Our Hero - Mohamed Nasheed of Maldives :: Dhivehi Observer

Bushry Column - 11

Our Hero

By Mohamed Bushry, 1st Sept. 2005 Bushry Column Archive

Despite the efforts by the state owned media to portray him as a villain, the Chairman of MDP (Nasheed) is seen by many Maldivians as their saviour.,Many of us look up to him and his party, to free us from the undemocratic political system that is prevalent in this country. In the face of virtually insurmountable odds and difficulties, Nasheed is leading his struggle to bring democracy and legitimate human rights to this miniscule country of ours. Even though many Maldivians look at Nasheed as a hero, the government doesn't think so. This is the main reason why he is currently in prison, accused of sponsoring and coordinating terrorism. Mind you, he is only accused and not proven guilty. Mohamed Nasheed (Anni); the Chairman of MDP is indeed a hero of this generation.

Perhaps the police would look at me as a terrorist too, for granting hero status to Nasheed. If anyone in this country could be legitimately described as the father of modern democracy in Maldives, that person is Nasheed. We have seen pictures and video clips of how Nasheed was dragged to the police station, like a sack of potatoes. His crime was taking part in a peaceful demonstration earlier this month. About two weeks after his arrest, we saw Nasheed being bundled into the court. Fortunately he wasn't dragged this time, but he was carried like a rag doll, by a muscular policeman. The picture looked like a fat mother trying to breast feed an unusually large baby. Welcome to multiparty democracy, Maldivian style.

The makeshift assembly hall (Haruge), where MDP holds party meetings has been dismantled, the grounds dug up and the party has been denied the rights to use that facility ever since. Police personnel carried out this, while the Attorney General seemed to pronounce judgment on MDP, without even a trial. People say that Attornry General, Hassan Saeed, is a law graduate. Personally I haven't seen his university certificate. I may not know legal jargon as much as Hassan Saeed but I'm pretty sure that the constitution doesn't grant anyone (not even the Attorney General) the right to pronounce judgment on someone while the matter is being investigated by the police.

Listening to Hassan Saeed chatting to Shakeeb'be on Television Maldives, I made a silent vow that I would never send my daughter to the same university that Saeed studied in (if my daughter decides to study law). I also decided that I would never send my daughter to the same institute where Shakeeb'be learnt the intricacies of ethics. Wherever that maybe.

Listening to the state sponsored propaganda on the national television; I was struck by the contrast in the programs of the national radio. At least the radio programs aren't as one-sided as that of TVM. The difference is perhaps in the styles of Hussein Mohamed (TVM) and Badhuru Naseer (Radio). Maybe Badhuru would have a clearer conscience when the dust settlers finally.

Perhaps I shouldn't describe the words of Shakeeb'be and Heena Waleed as propaganda. Well, propaganda is something that penetrates into the minds of unassuming people. What was coming out of TVM was more like gibberish. Only fools would believe that.

The Acting Government Spokesman was indeed acting. His versions of Nasheed's arrest were contradictory. I believe that MDP has to thank Gayyoom for having this guy as the Acting Government Spokesman. With his acting he seems to be doing an awful lot of good for MDP's cause. His predecessor (the Chief Government Spokesman), said that Gayyoom is the father of Maldivian democracy. The women's rights groups should perhaps lobby that the Great Leader should be described as the "Parent of Democracy" instead of being called the father.

Recently I spoke to a senior official of a European embassy in Colombo. He assured me that, as far as he can see, there is no legitimate case against Nasheed. He believes that Nasheed would be released soon and that Maldivians would get the chance to cast their votes at a multi-party election pretty soon. How soon, I asked. He believes that the inevitable would happen later this year. Would that make Gayyoom the Father of multiparty elections as well? If his party wins that election I'm sure that his spokesman would pronounce that title for him.

Personally I believe that the chances of finding aliens in space is higher than the chances of Gayyoom's party winning a free and fair election in this country. That's my humble opinion. Gayyoom has to of course hold elections if he wants to prove me wrong. I hope he takes the democratic path in proving me wrong, instead of arresting me for expressing a personal opinion.