Tag: maldives

Independence Day celebrations: Nasheed vows to continue fight against corruption

The Maldives celebrated its 45th Independence Day on July 26th and 27th.

Following a special prayer conducted after the dawn prayer, President Mohamed Nasheed inaugurated and launched different government offices and institutions in Male’.

Flag Hoisting Ceremony

Following the dawn prayer, a flag hoisting ceremony was held at Jumhoory Maidhaan where the large national flag is located. Students at senior posts of different schools, the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) and police attended the ceremony.

Addressing the nation, President Nasheed promised to fulfill the mandate given him by the people to consolidate democracy and create the foundations of good governance in the Maldives.

Nasheed said the government would remain resolute in freeing the country from “the bondage of corruption”.

“As the flag of independence flies high, it is a greater national duty to free the country from suspicions in the hearts of the people that bribery and corruption have taken root in the legislature and the judiciary,” he said.

“Unlike previous regime changes, the replacement of government in 2008 did not completely end the power of those connected to the previous regime,” Nasheed said.

The same officials who worked in the previous regime remain active in the executive, courts, and other institutions, he said.

“If [after the presidential elections in 2008] any change came to the bond that existed between the previous leadership and the executive and the judicial branches over those 30 long years, such change was only small,” Nasheed said.

He said he did not want to accept that the government’s power lay in the use the force: “of guns, shackles, and the pillory.”

“The government’s power that we believe in is that of serving the people,” said the President.

Describing the reasons for the current political impasse, the President said “because of the restraint shown…against the influence from officials of previous government, their hopes for coming back to power have flared up.”

“As their pace to come back to power quickened, the constitutional framework was becoming unsettled, disrupting the provision of basic services to the people.”

The President said that to find a long term solution to the political impasse, it was essential to strengthen the constitution as it presently “does not allow an effective presidential system.”

“To my mind, if we want to find a [long term] solution to the current problems, we must amend some articles in the constitution.”

The President reiterated that he was “ready to give way for any elections required in order to bring about those amendments.”

“At no point will I hesitate to face the people and learn what they desire.”

Velaanage inauguration

State Dignitary Ibrahim Rasheed inaugurated Velaanaage, the office complex built on the housing compound of the residence of the Velaanaage family who had rendered invaluable services to the Maldives.

Ibrahim Nasir, the first President of the Second Republic of the Maldives, lived in Velaanaage.

Ibrahim Rasheed addressing the people, said the Maldives continue to receive the valuable services from members of Velaanaage family.

At the ceremony, President Mohamed Nasheed donated a historic shield to President Nasir’s Memorial Room in Velaanaage. The shield was sent to President Ibrahim Nasir on his inauguration as the first President of the Second Republic of the Maldives in November 1968 by President Lyndon B. Johnson of USA.

Fifteen years ago, President Nasir gave the shield to his youngest son Ismail Nasir, who later presented it to President Nasheed. He also spoke on the importance of the Memorial Room which will display manuscripts and some other memorabilia belonging to President Nasir and his family.

In his remarks at the ceremony, President Nasheed said the Velaanaage family was one of the oldest families in the Maldives.

Inauguration of Iskandhar Building

Vice president Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik inaugurated the Maldives Police Service Iskandharu Building, a building to house the police forensic department and containing modern technologies for the forensic investigation of crimes.

Dr Waheed said that ensuring the rule of law and protecting the rights of the people were the primary duties of police.

He said that while the key to people’s happiness and society’s strength lay in their confidence in justice and the rule of law and justice, it was a responsibility of police to ensure the rule of law in the country.

In his remarks at the ceremony held at Iskandharu Koshi, to inaugurate the building, Commissioner of Police Ahmed Faseeh said the building would ease the difficulties faced by lack of space and thus help improve the quality of services to the people.

Inauguration of National Museum

President Mohamed Nasheed inaugurated the new National Museum, which was built with the assistance of the Chinese government’s aid program, ‘China Aid’.

Speaking at the ceremony, Nasheed said the Maldives has a long history, with a written history of more than 1,000 years.

Nasheed said the lessons from history “teach us to respect and uphold human rights.” He said that Maldivians, today, would no longer tolerate any form of abuse or torture.

He thanked everyone involved in the Museum project.

“I would especially like to thank Chinese President Hu Jintao, Premier Wen Jiabao, the government and the people of China,” he said.

Parade and Guard of Honor

President Mohamed Nasheed and Madam Laila Ali attended a parade and route march held to celebrate the Independence Day.

Upon their arrival at Jumhooree Maidhaan, the President and the First Lady were greeted by Minister of Home Affairs Mohamed Shihab and his wife Aminath Shimla.

