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.
Getting Ready for the Run-Off
The past couple of months leading up to the election have been exciting and challenging. The final week was a circus of posters, leaflets, lorries and speeches. However, it was never a race that could have been decided in one round, and the result is that the Maldivian people do not have a definite and majoritarian opinion of who they want as their leader. They- the 60%- do however agree that enough is enough, Maumoon should be no more.
Now we have to motivate ourselves for the run off. The second round of elections will be the culmination of the Maumoon/Anni saga, which has been ongoing for over 20 years. How do we get there? We have no option but to unite the opposition, which whether we like to admit it or not is easier said that done. We face a myriad of challenges, firstly within the 60% of those who voted for opposition candidates.
