. Confirmed reports say that Amnesty
International and the International Committee of the Red Cross
are to visit the Maldives during this week and they have
requested meetings with a cross section of the detainees.
read more
Prime Minister
Tony Blair is a democratic leader not an Evil Dictator like
Gayyoom
Gayyoom's propaganda machine is working at full speed today
after he received a letter from the Prime Minister of Great
Britain, Tony Blair. According to the following Press Release
(2004-598) on Gayyoom's official website, and local news
bulletins on the government's propaganda outlets TV Maldives
and Voice of Maldives, the president's office is implying that
Tony Blair supports Gayyoom's illicit activities, such as
political oppression, torture and imprisonment, and especially
the continuing detention of nearly 200 reformists including
popularly elected members of the Maldive Parliament and the
Constitutional Assembly.
read more
We must boycott the upcoming
Parliamentary Elections
By locking up and detaining the most respected reformist
Gayyoom hopes to eliminate opposition to his rule and have a
free hand in amending the constitution. The European Union
referred to them as 'the democratic future' of the Maldives.
This abuse of power by Gayyoom has been strongly condemned by
regional governments as well as international organisations.
Maldives might be small but it is a member of the global
community. Her people also deserve liberty and freedom; a
right to an affluent life.
read more
September 2003 and its
relation to the fight for democracy in the Maldives
Evan Naseem was serving a
sentence in Maafushi Jail for the use of drugs. Some
disturbances took place in the jail and Evan Naseem was blamed
for this. Evan was taken to the RANGE (the torture chamber)
and beaten to death by more than 12 policemen. Evan died
because his lungs collapsed after his chest bones fractured
and pierced his lungs. This sad incident happened exactly a
year ago on 19th September 2003.
read more
Monocracy of Maumoon Abdul Gayyoom
26 years later, he can be
classed only as a brutal dictator. Gayyoom has surpassed any
other dictator we Maldivians have ever known. He has created a
society in which power and wealth and opportunity are in the
hands of a very few Maldivians who have no desire to share it.
He has created a society in which education is by selection
and expensive, health service is under funded and inadequate
as well as inaccessible, the national security service is
trained to protect the government and not the public. Gayyoom
has created a society in which there is no justice or rule of
law but his will. This is known as autocracy, synonyms of
which are dictatorship, monocracy, tyranny and despotism.
read more
Maldivians are told that European Community is lying to the
world; "You know no?"
"We
met all the demands of the fact finding mission. We arranged
them to meet and interview government institutions. In
addition, when requested we arranged for them to meet some
detainees. We also gave that delegation the opportunity to
meet with Members of the Constitutional Assembly. As a matter
of fact, we don?t have to arrange all that during an
investigation. Therefore the story that EU did not get access
to detainees is not a true story" said the Maldives
Foreign Minister in the press conference given to local media
today.
read more
Maumoon Abdul Gayyoom is
the biggest and the only terrorist in the Maldives
"Free
countries do not export terror. Free countries 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 and arbitrary arrests. He has undermined the
constitution of Maldives whenever it
suits him. His government is
mired in nepotism and
corruption. There is no freedom of speech, association and
assembly. There is no rule of law,
apart from his will. There is no
free press. With complete and
unnecessary terror, he rules the most peace-loving people in the world.
Maldivians
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
means possible. Thousands of family members and pro-democracy
activists in 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
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 methods. The world must act before it is
too late.
read more
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Ismail Shafeeu
is the new Defence Minister not Gayyoom |
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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
Maldives cabinet reshuffle imminent
Gayyoom is being harassed by some members of his cabinet
for the brutality and the treatment of the people of
Maldives on Black Friday 13th August. More importantly,
some powerful friends of Qasim Ibrahim, Ibrahim Hussain
Zaki and Dr. Munawwaru are not prepared to just sit back
and relax and leave the fate of their friends in
Gayyoom’s hands. Gayyoom expects 100% support, and
submission and allegiance to his rule but he knows that
some members of his cabinet are not completely in
support of his ways of dealing with the public,
especially their friends. read
more
Gayyoom's constitutional reform address;
can the man be trusted?