The President was received a Presidential Salute, after which the brass band of the MNDF played the National Anthem. The Armed Forces Guard then trooped past the Presidential Stand.

Music Show

In the celebration of the independence day a music show was held at the main stage at Alimas Carnival in Male. Famous actor ‘Chilhiya’ Moosa Manik presented the show. Old traditional songs were performed at the show by different artists. More than 50 people attended to watch the show.

A special function by the President and First lady was held at Dharubaaruge last night. Senior government officials, independent commissions and diplomats attended the function.

Rain cancelled other events

On July 27, other events scheduled for Independence Day were cancelled due to bad weather. The parade of the Maldives National Cadet Corps and bands of students scheduled to be held yesterday evening were also cancelled, along with the other events.

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Emirates launches daily flights from Malé to Colombo

Dubai-based airline Emirates will launch daily flights between Malé and Colombo from August 1, increasing the service to 19 flights a week.

The upgraded schedule makes Emirates one of the most active international carriers servicing the country, along with Sri Lankan Airlines.

Emirates has served the Maldives since April 1987, and also operates 14 flights a week from Malé to Dubai, connecting the Maldives to the rest of the world through the international air transit hub.

The airline’s Senior Vice President Commercial Operations West Asia & Indian Ocean, Majid Al Mualla, said the decision to upgrade the service was made because of the revival of tourism and associated economies in the region.

“There is increasing demand for seats on the Malé-Colombo sector, and Emirates is happy to be in a position to respond quickly to the emerging demand,” he said.

“The additional frequencies to and from Colombo will be welcomed by Maldivians and expatriates alike, as will the convenient departure times from the two cities.

Emirates flights EK652 and EK 654 will depart Malé at 16:30 and arrive in Colombo at 18:30. On Wednesdays and Fridays, EK654 will continue on to Dubai from Colombo.

The return flight EK653 – operating on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday – will depart Colombo at 21:35 and arrive in Malé at 22:35.

These flights will be served by Emirates’ Airbus A330-200 aircraft in a three-class configuration, with 12 seats in First Class, 42 seats in Business Class and 183 seats in Economy Class.

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Comment: An identity for Maldivians

On the morning of the Maldives’ 45th Independence Day celebrations, President Mohamed Nasheed finally unveiled the new National Museum – a swanky, modern, grey building with high ceilings and polished interiors, that has been teasing the public for a few weeks now during the final stages of its construction.

The inauguration was greeted with much fanfare, and vows were made by both the President and the State Minister for Arts and Culture to preserve and promote Maldivian cultural heritage.

However, the reactions from commentators on many news websites to the opening were quite puzzling in their negativity and cynicism.

Or maybe not.

Despite the buzz surrounding the newly-inaugurated building, Maldivians have already had a National Museum since the middle of the last century; a tiny, old section of the former palace that former President Nasir had benevolently left standing.

Dusty, crumbling, and largely ignored by the general Maldivian public, the old museum had harbored the last surviving treasures of the long, unbroken chain of ancient Dhivehi civilization; the swords of the Sultans, ancient loamaafaanu copperplate grants, exquisite medieval lacquer-work, extinct scripts, and beautifully carved coral-stone sculptures of the Buddha that triumphantly showcased the skilled craftsmanship of our ancestors from centuries ago.

Yet somehow, the President had to remind the gathered citizens at the inauguration that Dhivehin have inhabited these ancient islands since 2000BC.

It seems ironic that despite being one of the very few countries in the world with such an ancient recorded history, we Maldivians show a strange disconnect from our cultural roots, and a feigned ignorance of our past.

Many Maldivians seek to satisfy themselves that their language, customs and cultural traits are of recent origin and, intriguingly enough, choose to whitewash whole portions of their history.

For instance, there are Maldivians who display a marked hostility for – and seek to disown – the entire culturally-vibrant Buddhist era of our past!

These attempts to sever the umbilical cord with the past have left Maldivians a culturally restless people, uncertain of their place in history.

It is hardly surprising then, that the swanky new museum has been built, not by Dhivehin as a monument to their proud heritage – but by enterprising foreigners.

It is perhaps befitting such a culturally aloof people that the new botanical gardens, being built on the very site where the former Sultan’s palace once stood, is also the product of foreign labor and initiative.

Interestingly, some of the most enlightening anthropological studies of the Maldivian people, our history, arts, poetry, folktales and traditions have also been carried out by foreign chroniclers like Pyrard, Bell and Maloney.

It would hardly matter to most Maldivians that the plaque outside the gate to the newest monument to Dhivehi culture reads, in bright red letters, ‘China Aid’.

