Freeing Maldives from the hegemonic and colonial claws of India

Isolated in the Indian Ocean, Sri Lanka and the Maldives often fall victims to regional and international hegemonic powers that strive to bring the entire Indian Ocean rim under their control for their own economic, political and security gains. Unless the peoples of these countries realize the dire consequences of such action the hegemonic powers, in the form of indirect imperialism, will infiltrate these countries and severely threaten their sovereignty.
Sri Lanka and Maldives have been considered as crucial since time immemorial. Because of Sri Lanka and Maldive’s position in the Indian Ocean, the countries attract those powers who have vested interests in Asia: Japan, China, India, Pakistan, Russia, Britain, and the United States. These regional and international players have sought to have influence over these countries’ economy, security, and politics. Much of the present concern is due to the fact that Maldives is located in a vital sea lane where ships travel between western, south-eastern, and eastern Asia. As the demand for oil and gas grows, international players increasingly view the Middle East and South-East Asia as vitally important and need to ensure the safety of the sea lanes through which gas and oil resources are transported. For the Maldives, its geo-strategic position is a cause for its vulnerability which increased in the wake of militarization of the Indian Ocean. In this context, President Gayoom stated in 1982: "Let us not forget, the Portuguese invaded us because of strategic position. Many covetous eyes are focused on us right now for the same reason." The Maldives’ geo-strategic position has figured in its friendly relations with India.
The Indian intelligence wing is very uneasy about the developments of ties between Maldives and China and Maldives and the US or Britain. The Maldivian government maintains political neutrality and, therefore, cooperates with all countries. The Maldivian population has good relations with Pakistan because both countries share the same religion. It has a pro-India policy, and does not want to alienate China. In future, the Maldives may be a battleground for the major international players. Russia wants to have good relations with the Maldives so that it can conduct naval exercises with its Indian counterparts. The Americans are also active in the area. Historically, during the 1960s and 1970s, because the United States wanted to keep the Russians and Chinese at bay, it decided to establish a base at Diego Garcia. The chain of islands near Mauritius and Madagascar are still under the control of the British Queen. The British and American navies conduct daily exercises between the Middle East and Diego Garcia.
All the major players, including the United States, Britain, Russia, India, Pakistan, Japan, and China, aspire to have direct influence on the Maldives. One reason is that these countries are located in the Indian Ocean, a location considered significant for economic, security and political reasons. Other reasons include the importance of oil and gas resources and their safe transportation, and the need to make new alliances in the new era of terrorism and counter-terrorism. However, it is up to the citizens of these two countries to decide whether they compromise their sovereignty for the sake of good relations with these powers – especially India which is acting as the Big Brother. Recently the Indian Trade Minister visited Maldives and unilaterally declared that Maldives cannot build a transshipment harbor in the Haa-Ali Atoll without involving India. Are we a colony of India? The next president of this country has a huge role to play in taking Maldives away from direct “colonial” influences of India and towards a more independent frontier. We need to have good relations with India of course but we should be scared if Indian Ministers can come and declare in no uncertain terms that we cannot conduct our businesses without involving India!
(Based on an article of the “Island newspaper” of Sri Lanka)

Anni is surprisingly talking some nonsense!

Mohamed Nasheed (Anni), former chairperson of the main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party, has said he will devolve power to his party if he is elected president of the Maldives later this year. Speaking to Minivan News, Anni has said that "it is not a president you are electing, it is a party", adding that the party should decide policy and be able to control the leadership. With respect, Anni, this is rubbish. The people of this country, in a referendum, rejected “Barlamaanee” system of government and opted for a “Riyaasee” system. We need a capable and decisive executive-President who can lead without much fuss – not someone who will delegate powers to an abstract party and hide behind a facade. Pls don’t take this comment as a personal attack Anni, but really think about what u r saying. Don’t take the electorate to be fools Anni.

