އިޓަލީގައި ބޭއްވުނު ސިއްރު ބައްދަލުވުމުގެ ޚަބަރު

ރޯމްގައި ބޭއްވުނު ތިމާވެށްޓާބެހޭ ބައިނަލްއަޤްވާމީ ކޮންފަރެންސްގައި ބައިވެރިވެވަޑައިގަތުމަށްޓަކައި އަޅުގަޑުމެން ލޮބުވެތި ރައީސް 22ޖޫން2010 ގައި އިޓަލީވިލާތަށް ވަޑައިގަތެވެ. މިދަތުރުފުޅުގެ ޚަބަރުތަށް ވަރަށް ތަފްސީލް ކޮން ރައީސް އޮފީހުގެ ވެބްސައިޓްގައި ދުވަހުން ދުވަހަށް ސާއިއު ކުރައްވަމުން ގެންދެވިއެވެ. ތިރީގައި އެވަނީ މި ދަތުރުފުޅާއި ބެހޭ ލިންކް އެވެ.އ

http://www.presidencymaldives.gov.mv/4/?ref=14,15,4604

ލޮބުވެތި ރައީސުލްޖުމްހޫރިއްޔާ މިކޮންފަރެންސްގައި ވާހަކަފުޅު ދެއްކެވުމުގެ އިތުރުން ފާހަގަކުރެވޭ ވަރަށް މުހިއްމު ބައްދަލުވުންތަކެއްގައި ބައިވެރިވެވަޑާއިގަތެވެ. މީގެ ތެރޭގައި ރޯމްގެ އެންމެ އިސް ޕޯޕް އާއި ވަރަށް ސިއްރިޔާތުގައި ބައްދަލު ކުރެއްވި ކުރެއްވުން ހިމެނެއެވެ. މި ބައްދަލުވުމުގައި ރައީސް ނަޝީދް މިހާރު ރާއްޖޭގައި ހިގަމުންމިދާ ސިޔާސީ ހަލަބޮލިކަމުގެ ވާހަކަ ޕޯޕާއި ޙިއްސާކޮށްލެއްވިއެވެ. އަދި ޕޯޕް ރާއްޖެއަށް ޒިޔާރަތް ކުރައްވަން ދައުވަތު އެރުވިއެވެ. މިކަމަކީ ރައީސް ނަޝީދު ވެރިކަމަށް ވަޑައިގެންނެވީއްސުރެ އުންމީދު ކުރަމުންވަމުންދާ ކަމެއްކަމުގައި ޕޯޕް އަރިއަހުގައި ދެންނެވިއެވެ. މިބައްދަލުވުންނިއްމަވާލެއްވީ ޕޯޕުގެ ހެޔޮ އެދުމަށް ރައީސް ނަޝީދް އެދި ރައީސްގެ ސަލާމަތަށް ޕޯޕް "ބުލެސް" ކުރެއްވުމަށްފަހު އެވެ.އ

ރައީސުލްޖުމްހޫރިއްޔާ މުޙަންމަދު ނަޝީދު، އިޓަލީވިލާތަށް ކުރެއްވި ދަތުރުފުޅު ނިންމަވާލެއްވުމަށްފަހު މާލެ ވަޑައިގަތީ 25 ޖޫން 2010 ގައި އެވެ. ލޮބުވެތި ރައީސުލްޖުމްހޫރިއްޔާގެ މިދަތުރުފުޅުގައި، އިޓަލީވިލާތުގެ ސަރުކާރުގެ އިސްބޭފުޅުންނާ ބައްދަލުކުރައްވައި، ދިވެހިރާއްޖެއާއި އިޓަލީވިލާތާ ދެޤައުމުގެ ދެމެދުގައިވާ ގުޅުން، ތަފާތު ދާއިރާތަކުގައި އިތުރަށް ބަދަހިކުރެއްވުމާ ބެހޭގޮތުން ވާހަކަފުޅު ދެއްކެވިއެވެ.އ

Is Corruption in Maldives?