Today, more than ever, there is a greater need to overcome this historical apathy of Dhivehin towards history itself.

The Maldives stands at a unique crossroads as a young, budding democracy about to seek its destiny and carve a niche for itself.

Maldivians have long been plagued by an identity crisis after decades of unfettered Westernization followed by rapid Arabisation. The moment is ripe for the newly assertive Maldivian public to permanently erase this.

If we take this moment to infuse ourselves with a strong national identity and cultural pride, we could overcome some of the most divisive issues burning our society today – the drugs epidemic and religious fundamentalism.

The opening of the new National Museum should hopefully provide the required spark to ignite a long overdue cultural revival in the Maldives, and a reawakening of Maldivians to embrace the Dhivehi identity that unites all mahl people.

If Dhivehin do not jump at this opportunity to rediscover our culture, and revel in our sense of common identity and inherited values (in much the same way our neighbors like India, Sri Lanka and Bhutan do) – then it would seem a rather wasteful expenditure by the Chinese government for an ancient people who have willingly betrayed their own culture!

In the words of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi:

“You don’t have to burn books to destroy a culture. Just get people to stop reading them.”

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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DQP delegation returns from PR tour of UK

Leader of the minority opposition Dhivehi Qaumee Party (DQP) Dr Hassan Saeed has returned to the Maldives, after visiting the UK to meet MPs and journalists, and call on the international community to pressure the government to respect the country’s constitution.

DQP Secretary General Abdulla Ameen said the visit was “very successful”, and that Saeed had met with former Labour Party Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott “and other prominent opposition MPs.”

“Dr Saeed presented in such a way as to ask the government [of the Maldives] to follow the rule of law and to respect and uphold the constitution,” Ameen said.

Dr Saeed also met with journalists from outlets including Al Jazeera and the Independent, and was printed in the Guardian newspaper, Ameen said.

“Although it was DQP members who travelled to the UK, they represented the opposition coalition,” Ameen added.

The trip was “collectively funded by the opposition parties”, he noted.

DQP enlists UK PR firm

Minivan News has meanwhile obtained an email sent by a Peter Craske representing a UK-based public relations firm ‘The Campaign Company’, in which Craske solicits a meeting between the recipient and the DQP, “which is formed of an alliance between the DRP and MDP parties”.

From: Peter Craske [[email protected]]
Sent: [removed]
To: [removed]
Subject: Possible meeting with MPs from the Maldives

Dear [removed],

I am contacting you on behalf of The Campaign Company, a communciations agency, which represents the DQP political party from the Maldives, which is formed of an alliance between the DRP and MDP parties.

Two of their representatives, Hassan Saeed, a former Attorney General and Presidential candidate and Mohammed Jameel Ahmed, a former Minister of Justice, are visiting the UK next week, and would like, if possible to meet up with you given your longstanding interest in the country, for no other reason than to brief you on the current political issues in the country, where there has been some unrest and some Parliamentarians have been arrested.

The meeting would solely be for them to discus the issues in confidence, while they are in the UK.

I realise it is short notice, but would be grateful if you would be able to let me know whether or not this was possible, depending on your diary.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Peter Craske
The Campaign Company

The DQP is a minor opposition party in coalition with Abdulla Yameen’s People’s Alliance (PA), Gasim Ibrahim’s Jumhoree Party (JP), and the major opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP), but not the ruling MDP.

The DQP confirmed that Dr Saeed’s delegation included two other senior members of the party, Mohamed Jameel Ahmed and Abdul Matheen, neither of whom are MPs as Craske appears to suggest.

Minivan News was unable to find any mention of Craske on the Campaign Company’s list of employees, however a receptionist at the Campaign Company confirmed the PR firm was “definitely working with political parties in the Maldives”, and referred Minivan News to the company’s director for enquiries regarding Craske.

Instead, Minivan News contacted Craske directly through the included phone number, who confirmed he was employed by the Campaign Company on a freelance basis to set up meetings last week with his contacts in the UK parliament.

“I don’t work for the Campaign Company, I was just employed to set up meetings,” he said. ‘I was just using the information [the Campaign Company] gave me.”

Ameen said he did not know whether the delegation had contracted a PR firm for the trip, but said that Saeed was “still well-connected in the UK.”

“Dr Hassan and Dr Jameel are in contact with a number of MPs. They know MPs from before 2008 and they have still have contacts in the UK.”

He added that he could “not say anything about an email you might have received, only specifically what Dr Hassan Saeed said.”

Meanwhile, Craske’s contact at the Campaign Company, Debbie Coulter, confirmed the company had set up meetings on Dr Saeed’s behalf and denied he had ever been introduced as an MP – “I haven’t seen the email,” she said, suggesting it might have been a mistake – “the brief [given to Craske] was quite clear.”

