“I am talking about a moral deficit. I am talking about an empathy deficit. I am talking about an inability to recognise ourselves in one another; to understand that we are our brother’s keeper; we are our sister’s keeper.’ In his speech on Martin Luther King Day, President Obama points out the inexorable link between empathy and morality.
Obama’s speech is not merely sophisticated political rhetoric as scientific research backs up this connection. Recent publications such as Paul J. Zak’s book ‘The Moral Molecule’ and Christopher Boehm’s ‘Moral Origins’ all point out that morality binds and builds societies. Whether morality is a cultural construct or is purely biological in nature, this ‘moral advantage’ allows humans, unlike other primates, to live in large and complex societies.
Paul J. Zak’s work, published in ‘Psychology Today’ in September, 2011, further explains that an ancient molecule in the human brain – oxytocin – makes us feel empathy for others. Zak’s experiments, involving thousands of people, show conclusively that the large majority of people release oxytocin when they receive the appropriate social signals.
Some, however, are deficient in this ‘moral molecule’. This deficiency has huge implications for the state of the Maldives today.
In laymen’s terms, his argument is that the overwhelming majority of the human species is capable of compassion and empathy, but a small percentage lack the ability to put themselves in other people’s shoes. They are unable to function within the moral boundaries of normal society.
This is exactly what is happening in the Maldives. The regime is a terrifying example of how a few free-riders can highjack the lives of the many until chaos becomes the norm for everyone.
Humanity has always grappled with the concepts of good and bad. Not surprisingly, therefore, the fundamental building blocks of all religious philosophies, consist of the steps we must follow to live moral lives and avoid the temptation of evil. Philosophers, theologians and artists as varied in time and background as Socrates, Martin Luther and Arundhati Roy have filled our museums, libraries, airways and cyber-space with their interpretations of these opposing forces in a societal context.
However, within this huge explosion of concepts, some threads of commonality emerge. A moral life consistently highlights compassion, co-operation and a commitment to the well-being of others. People like Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela and Mother Teresa stand out as beacons of moral excellence.
Moral failure, however, is constantly depicted as aggressive self-interest, greed and the inability to feel for other people. Here too we are not short of examples: Stalin, Josef Mengele, and more recently Pol Pot have shown us the corrosive and horrifying effects of moral paucity, when it is fortified with political power.
The list, compiled in July this year by the United Nations Human Rights Committee on torture and ill-treatment of political prisoners under Gayoom’s regime demonstrates the social consequences of allowing Machiavellian self-interest to replace empathy and compassion which underpin the moral imperatives of a society.
The list is as long as it is terrifying; terrifying because this is carefully planned and executed violence, not the actions of someone striking back in anger in the heat of the moment. It is about ‘systematic and systemic torture,’ the report emphasises.
‘Forms of torture and ill-treatment included the use of suspension, lengthy use of stocks, being beaten with fists and bars, kicked, blindfolded, handcuffed, the dislocation of joints, breaking of bones, …being drowned or forced into the sea, being put into water tanks, being burned…being covered in sugar water or leaves to attract ants…routine sexual assault and humiliation… Many testimonies suggest the only limit to the torture and ill-treatment imposed was the imagination of whose control they were under.’
It is an indictment of our moral landscape and a hugely disturbing commentary of how cruelty and lack of empathy impacts on the lives of ordinary people.
What is generally regarded by Gayoom’s regime as ‘tactics’ to keep people submissive, is vastly different in human and social terms. It involves suffering on a scale that has not been fully documented-suffering that is endured not only by the individuals concerned, but the families of these individuals and thus Maldivian society at large.
It is extremely devastating to the nation therefore, that this violence has returned again like a repetitive cancer. The need to focus on this is all the more pressing because of the events of February 7 and the on-going atrocities of the regime.
Mariya Didi, a female activist beaten on February 8th. The Chairperson of the Maldivian Democratic Party, Reeko Moosa Manik, brutalised and hospitalised in Sri Lanka and later in Singapore for head injuries. The unwarranted destruction of Haruge, the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) campaign centre. People arrested in Addu, beaten and stripped in front of their families. The list, once again, is growing. The use of the baton and pepper spray against demonstrators has become a daily routine of the very people who are employed ‘to protect and serve.’
