The Maldives is in danger of drifting back into dictatorship, writes Al-Jazeera journalist Mark Seddon on website ‘Big Think’.
“The Maldives is not only the World’s newest democracy—it is one of the World’s most fragile democracies. In recent weeks, the rule of the democratically elected President Nasheed began to look a little shaky, as elements of the old Gayoom regime coagulated under a grubby coalition of MPs and corrupt judicial figures to try and force him out.
“What had infuriated them more than anything else was the seriousness behind the intent of the Maldives to recover huge stolen assets—some $400 million, in fact, that now resides in foreign bank accounts. This grand larceny does not include the wealth already squandered on luxury yachts, palaces and all of the paraphernalia associated with bog standard dictators. It was enough to alarm Gayoom, and his close supporters and family, who it is alleged have paid off enough Opposition MPs to make the Maldives more or less un-governable.”
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This is why the DRPA needs to be shut down, it's funds confiscated, its members and leaders arrested and tried for treason and human rights abuses under the People's Court. Today they stoop to engineering human-rights abuse against teenagers to win political points.
Who will they target next? Toddlers?
They will be made to suffer the full force of the people's wrath. We will regain every last cent of what has been stolen from us - and woe betide the fools who will try to stop us.
Al-Jazeera journalist Mark Seddon, who on earth is this man to write about Maldives and its politics. What evidence has he got about what he alleged of the old regim.He seem to have been apid to promote MDP rhetoric, who have misirably failed to win the people of the Maldives.
@Ahmed Aliased
"This is why the DRPA needs to be shut down, it’s funds confiscated, its members and leaders arrested and tried for treason and human rights abuses under the People’s Court."
We will need one heck of a jail to arrest all those people!
Why do I think you, Hillath, yameen, Aicha, Aniya, SHADOW RUNNER and the GANG are supporting MDP to achieve something which will not be possile in your wildest dream in Maldives?
Yes. Your dream being a little bit "wet" might do the trick!
Don't confuse the people's desire to root out corruption with the distant pipe dream of a few Islam-haters!
There is a difference between giving power to the people and surrendering power to a few Islam-haters!
You GANG need to form a separate LINE to chant your "democrazy" shout because when the SMOKE clears the people will recognize you ANYWAY!
There will be a mark on your FOREHEAD!
Looks like a biased and a very NAIVE report!
Mark Seddon. Why don't you come down here and do a bit of research yourself, before blurting out with the same force of the "cult" whose mind you have "vomitted" on your blog.
Mentioning Al-Jazeera was not even necessary. It's YOUR blog!
Hope you have won a holiday in the sun for a nice report!
well said. Kamini ge will never stop.. bodu balaa ehy ... jasaaa nulafaa vatharu meeting thakuga.. mivaru ge baye mi fas gadun ves nudheken ... Islam dheen ves oluvaalan vegen Asfraaaaaaashim ule neeeee,,, " God created Maumoon in a way that he will never be able to do corruption in the land".. Disgusting mi DRP meehun belive kura goi.. mi kahala faadu faadu ge kantha kuraaneee.......... boa halaaku. These guys are soo much crazy about Verikan... they don't want to do anything for people hama hus dhogu ,,, kaleemen beynun me noon dhivehin develop vaaka. Drug a huskofa kudhin tha .. bodu balaaaa ehy
Well said Mark,
Any Maldivian will agree to this except ofcourse the Gayyoom/DRP cronies who are living on and protecting the funds looted out of the Maldivians. The party names doesn't matter anymore for us Maldivians. We know everything about the Maldives like the back of our hand. We know who are the corrupt people, the people who have looted us, the pepole who are still power hungry and who are all out to topple the present government as they toppled theirs bravely. Present government can be toppled by the opposition as they have all our monies and they have designed a set up just before they were toppled. The corrupted Judiciary and ofcourse the corrupted MP's.
However, I dont believe that DRP can govern Maldives ever as the people are too much aware of them and their corruption. Maldives will see blood for sure and there will come a day not too far away where the people will lose control. The people will see that the most corrupt bunch of guys we know today is eliminated by hook or crook. This is the only solution for us Maldivians.
Seddon, you have written the truth.
"When, after thirty years of authoritarian rule, a young dissident and perennial thorn in the side of the Establishment, Mohammed Nasheed won the first free and fair election in the Maldives in 2008, much of the World applauded."
But Mark, you seem to be applauding for all the wrong reasons.
You have highlighted the basis of the current crisis only very superficially. Your article is exactly what the government will write. It is certainly not the point of view of an unbiased observer. That is why many previous commenters here have asked you to come to Maldives and have a look at reality before you write this sort of articles.
"Should the international community and media turn a blind eye to the machinations of these and others, the Maldives will drift back to dictatorship, possibly a dictatorship with a hardline Islamic influence to boot."
Why does it appear to me that it is the possible Islamic influence that is worrying to you more than anything else? Maldives is not going to drift into something its culture disallows. The international community need not be worried about this.
The Obama US State Department does not like to acknowledge global warming... so they are already cozy with the dictator and his' cronies.