Ak's Blog!

2011-12-10T01:20:00.000-08:00

ދިވެހި ޝަޚްޞިއްޔަތު ބިނާ ކުރުމުގެ މައުޟޫޢުގާ ދެން އޮތީ އަޅުގަޑުމެންގެ މާދަރީ ބަހާ ތާރީޚާއި ޘަގާފަތުގެ ވާހަކަ ދަންނަވާލުމެވެ. އަޅުގަޑު ބޮޑުވަމުން އައި ދުވަސްވަރު ދިވެހި ބަހުން ވާހަކަދައްކާ ލިޔެ އުޅޭ ތިން ގޮތެއް އޮވެއެވެ. އެެއިރަކީ ރާއްޖޭގަ ކުރިން އޮތް ރަސްކަމުގެ އެންމެ ފަހު އަހަރުތަކެވެ. އާދެ، އައްސުލްޠާން މުޙައްމަދު ފަރީދުލް ޢައްވަލްގެ ރަސްކަމުގެ ތެރެއެވެ. އޭރު ރަސްކަމުގެ ޢާއިލާގެ ބޭފުޅުންނާ އެބޭފުޅުންގެ ޢާއިލާގެ ބޭފުޅުންނަށާއި ދައުލަތުގެ އެންމެ މަތީ ދަރަޖައިގެ ވެރިންނަށް މުޚާޠަބު ކޮށް އުޅެނީ "އާދެ، ވަޑައިގަންނަވާ" ބަހުރުވައިންނެވެ. އެއާ ޖެހިގެން މުޖުތަމަޢުގެ އަދި ސަރުކާރުގެ މެދު ފަންތީގެ ވަޒީފާ ތަކުގަ ތިއްބެވި ބޭކަލުންނަށް "ލައްބަ، ދުރުވަން" ކިޔައިގެންނެވެ. އަދި، މުޖުތަމަޢުގެ އެންމެ ދަށުފަންތީގެ މީހުންނަށް "ހޫ، އަންނަން" ކިޔައިގެންނެވެ. މިއަދު އަޅުގަޑުމެން ދިރިއުޅެމުން މިދާ ޒަމާން ފަދަ އެންމެން ހަމަހަމަ ޒަމާނެއްގައި ބަޔާން ކުރަންވެސް އުދަގު ގޮތަކަށް އޮތް ކަމެކެވެ. އެހެން ނަމަވެސް، އެގޮތަށް ވާހަކަ ދައްކާ، ލިޔެކިޔާ އުޅުނު ދުވަހުވެސް ދިވެހި ބަހުގެ ގަވާޢިދުތަކެއް ހުއްޓެވެ. އަދި، އެގަވާޢިދުތައް އެންމެންވެސް ނަގަހައްޓާ ދެމެހެއްޓިއެވެ. އެކަކު އަނެކަކާ މުޚާޠަބުކޮށް އުޅުމުގައިވެސް، އަމިއްލަވަންތަ ހަރުދަނާ ޝަޚުޞިއްޔަތު ހަމަ ކޮންމެ ދިވެއްސެއްގައިވެސް ދައްކައިދިނެވެ.

ރަސްކަމުގެ ދުވަސްތައް ނިމިގެން ގޮސް ޖުމްހޫރިއްޔަތަކަށް ބަދަލުވުމަށްފަހު ކުރިން އަޅުގަޑުމެންގެ ތެރޭގައި އޮތް "ލައްބަ، ދުރުވުމުގެ" ބަހުރުވާ ގާތްގަޑަކަށް ފުހެވިގެން ހިގައްޖެއެވެ. ދެން މިވީ ގޮތަކީ "އާދެ، ވަޑައިގަތުމުގެ" ބަހުރުވާ އިން މުޚާޠަބު ކުރެވެން ފެށީ އެމީހެއްގެ އަމިއްލަ މަސައްކަތުން މުޖުތަމަޢުގެ، އެއީ ސަރުކާރުގެ ކަމުގައިވިޔަސް އަދި ނުވަތަ އަމިއްލަ ދާއިރާ ކަމުގައި ވިޔަސް، ވަކި ދަރަޖައެއް ޙާޞިލް ކުރާ މީހުންނަށެވެ. އެނޫން އެހެން މީހުންނަށް "ހޫ، އައުމުގެ" ބަހުރުވާ އެވެ. އަދިވެސް ތަންކޮޅެއް ކިޔާދޭން އުދަގޫ ގޮތެކެވެ. އެހެންވީމާ، އެންމެ ފުރަތަމަ އަޅުގަޑުމެން ނިންމަންވީ އަޅުގަޑުމެން މިހާރު މިއުޅޭ ފަދަ އެންމެން ހަމަހަމަ ޑިމޮކްރެޓިކް ވެށްޓެއްގައި ބަހުގެ ދެ ދަރަޖަ އޮންނަން ޖެހޭތޯއެވެ. އެކަކު އަނެކަކަށް "އާދެ، ވަޑައިގަންނަވަން" ކިޔައިގެން މުޚާޠަބު ކުރަން ނިންމިއަސް، އެކަކު އަނެކަކަށް "ހޫ، އަންނަން" ކިޔައިގެން މުޚާޠަބު ކުރަން ނިންމިއަސް، އަދި މިހާރުވެސް މި ގެންދާ ގޮތަށް ބަހުގެ ދެ ދަރަޖަ ބޭނުން ކުރިއަސް، ބަހުގެ ގަވާޢިދުތަކާއި ހަމަ އެންމެންނަށް އެގި އަޅުގަޑުމެންނަކީ ފިސާރި ރީތި ދިވެހި ބަހުން އެކަކު އަނެކަކާ މުޚާޠަބު ކުރާ ބަޔަކަށްވުމީ، އަޅުގަޑުމެންގެ ދިވެހިވަންތަ ޝަޙުޞިއްޔަތު ވަރަށް ރަނގަޅަށް ހާމަކޮށްދޭނެ ކަމަކަށް ނޫނީ ނުވެ ނުދާނެއެވެ.

އަނެކާއަށް ރީތިކޮށް މުޚާޠަބު ކުރުމަކީ ތިމާގެ އަމިއްލަ ދަރަޖަ ދަށްވެގެންދާ ކަމެއްކަމުގެ ވިސްނުން އަޅުގަޑުމެންގެ ތެރޭގައި އުޅޭކަން އަޅުގަޑަށްވެސް އެގެއެވެ. އަޅުގަޑުގެ ސުވާލަކީ އެކަން އޮތީ އެހެންތޯއެވެ. އެހެން ބަސްތަކުން ވާހަކަ ދައްކާ އެހެން މުޖުތަމަޢުތަކުގައިވެސް މައިން ބަފައިންނަށް، މުޖުތަމަޢުގައި ވަކި ދަރަޖައެއް ޙާޞިލްކޮށްގެން ތިބޭ މީހުންނަށް، ތިމާއަށްވުރެ ދޮށީ މީހުންނަށް މުޚާޠަބު ކުރާއިރު އާދައިގެ ވާހަކަ ދައްކާ ބަހުރުވައަށްވުރެ ތަންކޮޅެއް މާތް ބަހުރުވާއަކުން މުޚާޠަބު ކުރާކަން އަޅުގަޑުމެންނަށް އެގޭ ނޫންތޯއެވެ؟ އެހެންވިއިރު އަޅުގަޑުމެންގެ ބަހުގައިވެސް އެފަދަ މީހުންނަށް އެގޮތަށް މުޚާޠަބު ކުރުމަކީ އަޅުގަޑުމެން އަމިއްލައަށް ދެރަވެގަންނަންވީ ކަމެއް ނޫނެވެ. އެއާ ޚިލާފަށް އެކަމުން ދައްކުވައިދޭނީ އަޅުގަޑުމެންގެ ޝަޚުޞިއްޔަތުގެ ހަރުދަނާ ކަމެވެ.

ހަމަ އެފަދައިން އަޅުގަޑުމެންގެ ތާރީޚާ ޘަގާފަތަކީވެސް އަޅުގަޑުމެންގެ އަމިއްލަވަންތަ ޝަޚުޞިއްޔަތު ބިނާ ކުރުމަށް މުހިއްމު ކަންކަމެވެ. ތެދުފުޅެކެވެ. 1153 ވަނަ އަހަރުން ފެށިގެން ލިޔެފައިވާ ތާރީޚެއް އަޅުގަޑުމެންގެ އަތްމަތީގައި އޮތްނަމަވެސް އެ މަސައްކަތަކީ އެހާ ފަރުވާތެރިކޮށް ކުރެވިފައިވާ ކަމެއް ކަމަކަށް އަޅުގަޑަށް ގަބޫލް ކުރެވޭފަދަ ހެކިތަކެއް ލިބިފައެއް ނެތެވެ. އަދި ސަރުކާރުގެ ލިޔުންތައް ނައްތާލުމުގެ ގަވާޢިދުތަކާއި އުޞޫލުތައް ހަމަޖެހިފައި ވަރަށް ކުރިއްސުރެ ހުރި ގޮތުން މުހިއްމު ކިތަންމެ ކިތަންމެ ލިޔުންތަކެއް ނެތިގޮސް ނުވަތަ ހުންނަންވީ ތަންތަން ނޫން އެހެން ތަންތާގައި ހުންނާނެ ކަމާއިމެދު އަޅުގަޑަށް ޝައްކު ކުރެވެއެވެ. އެހެން ނަމަވެސް، އަޅުގަޑުމެންނަކީ ފަޚުރުވެރި ތާރީޚަކާއި ޘަގާފަތެއް އޮތް ބަޔެއް ކަމީ ހަމަ އެއްވެސް މީހަކަށް ޝައްކު ކުރެވޭނެ ކަމެއް ނޫނެވެ. އެހެންކަމުން އިތުރު ހޯދުންތައް ހޯދައިގެންވެސް އެތާރީޚާ ޘަގާފަތު ނަގަހައްޓާ ދެމެހެއްޓުމަކީ މިއަދު ތިރިތިބިންގެ ވަރަށް މުހިއްމު ވާޖިބެއް ކަމުގައި އަޅުގަޑު ދެކެމެވެ.

އަޅުގަޑުމެންނަކަށް އަޅުގަޑުމެންގެ ތާރީޚު ނުވަތަ މާޒީ ބަދަލެއް ނުކުރެވޭނެއެވެ. އިތުރު ހޯދުންތައް ހޯދައިގެންވެސް އަޅުގަޑުމެންނަށް ޖެހޭނީ ތާރީޚީ ޙަގީގަތްތައް ހޯދައި ކުރިޔަށް ނެރޭށެވެ. ނަމަވެސް ޘަގާފީ ބައެއް ކަންކަމަކީ ޒަމާނަށް އަންނަ ބަދަލުތަކާ ގުޅިގެން ބަދަލު އަންނާނެ ކަންކަން ކަމުގައި އަޅުގަޑުވެސް ގަބޫލް ކުރަމެވެ. އަޅުގަޑުމެންގެ ވާޖިބަކީ އަޅުގަޑުމެންގެ ޘަގާފަތުގެ ވެސް އަޞްލުތައް ނެތި ގެއްލިދިޔަ ނުދީ ބެލެހެއްޓުމެވެ. އެކަންކަން ކުރުމަށްޓަކައި ދައުލަތުގެ މުއައްސަސާތައް މިއަދުވެސް ހަމަޖެހިފައިވާ ކަމީ އަޅުގަޑު ވަރަށް ޝުކުރުވެރިކަމާއި އެކު ގަބޫލް ކުރާ ކަމެކެވެ. އާދެ، މިނިސްޓްރީ އޮފް ޓުއަރިޒަމް، އާރޓްސް އެންޑް ކަލްޗަރެވެ. އެމިނިސްޓްރީގެ ދަށުގައި ގެޒެޓް ކުރެވިފައިހުރި އެކިއެކި މުއައްސަސާ ތަކެވެ. ގަޢުމީ ޔުނިވަރސިޓީއެވެ. އެތަންތަނުން، އަޅުގަޑުމެންގެ ފަޚުރުވެރި ދިވެހި ބަހާއި، ތާރީޚާ ޘަގާފަތު ނަގަހައްޓާ ދެމެހެއްޓެވުމަށް ކުރަންޖެހޭ ކަންތައްތައް ކުރައްވާނެ ކަމާއިމެދު އަޅުގަޑު ޝައްކެއް ނުކުރަމެވެ. އަޅުގަޑުގެ އުއްމީދަކީ ކުރިޔަށް އޮތްތާގާ މިގޮތުން އަޅުގަޑުމެން ކުރެވޭ މަސައްކަތްތައް އަޅުގަޑުމެން ރައްޔިތުންނަށްވެސް ފެނިގެން ރައްޔިތުންގެ ބައިވެރިވުމާއި އެކު ކުރެވޭތަން ފެނިގެން ދިޔުމެވެ.

އަޅުގަޑުމެންގެ ފޮތްތެރިކަން ވަނީ އިތުރުކުރަން ޖެހިފައެވެ. ފޮތް ލިޔާ މީހުންނަށް އިތުރު ހިތްވަރު ދޭންޖެހެއެވެ. އަޅުގަޑުމެންގެ އަދަބީ ޖަމްޢިއްޔާތައް އިތުރު ހިތްވަރުދީ ނަގަހައްޓަން ޖެހެއެވެ. މުޅިންހެން އަމިއްލަ މަސައްކަތުން އުފެދި ކުރިއަރަމުން އަންނަ އަޅުގަޑުމެންގެ ފިލްމް އިންޑަސްޓްރީ އަށް އިންގިލާބީ ބަދަލުތަކެއް ވަނީ ގެންނަން ޖެހިފައެވެ. އެކަމަށްޓަކާ އިންޑަސްޓްރީ ފެންބޮވައިގެންފައިތިބި އެހީތެރިކަމާއި އެއްބާރުލުން ވަނީ ދޭންޖެހިފައެވެ.

އެއްވެސް ޝައްކެއްނެތް ގޮތުގައި ޝަޚުޞިއްޔަތު ބިނާ ކުރުމުގެ އެންމެ މުހިއްމު ދައުރެއް އަދާ ކުރަން ޖެހެނީ ޢާއިލާގެ މުއައްސަސާ އިންނެވެ. ބަދަހި ޢާއިލާތަކެއް އުފެދި ދެމި އޮތުމަކީ ހަރުދަނާ ޞަޚުޞިއްޔަތެއްގެ ވެރި ބަޔެއްގެ މައްޗަށް އެކުލެވިގެންވާ ބަދަހި މުޖުތަމަޢެއްގެ އެންމެ މުހިއްމު އަސާސެވެ. އެހެންކަމުން ބަދަހި ޢާއިލާ ތަކަކާ ދިމާލަށް ދަތުރު ކުރުމަށް އަޅުގަޑުމެން މިވަނީ ވަރަށް ބޮޑު ސަމާލުކަމެއް ދޭންޖެހިފައެވެ. ހުރިހާ މަންމައިންނާއި ހުރިހާ ބައްޕައިންނަކީ ތަޢުލީމާ ތަޖުރިބާގެ ގޮތްގޮތުން އަދި ހޭލުންތެރި ކަމުގެ ގޮތުން ވިޔަސް އެއްވަރުގެ ބައެއް ނޫނެވެ. އެހެންކަމުން، އެމީހުންގެ ޢާއިލާތައް ހެޔޮ ގޮތުގައި ދެމެހެއްޓުމަށް ބޭނުންވާ އެހީތެރިކަމާއި އެއްބާރުލުން މުޖުތަމަޢުން އެމީހުންނަށް ލިބިދޭން އެބަ ޖެހެއެވެ. ހަމަ އެފަދައިން ކޮންމެ ޢާއިލާ އެއްގެވެސް ގޭތެރޭގެ ދިރިއުޅުމަކީ ބަދަހި ދިރިއުޅުމަކަށް ހެދުމަށްޓަކައި އެ ޢާއިލާއެއް އަމިއްލަ އަށާއި އަދި މުޖުތަމަޢުން ކުރަންޖެހޭ ކަންކަން ފުރިހަމަ ކުރެވޭނެ މަގުތައް ތަނަވަސް ވެފައި އޮންނަންވެސް އެބަޖެހެއެވެ. ގައުމުގެ މައިންބަފައިންނާއި މުޖުތަމަޢުގެ ލީޑަރުންނަކީ ބޮޑެތި ވަމުން އަންނަ ގައުމުގެ ކުޑަކުދިންނަށާއި ޒުވާނުންނަށް ހުރިހާ ގޮތަކުންވެސް ރިވެތި މިސާލު ދައްކައިދޭ މީހުންނަށް ވެގެން ނޫނީ އަޅުގަޑުމެންގެ ގައުމީ މަގުޞަދު ޙާޞިލް ކުރާނީ ކިހިނަކުންތޯއެވެ. ދިވެހި ގައުމީ ޝަޚުޞިއްޔަތު ބިނާ ކުރާނީ ކިހިނަކުންތޯއެވެ؟

މި މުހިއްމު ވާޖިބު އަދާ ކުރުމަށްޓަކައި ފަރުވާތެރި ކަމާއިއެކު އަޅުގަޑުމެން އެންމެން އަތުކުރި އޮޅާލަމާތޯއެވެ؟ އަޅުގަޑުމެންގެ ޢާއިލާތަކުންނެވެ. އިޖުތިމާޢީ ޖަމްޢިއްޔާ ތަކުންނާއި ސިވިލް ސޮސައިޓީއިންނެވެ. ރަށު ކައުންސިލްތަކާއި، އަތޮޅު ކައުންސިލްތައް އަދި ސިޓީ ކައުންސިލް ތަކުންނެވެ. އަމިއްލަ ކުންފުނި ތަކާއި ސަރުކާރުގެ މުއައްސަސާތަކުންނެވެ. އިސްތިސްނާ އެއްނެތި ހުރިހާ މީޑިއާ އެއް އަޑަކުން، އެއް ގަލަމަކުން، އެއް އަމާޒަކަށެވެ. އާދެ، ފުރަތަމަވެސް ގައުމެވެ. ދެންވެސް ގައުމެވެ. އަބަދުވެސް ގައުމެވެ! (ނުނިމޭ)

2011-12-02T22:40:00.000-08:00

ކަން މިހެން އޮތް ނަމަވެސް، އަޅުގަޑުމެންގެ މުޖުތަމަޢުގައި އިސްލާމް ދީނާ އިދިކޮޅު މީހުން ގިނަވަމުންދާ ކަމީ އެކަމާއިމެދު މުޖުތަމަޢު ވަރަށް ސީރިއަސްކޮށް ވިސްނަން ޖެހިފައިވާ ކަމެއް ކަމުގައި އަޅުގަޑު ދެކެމެވެ. އަޅުގަޑު އެންމެ ކަންބޮޑުވާ ކަމަކީ ދަންނަ ބޭކަލުންނާ ދޭތެރޭ މީހުން ދެކޭ ގޮތް ގޯސް ވަމުން އަންނަ މައްސަލައެވެ. އަޅުގަޑުމެން ބޮޑުވެގެން އައި ދުވަސްވަރަކީ ގައުމުގައި ތިއްބެވި މަދު ދަންނަ ބޭކަލުންނާ މެދު ނުހަނު ލޯތްބާއި އިޙުތިރާމާއެކު މީހުން ދެކެމުން އައި ދުވަސްވަރެކެވެ. އެހެން އެވީ ދަންނަ ބޭކަލުން ފިޔަވައި ދެންތިބި މީހުންނަށް އެގޭލެއް ކުޑަވެގެން ވީގޮތެއް ކަމުގައި ވުމަކީ ވަރަށް އެކަށީގެންވާ ކަމެކެވެ. ނަމަވެސް، މިއަދަކީ އެހެން ޒަމާނެކެވެ. އިންޓަރނެޓާއި ކޭބަލް ޓީ.ވީ. ފަދަ ވަސީލަތްތައް މެދުވެރިކޮށް އެމީހަކު ބޭނުން މަޢުލޫމާތެއް އެމީހެއްގެ އިގިލި ކުރީގައި ހުރި ޒަމާނަކަށް މިޒަމާންވާތީ، މީހުންގެ ހިތުގައި ދަންނަބޭކަލުންނާ މެދު އޮންނަ އިތުބާރު ކުޑަވުމަކީ ފަހަރުގައި ވެދާނެ ގޮތެކެވެ. އެހެންނަމަވެސް، ދަންނަ ބޭކަލުންނަކީ އަޅުގަޑުމެންގެ ޢާއްމު ދިރިއުޅުމުގައި ދިމާވާ ކަމަކާއި ގުޅިގެން ނޫނީ ހިތަށް އަރާ އެއްޗަކާއި ގުޅިގެން ހޯދާލާ ހޯދާލުމަކުން ލިބޭ މަޢުލޫމަތަކަށްވުރެ ބޮޑަށް ވަކި މައްސަލައަކާ ގުޅިގެން މާފުޅާ ނަޒަރަކުން ބައްލަވާ އެކަމެއް ދިރާސާ ކުރައްވައި އުގެނިވަޑައިގަނެގެން ތިއްބެވި ބޭފުޅުން ކަމާއި، އެބޭފުޅުންގެ ދައްކަވާ ވާހަކަފުޅެއް އަޅުގަޑުމެންނަށް ގަބޫލް ނުކުރެވޭ ނަމަ އެބޭފުޅުންނާ ސުވާލުކޮށް އޮޅުން ފިލުވައިގެންވެސް އެބޭފުޅުންގެ އިރުޝާދުތަކަށް އަޅުގަޑުމެން ކަމޭ ހީކޮށް އބޭފުޅުންނަށް ޙައްގު އިތުބާރު އަޅުގަޑުމެން އަރުވަން ޖެހޭނެ ކަމުގައި އަޅުގަޑު ދެކެމެވެ.

މިހިސާބުން މައްސަލަ ނިމުނީއަކީ ނޫނެވެ. މިވަމުންދާ ގޮތާއިމެދު ދަންނަ ބޭކަލުން މާބޮޑަށް ވިސްނާވަޑައިގަންނަވަންޖެހޭ ކަމުގައި އަޅުގަޑު ދެކެމެވެ. އަޅުގަޑު ކުރިން ދެންނެވި ވަޞީލަތްތަކުގެ ނުފޫޒު މީހުންގެ މައްޗަށް އެކި ގޮތްގޮތުން ފޯރަމުންދާ ދުވަސްވަރެއްގައި މިސްތަކުންނަށް ދީން އަންގަވައި ދެއްވަންވާނީ ވަރަށް ވިސްނުންތެރި ކަމާއި ޙިކުމަތްތެރިކަމާއި އެކުގައެވެ. އެއިރަކުވެސް އަދި މިހާރަކުވެސް ހަރުކަށިކަމެއް މީހުން ބަލައެއް ނުގަންނާނެއެވެ. އަދި ދީނީ ކަންތައްތައް ބިރެއްގެ ގޮތުގައި ދެކޭކަށެއްވެސް މީހުނެއް ބޭނުމެއް ނުވާނެއެވެ. ދަންނަ ބޭކަލުންގެ ފަރާތުން އެފަދަ ހަރުކަށި ވާހަކަތައް އިވުމަކީ އެބޭފުޅުންގެ މައްޗަށް އޮންނަންޖެހޭ މީހުންގެ ގަދަރާއި، އިހުތިރާމާ، އިތުބާރު ކުޑަވެގެންދާނެ ކަމެކެވެ. މަޑުމައިތިރި ކަމާއި އޯގާވެރިކަމާއިއެކު ދީނުގެ ވާހަކަ މީހުންނަށް ކިޔާ ދެއްވުމުން، މީހުން އެވާހަކަތައް ގަބޫލް ކުރާލެއް ބޮޑުވާނެ ކަމަށް އަޅުގަޑު ދެކެމެވެ. މިރާއްޖޭގައި ކުރިން އުޅުއްވި ދަންނަ ބޭކަލުންނާ އަދި މިހާރުވެސް އުޅުއްވާ ބައެއް ދަންނަބޭކަލުންގެ ވާހަކަފުޅުތައް މީހުން އެހާ ފަސޭހައިން ގަބޫލު ކުރަނީ، އެބޭފުޅުން ގެންގުޅުއްވި އަދި ގެންގުޅުއްވާ މަޑުމައިތިރި މިޒާޖުފުޅުގެ ސަބަބުން ކަމަށް އަޅުގަޑަށް ގަބޫލް ކުރެވެއެވެ. ގައުމުގެ ޢިލްމް ވެރިންނާ ވެރިންގެ ކިބައިގާ އެއްވެސް މިންވަރެއްގެ ބޮޑާކަމެއް ނުވަތަ ކިބުރުވެރިކަމެއް ނުވަތަ ހަރުކަށިކަމެއް ވިޔަސް ފެންނާކަށް ހަމަ އެއްވެސް ރައްޔިތަކު ނޭދޭނެއެވެ.

