Letter on Struggle Towards Democracy
“Beautiful people of the Maldives I write to you as an enthusiastic, almost fanatical long distance follower of your struggle towards democracy.
That struggle is now nearing its end but the quality of life the future brings you, and more importantly your children, depends on YOU.
You have a right to vote and you must vote. Saying to your children in years to come I didn’t vote because I couldn’t be bothered is not an option. Your vote is important.
I don’t have the right to tell you who to vote for; it’s your country and your choice of president, but as a fellow member of the human race who cares I feel qualified to make a few observations about the Presidential candidates.
Gayoom
I find it very difficult to find anything good to say about this man who has bled the Maldives dry for years whilst masquerading as a benevolent protector of the environment on the world stage. Give him another five years and you give him five extra years to spirit away even more of your money to his foreign bank accounts. This man promises homes for all yet was unable to re-house tsunami victims despite huge internationally donated funds to do so. In five years he’s going to do all the things he’s made no attempt to do in the last thirty years, do you believe that’s possible. His crimes against the people of the Maldives are well documented.
Mohamed Nasheed
The one thing that nobody can deny, Anni is a very brave man.
If Anni hadn’t put his life on the line and returned to Male in April 2005 to challenge the dictator, tomorrow’s election would not be taking place. I’m not saying its just down to him, there’s an army of young and not so young men and women who have Yo Yo’d in and out of Gayoom’s jails in support of the dream of democracy, many of them physically damaged in their quest, but Anni was the catalyst for their actions.
Would Anni make a great president?
I don’t know the answer to that, but the man has no hidden agenda and an honesty and integrity that is rare in politics I’m sure there is no one who will put more effort, more “blood sweat and tears” into creating a better Maldives for all of you.
Remember to vote but think carefully it’s for your children’s future.
THE SIN OF SILENCE
V for Vandetta explains in the blog 144 why this is no time for indifference and apathy.
Today we live in a community, which is much politically aware compared to 10 years back. A part of us have been raising their concerns and voices against the injustices faced collectively by us, while the others are in silence. Many have the attitude of not caring who rules us, and the notion that nothing will change. But this is an idea which we have to leave behind us if we are to overcome the current regime and move into an era of freedom. We have to break the silence and have all our voices heard at once, at a deafening tone, so that those who are responsible for the long oppression which we face today, would tremble at the change they see.
The following weeks, leading to the first ever ‘Multi-party Elections’ in the Republic of Maldives, is going to be a very crucial time. Many of us have lived in an oblivious oppression, that we are unaware of freedom. Many of us do not know what we have missed because we do not know anything further than what the regime has shown us. Today we have to believe in something more than what our eyes can meet. Today we are at a stage, where we can identify between empty promises and lame excuses to stay in power. Today we can identify between what is ours, and what is being unjustly spent in our name, without our authority. Its not long since we only learned that, the government is something we elect, to run things for us because its difficult for all of us to participate in the governance. But its been a long time since we have learned that something is not right, and today we know that it is the self rule by someone to whom we trusted in. It was his manipulation of the public, through the spread of ignorance and deprivation of basic needs that he has propagated his unjust regime. Today, he hides behind a veil of legitimacy, while beneath it covered with total deception.
It is our silence today, that can dearly cost us for another 5 years or even more. It is important that we all break our silence, and not by shouting slogans. The silence can be broken by actions as simple as giving your vote. Every individual has a right to vote, and it is important that you vote. Many have the attitude of defeat already, and refuse to caste their vote. Many have accepted defeat to an extent that they are willing to participate in the circus of deception, and get a little momentary benefit out from it, by selling their loyalty or vote. But today, we have have to remember that you can benefit this minute, and know that you are killing the hopes of an entire nation including your loved ones and future. It is for the greater good, that today we should refrain from allying with them. The offers would be lucrative, but we have to publicly deny them. These offers are going to be tempting in the form of money, power but we can out cast them. In truth, it is not late, but many have already fallen into the traps. But they can still free their conscience and change the lane. This is not a dead end that we follow. We walk the road, hand in had, chanting for change and will accept nothing less. The road to future is written today and heard today, if only we break this silence, because this silence is a sin, and it will cost us dearly.
MALDIVES VOTES CREATES FACEBOOK PAGE
Maldives Votes, a movement of artists, designers, writers and creative people in the Maldives with the aim of bringing a meaningful change to people’s lives through the presidential election of 2008, has created a Facebook page to increase its outreach.
Maldives Votes, which currently spreads its messages through art and text using its website and blog, hopes that its Facebook page will be an additional source of inspiration for Maldivians, especially young people, to go to the ballot box this year in a collective drive for change.
Show your support by sending a design or art to MaldivesVotes.com, writing an article for the BLOG, or join the FACEBOOK page and have your say in the discussions. Download desktop wallpapers, poster designs, t-shirts designs and other artwork from the website and use them to show that you will vote for change. Invite your friends on Facebook to become fans of Maldives Votes.
