I have written my 100th post on shihablive last night. It is kind of a coincidence that the post is on my thoughts of Anni, who is running in the MDP primaries for a possible presidential election under the "new" version of the current constitution of the Maldives. I am saying that it is a coincidence because I have always been critical of the tactics seen to be used by Anni; but grateful to him for the catalyst he was in bringing about reform to the government. I have not decided on who I am to support in the upcoming presidential election, if it would happen under the revised constitution. I am repeatedly saing "if it will" because we have a constituent assembly that have broken promises on multiple occassions and very apt at dragging their feet to create advantages for their party agendas.

 

In my opinion what Anni has proposed is what the people of this country need and what they want. This does not necessarily mean that I am jumping to a conclusion that he will deliver it. We have to analyze and see it. My point, is that while everyone of the presidential hopefuls are coming up with their own manifestos, I feel that Anni has proposed the people's manifesto. It is up to the people to decide who they will entrust with that manifesto.

 

It would have been so much better, if MDP came up with a manifesto and then had its primaries to decide who can best deliver that manifesto. I am writing this as a personal dairy note because so many people are concerned that I have supported Anni. I don't understand why!

 

I will continue to use MSN Space as a personal diary, so that my friends will have answers to the questions they want to ask of me.

 

Day before yesterday, I was at Thaajuddeen School to attend my daughter's Parent Teacher Meeting. After the meeting, I brought her to the ferry terminal and called her mother to fetch her from the Villingili ferry terminal.

After the ferry left, I tried to get a taxi to come back to the STO Trade Centre. I struggled with quite a few others including several school children who were waiting to catch a cab to go to school in the scorching sun.

Taxis are not regular and reliable as would have been experienced by an frequent traveller from Hulhumale, Hulhule or Villingili to Male'. They are the only means of transport available to those who are not fortunate enough to own a car or a motorcycle. Taxi availability depends on the drivers' mood, whether their children are going to school that day, whether there was riot which they have to be up for, rain, and so many other things.

The relevant government authorities will tell us that this cannot be done because the roads of Male' are too congested. But the funny thing is, there is more than enough room for several hundred mortobikes and cars every month. When a bus service is to be given to the public, the congestion comes in.

And the taxi drivers will protest! Is it the welfare of the taxi drivers or the greater welfare of the general public that the authorities are interested in. The thing is that the people who have to make these decisions are not faced with the consquences of the neglect or the delays (in years) in decisions that affect the public.

Even if not a formal public transport system, a school-bus service would solve several social issues that we are faced with now. Firstly, the cost of transport to school by children will be less, children going to school in the rain and in the scorching sun will be saved from the related health issues, less school children roaming the streets, several parents would not have to skip work everyday to take and fetch children from school.

If the people who ran the government were the ordinary folk, they would have dealt with issues that were important for the ordinary folk. But the fthing is, that in Maldives the government is run by people who could care less about the general public.  

 

Justice Jameel when he resigned this government said that he was leaving because there was no justice in this country. Shaheed said that he did not want to give himself up to the mob. Hassan Saeed said that it was impossible to go foward. Or something like that.

 

Today the Speaker of the Maldivian Parliament is in court for assault. Another MP appointed to Parliament by the President is in court for having spoken derogratory remarks at an opposition MP. [As if these were the firt time!]

 

I cannot help thinking how true the new Maldives ex-cabinet ministers were! This county is going to be in the hands of rogues and the mob in no time. Wow! Good Morning Democracy and the Rule of the Mob!  

 

Today is a historic day for Maldives. A friend just told me that fighting has broken out between rival factions in the Special Majlis or the Upper House of Parliament. Haveeru also reported that the meeting was adjourned as it was not possible to proceed with the meeting.

This is the Parliament that was hurt and upset over remarks made by the then Foreign Minister Dr. Shaheed about them. They believe they are divine and are not capable of any wrongdoing.

It is a day of celebration. We have matured and bloomed into a full democracy. Long Live the Divine People's Majlis of the Republic of Maldives.

Related Links: Haveeru | Aafathis 

Maldives ... the Sunny Side of life:
Maldives has been branded the "Sunny Side of Life" for visitors from affluent countries. The visitors can enjoy the white sandy beaches, pristine clear blue lagoons, the refreshing breeze of fresh air and complete peace and serenity in this country; that is if you are prepared to pay for the package. The degree of a taste of heaven depends on how much you are willing to pay.

A taste of paradise is a reality for those who can afford it. Yet there are only a handful of people in the country where this paradise exist, who can afford the same. The majority who live in the periphery are told that they have the blessing of Allah the Almighty. That they are fortunate to have the blessing of the Creator. And finally the other day, the President told us that we have to be proud of to be Maldivian.

The result of this type of conditioning is that we as Maldivians have become accustomed to living a lie. And the biggest lie of all is going to be continued again shortly in the constitutional amendments that is going to happen shortly (it can take a few more years if the MPs do not find someone who can buy them for millions of dollars each!).

The lie is: that all Maldivians are and must be Muslims. What this practically means is that you must believe in Islam. The clause was put in the Constitution when the Maldivians were subservient to a Monarch; rather subjects of a King.

Maldives ... living a Lie:
As a nation of people conditioned to lead a life that is pegged to a set of lies; the so called "reform process" that has been plagueing the country for nearly seven years now has also chosen to follow the conditioning.

The pillars of the reform process have told that they will give up their lives to protect and safeguard the lie. Almost all political leaders and political parties have personally pledged to fight to keep the lie as the pillar of the new Constution; if it can be called new.

It is not a surprise that new things forged by old minds and old allies will only protect the lies that have brought them riches and prosperity, wouldn't they?

