Dazed and confused within the separation of powers
Anyone else ever get so caught up in the struggle between yellow and blue, that sometimes you just don’t know who’s right? Take today’s Majlis. I sat down at 9am in front of the TV to watch today’s session, and it was Mega Minister Aslam being questioned on why yet another island had not received their harbour or why another island had not had their sewage system in place yet (The man has a lot on his plate, give him some time). Either way, everyone I’m sure was looking forward to the agenda item where the Majlis was to debate on appointments to the Judicial Services Commission (JSC).
So I took a break from the TV, potted around a bit, and came back home to switch the TV on, just in time to see most of the MPs gathered around the front row gesticulating and shouting at each other. We couldn’t tear our eyes away from the TV. Then the sound was cut off, followed by the live broadcast. First instinct? sms whichever MPs you know, and try and find out what the hell was happening. Second, get over to the Majlis. You know it could just be my love for drama, or maybe it’s the last 4 years’ experience of being ever ready for a muzaahara, you don’t question these instincts (even if you have your parents and quite possibly your grandparents yelling at you to stop), you just go. On the way you’ll meet others like you, already worked up, ever ready for a mud slinging between the 2 parties. After all, we have to admit, it’s been pretty quiet for the last couple of months!
The thing with muzaharaas in Male’ is, sometimes you don’t always know the reason for the anger and the subsequent gathering. In this case, it was more a feeling, and also a touch of curiosity arrested the cat. It’s a small island, it doesn’t take much to get a couple of hundred people to gather around a square patch of it. You get there, and you pick up titbits of information that have been sensationalised, rationalised, expanded and manipulated, which you then try to clarify from various sources by shouting questions to them over police cordons (police have changed remarkably in their attitude, but its still very easy to get pissed off at them). Today’s titbit was of course that Mahuloof had tried to start something with Reeko. Now, Mahuloof, sweet fellow may he be- in spite of his unadulterated adoration of Maumoon- should know better than to mess with or even slightly threaten Reeko. Actually no, that’s not the issue.
The issue is that DRP’s Ahmed Mohamed brought up a kulli masala (let me get to it- this is where issues of right & wrong are confusing), to condemn the cabinet’s decision to investigate Judge Ahmed Mohamed of the criminal court. He justified his condemnation by speaking about upholding justice. Now lets not forget about our Majlis’ love for the nizaamee nukuthaa, which Reeko raised at this point. I don’t think Reeko or any one who has been through what he has could have sat still and listened to a man who had passed a death sentence on him without questioning Ahmed Mohamed idea of justice. It would have been fine if the debate had stuck to snide underhand remarks within the structure of a Majlis debate, but I suppose the heightened emotions and snide underhand remarks, not being controlled by the Speaker added extra fuel to the fire. Either the way the situation got out of hand.
The muzaaharaa happened, it rained, it dispersed and the unrest in Majlis moved onto the internet news sites and TV and radio channels, which questioned the MPs, analysed the situation, all highlighting that it has only been a month and a half since this new Majlis was sworn in. Now finally onto what is confusing me. The urgent motion proposed by MP Ahmed Mohamed was a reaction to the cabinet’s decision last night to investigate the Criminal Court judge for supposedly obstructing justice. Now Kutti aka. underhand manipulator hiding behind the image of a people’s man, has written on his blog extensively on the issue of the ‘arrogance of government’ for making such a decision. To be honest, I myself have doubts on the constitutional limits the cabinet has on making such a decision. However someone pointed out that the judiciary has summoned Ministers for disrespecting the court, so why cant the executive question a member of the judiciary for supposed obstruction of justice? Aren’t all the powers equal? It’s murky, I admit. I don’t know where to draw the lines between who is right and wrong, I’m just writing. The other allegations against the Judge do not help to make it easier to unequivocally condemn the cabinet’s decision to have him investigated.
I know for sure I have a lot more expectation and faith in the executive than the judiciary, because quite frankly the judiciary have been anything but independent. I guess the question is after 30 years of subjecting to one mad man’s whims and fancies, how can they be independent? No, they are not. Many are Yaamin’s men, some are just old sleazy men who like to flog a woman or 2. Its overwhelmed, slow and inherently conflicted and unfortunately it seems these days it is the power we need the most to get itself together. (The executive have gone the constitutional route today and asked the Judicial Services Commission to investigate the allegations against the Judge)
No matter what the situation now, the main issues that have been facing our country for the last 6 months and will keep continuing to plague us is the lack of a strong, independent judiciary. Corruption, torture, child abuse, drugs, nothing is ever resolved. I admit we are not always going to get the justice we want, but there are desperate people who do deserve some sort of justice, who should not be brushed aside so lightly. Just start resolving something.
Instead, when filing a corruption case in the current judicial system, it is most likely that Yaamin has already bought the judge out (as was apparently the situation with Ghassan’s re-election case), with everything else the laws are outdated and what exists is conflicting. Specifically with Yaamin, the executive did not have faith in the judiciary or the independent ACC- thereby leading to the establishment of the Presidential commission to investigate corruption, to make sure there was some sort of investigation. Whether they have the right to do so, they back it up with the constitution. Others disagree. Again the lines here are blurry.
