Site Index  + Home  + News Archives  + Maldives     History  + Maps  + Fanditha     magic  + Glossary  + Links  + Contact

Lies used to justify emergency rule in Maldives Maldives Culture editorial 14 August 2004 Maumoon Gayyoom is justifying emergency rule of the capital by claiming democratic reformists launched violent attacks against NSS officers and property. There is no photographic evidence from government or independent witnesses to back these assertions by the President's Office. Large public meetings over the last few weeks have been peaceful without serious incidents or damage to property. Minutes after the declaration of emergency rule, when a Maldives Radio reporter said the NSS were chasing people in the streets, he was instantly taken off the air. Internet communication between Maldives and the outside world has been cut under Gayyoom's orders. The declaration of emergency rule for the capital is the second major crackdown in Maldives this year, coming exactly six months after a series of early morning NSS raids on Maldivian Democratic party supporters in February. Since then, the reform movement has grown significantly in numbers and sophistication. Elections for a Special Majlis, to prepare changes to the constitution, saw many democratic reformers selected in the atolls and the capital, and large meetings in Male' have consolidated public understanding and support for the reforms. Crowd in Male' Republican Square on Friday morning A rump of Maldivian Democratic party members in the Special Majlis walked out of the opening session in protest against controls imposed by the president's brother Abdullah Hameed. Over the following days and nights, large crowds gathered in defiance of Gayyoom's arbitrary bans. The crowds openly supported the reformist agenda to restrict the power of the president, make ministers and officials accountable to parliament, and specifically allow multi-party elections. This threat to Hameed's control of the majlis and the atolls could not be tolerated by the President who appointed him. Hameed's role as Gayyoom's enforcer is legally and morally indefensible so it is not mentioned in the government media. Grave allegations of corruption, maladministration, and sexual assault and misconduct surround Abdullah Hameed but the president needs him as the kingpin holding together Gayyoom's unofficial Baathist party in the majlis and enforcing obedience among the atoll and island chiefs outside Male'. Gayyoom has been harassing and provoking the reformists for weeks. They responded with non-violent tactics that frustrated the NSS's attempts to stop meetings. Abdulla Yameen, the Minister of Trade and another brother of the President, organised a gang of thugs which operated with impunity but also failed to disrupt the crowds. On 11 August Miadhu issued a public notice in English: Organization and participation in unlawful gatherings prohibited It is illegal to organize and participate in unlawful gatherings, said the Ministry of Defense and National Security. In an announcement published by the Ministry yesterday it said that a number of people were gathering at various locations in Male' each night, and said that at these gatherings writings encouraging criminal activities were distributed and posted and acts were carried out to disrupt the public peace. The Ministry said that this has caused anxiety and alarm amongst the public and reminded that such meetings were illegal. The Ministry also appealed the general public to cooperate and assist in stopping these sort of activities as they are like to have lasting negative affects on the whole country. Public notices like this were ignored by much of the population of Male'. Out-manoeuvred by the Maldivian Democratic Party, Maumoon Gayyoom resorted to arresting several reformist media technicians and then provoked the conservative Islamic community by taking Preacher Ibrahim Fareed to court on Wednesday for sentencing on charges of encouraging religious disunity. Fareed, educated at Qatar university, is a licenced Maldives government preacher and a vocal supporter of multi-party elections and legal reform. Maumoon Gayyoom has spread false information that Fareed is a violent terrorist. In May 2004 the Ministry of Information broadcast blatant lies accusing Fareed of terrorist crimes and the same lies were repeated again in Dhivehi by the Aafathis newspaper on 12 August. Unidentified woman addressing the vigil at Republican Square on Friday Despite these incitements by Gayyoom, the reformists assembled peacefully and in huge numbers on Thursday night in a vigil at the Republican square which continued with speeches and occasional brief disturbances into Friday. President Gayyoom has made many public promises of democratic and legal changes over the last few months, but his paid civilian and NSS supporters at the vigil clearly opposed any real reforms. Fathmath Nisreen made a powerful speech against her conviction for publishing Sandhaanu. There is compelling evidence that she was totally innocent of the charges, yet she is still officially serving her sentence and has to return to exile in Faafu atoll. No political prisoners have been pardoned by Maumoon Gayyoom. The president has the delusion that he is the saviour of Maldives and he finds blunt personal criticism deeply offensive. The president believes dissent from his will is treason and that fear is the key to remaining in power. He revels in hours of official pomp and ceremony, and enjoys watching videos of his prisoners being tortured and beaten at NSS prisons around Male'. He boasts to his fellow NSS officers about the letters he receives from his victims' families begging for the release of their loved ones. Maumoon Gayyoom is enraged that Male' would dare turn against him and demand his resignation. He is responding as he always does when his hold on the presidency is threatened – with lies and NSS violence. top

Related articles and links Maldives police crack down on peaceful protest, some fatally injured: witnesses Dhivehi Observer 13 August 2004 Protest pictures - Friday 13th August Dhivehi Observer 13 August 2004 Law and Order Restored Through Emergency Measures President's office 13 August 2004 Special Majlis members beaten and arrested by NSS as Gayyoom declares Emergency Rule for Male' and surrounding areas 13 Aug 2004 Plots, Preachers and false Promises 13 Aug 2004

Maldives Culture is an independent internet magazine of Maldive cultural issues.
Editors and translators: Michael O'Shea and Fareesha Abdulla, Australia
We invite contributions from Maldivians and others interested in Maldives.
Contributions and comments - mc_editors@hotmail.com