އަޅުގަޑު ދެކޭ ގޮތުގައި ދަންނަބޭކަލުން ސިޔާސީ މަގާމުތަކުގައި ތިއްބެވުމަކީވެސް ރައްޔިތުން މެދުގާ އެބޭފުޅުންނަށް އޮންނަންޖެހޭ އިހުތިރާމާ އިތުބާރު ކުޑަވެގެންދާ ކަމެކެވެ. ވާނީ އެހެންނޫންތޯއެވެ؟ ޕްލޫރަލިސްޓިކް ޑިމޮކްރެޓިކް މުޖުތަމަޢެއްގައި ސިޔާސީ މީހުންނާ އިދިކޮޅު މީހުން އުޅޭނެއެވެ. އެމީހުންގެ މަސައްކަތަކަށްވާނީ އިދިކޮޅު ސިޔާސީ މަގާމްތަކުގައި ތިބޭ މީހުންގެ އަގު ރައްޔިތުންގެ ކުރިމަތީގައި ވައްޓާލުމެވެ. އޭގެ ތެރޭގައި ސިޔާސީ މަގާމްތަކުގައި ތިއްބަވާ ދަންނަ ބޭކަލުން އިސްތިސްނާއެއް ނުވެއެވެ.

ތެދުފުޅެކެވެ. އިސްލާމީ ގައުމެއްގައި ދީނާ ދައުލަތާ ވަތްކެއް ނުކުރެވޭނެއެވެ. އިސްލާމީ ދައުލަތެއްގެ ސިޔާސަތުތައް ބިނާ ކުރެވެންވާނީ ދަންނަބޭކަލުންގެ ރަޢުޔަށް ބަލައިގެން އިސްލާމް ދީނާ ޚިލާފް ނުވާ ގޮތުގެމަތިންނެވެ. އެކަން ކުރުމަށްޓަކައި ބޭނުންވަނީ ވެރިކަމާ ދަންނަބޭކަލުންނާ ދެމެދު އިޙުތިރާމާ އިތުބާރުގެ މައްޗަށް ބިނާ ކުރެވިފައި ދެމިއޮންނަ ބަދަހި ގުޅުމެކެވެ. އަދި ދައުލަތުގެ ވެރިން، ޚާއްޞަކޮށް ގައުމުގެ ވަލީޢުލް އަމްރު ދަންނަބޭކަލުންނާއެކު ދީނީ ކަންކަމުގަ ބައިވެރިވެވަޑައިގެން އުޅުއްވުމެވެ. އެކަންވާނީ ރައްޔިތުންނަށް ލިބޭ ވަރަށްބޮޑު ހިތްވަރަކާ ޔަގީން ކަމަކަށެވެ.

އަޅުގަޑު ދެކޭ ގޮތުގައި ގައުމުގައި އިސްލާމީ ޝިއާރު ފާޅުކޮށް، އިސްލާމް ދީން ނަގަހައްޓާ ދެމެހެއްޓުމަށްޓަކައި ސިޔާސީ މުއައްސަސާ އަކަށްވުރެ ގާނޫނީ ބާރު ދެވިފައިވާ އަމިއްލަވަންތަ ބާރުވެރި ދަންނަބޭކަލުންގެ މަޖިލީހެއް އޮތުމުން މިހާރަށްވުރެ ރަނގަޅު ނަތީޖާ ނެރެވޭނެއެވެ. މިހެން ދެންނެވީމާ، ކުރީގަވެސް އެފަދަ މަޖިލީހެއް އޮވެ ނަތީޖާ ނުނެރެވުނު ވާހަކަ ބައެއް ބޭފުޅުން ވިދާޅުވާނެކަން އަޅުގަޑަށް އެގެއެވެ. އެބޭފުޅުންގެ ދަޢުވާ އާ އަޅުގަޑު ދެކޮޅެއް ނުހަދާނަމެވެ. އެހެންނަމަވެސް، އަޅުގަޑު ދެކޭ ގޮތުގައި އެމަޖިލީހުން ނަތީޖާ ނުނެރެވުނު ނަމަ އެހެންވީ ސަބަބަކީ އެމަޖިލީހަކީ ސީދާ ގާނޫނަކުން އުފެދިފައިވާ މަޖިލީހަކަށް ނުވުމާއި، އެމަޖިލީހުގައި ސިޔާސީ ކުލަވަރު މާބޮޑަށް ހުރުމުގެ ސަބަބުން، އެމަޖިލީހަށް މީހުންގެ ފާޑުކިޔުން ރައްދުވެ އިތުބާރު ގެއްލޭގޮތްވީއެވެ. އަޅުގަޑުގެ ނަޒަރުގައި ގައުމީ މަގުޞަދުތައް ޙާޞިލް ކުރުމަށް ބޭނުންވަނީ ގާނޫނަކުން ސީދާ ބާރު ލިބިގެންވާ، ވަލީޢުލް އަމްރުގެ ޙައިޞިއްޔަތުން ގައުމުގެ އެންމެ މަތީ ވެރިޔާއާ މަޖިލާހާ ދެމެދުގެ ގުޅުންތައް ރަނގަޅަށް ބަޔާން ކުރެވި ތަފްޞީލް ކުރެވިފައިވާ، ގައުމުގެ ދަންނަބޭކަލުންގެ ބައިވެރިވުން ފުރިހަމައަށް ލިބިގެންވާ، އިޖުމާޢުގެ އުޞޫލްތަކަށް ބިނާ ކުރެވިގެން މަޖިލީހުގެ ނިންމުންތައް ހާމަ ކުރާ، މަޖިލީހުގެ ކަންތައްތައް ހިންގުމުގެ ފުރިހަމަ ބާރު ލިބިގެންވާ އަމިއްލަވަންތަ މަޖިލީހެކެވެ.

ދީނީ ކަންކަން ހިންގާ ބެލެހެއްޓުމަކީ މުޖުތަމަޢުގެ ޞުލްޙަ މަސްލަސް ކަމާއި އުފާ ފާގަތި ކަމަށްޓަކައި ވަރަށް ރައްކާތެރިވެ ތިބެގެން ކުރަންޖެހޭނެ ކަމެކެވެ. މިގޮތުން އަޅުގަޑު އިތުރަށް ފާހަގަ ކޮށްލަން ބޭނުންވާ ކަންކަމުގެ ތެރެއިން އެއްކަމަކީ އިސްލާމީ މުޖުތަމަޢެއްގައި ޙާކިމާ ނުވަތަ ވަލީޢުލް އަމްރަށް އޮންނަ ބާރެވެ. އެ ބާރުގެ ދަށުން އޭނާއަށް ނިންމަންޖެހޭ ކަންކަން އޭނާ ނިންމުމުން އޭނާގެ ނިންމުމަށް މުޖުތަމަޢު އިޙުތިރާމް ކުރަންވާނެއެވެ. އޭނާގެ ނިންމުމަކީ ގިނަ ބަޔަކު ދެކޮޅު ހަދާ ނިންމުމަކަށް ވާނަމަ، އޭނާ ހަމަ ވަގުތުން މަގާމުން ދުރު ކުރުމަކީ މުޖުތަމަޢަށް ބާރު ލިބިގެންވާ ކަމެކެވެ. އަނެއް ކަމަކީ ދަންނަބޭކަލުންގެ މެދުގައި ވަކި ކަމަކާ މެދު އުފެދޭ ނުވަތަ ހުންނަ ޚިލާފްތަކުގެ މައްސަލައެވެ. އެފަދަ ޚިލާފްތައް ޢާއްމުންނާ ހަމައަށް ފޯރުކޮށްދެވޭ ގޮތާއިމެދު ދަންނަބޭކަލުންގެ މެދުގައި އެއްބަސްވުމެއް އޮތުމަކީ ވަރަށް މުހިއްމު ކަމެކެވެ. އެކި ބޭފުޅުން އެކި ގޮތަށް އެކި ވާހަކަ ދެއްކެވުމަކީ މުޖުތަމަޢު ހަލަބޮލިކޮށް، ބައެއްފަހަރު އެބޭފުޅެއްގެ ސިޔާސީ މަގުޞަދުތައް ޙާޞިލް ކުރުއްވުމުގެ މަގުޞަދުގައި ކުރެއްވޭ ކަމަކަށް ވުމަކީ ވަރަށް ގާތުގައި އޮންނާނެ ކަމަކެވެ. ދަންނަބޭކަލުންގެ މެދުގާ ހުރި ޚިލާފްތަކުގެ ވާހަކަ މުޖުތަމަޢަށް އޭގެ ނޭދެވޭ އަސަރު ނުކުރާނެހެން ދެއްކެވުމުގެ ޢިލްމްވެރިކަމާއި ގާބިލިއްޔަތު އެބޭފުޅުންގާ ހުންނާނެ ކަމާއިމެދު އަޅުގަޑު ޝައްކެއް ނުކުރަމެވެ.

މަޟްމޫންގެ މިބައި ލިޔެ މިނިންމީ ވަރަށްޖެހިލުންވެގެން ހުރެއެވެ. އެހެންކަމުން ދީނީ ގޮތުން ކަމެއް އޮންނަންޖެހޭ ގޮތާ ޚިލާފަށް ލިޔެވި ދިޔަބައިގާ އަޅުގަޑަށް އެއްޗެއް ބުނެވިފައިވާނަމަ، އެންމެހާ ކިޔުން ތެރިންގެ ކިބައިން އަޅުގަޑު ނިހާޔަތަށް މަޢާފަށް އެދެމެވެ. އަދި އަޅުގަޑަށް މަޢާފް ކުރައްވާ އަޅުގަޑު މަގަށް އަޅުވާ ދެއްވާނެ ކަމަށް ހީކޮށް، އެކަމަށް އަޅުގަޑު އިލްތިމާސް ކުރަމެވެ. އާދެ، އަޅުގަޑުމެންގެ ގައުމީ ދިވެހި ޝަޚުޞިއްޔަތު ބިނާ ކުރުމުގެ ހަމަ އެކަނި ޝަރުޠަކީ ދީނެއް ނޫނެވެ. އެހެންވީމާ، އެކަމަށް މަގުފަހި ކުރަމަށްޓަކައި ކުރަންހުރި އެހެން ކަމަށް ކުޑަކޮށް އަލި އަޅުވާލަމާތޯއެވެ. (ނުނިމޭ)

2011-11-26T18:58:00.000-08:00

ދިވެހި ޝަޚުޞިއްޔަތު ބިނާ ކުރުން:

މަތީގައި އެވާ އަރިމަތީ ޝުރުޚީ ލިޔެލުމަށްފަހު އެންމެ ފުރަތަމައިންވެސް އަޅުގަޑުގެ ހިތަށް އެރީ އަޅުގަޑުމެންގެ ޝަޚުޞިއްޔަތު ބިނާކޮށް ނިމޭއިރު އަނެއްކާ ގައުމު އޮންނާނީ ކިހިނަކުން ބާއެވެ؟ އަޅުގަޑުމެންވާނީ އެއްގޮތަކަށް ހެދުން އަޅާފައި ތިބޭ، އެއްގޮތަކަށް ރީތި ވެގެން ތިބޭ، ވެރިމީހާ އަތް އުފުލާލީމާ ފަހަތުން އަތް އުފުލާލާ، އޭނާ ނޭފަތް ކަހަލީމާ ފަހަތުން ނޭފަތް ކަހާލާ، އޭނާ ކަރުކެހިލީމާ ފަހަތުން ކަރުކެހިލާ ބަޔަކަށް ބާވައެވެ؟ ނޫން، އަޅުގަޑަގެ މަގުޞަދަކީ ހަމަ ގާއިމުވެސް އެޔެއްނޫނެވެ. އަޅުގަޑުގެ މަގުޞަދަކީ އަޅުގަޑުމެން ކޮންމެ މީހެއްގެ ދިރިއުޅުމަކީ ވެސް ދިވެހިވަންތަ، ރިވެތި މާތް އިންސާނީ ސިފަތައް ދައްކުވައިދޭ ދިރިއުޅުމަކަށް ވުމާއި، އަޅުގަޑުމެން ދިރިއުޅެމުން މިދާ މުޖުތަމަޢަކީވެސް، އެފަދަ ފަރުދީ އަގުމާތް ސިފަތަކުގެ މައްޗަށް ބިނާ ކުރެވިފައިވާ ހިތް ގާއިމު އުފާވެރި މުޖުތަމަޢަކަށް ވުމެވެ.

އެފަދަ މުޖުތަމަޢެއް ބިނާ ކުރުމަށް އަޅުގަޑުގެ ނަޒަރުގާ އަޅުގަޑުމެންގެ ޝަޚުޞިއްޔަތުގާ ހުރުން ލާޒިމް ކުރާ ސިފަތަކަކީ؛

1. ތެދިވެރިކަމާއި އިޚުލާޞްތެރިކަމުގެ ސިފަ ކުރިޔަށް ނެރުން.

2. އަނެކާއަށް އިޙުތިރާމްކޮށް ކަމޭ ހީކުރުމާއި އޭނާގެ ޙައްގުތަކަށް ރައްކާތެރިވުން.

3. ޙައްގާއި އިންސާފާ އެއްކޮޅަށާއި ބާޠިލާއި ބޭއިންސާފާ އިދިކޮޅަށް ތެދުވެ އަޑު އުފުލަން ކެރުން.

4. ކާމިޔާބީއާ އުފަލާ ކުރިމަތިލާ ފަދައިން ނާކާމިޔާބީއާ ހިތާމަޔާވެސް ކުރިމަތިލާން ކެރުން.

5. އަނެކާގެ މޮޅުކަން ހިތުގެ އަޑިން ގަބޫލް ކުރުމާއި އޭނާއަށް ތަރުހީބު ދިނުމަށް އަވަސްވެ ގަތުން.

6. ރުޅި މަޑުކޮށް ކެތްތެރިކަމާއިއެކު ކަންކަމާ ކުރިމަތިލުން.

7. ތިމާގެ އުނިކަންކަމާއި ކުށަށް އިޢުތިރާފްވާން ކެރުމާއި، އެކަންކަން އިޞްލާޙު ކުރަން މަސައްކަތް ކުރުން.

8. ތިމާގެ އުޅުމުގަޔާ ބަސްމޮށުމުގައި ރިވެތި އަޚުލާގާއި އަދަބު ކުރިޔަށް ނެރުން.

9. ދިރިއުޅުމުގެ ހުރިހާ ކަމެއްގައިވެސް ތިމާއަށް އެގިހުރި އެއްޗަކާއި، ބުއްދިއާއި، ޙިކުމަތު ޢަމަލީ ކުރިޔަށް ނެރުމާއި އުގެނުމަށާއި މައުލޫމާތު ހޯދަން އަބަދުވެސް މަސައްކަތް ކުރުމާއި، ނޭގޭ ވާހަކަ ނުދެއްކުމާއި، ކަންކަމުގެ ދެކޮޅު ނުބަލާ ވާހަކަ ނުދެއްކުމާއި ޢަމަލު ނުކުރުން.

10. ވާޖިބު އަދާ ކުރުމަށާއި މައްސޫލިއްޔަތު އަދާކޮށް ޒިއްމާ އުފުލަން އަބަދުވެސް ތައްޔާރަށް ހުރުން.

އަޅުގަޑުމެންގެ ދިރިއުޅެމުން މިދާ މުޖުތަމަޢުގެ ޙާލަތު އަދު އޮތްގޮތަށް ބަލާފަ އަޅުގަޑުމެންގެ ޝަޚުޞިއްޔަތުގައި ހުރުން މުހިއްމު ކަމުގައި އަޅުގަޑު ދެކޭ މަދު ސިފަތަކެއް މަތީގައި ބަޔާން ކޮށްލާފައި ވީނަމަވެސް، ހަރުދަނާ ޝަޚުޞިއްޔަތެއްގައި އެނޫން އެތައް ރިވެތި ސިފައެއް ހުންނާނެކަމާއިމެދު އަޅުގަޑު ޝައްކެއް ނުކުރަމެވެ. އަޅުގަޑަށް ހަމަ ގާއިމުވެސް ގަބޫލް ކުަރނީ ޝަޚުޞިއްޔަތު ބިނާ ކުރުމުގެ އެންމެ މުހިއްމު އަސާސަކީ ދީން ކަމުގައެވެ. އިންސާނުން އެމައްޗަށް ތަބާވާ ހުރިހާ ދީނެއްގައިވެސް ނުބައި ކަންކަން މަނާ ކުރެއެވެ. އަދި ރަނގަޅު ކަންކަމަށް ބާރު އަޅައެވެ. އެހެންވިއިރު، އެހުރިހާ ދީނެއްގެ މައްޗަށް މާތް ﷲ ބާވާލެއްވި އެކަލާންގެ ރަސްކަންފުޅަށް ނިސްބަތްވާ ހަމައެކަނި ދީން ކަމުގައިވާ އިސްލާމް ދީނަކީ ނުބައި ކަންތައް މަނާ ކުރުމާއި ރަނގަޅު ކަންކަމަށް ބާރު އެޅުމުގެ އެންމެ ފުރިހަމަ މިސާލު ކަމީ ކަށަވަރުވެގެންވާ ކަމެކެވެ. އަޅުގަޑުމެން ދިވެހިންނަކީ މީގެ އަށްސަތޭކަ ފަންސާސް އެތައް އަހަރެއް ކުރިން އަޅުގަޑުމެންގެ ފަޚްރްވެރި ތާރީޚުގެ އެންމެ ކުރިއްސުރެ ފެށިގެން މާތްވެގެންވާ އިސްލާމް ދީނަށް ތަބާވެގެން ތިބި ބަޔަކީމުއެވެ. މިހާތަނަށް އައި އރިވެސް އަޅުގަޑުމެންގެ ދައުލަތާ ދިރިއުޅުމާ ބެހޭ ހުރިހާ ކަމެއް ބިނާކުރެވިފައިވަނީ އެދީނުގެ މައްޗަށެވެ.

އަޅުގަޑުމެން އިސްލާމް ދީން ބަލައިގެންފައިވަނީ އިސްތިސްނާ އެއްނެތި ހުރިހާ ދިވެހި ރައްޔިތުންގެ ޚިލާފެއްނެތް އެއްބަސްވުމަށެވެ. އެހެންކަމުން އިސްލާމް ދީނަކީ އަޅުގަޑުމެން ދިވެހިންގެ އެންމެ މުހިއްމު އެންމެ މުގައްދަސް ދުސްތޫރެވެ. އަށް ސަތޭކަ ފަންސާސް އަހަރު ކުރިން ހުރިހާ ރައްޔިތުން ނިންމާފައިވާ ނިންމުމެއް މިއަދުވެސް ހުރިހާ ރައްޔިތުންގެ އެއްބަސްވުމަކަށް ނޫނީ ރައްޔިތުންގެ އަޣުލަބިއްޔަތު އެދިގެންނޫނީ ބަދަލެއް ނުކުރެވޭނެއެވެ. އެ އުޞޫލުން ހިގާ ކަމެއް ވަކި މީހަކަށް، ނުވަތަ ބަޔަކަށް، ނުވަތަ ސަރުކާރުގެ ޕޮލިސީ އަކުން ބަދަލެއް ނުކުރެވޭނެއެވެ. އޭގެ މައްޗަށް ބޭރު ގެ ދައުލަތްތަކަކަށްވެސް ނުފޫޒެއް ނުހިންގޭނެއެވެ. އެ ދުސްތޫރުގެ މަތީގަ ތިބެގެން ބޭރުގެ ގައުމުތަކާއެކު އަޅުގަޑުމެން ބަހައްޓަންޖެހޭ ރަހްމަތްތެރި ކަމާއި ގުޅުންތައް އެންމެ ބަދަހިކޮށް ދަމަހައްޓަން އަޅުގަޑުމެން ތިބެންވާނީ ތައްޔާރަށެވެ. އަޅުގަޑުމެންގެ ގޮތުގައި ތިބެގެން އަޅުގަޑުމެން އެހެން މީހުންނަށް ކުރާ އިޙުތިރާމް އެހެން މީހުން އަޅުގަޑުމެންނަށްވެސް ކުރަން ޖެހޭނެއެވެ.