Regarding Craske’s introduction of the DQP as “an alliance between the DRP and MDP parties”, Coulter said the agency had recognised and introduced the DQP “as an independent party.”

She confirmed she was aware that Dr Saeed was currently the legal representation of opposition MPs Yameen and Gasim in court against allegations from the government of corruption and treason, following the release of incriminating phone taps leaked to the media.

“The bulk of the people he met were in the legal profession and people who knew of him and his background,” Coulter explained, adding that she “personally attended” every meeting.

“During his stay in London, Dr Saeed met with representatives from The Law Society, the Commonwealth Secretariat, Amnesty International, Labour MP Gareth Thomas (Labour), Liberal Democrat MP Simon Hughes, Lord Prescott, Lord Foulkes and Sir Ivan Lawrence,” Coulter said.

Sir Ivan Lawrence notably led a team of international lawyers to the Maldvies in 2005 to determine whether President Nasheed, leader of the then-opposition, was likey to receive a fair trial after being charged with terrorism and sedition by the former government.

He concluded that the Maldivian judicial system lacked “the basic capacity, competency and necessary independence” to deliver a fair trial, as reported by the Asian Centre for Human Rights.

DQP’s UK media statement

A media statement issued in the UK and forwarded to Minivan News by Coulter quoted Dr Saeed:

“President Nasheed came to power carrying the hopes of many people that we could achieve full democracy. However today we see him threatening our democratically elected Parliament, our judiciary and our press freedom in a way that he would have no doubt similarly criticised his predecessor for.

We cannot allow the rule of law to be replaced by mob rule. The streets of our capital have seen violence and opposition politicians are detained and their homes attacked. Our judiciary is now described as corrupt when it upholds the rights of people to be treated properly under the law.

That is why I am in the UK this week to make a wider appeal to the international community that they should tell President Nasheed to behave inside the Maldives in the same way that he does when making the case for international support over climate change.”

Accompanying biographical information distributed to UK journalists notes that “the Gayoom government spent much time intimidating the ex-Ministers, seeking to ban the New Maldives movement and then registering another organisation under the same name under the control of the ruling party.

“Dr Hassan Saeed has been consistent in his advocacy of reform over the years. This has led him into conflict with the previous government, which he resigned from. He supported the present government in order to achieve reform, but now sees it behaving in a similar way to its predecessor and is thus speaking out in defense of reform and democracy.”

Meeting journalists

A second email obtained by Minivan News was from a journalist seeking further information on claims made by the delegation in the UK, and describing materials distributed on behalf of the DQP which reportedly alleged:

President Nasheed, a former political prisoner who was dubbed the ‘Nelson Mandela of the Maldives’, has become autocratic since being democratically elected and is introducing a number of repressive measures, including:

* plans to close the courts and set up ‘public courts’

* suspending the Constitution, which the UK and certain Commonwealth states helped draft

* Judges have suffered threats and intimidation at the hands of the government and police. Civil Court Judge Mohamed Hilmy and his fiancee were handcuffed, stripped, beaten – and then photographed in a state of undress by the police.

Ameen confirmed that the first claim referred to the vigilante court “[recently inaugrated] by MDP MP ‘Reeko’ Moosa Manik”.

Of the second claim concerning the Constitution, Ameen said “I do not think [Dr Saeed] mentioned suspension of the constitution, I would say he broadly highlighted the need to uphold democracy.”

Concerning the suspension of Civil Court judge Mohamed Hilmy, “I think that was a case a few months back, I cannot specifically tell the detail. It was a very well publicised case.”

Minivan News reported in November last year that the Judicial Services Commission (JSC) had suspended Judge Mohamed Hilmy pending an investigation by police into alleged sexual misconduct, after he was discovered on a beach in Hulhumale’ in a state of undress with a woman.

A police statement claimed “the two had to be taken into custody on suspicion of sexual behaviour in a public place, as they were at the garbage dump in the south of Hulhumale’ with their pants down.”

At the time Hilmy denied the allegations to newspaper Haveeru, claiming he was walking with his fiancé when they were set upon by police, handcuffed, beaten, forcibly undressed and photographed. Police sent the case to the Prosecutor General and the matter was forwarded to the JSC, a police spokesman confirmed.

The last hearing concerning Judge Hilmy was held in January, although he remains suspended and continues to draw a salary due to the JSC’s inaction on the matter, according to commission member Aisthath Velezinee.

According to a report in newspaper Miadhu, Maldivian High Commissioner in the UK, Dr Farahanaz Faisal, claimed the Commission had yet to receive any enquiries from UK officials  following meetings with Dr Saeed, and questioned whether they had occurred at all.