Synonymous with Gayoom’s regime, this recurring cancer in the very heart of the Maldivian society, affects the whole nation. Their belief that violence will stay contained, to be used with impunity but only by the regime, and people in civil society will simply accept it as necessary for social harmony, is as mistaken as it is dangerous. Violence dismantles all the moderating influences that hold society together, allowing the more extreme elements to play havoc in the ensuing climate of fear and instability. The recent upsurge in violent crimes in the Maldives is one of the more obvious results of such moral disorientation, but we must not dismiss the fact that there are other more insidious consequences of this failure to govern wisely and justly.
How does such a culture of violence develop? The culture ultimately comes from the top. Gayoom’s regime was and still is propped up by a culture of brutality that was developed and nurtured under his long presidency. His finely honed megalomaniac and narcissist desires, to be the feudal lord, are the major reasons behind it. He may continue to defend himself against the accusations of several hundred custodial deaths during his presidency, but the well-known litany of human right abuse, now documented by the United Nations, is not going to go away.
The return of these tactics is heralded by the reappearance of the hard men of the regime in public office; men like Abdulla Riyaz and Mohamed Nazim who are house-hold names in the Maldives, not because of their valour in protecting and serving the nation, but because of their brutality. The old ‘Star Force’ and National Security Service personnel are indeed back in business so that the rich and the elite of the society can continue to bleed the nation of its wealth, both literally and metaphorically.
Into this unholy mix is added the indifference of Mohamed Waheed Hassan; a man whose life-long desire is to be president, simply to be president, but not to lead the nation. This personal need, which he places above loyalty, compassion, love and care, is just a desire. The nation is literally bleeding and he is content to be an on-looker and let the old regime do as they see fit. The voices of his people are as remote to him as was the moon to our ancestors. His lack of empathy and commitment to his people can most fittingly be judged by the words of Coretta Scott King, the widow of Martin Luther King Jr. ‘The lack of will-power to help humanity is a sick and sinister form of violence.’
And if literature reflects the frailty of the man, surely he is in Dante’s Inferno, in a state of limbo, not strong enough or committed enough to be either in heaven or hell.
This cynical triumvirate, Gayoom with his delusions of grandeur, Riyaz and Nazim, his ruthless henchmen, and Waheed, the indifferent public face of the regime, hold the nation in their brutal hands. At the very top echelon of our society, where we the subjects look for leadership and care, compassion and empathy have been traded for greed and self-interest. Their violence, their lack of empathy for the people, and most importantly, their perversion of justice create a moral wilderness that has the power to destroy every value that we, as a nation, hold dear.
A moral vacuum grows multifariously like an aggressive cancer. As the number of political detainees increase and the streets fill with the well-rehearsed violence of some members of the Maldives Police Service (MPS) and Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) we must realise that violence is now out in the public domain, not hidden behind walls or on heavily guarded islands, as it had been in the last thirty years. It is now bolder and more indifferent to public opinion. Violence has this ability to prosper, escalate and re-invent itself in a variety of guises as it did in Dachau and Auschwitz.
We cannot therefore assume that we know what form the violence perpetrated by the regime, will take; nor can we predict the next set of victims. Could it be those who have simply waited for things to quieten down? Regardless of our political affiliations, or the lack of it, the inescapable conclusion we must all come to is that, this is no longer a political debate. There is a vital issue of right and wrong underpinning the chaos in the Maldives.
It is important to highlight the fact that the patriarchal and oligarchical ideology of the regime has failed to withstand the liberating influences of time and technology. Social justice is no longer an academic term in the Maldives. Thousands of free thinking citizens are fully committed to making positive changes to the lives of all Maldivians; not just a selected few. The only way the regime can hold on to power is to increase their control by more and more violent means and decrease the rights of the people in whose name they govern. Those who benefit from the return of the regime cannot abrogate their moral responsibly by simply advising them ‘not to go overboard.’ This regime has to go overboard to keep their grip on power and to keep the elite of the society in the lifestyle they have become accustomed to.
We, the citizens of Maldives, are the victims of a moral deficit. We are also the victims of an empathy deficit. Violence, torture, restrictions on our basic human rights and most importantly, the failure of justice to function effectively are all part of this deficit. It is the work of a minority of the population with weapons in their hands, malice in their hearts and greed in their souls.
