Opinion by Hanz Loranze, 4th October 2004
The reform proposals offered contain no surprises. The politically conscious citizens of the Maldives have been advocating for reforms exactly along the same lines. For example, when the existing constitution was under consideration, there were proposals calling for separation of powers and introduction of political parties. Gayoom has no right of claim to the proposed reforms need no more debate on whether there is support for them and where.
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The questions that remain now are that whether Powel knows about Gayoom's cruelty? Whether he knows about Gayoom's all-time foreign minister spat on a blindfolded man who lay on the ground thrown out of a vehicle after being picked up from the protesters on August 12-13? Does Powell or are the donor countries aware that Gayoom's daily domestic expense is more than Rf300,000 (US$23,000) per day? Do they know that his domestic expense bill doe not come under parliamentary review while the US president is liable to account for his domestic expenses? Does Powel know that for certain that Gaoyoom's reform proposal is not his own initiative or he is not a willing reformist? If he were, they would have been done long ago.
Does Powel know that the 12-13 August protest that was otherwise peaceful was turned violent by a rent-a-mob hired and sent by Gayoom's younger brother Yameen who is also a cabinet minister of his as the trade minister? Des he know and appreciate that Gayoom's elections are fair with his elder brother Hameed, his all-time atolls minister (nick named election minister for his role in elections) using his influence that he has on the atolls and island chiefs as their boss? The residents of their constituencies are mainly politically unaware and can be influenced to be acting like a rubber stamp in voting the way their chiefs want them to.
If Powel knew these and other background of Gayoom's political life, I don't think that he would take it as lightly as he seemed to have done by congratulating him for what Gayoom administration calls reform proposals of Gayoom. They aren't his any way. The politically interested citizens of the Maldives know that quite well. He is not a reformist. He is cruel and crooked ruling by iron fist.
Another headline says, "President Gayoom welcomes Putin's decision to send the Kyoto protocol to Parliament". The question arising from this is that if adopting an international convention is so significant, then why is he reluctant and refusing to apply those conventions, among them that on human rights, on his part? It's an open secret that the pre-democracy activists were mishandled while being arrested and tortured and treated inhumanely during detention. He owes an obligation to both national and international community to respect human rights. The constitution of the Maldives says that no one shall be punished unless a court decides him so to be done; everyone is treated innocent unless the court finds him guilty. Gayoom has betrayed the local and international communities over the whole period of his rule of nearly 26 years. For that matter, therefore, I believe that Mr Putin shall send him a note of warning that he must honour all the treaties and convention on the human rights and political persecution.
Gayoom says that a few Maldivians abroad are lying about the country. We want to know who is lying whom.
Gayoom, is it a lie that state of emergency is clamped on this small island of Male' while you travel abroad like a free bird leaving the impression that you have no domestic problems? Is it lie that pro-democracy supporters are held in detention since more than a month without a trial and with their personal liberties suspended under the state of emergency? Is it lie that on 12-13 August when some protesters were arrested and blindfolded, all of them beaten up on their genital and caused serious injuries? Is it lie that your brother Yameen spat on one of those in blindfolds and hired men to turn the peaceful protest violent so that you armed forces could break loose on the unarmed protester?
Is it a lie that you lied the international media when you said the arrested were in blindfolded? Is it a lie that your home ministry confirmed that they were in fact blindfolded? These are only some of the truths that you lie us all about. Gayoom, your time or 27 years of lying the people is running out. Don't try to tell any more lies. We don't want to hear any more from you. Enough is enough!
© Dhivehi Observer 2004