Zuhaira: The Voice MDP
in Dhivehi Observer 4 Oct 2004
'This hard core supporter of the regime finally changed
her mind after witnessing the ceaseless deception and abuses of the current regime.
The final straw was when her self professed second son, her favorite nephew was
locked in solitary confinement for no other reason than speaking up against this
brutal regime' more
Congratulations Gasim Ibrahim – Speaker of the Special
Majlis Mohamed Nasheed (Anni) 2 October
2004
'The nomination of candidates for the Speaker of the Special
Majlis has been completed, and Ahmed Zahir’s nomination is now invalid. There
is no reason to hold a vote to elect a candidate. Gasim Ibrahim wins by default' more
How many Maldivians live like this? Abbas lives with
his 2 wives and 6 children in a 7 by 10 ft room Dhivehi
Observer translation of article from Udhares Magazine Sept 2004
'The room does not even have a door. When they want to sleep
they just draw the curtain. They even cook and eat in this space. As you enter
the room, the kitchen is in one corner. In this 2ft by 2ft kitchen there was a
cooker and some utensils. The room did not even have any specific space for clothes
and toiletries. The floor also was bare sand, there wasn't any flooring. When
they want to pray, they just throw a mat on the sand floor' more
A cry for democracy Frontline
25 Sept - 8 Oct 2004 'In an interview to Frontline,
Gayoom said the protesters were arrested "to safeguard public property". Pro-democracy
activists disagree. "The entire reformist movement is in jail. They have not violated
any law," asserts Latheef, a dissident activist based in Colombo' more
Gayoom Plays “Political Musical Chairs” MDP
Newsletter 20
'Gayoom’s business partner Ahmed Abdulla has been changed
from the Ministry of Health to run his propaganda as Minister of Information.
Ahmed Abdulla is eminently qualified for the job: He is a die-hard Gayoom loyalist
and, like others who held the post before him, he has not yet completed his secondary
education' more
Gayoom’s EU Blues MDP
Newsletter 20
'According to pro-Gayoom hate websites run by his sons,
extended family and the NSS (an excellent source of insight to Gayoom’s mindset)
EU is on Gayoom’s hate list - almost on par with such stalwarts as Amnesty International.
Since he is more scared of the EU than AI (who cannot impose sanctions on him)
he shows more official restraint when dealing with EU. However, Gayoom’s government
has basically called the EU Heads of Mission, liars' more
Maldivians love Qasim but they are scared; Is an armed
struggle the only solution? Dhivehi Observer
26 Sept 2004
'Police and heavy military presence were observed hours
before Qasim was being brought to IGMH. Armoured vehicles and riot police were
all over the place. This show of military muscle was to warn the public that the
authorities will do whatever it takes to salvage the mighty and brutal dictator's
rule' more
Unlawful and false - Gayyoom blasts his own human rights
commission Dhivehi Observer 22 Sept 2004
'Gayyoom's stint in the Middle-East is not bringing the
dictator any peace of mind, as a series of leaked documents expose more of his
lies. In an particularly embarrassing development, Gayyoom's own human rights
commission sent a press release to the national media, expressing concern about
the condition of the detainees arrested in August in connection with the anti-government
demonstration' more
Gayyoom's rule threatens economy
We have noticed that some Maldivians, especially those graduating
in the Middle East, are very reluctant to criticise. We have to learn to tolerate
criticism if we are to move away from barbaric behaviour. The government has no
right to blame anyone else for the destruction of the economy after it ordered
violence and arrested large numbers of the business community (Buruma Gasim, Ali
Abdulla, Shareef and so on) and the opposition' more
Repeal emergency, says European Union The
Hindu 8 Sept 2004 'The E.U. team said that despite
its request, it was "denied access" the members of the Special Majlis, who were
arrested last month' more
The Maldives in transition — I The
Hindu 7 Sept 2004 "When there is a public platform,
people with divergent views would come and voice their grievances. We don't endorse
Islamic extremism," said Mr. Latheef. On the official position that the arrests
were made to safeguard public property, he said: "none of what the President says
justifies such a clampdown and deprivation of fundamental rights." more
The Maldives in transition — II The
Hindu 8 Sept 2004 'The Maldivian Constitution,
for instance, defines a "law" to include "the practices of the Government." This,
according to legal opinion, gives a blanket legal sanctity to all acts of the
state' more
Maldives: 'Unique Democracy' Run By Typical Autocrat Asia-Pacific
Human Rights Network
'The international community must look beyond the President’s
insincere promises, and apply sustained pressure to ensure the implementation