The ‘moral majority’- the old ‘silent majority’- is a phrase that is often bandied about in the media and day to day conversation. However, the moral, the silent majority must now take centre stage in the Maldives. It is doubtful that any international body such as the United Nations or even the Commonwealth would interfere in the internal affairs of a country to the extent that is required to make the ‘radical changes’ that the United Nations recommends. Nor is it likely that some power from providence will come to our rescue.
People with a clear sense of right and wrong, within civil society, the police and armed forces, must affect this change. It is for all citizens – the moral majority, the once silent majority – to define the moral climate we live in.
We cannot look to others to remove the growing tumour of violence perpetuated and nurtured by a handful of people who have nothing to offer to the nation other than their indifference and greed. We must act. We must make our voices heard. As Edmund Burke so aptly put it, ‘All that is required for evil to prosper is for good men to do nothing.’
Can we afford to do nothing?
All comment pieces are the sole view of the author and do not reflect the editorial policy of Minivan News. If you would like to write an opinion piece, please send proposals to [email protected]
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Ms. Ahmed Verrall,
The entire country has a moral deficit. Its not just the MNDF and police. Politicians from both sides of the political divide a re corrupt to the core. Both Gayoom and Anni nurtured and rewarded corruption. Under Gayoom we saw huge corruption cases being swept under the rug. Under Anni we saw huge deals being given to the likes of Reeko moosa and Maria and we saw public resources being used to buy morally bereft MPs like Balak Ali waheed.
The writer seems to have confused the antagonists and the saviours.
For the majority of us Maldivians, Anni was the oppressor and the change in Govt was what liberated us Maldivians from the tyranny that was MDP. The MDP leadership was a leadership that promised to bring us change, but all that they brought us were higher dollar prices, higher prices of goods and services, unemployment for the masses of Maldivians, increased convicts being released into the Maldivian society under the second chance promises, and even greater drug abuse.
Ask the common family man if the above is not true. How many families suffered during Anni's tenure due to MDP government decision to increase the dollar. How many families suffered due to the hike in prices of the goods after imposition of GST. (Anni promised prices would fall to the reach of the common man, however what happened was prices shot thru the roof !) How many school leavers got jobs after completing their O-levels (recent study indicates that there are around 90,000 people jobless in Maldives). What did Anni do to create new jobs ? Did he care ? Maybe he did CARE, but did he do anything as the president of Maldives to improve the situation?
Maybe Anni had high hopes, but he surrounded himself with corrupt politicians like Mariya and Reeko who were concerned with personal gain for their businesses (MegaMaldives, Heavyload) while ignoring the economic woes of us common Maldivians.
The MDP councils elected also show signs of consistent fairlure, being more concerned about Usfasgandu being taken from MDP, rather than the services that they were elected to provide. Take a look around the streets of Male, you'll see nothing but trash, congestion and clutter, The city council seems oblivious to this.
The demise of Anni's government came because of failure of MDP to deliver on economic and social promised made to the people. Yet, because the politicians in Maldivians are able to convince and rally people in Maldives around superstitious themes (such as improving freedom of speech, right to protest,) while deceiving the common Maldivian from the pit of economic depravity that he is in.
Obama, and the administration in United States cannot be compared to Maldives situation. If Maldives had half the qualified politicians of even a US single state, and they were half as committed then Maldivians would not be living in this economic slum today.
Mariya Didi & Rekko Moosa is the real reason why Nasheed couldn't make it out of the 30 year old dictatorship. Nasheed was distroyed by his ego, thirst for more power, thirst for Mariya & the worldly drinks, and his close corrupt friends! I know he is reading this, and he knows who I am! And I know he agrees with me secretly! But he is a prisoner of his own desires! Hope Nasheed doesn't end up like Gayoom!!
Absolutely beautiful, every word, Divine.
You have identified the problem, the real problem, which is the absence of empathy.
I don't believe Maumoon started this problem, his Governance seemed symptomatic of this problem rather than causal in the grand historical scheme of things, with Amin Did being being beaten up and Nasir smashing some ppl in the South and what not. I also don't believe Anni's Government was completely free from this problem.
But, debate aside about where it came from and who is inflicted with this absence of empathy, you have described the need for empathy Divinely.
Poignant and well said.
But I must add that the parents of this country are only concerned about the IQ (academic intelligence) of the kids.