Whoever you talk to, newspaper you read or TV news bulletin, local talk shows you listen to, you don’t escape the word “Corruption” in the Maldives today. Everybody is talking about corruption. It has become the most spoken about subject and mentioned word today. So I ask myself, what the F**k is corruption? Is it become a fashionable word to use in conversation? Does it make your vocabulary sound rich? IDK!!


To get an insight into this phenomenon, I did some research, did some reading, and referred to dictionaries, blogs, technical papers, and documentation on the subject. Surprisingly, corruption is in the Maldives, and it’s true! There is so much corruption here; that from the President himself to possibly every responsible citizen of this country has to begin work now, to eradicate its consequences on ourselves and on this country.


I found Merriam-Webster Dictionary describes corruption as:
1. Impairment of integrity, virtue, or moral principle: DEPRAVITY
2. DECAY, DECOMPOSITION
3. Inducement to wrong by improper or unlawful means (as bribery)
4. A departure from the original or from what is pure or correct.


Volumes and volumes of documentation and an array of descriptions are available on this dreaded and despised phenomenon. “So what is corruption?”

1. Corruption is lack of integrity or honesty (especially susceptibility to bribery) it is the use of a position of trust for dishonest gain.
2. Corruption is destroying someone's (or some group's) honesty or loyalty; undermining moral integrity; "corruption of a minor"; "
3. Corruption is inducement (as of a public official) by improper means (as bribery) to violate duty (as by committing a felony);
4. Corruption or bastardization is a way of referring to certain changes in a language. The most common way that a word can be said to be corrupted is the change of its spelling through errors and gradual changes in comprehension, transcription, and hearing.
5. Corruption is the use of legislated powers by government officials for illegitimate private gain.
6. Corruption is misuse of government power for other purposes, such as repression of political opponents and general police brutality.
7. Corruption is debauch; "leading astray the young people with wine and women"; "Socrates was accused of corrupting young men"; "Do school counselors subvert young children?"
Google Dictionary description is very clear and straightforward it says:
1. Corruption is dishonesty and illegal behavior by any person or people in positions of authority or power.
2. In linguistics, a corruption is a word that is derived from an earlier word, but which has become changed in some way.

I am now more than ever convinced that corruption is endemic in Maldives in epidemic proportions. It is good that we talk about corruption openly these days. Talking about it provides a platform for the politicians, independent institutions, journalists and our civil society to agree to work towards stamping out corruption. But agreeing on exactly “what is meant by corruption” is what some of us may never agree, and it is the million dollar question.


Everything that translate as “Bad things” like Bribery, extortion, fraud, trafficking of any kind, Homosexuality, embezzlement, defaming, bastardization, debauching, deviation from an ideal, Misuse of government power, Repression of political opponents, use of legislated powers by government officials for illegitimate private gain, silencing of dissent, undermining moral integrity and honesty are all corruption. Nepotism and cronyism are also manifestations of it.


Corruption forms into varying types and degrees; most notable are Political, Financial, and Social corruption. It distinguishes between “petty” corruption and “grand” corruption. These distinctions however, should not imply that some types and degrees of corruption are worse than others.
Whatever form it takes, corruption is always a two-way transaction; it requires a supply side (the briber) and a demand side (the one who receives the bribe). In our quest to understand corruption, we must not make a distinction to both sides of the corruption equation.


Political corruption is the subject of particular interest in Maldives today. It has been a fact of life for thousands of years, beginning with the first attempts at a democratic form of government in ancient Greece and Rome. The seeds of political corruption were planted as soon as the senators and other political leaders realized that power and wealth could be equals. Political corruption often begins with favoritism towards those with wealth and influence.


Interestingly, in 18th century England, Political corruption meant the encroachment by the executive on the legislature, for instance by money payments, the offer of positions and pensions, and the trading of patronage. Corruption was the violation of the principle of constitutional "checks and balances", authoritarian tendencies and the subsequent decay of the political order.