Addendum:

Subsequent to the publication of this article, Peter Craske sent Minivan News an email in which he accepted responsibility for “factual inaccuracies” in his communication with UK MPs concerning the DQP.

“Just to clarify the situation, as a member of the Conservative Party, I was recently asked by the Campaign Company (TCC) if I could arrange a small number of meetings with Conservative MP’s during a visit to the UK by Dr Hassan Saeed,” Craske wrote.

“Unfortunately, despite receiving a clear written brief from TCC, there were three factual inaccuracies in the email I sent to these MPs:

  1. The reference to a “Possible meeting with MPs from the Maldives” in the subject line, though this was not repeated in the text of the email;
  2. The reference to an alliance between the MDP and DQP, which clearly does not reflect the current political situation, nor the information with which I was provided;
  3. The suggestion in my email signature that I was an employee of the Campaign Company.

“This was one email to a small number of Conservative MPs which in fact did not result in any meetings,” he added.

“Having had this drawn to my attention, I would like to express my deep regret for any misunderstanding this email will have caused. I have apologised to the Campaign Company and to Dr Hassan Saeed for this.”

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Secret US military Afghanistan files released by Wikileaks

200,000 pages of secret US military files concerning the war in Afghanistan have been released by the whistleblowing site Wikileaks, and simultaneously published online by the UK Guardian, US New York Times and German Der Speigel.

The news organisations have been examining the documents for weeks, after receiving them from Wikileaks which is headed by Australian Julian Assange.

Read more

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Maldives celebrates 45th Independence Day July 26: Timetable

Maldives celebrates Independence Day on Monday July 26, marking the 45th anniversary of the country’s independence from Britain.

All events are scheduled to commence following a special prayer conducted after the dawn prayer.

July 26

6:00am: The national flag will be hoisted across all the islands of the Maldives. President Mohamed Nasheed will hoist the national flag in Male’. President Mohamed Nasheed will address the nation.

7:00am: Watersports

8:00am: Opening ceremony of Velaanaage Office, presidential residence of former President Ibrahim Nasir, which will house all government offices under one roof.

9:00am: Launching of the National Museum.

10:00am: Opening ceremony of the new Defence Building. The ceremony will be honoured by the father of Martyr Hussein Adam, who defended the gates of the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) base during the 1988 November 3 coup by Sri Lankan secessionists, the People’s Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE).

11:00am: launching of the Correctional Training Centre for Children at Feydhufinolhu, by President Mohamed Nasheed and First Lady Laila Ali.

14:00pm: Opening ceremony of the Police Building, by President Moahmed Nasheed and First Lady Laila Ali.

17:00pm: Parade and guard of honour for Preisdent Mohamed Nasheed and First Lady Laila Ali.

20:30pm: Music Show at Alimas Carnival Stage, attended by filmstar Moosa ‘Chilhiya’ Maniku.

July 27

8:30am: Launching ceremony of the MNDF Training Wing at Girifushi, a military island. President and First Lady will attend the event.

10:00am: Launching ceremony of Hulhumale’ hospital’s ICU.

14:00pm: Program to reduce the numbers of crows and bats will be held at Holhudhoo in Noonu Atoll.

20:00pm: A special function conducted by the President and First Lady at Dharubaaruge.

20:30pm: Music Show at Alimas Carnival Stage.

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State Islamic Minister calls for end to judicial vigilantism

State Minister for Islamic Affairs Sheikh Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed has called for the termination of illegal ‘street’ courts, following the inauguration last week of a ‘people’s court’ by Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) activists.

“I call on everyone to stop illegal acts such as smearing the name of the state’s judiciary in the name of justice,” said Shaheem. “The Attorney General [Husnu Suood] has also declared that these actions are illegal.”

Shaheem said that judicial vigilantism would disrupt civil peace “without a doubt”.

“I call on the honorable parliamentarians who are involving themselves in these actions to stay away,” Shaheem said, “and I appeal to everyone to conduct their work within the boundaries of the law.”

Shaheem said that if there were any “unnecessary things” occurring inside the courts, the situation should be rectified “according to the laws.”

He also condemned an attempt to attack Speaker of the Parliament Abdulla Shahid last week during his weekly badminton game at Imaduddeen school.

“Recently we heard that some people tried to kidnap and threaten the Speaker of the Parliament – this is something that should not be done,” Shaheem suggested. “These are very low-grade act in terms of discipline.”

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A superstar comes to town

The crowds thronged at the entrance of Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH). Patients, nurses and visitors all waited impatiently for more than an hour, craning their necks each time a car drove up.

At last he came.