of the genuine democratic reform that the people of the Maldives are now demanding' more
This is Paradise? The
Hindu editorial, 1 Sept 2004 'The real test
of Mr. Gayoom's commitment to the reform process lies in his willingness to lift
the Emergency, reconvene the Constituent Assembly — some of its members were arrested
in the crackdown — and begin the debate on reforms at the earliest' more
Over 1,000 Maldivians arrested in state-sponsored terrorism
in Maldives
'Gayyoom has deceived the people in the equatorial atolls
by refusing to build even a single luxury resort in this heavily populated part
of the country... The lack of food and employment in the northern and southern
atolls is a glaring indictment of Gayyoom's claims to be a successful national
leader' more
PR for BO – the Keyothi contract Dhon
Keyothi
'What's wrong with Hoaxes and Knee-tremblers Ltd, your hack
public deception firm in the realm of WindSore?' Keyothi inquires with an ethically
appropriate salute. 'H+K suggested we use you, after a bit of training,'
sniffs BO. 'This time I have to fool the alhun.' 'An impossible
task, Oh Emergency Eternal. You have taught them every dirty trick in the book.' more
Rival Maldivian factions rely on international support PK
Balachanddran, Hindustan Times Colombo 27 August 2004 'President
Gayoom's theme is that he has been going along the path to constitutional reform
and genuine democracy since June this year, but the dissidents are trying to force
the pace regardless of the consequences for a country which has not tasted modern
multi-party democracy or agitation politics yet' more
Letter from Graduates of Maldives Resign
Gayyoom or face the consequences
'You keeping talking about the development of Maldives.
Which parts of Maldives have been developed? How much money has Maldives received
during your monarchy? How much of that money was spent on the development of Maldives?
A large amount was spent on making yourself personally comfortable by buying yourself
yachts, building a huge palace, an immense office, your own personal resorts and
so on. Little of the money was spent on the country's development; only enough
to buy yourself a few votes' more
Leiden Dhivehi language scholar sends letter of protest
to Maldives president
'I consider the detention of Mohamed Munavvar, Ibrahim Hussain
Zaki and other democratic activists a rude violation of human rights... I
hope my colleagues from the Netherlands and other countries will join my protest' more
Gayyoom orders NSS to bash reformists and Maldivian Democratic
Party members
'The NSS is not being used in this emergency to establish
law and order; it is acting as a gang of thugs against a non-violent democratic
movement on behalf of the political and financial interests of NSS commander-in-chief
Maumoon Gayyoom. The president has been publicly lying about his support for the
democratic reforms demanded by his people and international advisors, and he needed
an excuse to abort the Special Majlis. Gayyoom's manufactured 'emergency' and
arrests and beatings of many of the reformist Special Majlis members, serves this
purpose' more
EU to impose sanctions against Maldives Sri
Lanka Daily News 18 August 2004 'Member
of the European Parliament for South East England Nirj Deva who is also a member
of the Foreign Affairs Committee in the EU Parliament said that during the 25
year rule of President Gayoom and his regime had flouted international human rights
agreements, laughed in the face of democracy and had brought about terror to innocent
people' more
Nirj Deva - Member of the European Parliament for South
East England Press release 17 August 2004 'The
truth is, far from being the majestic paradise promoted by scores of glossy brochures
in Travel Agents up and down High Streets across the United Kingdom, the Maldives
is a land of torture, oppression and murder with the tourism industry underpinning
the lavish lifestyle of the dictator Gayoom and his cruel lieutenants whilst the
vast majority of the population survive on less than a dollar a day' more
Emergency delays Maldives debate BBC
16 August 2004 "These people didn't have a single
demand to make. They were asking for the release of certain criminals. This kind
of demand the government cannot accede to," government spokesman Ahmed Shaheed
told the Reuters news agency. "The government believes the weekend incident was
an attempt to derail the process for real democracy... We remain fully committed
and we want to fully resume the agenda," Mr Shaheed said. more
Detailed eye-witness report of the incidents of 12-13 August
2004 at the Republican Square Dhivehi Observer
14 August 2004 When Ibra tried to address the
people under the flag post, one NSS officer came in and stood on the platform
to harass the crowd. People were furious and demanded that he go elsewhere. I
was told he said that “I will not move from this location while the flag is hoisted”.
