The following article by Dr Hassan Saeed was originally published in UK newspaper The Guardian.
The British tourists who come to the Maldives’ beaches are unlikely to know about the Foreign Office’s warning this week to steer clear of large political gatherings.
But the country’s two-year-old government is in crisis. The resignation en masse of President Mohamed Nasheed’s cabinet at the end of June created a constitutional crisis, leaving the Maldives without a government for two weeks.
The president then unconstitutionally reappointed his cabinet without reference to parliament. Opposition MPs were arrested and only released after a prolonged appeal to the supreme court – after which the governing party called for demonstrations in an effort to make the judges change their mind.
Many Maldivians rejoiced in 2008 when the country held its first fully democratic presidential election following 30 years of suppression, torture and censorship under President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom. Nasheed came to power carrying the hopes of the nation with him that it could achieve full democracy.
This was followed a year ago by the first democratic elections to the parliament. I was a candidate in the first round of the presidential election, and the votes of my supporters decisively contributed to Nasheed’s majority in the second round.
In the same way that a democratic South Africa sent a signal to the world that Africa was changing, the Maldives sent a signal that the Muslim world was changing. Despite the difficulties democracy faces in places like Afghanistan, the Maldives were a powerful demonstration that such transition could be achieved peacefully. Most crucially this was delivered by Maldivians for Maldivians and not at the behest of American foreign policy.
That, too, sent an important message to many other Muslim countries debating their futures that peaceful campaigns to achieve democracy and human rights could work.
However, the Maldives is now again facing a serious challenge to our hard-won democracy less than two years after Nasheed came to power, because he did not win a parliamentary majority. The Maldives constitution establishes a clear separation of powers between president and parliament, but now Nasheed is attacking the right of parliament to effectively scrutinise the executive in a way that he would no doubt have similarly criticised his predecessor for.
The Maldives parliament should be allowed to do its job. It is debating important issues such as the foreign ownership of our international airport and seeking accountability from members of the president’s cabinet. However, we now see opposition MPs being arrested illegally, the army being deployed on the streets and unrest in the capital, Male’.
Nasheed is a former Amnesty International “prisoner of conscience” – yet he has threatened his own parliament and arrested MPs under laws that he himself opposed when he went through his own struggle.
The international community must now play a key role in supporting the right of the Maldives parliament to hold the executive to account. The European parliament has expressed concern about the situation and it has required the intervention of the Sri Lankan president, Mahinda Rajapakse, to bring the two sides together.
William Hague, the British foreign secretary, should intervene: the Maldives are a former British protectorate and last year over 100,000 Britons visited the islands, making Britain the country’s largest tourist market. Nasheed is very close to the Conservative party and was the international guest speaker at their conference last year. The Conservatives have provided him with support in the past, including training activists from his party.
In order to secure continued respect for the president’s role, Nasheed needs to demonstrate full respect for the Maldives’ other institutions. This is the only way to honour the struggle for democracy to which many believed the president had been totally committed.
Two years ago, some in the international community hailed Nasheed as the Mandela of the Maldives because of the way in which he forgave his predecessor, who had tortured and imprisoned him. The tragedy for the Maldives, and for the wider Muslim world, would be for him to take the country backwards to Gayoom’s time.
Dr Hassan Saeed is a former Attorney General and Presidential candidate. He is currently the leader of the opposition-aligned Dhivehi Qaumee Party (DQP).
(0)Dislikes
(0)Related Posts
Government investigates accused MPs’ “dark and evil schemes”, while UK issues travel advisory
Comment: In love of democracy
Cabinet resigns in protest over opposition MPs “scorched earth” politics
MDP asked for cancellation of Nasheed trial: Adheeb- MDP calls for parliament to reconvene, fears “disgraced” Supreme Court judges may “abrogate will of the people”
UN calls on all presidential candidates to accept election results
And the biggest tragedy in this country is that its still Maumoon's people who hold power. Parliament is controlled by them,the judiciary is controlled by their stooges.
We have managed to change the leadership of the country in name only.
