Rozaina Adam is the member of parliament for the Addu-Meedhoo constituency. She is also deputy leader of the Maldivian Democratic Party’s parliamentary group.
It’s with intense sadness that I write this today. Maldives, my beautiful country, a country I was so proud to be a citizen of – while it still remains a paradise for tourists – is hardly a paradise to its citizens.
The democracy that our people hoped to enjoy with the ratification of the new constitution is dying a slow death. The separation of powers, which the new constitution proudly states, has been bundled up into the fist of one person, while the rest of the citizens gape in horror at the abominable unfolding of a dictatorship in front of our eyes.
We as the opposition party remain helpless to do anything as our rights, provided by the constitution, are ripped away everyday bit by bit. We struggle to remain heard, to relay our messages in a feeble attempt to bring check and balance to a lopsided state.
Our messages are met with resistance by the government, which threatens to cut off our voices by sending us death threats and terrorising us in the most horrifying and barbaric ways possible.
It’s been more than a month since a reporter, Ahmed Rilwan went missing. Nobody has any idea as to what happened to him. Has he been abducted or murdered or simply gone missing? Even the police has established nothing so far, but the evidence collected by his family points towards an abduction.
The police, as the paid protectors of the people, have done very little and as far as we can see have not attempted to solve this case at a serious level, as noted by the Human Rights Commission of the Maldives. The president’s simple refusal to comment at all on the abduction of a reporter, about which the whole nation is concerned, came as a shock to the family of Ahmed Rilwan as well as the people of this nation.
A question hangs – why?
Questions without answers
On one hand, as Rilwan’s family and friends and concerned citizen’s struggle to solve the mystery of his disappearance, others face another horror on the streets as young people get stabbed, beaten, and gutted every other day. Everyday, the newspapers unveil the horror of violence on the streets and horrified citizens sit at their dinner tables discussing the terrible dilemma our nation faces. People are afraid to walk on the streets alone, to leave their house doors unlocked, to climb the staircases to their apartments.
And then there are others who demonstrate the need for Islamic Shariah in Maldives – which of course is how it should be, since we are a 100 percent Muslim nation. But how are we going to practice Islamic Shariah or any justice for that matter, in a nation where the judiciary has totally collapsed?
Isn’t it time we all came out to fight for our right to an independent judiciary? But the sad state of this nation is that, when the issue of a Judge Ali Hameed (a supreme court judge who is alleged of corruption and was also caught on tape having sex with a prostitute) was brought to the attention of parliament by the opposition, the ruling party kicked it out faster than one could say ‘Ali Hameed’.
Everyone wonders – where is the government that came into power through an election influenced by a corrupt Supreme court? What is their role in keeping the citizens of this nation safe?
The answer, sadly enough, is that, everyone is coming to the same conclusion; this is state sponsored terrorism. Parliament members with a constitutional mandate to raise their voices on behalf of the people, are terrorised with death threats to their phones, which, having been reported to the police on several occasions, have been conveniently ignored. The law requires that security be provided to MPs and any other citizen who has a life threat and yet the government refuses to provide security to MPs or such other citizens.
As all this goes on, rumours of corruption by government officials, especially at the ministerial level, spread like wildfire and the parliament which is the overlooking body for the government, of which the majority is the ruling party, turns its back on this. And as if this is not enough, they have rolled up their sleeves and set to work on amending bills and proposing new bills which will further empower the president, and pave the way for further corruption.
As this scenario keeps unfolding, it is worth noting that the Progressive Party of Maldives government which came into power as a coalition with JP no longer holds that status. Without JP, the ruling party now is one which held only 26 percent of popularity votes in the presidential election.
The question is, how long is this minority government’s terror tactics going to work? How long will the citizens continue to tolerate these new levels of corruption and violence? How long will these horror stories remain just dinner conversation? That is a question for tomorrow.
For now, from a Maldivian citizen’s perspective – welcome to the other side of paradise – hell!!
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26% first choice minority popularity, of course no other party got majority popularity in first choice.
51% percent second choice majority government and so it is...
Although that is how the form of electoral system we adopted for our alleged 'democratic' republic works.
'a country I WAS so proud to be a citizen of' ( para 1)
When did Rozaina change of citizenship or is it automatic when she became an MP for Addu?
