:: Dhivehi Observer :: Peoples Press ::

Third Debate on Constitutional Reform held in Male’

Mariyam Mohamed, Male' 5th July 2004

A protester in tonight's meeting demands democracy

Mr. Reeko Moosa Manik is a pro-reformist

Maldivians are demanding more freedom

Male' Member Hon. Athif supports multi-party democracy

Nearly one week after the last pro-reform debate held in Male’ on 5^th July, the third meeting was successfully organised tonight at Dharumawantha School hall in Male’. The meeting was organised by a Mr. Reeko Moosa (see below) and some of his associates. The permission to hold the meeting was granted to him and the hall of Dharumawantha school was confirmed around 2:30 pm this afternoon. Despite the short notice, nearly 1600 people attended the gathering, which is a clear sign of the support for multi-party democracy in the Maldives. Given more time and guarantee of no intimidation and harassment from the National Security Service, the Red Army of Gayoom, people will turn out in thousands, says the pro-reformists in Male’. Several Atoll members are also trying to organise similar activities but so far no meeting has been organised in any island, apart from the illicit gatherings ordered by Atolls Minister Hameed, Gayyoom’s brother, asking people to reject the idea of introducing party system in the Maldives. Pro-reformists, Special Majlis Member Ibrahim Ismail and Nazim Sattar, who organised the first two debates in Male’ are now officially banned from holding any further meeting, which is an absolute disgrace and unconstitutional.

The chairman of tonight’s meeting was Reeko Moosa Manik, who is the most popular actor of Maldives as well as a prominent businessman. In his opening remark, he said that this meeting was organised to enhance the knowledge of the people need on pluralistic democracy. He also stated that the desired result is that the Special Majlis Members will take into account the views expressed in this meeting and provide the Maldives with a democratic constitution.

Similar to the previous two pro-reform meetings held on 29^th June and 5^th July in Male’, several prominent people attended the meeting tonight as well. Notably, Honarable Special Majlis Members, Qasim Ibrahim and Ilyas Ibrahim Hussain for Ari Atoll South, Ahmed Shafeeq for Dhaal Atoll, Ahmed Athif and Ibrahim Ismail for Male’ and Mohamed Shareef for Addu Atoll, were present and participated in the discussion. Also there were several respectable business and government officials in this gathering tonight.

Familiar speakers were Sheikh Fareedh, who once again discussed the importance of multi-party democracy in eliminating crime and corruption in our societies. He further highlighted the recent attack on ‘Irreplaceable’ Island Chief of Baa Atoll, Qasim Kaleyfaanu, which he said was the direct result of people abusing the power leading to the public taking the law into their own hands. Sheikh Fareedh said that it is important to have a system of ‘check and balance’ to create a just society in the Maldives and said that multi-party democracy is not sac religious, rather that it was very much in compliance with the principles of Islam.

Special Majlis Member Shareef of Addu Atoll also expressed his support for multi-party democracy in the Maldives by explaining how it can be implemented and administered in the Maldives.

Unlike the meetings organised by anti-reform parties, there are restrictions in what can be said in these meetings of pro-reformers. Gayyoom has shown his true colours of total disregard for law by harassing Mr. Abdul Rasheed, who displayed a banner calling for Gayyoom’s resignation in the meeting of 5^th July. Mr. Rasheed has been summoned to the National Security Service and questioned, which has led to many people still fearing to express their views freely in these gatherings. It is worth noting that the Home Ministry has refused to allow any supporter or sympathiser of the Maldivian Democratic Party to organise any meetings of this nature. However, when it comes to Gayyoom’s own Governement Party (GP), the story is totally different. DO has been informed this afternoon by a government official that Abbas Ibrahim, the brother in law of Gayyoom, today met some people from the Government Staff Club (Sarukaaru Naadhee) and told them to come to a meeting and support the idea of leaving Gayyoom in power and appointing a Prime Minister. His other brother Hameed chaired a meeting last Thursday, which was apparently aimed at praising Gayyoom’s leadership and prolonging the dictatorship of Gayyoom.