About Dr. Hassan Saeed’s presentation of his election manifesto

I listened to Dr. Hassan Saeed’s presentation of his election manifesto Tuesday night. The highlight of which (as far as I’m concerned) is that Dr. Saeed categorically said that he will not reside in Theemuge (current presidential palace) if he gets elected as president. He said that his government will decided on how best Theemuge could be used to benefit the people of this country and use it for the people and that he will under no circumstances use Theemuge as a presidential palace. This implied that he may use Muleeaage as a presidential palace. Which is an excellent decision. I believe that Dr. Saeed will get plenty of support for stating this so categorically. He also implied that he will not use Aarah (the presidential retreat) and the huge fleet of speed boats and yachts that Gayyoom has accumulated as the presidential fleet.

The other highlight of Dr. Saeed’s presentation Tuesday night was his assertion that he will not assign anyone of his extended family for a government post or for a post in a para-statal company. He specifically said that none of his brothers or sisters or parents or uncles or aunts or in-laws would be given such a post. He pointed out that this (nepotism) was one of the great weaknesses of the current regime and pledged to avoid this pitfall.

The other highlight of Dr. Saeed’s presentation was that he will not seek a second term in office if he fails to realize the targets in his manifesto. But when questioned by Monaza Naeem, Dr. Saeed failed to give a convincing answer to the question: how he would finance his “ambitious” manifesto despite the huge budget-deficit forecasted by the Auditor general. Dr. Saeed mentioned that currently there’s more than 300 million dollars of foreign pledged-aid that the regime has not used – which he said could be used as part of his financing package for achieving the targets of his manifesto. This is a farfetched thing and a not very convincing answer.

Dr. Saeed, in his presentation, also said that the country need’s to tighten the belt and reduce excesses in order to overcome the forecasted deficit (40% of GDP), and the huge debt the country has so far incurred.

But when questioned by Monaza Naeem, about how he will deal with dictator Gayyoom, Saeed gave a vague answer. He said that there are two options in front of us. One is that we could do as Gayyoom did with former president Nasir (which is to draw cartoons and vilify Nasir), or that we could do otherwise. Monaza Naeem took this answer as a statement that Dr. Saeed will not pursue Gayyoom in bringing the dictator’s crimes to justice.

Dr. Saeed mentioned the example of South Africa’s “Truth and Reconciliation” commission and how we need to forget and heal ourselves and move forward. This maybe a wise attitude but one that will not sell very well to an electorate hungry to get justice from Gayyoom. I think Dr. Saeed lost this argument to Naeem. Sandhaan Ahammaidhy’s subsequent attack on Naeem didn’t help Dr. Saeed’s cause. What the public really wants to hear from Dr. Saeed or any other presidential candidate is that the next government will pursue Gayyoom and bring justice to the people. Of course we do not need to repeat the dirty tactics of how Gayyoom vilified Nasir but we need top bring Gayyoom to a fair trail. Then only can we heal the past.

Taking Minister Nasheed’s initiative a step further

Legal Reform Minister Nasheed recently revealed (in his personal blog) that a book is to be published by the ministry every month of the year 2008. This is a very good initiative. This should be widened to include all areas - not just media. Information Ministry should have a "Department of literary works and translations," where the department should translate and publish a world-class book at least one every month. There are books on psychology, body language, science, space, home medicine, etc. etc. Those Maldivians who can't read English language have no access to such literature. Nasheed's initiative should indeed be widened and a new Department (as suggested above) should be created.

Making a giant safe-island by reclaiming the whole of Vaavu Atoll!

