15 Minutes with Evan Naseem’s mother Mariyam Manike

On the 19th September 2003, in Maafushi Jail, Maldives, members of President Gayoom’s National Security Service took 19 year old Evan Naseem out of his cell to ‘the range’.
They tied Evan’s hands above his head and his legs to the floor in an ‘X’ position. Then, they took it in turns to beat Evan to death with iron rods, batons and chair legs.
It was on NSS Captain Adam Mohamed’s (Fusfaru) orders that Evan Naseem was taken to ‘the range’ and brutally beaten, resulting in his death. On March 10th, Fusfaru was sentenced to 6 months in jail for this crime.
Minivan News spoke to Evan’s mother, Mariyam Manike, about the sentence.
Q1: Do you think that justice has been served?
I knew even before the sentence justice would not be served. They gave Fusfaru just six months. Because they kept him under investigation for so long they had to give him something so the government can say to the people it has done something.
[Sarcastically] I really believe the government should give him back his job and encourage him to beat more people more often.
For a torturer like Fusfaru six months is nothing. He has been beating people up for so long. For five years he had the job of torturing people. It is not one or two who have been beaten up. He has been beating people up for so long. Lots of people have told me their stories at the hands of Fusfaru.
Q2: Do you expect to take this judgment to a higher court?
Even if I did go to the highest court here, nothing would happen. Nothing will happen with this regime in power.
Q3: Have you decided that your fight for justice for Evan is now over?
No. It won’t end just like that. It is not going to end. Even if I request a re-trial of Fusfaru the authorities will not allow it. If the government wants to investigate something they will always do that. But not for people like me. The government wouldn’t review a case like this.
Perhaps the reason he did not get justice is because in the hereafter he will be judged. He deserves to be judged there. That is my prayer too. For people like him, let the end be bitter even on Earth. They are well aware of what they have done.
Q4: Just a couple of days back another person died in jail [Muaviath Mahmood]. What are your feelings about this, being Evan’s mother?
I was sleeping when the news of Muaviath’s death was bough to me. Someone came and said another person has died. I went to the cemetery where Muaviath’s body was lying and some boys pointed out to me how his larynx was all swollen. It was unbearable to see that beaten boy. I had to leave, I couldn’t bear it.
Q5: Youself and Muaviath ‘s mother are in a similar position. Did you go and speak to her?
Yes, I spoke to her and she said just that he was beaten to death. She was too upset to say anything more than that.

On the 19th September 2003, in Maafushi Jail, Maldives, members of President Gayoom’s National Security Service took 19 year old Evan Naseem out of his cell to ‘the range’.

They tied Evan’s hands above his head and his legs to the floor in an ‘X’ position. Then, they took it in turns to beat Evan to death with iron rods, batons and chair legs.

It was on NSS Captain Adam Mohamed’s (Fusfaru) orders that Evan Naseem was taken to ‘the range’ and brutally beaten, resulting in his death. On March 10th, Fusfaru was sentenced to 6 months in jail for this crime.

Minivan News spoke to Evan’s mother, Mariyam Manike, about the sentence.

Q1: Do you think that justice has been served?

I knew even before the sentence justice would not be served. They gave Fusfaru just six months. Because they kept him under investigation for so long they had to give him something so the government can say to the people it has done something.

[Sarcastically] I really believe the government should give him back his job and encourage him to beat more people more often.

For a torturer like Fusfaru six months is nothing. He has been beating people up for so long. For five years he had the job of torturing people. It is not one or two who have been beaten up. He has been beating people up for so long. Lots of people have told me their stories at the hands of Fusfaru.

Q2: Do you expect to take this judgment to a higher court?

Even if I did go to the highest court here, nothing would happen. Nothing will happen with this regime in power.

Q3: Have you decided that your fight for justice for Evan is now over?

No. It won’t end just like that. It is not going to end. Even if I request a re-trial of Fusfaru the authorities will not allow it. If the government wants to investigate something they will always do that. But not for people like me. The government wouldn’t review a case like this.

Perhaps the reason he did not get justice is because in the hereafter he will be judged. He deserves to be judged there. That is my prayer too. For people like him, let the end be bitter even on Earth. They are well aware of what they have done.

Q4: Just a couple of days back another person died in jail [Muaviath Mahmood]. What are your feelings about this, being Evan’s mother?

I was sleeping when the news of Muaviath’s death was bough to me. Someone came and said another person has died. I went to the cemetery where Muaviath’s body was lying and some boys pointed out to me how his larynx was all swollen. It was unbearable to see that beaten boy. I had to leave, I couldn’t bear it.

Q5: Youself and Muaviath ‘s mother are in a similar position. Did you go and speak to her?

Yes, I spoke to her and she said just that he was beaten to death. She was too upset to say anything more than that.

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