The people around the platform then forcefully removed him from the platform.
There was a loud cheer when this happened. Ibra said that he was with the people
and that he will always listen to the people. He also said that Brigadier Moosa
Jaleel has assured him that no force will be used against the people if they remained
peaceful in the Republican Square' more
NSS firebrigade commits arson on Huravee Building;
Official photos of 'mob' don't support Maldives emergency rule decision
'Three photographs on the President's office website captioned
'Photos of the mob that had gathered outside the Headquarters of the NSS – 13
August 2004', show a laughing crowd no more violent than a cinema queue. Another
photograph of a 'seriously injured' NSS officer shows a healthy-looking young
man wrapped in Maldives cleanest bandages, and there is a banal photo of a small
broken window' more
Lies used to justify emergency rule in Maldives
'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' more
Radio Station launched for Maldives - MINIVAN RADIO
Friends of Maldives Press release 14 Aug 2004 'TEST
broadcast on Wednesday 18th August between 2100-2200hrs, Male’ time' more
Violent crackdown on peaceful protestors MDP
press release 14 August 2004 'The National Security
Service (NSS), assisted by a militia controlled by Gayyoom's hard-line brother
Minister Yameen, Executive Secretary to the President, Abdullah Shahid and Police
Commissioner Adam Zahir is on a rampage of violence against pro-democracy activists.
Activists were beaten up in their homes and were also subject to verbal abuse
and threats by the NSS. Rubber bullets and tear gas, too, were used. MDP members
Muad Zaki and Ziyad were so brutally beaten they are under intensive medical care' more
Special Majlis members beaten and arrested by NSS as Gayyoom
declares Emergency Rule for Male' and surrounding areas Special
Majlis member Dr Mohamed Munavvar has been severely beaten by the NSS and is in
custody along with Special Majlis members Burama Gasim, Ibrahim Hussein Zaki,
Mohamed Shihab and Ibrahim Ismail (Ibra). Other reformists are being hunted and
arrested while a loud siren is sounding throughout the capital. Dhiraagu
SMS messaging and Internet services have been cut, dial-up and ADSL are no longer
functioning, and the government seems to be preparing to shut down all private
Internet servers' more
Sandhaanu prisoners and Naushad Waheed released after thousands
protest in Male' Breaking news from Dhivehi Observer
Crowd in Male' on Friday
morning after night of protest and freedom for political prisoners
'People now demanding Gayyoom's resignation... Emergency
cabinet meeting now underway in Presidential Palace... Arrested reformists
released from Dhoonidhoo jail after thousands protest in Male'...
Crowd surrounds NSS fort in Male' condemning imprisonment of reformists
and demanding release of Sandhaanu prisoners... Sandhaanu prisoners released... Naushad
Waheed free and addressing the crowd - when democracy comes it comes with a bang!' more
Plots, Preachers and false Promises
'Sentencing in Maldive courts is directly controlled by
the President's office, and Fareed's release should be an admission that these
faked charges cause social disorder rather than prevent it. However, Gayyoom's
attempt to sentence Fareed was designed to provoke an outbreak of mob violence
by Fareed's supporters and provide justification for mass arrests by the NSS.
