Vote laa laa laa Maumoon baalaanee ey!

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.

Once the results started coming in, a consistent trend could be seen, the 54-45% gap between Anni and Maumoon remained a standard throughout the night. However, we thought, no this cant be, we cant start celebrating this early. Its Maumoon! Who knows what he’s going to do now? We had our torches at the ready near the ballot boxes in case the electricity was cut, we were careful on the streets, not daring to even jest at a DRP supporter, in case of provoking unrest leading to some sort of emergceny power act by Maumoon to ‘preserve the peace’. This is what 30 years of authoritarian rule does even in the face of mathematical statistics. Conspiracy stories were heard all over Male’. “Maumoon has left the country, no Yameen has!” “Lets check Singapore Airlines” “They’ve chartered a 50 seater Island Aviation plane” “They’ve blocked the road near Atholhuvehi, cars keep going in and out of Theemuge” “What do you think he has planned? “ Turns out, nothing!

Unbelievably the election went off remarkably quietly, except of course for the guy who tried to vote three times! No knifings, no military coups, nothing. You’d think that would make us rest easy, but no. The atmosphere was too quiet, naamaan. We were waiting for something to happen. Then came 5am, TVM had announced over 85% of the preliminary results and there was no way back for Maumoon. Haruge erupted with every announcement of the result which was in our favour. They then rushed to the mosque to perform a prayer of thanks. We then all headed out to Raalhugandu, to watch the sun rise on the Aneh Dhivehi Raaje.

It was a sight and an atmosphere that was enough to cause anyone to be dizzy with happiness. Shaking hands, hugging, crying, laughing and always smiling. It was a morning of wonder. Yesterday morning, it didn’t matter if we didn’t all agree on the same candidate in the first round, all that mattered was that Maumoon was out. We did it. The uniting of the opposition in the 2nd round is something I begrudgingly accepted, but I always understood that we needed everyone to make it happen, and it was a result of everyone, each in their own ways that we achieved what we once thought was the impossible. I would even go so far as to say that this victory may not have been as meaningful had it happened in the first round, if it had just been about the MDP and Anni. Of course us MDP supporters would have been thrilled, but this result today with a combined opposition meant an extra bit more, because it symbolised a bringing together of a nation. I know 54% isn’t a landslide, but it sure felt like it. It was a beautiful morning, where personal animosities, petty or significant were put aside for the sake of enjoying this great historical moment.

The day become even more surreal, with lack of sleep, exhaustion and adrenaline pumping through our bodies, Maldivian witnessed a new President addressing the nation first time on national TV. Anni and Maumoon giving a joint press conference at the President’s Office was the next high mark. It was a day of overwhelming moments. Who would have ever thought, Anni from the kuda golhi to behind the Presidential podium? I am proud of Anni for everything he has done. Today, he was truly Presidential, or Presidential in the sense this country needs him to be, with his magnanimous approach to Maumoon and the DRP. Some maybe surprised, but Anni has always maintained this thought.

He has not believed in revenge or retribution even against the people who fed him food mixed with crushed glass, but has always looked to move forwards. This is not something I have always agreed with. Maybe its too clinical or too by the book, or maybe I’m not that strong in character, I have always believed that people who have perpetrated crimes should be punished. Those who tortured should be brought to trial. These are issues which all transitional states go through. Some set up Truth and Reconciliation committees. Others just create a clean slate by providing amnesties, and others go on an all out witch hunt. There’s no one right path. It depends on the gravity of the situation. Personally, I think torture wasn’t as widespread in the country to convince people to support taking legal action against Maumoon. Adam Zahir ofcourse is a different matter. Most people in this country care about their social and economic right rather than their civil and political ones, and spending state resources on a trial on Maumoon now would be considered a waste by some. So a state driven legal case against Maumoon is I’m sure not going to happen.

In fact, on the subject of retribution. Once you eat, sleep, drink and breathe the idea of defeating Maumoon for years, when it happens its like an enormous weight gets lifted off your chest. It becomes easier to take in that full breath, you can walk past Theemuge without wanting to hiss at the gate, and you can give someone on the street a genuine smile even if they may not be a member of your Party. Now during the campaign season, when we fantasized about the possibilities of winning, there were wish lists that were made, names of people in the DRP to call and swear at. Ali Waheed and Mundood were I’m sure on many peoples’ lists. However Anni’s appeal, kaamiyaabuga hih thirikuraashey adhi bali vaa vaguthuthakugaa hih varu kuraashey (be humble in victory and maintain strength in defeat) touched a nerve. Yes things are peaceful at the moment, but maybe only because so far everyone is being relatively civil to each other. People are not outside provoking those who lost, they are not having in your face loud celebrations. I thought I would want to gloat in the face of those who lost, but suddenly with the win, you’re overcome with a sense of deep elation that leaves you too satisfied and too exhausted to want to waste your time, energy and sense of satisfaction by screaming filth at someone. We won, that itself is now more than enough. As difficult as it is to believe that Yameen and Co. are going to let this go so easily, lets hope things continue in peace till the inauguration on the 11th. There are bigger and better things to get on with it, like running the country, as it should be run, to bring about the Aneh Dhivehi Raaje that we have been anticipating for so long.

Winning the government was a challenge, but running it will be an even greater one. There is a lot of expectation on Anni and his team to deliver. People expect change to happen quickly and dramatically, and it may not happen. This country has a 30 year legacy which will hard to shift, and it is going to take a continued united effort. Congratulations Anni! Congratulations to the People of the Maldives. We have made history.

Ps: for those bored with the lack of campaign excitement, lets turn our support to Obama in the last week of the US elections. Or start getting ready for the Majlis, atolls and local council elections coming up in a couple of months.

October 30, 2008. Tags: Aneh Dhivehi Raaje, Anni, democracy, DRP, Maldives Elections, Maumoon, MDP, opposition alliance, reconciliation, retribution, revenge, torture. Maldivian Politics.