Political corruption is the abuse of entrusted power by political leaders for private gain, with the objective of increasing power and or wealth. Political corruption may, but need not involve money changing hands; it may take the form of ‘trading in influence’ or granting favors and or illegal and summary arrests of political opponents that are often viewed as a threat to the ruling class or party. In a transitional and developing democracy such as ours, political corruption threatens the very viability of democracy, and makes it’s civil and independent institutions vulnerable.


We cannot afford the social, political or economic costs corruption entails. It respects no borders, knows no economic distinctions and infects all forms of governments and people without exception. It erodes public confidence in political institutions and leads to contempt for the rule of law. Corruption exacts an incredibly high price on the poor by denying them access to vital basic services.


Total eradication may by impossible though desirable. However, curtailing and chilling corruption is an imperative and must be perused vigorously. Perusing corruption must be perceived as an act of cleansing not vengeance. It has to be applied with purpose and without exemption. It has to begin with one’s own self. One cannot remain a corrupt person and work to eradicate it, that’s pretending. That is a corrupt act. You must be clean to fight corruption.

Is Maldives heading towards a Police State?

Corruption, discrimination, nepotism, prejudices, political victimization are characteristics of an ailing dictatorship. Malicious misinterpretation of the constitution to fill in the voids and inadequacies of Political Parties and the Executive is corruption. These are the first steps towards a fully fledged dictatorship.

Dictatorships and the consequence of concentrating power in the hands of a single person are quite familiar to Maldivians. We have witnessed Kings and Presidents who exercised this prerogative and ruled over us. Generations of us still lives this nightmare of the chilling effects and consequences of their imperious abuse of power and justice, and do not wish a repetition of the past.

Mohamed Nashid was elected labeled a “Democratic Leader”. Just two years in office, he has begun to show resemblance to leaders of an era Maldivians dread and do not wish for. Even with a modern constitution protecting the rights of the citizens, clearly identifying the separated powers of the Executive, the Legislature and the Judiciary, he has evaded democratic checks and balances, and come out with his dictatorial instincts, with summary arrests, enforcing police brutality and spreading uncertainty and fear among the people.

Maldivian thinking largely still comes from their strong faith in Islam and is truly Islamic (submissive). Kings, Presidents and Religious Scholars have exploited this in the past and have successfully shaped our society to accept their Leaders, Religion and State as synonymous; they achieved the heights of subjugation. Few Maldivians had a basic education then; education for the mass was just knowing to read and write in Dhivehi and reading the Quran.

President Nasheed would like to think that his weekly radio address to the nation is a successful tool to penetrate the public and deceive them into believing in whatsoever he as the President, “Ruler” says is true even today, much as it was in the days of the Aristocrats and the Cleptocrats. He obviously believes that the mass of the citizens are still oblivious to democracy.

Little be it or much, today, many have had a fair education, and more people are well educated and this process is continuing. The “Dictatorships” of Mr. Gayoom and Nasir witnessed graduation of world class Maldivians both in Asia, Europe and the America’s. This responsibility is now undertaken by Maldivian Parents. I am grateful Gayoom and Nasir for not abusing the parents and their time to mob the streets of Male, when their political resolve needed strengthening, like many are forced-called upon to do now.

The little grace that filtered into the hands of the Maldivian people throughout the fifty year Cleptocratic and Nepotistic rule is sapped by the MDP. Nasheed’s Administration has planted the seed of decay in our society. He has to grow up; he has been elected President of the Maldives. He must adhere to the rules and regulations, respect our customs and traditions, and above all work within the framework of the Constitution. There is no such thing as “working outside the Chart”.

We have a legitimate Judiciary and a Legislature in place. If the Executive is dysfunctional for any reason, or if the President needs assistance in managing the affairs of his Administration, it is incumbent on the Him to do the repairs and apply the patches required in “collaboration” with the Judiciary and the Legislature. Mr. President and successive Presidents must cohabit with the Parliament (Majlis) as the only “The Representative body of the People” in this country.