 Commander
in Chief, General Gayyoom will tonight address the nation and the world
through web cast about his constitutional reform ideas sharing meeting
which is to be held tonight at Male' time 20:50 [16:50 GMT]. Reliable
sources in the Maldives confirm that Gayyoom will announce the following
key points to reform the current constitution:
1. Separation of the powers, The Legislature, The Executive and The
Judiciary
2. Allowing freedom of association and the formation of political
parties
3. Propose 2 4 year Presidential terms
The pundits say that this is a public relations stunt suggested by the
Gayyoom's private PR firm, Hills and Knowlton of UK. It is expected that
he will get these reforms rejected by the Special Majlis (Upper House of
Parliament) and then can blame them for not wanting reform, which will
end up in a statement such as people are not ready for reform despite my
suggestions. Some one who in 17 years amended the last constitution to
give him enormous executive powers cannot be entrusted with the ominous
task of deciding the future of the Maldives, that of this generation and
those to come. What is most astonishing is he is relentlessly trying to
shut down the works of reformists. And, this is why we cannot hold him
to his word. read more
Maldivian Heroes of Democracy
Our country needs more heroes like these
to embark on a path of meaningful development and to create equal
opportunity for all. read more
 People
of Maldives want independence from Gayyoom
Maldives gained independence from
Britain on 26th July 1965. President Nasir signed the
declaration and became an eternal hero of Maldives such as
Dhonbandaarain who ended the occupation by the forces of the
Ali Raja of Cannanore in the 18th Century. Today, in the main
island of Male’, foreign dignitaries are attending the
ceremonies and the public are told to stay away. National
Security Service has announced that people should not come out
and protest or make any noises on the street.
read
more
Is Calling for the Resignation of the President
Unconstitutional?
When I asked Mr. Moosa (Sappe') why he had
taken the unprecedented initiative in calling for Gayyoom's
resignation he explained
"I do
not recognise Mr. Gayyoom as the legitimate President of the
Maldives. He has undermined the Constitution of the Maldives
time and time again. The paradox is that we can't prove him
guilty because he is the Head of the Judiciary. However, as
responsible citizens, it is our duty to uphold and protect the
constitution of the Maldives. My legal advisors are in no
doubt that Mr. Gayyoom has committed High Treason as per
Article 12 (1) of the Constitution of the Maldives. They have
further advised me that as a citizen, I am liable to be
charged for High Treason for not pointing it out to the people
of Maldives as per Article 12 (2) of the Constitution of the
Maldives"
read more
What has Gayyoom got to do
with the constitution? Why should it matter what he wants? He
does not have the power to amend the constitution, or does he?
Constitution of the Republic of Maldives –
Article 92 The power to make and amend the Constitution of the
Maldives shall be vested in the People’s Special Majlis.
It does
not state that the power to make and amend the Constitution of
the Maldives shall be vested in the President of the Republic
of Maldives or Al Usthaaz Maumoon Abdul Gayyoom, does it?
read more
Ethical Writing
Dhivehi Observer
editorial board is noticing a lot of article contributors
ignoring established standards of writing, when making their
contributions to us. Our concern mainly comes with the
plagiarising writers who 'rip-off' whole articles with slight
cosmetic changes to suit the writers needs. We would like to
advise our contributors this brings the writers to disrepute
as well as this medium and the people who make it possible.
read more
Gayyoom's
Feckless Legacy
If he sincerely wants to
leave a legacy behind, he has to admit to his crimes and
apologise to the people of Maldives and resign without any
delay. His legacy, if any left would be that of a caitiff
academician, who resorted to invest his deception and
hypocrisy to swindle a nation of its wealth and to devastate a
whole generation in pursuit of his personal agendas.
Historians would only be wise not to write a legacy which is
not worth the ink its being written with.
read more
Dhoonidhoo Island Prison & Spa Resort Fully
 Booked;
Free Holidays for Maldivians
Dhoonidhoo Prison Island & Spa Resort has a standard capacity
of 50 single rooms but it is fully booked and hosts four times
the occupancy level, which is 200 guests DO can
reveal.