"The democracy that our people hoped to enjoy with the ratification of the new constitution is dying a slow death" Wow. Rozey, it was only like yesterday that you started working for democracy. Stop acting like you were all for democracy and rights all this time. You were actively behind the most corrupt, dictatorial regime. Nausea.
You dimwit.
Mordisians opted for paradise not while on Earth. We chose the paradise of afterlife.
Life on earth must be hard, serving the rich and the non-believers.
Soon it will end up like a 3rd world hell for the citizen of Maldives by the Sunies or so call harbys killers of Islam.
Another Munafiq lectures us.
Some people's comments are actually funny here. When she says 'was proud to be a Maldivian citizen' its quite obvious that she means she is not so proud to be a Maldivian citizen anymore. Not that she's not a Maldivian anymore. And as far as democracy goes, which ever party Rozaina was in, we have noticed that she has always fought for what is right. It's not the party but the person's actions that define a person. She stood up against Civil service president Fahmy. She has stood up for people's rights always. I applaud you Madam for the wonderful work you are doing. You are the best MP, male or female, this country has ever seen. Keep up the good work.
Keep it up Rosey your one of the most hard working MP's in majlis today, we all love u and so proud of the work you are doing for the better of the people of maldives.
Keep up the great work, surely Allah knows best, dont let anyone tell you any differently and last but not least, never change never give up
Great article MP Rozey. U just captured beautifully, everything that's going on in our minds. Didn't know writing was one of your talents as well.
This government is a miserable lousy excuse for a government. Thank u Rozey for everything u r doing to uphold democracy in this crazy situation we are in. U r the brightest star in MDP now. Keep shining always. Good luck.
Kashim, how does she become a munafiq? I thought in Islam its not u who passes that judgement. Allah knows best. And she's not lecturing u. She's expressing her thoughts and for your information those are the thoughts of majority of Maldives. So please digest it. Thanks Rozey.
You are the most courageous lady in this country's recent history. Never afraid to say the right thing and stand up for the right course. We r all afraid we might be the next victim of this state sponsored terrorism. What a state we are in! Well captured Rozey.
Excellent article, spot on!
A very gud article rozey. Explains the true situation of the country now. The work you are doing cannot be thanked with words. In shah allah the work you are doing will make a positive change in this country.
You are a courageous woman. A very clear account of what is going on in the Maldives. Take good care of yourself; we need people like you to deal with what is going on in this country.
Gr8 article Rozey. beautifully you have submitted it before the hand of all dheeneee and laadheenee people in the Maldives. We all know that without having a proper judiciary we cannot live peacefully.
Well said rozey
Your truly a nice human
We are with you with this task
May Allah grant us in this journey
rozena has become the one of the strongest political figure in Maldives, She Started her political career as a supporter of maumoon, her work as a member of parliament has shown that she work for the benefit of people of maldives, She left maumoons party saying she cannot support a dictator and she need to be with people other than to be on high corrupted powers, now she is the most courageous women in Maldives Parliament. she was death threatened several times by the opposition, her courage and will power has become an example for the women in maldives, She gain respect and love from people. i wish her success and good political future.
I wonder how pleased the 26% is living in other side of paradise. Is this the utopia they really envisaged when they dropped their ballot ; state sponsored terrorism, murder, rape, kidnapping, stabbing, fundamental rights curtailed, impunity for criminals and rampat corruption. Was this really their dream for the country?
Roxeyna is a very brave lady, her courage has showed women in maldives to be an example to fight for rights and to talk about facts and truth. recently she was death threatened, text messages to parliament members and MDP senior members. She never stayed back, she continue her work and raised her voice.
All threatening messages are coming from PPM Adeebs boy Shumba Gong, this is something everyone at social media knows well.
why can't police do something? Maldivian Government is back to 30 years of regime. People voted for money and they are suffering now.
Journalist Rilwan missing for more than a months and still police fail to find him.
Rozeyna is a women who raise her voice against corruption and talk about the good for people.
As a Maldivian women i will stand beside rozeyna with her work, May Allah protect her and family from evil,
Well-spoken rozyana, it shows you are a real leader whatever party you work for. You should really go for top position at the next election. Hopefully bad elements in the society is cleaned up by then, element’s with brain disorders believing now tolerance for female leadership. My best wishes for you.