Shaheed talks about Maldives :: Dhivehi Observer

Editorial
"It was not laws, but money that limited press freedom" says Dr. Shaheed

A.S.I.Moosa (Sappe'), Dhivehi Observer, 08 April 2005

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 24^th 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.

And, just this week, he said on The Hindu that it is difficult to have press freedom in Maldives because we are all related to each other. He went on to give another reason too saying that it is not the laws but money that hinders press freedom in Maldives. Even after gruelling discussions and debate amongst some highly educated Maldivians, we have not been able to understand the message he is trying to deliver.

Let us take a close look at these two statements. What has family ties or inter-relation got to do with press media? And, I for one am a Maldivian and I am not related to all the Maldivians? Perhaps he is referring to Gayyoom's government ( a true family affair) so criticism and exposure of their deeds will be distasteful and Gayyoom will loose power if that happens, hence press freedom cannot be allowed.

The second point of money being an issue that hinders press freedom is even more absurd a statement. All we know is that even people with money who wanted to get into the media and publishing market in Maldives were denied the opportunity by subjecting them to torture. Let us recall some of them like Sangu, Hukuru and even Sandhaanu.

Of course, Shaheed cannot say that by controlling press freedom Gayyoom has been able to control the minds of the people and live off their money like an "Arab Billionaire King."

Shaheed obviously does not think through before he starts babbling away. On 5^th April, an article in Haveeru Daily gave a detailed account of the Shaheed’s response to the call by the Asian Centre for Human Rights (ACHR) for the withdrawal of President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom's comprehensive reform agenda. He said it "does not make any sense.” However, in his attempt to explain how inclusive and comprehensive the reform agenda is, he forgot to mention that his Master had promised similar sweeping reforms on several occasions before. He also forgot to mention that in fact almost all these reforms were proposed by member of the last Special Majlis during their 17 year attempt to amend the 1968-Constitution but were all rejected by his Master. He also said that these reform agenda is being carried forward with close consultation with international bodies such as the commonwealth and other foreign experts and not the people of Maldives who have to live by the constitution. Shaheed also forgot to mention that his Master is incapable to respecting laws and adhering to the current constitution and hence is in not in a position to respect any constitution not matter how democratic or fair it is.

Shaheed should think about what he is going to say before he makes these unsubstantiated and pathetic statements. It is one thing to defend a dictator but how can someone like Shaheed who claims to be a great diplomat and an expert in foreign affairs allow him to be a laughing stock of the world like what’s his face, yes! Al- Sahaaf, the former Information Minister of Iraq.