The Stepson of Maldivian Democracy - Maldives :: Dhivehi Observer

Bushry Column

The Stepson of Maldivian Democracy

Mohamed Bushry , 11th June 2005, Bushry Column Archive

Last Saturday night I attended a meeting of the Maldives Democratic Party (MDP). The venue was Iskandar School, and from my estimation there were more than four thousand people at the gathering. Freedom was in the air. The reform agenda seems to be moving at full throttle. And guess who is getting most of the credit for the current reforms. If the local media is to be believed, we have to be thankful to the incumbent President, Gayyoom, for being kind enough to suggest and then grant party politics to the Maldives. The thing is that hardly anyone at the MDP gathering believes the local media these days.

In an interview to a news organization, the Chief Government Spokesman, Dr. Shaheed, recently suggested that President Gayyoom is the "father of democracy" in the Maldives. Dr. Shaheed can say whatever he wants. As far as the MDP members are concerned, if there is a father of democracy, then the credit has to go to the collective people of this country. We the ordinary people of Maldives are the fathers and mothers and daughters of democracy. We are the grandfathers and stepsons of democracy. Indeed we are the distant relatives of democracy.

We took to the streets and demanded that we want reforms. We demanded party politics and other constitutional reforms. The murder of an innocent Maldivian in the hands of the Maldivian police force angered the people. That was the catalyst which started the domino effect. When all this is so obvious; and when everyone knows this for a fact; why are some people so blinded as to think that we can give President Gayyoom the credit for the current political reforms? Sorry I'm not buying it.

Now, I may be spending the next few days in a prison cell if the government disapproves of this column. I may be arrested, jailed, taken to the "Range" and beaten to death. Now that shouldn't surprise anyone because that certainly wouldn't be anything new. Granted that some police personnel were convicted of Evan Naseem's murder in jail, but is there any guarantee that such a grossly inhuman act will never happen in the Maldivian jails? Only time will tell.

If Gayyoom indeed was the "father of democracy" he would have sacked the unpopular members of his cabinet. He would refrain from joining any political party himself. He would announce a date for stepping down (possibly the end of this current presidential term). He would ensure free and fair general elections and a presidential election after his resignation.

Members of the police force and those of the judiciary should understand that President Gayyoom is one single individual. I, for example, have equal rights as Gayyoom. As a law-abiding citizen of this country, it is perfectly within my rights to question President Gayyoom's policies and actions. If, for example, certain policies of the government lead to extravagance, then I have the right to point that out. It certainly is not blasphemy to do so.

If President Gayyoom were the father of democracy, he would certainly not be offended by this column. I ask all readers to call me and check if I'm alive. If nothing happens to me in the coming weeks, then perhaps we should consider believing Dr. Shaheed's claim.