Maumoon's younger brother and his allies in the Majlis are trying to bring the presidency to the Majlis. They are trying to render the democratically elected president useless.
President Nasheed must stand up to this, and for once and for all cleanse this country of the corrupt people who continue to think that this country is theirs to do as they please.
Looks like Hassan Saeed is on Gasim's & Yameen's payroll too!
Beautifully written! Well done Hassan!
Hassan Saeed is another narrow minded, self serving politician. He is now paid by Gasim to open his mouth. This article demonstrates the views of Yaameen not Saeed
Sour Grapes and Hard Luck Hassan. During the last election some people (including me) really believed that you were the best option out of them all. We all thought Anni wouldnt make a good leader (that he'd be good only as an activist), but he has proved us all wrong and you are acting like old sissy lady. Wake up Hassan, yours and your buddy Jameel's political future is no more..i hope you have some sense to realise that. I am so sorry for both of you....I really am.
Dr.Hassan Saeed, a person i admired for his education and balanced talks, has dissapointingly tipped towards the very people who are creating unrest in the Maldives. Dr.Hassan saeed is a bigger traitor than people like Yameen, having pledged his unconditional support to the current president and his services to his very brethren, he stood us all up and is now vying for presidency. i've never been a fan of Anni, but today i'm proud to refer to him as our president and prouder of the way he tackles the obscene obstacles of the opposition.
Rinzy - I feel the biggest tragedy is that Maumoon was replaced by President Nasheed who has proved to be even worse than Maumoon himself. Corruption has nothing to do with the ongoing crisis in the country. President Nasheed is using allegations of corruption to terrorise MPs and the judiciary so that he can have his way - like the summary dismissal of airport company directors when they refused to sign a resolution. Just a couple of weeks ago MDP was trying to sign a deal with Yameen to control the parliament just like the deal that was signed with mussandhi Saleem who has an ongoing corruption case in court. I feel that President Nasheed is trying is to terrorise the opposition and judiciary to have his way. Sad.
@Expat
Looks like you are fond of AGGRAVATING the already tense political situation in Maldives instead of trying to quell the fire.
WHERE are you from by the way and what are your interests?
@expat. whats the problem. the others are on someone others payroll paid from public money.
When reading this article I was curious about the background of the author. Is this the same Hassan Saeed who was the former Attorney General in the Gayoom regime? The same one who worked together with Abdullah Yaameen (An influential figure in the previous regimme, suspected of corruption, fraud and numerous other crimes) to organize the violent break-up and subsequent detention and torture of peaceful pro-reform protesters on August 12/13, 2004? The very same one who was once a special advisor to President Nasheed, and who advised him against investigating the many complaints filed against Saeed during his time as Attorney General? Surely not the very same Saeed who later resigned, complaining that he was not given "enough privileges" including (allegedly) a large enough official limousine (PS - the total area of the capital Male' is not larger than 3 sq. km)? The very same Hassan Saeed who went fund-raising in alliance with Gasim Ibrahim and the notorious "J" Nazim, who is himself suspected of corrupt and criminal dealings including the corruption of the judiciary, and who works closely under the instructions of Abdullah Yaameen? Yes, the same Yaameen with whom Hassan Saeed worked to crush the peaceful protests of August, 2004.
Journalists might like to ask Saeed who funded his much-touted trip to Europe. Is it the same group of corrupt cronies of former President Gayoom? They could also ask him why he has been strangely quiet about corruption within the judiciary while complaining about the excesses of the Executive. After all, integrity within the judiciary is essential for a functioning democracy. Is it because his colleague and traveling companion, Dr. Jameel, is no stranger to controversies over corruption while serving as a judge? But of course it was Saeed while Attorney General who did not find it a problem that Gayoom while President was also head of the Judiciary.
The problem of corruption has reached levels where it threatens to destroy the newly established democracy in the Maldives. This has already undermined the judiciary to the extent that there is little hope of finding a member who has not been tainted to some degree, and confidence in the judiciary is low to non-existent.
