by Mariyam Mohamed, 29 April 2004
President Gayoom declares
that those who are opposing his government, calling for democratic
reform and trying to bring it to disrepute are funded and
brainwashed by Christian missionaries from around the world. He went
on to state that
the activities of reformists were not only illegal, but sacrilegious
(un-Islamic).
He then instructed the high ranking staff of National Security
Service (NSS) that they must hunt down those is the Maldives who are
participating and supporting these illegal, immoral and sacrilegious
activities.
The President and
Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces made this statement at the meeting on 27th of
April2004, held to commemorate the 112th anniversary of the National
Security Service.
This information was sent to us at Dhivehi Observer by
a high ranking official who attended this meeting.
This has always been the prime card the president has played when he
feels that things are not in his full control and needs to win the
hearts of the public.
He has been abusing religion as a strong political tool to continue
his autocratic rule for the last 25 years. Today he is continuing to
use the religion card to vilify the call for democratic reform by
the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) and other opposition as well
critics of this regime. He has linked all actions of reform
organizations as part of a grand conspiracy by Christian
missionaries and that it is nothing new to the Maldives.
Although most of the public don’t buy his story, no one can express
their true feelings or views fearing certain torture.
Gayoom is known to say one thing in Dhivehi when addressing the
public and quite another in the English versions that are reported
in the media which is fully controlled by him.
The
President, in his speech, reminded the NSS that they had resting on
their shoulders a number of very important national
responsibilities, such as maintaining the independence, security and
harmony within the nation, as well as the protection of the safety
and welfare of members of the general public. He also highlighted
the importance of lifting the image of NSS, which is strictly
related to events of September 2003. The incident in which over a
dozen police men brutally beat Eevan Naseem to death and shot
several others in Maafushi Jail.
Almost the whole of the middle rank officers were awarded
promotions in the meeting to commemorate the anniversary of NSS. In
his televised speech at the meeting, the President congratulated the
promoted Officers. Further, the President thanked Mr. Isthafa
Ibrahim Mohamed Maniku, who had held the post of Executive Director
at the Ministry of Defence and National Security, and was
transferred from the Ministry to another Government authority for
serving there with “utmost sincerity” for over 44 years. He also
thanked Colonel Ahmed Zahir who has retired from the NSS, after 34
years of faithful service. It is common knowledge in Male’ that Mr.
Zahir has been appalled by the events of September 2003 and vowed to
resign from NSS.
Mr. Ibrahim Mohamed Maniku or more commonly known among Maldivians
as Isthafa Ibrahim Maniku has been the perpetrator, with the full
knowledge of the president, of most tortures and injustices that has
taken place in Maldives and has been operating a racket from the
finances of catering services at prisons and NSS quarters, taking a
large sums in bribes and commissions. An NSS prison guard informed
us that prisoners in Maldives are fed a limited amount of food and
water so as not to make them strong enough to rebel against the
harsh conditions they are kept in.
Earlier today, 29th April 2004, at a ceremony held at
the Presidents’ Office he also awarded promotions to all the top
brass of the NSS. Some of the recipients of the promotions include
people who were directly involved with the prison shooting of last
September.
Commissioner of Police Adam Zahir, who was sidelined and sent off
to UK by president Gayyoom, while his presidential commission
investigated the shootings at Maafushi prison and the riots that
followed, was promoted to the rank of Major General. To the
amusement of great many of us, the heavily consored commission
report did not find any wrong doings by Maj. Gen. Adam Zahir, who
was later re-instated with more powers to arrest and beat the pubic
in the interest of public safety.
Gayoom gave all his top brass promotions to win their hearts. Little
does he know that there are many in this clan who want nothing more
than an end to his autocratic and brutal rule.
His actions as the Commander in Chief are a clear indication of his
disregard for the views of the public.