ސިޔާސަތު އުފައްދާ ބިނާ ކުރުމުގަ އެތަނެއްގެ ޚާއްޞަ ސިފަތަކަށް ވަރަށް ބޮޑަށް ބަލަންޖެހޭނެއެވެ. އަޅުގަޑުމެންގެ ގައުމަކީ އެވްރެޖެކޮށް ރަށެއްގެ ބޮޑު މިނުގައި އެއް އަކަ ކިލޯމީޓަރވެސް ހަމަނުވާ، އެވްރެޖެކޮށް ރަށެއްގެ އާބާދީގައި ކިރިޔާ އެއްހާސް މީހުން ހަމަވާ، ކުދިކުދި ޖަޒީރާ ރަށްތަކެއްގެ މައްޗަށް އެކުލެވިގެންވާ ގައުމެކެވެ. މިރަށްތަކުގައި މިވޭތިވެ ދިޔަ އަށްސަތޭކަ ފަންސާސް އެތައް އަހަރެއް ވަންދެން އިސްތިސްނާ އެއް ނެތި ހުރިހާ އެންމެންވެސް ދިރިއުޅެމުން އައިސްފައިވަނީ އިސްލާމް ދީނަށެވެ. މިއަދު ކުއްލިއަކަށް އެމީހަކު ބޭނުންވާ ދީނަކަށް އެމީހަކު އުޅުމުގެ ޙައްގު ކޮންމެ އިންސާނަކަށްވެސް އޮންނަންވާނެޔޭ ބުނެފަ ފާޅުގަ އެހެން ދީންތަކަށް މަދު ބަޔަކު އުޅުމަކީ، މުޅި މުޖުތަމަޢު ގަބޫލް ކުރާނެ ކަމެއް ނޫނެވެ. އަދި ފާޅުގައި އެކަން ކުރަން ފަށައިފިނަމަ، މުޖުތަމަޢު ހަލާކުވެގެން ދިޔުންނޫން އެހެން ނަތީޖާއެއް ނުނިކުންނާއެވެ. މިގައުމުގައި އިސްލާމް ދީން ނަގަހައްޓާ ދެމެހެއްޓުމުގެ މަސައްކަތް ދައުލަތުގެ ފެންވަރުގަޔާ، ސިޓީ އަދި އަތޮޅު، ރަށު، އަދި ޢާއިލީ ފެންވަރުގައިވެސް މެދުކެޑުމެއްނެތި ފަރުވާތެރި ކަމާއިއެކު ކުރަމުން ގެންދަންޖެހޭ ސިޔާސީ ސަބަބަކީ އެއީ އެވެ. (ނުނިމޭ)

2011-11-19T20:16:00.000-08:00

ގައުމުގައި ތިބި އެންމެ އެކަށީގެންވާ މީހުންނަށް ސިޔާސީ ދާއިރާ އިން ފުރުޞަތު ދިނުން:

ގައުމަށް ގެނެވުނު އިޞްލާޙުތަކުގެ ތެރޭގައި ޕްރޮފެޝަނަލް ސިވިލް ސާރވިސެއް ގާއިމު ކުރެވި، ސަރުކާރު ހިންގުމުގެ ދާއިރާގެ އިސް މަގާމުތަކަށް އެކަށީގެންވާ މޮޅު މީހުން ހަމަޖެއްސުމުގެ ނިޒާމެއް ގާއިމުވެއްޖެކަމުގެ ހިތްހަމަޖެހުން ރައްޔިތުންނަށް ލިބިގެންދިޔަ އިރުވެސް، ގައުމުގައި ތިބި އެފަދަ މީހުންނާ ސިޔާސީ ދާއިރާ އާ ބީރަށްޓެހި ކަމުގެ އިހުސާސްތައްވެސް ރައްޔިތުންދަނީ ކުރަމުންނެވެ. ދުނިޔޭގެ އެހެން ގައުމުތަކުން މިސާލު ނެގި ކަމުގައި ވިޔަސް އެ ގައުމުތަކުގެ ސިޔާސީ ދާއިރާގައި ބަސް ކިޔާ ހިސާބުގައި ގިނައިން ފެންނަމުންދަނީ ސިވިލް ސާރވިސް އާއި މިލިޓަރީ ސާރވިސް އަދި އެފަދަ އެހެނިހެން ޚިދުމަތްތަކުންނާއި، ވިޔަފާރީގެ ދާއިރާއިން، އަދި ސިވިލް ސޮސައިޓީގެ ދާއިރާއިން، އެމީހުން ތަމްޘީލު ކުރަމުންދާ މޮޅު ކަމުން ފުރޭނިގެން ސިޔާސީ ލީޑަރޝިޕްގެ މަގާމްތަކުގައި ތިބޭ މީހުންނެވެ.

ބާރުގަދަ ވެރިކަމެއް ޑިމޮކްރެޓިކް ވެށްޓަކަށް ބަދަލު ވެގެންދާއިރު، ވަރަށް ތަފާތު ފެންވަރުގެ ތަފާތު ފަންތީގެ ތަފާތު މީހުން، ތަފާތު މަގުޞަދުތަކަށްޓަކާ ތަފާތު ނިޔަތުގައި، ސިޔާސީ ގޮތުން މަގްބޫލްކަން ހޯދަން މަސައްކަތް ކުރާ ތަން ފެނިގެން ދިޔުމަކީ ނުވެ ނުދާނެ ކަމެކެވެ. އޭގެ ތެރެއިން އެއް ބަޔަކު ކާމިޔާބު ކުރާނެއެވެ. އަނެއް ބަޔަކަށް އެހާ ބޮޑު ކާމިޔާބެއް ނުލިބިދާނެއެވެ. އެއީ މައްސަލައެއް ނޫނެވެ. މައްސަލައަކީ ގައުމުގެ އިސް މަގާމްތަކަށް އައުމަށް ގައުމުގައި ތިބި އެންމެ މޮޅު މީހުންނަށް ފުރުޞަތު ލިބޭ ކަހަލަ ވެށްޓެއް ގާއިމު ވެފައިނެތުމެވެ. ބައެއް މީހުންގެ ނަޒަރުގައި ޒަމާނީ ޑިމޮކްރެޓިކް ވެށްޓެއްގައި އެފަދަ ނިޒާމެއް ކޮންމެހެން އޮންނާކަށް ނުޖެހޭނެއެވެ. ހަމަ ކޮންމެ މީހަކީވެސް އަނެކަކާ އެއްވަރަށް މޮޅު މީހެކެވެ. އެހެންވީމާ މޮޅު މީހުންނޭ އަޅުގަޑު މިދަންނަވާ ދެންނެވުން އިތުރަށް ތަރަހަ ކޮށްލަން އެބަޖެހެއެވެ.

މޮޅު މީހުންނަކީ ހަމަ ގާއިމުވެސް ނަސަބުން މޮޅު މީހުނެއް ނޫނެވެ. ޙަގީގަތުގައި އަޅުގަޑުމެންގެ މުޖުތަމަޢުގައި ނަސަބުގެ މޮޅުކަން މިހާރު ނުވެސް ނެތެވެ. އަދި ހަމަ އެކަނި ތަޢުލީމީ ގޮތުން މީހަކު ހޯދާފައިވާ ސަނަދުތަކަކުން ނުވަތަ ވަކި ފަންނަކުން އެމީހަކު ހޯދާފައިވާ ކުރިއެރުންތައްވެސް އެމީހަކު މޮޅު މީހަކަށް ނުހަދައެވެ. އަޅުގަޑުގެ ނަޒަރުގައި މޮޅު މީހުން އަންގައިދެނީ ފަސް ކަމަކުންނެވެ. އެއީ، އެމީހަކު އުގެނިފައިހުރި އުގެނުމެއްގެ ބޭނުން އެމީހަކު ކުރާ ކުރުމާއި، އެމީހެއްގެ ޙިކުމަތު ޢަމަލީ އާއި، އެމީހެއްގެ ރިވެތި އަޚުލާގާއި، ދިރިއުޅުމުގައި އެމީހަކާ ކުރިމަތިވާ ކަންކަމަށް އެމީހަކު އިޖާބަ ދޭ ގޮތާއި، އެމީހެއް ޙާޞިލު ކޮށްފައިވާ ޙާޞިލް ކުރުން ތަކުންނެވެ. މި ފަސް ކަންތައް ރަނގަޅަށް ހުރި މީހަކީ އަޅުގަޑު ގަބޫލް ކުރާ ގޮތުގައިި މޮޅު މީހެކެވެ.

މޮޅު މީހުންނަކީ އެމީހުންް ކޮންމެ ކަމެއް ކުރިނަމަވެސް، އެކަށީގެންވާ ފައިދާ ހުރި ގޮތެއްގައި ނަތީޖާ ލިބެނިވި ގޮތެއްގެ މަތިން އެމީހުން ކުރާ ކަމެއް ކުރަމުންދާ ބަޔެކެވެ. އެހެންކަމުން އެމީހުންގެ ދިރިއުޅުމަށް ކޮންމެހެން ވަކި ދާއިރާއަކަށް ބަރޯސާ ވެގެން އުޅޭކަށެއް ނުޖެހެއެވެ. އަޅުގަޑަށް ހީވާ ގޮތުގައި އަޅުގަޑުމެންގެ ސިޔާސީ ދާއިރާއިން ގައުމުގައި ތިބި އެންމެ މޮޅު މީހުން ފެންނަލެއް މަދީ، މިއަދު އެދާއިރާގެ ކަންތައްތައް ހުރިލެއް ހަލަބޮލި ކަމާއި ކިލަނބު ކަމުން، މޮޅު މީހުންގެ ރިވެތި ދިރިއުޅުމާއި ޙަޔާތު ހަޑިކޮށްލަން އެމީހުންނާއި އެމީހުން ލޯބިވާ މީހުން ނޭދޭތީއެވެ. އެ ޙަގީގަތް އަޅުގަޑުމެން ގަބޫލް ކުރަންޖެހެއެވެ. އެހެންނަމަވެސް، އެޖައްވު ސާފުވެ ރީތިވާނީވެސް މޮޅު މީހުންގެ ގުރުބާނީއާ އެކު ސިޔާސީ މަގާމްތަކަށް ކެރިތިބެގެން އެމީހުން ކުރިމަތިލައިގެން ކާމިޔާބު ކުރީމައެވެ. މި ޖިހާދުގައި ކިތަންމެ ކިތަންމެ މޮޅު މީހަކަށް ނުހަނު ހިތި ނާކާމިޔާބީ ތަކާއި ކުރިމަތިލާން ޖެހޭނެއެވެ. އެއީ އެމީހުންނަށާއި އެމީހުންގެ ޢާއިލާތަކަށް ވަރަށް ބޮޑު މާޔޫސްކަމެއް ލިބުވައިދޭ ކަމަކަށްވާނެއެވެ. އެހެންނަމަވެސް، ސިޔާސީ ދާއިރާގައި އެތައް ނާކާމިޔާބީ އަކަށްފަހު ކާމިޔާބު ކުރާ މީހުންގެ މިސާލު އަބަދާއި އަބަދު ދުނިޔޭގެ ކަންކޮޅުތަކުން ފެންނަމުން ދާކަންވެސް އަޅުގަޑުމެން ގަބޫލް ކުރަން ޖެހެއެވެ. މެދުކެނޑުމެއް ނެތި މި ޖިހާދު ކުރިޔަށް ގެންދިޔުމުގެ އާޚިރު ނަތީޖާއަކަށްވާނީ ދިވެހި ގައުމު އެދެމުންދާ ކާމިޔާބީ ގައުމަށް ލިބިގެން ދިޔުމެވެ.

ހަމަ އެއާ އެކު މޮޅު މީހުންނަށް ސިޔާސީ ދާއިރާ އިން ފުރުޞަތު ހޯދާ ދިނުމަށް މުޖުތަމަޢުގެ އެއްބާރުލުން ދިނުމަކީވެސް އެހާމެ މުހިއްމު ކަމެކެވެ. ޚާއްޞަކޮށް ސިޔާސީ ޕާޓީތަކުންނާ ސިޔާސީ މަގާމުތަކަށް މީހުން ޢައްޔަން ކުރުމުގެ ގާނޫނީ ބާރު އޮންނަ ފަރާތްތަކުންނެވެ. ސިޔާސީ މަގާމުތަކަށް ކުރިމަތިލާ މީހުންގެ ތެރެއިން ޕާޓީގެ ޓިކެޓް ދިނުމުގެ ހަމަ އެކަނި ޝަރުޠަކީ ޕާޓީގެ ޕްރައިމަރީ ކާމިޔާބު ކުރުން ކަމުގައިވަނީ ނަމަ، ސިޔާސީ ދާއިރާއިން މޮޅު މީހުންނަށް ފުރުޞަތު ދިނުމުގެ މަގުޞަދު އެބަ ކާމިޔާބު ކުރެވޭތޯއެވެ؟ ނޫނީ އިންތިޚާބު ކާމިޔާބު ކުރުމުގެ މަގުޞަދު ޕާޓީއަށް ފުރިހަމަ ކުރެވޭތޯއެވެ؟ އަޅުގަޑު މިދެންނެވި ވާހަކަ އަކީ، ޕާޓީގެ ޕްރައިމަރީ ކާމިޔާބު ކުރާ މީހާއަކީ، އެދާއިރާއަށް ވޯޓްލާ ޕާޓީގެ މެންބަރުން ފިޔަވާ އެހެން މީހުންނަށް ކިހާވަރެއްގެ މަގްބޫލް މީހަކަށް ވޭތޯ ބެލުމުގެ ނިޒާމެއް އޮތުމަކީ ގައުމީ މަގުޞަދުތައް ޙާޞިލް ކުރުމަށާއި ޕާޓީގެ މަގުޞަދުތައް ޙާޞިލް ކުރުމަށް އެޅޭ ވަރަށް ބޮޑު ބާރެއް ކަމުގައި އަޅުގަޑު ދެކޭ ވާހަކައެވެ. އެއީ ހަމަ ކޮންމެ މީހަކަށް ވާކަހަލަ ކަންތައްތަކެއް ނޫނެވެ. އެހެންކަމުން ޕާޓީގެ ޓިކެޓް ދިނުމަށްޓަކައި ޕްރައިމަރީ އަށް ހުށަހެޅޭ މީހުންގާ ހުންނަންޖެހޭ ޝަރުޠުތަކެއް ޕާޓީގެ ގަވާއިދުގެ ދަށުން ހަމަޖެހިފައި އޮންނަންވާނެ ކަމަށް އަޅުގަޑު ދެކެމެވެ. އެއިރުން ފުރޭނިގެން ޕްރައިމަރީތަކުން ކާމިޔާބު ހޯދާނީ މޮޅު މީހުންނެވެ. ނުވަތަ ހަމަ ގާއިމުވެސް މޮޅު މީހުންނަށް ވުމުގެ ފުރުޞަތު ބޮޑު މީހުންނެވެ.

އިންތިޚާބީ މަގާމުތަކަށްވުރެ ޢައްޔަން ކުރެވޭ މަގާމްތަކަށް މޮޅު މީހުން ނެގުމުގެ ފުރުޞަތު މާ ބޮޑެވެ. ނަމަވެސް، އެކަން އެގޮތަށް ކުރެވޭނީ ޢައްޔަން ކުރެވޭ މަގާމްތަކަށް މީހުން ޚިޔާރު ކުރެވޭ އިރު، ސްކްރީން ކުރުމުގެ ވަރަށް ފުރިހަމަ ނިޒާމެއް ގާއިމު ކުރެވިފަ އޮވެގެންނެވެ. ޚާއްޞަ ގޮތެއްގައި އަޅުގަޑުމެންގެ މިނިވަން މުއައްސަސާ ތަކުގެ މަގާމްތަކަށް މީހުން ޢައްޔަނު ކުރެވޭ އިރު ކަމަށް އެކަށީގެންވާ މޮޅު މީހުން ޢައްޔަން ކުރުމަކީ ގައުމީ އަމާޒުތަކަށް ވާޞިލު ވުމަށް ކޮންމެހެންވެސް ކުރަން ޖެހިފައިވާ ކަމެކެވެ. އެމަގާމުތަކުގައި ތިބޭ މީހުން ތަމްޘީލު ކުރަންޖެހެނީ ޙަގީގަތުގައިވެސް ވަކި ފަރާތަކަށް ނުޖެހުމެވެ. ހަމަ އެކަނި ބޭރު ފުށަކަށް ނޫނެވެ. ހުރހާ މާނައެއްގައިވެސް ވަކި ފަރާތަކަށް ނުޖެހިތިބި މީހުން އެފަދަ މަގާމްތަކަށް ޢައްޔަން ކުރެވުމަކީ އެ މުއައްސަސާ ތަކުގެ ޙަގީގީ މިނިވަންކަން ދިވެހި ގައުމަށާއި ރައްޔިތުންނަށް ކަށަވަރު ކޮށްދިނުމުގެ އަސާސެކެވެ.

އަނެކަކު ގެ މޮޅުކަން ބަލައިގަތުމަކީ އިންސާނީ ޠަބިއްޔަތަށް ބައެއްފަހަރަށް ތަންކޮޅެއް ދަތިކަމަކަށް ވެއެވެ. ޚާއްޞަކޮށް އަޅުގަޑުމެން ކަހަލަ ވަސީލަތްތައް މަދު ކުދި ކުދި މުޖުތަމަޢުތަކުގައި އެހެން މުޖުތަމަޢު ތަކަށްވުރެ ބޮޑަށް އެކަން ފާހަގަ ކުރެވިގެން ދެއެވެ. ނަތީޖާއަކީ، ކޮންމެ މީހަކަށްވެސް އެމީހެއްގެ ޒާތާއި ދިރިއުޅުމާއި ބެހެވޭ ހިސާބުގައި ރައްޔިތުންގެ ޚިދުމަތުގައި މަސައްކަތް ކުރަމުން ގެންދާ މީހުން އިންސާފުންނާ ބޭއިންސާފުން އަބަދާއި އަބަދު ބޭޒާރު ކުރެވި ފާޑުކިޔުންތައް އެމީހުންނާ އަމާޒު ކުރެވެމުން ދިޔުމެވެ. އަޅުގަޑު ދެކޭ ގޮތުގައި އެމީހުންނާ މެދު ކުރެވޭ ތުހުމަތުތައް ތަންކޮޅެއް ބޮޑަށް ބަލައިލުމަށްފަހު އެމީހުންނާމެދު އިންސާފު ކުރުމުގެ ރޫޙު އަޅުގަޑުމެންގާ އުފެދި ދަމަހައްޓައިފި ނަމަ، މިހާރަށްވުރެ ބޮޑަށް އަޅުގަޑުމެންގެ ޚިދުމަތަށް ކުރިމަތިލާން މޮޅު މީހުންނަށް ދެވޭ ހިތްވަރަކަށް ވާނެއެވެ. މިނިވަން މީޑިއާގެ މަގުޞަދަކަށްވާންވާނީ މީހުންނާ މީހުންގެ ދިރިއުޅުން ފުޑުފުޑު ކޮށްލުމެއްނޫނެވެ. އެއާ ޚިލާފަށް ކަންކަމުގެ ޙަގީގަތް ނޫން އެހެން އެއްޗެއް ރައްޔިތުންނާ ހަމައަށް ގެނެސް ނުދިނުމެވެ. ހަމަ އެފަދައިން މުޖުތަމަޢުގައި އެމީހެއްގެ މޮޅުކަން ދައްކަމުންދާ މީހުން ރައްޔިތުންނަށް ދައްކުވައިދީ މަޝްހޫރު ކުރުމަކީވެސް މިނިވަން މީޑިއާ އިން މިހާރަށްވުރެ ބޮޑަށް ކުރަންޖެހޭ މަސައްކަތެއް ކަމުގައިވެސް އަޅުގަޑު ދެކެމެވެ.

މަޢުޟޫޢަކީ ވަރަށް ފުޅާ މަޢުޟޫޢެކެވެ. އެެހެންކަމުން ކިޔުންތެރިންގެ އަގުހުރި ވަގުތުތައް ނަގާލަން މި މަޢުޟޫޢުގެ އިތުރު ތަފްޞީލަށް ދާން އަޅުގަޑު ގަޞްދު ކޮށްފައެއް ނެތެވެ. އަޅުގަޑުގެ އެދުމަކީ ދިވެހި ގައުމުގެ ކުރިމަގު ބިނާ ކުރުމުގެ ނަޒަރަކުން މި މަޢުޟޫޢާ ދޭތެރޭ ކިޔުންތެރިން ވިސްނާވަޑައިގަތުމާއި، އެނަޒަރުން ވިސްނާވަޑައިގަންނަވާ އިރު، އަޅުގަޑުމެންގެ ތެރޭގައި ތިބި ހުރިހާ ގޮތަކުންވެސް މޮޅު މީހުންނަށް ވާންޖެހޭ މީހުން މޮޅު މީހުންނަށް ނުވާ ސަބަބު ތަކާއި، އެހެން މީހުން މޮޅު މީހުންނަށްވާ ސަބަބުތަކާއިމެދު ފުންކޮށް ވިސްނާވަޑައިގަތުމަށްފަހު، ޙަގީގީ މޮޅު މީހުންނަށް އެމީހުންނަށް ޙައްގު ލޯތްބާއި، އިޙުތިރާމާއި، ތައްޔީދު މުޖުތަމަޢުގައި ލިބި، އެމީހުންގެ ޙުރުމަތާއި ގަދަރު އުފުލުމެވެ.

2011-11-10T18:37:00.000-08:00

2000 ވަނަ އަހަރު ފެށުނު ތިންވަނަ ސާސްކަފާ އައު ގަރުނުގެ އަލިވިލުން ދިވެހިންް ދުށީ ވަރަށް ތަފާތު ފޮނި އުއްމީދުތަކަކާއި އެކުގައެވެ. ދުވަސްވަރަކީ އޭގެ ކުރިން ދުވަހަކުވެސް ގައުމު ނުދެކޭހާ ގިނަ ދިވެހިދަރިން ދުނިޔޭގެ އެކި ކަންކޮޅުތަކުން މަތީ ތަޢުލީމް ޙާޞިލްކޮށްގެން އެނބުރި ރާއްޖެ އައިސް ރާއްޖޭގައި ދިރިއުޅެން ފަށައިގެންފައިވާ ދުވަސް ވަރަކެވެ. އަދި ވޭތިވެދިޔަ ތާގައި ގައުމަށް އައިސްފައިވާ ތަރައްގީ އާއި ތަމައްދުނުގެ ސަބަބުން ގައުމު ދުނިޔެއަށް ހުޅުވިގެންދިޔަ ދިޔުމުގައި ދުނިޔޭގެ އެހެން ކަންކޮޅުތަކުގައި އެ ގައުމުތަކުގެ ރައްޔިތުން ދެކެމުންދާ ޞުލްޙަ މަޞްލަސް ކަމާއި އުފާ ފާގަތިކަމުގެ ކުލަވަރުތައްވެސް ދިވެހިން ދެކެމުން ދިޔަ ދުވަސްވަރެކެވެ. އަދި ހަމަ އެހެންމެ، ރާއްޖޭގައި ތަޢުލީމް ޙާޞިލް ކުރުމުގެ ފުރުޞަތުތައް ފުޅާވެ، އިންޓަރނެޓް އާއި ކޭބަލް ޓީ. ފަދަ މުވާސަލާތީ ވަސީލަތްތައް މެދުވެރިކޮށް ދުނިޔޭގެ ކަންކޮޅުތަކުގައި، ވަކިން ޚާއްޞަކޮށް ތަރައްގީވެފައިހުރި އިންސާނީ މުޖުތަމަޢު ތަކުގައި ކަންހުރި ގޮތް ދިވެހިން ދެކި ބަލަމުން، ދިރާސާ ކުރަމުން އައި ދުވަސްވަރެކެވެ. އެހެންކަމުން އިސްތިސްނާއެއްނެތި ދިވެހި އެންމެހާ ލޮބުވެތި ރައްޔިތުންގެ އިޙުސާސްތަކާއި ޝުޢޫރުތައް އަމާޒުވެގެން ދިޔައީ އެމީހުންގެ ގައުމުގައިވެސް ޒަމާނީ ޑިމޮކްރެސީއެއް ގާއިމު ކުރުމަށެވެ. އެ އިހުސާސް ތަކާއި ޝުޢޫރުތަކުގެ އަލީގައި 2004 ވަނަ އަހަރު ރައްޔިތުން ފެށި ބުރަ މަސައްކަތުގެ ނަތީޖާއަކަށްވީ، އެބައިމީހުން އެއް އަޑަކުން ތަރުހީބުދިން އިޞްލާޙުތަކެއް ގައުމުގައި ތަޢާރަފް ވެގެން ދިޔުމެވެ. އެއްވެސް ޝައްކެއްނެތް ގޮތުގައި އެ އިޞްލާޙުތަކުގެ އެންމެ އުސް އައްޔަކީ، އޭގައި ދައުލަތް ހިންގުމުގެ އެންމެ ޒަމާނީ ނިޒާމްތަކާއި މަފްހޫމްތައް އެކުލެވިގެންވާ، 8 އޯގަސްޓް 2008 ގައި ރައްޔިތުން ބަލައިގެން އައު ގާނޫނު އަސާސީއެވެ.

