:: Dhivehi Observer :: Peoples Press ::

We must boycott local media altogether

Ibrahim Hassan, Male' 21^st September 2004-09-21

Enough is enough. It is now time to show them that we the people have power to influence what is informed to us and that we can tackle government propaganda. They are feeding our people with complete lies and trying to project that Gayyoom is the only one who can run our small but old nation. We must stop buying local papers and tuning into their TV and Radio stations.

None of the public events and news is reported if they tend to be defamatory toward Gayyoom's government. Events of absolute brutality and torture such as the killings of Eevan Naseem and other inmates last September were not report. The reform debates were not reported. The news of Black Friday was not reported. And, now the Press Release from Human Rights Commission of Maldives is still not reported in press. Everyone knows why they have read it today on TV Maldives because they are under a lot of international scrutiny who have been informed about the ban or this Press Release. On top of that, they had to study it thoroughly and prepare a respond to it.

Really, we must all just stop listen to Voice of Maldives and watching TV Maldives. We must also stop buying Haveeru, Miadhu and Aafathis as well as other local magazines which are off springs of these three. A few months will teach them how powerful we really are. Or, can Gayyoom arrest all of us for not buying his papers. Honestly, you won't miss much.

Gayyoom and his government can reform each other. We the people have our future to think about, that of our children and grandchildren.

Many of us are afraid to protest on the streets because we are scared to be thrown in jail and beaten up by Gayyoom's Mad Dogs (NSS) but why can't we stop buying the local papers and stop tuning into TV and Radio. Surely, that is not violence, violence, violence!