President Nasheed bears some of the blame for his hubris in thinking his Mandela-like gestures of letting bygones be bygones would lead to automatic reform of people who have been guilty of systematic looting and corruption of the country for over thirty years. Now his belated efforts to control corruption and restore confidence in the judiciary in the face of opposition from a compromised parliament and judiciary deserves international support, not condemnation. In order to be seen as non-partisan, we should expect Nasheed to take action against corrupt elements withing his own party as well.
Hassan Saeed is a former Attorney General under the previous regime and a person who claims to believe in democratic reform. As such he should be able to see that Nasheed's efforts are necessary and worthy of support. He should try, for once, to put aside his considerable personal ambitions and do the right thing; support and not condemn the efforts to put right the things that are wrong with our democracy.
As for the Foreign Office advice, this is very sensible (it always is!) and makes a good general rule: steer clear of large political gatherings, especially when they are not in your country.
Dr Hassan Saeed believes he should be the President of the Maldives.
He was the Attorney General of Gayoom's government, was a member of the DRP Council, resigned from the government when he was sure Gayoom will not make it in the elections, formed his own party, ran in the Presidential elections 2008, and having lost in the elections is now trying to pull down the current government hoping that he could squeeze in.
And today he has sided up with the very people he was campaigning against except President Nasheed.
Why isn't he talking about the ineffective Parliament and the corrupt judiciary in Europe?
Why Hassan Saeed so called great politician seeking help from British Government to solve his problems. Hassan Saeed should discuss with President Nasheed who is more capable of solving the problem in his nation than the British Government. Hassan Saeed should try to mediate with the Government and the elements of anti democratic forces. Is he in a delusion that the Maldives still remains as a British protectorate? Hassan should know that Anni is far better than any British MPs and he is doing the best for the country to steer ahead with the democratic principles for that he has fought and will lead,
The current political tug war is due to weak and immature independent institutions that are not capable of executing their duties in the best interest of the country.
Hassan Saeed has proved to be a real disgrace. I actually thought he was a clean and honest politician. The fact that he (together with Dr. Shaheed and Jameel) took such a hard stance against Yameen and his devious corrupt plans, was something that had initially won my admiration. I still remember Jameel speaking at the artificial beach at a rally railing against handing over the country's economy to Yameen. He said that this is what would happen if Maumoon won again.
Now we see Hassan Saeed at Yameen's side working hand in hand with him as he attempts to buy MPs to topple the government before its five year mandate ends. That he could align himself with such a figure is unforgivable.
The bottom line is that Hassan Saeed is so bitter about the fact that someone he considers his inferior managed to win the Presidential election instead of him. This man is consumed by bitterness.
He really needs to distance himself from these crooks and try and engage in some constructive criticism of the people who are governing this country and their policies.
I can fully understand why liberal minded people would be concerned about the presence of the army on the streets and the detention of opposition politicians (even corrupt ones).
However, when it comes from Hassan Saeed- someone who promised to CONVICT reformers when they protested against Maumoon's government (whatever happened to due process back then?), someone who abused his powers when he was Attorney General- this sort of claim is just not credible.
No matter how much he tries to win over public opinion with disingenuous arguments such as this, he will always remain what he truly is:
A failure. A man let down by the size of his ego and his uncontrollable ambition to become President at all costs.
We must note that the only reason why Hassan Saeed's article was published in the GUARDIAN newspaper is because the Guardian is a labour supporting paper and as such would love to see a Conservative backed leader fail.....
In fact the thing you must know about the international media is that the minute they hoist you up as a hero - the quicker they will try to pull you down in its most dramatic form ever
A few goodies in ANNI's demo-crazy package!
1-Watercannons
2-Batons
3-Ninja turtles
4-Tank!
5-Arbitrary arrests
5-Peeping Tom
6-Agreements and more agreements.
Whats wrong if Dr.Hassan Saeed go on talk on International media, the same thing Mohammad Nsheed and his associates did too in the past to bring then elected government of Maldives and they did what ever they can to character assassinate President Maumoon Abdul Qayyoom. For MDP and its supporters they are the only people who has to do everything and they are always above everything.