އެ ގާނޫނު އަސާސީ ތަޞްދީގު ކުރެވުމަށްފަހު، ދެން ފެނިގެން ދިޔައީ ގައުމުގެ ކުދި، ބޮޑު، އަންހެން އަދި ފިރިހެން އެންމެހާ ރައްޔިތުން ނުހަނު ޝަޢުގުވެރި ކަމާއި އެކު އިންތިޒާރު ކުރަމުން އައި، އެއްވެސް ހުރަހެއް ނެތި އެކަމަށް ކުރިމަތިލާން އެދޭ ޝަރުޠު ހަމަވާ ހަމަ ކޮންމެ މީހަކަށްވެސް ވާދަ ކުރެވުނު، ދިވެހި ގައުމުގެ އެންމެ ފުރަތަމަ ތަފާތު ސިޔާސީ ޕާޓީ ތަކުން ވާދަކުރި ރިޔާސީ އިންތިޚާބު ބޭއްވިގެން ދިޔަ ތަނެވެ. 11 ނޮވެމްބަރ 2008 ވަނަ ދުވަހު ގައުމުގެ ރައީސުލްޖުމްހޫރިއްޔާގެ ގޮޑީގައި އިށީދެވަޑައިގަތީ، ޒަމާނީ ފުރިހަމަ ޑިމޮކްޜެޓިކް ނިޒާމެއްގެ ދަށުން ކުރީގަ ހުންނެވި ރައީސް އިންތިޚާބުގައި ބަލި ކުރެއްވުމަށްފަހު، އެ މަގާމަށް އިންތިޚާބު ވެވަޑައިގެން ރައީސެކެވެ. ސަރުކާރުގެ އެންމެ މުހިއްމު އިސް ގޮޑިތަކުގައި އިށީދެވަޑައިގަތީ، ކުރިޔާ ޚިލާފަށް ރައްޔިތުންގެ މަޖިލީސް މެދުވެރިކޮށް ރައްޔިތުންގެ ރުހުން ފުރިހަމައަށް ލިބިވަޑައިގެން ބާރުވެރިކަމާއިއެކު އެގޮޑިތަކަށް ޢައްޔަނު ކުރެވުނު ތަޢުލީމީ ޒުވާން ބޭފުޅުން ކޮޅެކެވެ. އެ ބޭފުޅުންގެ ބެއްލެވުމާއި އިރުޝާދުގެ ދަށުން ސަރުކާރުގެ މަސައްކަތްތައް ހިންގުމުގެ މައްސޫލިއްޔަތު އުފުލުމާއި ޙަވާލު ކުރެވުނީ ޕްރޮފެޝަނަލް ސިވިލް ސާރވިސް އަކާއެވެ.

އައު ގާނޫނު އަސާސީގެ ދަށުން ވިދިގެން އައި އަހަރު ހުވާ ކުރި ރައްޔިތުންގެ މަޖިލީސަކީ، ވާނެ އެންމެ ބޮޑަކަށް ނުފޫޒުތަކުން އެއްކިބާ ކުރެވިފައިވާ މަޖިލީސް އެކެވެ. އެ މަޖިލީހުގަ ސަރުކާރުގެ މަގާމެއް ނުވަތަ ވަޒީފާއެއް އަދާކުރާ އެއްވެސް މީހަކަށް އިށީދެވޭނެ ގޮތެއް ނެތެވެ. މަޖިލިސް އެކުލެވިގެންވަނީ މުޅިން ސީދާ ވޯޓަކުން ރައްޔިތުން އިންތިޚާބުކުރާ މެންބަރުންގެ މައްޗަށެވެ. ރައްޔިތުންގެ މަޖިލީސްގެ ރައީސްއަކީ ކުރިން އޮތް ގޮތަށް ރައީސުލްޖުމްހޫރިއްޔާ ޢައްޔަން ކުރާ މީހެއް ނޫނެވެ. ރައްޔިތުންގެ މަޖިލީހުގެ މެންބަރުންގެ ވޯޓަކުން އެ މަގާމަށް އިންތިޚާބު ކުރާ މީހެކެވެ.

ޢަދްލް އިންސާފު ގާއިމު ކުރުމުގެ އެންމެ މަތީ ބާރު ކުރިން ރައީސުލްޖުމްހޫރިއްޔާ އަށް ލިބިދީފައިވީ ނަމަވެސް، އަލަށް ހަމަޖެހުނު ދުސްތޫރީ ނިޒާމްގައި އެބާރު ލިބިދެނީ އެ ފަޑިޔާރަކަށް ފެންނަގޮތް ވަކިން ބަޔާން ކުރާ ހަތް ފަޑިޔާރުންގެ މައްޗަށް އެކުލެވޭ ސުޕްރީމް ކޯޓެއްގެ އަޣުލަބިއްތަށެވެ. ސުޕްރީމް ކޯޓުގެ ފަޑިޔާރުންނާ އުއްތަމަ ފަޑިޔާރަކީ ރައްޔިތުންގެ މަޖިލީހުގެ ރުހުމާއެކު ރައީސުލްޖުމްހޫރިއްޔާ ޢައްޔަން ކުރާ މީހުންނެވެ. ޙުކުމް ކުރުމުގެ ބާރު ލިބިދޭ އެހެނިހެން ފަޑިޔާރުންނާއި، ގާޟީއިންނާއި، މެޖިސްޓްރޭޓުންނަކީ ކުރިން ރައީސުލްޖުމްހޫރިއްޔާ ޢައްޔަން ކުރަމުން އައި ބަޔެއް ނަމަވެސް، އަލަށް ހަމަޖެހުނު ގޮތުގައި ޝަރުޢީ ނިޒާމުގެ ކަންތައް ހިންގާ ބެލެހެއްޓުމުގެ މަސައްކަތް ޙަވާލު ކުރެވުނީ މިނިވަން މުއައްސަސާއެއް ކަމުގައިވާ ޖުޑީޝިއަލް ސާރވިސަސް ކަމިޝަން އާއެވެ.

ރާއްޖޭގެ އަތޮޅުތަކާއި ރަށްތަކުގެ ކަންތައް ހިންގާ ބެލެހެއްޓުމަށްޓަކައި، ކުރިން ރައީސުލްޖުމްހޫރިއްޔާ އައްޔަން ކުރާ އަތޮޅުވެރިންނާއި ސަރުކާރުން ހަމަޖައްސާ ކަތީބުންގެ ބަދަލުގައި، ރައްޔިތުންގެ ސީދާ ވޯޓަކުން އިންތިޚާބު ކުރާ ސިޓީ ކައުންސިލް ތަކާއި، އަތޮޅު ކައުންސިލް ތަކާއި، ރަށު ކައުންސިލްތައް ހަމަޖެހިގެން ދިޔައެވެ. ފުރިހަމަ ލާމަރްކަޒީ ނިޒާމެއްގެ ދަށުންނެވެ.

އެހެން ޢިބާރާތަކުން ދަންނަވާނަމަ، ދައުލަތް ހިންގުމުގައި ވެރިކަމަށް ކުރިން ލިބިދާފާ ހުރި ބާރުތަކުގެ ތެރެއިން ގިނަ ބާރުތަކެއް ނިގުޅައިގަނެވި، އެބާރުތައް ރައްޔިތުންގެ އަތްމައްޗަށް ވަނީ ގެނެވިފައެވެ. ގައުމު ޒަމާނީ ޑިމޮކްރެސީ އެއްގެ އޮނިގަޑުގެ ތެރޭގައި ތަރައްގީ އާއި ތަމައްދުނުގެ މަގުގައި ގައުމީ މަގުޞަދުތަކައިގެން ކުރިއަށް ދިޔުމަށް ބޭނުންވި ހުރިހާ ރަހަތަކެއް އެއްވަރު ކުރެވި ހަމަޖެހުނީއެވެ. އެހެންނަމަވެސް......އޭގެ ފަހުން ތިން އަހަރު ހަމަވި އިރުވެސް އެ މަގުޞަދުތައް ޙާޞިލް ކުރުމަށް އެކަށީގެންވާ މަސައްކަތް ކުރެވޭ ކަމަށް ވަރަށް ގިނަ ބަޔަކު ނުދެކެއެވެ. އެމީހުން ދެކޭ ގޮތުގައި ކުރިޔަށް އެއްވެސް ފިޔަވަޅެއް ނޭޅެއެވެ. ގައުމުގެ ދީނާ ގައުމިއްޔަތު ގެއްލި ހިގައްޖެއެވެ. އިގުތިޞާދިއްޔަތު ފުޑުފުޑު ވެއްޖެއެވެ. ރިވެތި އިޖުތިމާޢީ ދިރިއުޅުން ގެއްލި ހިގައްޖެއެވެ. އުޖާލާ ކުރިމަގެއް ފެންނަން އޮތް ކަމަކަށް މީހުން ގަބޫލެއް ނުކުރެއެވެ.

ޝައްކެއް ވަސްވާހެއް ނެތް ގޮތުގައި ރައްޔިތުންގެ ފާޑު ކިޔުން އަމާޒުނުވާ ގޮތަކަށް އެއްވެސް ގައުމެއްގެ އެއްވެސް ސަރުކާރަކަށް ދެމިއެއް ނޯވެވޭނެއެވެ. އަދި އަމުދުން މަލްޓި ޕާޓީ ސިސްޓަމެއްގެ ތެރޭގައި ސަބަބު ހުރެގެންނާއި ސަބަބު ނެތި ތަފާތު ހިތްހަމަ ނުޖެހުންތައް އުފެދި ހާމަވަމުން ދިޔުމަކީ ނުވެ ނުދާނެ ކަމެކެވެ. އަޅުގަޑުމެންގެ ގައުމަކީ އިސްތިސްނާއެއް ނޫނެވެ. އެހެންނަމަވެސް، ގައުމުގެ ތާރީޚުގައި މިޒަމާނުގައި ފެންމަތިވަމުން މިދާ މައްސަލަތަކަކީ މުޅިން އެގޮތުން ފެންމަތިވާ މައްސަލަތަކެއް ކަމަކަށް އަޅުގަޑު ގަބޫލެއް ނުކުރަމެވެ. އަދި އެ މައްސަލަތައް ފެންމަތިވަނީ އަޅުގަޑުމެންނަކީ ޒުވާން ޑިމޮކްރެސީ އެއް ކަމުގައިވާތީ ކަމުގައި ދަޢުވާ ކުރާ ފަރާތްތަކުގެ ދަޢުވާވެސް އަޅުގަޑު ގަބޫލެއް ނުކުރަމެވެ. އަޅުގަޑުމެންނަކީ 80 އަހަރުގެ ފަޚުރުވެރި ދުސްތޫރީ ޙަޔާތެއް އުޅެފައިވާ ބަޔެކެވެ. އެ މުއްދަތުގެ ތެރޭގައި މިހާރު ގައުމަށް ވަމުން މިދާ ގޮތް ވިޔަނުދީ ގައުމައިގެން ކުރިޔަށް ދިޔުމުގެ ފިކުރާ ވިސްނުމާއި، ޢަޒުމާއި، ކެރުމާއި، އިޚުލާޞްތެރިކަން އަޅުގަޑުމެން ހަމަ ކޮންމެ މީހެއްގައިވެސް ހުންނަންވާނެއެވެ. އަޅުގަޑު ދަންނަވާނީ ގައުމުގައި އުފެދެމުންދާ މައްސަލަތަކުގެ އަޞްލަކީ، އަމިއްލަ އެދުމާއި، ފިތުނަ ފަސާދައާއި، ގޮތްދޫނުކުރުމާއި، ނޭއްގާނި ކަމާއި، މިފަދަ އެތައް އެތައް ނޭދެވޭ ސިފަތަކެއް މުޖުތަމަޢުގައި ޢާއްމު ވެފައިވާ ކަމެވެ. އެ ސިފަތައް އަޅުގަޑުމެންނަށް ދޫކޮށްލެވިއްޖެނަމަ، އަޅުގަޑުމެންނަކީ އަޅުގަޑުމެން ބޭނުންވާ ތަރައްގީ އާއި ތަމައްދުނާއިގެން، އުފާވެރި އަދި ޞުލްޙަވެރި މުޖުތަމަޢެއްގެ ތެރޭގައި، އަމިއްލަ އަދި ގައުމީ އަމާޒުތަކައިގެން ކުރިޔަށް ދިޔުމުގެ ހުރިހާ ވަޞީލަތެއް މާތް ﷲ ޞުބްޙާނަހޫ ވަތަޢާލާ މިންވަރު ކޮށްދެއްވާފައިވާ ބައެއްކަމުގައެވެ.

އެހެންވި އިރު ވެގެން މިއުޅެނީ ކީއްތޯއެވެ. އެކަމަށް އިންސާފު ކޮށްލެވޭތޯ ބަލައިލަމާތޯއެވެ! (ނުނިމޭ)

2011-11-05T21:32:00.001-07:00

ތަޢާރަފްގެ ބަސްކޮޅެއް

އަޅުގަޑުގެ ބްލޮގް (www.akdeen.blogspot.com) ވިދާޅުވަމުން އަދި ކޮމެންޓް ކުރައްވަމުން ގެންދެވި އެންމެހާ ބޭފުޅުންނަށް އަނެއްކާވެސް ހިތުގެ އެންމެ އިޚުލާޞްތެރި ޝުކުރު ދަންނަވަމެވެ. އެގިވަޑައިގަންނަވާނެ ފަދައިން މި ބްލޮގް ލިޔަން އަޅުގަޑު ފެށީ އަޅުގަޑުގެ ޙަޔާތުގެ ވާހަކައިންނެވެ. އަޅުގަޑުގެ އެންމެ ދުރު ހަދާންތަކުން ފެށިގެން، އަޅުގަޑު ދިރިއުޅެން ކުރި މަސައްކަތް ކަމުގައިވާ ދިވެހި ދައުލަތުގެ ޚިދުމަތުން 2008 ވަނަ އަހަރު ނޮވެމްބަރ މަހު އަޅުގަޑު ވަކިވުމާއި ހަމައަށެވެ. ދިވެހި ދައުލަތުން އަޅުގަޑުގެ ޢާއިލާއާއި އަޅުގަޑާއިމެދު ބެހެއްޓެވި އޯގާވެރިކަމާއި އަޅުގަޑުމެންނަށް ދެއްވި ޢިއްޒަތާއި ޝަރަފަށްޓަކައި މާތް ﷲ ރަސްކަންފުޅު ހަދާންކޮށް، ދިވެހި ރައްޔިތުންނަށް ޝުކުރު ދެންނެވުމުގެ ގޮތުންނެވެ. އަދި އަޅުގަޑަށް މާތް ﷲ މެދުވެރި ކޮށްދެއްވި ފުރުޞަތުތަކުން ހިތްވަރު ލިބިގެން ޢާއްމުކޮށް ދިވެހި ޒުވާނުން، ވަކިން ޚާއްޞަކޮށް އަޅުގަޑުގެ އުފަން ދަރިންނާއި ގާތްތިމާގެ މީހުން ދިވެހި ރައްޔިތުންނަށާއި ދައުލަތަށް ޚިދުމަތް ކުރުމުގެ މަތިވެރި ވާޖިބު އަދާކޮށްފާނެ ކަމުގެ ދަހިވެތި ނިޔަތުގައެވެ.

އާދެ، އަޅުގަޑުގެ އެވާހަކަ އަށްފަހު، ލިޔުމުގެ މަސައްކަތް ކުރިޔަށް ގެންދާނަމޭ ހީކޮށް، ދެތިން މަޟްމޫނެއް އަޅުގަޑުގެ ބްލޮގްގައި ޝާއިޢު ކުރީމެވެ. އެހެންނަމަވެސް، ދިރިއުޅުމުގެ ކަންތައް ދިޔަ ގޮތުން، ޚާއްޞަކޮށް އަޅުގަޑުގެ ލޯބިވާ މަންމަގެ ޚިދުމަތަށް އަޅުގަޑުގެ ހުރިހާ ވަގުތެއް ދޭން ބޭނުންވިލެއް ބޮޑުކަމުން، ލިޔުމުގެ މަސައްކަތް މެދު ކަނޑާލީއެވެ. މި ހުސްވި ޝައްވާލް މަހުގެ 10 ވަނަ ދުވަހު އަޅުގަޑުގެ ލޯބިވާ މަންމަ ދެމި އޮތުމުގެ ޢާލަމަށް ދަތުރު ކުރައްވައިފިއެވެ. އިންނާ ލިﷲ ވައިންނާ އިލައިޙި ރާޖިޢޫން. އެ މަރްޙޫމާގެ ފުރާނައަށް އުފާވެރިކަމާއި، ހިތްހަމަ ޖެހުމާއި، މަޑުމައިތިރިކަން މިންވަރު ކޮށްދެއްވާ، ސުވަރުގޭގެ ދާއިމީ ނިޢުމަތް ދެއްވާށި!

އަޅުގަޑުގެ ލިޔުން މިފަހަރު ބިނާ ކުރަން ގަޞްދުކޮށްފައިވަނީ ދައުލަތުގެ ޚިދުމަތުގައި އަޅުގަޑު އުޅުނު ދުވަސްވަރުގެ ތަޖުރިބާއިންނާއި، މިހާރު ގައުމުގައި ހިގަމުންދާ ކަންކަމުން އަޅުގަޑަށް ވިސްނޭ އެއްޗެއްގެ މައްޗަށް ބިނާކޮށް ގައުމުގެ ކުރިމަގާއި މެދު އަޅުގަޑު ދެކޭ ގޮތް ބަޔާން ކުރާށެވެ. އަޅުގަޑަކީ ޢިލްމީ މީހެއް ކަމަކަށް އެއްެވެސް ޙާލެއްގައި އަޅުގަޑު ނުދެކެމެވެ. އެހެންކަމުން އެންމެ ހެޔޮ ގޮތުގައި ވިސްނުމުގެ ގާބިލުކަން އަޅުގަޑުގެ ނެތި ދިޔުމަކީ، ހަމަ ވަރަށް އެކަށީގެންވާ ކަމެކެވެ. ވީމާ، ޢިލްމީ ނަޒަރަކުން ބަލާއިރު، އަޅުގަޑަށް ވިސްނޭ ގޮތަކީ ދެކޮޅު ނުޖެހޭ ގޮތަކަށްވުން ވަރަށް އެކަށީގެންވެއެވެ. އެފަދަ ކަންކަން ކިޔުންތެރިންގެ ކޮމެންޓްތަކަށް ބަލައިގެން އަޅުގަޑު މިލިޔުމުގައި އިޞްލާޙު ކުރަމުން ގެންދާނަމެވެ.

އަދި އެންމެހާ ކިޔުންތެރިންގެ ފަރާތުން އަޅުގަޑު ވަރަށް އިޚުލާޞްތެރި ކަމާއިއެކު ދަންނަވަން ބޭނުންވާ އިލްތިމާސެއް އެބައޮތެވެ. އެއީ، އަޅުގަޑުގެ މިލިޔުގައި އެއްވެސް ސަރުކާރަކަށް ނުވަތަ ސަރުކާރުގައި އެއްވެސް ގޮތަކުން ހިމެނިވަޑައިގަންނަވާ ބޭފުޅަކަށް، ނުވަތަ ސިޔާސީ ކަންކަމުގެ ތެރޭގައި އުޅުއްވާ ބޭފުޅަކަށް ވިޔަސް، ގަޞްދުގައި އަމާޒުކޮށްގެން ރަނގަޅު ނުވަތަ ނުރަނގަޅު ފާޑު ކިޔުމުގެ ގޮތުން، އެއްވެސް އެއްޗެއް ނުލިޔާނަމެވެ. އެހެންކަމުން، އަޅުގަޑު ލިޔާ އެއްޗަކާއި މެދު އެމޭރުމުން ދެކިވަޑައި ނުގަތުމަކީ، އަޅުގަޑުގެ ވަރަށް ބޮޑު އެދުމެކެވެ. މި ލިޔުމުގައި ލިޔެފައިވާނީ ހަމަ އެކަނި ޒަމާނުގެ މި ދުވަސްވަރަށް ނިޞްބަތްވާ އިޚުލާޞްތެރި ދިވެހި ދަރިއެއްގެ އިހުސާސްތަކާއި ޝުޢޫރުތަކެވެ.

އަޅުގަޑުގެ ޙަޔާތު ލިޔުނު އިރު މެދުކަނޑާނުލާ ހަމަ ކޮންމެ ދުވަހަކުވެސް އޭގެ ބައެއް އަޅުގަޑުގެ ބްލޮގްގައި ޝާއިޢު ކުރީމެވެ. އެގޮތަށް އެކަންކުރެވުނީ، އެކަންކަމަކީ އަޅުގަޑުގެ ހިތުގާ ވަރަށް ސާފުކޮށް ބިންވަޅު ނެގިފައިހުރި ޙަގީގަތްތަކަކަށް ވާތީއެވެ. މިލިޔުން އެގޮތަށް ޝާއިޢު ނުކުރެވޭނެކަން އަޅުގަޑަށް އެގެއެވެ. އެއީ، މިލިޔުން ލިޔަމުން ގެންދާއިރު ވަރަށް ބޮޑަށް ވިސްނުން ތަރުތީބު ކުރަން ޖެހޭނެތީއެވެ. އަދި، ކިޔުން ތެރިން ދެއްވާ ކޮމެންޓްތަކުންނާއި އަޅުގަޑުގެ ޚިޔާލުގެ ނާ ދަތުރު ކުރަމުންދާ ގޮތަކުން ގެންނަންޖެހޭ އިޞްލާޙުތަކެއް ހުންނާނެތީވެސް މެއެވެ. އެހެންނަމަވެސް، މާތްﷲ ގެ އިރާދަފުޅާއެކު، މާގިނަ ދުވަސްތަކެއް މެދުކެނޑުނަ ނުދީ، ލިޔުމުގެ ބައެއް ބްލޮގްގައި ޝާއިޢު ކުރުމުގެ ޢަޒުމް އޮތް ވާހަކަވެސް ދަންނަވާލަމެވެ.

އެންމެހާ ކިޔުންތެރިންނަށް ބާއްޖަވެރިކަމަށް އެދި ދުޢާ ކުރަމެވެ!