The truth is that the so called "opposition reformists" claim that they will not accept any formula for the future of Maldives that has Maumoon in its inception, design or implementation. They don't understand that some Maldivians have minds of their own; free from the clutches of those who were our masters and want to continue to be. What they are saying is true! But the semantics is wrong.

The future of Maldives can belong to the people only if the formula of reform will not have "the former Masters of the People" in the inception, design and implementation of the reform formula.

 

New Maldives was the exciting story of a young group of Minister's in President Gayoom's cabinet who believed in the latent potential of the creative minds and the inherent nature of the people of our country to excel and reach new heights, and to find new solutions to the challenges facing the country. (Sorry, if the semantics is off-beat.)

 

The extraordinary story came to a climax with the resignation of Dr. Hassan Saeed and Uz. Jameel from the cabinet followed calculatedly on the 19th day following the resignations that rocked the nation. However there were no vibrations to follow; except ofcourse an epilogue in Dr. Shaheed's calcualted resignation. Nineteen is a blessed way of starting things for some people!

 

Yet some would consider that the New Maldives is a silo created by the President to withstand the challenge to his leadership from the MDP. The other breakaway faction is yet another silo. Though not so evident, that there are other silos built around the old guard who call the real shots from behind the screen savers; some within the files and ranks of the central establishment.

 

In addition to the party silos, the President has also succeeded in forming a hypnotic coalition with less important opponents including the Adaalath who (on state television) called him a murderer and a dictator. This in itself is a silo created by the President to face the challenge to his leadership by the opposition MDP.

 

MDP had the opportunity to form a working relationship and build silos to defragment the leadership of the President, with these same parties and factions. Why was it not done? Why was it not possible? Was it a failure of leadership, tactic or strategy?

 

A nation - as a people, look for leadership. Leadership is a function that has wisdom and create confidence. Such leadership provide people with a beacon to follow. Who is the leader of our opposition? Is it the Chaiperson or the President? Will he take the helm should the silos of the President wither, or handover to someone else in waiting? Who is he?

 

I couldn't help wondering whether the caucuses that we see in the DRP as a strategy of consolidation, against the more widely held perception of disintegration. As an independent observer of the politics around us, I couldn't help wondering!

 

 

This morning I got onto the eight ten ferry from Villingili to Male'. Villingili is a satellite island of Male', eight minutes by ferry from the capital mainland. As I boarded the ferry I had to walk down the walkway in between the two rows of benches; one to each side of the dhoni.

 

It is common practise that when passengers board the ferry they sit on the aisle side of the bench. The beches are kept in rows with hardly enough space in between for someone to move into the window side of the bench if someone is sitting on the aisle side. However, those boarding the ferry first are so focused on the ease of getting down the ferry as it touches the terminal, that they prefer to sit on the aisle. Some people who board the ferry later prefer to stand somewhere to avoid inconveniencing those sitting on the aisle side of benches, even when there is space in between people sitting on the benches.

 

I took up the subject with another friend of mine who boarded the ferry with me this morning. Both of us were sitting in the last row of benches. Half the ferry was empty then, but the aisle seats were full on all rows. My friend recalled that when he visited the US for a tour of twenty one days this year what struck him most was how concerned people were about NOT inconveniencing others; aware of their existence in relation to others. This he said was not a part of our culture.

 

We never thought that our actions or inactions could inconvenience others. That sense of respect was non-existent in our society. We thought: was it a fault of the education system, or that we were simply not a civilized society yet.

 

In my opinion, recent manifestations of our society show that we are tribal in nature.

 

The incidents unfolding after the 8/18 Referendum are scary:

 

HRC says it was a fair deal: Haveeru  

MDP Chairman taken into custody and released: Haveeru

Whose responsibility was the referendum? : Haveeru

MDP lists Fraud Complaints: by Ajay Makan

Arsonists set fire in quick succession overnight: Haveeru

House in Isdhoo completely demolished: by Adam Haleem

House in Huraa torched following threats: by Mohamed Ibrahim

There were 32,000 corrupt votes: by Mohamed Ashraf

Was the referendum rigged? :by Inaya Shareef

New Maldives replaced: by Ajay Makan

Historic Referendum across Maldives: by Hilath Rasheed

 

God only knows the truth!  

 

Revenge at any cost

The party did not order it

They did not condemn it; not yet

 

Women and children

Meant to burn in hell; cos

They supported the wrong party

 

What is this freedom

The liberty to choose

Freedom of thought and expression

 

Is it a right of just some

 

Human Rights Commission

Will retreat for the weekend

Before they will make a statement; if they will

 

Will there be a motion

In parliament; to register

The dismay of the parliamentarians

 

Guadians of civil liberties of the People

 

I guess some people are evil

So evil that any association can

Justify taking lives to ensure a lesson!  

 

Related links: Haveeru English | Haveeru Dhivehi

 

This morning in a brief meeting of the broadcast "Content Adjudication Committee" of the Ministry of Information and Arts, I was asked by my colleagues in the committee to be the Chair of the Committee. I have accepted the invitation and the Ministry of Information has announced my appointment to the post of Chairman of the Content Adjudication Committee. The committee comprises of nine persons selected in their individual capacity from various sectors of society.

 

I am very glad to have the opportunity to serve in a committee of this stature and to be able to contribute to national development in monitoring of compliance to the licence given to the first generation of private broadcasters in the Maldives. The committee will also give me an additional opportunity to interact with high intellects from various fields and broaden my horizon of understanding of our society. Alhamduli-Allah!

 

The committee meets once every two months.