Things have changed, mostly for the better, but some things still remain unsettled, stagnating the bipartisan tensions even further. It angers us when the DRP play the weak and oppressed opposition card, when clearly they’re not. Its even more frustrating when the same issues that began the reform process still don’t get through to their heads. There was torture committed by the former government and there was unlimited corruption- just admit it. That’s all you have to do. Instead they brush aside their emptying of the country’s coffers, the shady Hussain Solah and others incidences, and set out to again place Theemuge at the centre of everything, and make sure Maumoon gets a big launch to travel around on as ‘Former’. Ever feel that in the case of our country, the victor has not got the ‘spoils’, but just that everything left is ‘spoilt’
On this extremely confusing, incoherent note I will say good night.
Personal ‘wish list’ for Aneh Dhivehi Raaje
Please note this wish list is obviously far less important than providing affordable housing, healthcare, resolving the drugs crisis, and well basically running the country…
1) Ban spitting on the streets or fine people for doing it. Its one of the most disgusting sounds in the world, when you’re walking down the road and you hear the person behind you or in front of you clearing his throat, getting ready to shoot out that wad of spit directly in the path you’re walking. Stop stop stop. It worked in Republican China in the early 1900s!
2) Stop using your car/motorcycle/pickup horns unless in an emergency. It’s a small island, if a pickup has stopped to unload goods, there’s really not much we can do about it. Its not like there’s space on the road for it to actually park at a side. Or at least give it 5 minutes before your start banging on that horn.
3) Do something about racist Neanderthal like Maldivians, who take pleasure in picking on expatriate workers. Yes there’s too many of them, but why not remember that while you’re complaining about them, they are the ones who keep the streets clean, build houses, and basically do the work of the Male’ municipality.
4) A proper bookshop, maybe where you can see the sea. Salt cant be good for the books, but the view would be spectacular.
5) Clean up track, so people can swim there without the fear of possibly growing an extra nose on their foot from the trash that’s in the water.
I’m still thinking… please add more of your own
Vote laa laa laa Maumoon baalaanee ey!
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- taken from www.voteanni.com
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- taken from www.voteanni.com
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- taken from www.voteanni.com
I’m still in shock. Today has been the happiest, most incredible and very surreal day in my life. People have toiled for years to bring him down, sacrificing lives, times with their children, privacy, subjecting themselves to public ridicule and state sanctioned abuse, and its been 30 long years, but on the 28 of October 2008, the people have dealt Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, the final blow. Goodbye Maumoon, and here’s hoping that with you go torture, corruption and fear.
Anni once said in a campaign speech last year while campaigning for the barulamaanee system, “mifaharu vote laa laa laa Maumoon baalaanee ey”. Yesterday, or the last couple of weeks the Maldivian people have done just that. We wore him down in the first round by reducing his usual 90% majorities to 40%, and then we served him his leaving papers in the run off by gaining 54% of the vote. A combination of years of silent opposition, torture, custodial deaths, street demonstrations, internal and external pressures have led to the culmination of the reform process, the country’s first multiparty election, resulting in the defeat of the incumbent. Maumoon, the people have finally been given a chance to speak, and the majority have chosen to serve themselves and their families instead of you and yours. Here’s looking forward to the Aneh Dhivehi Raaje, headed by President Elect Mohamed Nasheed (Anni), Dr. Waheed and the opposition alliance.
War of the Wathans
“Wathan” or the Nation is a historically powerful construct, evoking sentiments of patriotism and unity. It is an idea that starts wars, justifies deaths and demands of people to accept its prominence as a constant in the modern world. This image, used, as a symbol in a Presidential campaign impresses an enhanced sense of strength and steadfastness to the message of the campaign. After all, when discussing issues of developing the nation, or changing the nation, who better to choose than the candidate the ‘nation’/‘wathan’ want? However, the problem with the idea of choosing what the nation wants has always been defining who/what makes up the nation. The run off between Maumoon and Anni has seen the presidential campaigns evolve into two very different entities, both finally centring to compete on one common slogan- Wathan Edhey Gotha. Now we may say that Maumoon’s campaign took on this slogan in the last few days, as a means to provoke the opposition alliance, but could it be that their “Wathan” is in fact different from ours?
Dancing for the Devil
I recently attended a naming ceremony and heard the recitation of a Mauloodh after a long time. I forgot how beautiful it is. Recently there have been various debates on the practice of reciting Mauloodh, whether it’s a good or bad thing to do. I’m not exactly sure of the doctrinal facts behind the arguments, but I’ve personally always liked it. There’s a powerful and yet soothing element to the strong male voices reciting those verses, that make you just want to stand still and listen.