ފެށުން:

ދިވެހި ގައުމުގެ ދުސްތޫރީ ޙަޔާތުގައި ހިގާ މިދިޔަ 80 ވަރަކަށް އަހަރު ދުވަހުގެ ތެރޭގައި ވެރިކަމުގެ ނިޒާމް ކޮންމެ ގޮތަކަށް ހިގަމުން ދިޔަކަމުގައިވީ ނަމަވެސް، ގައުމުގެ ކުރިމަގާއިމެދު ރައްޔިތުންނަށް ސުވާލު ކުރާނެ ތަނެއް ވަރަށް ނުލިބެއެވެ. ގައުމުގެ ތަރައްގީއާއި ތަމައްދުނަށްޓަކާ، އެއިރަކު ލިބެންހުރި ވަސީލަތްތަކެއްގެ ބޭނުން ކުރައްވައިގެން ކުރަންޖެހޭ ހުރިހާ ކަމެއް އެއިރަކު އޮތް ސަރުކާރަކުން ގެންދެވީ ކުރުއްވަމުންނެވެ. އަދި ހުރިހާ އިރެއްގައިވެސް އެގޮތުން ކުރެވުނު މަސައްކަތްތަކުގެ ނަތީޖާ ދިޔައީ ފެންނަމުންނެވެ. ތެދުފުޅެކެވެ. 1932 ވަނަ އަހަރުގެ ކުރިން ގައުމުގައި އޮތް ވިރާސީ ރަސްކަމުގެ ކުލަވަރުތައް ދައުލަތް ހިންގުމުގައި އެކި ދުވަސްވަރު އެކިވަރަށް ފެންނަމުން ދިޔައެވެ. ސަރުކާރާ ޚިޔާލު އެއްގޮތްނުވާ މީހުންނާމެދު ކަންކުރެވިފައިހުރީ އެހާ ޢަދްލްވެރިކޮށެކޭ ދެންނެވޭކަށް ނެތެވެ. ހަމަ އެފަދައިން، ދައުލަތުގެ ބާރުތައް ހޯދުމަށް އޮތް ފުރުޞަތުތައް ކުޑަވެފައި މަގުތައްވެސް ހަމަ އެހާމެ ހަނިކަމުން، އެއިރަކު އުޅުނު އިޞްލާޙީ ޚިޔާލުގެ މީހުން އެބާރުތައް ހޯދުމަށްޓަކައި ކުރި މަސައްކަތްތައް ކޮށްފައިވަނީވެސް އެހާ ސާފު ސީދާ ކޮށެއް ނޫނެވެ. އަދި އެއިރަކު ހިގަމުން ދިޔަ ގާނޫނީ ނިޒާމާއިވެސް މުޅިން ޚިލާފަށެވެ. ނަތީޖާއަކީ، ތަރައްގީއާއި ތަމައްދުނުގެ ލަނޑުދަނޑިތަކާ ދިމާލަށް ހަލުވި ދުވެއްޔެއްގައި ގައުމު ދަތުރުކުރަމުން ދިޔަ އިރުވެސް، އެކަމަށް ބާރު ދޭނެ އެކަށީގެންވާ ސިޔާސީ ނިޒާމެއް ހަމަޖެހިފައި ނެތުމެވެ. އަދި ދުޅަހެޔޮ ސިޔާސީ ވާދަވެރިކަމެއް ގާއިމުވެ، އެވަގުތަކަށް އެންމެ އެކަށީގެންވާ ބަޔަކަށް ސިޔާސީ ބާރުތައް ލިބިގެން ދިޔުމުގެ ބަދަލުގައި، ސިޔާސީ ފިތުނަ ފަސާދައާއި ހަސަދަވެރިކަން ގައުމުގައި ޢާއްމު ވެގެން ދިޔުމެވެ. (ނުނިމޭ)

2011-02-07T23:07:00.000-08:00

މިޞްރުގެ ގެ ހަމަނުޖެހުންތަކުގެ ސަބަބު

މިޞްރުގެ އަމަން ބެލެހެއްޓުމުގެ ކަންތަކާ ސިފައިން ޙަވާލު ވެއްޖެކަމުގެ ފުރަތަމަ ނިޝާނެއްވެސް ފެނުނީ މިދިޔަ އާދިއްތަ ދުވަހުއެވެ. ތަންތަން ލޫޓުވަމުން ދިޔަ ހަތަރުސަތޭކަ ފަންސާހެއްހާ މީހުން ސިފައިން ހައްޔަރު ކުރިއެވެ. ފުލުހުންގެ އަސަރެއްވެސް ފެންނަން ނެތުމުގެ ސަބަބުން ޢާއްމުވެފައިވާ ލޫޓުވުންތަކަށް ޙައްލެއް ގެނައުމަށް އެންމެ ފަހުން ސިފައިން ނުކުންނަން ޖެހުނީއެވެ. މިނޫން އެހެން ކޮންޓްރޯލްތައްވެސް ފެންނަން ފެށިއެވެ. ބައެއް ޓްވީޓްތަކުން ހާމަވި ގޮތުގައި، ގާހިރާގައި ހުންނަ އަލްޖަޒީރާގެ އޮފީސް ސަރުކާރުން ބަންދު ކުރުމަށްފަހު، އެތާގައި މަސައްކަތް ކުރަމުން ދިޔަ ނޫސްވެރިންގެ ލައިސަންސްތައް ހިފެހެއްޓިއެވެ. މިޞްރުގެ ނައިލްސެޓުން އަލްޖަޒީރާ ބްރޯޑްކާސްޓް ކުރުން ކުރިއްސުރެ ވަނީ ހުއްޓުވާލެވިފައެވެ. ބައެއްމީހުން ބުނާ ގޮތުގައި ޤަތަރުގައި މުގޫ އޮންނަ އަލްޖަޒީރާ ޗެނަލް އަކީ މިޞްރުގެ ރައީސް ޙުސްނީ މުބާރިކާ ދެކޮޅެވެރި ޗެނަލެއް ކަމުގައި އޭނާ ދެކިވަޑައިގަނެއެވެ.

މިޞުރުގެ ދައުލަތުގެ ގާނޫނީ ޙައިޞިއްޔަތު ގެއްލިގެން މިދިޔައީ ކީއްވެގެންތޯއެވެ؟ ބާރާއި އަމުރުވެރި ކަމާއި މީ ވަރަށް ތަފާތު ދޭއްޗެކެވެ. "ބާރޭ" އަޅުގަޑު މިދަންނަވަނީ އިގިރޭސި ބަހުން ބުނާ "ޕަވަރ" ގެ މާނާގައެވެ. އަދި "އަމުރުވެރިކަމޭ" މި ދަންނަވަނީ އިގިރޭސި ބަހުންނަމަ "އޮތޯރިޓީ" ގެ މާނާގައެވެ. ބާރަކީ ބަޑިޔަކުންވެސް ހޯދި ދާނެ އެއްޗެކެވެ. ނަމަވެސް، އަމުރުވެރިކަމަކީ އެކުރާ އަމުރަކަށް ކިޔަމަންތެރިކަން އަދާ ކުރާނެ ނަމަ ލިބިގަނެވޭ އެއްޗެކެވެ. އަމުރުވެރިންނަކަށް ބަޑީގެ ބޭނުން ކުރާކަށް ނުޖެހޭނެއެވެ. މިވޭތިވެދިޔަ ހަފްތާއެއްހާ ދުވަހުގެ ތެރޭގައި މިޞްރުގައި ސަތޭކައަށްވުރެ ގިނަ މީހުން ބަޑީގެ ޝިކާރައަށްވެ، އެއަށްވުރެވެސް ގިނަ މީހުން އެކި ގޮތްގޮތުން ޒަޙަމް ވެއްޖެއެވެ. ރޭގަޑުގެ ކާރފިއު އަށް ތަބާވާން ސަރުކާރުން އެންގި އެންގުމަށް ގާތްގަޑަކަށް އެއްލައްކަ އަށްވުރެ ގިނަ މީހުން ތަބައެއް ނުވިއެވެ. މިޞްރުގަ އޮތް ޙުސްނީ މުބާރަކް ގެ ސަރުކާރުގެ އަމުރުވެރިކަން ގެއްލި ދިޔައީއެވެ.

އަމުރުވެރިކަމަކީ ގާނޫނީ ބިންގަލެއްގެ މައްޗަށް ބިނާ ކުރެވޭ އެއްޗެކެވެ. ވެރިންގެ ވެރިކަން ރައްޔިތުން ބަލައިގަންނަނީ އެމީހުންގެ ބާރާއި އަމުރުވެރިކަމަށް ގާނޫނީ ޙައްޞިއްޔަތެއް ވާކަން ގަބޫލް ކުރެވުނީމައެވެ. ޑިމޮކްރެޓިކް ގައުމުތަކުގައި އެ ޙައްޞިއްޔަތު ލިބެނީ ވޯޓް ފޮށިންނެވެ. މިޞްރުގައި 1952 ން 1970 އަށް އެ ޙައިޞިއްޔަތު ލިބުނީ މިޞުރު ހުޅަގުގެ ބާރުތަކުން މިނިވަން ކުރުމަށް އެގައުމުގެ ސިފައިން ކުޅުނު އިސް ރޯލުގެ ސަބަބުންނެވެ. އޭގެ ތެރޭގައި ސުއޭޒް ކެނޭލް މިޞުރުގެ ބާރުގެ ދަށަށް ގެނައުމަށް އިގިރޭސީންނާ ދެކޮޅަށް ކުރި ޖިހާދު ހިމެނެއެވެ. އަދި ސައިނާއީގެ މައްޗަށް ބާރުގަދަކޮށް ސުއޭޒް ކެނޭލްއިން ފައިދާ ހޯދަން އިޒްރޭލުން ހިންގި ދެކޮޅުވެރި ޙަރަކާތްތައް ބަލި ކުރުންވެސް އޭގެ ތެރޭގައި ހިމެނެއެވެ. ސުއޭޒް ކެނޭލް އަކީ މިޞުރު ސަރުކާރުން ބިނާކޮށް 1869 ވަނަ އަހަރު ހުޅުވި މިޞުރު ސަރުކާރުގެ ހަރު މުދަލެކެވެ. އެހެންނަމަވެސް، ހުޅަގު ބޭންކިންގ އުޞޫލުތަކުގެ ސަބަބުން މިޞްރު ސަރުކާރު ވަރަށް ބޮޑަށް ދަރަނިވެފަ އޮތް ވަގުތެއްގައި އިގިރޭސި ސަރުކާރުން ކުޑަ އަގަކަށް ސުއޭޒް ކެނޭލް ގަނެފައިވަނީ 1875 ވަނަ އަހަރުއެވެ.

އެއިރު މިޞްރުގައި އޮތް، އިންގިލާބީ ނެޝަނަލިސްޓް ލީޑަރ 1970 ގައި ދުނިޔެ ދޫކުރެއްވި ޖަމާލް ޢަބްދުލް ނާޞިރުގެ ވެރިކަމަށް ބާރުލިބިގެން ދިޔައީ، މިޞްރުގައި ހުރި ސެންޓްރަލް އެމެރިކަން ވައްތަރުގެ ހޭސިއެންޑާތައް ނައްތާލެއްވުމަށްފަހި އެ މަނިކުފާނުގެ ގެންނެވި ބިމާބެހޭ އިޞްލާޙުތަކުގެ ސަބަބުން އުފެދިގެން ދިޔަ ރޫރަލް މިޑްލް ކްލާސް ނުވަތަ ރަށްފުށުގެ މެދުފަންތީގެ ރައްޔިތުންގެ ކިބައިންނެވެ. ޢަބްދުލްނާޞިރުގެ ސަރުކާރުން އިސް ނަންގަވައިގެން ހިންގެވި އިންޑަސްޓްރިއަލައިޒާޝަން ޕްރޮގްރާމްގެ ސަބަބުންވެސް އެތައް ކޮންޓްރެކްޓަރުންތަކަކަށް ފައިދާވެ އާ ފަންތިއެއްގެ ރައްޔިތުންތަކެއް އުފެދިގެން ދިޔައެވެ.

1970 ން ފެށިގެން މިޞްރު ދަތުރު ކުރަން ފެށީ އައު މިޝްރާބަކަށެވެ. އަންވަރުލް ސާދާތުގެ ވެރިކަމުގައި އެމަނިކުފާނު މިޞުރުގެ އިގުތިޞާދު ހުޅުވާލައްވައި، ޔޫރަޕާ އެމެރިކާގެ އިންވެސްޓްމަންޓްތަކަށް ބަލަބަލާ ތިބި މުއްސަދި ކޮންޓްރެކްޓަރުންނަށް ފުރުޞަތުތަކެއް ދެއްވިއެވެ. އެ ދަނޑިވަޅަކީ އެއްވެސް މަންފާއެއްނެތް ޢަރަބި-އިޒްރޭލްގެ ހަގުރާމަޔާއިމެދު ރައްޔިތުން ހިތްހަމަ ނުޖެހިފަތިބި ވަގުތަކަށް ވުމާއިއެކު، 1978 ވަނަ އަހަރު ސާދާތު އިޒްރޭލާއެކު ވެވަޑައިގެން ޞުލްޙައިގެ މުއާހަދާ ވެގެން ދިޔައީ ރައްޔިތުންގެ ތާއީދު ނުހަނު ބޮޑަށް އެމަނިކުފާނަށް ލިބިވަޑައިގެން ކަމަކަށެވެ. އަދި މިޞުރާ އިޒްރޭލާ ދެމެދު މެދުކެޑުމެއްނެތި ހިގަމުންދިޔަ ހަގުރާމަތަކަށް ހުއްޓުމެއް ގެނުވައި، ހުޅަގުގެ އިންވެސްޓްމެންޓްތަކާއިއެކު މިޞުރުގެ ޓުވަރިސްޓް އިންޑަސްޓްރީ ކުރިއަރުވައި ތަރައްގީ ކުރުމަށް ހުޅުވުނު ހުޅުވުމަކަށެވެ. އަދި މިޞުރަށް ޔޫރަޕާއި އެމެރިކާގެ އެހީ ލިބުމަށްވެސް ފަހި ކުރުވަނިވި ކަމަކަށެވެ، މިޞުރު މިޝްރާބު ޖަހާފައިހުރީ ކަނާތަށެވެ.

އެހެންނަމަވެސް، 1960 އާއި 1970 އާއި ދެމެދު ޖަމާލް ޢަބްދުލް ނާޞިރުގެ ސޯޝަލިސްޓް ސިޔާސަތުތަކުގެ ސަބަބުން މިޞުރުގެ އެވްރެޖް ޙަގީގީ މުސާރާތައް ދެގުނަ ވެގެން ދިޔައިރު، 1970 އާއި 2000 އާއި ދެމެދު މިޞުރަށް ޙަގީގީ ތަރައްގީ އެއް ނުލިބުނެވެ. މައްސަލައިގެ އެއް ސަބަބަކަށްވީ މިޞުރުގެ އާބާދީއެވެ. އާބާދީ އިތުރުވަމުންދާ ނިސްބަތަކީ ސައްތައިން ތިނެއް ކަމަށްވެފައި އިގުތިޞާދު ކުރިއަރަމުންދަނީވެސް ހަމަ އެ ނިސްބަތުން ކަމުގައިވާނަމަ، ބޮލަކަށްޖެހޭ ނިސްބަތުން އިގުތިޞާދީ ކުރިއެރުމެއް ނެތީ ނޫންތޯއެވެ؟ ތަފާސް ހިސާބުތައް ދައްކާ ގޮތުގައި މިޞުރާއި އަދި މެދުއިރުމަތީގެ އެހެނިހެން ގައުމުތަކުގެ އާބާދީވެސް 1850 އިން ފެށިގެން އަންނަމުންދަނީ ވަރަށް ބޮޑަށް އިތުރުވަމުންނެވެ. ރަށްފުށުގެ މަސައްކަތަށްވުރެ ބޮޑު މުސާރަތައް ލިބޭތީ މިޞުރުގެ އާބާދީގެ ދެބައިކުޅަ އެއްބަޔަށްވުރެ ގިނަމީހުން މިހާރު ދިރިއުޅެމުން ދަނީ ސިޓީތަކުގައެވެ. އޭގެ ސަބަބުން އެތައް ރަށްފުށެއްވެސް މިހާރުވަނީ ބޮޑެތި ސިޓީތަކާއި ގުޅިފައިވާ "ސަބަރބް" ތަކަށް ބަދަލުވެފައެވެ.

އެހެންކަމުން ރަށްފުށުގެ މެދުފަންތީގެ ރައްޔިތުންނަކީ އަދިވެސް މުހިއްމު ބަޔަކަށްވީ ނަމަވެސް، އެބައިމީހުންނަކީ ސަރުކާރަށް އޮންނަ ތާއީދުގެ އެހާ ބަރުދަންހުރި ބަޔަކަށް މިހާރަކު ނުވެއެވެ. ސަރުކާރުގެ މަގްބޫލްކަން މިހާރު ދެމެހެއްޓޭނީ ސިޓީތަކުގަ ދިރިއުޅޭ ގިނަ ބަޔެއްގެ ރުހުން ހޯދިގެންނެވެ. އެހެންނަމަވެސް، 1981 އިން ފެށިގެން އެމެރިކާއިން ރައީސް ހުސްނީ މުބާރަކްގެ މައްޗަށް ލާޒިމް ކުރަމުން ގެންދާ ނިއޯ ލިބަރަލް ސިޔާސަތު ތަކަކީ ރައްޔިތުންގެ ރުހުން ލިބިދެނިވި ސިޔާސަތުތަކަކަށް ނުވިއެވެ. މިޞްރުގެ ސިޓީތަކުގައި ވަޒީފާނެތް މީހުން ވަރަށް ގިނައެވެ. އަދި ތަކެތީގެ އަގުތައް އެހާމެ ބޮޑެވެ. ތެދުފުޅެކެވެ. މިޞުރުގެ އިގުތިޞާދު މުއްސަދިން އުފައްދައިފިއެވެ. އެހެންނަމަވެސް، މަސައްކަތްކުރާ ގިނަ ބަޔަކު ކުރިޔަށްވުރެ ފަހަށް ވެއްޓިގެން ހިގައްޖެއެވެ. ހައިސްކޫލާ ކޮލެޖް ނިންމާ ގިނަ ޢަދަދެއްގެ ކުދިންނަށް އެކުދިން ޙާޞިލް ކޮށްފައިވާ ތަޢުލީމާ ނުވަތަ ހޯދާފައިވާ ތަމްރީނާ އެކަށީގެންވާ ވަޒީފާއެއް ނުލިބޭތާ އެއްވެސް ކަހަލަ ވަޒީފާއެއް ނެތް ކުދިން އެހާމެ ގިނައެވެ. މިޞުރުގެ ސިޓީތައް އެކުލެވިގެންވަނީ "މުއްސަދިންނާ" "ފަގީރުން" ގެ މައްޗަށެވެ. މެދުފަންތީގެ ރައްޔިތުން ނުވަތަ މިޑްލް ކްލާސް މީހުން ސިޓީތަކުގައި އެހާމެ މަދެވެ. ލޭބަރ ޔުނިއަން ތަކުގެ ޙަރަކާތްތަކަކީ މާބޮޑު ފައިދާއެއް ކުރަނިވި ޙަރަކާތްތަކަކަށް ނުވިނަމަވެސް، ސަރުކާރުން އެޙަރަކާތްތައް ހިންގިޔަ ނުދީ މަނާކުރެއެވެ.

ނަތީޖާއަކީ މިޞުރުގެ މިހާރު އޮތް ސަރުކާރަކީ މަދު ބަޔަކަށް ނިސްބަތްވާ ސަރުކާރެއްގެ ގޮތުގައި ފެންނަން ފެށުމެވެ. ގިނަ ބަޔަކު ސިޓީތަކަށް ހިޖުރަ ކުރަމުން ދިޔަ ވަރަކަށް ސަރުކާރަށް ކުރިން އޮތް ރަށްފުށުގެ މެދުފަންތީގެ މީހުންގެ ތާއީދު ދިޔައީ މަދުވަމުންނެވެ. ސަރުކާރުން ސިޓީ ތަކުގައި ދިރިއުޅެމުން އަންނަ މަސައްކަތް ކުރާ މެދުފަންތީގެ މީހުންނަށް ކޮށްދެވޭ މާބޮޑު ކަމެއް ނެތެވެ. މިޞުރުގެ ޓުވަރިސްޓް ހޮޓާތަކުގައި ބައްދަލުވުން ތަކުގައި ވަގުތު ހޭދަ ކުރަމުންދާ، "ސްޓޭޓް ބިޒްނެސް ކްލާސް" ނުވަތަ ސަރުކާރުގެ ހިތްހެޔޮކަމާ މަދަދު ލިބިގެން ކުރިއަރާ ވިޔަފާރިވެރިންގެ ކްލާހެއް އުފެދިގެން ދިޔައެވެ. އެހެންނަމަވެސް، ވޭތިވެދިޔަ ދިހަ އަހަރުގެ ކުރިއެރުން ކަމުގައި ހަމައެކަނި ކަރުދާހުން ދައްކަމުން އައި ކުރިއެރުމުގެ އެއްވެސް މަންފާއެއް ގިނަ ޢަދަދެއްގެ ހައިސްކޫލް އަދި ކޮލެޖް ގްރެޖުއޭޓުންނަކަށް ނުލިބުނެވެ. އެމީހުންނަށް ޖެހުނީ ޓެކްސީ ޑްރައިވަރުން ނޫނީ ބާޒާރުމަތީ ދޫލަ ވިއްކާ މީހުންގެ ފެންވަރަށް ތިރިވާށެވެ.

އެއްގޮތަކުން ބަލާއިރު މިޞުރުގައި އޮތް މިލިޓަރީ ސަރުކާރަށް ޢާއްމުންގެ ތާއީދު ލިބިގެން އައީ، އެމެރިކާގެ ރައީސް އައިޒަންހަވަރުގެ އެހީގައި 1956 ން 1957 ށް ފްރާންސާއި އިގިރޭސި ވިލާތާއި އަދި އިޒްރޭލާ ކެރިތިބެ ކުރިމަތިލީ ލުމެވެ. އެކަމާ އަޅާ ބަލާއިރު ކޭމްޕް ޑޭވިޑް ގެ މުއާހަދާ އަށްފަހު މެދު އިރުމަތީގަ ހިގި ބޮޑެތި ހަގުރާމަތަކުން އެއްކިބާވެ އޮވެ މިޞުރު ހޯދީ އެހެން ގައުމުތަކާ ވަކިން ހޯދި ޞުލްޙައެކެވެ. އިޒްރޭލުން ގާޒާ ބަންދު ކޮށްލުމުގާ މިޞުރުން ދިން އެއްބާރުލުމާއި، އެމެރިކާއާ އިޒްރޭލާއެކު މިޞުރުން ވެފައިވާ ހާމަކަންކުޑަ އިއްތިހާދަކީ، އިގުތިޞާދީ ގޮތުން ހިތްހަމަނުޖެހިފައި ތިބި ޒުވާން އާބާދީ އަކަށް ސިޔާސީ ގޮތުން ތަހައްމަލް ކުރެވޭ ވަރުގެ ކަމަކަށް ނުވިއެވެ. އިރާގަށް އަރައިގަތުމުގަޔާ ތުހުމަތު ކުރެވޭ އަލްގައެދާގެ ފައުޖީން ތަހުގީގް ކުރާއިރު އަނިޔާ ކުރުމުގައި ފަރުދާގެ އަނެއް ފަރާތުން މިޞުރުން އެމެރިކާ އަށް ވެދޭ އެހީއަކީ އެންމެންނަށްވެސް އެގޭ ޙަގީގަތެކެވެ. އިރާގު ހަގުރާމައާ އެގައުމުގާ މީހުންނަށް ކުރާ އަނިޔާގެ ވާހަކައަށްވުރެ މިޞުރު މީހުން ވަކިން ނުރުހޭ ވާހަކައެއް ނޯވެއެވެ. ނަތީޖާއަކަށްވީ 1950 ގެ އަހަރުތަކާއި 1960 ގެ އަހަރުތަކުގައި މިޞުރުގެ ސަރުކާރަށް އޮތް ފުޅާ ތާއީދު ގެއްލި ވަކި އިމްތިޔާޒްތަކެއް ލިބިގެންތިބި ހަނި ދާއިރާއެއްގެ ބައެއް ހަމައެކަނި ތާއީދު ކުރާ ސަރުކާރަކަށް މިޞުރުގެ ސަރުކާރު ބަދަލުވެގެން ދިޔުމެވެ. އަދި އެތައް އަހަރެއްވަންދެން އިގިރޭސީންގެ އަތްދަށުވެފަ އޮތްއޮތުމުން ސަލާމަތްވެ މިނިވަންކަމާއި ގަދަރު ހޯދަން ކުރެވުނު މަސައްކަތުގެ ރަމްޒަކުން ހުޅަގުން އޮޅުކޮށްގެން ގެންގުޅޭ ބުޅަލެއްގެ ސިފައަށް މިޞުރު ރައްޔިތުންގެ ކުރިމަތީގައި އެ ސަރުކާރު ބަދަލުވެގެން ދިޔުމެވެ.

