One Day, I will Get Justice – ‘Backbone’ Mahir

In today’s Maldives, with President Gayoom’s ‘democracy roadmap’ and the government’s seductive rhetoric about ‘sweeping reforms,’ it is easy to forget the horrors that the regime perpetrated just a few years ago.
The ‘New Maldives’ team like to brush over the first 26 year’s of Gayoom’s rule. While they don’t deny that “excesses” happened, they’re much happier speaking of the country’s shiny new democratic future than its murky dictatorial past. When one meets Abdulla Mahir, it is easy to see why.
‘Backbone’ Mahir, as he is ominously referred to by his friends, coined the nickname after his spine was snapped by National Security Service (NSS) guards in on 18 January 1995, his eighteenth birthday.
The interrogation team that tortured him and left him permanently disabled was headed by former NSS Sergeant – and now Islamic Democratic Party chief – Umar Naseer.
“Umar Naseer came forward and punched me in the side of the face. Immediately after that Atheef picked me up from my belt and threw me to the floor. I tried to stand but they started kicking me with their military boots. My two friends with me were made to remain sitting in their chairs while I was being beaten.” And that is one of the milder extracts from Mahir’s horrific testimony of his time courtesy of the NSS.
Minivan News met up with Mahir this week in Britain, where he was granted indefinite leave to remain in November, following the UN’s ruling that he had a well-founded fear of persecution should he return to the Maldives.
Sipping cappuccino, sporting a smart leather jacket and tightly cropped hair, Mahir looks noticeably more at ease in London than in Colombo – where Mahir sought refuge last year but where the threat of deportation to Maldives always loomed.
After moving to the UK, he is concentrating on his studies. He has enrolled in an English class and hopes to study computer engineering in the autumn.
Along with his ability to walk freely, Mahir’s education was another thing robbed from him. His youth was mostly spent in Maafushi Jail – President Gayoom’s response to his appeals for compensation for his injuries.
Mahir is also undergoing physiotherapy in Britain but doctors say that his disability is permanent, with no hope of substantial improvement. Is he still bitter about what happened to him? Yes and no.
“I’d like to bring charges against Umar Naseer for what he’s done… if it’s not possible in the Maldives, then internationally,” Mahir says.
He is at pains to add, however, that as a good Muslim he’d be willing to forgive Naseer. “If he confesses, if he apologises publicly for what he’s done, then I could forgive him.”
But Umar Naseer remains unrepentant and the government refuses to acknowledge what happened.
“I would like to make an appeal to people not to join that party [Islamic Democratic Party]. He’s told so many lies against me but most people know about my case. Umar Naseer and I lived in Henveiru ward in Male’, so all his neighbours know what he did,” Mahir says.
“I believe all those senior National Security Service (NSS) officers are indirectly responsible. Anvarie, when he was Defense Minister, warned me no progress would be made with my case. When I met with Gayoom he promised he would investigate… but nothing happened. Those people should also be charged for what they have done.”
Mahir hopes to return to Maldives but is too afraid whilst Gayoom remains in power. “I’m sure I would be attacked again. I have given lots of interviews to [Minivan] radio about what happened to me… I can’t go back.”
He remains in regular contact with people back home, though, and is appreciative of their encouragement. “Friends and family and opposition people in Addu, in particular, have been very supportive. They say they listen to all my interviews and are behind me.”
“I believe, one day, I will get justice.”

In today’s Maldives, with President Gayoom’s ‘democracy roadmap’ and the government’s seductive rhetoric about ‘sweeping reforms,’ it is easy to forget the horrors that the regime perpetrated just a few years ago.

The ‘New Maldives’ team like to brush over the first 26 year’s of Gayoom’s rule. While they don’t deny that “excesses” happened, they’re much happier speaking of the country’s shiny new democratic future than its murky dictatorial past. When one meets Abdulla Mahir, it is easy to see why.

‘Backbone’ Mahir, as he is ominously referred to by his friends, coined the nickname after his spine was snapped by National Security Service (NSS) guards in on 18 January 1995, his eighteenth birthday.

The interrogation team that tortured him and left him permanently disabled was headed by former NSS Sergeant – and now Islamic Democratic Party chief – Umar Naseer.

“Umar Naseer came forward and punched me in the side of the face. Immediately after that Atheef picked me up from my belt and threw me to the floor. I tried to stand but they started kicking me with their military boots. My two friends with me were made to remain sitting in their chairs while I was being beaten.” And that is one of the milder extracts from Mahir’s horrific testimony of his time courtesy of the NSS.

Minivan News met up with Mahir this week in Britain, where he was granted indefinite leave to remain in November, following the UN’s ruling that he had a well-founded fear of persecution should he return to the Maldives.

Sipping cappuccino, sporting a smart leather jacket and tightly cropped hair, Mahir looks noticeably more at ease in London than in Colombo – where Mahir sought refuge last year but where the threat of deportation to Maldives always loomed.

After moving to the UK, he is concentrating on his studies. He has enrolled in an English class and hopes to study computer engineering in the autumn.

Along with his ability to walk freely, Mahir’s education was another thing robbed from him. His youth was mostly spent in Maafushi Jail – President Gayoom’s response to his appeals for compensation for his injuries.

Mahir is also undergoing physiotherapy in Britain but doctors say that his disability is permanent, with no hope of substantial improvement. Is he still bitter about what happened to him? Yes and no.

“I’d like to bring charges against Umar Naseer for what he’s done… if it’s not possible in the Maldives, then internationally,” Mahir says.

He is at pains to add, however, that as a good Muslim he’d be willing to forgive Naseer. “If he confesses, if he apologises publicly for what he’s done, then I could forgive him.”

But Umar Naseer remains unrepentant and the government refuses to acknowledge what happened.

“I would like to make an appeal to people not to join that party [Islamic Democratic Party]. He’s told so many lies against me but most people know about my case. Umar Naseer and I lived in Henveiru ward in Male’, so all his neighbours know what he did,” Mahir says.

“I believe all those senior National Security Service (NSS) officers are indirectly responsible. Anvarie, when he was Defense Minister, warned me no progress would be made with my case. When I met with Gayoom he promised he would investigate… but nothing happened. Those people should also be charged for what they have done.”

Mahir hopes to return to Maldives but is too afraid whilst Gayoom remains in power. “I’m sure I would be attacked again. I have given lots of interviews to [Minivan] radio about what happened to me… I can’t go back.”

He remains in regular contact with people back home, though, and is appreciative of their encouragement. “Friends and family and opposition people in Addu, in particular, have been very supportive. They say they listen to all my interviews and are behind me.”

“I believe, one day, I will get justice.”

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