Let’s have more protests against Gayyoom and his cronies!

“We want justice, not revenge,” was the theme as a relatively small but sizeable crowd gathered at the Artificial Beach Friday afternoon to call the government of Mohamed Nasheed to bring former dictator Maumoon Abdul Gayyoom to justice.

It was a peaceful protest of about 200 people. Most were holding placards calling for Gayyoom and his cronies to be brought to justice for the crimes that - the protesters allege - were committed during Gayyoom’s three-decade-long rule. Protesters expressed their dissatisfaction of President Nasheed for his decision to treat the former leader with “dignity and respect”! Referring to the President's statement to exercise calm and humility in time of victory, they were chanting that they have waited enough in humility and that they cannot do so any longer.

Some of the striking statements in the placards held by the protesters - or some of their demands - are summarized below:

1. Reopen the case where Hussain Solah was “murdered” in police custody.

2. Make public the entire report compiled by a committee regarding Evan Naseem’s murder in police custody (in Maafushi Jail).

3. Bring Gayyoom (as head of police at the time) and Adam Zahir (Commissioner of Police at the time) to court regarding the murder of Hussain Solah and Evan Naseem in police custody.

4. Investigate the alleged corruption at the President’s Office during Gayyoom’s rule (which is highlighted in the Auditor General’s report).

5. Investigate the case highlighted by the Auditor General in the audit of the Maldives Customs, wherein the Gayyoom’s running mate and former minister (under Gayyoom), Tasmeen Ali, allegedly evaded paying the import duty of two luxury speed boats.

6. Sack the deputy commissioner of police, Abdullah Riyaz (whom the protesters accused was a crony of Adam Zahir and Gayyoom).

7. Open court cases against Gayyoom, Adam Zahir, Hameed, Isthafa Ibrahim Manik, Anbaree, Ilyas, etc.

8. Open a court case against Anbaree Abdul Sattar (former Minister of State for Defense) for his alleged involvement in the Air Maldives scandal (and possible corruption).

9. Investigate the issue of the usd 80 million which the current Special Envoy to the President (Ibrahim Hussain Zaki) accused Gayyoom of taking from the state treasury.

Most of the protesters were saying that no special treatment should be given by the state to a “murderer and ex-dictator”! The message (I think) is that many Maldivians who detest Gayyoom aren’t actually looking for revenge, but rather they are looking for justice. One placard held by a protester at the gathering summarized this thought: “We want justice, not revenge!”

I believe that it’s the least that the Maldivian people deserve. The government of President Nasheed should respect the views of the people. Though there were just about 200 people at yesterday’s protest, one could expect that more people may attend such gatherings in the future and that the vocal protests calling to bring dictator Gayyoom to justice could gather more pace in the coming days. If the government disregards these protesters that would be seen as a slap in the face of many thousands of people who directly suffered Gayyoom’s brutality and a blatant disregard for a nation who suffered for there decades under the iron fist of Gayyoom and his family and cronies.

I support Friday’s protest and call for more such protests when Gayyoom returns from Hong Kong where he is supposes to be attending some conference organized by the Clinton Global Initiative. The theme of any protests against Gayyoom should be that we are not asking for or seeking revenge, but rather, we are looking for and seeking justice. As I said before, that is the least that the Maldivian people deserve. It is the responsibility of Nasheed’s government to grant the wishes of the majority! There will not be any healing as long as the ghosts of these injustices and brutality roam our streets. Let us lay these ghosts to rest once and for all.