"The Maldives parliament should be allowed to do its job"... This is outragious. It is the parliament not allowing the government to do its job. Hassan Saeed is a hypocrite.
How do you start a dialogue with people who insist on doing everything they can to make this government not work? Has it registered on the international community that the tax bill which will lift the financial constraints on government and our people has been in the parliament for over a year? Do they not know that many of the rich and powerful in the Maldives are members of parliament or have their representatives in parliament and will do whatever they have to obstruct any bill that is going to benefit our people? For any benefit to the people provided by this government is a threat to discredit President Nasheed.
Isn't it time we gave up this illusion that people like Thasmeen Yaameen Hassan Saeed Gasim and Abdulla Shahid are interested in a dialogue to forward the agenda of the MDP Manifesto? The MDP Manifesto pledges to address poverty alleviation, bring justice to our people, allow freedom of expression, root out corruption, provide our people, quality education and health service and housing for our people and create a skilled workforce for our country.
What we saw Thasameen Gasim Hassan Saeed, Abdullah Shahid, Yaameen doing in the previous government where they held key positions of power, was consolidating their own wealth, expanding their own real estate portfolios, in the Maldives and overseas, building their own mansions, seeking quality health care overseas when they or their own families were unwell, sending their own children and children of friends and family to elite schools and universities overseas. What we saw too were these people taking actions to violate our rights in our homes, businesses, courts, and prisons and doing whatever they could do to ensure we did not bring democracy to the Maldives. We have not forgotten the actions of our former Attorney General Hassan Saeed throwing hundreds of our activists and our journalists into jail, and sentenced without legal representation. And now we have the same Hassan Saeed speaking to the Guardian?? About our rights? That the Guardian chose to publish the ranting of a person with such poor integrity and credibility is deeply disappointing.
As we near the end of the transitional stage of governance , we need to take a long hard look at all that has happened during this period and who has really delivered on the promise of democracy. It’s time to speak the truth about which of these bodies, the executive, the judiciary and the legislative body honoured rule of law and our constitution since this government came to power.
I believe that the tipping point for the civil unrest that we have now came with the cynical abuse of power of the opposition members of parliament to undermine the role of the executive with the ridiculous bills they brought into the Majlis and the gross violation of justice in our courts. The international community should not believe for a moment that the people will stand by and allow the corrupt officials of the former government to hijack what the MDP activists fought so hard to achieve.
What we have is unworkable. For any country to move forward we need to complete our past. We cannot complete the past with the leaders of our past holding us hostage. I believe the legislative and judicial bodies in our country have failed us. History has shown that direct action and only direct action can bring justice and order when institutions fail.
Civil unrest is created by non other than the mdp and its government to distract from all the mistakes they are doing, and unable to achieve their promises. Its a political tactic MDP is playing.
Well that's a shame, ain't it.
Myself, I still remember the struggle against Maumoon - why, it defined who I am today.
They deserve no forgiveness. 10 years of tyranny deserves no forgiveness. I'm all for the removal of Parliament and the creation of a streamlined chain of command.
Hey.. was it hassan saeeds name on that "jangiyas" phone call? What a hypocrate.This guy is suffering from "vathanism"
Hassan Saeed is impatient to become the President of Maldives. So are Yameen, Gasim, Kutti, Umar and number of others.
Looking back the circumstances for the political crisis that one has to say that the 3 pillars of state are at war each other. All the 3 are to blame for the unrest. The judiciary is perhaps the institution in need of urgent laundry. Its corrupt judges holding it hostage should be somehow sacked and prosecuted.
The behavior of parliament members is totally unacceptable and irresponsible. They should be punished by their constituencies next time around. Certainly they are not acting in the interest of the nation.
The executive should immediately withdraw from its unconstitutional position including release of Yaameen.
Although at times it could be tempting to put opposition figures behind bar, President should resist to such instincts. He should at all times stick to the Constitution.