The use the mob to threaten Judges and Parliamentarians are plunging the country into anarchy and lawlessness. By doing so it only strengthens the resolve of those who believe that Mr. Nasheed little befits to be the President of this country.

Is Suicide the only option for Airport's victimised staff?

A solitary figure hangs by the neck from the new Air Traffic Control Tower of the Maldives International Airport as it dawns on Tuesday 13th of July. A dark day indeed to be in the history of the Airport.

The Airport in Maldives has a topic of controversy topping headlines for the past several months. It has been a reason for the CMR (Cabinet’s Mass Resignation Stunt) and now suicide. The new management and the board that was installed by the Nasheed Government proved futile for many staff and families. The company has been adamantly disobeying court orders to reinstate some of the people that were laid off and also make huge sums in compensation for others who were wrongly and hurriedly terminated without due process.
The man, identified as 26 year-old Ismail Mohamed Didi, was discovered hanging by the neck by Air Taxi staffs who work round the clock in the vicinity of the tower. The Airport Company said that the case was reported to police around 5:00am. Sub-Inspector Ahmed Shiyam confirmed the body was found hanging from the tower but said it was too early to confirm whether the death was a suicide.

Spokesperson for the Airports Company (MACL) Rahmathulla Ashraf told a local newspaper Haveeru that the company could only comment once the police investigation was concluded. But off the record did he mentioned that the deceased had some issues with the management because the company was not considering his plea to not be posted in a regional airport for the second time. Didi had been an air traffic controller for over six years and had recently worked at Kaadehdhoo airport on assignment. A source familiar with the victim said Didi was a junior air traffic controller who performed his job well.

The Company has now framed a cover story claiming man was an Atheist, and that it was the reason for his suicide. Sources close to the family is very angered by this. Does every atheist hang themselves from the airport tower? His hanging to death by a rope on the Nations prestigious Air Control Tower, clearly would have been ment to give a message about the condition there, which he wasn't able to voice out alive. Peers and close associates of Ismail say that the suicide may have been due to the disagreement over the decision of the Management over his second assignment to Kaadehdhoo Airport, which he pleaded to be reversed.

The death of this young man could be due to the decision taken without due consideration by the Management of Mohamed Ibrahim in his second coming, to post Ismail in a regional aiport which he did not want. Ismail will not speak every again. The truth will never surface. The staff of the airport has been indoctrinated to stick to the common cover of the company, which says he was an Athiest. Does it mean anything?

The Dictator inside Maldivian President Nasheed.

For the past fifty years, Maldives have in one form or the other experienced only autocratic rule. Some people called it Benevolent Dictatorships; other simply called it a Dictatorship. Some others had closely associated our system of government (of the past fifty years) to that of the type of government in Egypt. Although the government got different labels, the Administration maintained that it was a Democracy.

In 1998 Maldives ratified the constitution, that was basically hand written by the then President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom (the Blue Constitution). It allowed for and concentrated most all the powers of the state in the hands of the President making way for the President to be re-elected for an unlimited number of five year terms to office. However, in 2008 under enormous pressure from within and without, this constitution was replaced by (the Green Constitution). This time, it clearly defined the separated powers of the Executive, the Legislature and the Judiciary, and limited the presidential term of office to a maximum of two five year terms.

In the subsequent Presidential elections Mr. Gayoom lost the election to a coalition of four parties that campaigned under the leadership of Mr. Mohamed Nasheed the leader of the MDP and the largest party in the coalition.

The current problem goes back a year and a half, when Nasheed, leader of the coalition’s leading party (MDP) revoked the coalition agreement and dumped it. This made the MDP a minority party in the Parliament. The problem flared up when the Parliament drafted certain checks and balances into the Finance Bill placing an upper limit restriction on government’s borrowing without parliamentary sanction including selling and or renting Maldivian property for excessively long periods of time.

