:: Dhivehi Observer :: Peoples Press ::

Gayoom bans Ibra and Nazim from holding pro-reform
meetings

Mariyam Mohamed, Male, 8 July 2004

In just under a month, Gayoom has had enough. His government today banned special majlis member for Male Ibrahim Ismail and reform activist Nazim from holding any more pro-democratic meetings.

According to TV Maldives, the state-owned television station which has broadcast Gayoom propaganda most of its life, the government had taken the action because the organisers had failed to control “extra-Islamic” and “libellous” sentiments from breaking out at the meetings.

Ibra and Nazim had organised two successful meetings in Male, which had finally given people a chance to say what they really thought about Gayoom's
25-year-old dictatorship.

The youth, the religious, and the public were unanimous in their criticism of Gayoom's government, and the dictator for the first time had a taste of
people’s uncensored feelings about him.

The two meetings were filmed by TV Maldives camera crews, who openly admitted that they were doing so in order that Gayoom could watch the meetings later in his palace.

The ageing dictator, it is believed, saw more than he could stomach, especially the banner at the last meeting calling for his immediate resignation.

Despite the setback, reformists are trying to lobby a second special majlis member for Male, Athif, to continue the meetings, and to keep up the pressure on the government.

Meanwhile, there is increased police presence on the streets of Male' this evening, and analysts believe that after a period of wait and see, the government backlash may be about to happen.

Many arrests are envisaged and a clean-up operation is looming as the sceptics said all along.