I’m not the most pious of Muslims, but I have never doubted the existence of God. My boyfriend, however often accuses me of being extremely irrational because I refuse to get into arguments or debates about Islam with him. Maybe it’s a cultural thing, or maybe I’ve taken the fearing aspect of the God fearing issue too much to heart. It may be superficial to not doubt anything in words and yet do it unwillingly by not performing certain required acts, but that unquestioned base respect seems to be deeply ingrained in me.
Religion, although not shoved down my or my family’s throat, has always been significant, as I’m sure is the case for most Maldivians. In the Maldives, Islam is a constant. Passing the boundaries of doctrine, it is also a cultural and social entity that surrounds our every day movements. We have been known as a country of moderate Islam, and yet the debates on religion in the current political environment diverge from one extreme to another. Religion is a political weapon of immense power and proportions, and lately the central focus of the pros and cons between Anni and Maumoon have been exactly that, the future of Islam in the Maldives.
Dear Dr. Hassan
I watched the rally held in Addu by the opposition alliance last night. I write to you because I noticed your absence, and because I hope you will soon make it clear to your supporters exactly why you have not been playing an active and public role in this alliance. I write to you because I want to tell you never to make unconditional offers that you are not willing to keep, and that any respect I had for you is gone forever.
Rumour is that Hassan Saeed’s unconditional offer of support to the MDP Itthihaad is as empty of promise as the man himself. Hassan and the New Maldives boys received the 3rd highest number of votes and immediately after the announcement of the official results on 9 October; they made an unconditional offer, supporting the MDP Itthihaad. A couple of days down the line, this unconditional offer has become like one of those lucky draw competitions you find in magazines. “Open the golden ticket and win millions”, but to win the millions call this number, text this number, and thus spend many hundreds in an attempt to get it.” In the end there’s no guarantee you’ve got it, and you’ve already given away more than you thought was fair. This is the case with Hassan Saeed’s unconditional offer to the opposition alliance.
Worn Out By The Politicking
Its not months but years that have been consumed by the constant politicking in Maldives. What began as a slow, hidden and tortuous process has evolved to become a loud, public display of – occasionally false – affection between the country’s various political actors and the members of the public. At times, it is fake, messy, dirty and downright disappointing. Whereas, at other times, it is inspirational and life changing,. Either way, I can’t seem to keep myself away from it. I am utterly consumed, and thus exhausted both mentally and physically.
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United We Stand
ok not the most apt post title for this photo-but sitting or standing, United for Change!- photo taken from www.voteanni.com
Excuse the cheesy title of this post, but following tonight’s rally by the opposition alliance, it suits the purpose. Finally, deals done, wounded egos put aside, all opposition candidates (except for Umar Naseer) presented themselves as one to the public. The rally was long winded, with representatives from all parties given a chance to speak, but necessary, and the crowd definitely appreciated it. It was so full people were spilling out of Dharubaaruge.
It was interesting to see the reactions of the other opposition candidates in such a rally. At the beginning of the ceremony, it seemed as if Ibra and Dr. Hassan were finding it a bit tough to deal with their situation, but their moods and body language changed as the night went on. Gasim on the other hand was fully into it, waving his hands in the air, clapping and shaking hands with everyone. It does highlight the vast differences of personal opinions and baggage that each side brings to this opposition; maybe this diversity can produce a stronger and more credible unity. (Oh I’m so cheesy tonight, its slightly killing me!)
Dr. Waheed, Dhiyaana and Anni were the stars of the night for me. (more…)
Hey Hassan, its time to step up to the plate!
I’m spending far too much time writing about Hassan Saeed these days, but anyway what should be said has to be said. Many people are wondering where Hassan Saeed is since the establishment of the new opposition alliance. Gasim has fuller immersed himself, joining the campaign, visiting Haruge, so where on earth is the fair and lovely Hassan?
Choose To Swim, Not To Sink
Just thought I’d share a conversation I had with a taxi driver tonight. We asked him to turn on DhiFM on his car radio because Anni was supposed to be on for a short interview.
Of course the conversation turned to politics while waiting for the interview to start. He asked us if we had heard Gasim speak today at an earlier press conference. We said we hadn’t. The driver told us, well he was surprisingly good, considering it was Gasim. Gasim was angry, and maybe that’s how he should always be when he speaks. Pressuruga bahattanvee ey abadhuves.
He then told us that one of his friends who had voted for Hassan Saeed in the first round, had called him up and told him that he wasn’t going to vote for Anni in the second round, even if it meant voting against Maumoon. He was just going to stay home and not vote. Which is a sentiment that has been flying around, again reiterating the fact that the 60% who voted for the opposition in the first round are not a guaranteed bunch. They need to constantly be convinced. The response the driver gave to his friend was one of the best I’ve heard. He said,“Kanda vetti fethigen dhaairu ves fathaaka/neyvaalaaka nulheynanhey?” I think what he said sums up the divide between those who cannot get their heads around voting for Anni in the second round. Not voting is never a good option in a society that is known for its vote rigging capabilities. Not voting in a circumstance that allows us to choose whether or not to keep a dictator, who has already been there for 30 years for another 5, is arrogant and irresponsible.
