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.

A protester is taken into custody during a protest in Male Thursday.

A protest in Male Sunday. Video courtesy of DhiTV.

“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.”

A protester is taken away by the police in Male on Thursday.