The arrival of Salman Khan, Indian superstar and one of the most bankable stars in the Indian film industry, was greeted with loud cheers.

Dozens of cameras and mobile phones were produced as everyone tried to capture the moment. Khan, dressed in a gray T-shirt sporting a superman logo, smiled at the crowd and flanked by a dozen policemen, made his way to the blood donors’ room.

The crowd was enthralled: “Oh, he looks so handsome!”, “He even moves like he does in the movies!”, “He is taller than I thought!”

Khan inaugurated the blood donation camp, one of the activities of the annual India-Maldives friendship festival 2010. Not just settling for a ribbon-cutting moment, Khan donated his own blood.

Later in the seminar room, Indian High Commissioner Dnyanesshwar Mulay said he hoped that this would herald a new era in the India Maldives friendship “as now we are blood relatives.”

Khan stood up and got as far as “Bismillahirahmaniraheem” before he was mobbed.

Photos and chats were requested – and he obliged. Smiling and gracious, he acknowledged everyone around him.

Khan was then whisked off to Iskandhar School to judge a painting exhibition by the school children. As children painted, Khan moved around signing their paintings and chatting with them. Outside it was pandemonium; the doors of the hall had to be locked to keep the crowds out.

A foreigner who said he was a teacher opened his wallet and showed proof.

“Now let me in, you have let other teachers in, let me in!” he screamed.

A Maldivian journalist threatened “I am going to make this as a breaking news now if you don’t let me in.”

Another journalist threatened to call the police spokesperson and complain.

Tempers flared, but the police inside kept the doors locked. People stuck their faces to the glass door to catch a glimpse of the superstar.

More than a star

Khan said he was pleased to be at the launching of the medical assistance programme in the children’s home on Villingili earlier that the day.

Mr Mulay explained that the medical assistance programme would provide free treatments for the children by Indian doctors.

Speaking at the ceremony, Khan said that he would help “in anyway possible” for similar charitable programmes.

“My number is at the Indian High commission. If my participation is needed for an event like this, all you have to do is call,” he promised. “It’s just a two hour flight to come to the Maldives and help out.”

Khan gained fame in the Maldives ever since he shot to fame with his first movie as a lead man, ‘Maine pyar kiya’ in 1989. His fame was later cemented with his hits ‘Hum aapke hei kaun,’ ‘Karan Arjun,’ ‘Kuch Kuch hota hei’ and recent ones like ‘Partner’ and ‘Wanted.’

His vast acting skills and his buff body are something a lot of Maldivians are familiar with.

But his humanitarian work is less well known here, and this was the first glimpse of it up close for Maldivians.

Khan recently set up his own charity NGO, ‘Being human.’

Asked in an interview about it, he replied “Being human for me is ‘being human’. We all are human beings and I think we don’t do anything human to be human so you have to do something. I mean, God gives you so much and you know eventually you need to start giving it back.”

Salman Khan and President Nasheed at last night's inaugration
Official inauguration

The official inauguration of the festival was held last night. President Mohamed Nasheed and First Lady Laila Ali arrived with Salman Khan and Mr Mulay.

There was an audible gasp in the hall at Dharubaruge when people caught sight of Khan.

Once they took their place at the podium, a recitation of Quran started the ceremony.

Khan, clad in a slim greyish-striped shirt, provided the eye candy, there were more gasps as cameras clicked away.

“We live in this country, we breath this air, we earn our livelihood here, so we should contribute positively to the population” said Mr Mulay, highlighting why it was important for Indians to participate.

He said he hoped that the friendship between the two countries will be streangthened. Whenever he mentioned Khan’s name and his activities, a loud cheer went up.

Indian infrastructure giant GMR – which recently won the bid to develop Male International Airport – announced it would give 10 scholarships for the next four years to Maldivian students, and were greeted with loud cheers of approval.

Khan took the mic next and said he was honoured to be in the Maldives, and joked that the GMR group was now going to pay for his education.

“Islam means peace, we should all live in peace,” Khan said, drawing louder cheers.

President Nasheed also spoke, keeping his speech short “as this is no time for politicians.”

“We invited Mr Khan and wanted him here not only for his acting, but for his humanitarian work,” Nasheed said, thanking the famous actor.

Sitting side by side, Khan and President seemed amused at the enthusiasm of the crowd.

What followed next was two hours of entertainment, a fusion of Bharatnatyam and Khatak dance by Indians.

Maldivian dancer Jadu and his group performed a mix of traditional Maldivian dances with a modern take.

The atmosphere revved up a few notches when Khan took to the stage in the middle of a dance by young Indian girls. He matched them step for step, showing off his skills and driving the crowd went wild. He was invited to the stage for a follow up act.