Despite calling us Muslims, no one thinks of the MQ and EQ (moral intelligence and ethical intelligence) that are defining characteristics of the 21st Century.
The standard bearer of morals and ethics and leadership excellence is none other than Prophet Mohammadh (SAW). Maumoon would say the same thing, but in practice (as we know from 30 years) Maumoon's and Anni's actions are opposite of their words.
Please write more on this subject.
Really? We lack empathy? That's it?
@Ben Plewright
I agree with Ben.
The problem (lack of empathy) predates Maumoon. But Maumoon could have addressed the issue.
Neither did Anni Government try to correct it.
There isnt even a Dhivehi word for ethics or morals. Plus, if you bring the subject in a conversation, you will be ridiculed as an uptight person - plse try it.
The ethical deficit cannot be addressed unless it is raised as an issue. No one would likely to raise it.
One of the best articles I have read in a long long time!
Maldivian were evolving with a unique culture, the people were simple brave fishermen, they were not religious freaks, most people even did not know how to perform Islamic prayers, or read Holy Ghazals, they were like any other human being, society was building based on human intuition rather than inhuman foreign induced corrupted mental garbage, then came this product of Arab Nationalism, whose brain was infested with Islamic identity an identity that he can create back at home. The man was believed to be the only learned person in the country, people respected him and listed to his mantra. Slowly people started to realize that they have an identity that’s is strong and far superior than any civilized people, The Islamic identity once dominated the world, a religion that is only true religion, has changed the course of Maldivian true societal values. People believed true education was religious education, and the purpose of life became to protect Islamic identity. Under this circumstance Mullah with Islamic education got on their feet and spread their venom and changed the country to that of like Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia. Now Maldivian has lost their true culture, which was evolving with interaction of different people from all around the world who visit the country. This was destroyed by one individual who thinks he is the champion of Maldives, Dictator Qayoom. Now Maldivian does not fit to any human civilization, they are like some aliens from a different world.
Minivannews has produced another brilliant article by a guest writer who may well be even a ghost writer. This is simply brilliant. What more can I say? I can say no more.
Maldivians are unable to address issues of ethics, morality and democracy and human rights because the over-riding power of what I call Maldivian Islam prohibit people from addressing these issues.
Before my time, there was a ruler of Maldives called Hasan Fareed who openly discouraged and denied education of all kinds to the Maldivian people.
He was followed by Mohamed Ameen. He is in my time. He was a character of his own class. His fall from power and his death resembled those recently suffered by Mohamed Gaddafi of Libya.
Ameen Didi was followed by a stop-gap leader and harmless character called Ibrahim Ali Didi. Our present day dear leader, Mohamed Waheed, resembles Ibrahim Ali Didi. They were both weak and therefore temporary by nature.
Ibrahim Ali Didi was followed by a mighty man called Ibrahim Nasir, who was absolute ruler and dictator for 21 long years. Nasir was a genius in the true sense of the word. But he had no education and no social skills whatsoever.
Though an aristocrat, Nasir was also quite poor. But he died as an extremely rich man, and he lived in Singapore which is not a cheap country to live in.
Nasir regime was re-created in the following Gayoom regime. Gayoom's famous brother-in-law, and right-hand man, was a student and disciple of Ibrahim Nasir.
Maumoon Abdul Gayoom was vastly better educated than the previous rulers of Maldives. He also had social skills. His religious education also helped him to develop an air of legitimacy. He travelled extensively.
His was a period of family rule. He hoped for a dynasty. He was there for 30 years. Tourism brought vast wealth to the country. A lot of Maldivians got educated, but they had to pay a price. Nobody was allowed to question Gayoom or criticise his family.
The intelligence men and security men were far better trained and educated during Gayoom's time than ever before. Consequently, the dictatorship of Gayoom was more efficient and sophisticated than before.
Dictatorship and tyranny has been the lot of Maldivian people always. It has killed and enslaved the Maldivian spirit.
Mohamed Nasheed had no training in the art of government. He spent his post-student years in Gayoom's prisons. His political ideology, born and brought up in Britain, has no roots in Maldivian soil.
Dear writer. Your hopes for Maldives are not firmly grounded in Maldivian society and culture. Maldives is not the West.
