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It's rich-poor divide, not Islam vs. West: Gayyoom By Iqbal Athas Sri Lanka, The Sunday Times 11 November 2001 He has no bank accounts and owns no property. For 23 long years, he has guided the destinies of the Republic of Maldives, ushering the archipelago into an economically strong and politically stable nation. Governance in an atmosphere of "openness", he says, is a hallmark of his success.  President Gayyoom and NSS chiefs Photo: Haveeru A product of Cairo's Al Azhar University and later to that city's American University, President Maumoon Abdul Gayyoom, is a much respected Islamic scholar and a keen sportsman. Every year, he captains a cricket team which plays against the Speaker's XI, ahead the ceremonial opening of Parliament or Majlis, easily the biggest fund raising event in the country. On a visit to Maldives last week, I met President Gayyoom at his stately official residence, Muli Aage. In an exclusive interview with The Sunday Times, he answered questions on wide ranging issues. Here is a selection: Q: The world is focused on international terrorism. The Republic of Maldives itself is not without its own experiences of this phenomenon. How do you see what is unfolding in the world and also in the region? A: We have consistently condemned all acts of terrorism wherever they have been perpetrated. This is a policy based on principle, and one further strengthened by the memory of our national trauma as victims of international terrorism in 1988. Therefore, we have always supported measures to eradicate terrorism and have acceded to a number of international conventions on the subject. Moreover, as a small state, we have always been sensitive to the security threats posed by terrorists, mercenaries and organised crime, and that is the reason why we took the matter to the UN in 1989. What we see in the world today clearly demonstrates that terrorism has no place in civilised society. You asked about our region and my answer is that South Asia is no exception. The unity of purpose is evident in our region as well. I believe this is the best time to consider ways to strengthen the existing regional framework against terrorism. Q: There is a saying that "one man's terrorist is another's freedom fighter." It is true that many Islamic States support the United States backed coalition against Afghanistan, but will there not be the danger of further polarising the Islamic world and the western world over what is happening? A: As I have said on different occasions, Islam is a noble religion that teaches moderation, compassion and tolerance, and gives no quarter to violence or terrorism. Islam's ideals are universal in character, and not confined to a geographic or cultural region. Only those who preach hatred, intolerance, bigotry and violence would like to reduce the world into two opposing camps. What would divide a globalised world, like the one that we live in today, are enormous wealth on the one hand, and widespread poverty on the other, and not culture or religion. It is this and the inequality and the injustices suffered by Muslim communities that create a feeling of disappointment and frustration in many Islamic countries. The Organisation of the Islamic Conference has repeatedly denounced terrorism. Therefore, to suggest that Islam permits sympathy with terrorism is devoid of any truth. Q: The SAARC has not been able to come up with a common voice on the events in and around Afghanistan, which is geographically a South Asian state. Why?
Q: SAARC itself is in the doldrums because of differences between India and Pakistan, particularly on the issues of cross-border terrorism and Kashmir. The grouping has been unable to even hold a summit. This must be very frustrating for other member states like the Republic of Maldives. A: It has already been agreed that a summit should be held shortly, possibly early next year. There are several important projects in the pipeline, such as the creation of the South Asian Free Trade Area, and the drawing up of a South Asian Social Charter. You must remember that SAARC was not created with the expectation of a smooth ride, but in the hope that it could always contribute to improving the lot of the people of South Asia. Q: The world economy, especially the airlines, travel, trade and tourism have been badly affected in the recent months, both due to recession in the US as well as war in Afghanistan. How does it affect the Maldivian economy? A: Tourism is the single biggest contributor to our economy. A global recession or any downturn in the tourism industry will have a negative impact on economies that depend on tourism. In fact, there has been a drop in tourist arrivals since the terrorist attacks on the US. The financial loss to us in the month that followed the September 11 attacks has been estimated at US $ 3 million. A slump in the tourism industry will of course have repercussions for much of the rest of the economy. The Gulf war of 1990-91 affected us similarly. At the present time, we need to pursue more vigorous marketing strategies to assure prospective visitors that the Maldives remains, as always, peaceful, quiet and safe. Q: What future plans do you have for the development of Maldives? Do you hope to embark on diversification programmes to be away from tourism and fisheries? A: We have been able to achieve tremendous development over the past two decades and the challenge now is to lift the Maldives into a higher stage of development, as envisaged in the Maldives Vision 2020. After extensive debate throughout the country, various strategies to achieve that 20-year vision have been identified. The groundwork for the achievement of those goals has been worked into the 6th National Development Plan. The goal is for the Maldives to emerge as a top-ranked nation amongst middle income countries in that time frame. This will require the economy to be more diversified and export-oriented, with greater focus on manufacturing and services that at present. The population consolidation and development programme that we have just started will restructure the internal market in significant ways and also contribute to the acceleration of the development of regional centres of growth. Q: There appears to be closer interaction between Sri Lanka's private sector and that of the Republic of Maldives. Similarly, private enterprise in the Middle East too maintains close relations with those in Maldives. Why is there no similar interaction at a Government-to Government level, particularly in commerce and industry? A: There has always been a strong interaction at a Government-to-Government level between Sri Lanka and the Maldives. It is, in fact, Government-to-Government initiatives and co-operation that have opened numerous avenues for private sector co-operation between the two countries. Private Sector interaction has ebbed and flowed with the business cycle, but co-operation and contact at the Government-to-Government level, including in the commerce and industry sectors, have been strong throughout. The same is true with the Middle East, where only last year I visited UAE and Oman and held successful discussions on the promotion of trade and investment. Countries of the Middle East remain vitally important development partners of the Maldives as well, contributing particularly to the development of infrastructure. Q: Over the years, you have transformed the Republic of Maldives into an economically strong country. There is political stability and a better quality of life for Maldivian citizens. What is the secret of your success? Could you define the most singular and significant achievements? A: I think the people of the Maldives can take great pride in what they have been able to achieve in recent years. If there is a secret to success, then it undeniably is the single-minded dedication of the people to the cause of development and progress. The role of the Government has been one of facilitating, setting up the infrastructure and creating and maintaining the right climate and conditions for development. Undoubtedly, political stability in the country is the key to economic success. I think our most significant achievement is the improvements in the quality of life enjoyed by the people. It is our success in this area that gives the highest ranking in South Asia in UNDP's human development index. Q: You have been in the front line of the campaign against Global Warming, particularly in view of the threats posed to the Republic of Maldives. How much of success has there been and what further measures does Government propose? A: I think the Maldives has succeeded in alerting the world to the dangers that it faces from global warming and sea-level rise. The Kyoto Protocol provides a framework for action to slow down the rate of global warming. The most important thing at present is to give operational effect to the provisions of that agreement. However, the targets of emission reduction have been down-sized in order to rescue the protocol. Therefore, to save the earth from the dangers of global warming and sea level rise, it would be necessary to return to the targets that were agreed originally, and even go beyond them, in terms of reducing the emission of greenhouse gases. |
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Maldives Culture is an independent internet magazine of Maldivian cultural issues.
Editors and translators: friends and Michael O'Shea, Australia
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