Nasheed’s Administration had already signed several MOU’s with neighboring Indian Companies for long term lease of the Maldivian property such as Hospitals, school, Airports just to mention a few. The amended Finance Bill if approved by the President would halt the process of these leases.

On a more secret note through a program of wire tapping and recording phone calls of prominent members of the Parliament and leaders of the ex-Coalition parties the Administration became aware of an opposition’s plan for a Vote of No Confidence on several Ministers of the Cabinet. They were The Minister of Education: Mr. Mustapha Lutfee, to be followed by The Minister of Finance Mr. Ali Hashim, The Civil Aviation and Transport Minister Mr. Mahmood Raazee, and last but not least The Minister of Health, Dr. Aminath Jameel.

Realizing that if allowed to happen, it would force the Administration to either call up an early election or would result in the inevitable collapse of the Administration, Nasheed staged the “Cabinet Mass Resignation” sighting amendments to the Finance Bill as a reason, which he said if passed, would be an impediment on the ability of the government to conduct business as usual.
In this highly publicized Cabinet Dissolving Drama hosted by the President, he disclosed to the press of a high profile corruption and treason case that was brought to his attention. The president said that it was one of the reasons for his cabinet’s mass resignation and that this matter would be thoroughly investigated by the police. He wowed to bring to justice and hold to account any person or people responsible for such crimes.

Hours after the ceremony, prominent Maldivian business man, Parliamentarian and Leader of the “Jumhoory Party” Mr. Gasim Ibrahim and the Leader of “People’s Alliance Party” and Member of Parliament was taken to police custody and put under house arrest, allegedly in connection with the high profile corruption and treason case sited by the President. Subsequently, the Deputy Speaker of the Parliament Mr. Nazim too was taken into police custody.

Nasheed thought the Cabinet Mass Resignation (CMR) under pretext of the Finance Bill’s “undesirable” amendments would raise an issue in the public that would bring the parliament to its knees. The Administration expected the people to raise sympathetic voices in favor of the Government. Poor planning and bad judgment resulted in the unexpected. The public showed no love lost and in Male business was as usual. Perhaps the World Cup 2010 may have contributed largely to the calm situation and the disinterest among the public to this boiled up political crisis.
The Ministers who resigned from office the day before were demonstrating with clubs and banners in front of the Parliament building the following day. Calling for the Parliament to be dissolved and abolished. The government’s cries went largely unheeded like that of the Sheppard boy’s who cried “Wolf! Wolf! Wolf!!” Not realizing that repeated false cries will result in a no show. Three days of demonstrations (peaceful flag marches) on the streets of Male by the Cabinet Ministers who resigned their positions, resulted in a less than favorable response from the public. So on the sixth day, the in a ceremony telecasted only by the Government Media, the wounded and weakened President presided over the swearing in of the old Cabinet members back to office.

Business is back as usual, nothing changed except the popularity of the Administration, the perception of the President in the eyes public, and the confidence they had in the Government and the cabinet all dropped. So it was a Loose Loose stunt. The parliament after a recess of six days in now in business, and appears even more strong and evermore convinced the ruling minority had wronged and failed.

After a lot of wrangling, media coverage and legal encounters in both the High Court and the Supreme Court, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Parliamentarians who were arrested. Nasheed lost the first ever court case “without sufficient evidence” according to the Supreme Court.

The Criminal Court suspended the two police lawyers who prosecuted the cases of Parliament members Gasim Ibrahim, Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom and Ahmed Nazim. Inspectors of Police Mohamed Riyaz and Mohamed Jina were suspended for contempt of court.

In very many ways, the Case of Yameen and Gasim is a test for Democracy under the new constitution of 2008. I believe the system has successfully passed this test. There are more tests are ahead. Maldivians have to be patient and strive to embed these new found democratic values into the Maldivian Culture and Value Set.