23/01/2012 / MALDIVES
A protester is taken into custody during a protest in Male Thursday.
A protest in Male Sunday. Video courtesy of DhiTV.
A protester is taken away by the police in Male on Thursday.
Maldivians fear island nation may be slipping back into dictatorship
Photo courtesy of HRCJ network
After three decades of one-man rule, many Maldivians hoped President Mohamed Nasheed, who was elected in the Maldives’ first free elections four years ago, would steer the tiny island nation in the Indian Ocean towards democracy. But the controversial arrest of a judge has stoked fears that the country could be in for more of the same, if not worse.
President Nasheed was a pro-democracy activist before being elected to office in 2008. Since then, his reputation has suffered. Critics accuse him of stifling the press and cracking down on dissent. And every evening for the past week, hundreds of protesters have hit the streets of the capital, Male, demanding the release of Criminal Court Chief Justice Abdulla Mohamed, who was arrested after he freed a government critic who had been detained without a warrant.
The government has accused Mohamed of corruption and political bias. Opposition parties, meanwhile, have joined forces to rally against the government, whom they accuse of foiling the constitution by arbitrarily arresting Mohamed. The Maldives Supreme Court and prosecutor general have also called for the judge’s release. The case is dividing the country’s leaders – the Maldives’ vice president Mohammed Waheed Hassan wrote in his blog Saturday that he was “ashamed and totally devastated” by the government’s actions.
“The most important and most precious dividend from the democracy struggle in Maldives has been freedom from fear. It is the knowledge that no one of us will be dragged out of our beds in the middle of the night,” he wrote. “The moment we deny this freedom from one person, we deny that freedom for all.”
Meanwhile, on Monday, the country’s foreign minister called on the United Nations to mediate the stand-off between the government and the opposition.
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Contributors
“This is tyranny”
Ahmed Ibrahim Didi has taken part in the protests demanding the judge’s release. As a dissident under the previous president’s rule, he was sentenced to life in prison; he served four years of his sentence before being pardoned. Today, he is a member of the opposition Dhivehi Qaumee party.
We’ve been protesting against Mohamed’s arrest for seven consecutive days now, despite being attacked with tear gas. This arrest is a violation of our constitution, and we cannot let it stand.
During Sunday night’s protest, I held up the constitution and tried to appeal to the police: ‘Why are you arresting us and harassing us? The constitution guarantees us the right to assemble peacefully!’ They proceeded to arrest me and took me to a detention centre where I was held overnight.
“Thugs burned my neck with cigarette butts”
Three days ago, I was attacked by several thugs in a busy street, in broad daylight. They burned my neck with cigarette butts, hit me in the head, and broke my spectacles. I am certain these thugs were sent by the government. I reported the incident to the police but they took no action.
I’m not afraid of speaking out. I spent time in prison under the last president. Under the new president, I thought I would go into retirement. But things are even worse now.
I spent a long time working with the party that’s now in power, hoping to change the Maldives’ political system. But President Nasheed has greatly disappointed me. Since his government came to power, the judiciary is constantly under attack – as is the parliament, as well as the press and all opposition parties. He controls all three branches of government. This is tyranny.”
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Comments
Growing Pains of Democratic Governance
Submitted by JSWaheed (not verified) on Tue, 24/01/2012 - 18:11.The Maldives is NOT a military dictatorship. What we have is a corrupt judge who has released drug dealers, rapists, and child abusers. The man is so powerful and influential as a Judge who has been appointed for life that there is no other way to protect the people of Maldives! This is the only way forward - there cannot be the rule of law when the judicial system has corruption at its bone!
It is not the military. Every operation of this scale is done with both the Police and the MNDF. The reason for this is that we cannot keep the population safe unless there is some order. Already there has been shops vandalized, public structures, even poor helpless palm trees.
Our democracy is developing, and is being hijacked by a judiciary that has no regard for the rule of law. The previous Attorney General resigned specifically because he tried to target the entire judiciary - but this is the targeting of ONE MAN. One man who is too powerful to approach any other way. One many who has released criminals, rapists, and drug dealers. No one - NO ONE doubts that he is corrupt. The problem is that he is part of the judiciary.
This judge - Abdullah Mohamed - makes friends with politicians because the only way to get rid of him is a 2/3 majority in parliament. So by protecting just one fraction, he keeps his job safe for life! Well, not anymore. He will be removed from his bench because of the crimes he has committed against the people of the Maldives
If it is not a dictatorship,
Submitted by Lively1 (not verified) on Wed, 01/02/2012 - 04:30.If it is not a dictatorship, how come your father Dr Waheed is ashamed of this barbaric acts of his government?
Ghazee
Submitted by Rights for everyone (not verified) on Thu, 26/01/2012 - 11:58.If all that is true,take him to the courts. The supreme court has ordered his release. He is being detained illegally. Whats the difference between the govt and thugs if both are trying to settle matters out of court. Do we also get to hand over sentences and carry out street justice if we know the victim should be punished? Respect the right of the people.