THIS COULD BE GAYOOM’S LAST 26TH OF JULY…
by Aisha
“I have no assets”[…] “ I have my salary, my wife, my children and the house in Male’ which I have built. That’s all. I have nothing else. No property, no businesses whatsoever, no dhoni”. P246, A Man for All Islands, Quote from President Gayoom.
In this quote, Gayoom fails to mention his luxury lifestyle which is costing Maldivians an important part of the state budget:
Theemuge, his current residency costs the country 123 Million Rufiya (US$ 9.6 million) per year.
The average rent in Male’ is 11,000 Rufiyaa (US$856) for a 2 bedroom apartment, while a majority of the population earns an average of 3000 Rufiyaa (US$233) per month.
The dhoni he doesn’t have is no less than a yacht.
Picture courtesy of Dhivehi Observer.
But while the average Maldivian struggles to pay for food, bills, education and medical expenses, the state, aka us, is paying for our president’s pleasure retreat Aarah rather than providing electricity, harbours and decent schools and hospitals for some islands.
President’s pleasure retreat Aarah.
Picture courtesy of Dhivehi Observer.
Ironically, our president’s solution to our current economy is to build a costly monument commemorating the Tsunami, or to have the SAFF cup tour to every inhabited island.
However, the average Maldivian is already aware of the unfairness of this situation. The question we should be asking ourselves is: what if this was Gayoom’s last 26th July? Should Theemuge, Aarah or the yacht remain for our future president to use?
As state properties, perhaps it is time for these valuable assets to be given another use. Rather than offering any President of the Maldives a sultan’s lifestyle, they could be “recycled” for the benefit of the entire population.
Theemuge could become:
a) a public library
b) a state university (with a swimming pool…)
c) a hospital for children
Aarah could become:
a) a world university and research centre for marine biology
b) an organic farm
c) a research centre for environmentally friendly solutions for our country
The yacht could become:
a) an ambulance touring the atolls for emergencies
b) lease to visiting supermodels and film stars to generate revenue for government.
Every aspiring current president is a property owner and therefore, if ever in power, should return what belongs to the people.
This year is our chance to make it the last 26th July of Maumoon Abdul Gayoom as president of the Maldives, and finally give it the true meaning of Independence Day.
THIS YEAR IS OUR CHANCE TO MAKE A CHANGE
by Aisha
“Food shortages, suspected malpractices, lack of educational opportunities, citizens spying on one another, fear…the Maldives was far from the carefree paradise the tourists seeking sun, sand and sea believed.” P108
“The president did not rule by fear alone. The power of office was boosted by his involvement in enterprises that enriched his cronies as well as himself. He was aided by the lust of Western tourists for tropical holidays which they discovered were happily hassle-free in the Maldives.” P102
The above sentences may seem familiar; however they are no campaign slogans criticizing Gayoom, or the words from an opposition politician. These are quotes from our president’s biography, A Man for all Islands, in the chapter “Shooting Star” in which Royston Ellis describes life under Nasir’s rule.
When Gayoom came to power, he promised there would be no more fear, no more corruption, and no more food shortage.
And yet, since 1978, what has really changed? Do all Maldivian children really go to bed properly fed as Gayoom suggested it in his last speech for the SAARC summit? Have we not lived in fear for the last 30 years? Isn’t his power boosted by tourism that enriched his cronies as well as himself?
Ironically, the Maldives of 1978 are very similar to the Maldives of 2008. The main differences are that today, our society is crippled by drugs, gang violence, unemployment, inflation of prices, religious extremists and overcrowding in Male’.
The very recent employment bill is about to serve the interests of business tycoons of the tourism industry by failing to provide fair and equal workers rights to half of the Maldives workforce.
This year is our chance to make a change.
INTRODUCTION
MaldivesVotes.com is the collective effort of a group of artists and writers hoping to witness in the Maldives this year a free and fair election in which peoples vote based on their clear consciences, and choices not originating from fear, greed or subjugation.
We welcome all Maldivians to join in this movement for change by using the art works featured in our website and reproduce them as t-shirts, posters, stickers, banners, graffiti and in other forms.
We encourage Civil Society Organisations, Community Based Organisations and individuals to use the art works in their campaigns.
We welcome writers to send relevant short articles to this blog. Articles can be in English or Dhivehi.
We welcome artists, designers and all creative people to join in our movement to bring a meaningful change to the lives of Maldivian people through an election free from fear and intimidation and through votes cast with a clear conscience.
Please submit your designs for posters, t-shirts, desktop wallpapers, stickers and other art works to our website and we will publish them.
In addition to designs, we also welcome ideas for designs in written form as well as sketches which could be developed into designs. You can also submit suggestions for titles and slogans for posters and other works.
For more information please visit our website: MaldivesVotes.com