I am truly disappointed by the unprofessional attitude of Dr.Hassan Saeed. I cannot accept the idea of him defending notorious gangsters and crooks who should have been by now sentenced for life imprisonment had they not taken unfair advantages granted under the new system. The allegation against these people are solid and genuine. The lack of proof or evidence or conviction does not spare them to be featured as saints.
This Salafi trained Hassan Saeed is the laughing stock of this nation.
@Bull Dozer: How's the action in Palestine?
*COUGH*
The opposition, the last remnants of the tyrannical maumoon regime is making it impossible. Why, remove the parliament and we're looking at clear skies and a clean route to national revival.
We dont want a Malaysian First Lady in Maldives, We dont want Hassan Saeed as President. If he wants to be the President, he will have to show us a Maldivian First Lady like Laila and Nasreena. Not some Malaysian Woman.
@ahmed aliased.
Why don't we remove all the institutions and leave only the MDP government.
Based on past 18 months experience, I doubt if MDP still can run it. They will be even doing street demostrations even without any opposition.
@hassan
"This Salafi trained Hassan Saeed is the laughing stock of this nation."
Laughing stock? I thought it was ANNI with his ON and OFF "FILI CABINET" !
ANNI's joke "Ahan nakee HAMA BUDDHI filaa huri meeheh!" Lol!
Translated "I am a person with lost SANITY!"
I think he want's to lean away from the CONSTITUTION (chaatun beyru vanee) and later when we LOSE everything because of his PROXY government his lawyers would simply say he cannot be held accountable BECAUSE he admitted to the whole NATION in a publicised news conference that he is infact a "HAMA BUDDHI FILAA HURI MEEHEH" and the citizens did NOT impeach him despite that.
Impeach him now! He has lost one of the pre-conditions;
1. A Maldivian
2. A Sunni Muslim
3. Should be a SANE person ??
4. etc
5. etc
WHO's the laughing stock now?
Maumoon the Great. He made a palace for himself called Theemuge.
When he was dethroned,he could still live at that big house on Ali Wage Magu.
Whilst the rest of the people in Male` live in a SLUM.
That's what Male` really is...one big slum. Not to mention the poor folks in the islands. Just go out to locally inhabited islands. No basic infra- roads, sewerage, garbage collection.
1200 beautiful islands gone to waste just like the millions & millions embezzled by Maumoon's cronies during his regime.
So Maldivians, wake up & smell the coffee...
The President Nasheed’s tactics in power.
1. “Nulafaakan dhekkun”
2. “Savvis gadi iru hamain nethun”
3. “hama buddhi filaa hurun”
4. “gaanooneh othas nethas kurun”
5. “chartun beyrah dhiyun”
6. “misarukaarun karuna gas beynun nukurun”
7. “misarukaarun siyaasee meehun hayyaru nukurun”
8. “misarukaarun rayyithunge mudhaa nuvikkun”
9. “thin baaru vakikoh beyvun”
10. “siyaasee magaamu tha madhu kurun”
11. ‘aifooraa fashah thakethi gena un”
12. ‘musaaara thah thiri nukurun”
13. ‘karantuge agu bodu nukurun”
14. “corruption nattaalun” (by bribing Alhan, Gafoor, Redwave Saleem and working with people like Zaki, Afeef, Adam Manik, Sato, Jabir, Musthafa, etc etc
15. “commando of chief of MNDF and Police”
16. “cabinet isthiufaa dheefa anekka huvaa kurun” (without parliament approval”
17. “MNBC uvaa nulun” (new name is MOHAMED NASHEED BROADCASTING CORPORATION)
A big applause to Dr. Hassan Saeed for his hard work to bring us a full fledged democracy. It would be quite disheartening for gullible MDP indoctrinates to accept the very fact of this turmoil in Maldives. Anni is going against the constitution of Maldives. It is a clear-cut fact that MDP administration has no respect to the constitution. They should be obliged to pay the price as soon as the constitutional power prevail in this country.
The majority of parliament has won by DRP-PA coalition and this tells how the people of Maldives wants to rule to this country. What I've seen over the past few week is that MDP has terrorized the government media, police and defence force. There could be no way that Anni could justify his acts lawfully.