An all inclusive holiday in this luxurious resort island comes
very cheap, all you have to do is express a view that is not
inline with Gayyoom’s policies, which by the way only he knows
or criticise any of his government officials. That is it! You
get an all inclusive holiday which can last up to a lifetime!
read more
Gayyoom Party
(GP) Taking Us for a Ride, Yet Again
In recent
months, the political arena in Maldives has changed
dramatically with ever growing numbers of people criticising
the government for its shortfalls in establishing a
pluralistic democracy in the Maldives. It is quite important
to note that although political parties are not allowed, the
government acts like one. Public figures such as Atolls
Minister Hameed and Yameen openly advocate and campaign for
candidates and even label them as “Government Candidates”
read more
DO
calls upon Gayyoom for the
immediate lifting of the ban on all dissent websites and allow
free media and press to take its course in shaping the future
of our country
For the creation and
implementation of a proper democratic state, it is absolutely
vital for the state laws or the constitution to embody
equality and compassion. It must be compiled and adopted only
after exhaustive debates and deliberations. It must also be
passed by a truly representative body not hand picked by any
one person or group. It must also consist of people who are
capable, learned and diligent. Representatives of the people
must have strong moral principles and must be able to
transcend the selfishness and greed that comes with power.
They must have the well being of the people at their hearts
and must thrive on a humane agenda to create a just society
that can prosper and protect its future generations.
Therefore, it is paramount that the rights of the people to be
preserved with strong and clear set of laws as in the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights, for example.
read more
Maldives
Poll shows 76% in favour of a new government
A small public poll has
been carried out in the
Maldives,
in secrecy by an independent group of reformist volunteers.
The results show that the country is in favour of a new
Government. 87% of Malé and resorts want a change in
government and 65% of the islands support this view. Keeping
in view the enormous risks involved in carrying out such a
poll, it was only possible to conduct this poll amongst a
small sample of people from Male’, resorts the islands
covering all the Atolls. The poll was conducted in last week
by telephone. read more
Gayyoom's fate
After the hype of the last few months, many must be wondering
whether the waters have now settled in the political stir of
the Maldives. It is not the case. The opponents of the
government have come to realise that the game is to be played
at a level field to ensure that the desired results are
achieved from their collective efforts.
read more by
A.S.I.Moosa (Sappe')
Fighting for our rights
Divehi Observer
recognises the right to exercise the freedom of thought and
expression as an important basic right of every human being.
We feel that it is crucial to our existence that this right be
respected in every field of life and defended wherever the
circumstances arise. It is disappointing to note that those
committed to defending this basic fundamental right have to
work at the cost of humiliation, persecution and even, their
own lives. "The life which is unexamined is not worth
living" Plato.
read more
Thinadhoo "Enamaa boat tragedy" Fund
Issues like these go unnoticed in the
Maldives because it is seen as a unlawful to criticise the
mischievous activities of this government. Imprisonment is the
bounty of anyone who has tried to do that in the past. The
government of Maldives, must learn to accept the hard facts of
governance. This is the 21st century. There is such a thing as
"Civil Society". There is such a thing as
"Transparency and Accountability".
read more...
By
A.S.I.Moosa (Sappe’)
Wednesday, 27th March
 Maldives…
a mighty military power or just a bluff?
Many have long wondered why the government of Maldives is
so keen on spending such huge proportions of the national
wealth on the military. I will leave it to the imagination of
the readers to wonder the possibility of a military attack on
Maldives, by whom, when, how and why? According to CIA
statistics, Maldives military expenditure was US$ 34.46
million in 2002, which is 8.6% of the GDP.
read more
Military
Dictatorship Uncovered: Fragmentation hand-grenades in the
Maldives?
“The
Government (of UK) has no concerns that fragmentation hand
grenades licensed for export to the Maldives might be used as
a component in land mines. The grenades are for use "for
security purposes". Although it is hard to imagine for what
legitimate security purposes the Maldives might require such
grenades, we have no concerns over end-user diversion, and are
therefore not unduly alarmed that the export of the grenades
was permitted.” [UK Defence Select Committee Report]
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
Fact_maldives Propaganda Email
Anni, Buruma or Gogo - Who created the MDP? Anni was having
the idea of creating a democratic party most likely with his
first breath on earth. He along with his old writer (expired)
was unsuccessful to form MDP.
read more
Maldives...
Torture in tropical paradise
Police brutality is always associated with
dictatorships. Freedom of expression and association is
virtually outlawed by such regimes. That is the case in the
Maldives. A life sentence in a remote jail cell is the bounty
of any patriotic person in the Maldives.
read more
Fair Election - Gayyoom
Style " 2003 Referendum
A picture is worth more
than a thousand words. |