I listened for 2 hours, the Maldivian delegation facing the questions of the UN Human Rights Commission in Geneva. I saw how poor was the grasp of reality in the three-person Maldivian delegation.
The delegation was almost a joke.
You talk of deficits. The delegation could not understand the deficits.
You are almost hitting your head against a wall.
An abstruse, jargonated and pretentious article that reduces our social ills to the single dimension of us collectively lacking empathy.
This facile analysis conveniently ignores the failures of past governments (Qayoom and Nasheed included): to create an educated middle class; reign in excess spending on social programmes; and transition our political culture from one fixated on the electoral fortunes of single personalities, to one concerned with upholding the rule of law and with technocratic performance. Hence the fault lies with government policy, not with the average citizen.
The writer of this article should be divested of employment for his racist caricature of ordinary Maldivians as sociopathic know nothings.
@ Ms Verall - true. There is a serious moral deficit within our society. A solution is bleak due to hypocrisy with good people like you accusing others while turning a blind eye to injustices caused by their own family, friends or party members. Gayoom was evil but Nasheed was not any better. Nasheed was on his way to becoming a mega-Gayoom, violating human rights, when he was removed from office. Unless the "moral majority" does away with its hypocrisy the country is doomed.
What a great article. Beautiful written and argued.
Congratulations an outstanding article highlighting the national deficiencies that will determine the Maldives remains in the THIRD WORLD forever.
It began very nicely.. with good theoretical foundation. But the analysis lets down the article and the worth of it. The author ends up blaming Gayoom for everything that is wrong. Even after Gayoom things went wrong. Pepper spray was used frequently to disburse during Nasheed regime. If the author would like to refer to the command given by Nasheed to his police and security forces, it would have been a very balanced article. How about "thalhan kudhin nerun" or in other words get gangs out to fight police in the conversation between Nasheed and Mariya. Honesty will go a long way if we are to tackle our problems. When doctors blatantly diagnose the wrong cause of a disease, what good will the treatment be.
we lack morality yes. a deficiancy of oxytocin triggerred by a third world demon. BUT it is hardly to be blamed on the past couple of months or Maumoon per se. Yes Maumoon's 30yrs had done lots of damage to this country, but so has Anni's 3yrs, not because Anni wanted, but it was inevitable. democracy was not going to work unless the citizens are well educated, free thinking and well informed. the third world demon keeps most if not all Maldivians on their toes and make them do anything for money. i think this is the case in other parts of the world. the desire to be wealthy, to be powerful or for some people just to survive has its root causes in the crimes & violence that you see today.
@Ahmed Sanity
"The author ends up blaming Gayoom for everything that is wrong."
What else can you expect from Anni's Aunt?
I have never seen a better description of Waheed as President. Thank you Mrs Verral for an excellent analysis of our state.
Briliant article, the thinking gradually changed in the public, but places like police and MNDF would need to be overhauled to eradicate cronyism. Gayoom created an entire battalion in the armed forces "Golhaaforce" just to beat up people who oppose him so that he could stay in power.
Golhaabo is so old that today or tomorrow he could die, but he is still after political posts. Just take a look at his Dheenee family , one is a thug, the other a drugie, a extramarital promiscuous wife and two crazy badi daughters
Morality MNDF style is different from Morality Masodige style.
Throw the plank down ... Morality Gassan Style.
Hit Akram Kamaaludhdheen an run ... Morality Adheeb Style.
excellent article.
this article is talking about the hypocrites among us. We Maldivian are naturally lost in the sea of hypocrisy.
you may be able to identify people who understood the article by reading the comments. High Heeled lawyers like Kutti Nasheed - tsk, totally missed the point.
'Mariya Didi, a female activist beaten on February 8th'
Is Maria and activist or an MP or a senior leader of a party.
Surely Maria is more than an activist.
@ Not quite
Mariya Didi not an activist, nor a real MP, but the mother of all corruption both on government money & moral conduct of this country! She is mother of all evil
"elhegendumenneh nefetheyne ! mi party eh fenduvayeh nuleveyne. mi partee ekee birthuday partee ekah vere gina iru nagaane partee eh... "
- anonymous quote attributed to Mariya Didi.
"Congratulations an outstanding article highlighting the national deficiencies that will determine the Maldives remains in the THIRD WORLD forever."
Kind of cute really, don't you think?