Truck and Barter: Violence in The Maldives

Paul sends an urgent email; violence is growing in Male, the capitol of the Maldives, on the anniversary of last year's pro-democracy rally. The main opposition leader, the pro-democratic Mohamed Nasheed, was arrested during a peaceful protest. Others had to be dragged away:

Mohamed Nasheed, who heads the Maldivian Democratic Party and is a vocal opponent of President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, was leading a 600-strong rally when he and four colleagues were encircled by riot police and whisked away.

"It was a peaceful protest until some undesirable elements joined ... and they started to get a bit unruly," acting government spokesman Mohamed Shareef said by telephone from the island cluster's capital of Male. "We had to take Nasheed away for his own safety.

The usual place to go read for more is Minivan News, which is reporting widespread civil unrest across the entire Maldives. However, Paul fears that the internet will soon be cut. In the past -- just last week, in fact -- the government has referred to the opposition as "extremists":

The objective of this handful of political extremists is clear: They want to destabilize the economy at a time when national efforts have been geared to attaining full recovery after the tsunami, and to stir up violence and hatred on the streets, instead of participating in the democratic process.

Of course, it's kind of hard to participate in the democratic process without multiparty elections. And did I mention that physical copies of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights are banned in the Maldives?

The photos here tell the entire story. I am unable to connect with the government's Voice of Maldives feed.

Here's a backgrounder on the Maldives. Check back here for updates throughout the day.

The Maldivan Democratic Party appears to have more, but in the Divehi language, not in English.

UPDATE: Paul sends in another email:

The whole thing is pretty grim: police mercilessly beating children, pregnant women, without any mercy. People have been dragged out of mosques.
The government has no regard at all to the constitution... it gives the right for people for free assembly...

I don't understand these so called ministers and others prostituting (that may even be an insult to prostitutes) for such a murderous regime. Maybe I have learned from a different book than theirs, that there is such a thing as human rights.

Like in Saddam's Iraq when the government turns on its own people, who is there to help?

Sadly there has been little or no international press coverage. Meanwhile the government run media put outs this charade of false news.

The prayers of this atheist are with you, Paul. MSM, where are you?

Comments

Paul wrote:

Interesting comment by the acting spokesperson; the photos clearly show who these undesirable elements were. It�s pathetic to see otherwise intelligent and educated people prostituting for a regime that will do anything to stay in power. What would it take for you to reach the tipping point? The current regime has even got against it unanimous resolution of European Parliament calling for sanctions and one member calling it �a paradise hell-hole�.

The country relies on western tourism for its survival, yet shows no respect to what those European tourists value; democracy and human rights. The motto of every dictator is that of Caligula, �let them hate as long they fear�.

And recently government has been playing the China card. Very high Chinese delegations have been coming into the country even its foreign ministry is being build by the Chinese. Tsunami got lot of sympathy across the world (even President Clinton had visited twice this year) and this sympathy is being lost because of the actions of the government.

A curfew has now been declared in the capital; even I was shouted by police that they will kill me if I don�t get inside the house

-paul

-- August 13, 2005 2:19 PM ∞

Kevin Brancato wrote:

More from Paul:

More blogs on the maldives situation; http://www.publiuspundit.com/index.php?cat=99 http://freethemaldives.blogspot.com/
Pls spread the word..international community is the only hope for democracy and human rights in the maldives

-- August 14, 2005 4:12 PM ∞

sambo wrote:

The Euros don't care about human rights -- they want a cheap vacation, silly.

-- August 15, 2005 4:57 AM ∞

Khalyl wrote:

We Maldivians are helpless from this evil dictator, the international community must do their utmost in giving pressure to this devil to free the peace loving small community of Maldives, International as a whole specially EU n Commonwealth US please pressure this regime same as Saddam.Pls we are afraid n helpless

-- August 16, 2005 8:37 AM ∞

Mohamed wrote:

A dictator who had ruled the Maldives with an ironfist for the past 27 years is crushing all opposition in the country and arresting them and beating them. Could someone stop this brutality? Please help the international community to get our freedom and democracy to our beloved country.

-- August 22, 2005 3:56 PM ∞

Ibrahim wrote:

The longest serving president of Asia, Maumoon Abdul Gayoom of Maldives, came to power in 1978. After coming to power, believe it or not, he spend 17 odd years to revise the constitution of Maldives. But, the revised one was no different than the previous one, in which all powers are held by the President, i.e, he is the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, he is the Chief Justice and supreme leader to propagate, he elects the commissioner of elections, commissioner of police, judges, ministers, Atoll Chiefs, Island Chiefs and after all, he appoints one third of the Parliament! In the face of growing dissent in the country, the President is now forced to make some changes and bring reform. So he started revising the constituion once again. The work began last year August, and till today the parliamentarians are still debating and wasting time on writing the rules of procedure. Under immense local and international pressure the President has now allowed the formation of political parties in the country for the first time. But till now no elections are held. The people are now fed up of his autocratic rule and they want change their goverment. On August 12, 13 and 14 large demonstrations were held in the capital Male and major cities in the country. As usual the government is now suppressing all dissent in the country. People are scared to express their opinion. We have no right to form peacefull assembllies. The leader of the Maldives opposition party, MDP,Mr Mohamed Nasheed was arrested on 12 August while he was observing a vigil in the capital's main square. Now the government is charging him on false allegations of terrorism and sedition. Our judicial system is not doing any justice. The situation is really very bad in Maldives. Its just like a dictatorship. The President is lying to the world. We need international help to bring an end to all these. Can somebody help us?

-- August 25, 2005 3:31 PM ∞

nimal wrote:

that's not true. mdp is promoting violence in the country. the past 27 years we have never seen fighting on the roads, nor this much of violence any where of the country. but after the mdp came here it's always war. woe on mdp...you better change your party's name from maldivian democratic party to maldivian doggy party. all you do is bark and fight for power. don't try to change the image to something else.

-- April 7, 2007 4:16 PM ∞

Truck and Barter

Violence in The Maldives

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