When Jadu and his group performed a medley of his songs, he joined in and did his famous dance moves to songs like ‘Just chill’ and ‘Theyrahee chehra.’

After the President left, Khan followed and left the function.

A superstar was in town, and more than his dancing skills or his apparent talent for improvisation, what was most striking was his graciousness.

Despite being one of the most famous stars in the region, Khan showed no airs or graces. His whole demenour was respectful and obliging to the crowds who turned up to see him, and his apparent willingness to help Maldivians in charity work won the hearts of many.

The India-Maldives Friendship Festival 2010 will continue until August 15, 2010.

July 30-31: Education Fair organised by Times Group will be held at Dharubaruge.
August 3-5: A magic show by Mr Gopinath Muthukad will be held at the Olympus theater.
August 6: An evening of cultural programmes will be held by local artists.
August 12-15: Grande finale of the festival will be held in the evenings by a variety show group from India, together with local artists.

For more information, please contactthe Indian High Commission at Tel/Fax: 332 1824

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Comment: The Evils of Democracy

This article was first published on the website of the NGO Islamic Foundation of the Maldives. Republished with permission.

Democracy is a system of infidelity which opposes the decree of the Creator and an evil that was born and raised in the lands of the West. Islam and democracy can not coexist in the religion of Allah, the Lord of all the worlds.

There is no such thing called ‘Islamic Democracy’ as some people put it because those people who adopt, implement or approve and agree to espouse democracy with its basic principles and fundamentals are openly hostile to the faith of monotheism.

When democracy is implanted in a Muslim society, it becomes a trial which sets apart the faithful Muslims from hypocrites and apostates. Those Muslims who take it upon themselves to fight and defend democracy without a religiously compelling reason hate to see Islam triumph over all other way of life. Most often they love to be in the company of the infidels, hypocrites or apostates and be praised by them while calling themselves ‘moderate Muslims’.

There is no such thing as ‘moderate Islam’ or ‘radical Islam’ in the revealed religion of the Almighty Allah. These are terms invented by the enemies of Islam to create divisions within the nation of Islam.

If someone deeply looks into democracy, he will realise its damaging aspects on any society. Democracy which emerged in the lands of the infidels demands the separation of powers: the executive, the legislative and the judiciary are to function as completely separate entities. Moreover, democracy aims to change the established Sharia and demands to keep separate the religion and the state, which is unacceptable in Islam. In a democracy, the secular majority wins and rules over the divine commandments. If an undesired group or party wins power through elections, then the election results are annulled and the constitution is amended to bar that party from competing in elections again. Such examples can be seen in Algeria, Turkey, Palestine and Kenya.

Democracy spurs sedition and discord by gathering people in parties and blocs, the consequences of which are hatred, fighting and bloodshed.

Huge sums of money are required for the working and functioning of political parties. In most democracies, the murky business of obtaining funds for political parties involves corruption, bribery and the selling of state secrets. The electoral campaigns are comprised of boasting, showing and presenting one’s deeds and withholding from others the deeds that they are due, as well as the use of falsehood and deceit in order to gain people’s votes.

Democracy makes the entire population equal, as there is no difference between a knowledgeable specialist and an ignorant person, an eminent scholar of Islamic theology and an illiterate drug addict, a monotheist and a polytheist, a believer and a hypocrite, an adulterer and a pious man, a child rapist and a holy person.

The proper functioning of democracy demands that most criminals have to be ‘rehabilitated’ and not punished for heinous crimes. The prisons in these countries include gyms and other sports or recreational facilities, swimming pools, libraries with internet services, the best food, medicals etc. To add more, there is a system of parole which allows the criminals to leave the ‘prison’ before the end of their sentences.

Democracy is a system that wastes the money and resources of the country in holding elections. These elections are filled with problems of intimidation, fraud, ballot rigging and other irregularities. No interim government is allowed to take over before fresh elections begin; instead the old leadership remains in power during and immediate aftermath of new elections, paving way for more social unrest.

Many times the opposition refuses to accept the election results with accusations of fraud, and calls on people to come out on streets to protest causing pandemonium and bloodshed. You will realize the deficiency of this democracy and its reprehensible failure to manage people’s affairs when those in the opposition constantly call for premature elections, along with its ensuing chaos and disorder.

Democracy leaves the door wide open for spoilers and all the undesired elements in the society to carry on with their work of spreading mischief in the land. Democracy also coexists with the oppressive regimes and the spoilers of social life with all its constituents: gay and lesbian rights movements, narcotics and other substance abuse groups spring up into action.