Vaavu Atoll the smallest administrative atoll in the Maldives. There are about 19 islands in the atoll but only five of those islands are populated; and the whole atoll has a population of only 2300. But the government has to bear the overheads of an Atoll Office and many Island Offices and Schools and Power Houses and other infrastructure to support only 2300 people scattered across the sea of Vaavu Atoll. This is bad economies of scale. This is also against the spirit of decentralization.
Here I would like to put forward an extremely radical (and perhaps controversial) proposal. I propose to relocate the under 2300 people of Vaavu Atoll to a bigger atoll, provide housing for the residents and compensate them adequately. After this relocation, I propose to reclaim the whole atoll by doing deep-sea dredging. The reclaiming should be done to a height of at least ten feet above sea level. This landmass would be big enough to accommodate at least a population of three hundred thousand. This would be a huge landmass (one island) - the ultimate safe-island which could accommodate almost 300,000 people. We could open for international bid and get a foreign party to reclaim and then build infrastructure there as well.
Like in Dubai we could sell land and housing plots and apartments and office space to international individuals and international organizations from there. This would be a multi-billion dollar project that could bring incredible revenue to us.

What about the Royal Luxury Yacht that Gayyoom has?

Yes, the presidential yacht built in Germany, at a cost of millions of dollars is rarely used by Gayyoom. He has a fleet of speed boats and yachts and launches (one for each type of flower: Finifen Maa, Kudhi Maa, A Maa, etc.). Does he have time to use all of those? Definitely not. There are some yachts in his fleet that he hasn’t set foot on for the last decade. But even those yachts have fulltime staff and captains and so on. Is this manic addiction to waste taxpayer’s money? We need to auction off most of these speed boats and yachts (especially the big yacht). The president could have three speed boats (a small one, a medium one and a large one). That’s enough. The rest should be sold. I’m sure there will be many bidders from the tourism sector in this country. Imagine the huge amount of money the treasury could save in terms of reduced labor cost and maintenance cost when we reasonably reduce the presidential boat fleet and relocate the presidential palace to Muleeaage and relocate the presidential retreat (Arah).

President’s married-children should not live at the Presidential Palace!

President Gayyoom’s has two daughters who are both married and two sons are both married, and all four of them and their husbands and wives (and the grandchildren too) live at Theemuge (the Presidential Palace). This is against the spirit of the law and Gayyoom knows it. We the tax-payers of this country are paying the living costs of four grownups and their husbands and wives and children (and what a life they are living – soaked in luxury). In future, the next President (whoever that maybe) should bring a halt to this expensive practice. We don’t need such parasites! Ok, we are willing to support the first lady and young children of the president. Even now we call upon Gayyoom to bring a halt to this and give some respect to his children by making them independent (instead of being a burden on us).

Presidential retreat (Aarah) is an unnecessary luxury?

Ok our President should have a retreat. We could build such a retreat in Hulhumale or perhaps even at Funadhoo, but it would be better for our economy if we utilize Aarah as a tourist resort as a holiday-island for Moldavians (A resort for local Moldavians). This way we can reduce millions of Rufiya of unnecessary overheads, and at the same time provide a luxurious retreat for the President.

Theemuge or Muleeaage?

Presidential Residence should be changed to Muleeaage instead of Theemuge. Muleeaage is big enough to provide a very comfortable residence for the President and his family. This would reduce the number of staff required and many other overheads. Theemuge could then be used for another pressing purpose – perhaps as the main campus of the “University of Maldives”.

Who should be in the cabinet of the next government?

The first democratic government of the post-Gayyoom era would be decided after due consideration, Im sure. But I believe that it is worth considering the capabilities of the following people people when compiling a new cabinet:1. Dr. Munawwar (potential President or Vice President)2. Dr. Hassan Saeed (potential President or Vice President)3. Anni (potential Home Minister)4. Ibra (Potential Education Minister or Speaker of the Majlis)5. Sheikh Baaree of Adhaalath Party (Potential Minister of Islamic Affairs)6. Dr. Shaheed (potential Foreign Minsiter)7. Jameel (Potential Justice Minister)8. Umar Naseer of IDP (Potential Youth Minister)9. Mohamed Shihab (Potential Speaker of Majlis)...........(There are of course others, this is not an exhaustive list. We will keep updating this list based on feedback from members.