"William Hague, the British foreign secretary, should intervene: the Maldives are a former British protectorate and last year over 100,000 Britons visited the islands, making Britain the country’s largest tourist market."
What a shame!
just because we were a British protectorate and just because more than 100,000 Brits visited us as tourists, Hassan Saeed thinks, the Brits should intervene.
Well, I am not against help from the British, but I think the reasons Hassan Saeed has given is utterly ridiculous.
I don't think we being a British protectorate at any time is a feather on our cap! If possible, I would consider it a bad dream and would rather forget it irrespective of what did or did not happen during the time we were a British protectorate.
And because we were made a protectorate at one time, i would rather keep away from such a government!
Hassan Saeed being a scholar himself, seems to be going back into more shame!
It is true as you say in your article that:
"In order to secure continued respect for the president’s role, Nasheed needs to demonstrate full respect for the Maldives’ other institutions. This is the only way to honour the struggle for democracy to which many believed the president had been totally committed."
Hassan, what sort of institutions are we to respect?
First and foremost, it is the very institution you are related to Hassan!
The system of JUSTICE that is at its worst form! A system that is so corrupt that both the Judge and Lawyer alike are eating perhaps from both sides I am sorry to say!
When the President is trying to put these in order, you are making a mockery of it and for the worst, blocking and encouraging more underhand dealings that go into millions. These corrupt officials and representatives are whacking money from unworthy bunch of MPs who are to be honest to the peoples like them Judges!
Hassan, you know that bribery money in question, in turn is squeezed off us poor peoples! Am I wrong? And aren’t you ashamed to go into a world where everyone know about you and the gang of thieves you are backing and why you are backing?
It is true as you say in your article that:
"Two years ago, some in the international community hailed Nasheed as the Mandela of the Maldives because of the way in which he forgave his predecessor, who had tortured and imprisoned him. The tragedy for the Maldives, and for the wider Muslim world, would be for him to take the country backwards to Gayoom’s time."
Hassan, you were in the thick of sending President Nasheed into what ever you are publicly attesting now!
Perhaps if I were President Nasheed, no matter the consequences, I perhaps might have crucified you as you should be! Instead he appointed you as a counselor so that the past could be mended just like Mr. Mandela mended relationship with people who sent him to jail etc.! Yet you cannot be satisfied! Is this not being (I hardly can find words for it)!
Hassan, also you are attesting that President Nasheed forgave who ever, and for what ever that had been done to him and at least tried to follow the footsteps of a great person that Nelson Mandela is, into whose shoe, I very much doubt anyone within a century or two, or even more can get into from anywhere on this planet earth; and wanted to move forward leading the country into a better world! And yet you are pinning all this on him for trying to bring about a system of good governance so our children and grand children can go about in a better world!
It is people like you who are spoiling instead of helping him to mend what ever damage and wrong that has been done!
Hassan, it is a pity that we are to believe in cheap characters like you, Gasim, Yameen and the rest!
I my self, like many others, thought that you could be a person worthy of consideration! But, sorry! Neither you nor anyone within the current bunch who are jumping for the moon, are simply NOT FIT to be leading this nation!
Sincerely Hassan, "pride goes before a fall."
Oh my goodness. Hassan Saeed has clearly lost the plot. How can someone who has so little public support call the popularly elected president undemocratic?
Hassan Saeed's party only won 2 out of 77 seats in Majlis. His popularity has gone down since his third place finish in the presidential election.
@Hithaama
"Perhaps (IF!) I were President Nasheed, no matter the consequences, I perhaps might have CRUCIFIED you as you should be! INSTEAD he appointed you as a counselor"
What "if!" Hassan Saeed and Gasim CRUCIFIED Nasheed in the campaign and supported MAUMOON and re-appoint ANNI as the street demon with an old slipper in his hands, surrounded by police???
It is one thing to win presidency and another to BE a president!