Therefore, homosexual marriages, selling of intoxicants and the right to renounce Islam have to be allowed under the guise of protecting human rights. Hence, a need for legislation to regulate all such cursed acts and behaviour which in turn produces deputies who pass on laws against those prescribed laws of Almighty God.

In a democracy, candidates jockey for positions of power with promises they do not keep after winning the election. The candidacy for elections is contrary to the guidance of Prophet Mohamed (PBUH) who said that Muslims do not confer the command of an emirate on he who asks for it.

Less privileged or deprived people have no chance of being on the electoral lists because becoming a candidate requires spending huge amounts of money in order to get people’s votes, which apparently go to the one who pays out more for bribery or propaganda work by the media.

So, in a democracy money can buy positions of power, and as such, the seats of the legislature or parliament mainly consist of people from the upper class or people backed by them. It is absolutely impossible to enact any laws urging their businesses to spend money in a way that might benefit the poor. The reality is the rich get richer and the poor get poorer.

The most prominent people in a democracy are the politicians. The pious scholars of Islam, renowned scientists and men of knowledge have to follow the guidelines set by these politicians. Some of these so called politicians occupy seats in the cabinet, parliament and others work as party activists etc, but the truth is, they are ‘political prostitutes’. Most often they shift from one alliance to another or change parties and is devoid of any shame in behaving so for their worldly gains.

If you take a closer look at democracy, you will realise the deficiency and failure of that system to manage the people’s affairs and elect leaders capable of running the country in a way which benefits the masses. You will also undoubtedly ascertain the appropriateness of the Islamic way in generating the leaders and appointing rulers or emirs.

It is wrong to say that Muslim lands had been ruled by dictators or authoritarian rulers in the past centuries. The revealed Holy Scripture of the Muslims instructs the rulers to rule justly by obeying the commandments of Allah and with consultation (shura).

Throughout history the Muslims always had Consultative Assemblies comprised of learned men to advise those in power. The idea of dictatorship, authoritarianism, monarchy or royal dynasty rule began to creep into the Muslim lands when Muslim masses influenced by the West began to forget the proper method of statehood in Islam.

The Maldives has been ruled for quite a long period of time by authoritarian rulers with the power to enact draconian laws through the rubber stamp parliament. The Maldivian people were sick and tired of their ruling elites, their extravagant behaviour, nepotism and corruption etc.

The rampant moral degeneration, drunkenness and drug addiction made the Maldivian society plunge into chaos in the years between 2003-2008. The opportunity was ripe for the irreligious people who opposed the authoritarian regime to manipulate the situation by calling on the West to impose democracy on Maldives amid threats of economic sanctions.

There were many who thought that after democracy had been installed the problems created by the old authoritarian regime would disappear once and for all. However, in addition to those social problems that already remain, democracy has begun to create more problems in people’s lives by dividing the masses into parties or groups.

More often, rival factions compete for influence within the same party and today the so called political parties in Maldives are on the verge of bankruptcy or collapse and state funding is insufficient to keep them functioning. Soon the political parties in Maldives have to rely on foreign donations and grants of which the most likely consequence of this would be foreign control.

Money can buy power, so if the West decides to bring a certain opposition party into power, they increase funding for that particular party. In addition to all these problems, the party in power and the opposition parties are always at each other’s throats, as a result the ordinary people have to bear the brunt of the entire disharmony or disruptions within the community.

The so-called democrats in Maldives claim that they were the only ones who worked tirelessly to bring an end on nearly half a century of oppression. They say that these religious mullahs and bearded fundamentalists only acted like timid chickens and were unable put up a formidable resistance even to defend their ideals. They dare to say that these religion mongers kept hiding behind the backs of prodemocracy activists just to gain favours when everything happens to be over.

If so, then why for the past three decades did countless numbers of Muslim scholars – bearded men who offered five daily prayers and burqa clad women – continuously end up in jail or under house arrest? Where were the pro-democracy activists and human rights campaigners when breast feeding mothers were taken into police custody on the suspicion of trying to endanger religious harmony?

The so called prodemocracy activists only emerged during or after September 2003, when a violent drug addict was beaten to death by prison guards and the shooting incident there which killed a few other drug-related criminals.

It was so because the democrats became convinced that the authoritarian ruler faced pressure from the West to allow political parties to be formed in the Maldives.

The democrats might try to argue that they were in opposition since the early 1990’s. It is a wrong notion to say that they were campaigning for democracy then. The voices raised in those days were not for democracy but for reform or perhaps for change of power. Those voices disappeared into the wilderness because they were not backed by the West.

The spread of democracy in Muslim lands is a victory for diabolical forces of Jews and Christians who spend vast amounts of money and sacrifice much to keep Muslims divided.

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