This ploy has failed, and the huge padlock placed on the Presidential Palace gates
on Wednesday was only a further symbol of Gayyoom's estrangement from his people' more
Another fishy fire in Male'
'The Maldives Industrial Fisheries Company (MIFCO) fire
in November 2003 incinerated many records, and last night's fire is alleged to
have burnt Fisheries Projects Implementation Department (FPID) files and other
records of the Finance department. FPID is the old name for MIFCO' more
Maldives Construction Minister accuses President of theft Dhivehi
Observer 6 August 2004
'Frustrated by a ban on the provision of venues for discussion
about government reform, people have begun to hold public forums near the tetrapods,
thin failee gaa, that make up the capital's protective seawall. At tonight's
gathering, over 400 people took part, discussing politics and other issues of
public concern' more
Maldives Justice Minister warns Attorney Husnu Al-Suood Dhivehi
Observer 5 August 2004
The Government is not welcoming the recent cases where Attorney
Al-Suood has represented some reformists, who have been summoned by the police
for exercising their constitutional right to freedom of expression, association
and assembly. Since the actions of the government are now reported on a constant
basis to the wider world, and the international community follows the issues and
events in the Maldives, Gayyoom is no longer able to carry out arbitrary arrests
as in the past' more
Students
for Democracy meet in Colombo Press statement
'The participants felt that continued disregard for fundamental
human rights and endemic violation of the constitution by Gayoom’s regime, in
power for 26 years, could seriously undermine the social, political and economic
stability of Maldives' more
Ali Naz Saleem Just who is insane? MDP
newsletter 1-15 August
'Ali Naz Saleem like most young adults in the NSS, was drafted
by force and without consent. All students who complete secondary education in
the Maldives are liable to three years of National Service. Ali Naz Saleem had
been very vocal about injustice and had questioned Gayoom in person on several
occasions' more
To all Maldivians and the NSS Islamic
Society of Maldives
'A large part of the NSS training program is designed to
remove natural feelings of shame, kindness and humanity. They are trained to obey
and protect the President, and to worship him. The NSS are being stuffed with
mutton and chicken and other tasty food so their brains are numbed and they do
not think about the welfare of the nation. NSS members are being brainwashed to
believe the government is only Maumoon Gayyoom, Anbaree Abdul Sattar, Abdullah
Hameed, and the brigadiers and generals of the NSS, while the people are only
their slaves.' more
The Special Majlis Mohamed
Nasheed (Anni)
'Abdulla Hameed told some of the special Majlis members,
'I am not contesting this time,' and 'Zahir Hussein (Haveeru editor) has also
refused to accept.. so we are bringing out Ahmed Zahir'. He instructed the members
to vote for Ahmed' more
Gayyoom getting ready for the clampdown Dhivehi
Observer 29 July 2004
'Insiders feel that Dr. Shaugee, Education Minister and
Dr. Saeed, the Attorney General, newest addition to the cabinet, are bound to
loose their jobs and Ilyas Ibrahim is to be changed over to the Trade Ministry.
Insiders at NSS have heard rumours that Gayyoom might even transfer Yameen to
the Defence Ministry as he is now Gayyoom's favourite. Abdulla Hameed is to remain
in his powerful post despite public demands for his removal from all his public
offices, especially that of the Speaker of the Majlis' more
Party takes the cake Asif’s
birthday party brings Gayyoom to full alert Dhivehi
Observer 29 July 2004
'Dr. Shaugee is furious that Solih could not stop the party
and has warned Solih that anymore mistakes like this and he will be transferred
to Addu Atoll as Assistant to Atoll Chief, for a bit of disciplinary action from
Abdulla Hameed' more
US
University of Pennsylvania law professor and students to draft new criminal law
for Maldives FrontPageMagazine.com 26 July 2004
'The seminar will revolve around a single project: drafting
a new criminal code for the Maldives. The work has been requested by the Maldivian
government and is sponsored by the United Nations Development Program. Because
the Maldives is by constitutional mandate an Islamic nation and, as a matter of
law, all citizens are Muslim, the code will be the world’s first criminal code
of modern format that is based upon the principles of Shari'a. After studying
the existing Maldivian criminal law statutes and the criminal law principles contained
in Shari'a, student teams will propose criminal code provisions and critique the
proposals of others. Selected students will have the opportunity to travel
to the Maldives as part of the U.N. mission to coordinate the criminal code drafting
work' more
Minister of Atolls, Majlis Speaker and chairman
of Bank of Maldives Abdullah Hameed: A Secret Known to All Sandhaanu
2004