މިވޭތިވެދިޔަ ހަފްތާގެ ތެރޭގައި މިޞުރުގާ ހިގާދިޔަ ހާދިޘާތަކަކީ ވަރަށް ހަލުވި ކަމާއެކު އިތުރުވަމުން އަންނަ މެދުފަންތީގެ މަސައްކަތް ކުރާ މީހުންނާ ސަރުކާރާ ދެމެދު ގުޅުން ކުޑަވުމާއި، ކޮލެޖް ތައުލީމް ޙާޞިލްކޮށްފައިވާ އެތައް ބައިވަރު މީހުންނަށް ވަޒީފާގެ ފުރުޞަތުތައް ހޯދާ ދިނުމުގެ ގާބިލްކަން ސަރުކާރުގާ ނެތުމުގެ ނަތީޖާއެވެ. ތަޢުލީމް ޙާޞިލު ކޮށްގެންތިބި މަތީ ފަންތީގެ މީހުންގެ އިގުތިޞާދީ ޙަރަކާތްތަކަށް ގާނޫނީ އޮނިގަޑެއް ބޭނުންވާނެއެވެ. މިޞުރު ސަރުކާރުން ގެންގުޅޭ އެކިފަހަރު އެކި ގޮތަށް ކަންކަން ކުރުމުގެ އުޞޫލަކީ މި މަގުޞަދު ޙާޞިލް ވާނޭ ގޮތެއްނޫނެވެ. 1950 އާއި 1960 ގެ އަހަރުތަކުގައި މިޞުރުގެ އިގުތިޞާދީ ކުރިއެރުމުގައި ސަރުކާރުގެ ދައުރު ވަރަށް ރަނގަޅަށް އެގެން އޮތްނަމަވެސް، ވޭތިވެ ދިޔަ ދިހަ އަހަރުގެ ތެރޭގައި ގައުމުގެ އިގުތިޞާދު ސައްތައިން ފަހެއް ނުވަތަ ހައެއް ކުރިއަރާފައިވާ ކުރިއެރުމުގައި ސަރުކާރުގެ ދައުރު އެހާ ރަނގަޅަށް ފެންނާކަށް ނެތެވެ. ވިޔަފާރި ފުޅާވުމުގެ މަންފާ ލިބިގަތީ ވަކި ފަންތިއެއްގެ މަދު ބަޔެކެވެ. މިސާލަކަށް 1991 ވަނަ އަހަރު އޭރު ހުރި ސަރުކާރުގެ 314 ފެކްޓަރީއިން 150 ފެކްޓަރީ ވިއްކާލެވުނުއިރު އެއިން މަންފާކުރީ ވަރަށް ހަނިދާއިރާއެއްގެ މަދު މީސްކޮޅަކަށެވެ.

2008 ން 2009 ށް ދުނިޔޭގެ އިގުތިޞާދަށް އައި ހީނަރު ކަމުން ކިރިޔަ ކިރިޔާ އުޅެވެމުން އައި އެތައްބައިވަރު މިޞުރު މީހުންނަށް ވަރަށް ނުބައި އަސަރު ކުރިއެވެ. ވަރަށް ގިނަ ފަގީރުން އިތުރަށް ފަގީރުވިއެވެ. އޭގެ ފަހުން ތެލުގެ އަގުދަށްވުމާއި ތެލުން ލިބޭ އާމްދަނީ މަދުވުމުގެ ސަބަބުން، ވަރަށް ގިނަ މިޞުރު މީހުންނަށް ލިބިފައި އޮތް އިގުތިޞާދީ ރައްކާތެރިކަން ގެއްލިގެން ދިޔައެވެ. އެމީހުންގެ ޢާއިލާތަކަށް ފޮނުވަމަުންދިޔަ ރެމިޓެންސްތައް ހުއްޓުނެވެ. ނޫނީ، ލަދުވެތިކަމާއިއެކު ވަޒީފާގެއްލިފައިވާ ބައެއްގެ ގޮތުގައި އެބުރި ގައުމަށްދާން އެމީހުންނަށް ޖެހުނެވެ.

ކިތަންމެ ގިނަ އުނިކަމަކާ އެކުގައި ނަމަވެސް، މިޞުރުގައި ކުރީގަ އޮތް ނާޞިރީ ސަރުކާރަށް ގާނޫނީ ޙައިޞިއްޔަތު ލިބިގެން ދިޔައީ ގައުމާއި ގައުމުން ބޭރުގަވެސް މިޞުރުގެ ގިނަ ބަޔަކަށް މަންފާ ކުރުނުވި ސަރުކާރެއްކަމުގަ އެ ސަރުކާރު ވީތީއެވެ. އެއާ ޚިލާފަށް މިހާރު މިޞުރިގައި އޮތްސަރުކާރާ މެދު މިޞުރު މީހުން ދެކެނީ އެއީ މިޞުރުގެ މުއްސަދި މަދު މީސްކޮޅަކަށާއި، އެމެރިކާއަށާއި، ފަރަންސޭސި ވިލާތަށާއި، އިގިރޭސި ވިލާތަށާއި، އިޒްރޭލަށްޓަކައި އޮތް ސަރުކާރެއްކަމުގައެވެ. މިޞުރުގަ ނުކުމެގެން މިއުޅޭ މައްސަލައަކީ އިސްލާމް ދީނާ ގުޅިފައިވާ މައްސަލައެއް ނޫނެވެ. އެކި އެކި ދީނީ ޖަމާޢަތްތަކުން މިޞުރު ސަރުކާރާ އިދިކޮޅަށް އެ ގައުމުގެ ރައްޔިތުން ކުރަމުން ގެންދާ މުޒާހަރާތަކުގައި ބައިވެރިވި ނަމަވެސް، އެއީ މައްސަލައިގެ ސަބަބެއް ނޫނެވެ. ހަމަ އެކަނި ނަތީޖާއެކެވެ. މިލިޓަރީ ބޭފުޅުން ގައުމުގެ ނާއިބު ރައީސް ކަމަށާއި ބޮޑުވަޒީރު ކަމަށް ރައީސް ހުސްނީ މުބާރަކް އިސް ކުރެއްވި ނަމަވެސް، މައްސަލަ ހަމަނުޖެހޭނެ ސަބަބަކީ އެއީއެވެ. އެބޭފުޅުންނަކީވެސް މައްސަލައިގެ ސަބަބު ކަމަށްވީ ހިނދު، ރައީސް މުބާރަކަށް އޮތް ގާނޫނީ ޙައިޞިއްޔަތާ އެއްވަރުގެ ގާނޫނީ ޙައިޞިއްޔަތެއްވެސް އެބޭފުޅުންނަށް ނެތީމައެވެ.

2011-02-07T22:19:00.000-08:00

ގައުމުގެ މައްސަލަތަކަށް ރޫހާނީ ޙައްލެއް؟

ބައެއްފަހަރަށް ފަހަތަށް ޖެހިލާފަ މުޅި ގައުމާ ދިމާލަށް މީހެއްގެ ސިފައިގާ ބަލައިލުމަކީ ރަނގަޅު ކަމަކަށް ވެދާނެއެވެ. އަޅުގަޑުމެންގެ ގައުމީ ހަޔާތުގާ ހޭދަ ކުރަމުން މިދާ މިދުވަސްވަރަކީ އަޅުގަޑުމެންނާ ވަރަށް ބޮޑެތި ގައުމީ މައްސަލަތަކާ ކުރިމަތިވެފައިވާ ދުވަސްވަރެކެވެ. އެ މައްސަލަތަކަށް ތަފާތު ދިމަދިމާލުން ތަފާތު ޙައްލުތައް ހުށަހެޅެމުން އެބަދެއެވެ. މީހެއްގެ ޙަޔާތުގާވެސް ބޮޑެތި މައްސަލަތަކާ ކުރިމަތިވާ ހިނދު އެ މައްސަލަތަކަށް ޙައްލެއް ހޯދަން ކުރާ މަސައްކަތުގާ ބޮޑެތި ފުށުއެރުންތަކާއި ހަލަބޮލިކަމާ ކުރިމަތިލާންޖެހެއެވެ. އެމީހެއްގެ ޚިޔާލުތަކުގައެވެ. އެމީހެއްގެ ހިތުގެ އިހުސާސްތަކާއި ޙަގީގަތްތަކާއި ދެމެދުގައެވެ. މިއަދު އަޅުގަޑުމެންގެ ލޮބުވެތި ގައުމުންވެސް ފެންނަމުން މިދަނީ ހަމަ އެތަނެވެ. ޢާއްމު ތަންތާގައި އަޑުގަދަ ކޮށްގަނެގެން ކަންކަމުގެ ޙަގީގަތް އޮޅުވާލާ ކުޑަދޮރުން ބޭރު ކޮށްލުމަކީ މިއަދު އަޅުގަޑުމެންގެ ތެރޭގައި ޢާއްމު ވެފައިވާ ކަމެކެވެ. ކޮންމެ މުނާސިބަތެއްގައި ވިޔަސް، އަދި ކޮންމެ ތަނެއްގައި ނަމަވެސް، އަބަދުވެސް އަނެކާ، އެއީ ކޮންމެ މީހެއްނަމަވެސް، ކުށްވެރިކޮށްލާ ހިތުގަ ޖައްސާލައި، ހުރިހާ ކަމަކާއިމެދުވެސް މަލާމަތް ނަޒަރަކުން ދުށުން އަޅުގަޑުމެންގެ މުޖުތަމަޢުގާ މިވަނީ ޢާއްމު ވެފައެވެ. އަޅުގަޑުމެން އެއްވެސް މީހަކަށް ރަނގަޅު ހަމަ އެއްވެސް ކަމެއް ނުފެންނަ ހިނދު، ނުބައިކޮށް ހުރި ހުރިހާ ކަމެއް ފެންނަމުންދަނީ ރައީސް މައުމޫން ނުވަތަ ރައީސް ނަޝިދުގެ ސިފައިގައެވެ. ރައްޔިތުންގެ މަޖިލީހާ މެދު ވިސްނާލާއިރު ގައުމީ މުހިއްމު މައްސަލަތަކެއް އެތާގައި ނިމެމުންދިޔަ ނަމަވެސް، މިޒަމާނުގާ ގައުމަށް ކުރިމަތި ވެފައިވާ އެންމެ އަސާސީ ބޮޑެތި މައްސަލަތަކާއިމެދު، އާދެ، އެއްބައިވަންތަ އެއްބަޔެއްވަންތަ ބިނާކުރަނިވި ގައުމެއްގެ ގޮތުގައި ދިވެހި ގައުމު ދެމިއޮތުމާއިމެދު، އެހާ ފުން ނަޒަރަކުން މަޖިލީހުން ވިސްނަވަޔޭ އަޅުގަޑަށް ދެންނެވޭކަށް ނެތެވެ.

ކަންމިހެން އޮތްނަމަވެސް، އިންސާނުންނެކޭ އެއްފަދައިން ގައުމުތަކުންވެސް، އެ ގައުމުތަކުގެ މައްސަލަތައް ޙައްލު ކުރެއެވެ. ގައުމުތަކަށް އެކަން ކުރެވިފައިހުރީ އެގައުމެއްގެ މީހުންގެ ހިތްވަރާއި، ހަރުދަނާ ކަމާއި، ރޫހާނިއްޔަތު ދެނެގަނެ ކުރިޔަށް ނެރެގެންނެވެ. އަޅުގަޑު މިތަނުގައި "ރޫހާނިއްޔަތު" ބޭނުން ކޮށްފައި އެވަނީ، މީހަކު އެންމެ ދަށު ދަރަޖައަށް ވެއްޓޭއިރު، އެމީހެއްގެ އަގީދާ ވަރުގަދަކޮށް އުއްމީދުގެ ހުޅުކޮޅު ނިވުނަ ނުދީ ހިފަހައްޓައިދެނީ އެހެން އެއްވެސް އެއްޗަކަށްވުރެ ބޮޑަށް އެމީހެއްގެ ރޫހާނިއްޔަތު ކަމުގައި އަޅުގަޑަށް ގަބޫލް ކުރެވިފައި އޮންނާތީއެވެ. ގަބޫލް ކުރަންޖެހޭ ޙަގީގަތަކީ މީހަކު އެންމެ ދަށު ދަރަޖައަށް ވެއްޓޭއިރުވެސް އޭނާގެ ރޫހާނިއްޔަތު މަރުނުވާ ކަމާއި، އެ ރޫހާނިއްޔަތުގެ ސަބަބުން އެމީހަކަށް ދިރުން ލިބޭ ކަމެވެ. މީހަކާ ހިތާމަވެރިކަމެއް ނުވަތަ ގިލަންވެރިކަމެއް ކުރިމަތިވުމުން އެމީހަކު އެންމެ ފުރަތަމަ ކުރިޔަށް ނެރެނީ ރޫހާނިއްޔަތެއް ނޫނެވެ. އެންމެ ފުރަތަމަ ސިހެނީއެވެ. ދެން ހަދާނެގޮތް ހުސްވަނީއެވެ. އެއަށްފަހު ނޫންކަމަށް ހެދިފަ، ދެން ބިރުގަންނަނީއެވެ. މިކަންކަން ފިލައިގޮސް ރޫހާނިއްޔަތު ބާރުގަދަ ކުރަން ދުވަސްކޮޅެއް ނަގާފާނެއެވެ. އެހެންނަމަވެސް، އެއީ ހަމަ ޔަގީނުންވެސް ވާނޭ ކަމެއްކަމުގައި އަޅުގަޑު ދެކެމެވެ. އަޅުގަޑުމެންގެ މިލޮބުވެތި ދިވެހި ގައުމުގެ އަދުގެ ޙާލަތީވެސް މީ ނޫންތޯއެވެ. ރައްޔިތުން އެދެމުންދިޔަ ޑިމޮކްރެސީގެ ފޮނިރަހަ ރައްޔިތުންނާ ހަމައަށް ފޯރުކޮށް ދިނުމަށް ގައުމު ކުރި ބުރަ މަސައްކަތްތަކާއި ގުޅިގެން ފެންނަމުން މިދާ މަންޒަރުތަކާއިހުރެ އަޅުގަޑުމެން މިތިބީ ސިއްސައިގެންގޮސް ބިރުވެރިކަމެއްގެ ތެރޭގައެވެ.

އެހެންނަމަވެސް، ގައުމު އަނބުރާ އިއާދަ ކުރުމުގެ ނަޒަރަކުން ބަލާއިރު، ގައުމުގެ ކުރިމަތީގައިހުރި މައްސަލަތަކަށް ޙައްލެއް ހޯދުމުގައި، އަނިޔާވެރި ނުވަތަ ހިތުގަ ޖައްސަނިވި ޙައްލަކަށް ނުވުމާއި، ކުރިޔަށްވުރެ އުފާވެރި ޙަޔާތަކަށް މަގުފަހިކޮށްދޭ ޙައްލަކަށްވުމާއި، ހެދިފައިހުރި ގޯސްތަކުން ތަޖުރިބާ ޙާޞިލް ކޮށްދެނިވި ޙައްލަކަށް ވުމާއި، ރުޅި އިސްކުރުމާއި ބިރުގަތުން ހުއްޓެނިވި ޙައްލަކަށްވުމާއި، ގޮތްދޫނުކުރުމުން އެއްކިބާވާ ޙައްލަކަށްވުން، މުހިއްމު ކަމުގައި އަޅުގަޑު ދެކެމެވެ. މި ދެންނެވި ކަންކަމާއިމެދު ތަންކޮޅެއް ތަފްޞީލުކޮށް ބަލައިލަމާތޯއެވެ،

އަނިޔާވެރި ނުވަތަ ހިތުގަ ޖައްސަނިވި ޙައްލަކަށް ނުވުން: ބަލިވެގެން ބޭސްކުރަން ޑޮކްޓަރަށް ދާއިރުވެސް އަޅުގަޑުމެން އުއްމީދު ކުރަނީ ވީހާ ތަދުކުޑަކޮށް ބަލި ރަނގަޅުވުމަށެވެ. އެހެންވީމާ، ގައުމީ މައްސަލަތައް ޙައްލު ކުރުމުގައިވެސް ވީވަރަކުން މީހުނަށް އަނިޔާ ނުވެ، ވީ އެންމެ ގެއްލުން ކުޑަ ގޮތަކަށް އެ މައްސަލަތައް ޙައްލު ކުރެވޭނެ ގޮތެއް އަޅުގަޑުމެން ހޯދަންވާނެއެވެ. ގައުމީ މައްސަލަތައް ޙައްލު ކުރަން ގަޞްދު ކުރާގޮތް އަޅުގަޑުމެންގެ ވެރިން އަޅުގަޑުމެންނަށް ކިޔާދޭއިރު އެގޮތަކީ އަޅުގަޑުމެންގެ ތެރެއިން ބަޔަކަށް ހިތްހަމަ ނުޖެހުމާއި ހިތްދަތިކަން ލިއްބައިދޭ ގޮތަކަށް ވާކަށެއް އަޅުގަޑުމެން އެކަކުވެސް ބޭނުމެއް ނުވާނެއެވެ. އެއާ ޚިލާފަށް އަޅުގަޑުމެންގެ ތެރެއިން ހަމަ ކޮންމެ މީހަކުވެސް އެދޭނެ ގޮތަކީ އެންމެންނަށްވެސް ހިތްހަމަ ޖެހުމާއި އުފާވެރިކަން ލިއްބައިދެނިވި ގޮތަށް ގައުމީ މައްސަލަތައް ހައްލުވެގެން ދިޔުމެވެ. އަޅުގަޑުމެންގެ ތެރެއިން ހަމަ ކޮންމެ މީހަކުވެސް އަހަން ބޭނުންވާނެ މެސެޖަކީ މީކަން ހަމަ ކަށަވަރެވެ.

ކުރިޔަށްވުރެ އުފާވެރި ޙަޔާތަކަށް މަގުފަހުވުން: އެންމެ ގޯސްކޮށް ވިސްނާއިރު ދިވެހިންނަކީ އެކަކު އަނެކަކާމެދު އޯގާވެރިކަމެއްނެތް، ފިތުނަވެރި، ފަސާދައިން ފުރިފައިވާ ބަޔަކެވެ. އެހެންނަމަވެސް ދިވެހިންނަކީ ހަމަ ތަރައްގީ އާއި މަދަނިއްޔަތާއި، އަމިއްލަ ނަފްސްގެ ކުރިއެރުމަށްވެސް ވިސްނާ ބަޔެކެވެ. މިފަދަ އުއްމީދީ ޚިޔާލުތަކުގެ އަޞްލަކަށްވަނީ ދިވެހިންނަކީ ރޫހާނީ ވިސްނުމުގެ ވެރި ބަޔެއްކަމަށްވެސް އަޅުގަޑަށް ދެކެވޭތީއެވެ. ދިވެހިންގެ ދުނިޔެއަކީ ހަމައެކަނި ކަރުނައިގެ ދުނިޔެއެއް ނޫނެވެ. އެއާ ޚިލާފަށް ދިވެހިންގެ ދުނިޔެއަކީ ކެތްތެރިކަމާއި، އިއުތިގާދާއި، އުުއްމީދުގެ ދުނިޔެއެއްވެސް މެއެވެ. އެއް ޙާލަތުން އަނެއް ޙާލަތަށް ބަދަލުވުމަކީ އިންސާނުންނަށް ތަބީޢީ ކަމަކަށް ވާއިރު، ދިވެހިންގެ މެދުގައި މިހާރު މިއުޅޭ މައްސަލަތަކުން އެންމެ ފަސޭހައިން އަޅުގަޑުމެންނަށް ނުކުމެވޭނީ، އެ މައްސަލަތަކަށްވުރެ އަޅުގަޑުމެންގެ ޚިޔާލާއި ވިސްނުން ތަނަވަސްވެގެންނެވެ. އެ މައްސަލަތަކަށްވުރެ އަޅުގަޑުމެން ބޮޑެތިވެވިގެންނެވެ. ބައެއް މީހުންގެ ނަޒަރުގައި މިއިން ދުވަހަކުވެސް މި މައްސަލަތައް ފަހަނައަޅައި އަޅުގަޑުމެންނަށް ނުދެވޭނެކަމަށް ދެކޭ ދެކުމަކީ، މިއުޅޭ މައްސަލަތަކާއިމެދު ރޫހާނީ ނަޒަރަކުން ނުބެލެވޭތީ ދެކެވޭ ނަޒަރެއްކަމުގައި ނޫނީ ނުވާނެއެވެ.

ހެދިފައިހުރި ގޯސްތަކުން ތަޖުރިބާ ޙާޞިލް ކުރުން: މައްސަލަތަކާއި ކުރިމަތިވުމަކީ ﷲ ގެ ކޯފާ އަކަށް ނުވާނެ ނޫންތޯއެވެ. މައްސަލަތަކާ ކުރިމަތިވުމަކީ އެ މައްސަލަތައް ޙައްލު ކުރުމަށް މަގެއް ހޯދަން ލިބޭ ފުރުޞަތަކެވެ. އިޞްލާހާއި ބަދަލު ގެނައުމަކީ ކުރެވޭނެ ކަންކަމެވެ. އިސްލާހާއި ބަދަލު ގެނައުމަށް މަގު ހޯދާ މީހުންނާއި އެކަންކަމަށް މަގު ހޯދަން ބޭނުންނުވާ މީހުންނާ ދެމެދު ހުންނަ ތަފާތަކީ ކުޑަ ތަފާތަކަށް ނުވާނެއެވެ. އެހެންނަމަވެސް، އެކަންކަމަށް މަގު ހޯދުމަށް އެންމެ ބޮޑަށް ބޭނުންވާ އެއްކަމަކީ ހެދިފަހުރި ގޯސްތައް އަލުން ތަކުރާރު ވިޔަ ނުދިނުމަށްޓަކައި މާޟީ އިން ދަސްކުރަންޖެހޭ ފިލާވަޅުތައް ދަސްކުރުމާއި ތަޖުރިބާތައް ޙާޞިލް ކުރުމެވެ. މިހާރު ދިވެހި ގައުމަށް ކުރިމަތިވެފައިވާ މައްސަލަތަކަކީ ސިއްރެއްނޫނެވެ. މި ޙާލަތުން އަޅުގަޑުމެންނަށް އެއްވެސް ފިލާވަޅެއް ދަސްވެއްޖެކަން ނުވަތަ ތަޖުރިބާއެއް ޙާޞިލުވިކަން އެގެން ދުވަސްތަކެއް ނަގާފާނެއެވެ. އެހެންނަމަވެސް، އަލުން މިފަދަ ތަޖުރިބާތަކެއް ކުރުމަކީ ހަމަ އެއްވެސް ދިވެއްސަކު ބޭނުންވާނެ ކަމެއް ނޫންކަން ހަމަ ކަށަވަރެވެ.