@Bull Dozer: Is that what you really want?. Hah. I am impressed with my interrogation techniques. =]
Ah, yes, I love the smell of the simpering opposition under fire early in the morning.
Two words is enough to describe this article.
COMPLETE HYPOCRISY
------the end-------
Hassan Saeed is one of the attorneys for Yameen defending against the Government. For any lawyer, his client is always innocent.
Two words are enough to describe this article.
UTTER TOSH!
ONE word is enough to describe this article.
TRASH
@girlie on Wed, 21st Jul 2010 4:58 PM
girlie says:"Hassan Saeed is one of the attorneys for Yameen defending against the Government. For any lawyer, his client is always innocent.
hmmm! interesting point 🙂
I wish he had shown such a determination and courage for the people of this nation.
Guess what! it appears that his determinations are derived from his own desires.... not for the people , from the people ....
Hassan Saeed appears to be suffering from short term memory loss. He seems to have forgotten that some very disturbing conversations regarding the bribing of members of parliament, elected by our people, have come to light and that the courts are protecting the people who have been engaged in these acts and obstructing the police in their investigations of these people. He seems to have forgotten that he threw many, many people into prisons and denied them legal representation when he was Attorney General. He didn't have to, he could have resigned. He also appears to be delusional, for anyone with any sense can see that the country is at a deadlock and that the judicial and legislative institutions are not working in the interests of the people.
Hassan Saeed is doing all of us a favour by exposing himself for who he really is. Someone with no principles, no integrity and someone stupid enough to be manipulated by his "new" friends in the opposition. Keep on going Hassan, keep us entertained.
I used to be a huge fan of Hassan Saeed because I am a huge fan of his academic brother Abdullah Saeed, whose books (I have read and studied all published ones) have really helped me to understand liberal Islam. When Hassan Saeed wrote a chapter in Abdullah's book, I thought, Hassan must be a genius like his brother, he must have the same beautiful ideas as Abdullah so I like him heaps! Sadly, in supporting Yamin now and in trying to get Theemuge for President, my illusion of Saintly Hassan was shattered. My view of Hassan Saeed as a great and Holy Alim (learned one) was shattered...
Really feel I am way too damn naive, I praise ppl up in my head and then when they are proven to be only human, I am shattered. Important lesson. La Ilaha Il Allah, No God BUT ALLAH!!! I think, one aspect of Maldivian culture which rubbed off on me in my time in Maldives was this kind of worship of political heroes. Politics is dirty, it is a choice between the lesser of evils, I will never revere a political hero again! I had always been taught to vote for ones historical performance and the actual achievability of their goals and strategies, to follow good not a person, to only ever have an allegiance to what is right and never to a charismatic personality. But somehow, all that reasonableness flew out of my head in Maldives, as somehow i got addicted to the euphoria and cultishness of the whole thing despite my education telling me how stupid I was for doing so it was as if I was so easily seduced into cult worship of personalities!
Hassan Saeed please try and be a bit more original. Just because Nasheed went to Britain you dont have to. You could perhaps go to Pakistan where you were educated and get them to intervene in the Maldives. We are closer neighbours.
Hassan Saeed thought when we joined Nasheed for the presidential elections that he would actually be a President. Both Gasim and he thought there would be 3 Presidents and not one.
pis piss piss miyoh kame dhoo.. let this people do what ever they want.. let the majority of maldivians experience the consequences of their actions.. let one side win for god sake.. may be we might have a common view, and if we are lucky move forward in a near future rather than having non at all for a long long time..
Dr.Hassan Saeed is a coward. He treated opposition people as low-life animals when he was the attorney general. When he realized that the government was falling, he quit. Then he support the present president Mohamed Nasheed to get a piece of Maldives. Since President Nasheed denied slicing Maldives in to pieces and giving it to these people he quit president Nasheeds cabinet and joined hands with DRP members. Since he knew that these people have no ethics and would give him what he wants he allied with them.
Dr.Hassan Saeed - you are BIG LOSER.
@Ashfaq:
I know Hassan Saeed's client is guilty. I am psychic.