'The mudhim of the island was a tall man and he
was standing there looking over the curtain as people marked the ballot paper
and saying in English (so the voters would not understand) to the island chief
sitting at the desk whether a ‘tick’ or ‘cross’ had been written on each voting
paper. The chief recorded this on the list he had on his desk. Anyone who put
a cross on the ballot paper would encounter difficulties whenever they went to
the island office for whatever reason' more
Dr. Waheed is prepared to lead the people of Maldives Dhivehi
Observer 24 July 2004
Mohamed
Waheed
The time has come for us to claim our fundamental human
rights, to remove the shackles on our thoughts and expression and to rise as a
free, creative and powerful people whose government is by the people, for the
people and of the people. To lead would be to serve, and serving the people is
the highest privilege. I believe I am prepared to take on this responsibility
if the people see fit,' says Dr. Waheed more
MALDIVES - GREAT
BRITAIN Open Letter to Francesco Caio, CEO of Cable & Wireless Reporters
without Borders 20 July 2004
'Cable and Wireless has said it is very concerned about
human rights issues. We therefore hope that its top executive will appreciate
the ethical consequences of running the network in a country like the Maldives' more
Gayyoom
and Hameed forced to allow secret ballot for Special Majlis speaker President
Gayyoom has agreed to allow a secret ballot for the election of the president
(speaker) of the Special Majlis after more than 20 Special Majlis members walked
out of the first meeting and went to the President's Office. They were protesting
the attempt by the President's brother Abdulla Hameed to force a show of hands
for the election. more
from Dhivehi Observer
'When ill-health forced Nasir to retire in 1978, Fathullah
Jameel could have been the new leader if he had been willing to moderate his public
and personal behaviour, but he found the well-lubricated diplomatic lifestyle
far more attractive' more
Ibrahim Zaki and Dr Munavvar: Gayyoom's ministers for the
MDP
'Champa Afeef paid US$500,000 each to Abdulla Shahid and
Dr. Munavvar to 'settle things', and Champa offered the same amount to Zaki. But
Zaki wanted more than US$500,000 dollars and after some bickering, Champa who
was desperate for Velaavaru island, promised to construct Zaki's eight-storey
house complete with a swimming pool on the terrace' more
Life gets tough for dictator and NSS torturers in Maldives MDP
newsletter 16 15-31 July 2004
'The police are so powerful that in the islands other than
Male' even atoll chiefs and island chiefs are known to defer to ordinary privates
or lance corporals. There have been instances where police have beaten and tortured
citizens in front of the island chiefs after inviting the people to watch the
public humiliation' more
Fourth debate held in Male' in support of political party
system Dhivehi Observer 13 July 2004
'Nazeer Jamal, former Presidential candidate and an outspoken
reformist also called for the release of political prisoners namely Naushad Waheed
and the writers of Sandhaanu Newsletters. These are innocent people who have been
given long prison sentences for opposing the government of Gayyoom and calling
for democratic reform' more
Snapping-shark bidders circle Maldive resort islands
'Resorts should be owned in trust by the people in the particular
atoll where they are located, and the profits used to provide education, health
and other social services to that atoll's population. Private management and competition
for customers would ensure these businesses are properly run and every Maldivian
would benefit, instead of just a few families headquartered in Male' and overseas.
Such a system would bring food supplies, employment and communication infrastructure
to those areas where they are most needed' more
Eloquent critique of bogus environmentalism in Maldives Gayyoom
And the Art of Fake Environmentalism Dhivehi
Observer 12 July 2004
'It was Aafathis reporter Kudanevi Abbas who wrote the fateful
article on ozone layer depletion with the eye-catching title 'Hole in the Sky'
and converted Gayyoom from a professional cleric to an amateur environmentalist,
one of the many chameleon-like transformations Gayyoom would undergo before making
the ultimate switchover from tin-pot dictator to Westminster democrat, all in
the blinking of a perfidious eye' more
Chairman of Maldives Association of Tourism Industry urged
to resign
'These things were said using the MATI chairman's position
and with the intention of obtaining a personal gain. This is contary to the master
plan endorsed by MATI with regard to tourism development in Maldives' more
Alleged corruption threatens Maldives Monetary Authority
and World Bank loans
'Reports of alleged graft and corruption in the allocation
of Maldive islands for resort development have angered and alienated foreign financiers
and bankers who were considering large investments in the country's tourism industry' more
