Back to Basics: Democracy according to Dictator Gayoom :: Maldives News :: Editorial:: Dhivehi Observer

Editorial

Father of Democracy, that's me, do you understand, Kudey?

Back to Basics: Democracy according to Dictator Gayyoom

"Gayyoom is the father of democracy" - Dr. Ahmed Shaheed, Maldives' Foreign Minister.

Dhivehi Observer, 18 May 2007

When the US Secretary of State, Dr. Condoleeza Rice quoted Natan Sharansky's "town square test" in her statement to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in January 2005, she would know what she was talking about and those listening would no doubt understand. The US is one of the largest democracies in the world. According to the town square test "if a person cannot walk into the middle of the town square and express his or her views without fear of arrest, imprisonment, or physical harm, then that person is living in a fear society, not a free society".

"Gayyoom is the father of democracy" - Dr. Ahmed Shaheed

Although it is a much used and abused notion today, the word "democracy" conceptually can be traced back to the Greeks around the sixth century BC. The word actually comes from two Greek words "demos" meaning "the people"; and 'kratia' meaning "to rule". According to dictionary definition democracy is "is government by the people in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised directly by them or by their elected agents under a free electoral system." The key phrase here is "a free electoral system". Without freedom, there cannot be a democracy. In a nutshell, democracy is the institutionalization of freedom.

Among the international community one of the oldest existing democracies is the United Kingdom. When the Magna Carta was signed in the meadows of Runnymede in 1215, it was a landmark in the development of constitutional government in Britain. While no one would mistake King John for a democrat, it nevertheless marked the beginning of something that lead to the democratic system of government that exists in Britain today. Six centuries later, the founding fathers of the American Constitution found inspiration in the same document.

In this regard, it is heartening to note that that the Maldivian Democratic Party has established a strong and sincere link to the British Conservative Party. No doubt the Tories can teach the MDP some valuable lessons in the democratization process, which would ensure that the establishment of a pluralistic democracy in the Maldives would be long lasting and worthy to our citizens. Additionally, the International Women of Courage Award given by the US Secretary of State Dr.Condoleeza Rice to the MDP MP, Mariya Didi for her determination to affect political reform and greater rights for women proves that the road that Mariya and the rest of those fighting for democracy and human rights are walking is the right one. The US should recognize democratic reform when it sees any, indisputably. This is democracy as most of the world knows and understands.

However, for most of us in the Maldives, this is still in its embryonic stages Today we are still a long way from the free and democratic Maldives that each and every one of us dream about. At present, freedom is not something that every Maldivian citizen has as a birthright. Freedom is something that is given by Dictator Gayyoom and he can take it away at his whim and fancy. Take the example of article 26 of our constitution, which provides for freedom of assembly for the citizens of Maldives. Gayyoom can withdraw this whenever it is convenient for him to do so claiming that the assembly is "unlawful". No one has the right question the legality of the declaration, and if someone dares to do so, they risk being arrested and detained at His Excellency's pleasure in Dhoonidhoo island. People are even being prosecuted for travelling within the country. The case of the passengers on Namoona Dhoni is a case in point. In a truly democratic country, the idea of prosecuting those on board Namoona Dhoni is something one would be too horrified to even think about. Further, those who administer the justice system would stretch the limits in defence of human rights. But then would we see this in our "democratic" Maldives?

The hypocrisy of the Gayyoom regime goes beyond imagination. While hundreds of people are left homeless and destitute in the recent flooding, Gayyoom has the audacity to spent thousands of our hard earned cash for his security and travel entourage. Would it not be better to save that money and use it to help the needy? Oh no! That would be beyond the logic of Gayyoom. To put it simply, it is just not his style. He would rather use the state-funds for his lavish travel party and then go to the international community with his begging bowl. Those who have suffered would be lucky if they are to see a single cent of the money that the country receives from our foreign friends. Remember that two years on, there are several tsunami victims still living in temporary shelters while thousands have been spent on the tsunami memorial monument.

This is Gayyoom-style democracy. Repression, oppression, and subjugation are the cornerstones of this democracy. People are arbitrarily arrested and thrown into jail whenever it pleases him and as long as he wants. The most unfortunate ones end up on the shores of the islands a few days later, their bodies beyond recognition. While all the time, the state-media and unlimited state funds are misused for the promotion of himself and his party, the DRP. This is democracy as Gayyoom knows and understands. This is his Roadmap.

Within this backdrop, it is no surprise that in order to educate themselves and strengthen the 'democratization' process in the Maldives, of all places, the DRP is planning a visit to China.

Obviously they will learn a tremendous amount about multi-party democracy from this trip!

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