The highlight of tonight’s gathering was the displaying of a banner of protest. The front of the banner read “The number the Special Majlis Members is 118” and the back of the banner read “Grant registration to MDP”, referring to the banned Maldivian Democratic Party. The banner is calling for 2 specific things. It is obvious that the person who displayed the banner had folded it and brought it in the meeting because you could not bring a banner which is printed as NSS was waiting outside the venue to ensure that nothing of that sort happened tonight. It is illegal and sac religious to resent this government of Gayyoom. The reason for pointing out the number of the Special Majlis Members by the protestor is quite significant because the Speical Majlis consists of Ministers who are also Members of the Majlis, which means that a seat is missing for each Minister who sits in the Parliament as a Member rather than a Minister. Following article of the constitution explains this further.

Constitution of the Maldives - Article 93 – Composition of the People’s Special
The People’s Special Majlis shall consist of:
(a) members of the Cabinet of Ministers;
(b) members of the People’s Majlis;*
(c) members elected from Male´ and the Atolls in accordance with law. Members elected from each constituency shall be equal in number to the members elected to the People’s Majlis from each constituency; and
(d) eight members appointed by the President.
* the People’s Majlis also has 8 members appointed by the President.

Hence it is seen by many as a farce that Gayyoom does not adhere to such fundamental clauses of the current constitution. This further justifies the calls of the critics that Gayyoom is not fit to oversee this constitutional reform, as he is having trouble upholding and protecting the existing constitution of the country, for which he must be held accountable.

The demand to register MDP is also a clear indication of the desire of the people to establish multi-party democracy in the Maldives. Maldivian Democratic Party was denied registration by Gayyoom in spite of it being a fundamental right enshrined in the constitution as shown below.

Constitution of the Maldives - Article 27 – Freedom of Association
Persons shall be free to form societies and associations, unless prohibited by law in the interest of the protection of sovereignty of the Maldives and the maintenance of public order.

Another interesting development was also witnessed tonight just 10 minutes before the meeting ended. Some pro-reform supporters arrived to the venue with printed t-shirts which read “we want multi-party democracy”. However, the NSS Police was waiting outside in numbers and confiscated the t-shirts by force. One attendee described the acts of the NSS as being ‘barbaric’. These people were just trying to express their support for pluralistic democracy, which is what Gayyoom called for in his ‘self-acclaimed’ speech of 9^th June 2004. Gayyoom must be regretting opening the eyes of the public and inviting them for a debate of constitutional reform. Many believe that this whole saga is just an act staged by Gayyoom to gather international support.

It is high time that Gayyoom wake up to the reality, that the people of Maldives are desperate for change, for more justice, for a better life now and for a better future. Dictatorship is no longer the way forward.

There was one attendee who rejected the idea of multi-party democracy and anything to do with transparency in Maldives. That was the famous Hirigaa Zahir, who works for Haveeru Newspaper, the voice of Maumoon, owned by his classmate Dr. Zahir Hussain, Minister of Youth and Sports. He apparently attends all these meetings and makes fun of people who support pluralistic democracy. Wonder if he can spell it correctly, let alone understand the meaning of the concept.

Reeko Moosa

He is most famous in the Maldives as a film star. He has starred in some of the best movies produced in the Maldives and attains much respect in the film industry. He is also engaged in several private businesses and commands great respect in the society. He is known to be a pro-democracy activist and an outspoken critic of Gayyoom’s dictatorship. Although not known to many, Reeko Moosa also had the taste of Gayyoom’s dictatorship early on in 1982. He was sentenced for 14 years and 9 months for participating in an attempt to overthrow the government of Gayyoom. Reeko Moosa’s brother, Ibrahim Manik was campaigning to challenge Gayyoom for the Presidential Election and was lobby with the Parliament Members. Reeko Moosa was then working for his brother and he was just 21 years old. He served 5 years and was pardoned in early 1987. The whole thing was twisted and Reeko Moosa and his other brother Adam Moosa were sentenced to 14 years and 9 months on the allegation that they took part in a conspiracy to bring mercenaries from Greece to over throw the government. All he did was make payments to some MPs as instructed by his elder brother. His eldest Brother, Ibrahim Manik lived in exile for over 9 years but now lives in the Maldives.