ރުޅިއައުމާއި ބިރުގަތުން ހުއްޓުން: ރުޅި އިސްކުރަން ނުވަތަ ބިރު ގަންނަން ފަށައިފިނަމަ އަމިއްލަ ނަފްސާމެދު ޔަގީންކަން ކުޑަވުންނޫން އެހެން ނަތީޖާއެއް ނުނިކުންނާނެއެވެ. ބިރަކީ ތިމާގެ ތަބީޢީ ކަމެއް ކަމުގައި ހަދައިފިނަމަ ބިރުގަތުމުގެ ޝިކާރައަކަށް ތިމާވުންނޫން އެހެން ކަމެއް ނުވާނެއެވެ. ދިވެހި ގައުމު ހިންގުމުގެ ނިޒާމަށް ކުރިމަތިވަމުން މިދާ ނާކާމިޔާބީތަކަކީ ރުޅި އިސްވުމާއި ބިރުގަތުމުގެ ނަތީޖާއެވެ. މިހާރު ގައުމަށް ވެގެން މިއުޅޭ ގޮތަކީ އެއްބައެއް މާޔޫސްކަމާއި ހިތްހަމަނުޖެހުމުން އަނެއް ބަޔަކު ފައިދާ ނެގުމުގެ މައްސަލައެވެ. މައްސަލައިގެ ޙައްލަކީ ގައުމުގެ ހުންގާނުގައި ތިއްބެވި ވެރިން ރުޅި އިސްނުކުރުމަށާއި ބިރު ނުގަތުމަށް އެހެން މީހުންނަށް ނަޞޭހަތްތެރިވެވަޑައިގަތުމާއިއެކު، އެބޭފުޅުންގެ އިޚުލާޞްތެރިކަން ދެއްކެވުމެވެ.

ގޮތްދޫނުކުރުމުން އެއްކިބާވެ ތިބުން: މިއަދު ގައުމުގެ ޙާލަތަކީ ސިޔާސީ ފުޅަފުގެ ދެފަރާތުގައި ތިއްބެވި ހުރިހާ ބޭފުޅުންވެސް ގޮތްދޫނުކުރުމާއި ހަރުކަށި ކަމުގެ ތެރޭގައި ތިއްބެވުމެވެ. އެއްވެސް ބޭފުޅަކަށް ގޮތްދޫނުކުރެއްވުނީމާ ދެންވާގޮތަކީ މައްސަލަތައް ކުރިމަތިވުމަށް މަގުފަހުވަނީއެވެ. ގޮތްދޫކުރުމުގެ އެތައް ގޮތެއް ހުންނާނެއެވެ. އެހެންނަމަވެސް، އެންމެ ކުޑަމިނުން އަލިފާނަށް ތެޔޮ އެޅުން އަޅުގަޑުމެންނަށް ހުއްޓާލެވުނަސް އެކުރެވުނީ ވަރަށް ބޮޑުވަރެކެވެ. މުޖުތަމަޢެއްގެ ގޮތުގައި އަޅުގަޑުމެންނަކީ ނަސީބުވެރި ބަޔެކެވެ. ގައުމުގެ މީިހުންނަށް އުފާވެރި ކަމާއިއެކު ދިރިއުޅެވޭ ވަރަށް ގައުމަށް އާމްދަނީ ލިބެއެވެ. އަޅުގަޑުމެންނަކީ އަދިވެސް އެއްބައިވަންތަ އެއްބަޔެއްވަންތަ މުޖުތަމަޢެކެވެ. ގައުމުގެ އިގުތިޞާދު ކުރިޔަށް ގެންދިއުމަށްޓަކައި ހުޅުވެންހުރި މަގުތައް އެބަހުއްޓެވެ. އުފާވެރިކަން ޢާއްމު ކުރެވޭނެ ގޮތްތައްވެސް އެބަހިރުމެއެވެ. އެހެންނަމަވެސް އަމިއްލަ ނަފްސަށް ޖަވާބުދާރީ ނުވެވޭ ކަހަލަ ކަންކަން އަޅުގަޑުމެން ކުރަމުން ދިޔުމަކީ، މިހުރިހާ ނަސީބުވެރިކަމެއް ފުލުންދާ ކަމެކެވެ. އަޅުގަޑުމެންގެ އިހުސާސްތަކަކީ ޙަގީގަތެކެވެ. އެހެންނަމަަވެސް ހުރިހާ ފަހަރަކު އެ އިހުސާސްތައް ބިނާ ކުރެވިފައިވަނީ ހަގީގަތެއްގެ މައްޗަކަށް ނޫނެވެ. ދެކޮޅު ނުޖެހޭ ސިޔާސީ ކުރިމަތިލުން ތަކާއި، ދަހިވެތިކަމާއި، ފިތުނަ ފަސާދަ ފަދަ ކަންކަމުގައި ގޮތްދޫކުރުމަކީ އަޅުގަޑުމެންގާ ހުރި އެންމެ މާތްސިފަތައް ފެނިގެންދާނެ ކަންކަމެވެ. ގޮތްދޫކުރުމަކީ ކޮންމެހެން ބަލިވުމެއް ނުވަތަ ދެރަވުމެއް ނޫނެވެ. އެއީ ބައެއް ފަހަރު ހީވެފައި އޮންނަ ކުށްހީތަކުން އެއްކިބާވެ، ކުރިޔަށްދާނެ މަގު ތަނަވަސް ވެގެންދާނެ ކަމެކެވެ.

އަޅުގަޑު މިބަޔާން ކުރި ކަންކަމަށް ކޮންމެހެން "ރޫހާނީ" އޭ ނުކިޔަސް އެެންމެ ރަނގަޅުވާނެ އެވެ. އެހެންނަމަވެސް އެކަންކަމަކީ ދިވެހި ގައުމާ މިއަދު ކުރިމަތިވެފައިވާ މައްސަލަތައް ޙައްލު ކުރުމަށްޓަކައި އިންސާނީ ތަބިއްޔަތުގެ އެންމެ ނުބައި ކަމާއި އެންމެ ރަނގަޅު ކަމުގެ މައްޗަށް ބިނާކޮށް ހުށަހަޅާފައިވާ ޙައްލުތަކެކެވެ. އަޅުގަޑުމެން އެންމެންގެ ވެސް ތަޖުރިބާއަކީ، އިންސާނުންނަށް ކުރިމަތިވާ މައްސަލަތައް ޙައްލުވެގެންދަނީ އިންސާނުންގާ ހުންނަ އެންމެ މާތްސިފަތައް ކުރިޔަށް ނެރެވިގެންކަމެވެ. ޖުމްލަކޮށް ދިވެހި އުއްމަތުގާ އެސިފަތައް އެބަހުރިކަމާއިމެދު އަޅުގަޑުގެ ހިތުގާ އެއްވެސް ޝައްކެއްނެތެވެ.

Epilogue

2011-02-02T21:07:00.000-08:00

Since the change of government in November two thousand and eight I have lead a quiet life with my mother, wife and siblings at Ever Last. My children are dispersed between Kuala Lumpur, Colombo and Male’. Those who stay in Male’ are at my own house at Aanuveli, machangolhee. Everyday they come to see me at Ever Last, some with their own children, and when I see them all crowded in my small room together with their mother, I cannot imagine just what I have missed in those thirty six long years.

I have seldom given them my time, and only when it was extremely necessary, but with Allah’s good will and grace I enjoy excellent relations with each and everyone of them, thanks to the wonderful woman I married, who has made sure that my children gave me the same love and respect as much as they did her. My wife often travels abroad with my mother for her medicals, and I am attended to all the time by my children and my siblings who make sure that I am never alone. If I am even slightly ill my son goes to the extent of sleeping in my room to make sure I do not sleep walk . I am also grateful for my wife for the dedication and companionship I continue to enjoy with her.

The main reason why I continue to stay at Ever Last is to look after my mother in her old age. She has refused to go with me saying that it is her wish that her coffin leaves to the burial grounds from Ever Last where she had lived with my father. My mother was very attached to my brother Shakeeb who even though he did not stay here at Ever Last in his adult life, visited her at least once a day. I have seen him often lying on her lap and talking to her, and enjoying a movie with her. He even discussed with her the movies and series they watched together on television.

I was a bit jealous that I could not treat my mother the same way, as much of my time was taken up by my public life. Since it ended, I have tried to give the same treatment to my mother as my brother did. She is over seventy five now and quite frail and sickly. I visit her at least twice a day in her room and even though I don’t lie on her lap, I hold her hand and talk to her about many things. It is amazing how much she knows about what goes on in the country and the world. I also make sure that I eat at least one meal a day with her.

Sometimes I bring her to my room downstairs in the afternoons, and let her take a nap on my bed, while I work at my desk. She dozes off, and I watch her abdomen, the same abdomen that contains the womb which bore me and my siblings, heave up and down, and I hum the song “Chaltha Rahey” softly under my breathe, and I smile to myself and thank Allah for giving me such an amazing and wonderful mother. When she comes to my room in the afternoons, she would often bring a bar of cadbury’s chocolate and put it in my hand and whisper in my ear that she has a little present which she knows I would like. And I do love chocolates.

But public service is my passion, and I have tried to get back to it over the last two years. I contested the parliamentary elections for the Ihavandhoo constituency in two thousand and nine and lost. I also lost the DRP primary for the local council seat for machangolhee dhekunu held in two thousand and ten. No matter, the passion is still alive and I dream on.

I dream of my country as a bastion of Islam in the region and the world. A tolerant Islam that has no prejudice against the different valid ways in which it is practiced. An Islam that is tolerant of other religions of the world. An Islam that works for the development and progress of the peoples who embrace it. An Islam that is peaceful and tranquil. I dream of a nation where Islam is the basis for economic, social and political life, where credible non political scholars and preachers teach and preach Islam in its purest form.

I dream of my country as a nation where each individual citizen own property and wealth, sufficient wealth to get for himself or herself quality health services, quality education, and other services that are essential for quality life. I dream of my country as a private sector and market driven wealthy nation with its economy lifted to higher levels led by its strategic position for international trade and shipping, and the prudent exploitation of its vast and diverse marine resources . I dream of liberty.

I dream of a nation of well meaning individuals acting together for the enhancement of social life. A nation where people can share their diversity without prejudice, where, in spite of their differences people can walk out of a healthy debate with their arms wrapped on each others shoulders. I dream of happy homes and safe, organized, and clean streets. I dream of a hospitable society based on love and respect for human kind and nature.

To my friend who told me that ducks don’t fly my answer to her is, yes some of them do. That is what google told me. But even if they didn’t they can at least stay on the ground, wag their tails and sing “Quack Quack!”

Acknowledgements

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My friend Ali Khalid, former CEO of TV Maldives prompted me to write my story. Actually he is more my brother Shakeeb’s friend than mine. My brother had a lot of faith in Ali, he told me that. And when Ali spoke to me about writing, I felt as if my brother was speaking to me. Thank you Ali for pushing me on constantly on facebook chat.

I am also grateful to all who visibly followed my blog namely Ibrahim Jaleel, Fathullah, MI, Schiran, Hathoster, Maeed who also helped me in managing my blog, Kesto, Ahmed Nadeem, Abdullah Faiz, Aishath Didi, Hassan Ziyau, Twists in Tales (I think he is my friend Mohamed Hilaal), Mohamed Nahii, Hussein Mohamed Haneef, Mara, Ahmed Nasih, and many others who I know read it although they were not visible. I also thank Ibu, John, IJ and Ali for commenting on it and keeping it alive throughout. All of you have been immense sources of inspiration.

Furthermore, I wish to thank Mohamed Shahid Haleem who is working with me to complete the Dhivehi version of my story in book form, which I hope to release next raml’aan. I am also hoping to release a refined English version soon.

Thank you all.

My story is dedicated to;

My parents Fathimath Waheeda and Jawfar Kamaludeen,

My children Zaufishan, Afshan, Shaayan, Fathimath and Mohamed and your children (I hope my life inspires you to serve the country you were born to, and it’s people)

My siblings Iqbal, Mausooma, Ahmed, Shakeeb, Saadhaa, Nasrullah,Nadiya, Akram, Zafarullah, Noorullah, Zooshan and Kahekshan, and your families, for giving me a sense of belonging and encouraging me on and on.

The two presidents and the prime minister I served, and all my colleagues and fellow workers from the lowest to the highest whose trust and faith meant a lot to me.

And;

To my wife Nadira Ahmed Riza, the impossible dream come true, for your dedication, love and respect without which I would have been nothing. I continue to be as thrilled as I was when I saw you with the hibiscus flower in your hair.

Additional Notes

2011-02-01T23:20:00.000-08:00

Hereunder I am writing some additional notes regarding some events which I forgot to mention while I was writing the blog. I will include them in the final version of my book.

Dharubaaruge

I wrote that towards the late nineteen eighties the government was very keen on building a convention centre in the Maldives. I proposed this project to the Japanese government in my aid sensitization mission to Japan, and the Japanese government gave us the social education center instead. The multi-purpose hall although big enough was not suited to be used as a convention center.

We still did not have a solution for a convention center when it was our turn to host the SAARC summit in nineteen ninety. President Maumoon called for a meeting of senior officials and asked our advise as to what to do as the summit was only a couple of months away, and we still did not have an adequate convention centre. Even the conference halls of the nearby resorts were not sufficient for the purpose. It was for the government to decide to leave the opportunity for lack of an adequate conference hall or decide to solve the issue and host the summit. We decided to solve the issue.

The Ministry of Public Works and Labour was entrusted to build the convention center. Our experts got together to work out a plan. A fabricated airport hangar was imported from Singapore. The workers of the Ministry of Public Works and Labour joined hands with workers from the Maldives National Ship Management Limited and together with the assistance of a few private contractors, the steel hangar was erected and cladded with plywood. Electricity and Airconditioning was installed by private contrqactors, and the convention centre was ready for use within just over a month. Maizan Ibrahim Maniku supervised the works segment, and Hussein Mohamed Didi supervised the interior decoration.

Soon after the SAARC summit was over the plywoods on the exterior of the building were replaced by more permanent gypsum boards used in cladding. Other than that the building remains almost as it was built as a temporary one more than twenty years ago. The two storey section on the western side of the main building was annexed later on.

Minister’s Questions in Parliament

The constitution in force when I represented Male’ with Ahmed Mujuthaba contained a clause allowing members of parliament the right to question ministers in parliament. I used the right to question two ministers in parliament.

I questioned the Minister of Atolls Administration whether he was aware that a department under his care namely the Selected Islands Development Unit had wrongfully allocated land in Villingili to a relation of his. His answer did not satisfy me, but again to move a vote of no confidence in the parliament against a minister you needed another member to second the motion. Even Mujuthaba was not prepared to second my motion to move a vote of no confidence against the minister, thinking that it was personal on my side. It was not personal to me, many of my constituents did express their concern to me about the matter, and I was only representing their wishes.

At that time private security agencies were not allowed, but I could see the need arising with the expansion of tourism and other businesses. Also many private people were in need of security services which the government could not provide, and maybe should not provide. So I questioned Minister of State for Defense and National Security about government policy on private security firms. The reply was not clear to me, but private security firms were allowed shortly after that.

“Ministers’ Question Time” in parliament which did not happen before, was now open for business.

Fisheries and Agricultural Cooperatives

In my discussions with the people involved in the cottage side of fisheries and small scale farmers I found that the individual fisher-folk or the farmer had many problems in getting supplies for his/production, marketing and distribution. I saw the difficulties first hand in my visits to the islands, and discussed the issue with my deputies Mohamed Zuhair and Faathin Hameed, and other officials of the ministry. Their unanimous advise to me was to set up fisheries and agricultural cooperatives where they could join hands to obtain the economies of scale and other benefits. I authorized it, and work on setting up the cooperatives immediately began.

By the time I left the ministry we had already received expert advise to set up the cooperatives under tsunami aid, some personnel from the islands had been trained abroad, and funds obtained to set up the cooperatives.

Allocating land on uninhabited islands for small scale investments

When I went to the Ministry of Fisheries, Agriculture and Marine Resources there were only two ways one could get an uninhabited island on lease. One was what you call the “varuvaa” or agricultural lease system where uninhabited islands were given to successful applicants for a period of one year. The other system was the long term lease of islands to successful bidders after a public tender. In both these systems the small time investor with good ideas was sidelined. I felt that there must be some way the investor could be helped and supported to grow his business.

A new rule was proposed to the government whereby land on uninhabited island could be allocated to individuals or small business companies upon the submission of a viable proposal acceptable to the inter agency committee entrusted to lease uninhabited islands. A proof of funds had to be submitted, and the initial lease period would be commensurate with the amount of investment. The rule was approved and operational before I left the ministry.

Ministry of Home Affairs (3)

2011-01-31T20:39:00.000-08:00

There is no doubt that security is utmost in the minds of all human beings whatever country they belong to. Unfortunately, the security situation in the country was not at all good when I took over office as Home Minister. I have outlined above some of the things that were done during my tenure to improve the situation. But those alone were not sufficient to bring the situation back to normal. I was not able to do much more because of the short period of only seventeen months to serve in the home ministry, but I believe it would be appropriate to mention here how my thoughts were at that time to bring about an acceptable solution to the problem.

I believe that the most important thing in the management of security is to know who your enemy is. Unless you know who your enemy is there is no way that one can prepare an adequate response. Who was the enemy in our case? The short answer is drug traffickers, drug dealers, and the unfortunate victims of drugs who hang about on the street mongering crime and unrest. Yes, we needed to broaden and upgrade our intelligence network, streamline border control operations between the concerned agencies viz, the national defense force, police, customs and immigration, establish more vigilant patrolling, and the list can go on. But the one million rufiyaa question is will it give us the results that we look forward to? My answer is, no.

Without any prejudice against anyone, and without referring to any particular time in history, not then and not now, and if anyone has to take the blame, taking it upon myself as much as anyone else, the wider answer to the question is it is all about the discrepancies in economic, social and political systems that we have. What we need is an all inclusive national consensus on these basic and major issues. Dirty games, stunts and cheap rhetoric is not going to help anyone of us in the long run.

As Minister of Home Affairs I was also responsible for the city of Male’. The Male’ municipalty which functioned under the home ministry was the government agency directly responsible, and I was very sad to learn that during the more than twenty five years since its second inception in nineteen eighty two, there wasn’t one single person trained in areas of professional city management. Without trained staff I was not sure how we were going to take a professional and scientific approach to good city management.

However, I requested the Male’ municipalty to arrange weekly meetings between senior home affairs officials and the ward committees regularly so that the problems of city management could be understood by all concerned, and appropriate and timely steps taken to solve them. As how I saw it social mobilization was the solution to many of our problems, and I worked with the ward committees and Male municipality to create a basis for social cohesiveness and mobilization.

There was also an immense need for coordination between the police and municipal officials in order to reduce the tensions arising out of increasing traffic issues, increasing street crime and anti social activities. The basis was not there and I did my best to establish the basis based upon weekly interactions between the police, ward officials, and municipality officials in my presence.

I had led very tough agencies of government throughout my my long public service career, but the home ministry was the toughest and a very different ball game. Throughout the seventeen months I served at the ministry I was never allowed to place my foot flat on the ground. I was kept on my toes 24/7. It was in the midst of all this when one day President Maumoon called to tell me that he understood that there was a motion for a vote of no confidence in parliament proposed against me by some members of parliament.

The President in his usual manner called a meeting of some members of the cabinet including me and told the group that he did not want the motion to go on the floor, especially against a minister with my seniority, and requested the ministers with legal backgrounds to work out a solution, if necessary a negotiated one. I responded to the President that I did not wish the motion to be canceled, and that I would be only too happy to answer to the allegations against me. I had no reason to fear.

Soon afterwards I got the notice of the motion from the parliament, and two weeks later I was on the floor of the parliament fighting for my survival. The members of parliament belonging to my party, the Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party, and some members of the opposition and some independent members fought with me. The final vote was eleven members voting for the motion and the rest, thirty seven members if my memory is not playing tricks with me, against the motion. It required ten members to propose a motion for a vote of no confidence against a cabinet minister, and the ten members were able to get just one more vote for the motion. With Allah’s good will and grace, and with the help of my colleagues and friends in parliament I survived.

On eight August two thousand and eight the new conststitution was ratified by President Maumoon, and the race for the Presidency began. President Maumoon and MDP’s candidate Mohamed Nasheed emerged the top two contenders. President Maumoon’s running mate was his government’s Minister of Atolls Administration Ahmed Thasmeen Ali, while Mohamed Nasheed’s running mate was Dr. Mohamed Waheed Hassan Maniku. In the second round Mohamed Nasheed emerged the winner, and President Maumoon conceded defeat.

On the day of the first round of the Presidential elections MDP Chairman and Jumhooree Party Chairman accused me publicly for issuing fake identity cards to get more votes for President Maumoon, the first time ever anyone accused me of mis-using the power of my office against the people of the country. The fact of the matter is Elections Commission had issued a notice saying that voters who came to vote without their national identification cards would not be allowed to vote. In spite of many days of hard work the Identity Card Unit was unable to process all the applications for cards that were received at the Unit, and there were just over two thousand cards to be processed. I thought about the consequences of that much of people not being allowed to vote, and tried to process all the applications by morning so that I could use the sea plane service to dispatch the cards to the respective atolls.

All the processors at the Identity Card Unit were very tired by then after having worked throughout for four or five consecutive days to finish the job. I brought a few policemen to replace some of the staff who were already falling asleep on their desks, and stayed at the Unit with its Head and other staff until morning to get all the cards processed. Unfortunately all of them could not be processed, but we did the best we could Two years later the MDP government in power would get the assistance of the police to finish processing the application for cards before the local council elections still more than one month away.

Both the Chairmen knew me well personally, and they would have no reason to doubt my integrity. Especially, the Chairman of Jumhooree Party knew me from the time I was the secretary at Telecommunications Department, and he was a manager of a Maldivian Government Bodu Stores shop next to the Telecommunications Office. He knew very well that I was offered free shares in Sun Island Tourist Resort in Ari the largest resort in the country when I was Minister of Public Works and Labour, but I refused to accept them because my conscience would not let me do it from my position of power. As a result of their public accusations I received a few threats and even today people phone to ask me whether I am the same person who embezzled identity cards to win the election for President Maumoon.

The last cabinet meeting of President Maumoon’s government was held on the tenth of November Two thousand and eight at the President’s Office. As we sat side by side in Mrs. George’s grade one at Majeedhiyyaa School in nineteen sixty one, my dear friend and colleague Ismail Shafeeu and I sat on either side of President Maumoon, he on the right side of the President, and I on the left side of him. The only item of the agenda was the handing over arrangements to the new government of President Mohamed Nasheed. After that the President thanked the cabinet for our support to him throughtout and the meeting was over.

Immediately after the cabinet meeting a small ceremony was held at the President’s Office where President Maumoon decorated some members of his government who worked with him from the beginning. Among them I was also decorated by President Maumoon with the medal of “Nishaanul Izzudeen ge Izzaiy their Veriyaa”, the second highest ranking medal of honour given to Maldivians.

That is what President Maumoon is to me. If President Ibrahim Nasir was the man who introduced me to the government of my country, President Maumoon was the man who introduced me to the politics of my country. Just like I did with a previous president and prime minister, I served President Maumoon honestly and sincerely, and to the best of my ability and capabilities.

I know President Maumoon to be a man with an immense desire to serve his country. He spends long hours every day undertaking his responsibilities of state. He is constantly in touch with his colleagues and subordinates checking on important matters. As far as I know he has very few other interests other than the affairs of state, except the pursuit of his intellectual and educational interests which also he used for the benefit of the citizens of his country. He is good at obtaining consensus among differing view-points, and I have never seen him force his opinion on others before hearing others out. I believe that his failures as President of his country were minuscule as compared with the immense successes he had. He remains in my highest consideration, esteem and respect.

Ministry of Home Affairs (2)

2011-01-30T21:30:00.000-08:00

One of the elements of the reform agenda proposed by President Maumoon was to separate the police service of the country from the military. As I had earlier stated in my blog, this was done early in two thousand and four, and since then it was functioning under the Ministry of Home Affairs.

