A desperate call for help to the New Speaker of the Majilis; His Excellency Mr. Gasim Ibrahim to Put and end to The Daunting Reform Process:  From non-Parties to One Partism or what? Why Immediate Constitutional reforms are a Political Emergency.

Control of the government has given the indirect ruling party DRP the patronage resources to co-opt the opposition parties and extend, and consolidate their support base. Control of the legal and coercive apparatus in the hands of one is still allowing and letting the government and the national security service to imprison opponents, continue limits to the rights of assembly if practiced through preventive measures such as ridicule and manipulation, repression of free speeches and association by aggression, recalcitrant newspapers under preventive detention laws has although grown more in numbers is under tight surveillance. Intimidation of the allowance on rights by these barriers erected since reforms were announced is keeping true able opponents and the real wannabees at bay. As the common patterns of early party systems go  from the developments so far we are seeing a move from non-partisms to one partism in the Maldives squashing the hopes for a multi party democratic system.

The reversal pattern is apparent. Multi parties are allowed. The single party by the government gain momentum. The single party become the unique voice of the people and the unique voice becomes the exclusive voice of the ruling party and soon the voice of the ruling party becomes the voice of one individual. The nation is the party and the party is the undisputed unchallenged leader. The past become the present. The present becomes the past. Thus the Fatton (1987) model of cruel cycle dictatorship privilege building and injustices continue with a more strengthened status. What have we achieved so far?

There are many reformist organisations and newspapers that claim success and asked me in many occasions to look at what they have achieved? We have to discredit these claims for so many reasons. Their attempts have lead to the reforms. The announcement of political reforms is only half of the story look at the other half. It has unleashed powerful reformist impulses in the poor Maldivian communities getting them into dangerous engagements which these reformers are in no position of power to stop. Already people dispersed and suffering from personal poverty have to puncture their life further by using the newly found civil liberties and freedom that are still out of reach in reality. While the unprotected citizens, used by the reformists for propaganda get jailed, unemployed or worse, they can’t do anything except wait and watch. The assertiveness of the opposition leaders and those parties publicising the transgression of the president and his followers and his followers using the citizens as subjects and tools, cannot be hailed as an achievement.

Since the opportunity for reforms came along, the opposition parties should really be mobilising towards formation of new institutions for bringing equality to our disperse society. Instead of concentrating on defamation and character-assassination of the people in power, the opposition parties should show evidence that they have done things to speed up the constitutional reforms for a democratic, just, stable Maldives.

They should be taking the lead in championing the independence of the judiciary as soon as possible so that the victims they themselves are using as front liners do not end up in illegal custody or worse, as you may well know. Parliament assemblies in countries where six hindered parliament members reside in constitutional reform meetings reach speedier consensus then Maldives. However, in Maldives, a parliament that is no where near a hundred is ravaging and ravishing our budget with  their king size out of proportion salaries day after day, week after week, month after month for more then two years. This is an indication of what will happen if this lot of so called opposition come to power after multi party elections. Walk outs from the parliament has made me think twice about associating my self to this lot. They, are sitting on their bottoms, using our money without any shame or concise at this early stage and this indicates a motive for future corrupt behaviour when they come to power. The irony is for two years or more the constitutional debate has provided these so-called reformers and opponents an opportunity to prove their honesty and integrity, but so far they have failed to show an ounce of evidence. From what we have seen so far we are seeing in our opposition a twisted bunch of insecure amateur people in the guise of politicians who will build their fortunes by any means available. At the moment their corruption is limited to earning the high salaries paid to them to reform our constitution and two years on lack of progress is an indication that they will prolong the constitutional reform process to receive this salary as long as possible.

Where has the political urgency and emergency they professed two years before gone? This is a shaming question which the opposition have no answer for. The common citizens toiled to provide the opposition with the power to upheaval the system for a democratic order. The opposition have failed big time doing their part and the necessary constitutional reforms are the last thing on their minds. Instead they started a new breed of activism towards delaying the reform process and this is a depressing reality that no Maldivian should ignore. They all are the same. Studying their behaviour so far, made me wonder whether we will be better off in the authoritarian regimes of our president instead of a Mohammed Nasheed lead predatory government. What I see is a risky behavioural, verbal and written engagement of a few group of Maldivian that they claim as a successful democratic revolution ruining, the peace and stability of our already deprived communities. It has only unleashed and aggravated the social problems and other underlying crisis in the society. As in the worst case scenario, the so called success of the few people claiming to be the winners brought a new case of suffering to the people. For example, eighty years old God fearing citizens like Ismail Be are being put behind bars. Women of all ages are getting locked up as political prisoners. If forestalling a deadly conflictual society and creating a condition of fear and uncertainty is an achievement then they have achieved it. A further contribution the opposition has brought is a prognosis towards the country moving from non partism to one partism rule under DRP. The only way to prove otherwise is speeding up the constitutional reforms so that fundamental pillars can be created to protect the active Maldivian’s in the framework of civil and political liberties.

This is the calling for our new Speaker of the Majlis by the people trapped in the middle of the struggle for over two years. For the rehabilitation of Maldives, for proper transition to democratic order, political institutional reforms through speedier constitutional change by the Special Majilis is a political emergency needed immediately and people we have chosen has bestowed that responsibility on you. My hope is that he will never deviate from his responsibilities as our new speaker of the Majilis His Excellency Mr Gasim Ibrahim will fulfil the pledge made two years ago.