Biggest mistake in Maldives History
Submitted by Sad Maldivian (not verified) on Tue, 24/01/2012 - 11:27.Indeed electing Nasheed was the biggest mistake Maldivians made in it's history.
Short sighted and insensitive to communties feeling and opinion it's only his friends
Who are benefiting from several government bids through corruption.
Airport was sold to Indian company GMR for a crappy deal, Dhiraagu, communication
Company shares was sold to Cable and Wireless even when it was making record profits and growth.
MDP Nasheeds party has been accused of various crimes, fraud, child abuse and drug trafficking. Unto now
not a single case has even started against them. Prices of all daily consumer goods including
Food has risen 240% since he has been elected.
People are paying for useless politicians huge wages for promoting there party from government. We have more Polticians than india now.
A government of convicts.
Maldivian Democratic Party becoming a despotic party
Submitted by Pro-Democracy activist (not verified) on Tue, 24/01/2012 - 04:13.This is what happens when a government comes in thinking that they have all the support to change things to their favour. The Maldives President and his Maldivian Democratic Party now wants to stay in power for next 30 years, hence any criticism of MDP or its Government is seen as treason. Military has been called into arrest people in cases where the constitution might be used to protect individual freedom. So the President uses the allegation of national security and fight against extremists as an excuse to gain more power. This is what Egypt's dictator Mubarak did for many decades. This is what we are seeing now in Maldives and Maldivians are scared that this will destroy all the struggle they have gone through to bring the rule of democracy in Maldives.
Maldivian Democratic Party supporters are using violence against peaceful anti-government protestors. Police has arrested some MDP supporters that attacked peaceful protesters with sticks and other light weapons.
Where is the UN and the West? Are they going to stay silent just as they did against Mubarak until his government finally fell?
Maldives has become a dictatorship
Submitted by Salim Waheed (not verified) on Tue, 24/01/2012 - 00:29.Last night saw ruling party MDP activists together with military police beating innocent civilians. Eye witness reports and video evidence indicates MDP activists were using electric batons and wooden sticks to beat up the protesters. These electric batons are for use only by the military forces only. Questions arise as to how they landed up in the hands of MDP thugs.
Mohamed Nasheed came into power through a coalition. Yet within less than two years he effectively removed coalition members from the government. In a speech he further said that he will influence elections and only MDP members can get benefit from the government. A number of government officials have resigned from their posts protesting against government not abiding by the Law.
It is not surprising that Nasheed has consolidated all power as any dictator does. Nasheed is the nephew of a Maldivian who together with Tamil Tigers of Srilanka attempted a coupe during the early 80s. Unarmed civilians were shot in this incident. His uncle and others were convicted of terrorism and were jailed. Upon coming into power, Nasheed pardoned all these terrorists and all of them were given high government posts.
Arbitrary arrests of political opponents and victimization of opposition members are now frequent. Locals fear of the MDP activists most of whom were released from jail on a programme called "Dhevana furusathu" (Second chance). These convicted criminals included pedophiles, murderers and rapists. The government blames judiciary while at the same time the government frees jailed criminals. A drug dealer jailed in Srilanka was brought to back to the Maldives. As he is the son of one who finances MDP activities, he has since been pardoned, released and given a government job. There appears double standards in every action the despot government takes.
Nasheed looking for the lime-light in the Western media, also tries to portray Maldivians as Islamic extremists and terrorists. Yet, most of the Maldivians are law abiding citizens who do not hold any strong extreme believes.
The Maldivian Constitution gives power to take actions against judges to the Judiciary Commission. However, what we see is State kidnapping of an individual. Maldives has fallen into the hands of a dictator.
well this is totally bogus
Submitted by maldivians (not verified) on Sun, 29/01/2012 - 20:03.well this is totally bogus ...n ibrahim didi is trying to be a political hero..
False Post
Submitted by JSWaheed (not verified) on Tue, 24/01/2012 - 18:06.Whomever wrote the post above, it is not me. The Maldives is NOT a military dictatorship. What we have is a corrupt judge who has released drug dealers, rapists, and child abusers. The man is so powerful and influential as a Judge who has been appointed for life that there is no other way to protect the people of Maldives! This is the only way forward - there cannot be the rule of law when the judicial system has corruption at its bone!
this is nothing but the
Submitted by galolhu ali (not verified) on Tue, 24/01/2012 - 15:43.this is nothing but the truth, as all maldivian knows in maldives history, every terrorist activity against the past rulers were created by president mohamed nasheed's family. this is the only family hungry to lead this nation the way they like. so now at last he got what his family was fighting for years. but unfortunately he proved he is no longer fit as a president.
OBzRmKIkoQJwZBtQ
Submitted by Jaylen (not verified) on Wed, 01/02/2012 - 17:52.For the love of God, keep writing these atrciles.