I found the Maldives Police Service in the capable hands of Commissioner of Police Major General Retd. Adam Zahir, a teacher by profession with very wide experience in national and international affairs. I had known Commissioner Adam from my childhood when he was a senior at Majeedhiyya School. At that time we did not have an opportunity to interact very much, but as seniors members of President Maumoon’s government since nineteen seventy eight, we had many opportunities to work together and get to know each other. When I was appointed Minister of Home Affairs he welcomed me with open arms and pledged his full support to me, which he gave me during my tenure at the home ministry.

I saw that Commissioner Adam and his colleagues were doing a lot of sincere work to make the service a professional service. Commissioner Adam was widely loved and respected in the police service, and his acumen as a professional educator did him well to keep everyone in the service well under his control. Already the service had quite a lot of trained personnel, in fact the most number of trained people among all the agencies that I have worked at, and nearly all of them were trained with budgetary funding. New operational procedures and systems were being introduced for patrolling, crime response, and investigations. And, all of them were in line with modern democratic principles.

I met the Commissioner and his top officials at least once a week, and during my short stay with them there were two special issues for which they requested my help. One issue was that there were many sentenced convicts out on the loose, and they wanted my help in putting them back in prison. I investigated this matter and found out that there was an existing rule which let convicts to be allowed to visit family in Male’ for five days and family in the islands for fifteen days, and it was during this family leave that the prisoners escaped. The justification for this rule was that if they were not sent home periodically they become too estranged with their families and it became very difficult for them to live a normal family life when they finally returned home after their sentences. The rule didn’t make any sense to me, and the convicts were not sincerely returning the leniency shown to them. Instead they were making the streets dangerous, so I asked the Department of Corrections to suspend the rule until it was formally abolished. I also asked the department to immediately make arrangements for convicts to see their families within prison walls, and asked the police to re-arrest whoever was lost on the streets and send them back to prison. I knew if everyone who was loose were rearrested and sent back to prison it would increase the population of the prison by at least another five hundred making accommodation very difficult. That is why I was doing my best to make operational other locations where we could transfer and manage the lower security prisoners including women whose population at Maafushi amounted to around one hundred inmates.

The second issue the police wanted my urgent help in was to get the Police Act through parliament as soon as possible. The act had been written sometime back but it had not gone to parliament as there were some areas of dispute in the draft law between the Attorney General’s office and the police service. I saw the Ministry of Home Affairs sandwiched in between the two agencies, and determined to resolve the matter. I couldn’t let the police go on doing their work without a law to guide and support their actions. I explained the situation to President Maumoon and sought his help to resolve the matter. A meeting was called at the headquarters of the Maldives Police Service between the concerned ministers and senior police officials. I chaired the meeting in which I let the police officials explain to the ministers their concerns and point of view. The disputes were resolved in no time, and to the satisfaction of everyone the police bill was submitted to parliament, and passed unanimously, certainly an achievement given the political environment in the country. Minister of Law and Information Mohamed Nasheed and I defended the bill in parliament.

Before the bill was discussed in parliament, Commissioner Adam arranged a series of meetings in the police services headquarters which was attended by all the senior police officials and some juniors to draft out the regulations under the law. I attended some of the meetings, and was briefed daily on the progress of the meetings. By the time the law was passed by parliament and ratified by the President, all the regulations were in place, and announced the same day as the bill was ratified by President Maumoon into law. The Maldives Police Service now had a legal basis for their existence and their operations.

Ministry of Home Affiars

2011-01-29T23:52:00.000-08:00

Within two hours after taking the oath of office as Home Minister I was on my way to the prison at Maafushi island. I was determined to prevent any mishaps in the prison during my vigil. I requested the Department of Corrections staff to show me the inside out of the prison and to tell me all the issues they had in detail. In spite of their protests I went and saw even the most secure areas of the prison. News of my visit had preceded me to the jail, and I got a few hoots from here and there but nothing serious happened.

When I first became a cabinet minister in nineteen eighty nine, I had requested the prison authorities to let me have a look at the prison at Himmafushi, just for my general knowledge, and the difference between the prison I saw at that time and what I saw now was vast. At the outset, the prison was managed by young and able staff at the top. They had been picked from the National Cadet Corp and they had been given further training in prison management in Western Australia. They were all very enthusiastic and looking forward to further improving the conditions of the prison and the prisoners.

Furthermore, the Department of Corrections itself was now headed by Ahmed Shihan who had a masters degree in civil engineering and who was also an unusually good manager. A draft law on prisons was being drafted by Azima Shakoor the Deputy Minister and only lawyer in the ministry. I am indebted to her for the support she gave me throughout until she was appointed Attorney General of the country by President Maumoon. After she left, I requested the Law Commission to complete the draft to be submitted to the parliament. One of the features of the draft law was to establish a non-military uniformed prison service on the same lines as the police, customs and immigration services. The head of the uniformed service would also take responsibility for the administrative matters concerning prisons.

Civil works was underway to add infrastructure to the prison, and I authorized many additional works to improve the conditions of the prison. Nevertheless, the fact was that the prison was overcrowded, and would be more so in the short and medium term future, and urgent relief had to be found. I discussed the matter with the senior officials at the ministry, the police service and the corrections department, and was advised that the best solution for the time being was to move some prisoners with lesser security grading out of Maafushi into other locations. I travelled with some of my staff to various locations in the atolls to find adequate public infrastructure that lay vacant, and which could be used for the purpose.

Two locations were identified. One was in Gan Addu Atoll where we looked at an abandoned garment factory. As we saw it the buildings could be used with minimum renovation to house some low security prisoners. But it was not to be so. Addu atoll community leaders and our political opponents opposed the move and the government decided to scrap it. It is ironic that our political opponents who gained power after defeating us in two thousand and eight did move some prisoners to Gan in spite of the protests of the Addu community leaders.

The second location we chose was Hathifushi in Thiladhunmathi Uthuru which was recently abandoned by its residents to seek a better future for themselves in Hanimaadhoo. We discussed the matter with their community leaders and upon receiving their approval we moved some prisoners to Hathifushi island with the idea of turning it into a low security prison with adequate rehabilitation programs. The program started with a minimum number of prisoners and minimum staff while I was still minister.

In my several visits to Maafushi prison I insisted that I wanted to talk to the prisoners man to man. My staff at the ministry, the police and the prison officials were a bit apprehensive. But I was not. The Maldives Police Service and The Department of Corrections were two agencies of government entrusted by law to withhold the human rights of the countries citizens in certain circumstances, and as minister in charge of the two agencies I was singularly held answerable to parliament and the president for any mistreatment of those unfortunate citizens. I started a program to talk to them individually whenever I visited Maafushi.

What I understood from my discussions with the prisoners was that most of them were very prepared to learn and work if the opportunity was given to them. So we designed and began some programs to further their education and give them an opportunity to work including small scale farming, handicrafts, and dress making. In addition we also sent some religious preachers to the prison from time to time to impart knowledge on religion to the inmates. A few weeks later I was very happy when I visited the prison and witnessed many of the inmates at work. Many of them came forward and offered their hands to me which I held with much pleasure and a sense of gratification.

Throughout my public service career of thirty six years I have always started work sharp on time. I have never used the privileges of an executive to arrive at office later than others. I would then give about fifteen minutes to the staff to prepare themselves before I met everyone reporting to me directly, together, so that they could discuss their issues with me in the presence of everyone else, and my decisions were heard by all, leaving no room for doubt, laziness, or any other sort of nonsense. A staff member is only allowed to come and see me personally on very confidential matters, or for further clarification of a decision already made.

I would also meet the senior staff of the parent agencies' different sections and divisions, and the other sub agencies which ran under the parent agency, at least once a week so that I stayed on top of what was happening. Furthermore, it gave lower level and middle management staff to interact with me directly. I also held weekly program or project meetings where I was briefed on the topic under discussion. Regarding appointments for private parties and other agencies, my instructions to my staff were that if someone requested an appointment today, I should see that person or party latest by the following day, and no exclusions, please. If there was any substantial reason why I could not see the person or party the following day, that person or party and I should be informed of the reason for the delay, and the opportunity given as soon as the reason was cleared.

Although I did not see a prison riot in my tenure as home minister I want my readers to know that I believe that most of the riots that has taken place in maafushi prison in recent history has always been instigated from the outside. As evidence I will mention here what took place in one of my weekly meetings with the Department of Corrections staff. The prison officials who participated in the meeting came with an imported and brand new t-shirt, a bar of lux soap and a fruit cake in its original packing and placed it in front of me and asked me what I saw. I told them what I saw.

Then they removed the cake from its packing (my mouth watered), and cut the cake open and to my surprise I saw a mobile phone inside the cake. They played with the soap and it fell apart to reveal a sim card, and the seams at the hem of the t-shirt was slit open and what you call a “piece” in plastic fell on my desk. Although I cannot remember the deadline I gave to the Department of Corrections, I instructed them to stop receiving items from outside for the prisoners and open a shop inside the prison, where items can be taken by them against cash deposited in a designated account by their guardians or family.

During my tenure as home minister there was a hunger strike by several prisoners at Maafushi. I inquired as to why they were going on hunger strike. It was certainly not for want of good food, because they were given six quality meals a day. Rehabilitation program had already started. Continued work was being done to improve the accommodation. I discussed the matter with the senior staff of the ministry and instructed the prison officials to stand-by in readiness with water, food and medical attention whenever it was needed, and to make it obvious to the strikers, and other prisoners that all those were ready and at hand whenever they needed. Within two days everything was back to normal. No one was hurt.

Ministry of Fisheries, Agriculture and Marine Resources (5)

2011-01-29T01:58:00.000-08:00

Mohamed Zuhair and Dr. Faathin Hameed were appointed as Deputy Ministers at the Ministry, both very efficient, knowledgeable, dedicated and hardworking people who gave me immense support and help in my work. On the agricultural side we launched a programme to give a fruit tree to each and every household in the islands. We got some aid for this program, but most of it was done with our own budgetary funding. At the same time we began a tree plantation program under tsunami aid. Both the programs were successfully completed. Meanwhile, my fascination with the millions of coconut trees on inhabited and uninhabited islands which I saw in my visits to the islands grew day by day. I saw the coconut tree as an economic resource with vast potential. I saw it as a major asset to improve the livelihoods of the island households.

Early in my government career, I think it must have been during Ahmed Zaki’s premiership, I used to see a government office on Chaandhanee Magu by the name of “Coconut Improvement Division / Ministry of Agriculture”, and I used to hear of a UN agriculture expert by the name of Mr. Bhutani who did some work on coconuts in the Maldives. I queried about what happened to the division and the work done by Bhutani. It seems both the division and whatever Bhutani did, had died a natural death, or was it a political death?

Anyway I was determined to restart the coconut tree program, and in my visits to the islands, I used to discuss the matter with the island committees and farmers whom I met. I implored them to put some fertilizer at the roots of the their coconut palms at least twice a year so that the tree could give better yields. I also arranged for the island communities to have some fertilizer from the ministry’s budgetary resources.

In addition, I repeatedly raised the matter with FAO in my visits to Rome, and they finally came up with a project to make “virgin coconut oil” in the Maldives. According to the information I had, the difference between the normal coconut oil and the virgin coconut oil is that the virgin oil was a purer form, and the bi products could be used for many things including making cookies and biscuits. New research also showed that virgin coconut oil was a health product which was being used as a treatment for many illnesses. And international market price was around three thousand United States Dollars for a ton while the normal oil was just about five hundred dollars a ton. The equipment required to set up the manufacturing facility in two locations in the country were imported by the time I left the ministry.

Poultry development also interested me. I looked at the customs statistics and found that the country was importing several millions of dollars worth of poultry products. There was a daily requirement of about two hundred thousand eggs and the economic potential was vast. So, we negotiated with the Ministry of Finance and earmarked an initial budgetary allocation of about one million rufiyaas annually for small scale poultry development. The first allocation of funds were already received and the program almost begun by the time I left.

The country had another environmental disaster in early two thousand and seven. Unusually strong winds damaged the crops of the farmers and a few houses. The cabinet sat to discuss the issue and decided that cash relief had to be given to the farmers to regain their livelihoods, and it was decided that a multi agency team should immediately travel to the islands to assess the situation and give the affected relief aid. President Maumoon chose me to head the team, and I spent about a month travelling in the islands for the purpose. Already in my government career I had visited almost all the inhabited islands of the country several times. But this job gave the opportunity to complete the list, and I am very glad I got the opportunity to see how people lived in every corner of our country.

Soon after this mission, I flew to Sri Lanka with a fisheries team to discuss with the Sri Lankan Minister of Fisheries Felix Perera and his colleagues, bilateral cooperation in the area of fisheries. It was while I was in one of the meetings with our Sri Lankan counterparts that Minister at the President’s Office Aneesa Ahmed called me on my mobile to tell me that the President wanted me back in the country as quickly as possible. I assigned Executive Director Dr. Abdullah Naseer and Director General Mohamed Faiz who were in my delegation to continue on the discussions and left for Male’, the same day.

On arrival in Male’ I informed Minister Aneesa that I was back in the capital, and immediately after I had a call from the President’s secretariat granting me immediate audience with the President.

President Maumoon met me and told me that he had decided on a cabinet reshuffle, and wanted me to take over the Ministry of Home Affairs. I told him that I was very happy at the Ministry of Fisheries and Agriculture, but the President said that he had deeply thought about the matter and for the time being I was his best choice for the Home Ministry. Reluctantly I agreed.

With due respect to all the other agencies of government that I had looked after in the past thirty six years, the Ministry of Fisheries, Agriculture and Marine Resources was where I liked it best. Although as I said earlier there were very difficult conflicts among the senior officials of the ministry, each one of them, and all the other staff at different levels gave me their full cooperation and support in performing my duties. During very difficult times of the tsunami and political turmoil there was much we achieved together. Furthermore, it gave me a lot of happiness and a sense of gratification to have had the opportunity to work with the poorest segment of the country’s population.

Just before I went to the President’s office to take my oath of office as my country’s Home Minister, I called all the staff of the Ministry of Fisheries, Agriculture and Marine Resources to my office and bade them farewell individually. I spoke to them thanking them for their support and I hope none of them noticed the catch in my voice and the un-shed tear in my eyes. I served three and a half short years at the ministry.

Ministry of Fisheries, Agriculture and Marine Resources (4)

2011-01-28T02:51:00.000-08:00

In mid two thousand and five, the government was still ficused on the tsunami recovery. I made frequent visits to the atolls to see how the recovery program was doing in the fishing and agricultural sectors. By this time the industries had bounced back, but with the new found liberties granted under the reform program, there were people in the atolls who did not want to acknowledge what was being done, and the sounds of “resign…..ak” rang from wherever I went. The officials and staff who went with me were very concerned for my safety, and kept a watchful eye on me. I refused to be de-motivated by the shouts of the opposition and gave them the opportunity to come and talk to me about their frustrations, but in the new environment of political diversity, the first vocabulary we learnt was to shout “resign”. Now that sides have changed the shouts demanding “resignation” still fills the air.

MIFCO was an urgent issue in the fisheries sector which I had to deal with. She was not making money. Now that fisheries sector was opened up for investments by the private sector, the question was whether there was a need for a government owned company in the sector. I felt that there really was no need. Why should the government get into competition with the private sector, and do what the private sector does as well or better. Furthermore, in the zoning policy assigning zones to various fishing companies buying fish from the fishermen, MIFCO was given an advantage over the other companies in having more zones allocated to it to buy fish. It was not a level playing field, and I found it more and more difficult to answer to that situation. I instructed my staff to propose a plan for privatizing MIFCO. I also did not believe in the zoning policy, but there were already undertakings given by the government to the private companies who were investing heavily in the sector and it was not easy to make decisions that might hurt them. If changes were to be brought about then it needed agreement from everyone concerned. I did not stay long enough with the ministry to bring about the changes, but our proposals were written down by the time I left.

When I took over the ministry of fisheries the Marine Research Section had already completed research on breeding a particular kind of salt water ornamental fish. In one of my visits to Thailand to see my brother Shakeeb while he was there, I had gone to see a facility where they bred groupers in a land based facility, and I was fascinated with what I saw. I had also visited a sea cucumber breeding facility in Shaviyani atoll operated by a Maldivian owned private concern, and I saw no reason why the Marine Research Centre could go onto do successful research in grouper and other reef fish breeding, and I instructed the center to immediately begin research on grouper breeding. The center had found some success in the field when I left the ministry.

I also saw Maldives as a transshipment center for the Indian Ocean international fishery. Already Mauritius and Malaysia were in the business, but there was no reason why Maldives could not get into the competition. In fact we had some advise from international fishery consultants that we had the potential of being a very successful fishery transshipment center. At that time government was negotiating with some foreign concerns regarding the building of a transshipment facility for general cargo in the north, so we decided that we should build the fishery port in the south and chose Addu atoll for the purpose. Land reclamation for the port began immediately.

President Maumoon laid the foundation of the fishery complex in a trip to Addu in two thousand and six. Opposition elements had prepared to ambush the President on his way from the airport to the site. They had burnt a trench on the tar surface of the road to force his car to stop and were prepared with stones and iron bars.

Unfortunately for me and two other colleagues Dr. Mahmoud Shaugee Tourism Minister and his assistant Mohamed Waheed, we had preceded the President’s car to be at the site to receive him, and we got caught to the ambush. The car fell into the trench and the ambushers came out with iron bars and smashed the windshield and the glass on the doors of the car, and pelted us with stones. Waheed who was driving the car somehow managed to get the car across the trench with very precise expertise, but not before a stone landed on my right shoulder causing injury and harm.

Ministry of Fisheries, Agriculture and Marine Resources (3)

2011-01-27T02:04:00.000-08:00

The tsunami fell on me like a ton of bricks. My destiny had placed me at the helm of the fisheries, agriculture, environment and construction sectors of my country when it happened. I had slept at around five thirty, and I had not fully woken up on the morning of the twenty sixth of December two thousand and four, when at about seven thirty in the morning, I had a telephone call from Dr. Faathin Hameed Director General of the Fisheries ministry informing me of the tsunami. Her phone call was followed by a text indicating her predictions for what might happen which finally proved to be true. As I don’t take lightly advise given to me by any of my assistants, I immediately got out bed washed and prepared for office. After a hurried breakfast I got out to go to office when my driver told me that the eastern and southern side of Male’ were flooding. I told him to take me out there to see it for myself. I was shocked at what I saw, and immediately called President Maumoon, but he had already seen the occurrence first hand from his office by then.

President Maumoon immediately gathered the cabinet and senior government officials at Iskandharu school, and formed a task force under the able leadership of Minister of Defense and National security Ismail Shafeeu. I was of course in the task force. The President met us, and gave us instructions to do everything that had to be done to restore the lives of the Maldivian people back to normality. Meanwhile communications between the islands and Male’ had been cut off as most of the generators and communications systems on the islands had been damaged by the effects of the tsunami.

Different officials took charge of different things. As far as I was concerned I had to take responsibility for providing temporary accommodation to the people who had lost their homes, restore fishing as many boats were damaged beyond repair and fishing gear lost, and almost all the farms were wiped off. Fruit bearing trees like the breadfruit and mango trees wilted before our eyes. For the first couple of months, I went to the islands frequently to manage my responsibilities under the tsunami recovery. On some days I went early in the morning by helicopter and returned the same day at sunset. At the same time I was also campaigning to defend the parliamentary seat for Male’ in the general elections to be held soon. I lost the seat.

At the outset, we sent assessment teams from both the ministries of fisheries, agriculture and marine resources, and environment and construction to the islands to evaluate the damage and loss. Often times I accompanied the teams and saw to myself the situation. After an initial assessment was made we decided to approach the housing issue in two different ways. If the damaged house could be repaired to ensure safe living, we decided to repair the house. For those whose houses were damaged beyond repair, we decided to build temporary shelters with plywood, until a permanent solution could be found. The ministry of environment and construction was entrusted with the repair of the houses and the building of temporary shelters, while the Disaster Management Center and its organs undertook to provide permanent shelters for those who lost their houses.

From the fisheries and agriculture sides we sought immediate assistance from the FAO, World Bank , Asian Development Bank, and some friendly countries to restore the two sectors. For the fishermen who lost their boats and gear we distributed small boats with outboard engines all fabricated in the Maldives to do reef fishery, we gave them fishing gear and accessories so that they could resume fishing and making maldive fish, we began work on building some fishing vessels for tuna fishing to replace the boats that were damaged beyond repair, and made arrangements with the State Trading Organization for the supply of discounted fuel to ensure that the fishermen were motivated to go out fishing.

In agriculture we got bilateral assistance to restore the large trees that were dying. It worked on some trees but didn’t on others. We routinely checked and informed the farmers of the salinity level of the ground. Meanwhile we distributed seeds, pesticides and farming tools to the farmers who lost their farms so that they could resume farming as soon as the salinity levels of the ground permitted it. And we distributed farming equipment like tractors and portable cold rooms to major agriculture islands.

Fishing and farming bounced back to normal levels in record time. All the while FAO, World Bank, Asian Development Bank and many experts from friendly countries worked tirelessly with the ministry’s staff to fulfill the government’s objectives. No doubt, there were small mistakes made, and no doubt there was some minor discontent. But I am satisfied that the job done was excellent, and I thank everyone concerned especially the wonderful staff of both the ministries, who worked diligently and honestly in the cause of their country and its people.

A few lines such as above cannot do justice to the story of the tsunami, the plight of the people who were affected, and the sacrifice of the people who worked day and night to overcome the situation the country was plunged into. It would require another book to render a full account of the details of the tsunami and its recovery and I hope someday someone will write about it.

At the Ministry of Environment and Construction I was assisted by Deputy Minister Abdullah Majeed, and Directors Amjad Abdullah, Mohamed Ali, Mohamed Zuhair and Mohamed Zahir assisted on the environment side. Most of the staff who were there when I left the public works ministry in nineteen ninety three were still there including Maizan Ibrahim Maniku, Abdul Latheef Aboobakr and Mohamed Rasheed. Some others like Ibrahim Fayaz, Abdul Raheem Abdul Rahman, Moosa Didi and Ahmed Ashraf had gained prominence in the operational side of the ministry. By this time the former Office for Physical Planning and Design had been amalgamated into the construction ministry and Abdul Hannan Yoosuf was looking after the engineering side assisted by such officials as Mohamed Aslam who is now the minister, Abdul Baaree Yoosuf, Ahmed Shahid and others. K.D. Ahmed Maniku who was the deputy minister and Shawkath Ibrahim who was in charge of the administration gave their full support too.

Since President Maumoon himself had met me earlier and told me that he wanted to transfer me to the environment ministry, I opened a dialogue within the ministry to create a vision for the future of the ministry. My immediate attention was called to the delay in obtaining environment assessment approvals for various developmental projects, so I worked with the environmental officials to streamline the relevant procedures, and I am glad that the complaints stopped for the time being. I was also concerned that the dredging section of the ministry was disintegrating. I have stated earlier in this story that I foresaw a heavy demand for dredging and land reclamation in the country, and I also foresaw a central role for the ministry in this area. So I did some work to re establish the dredging section.

But fate was not to return me to the construction sector of the country. Sometime in June, I was asked to come and see President Maumoon at his office. He met me and told me he was bringing a major change in the cabinet and had decided that I among some others should take up other posts at cabinet level, making way for some new faces he wanted to bring into the cabinet. There was no reason why I could disagree. After all it was the President’s prerogative to bring about timely changes to the cabinet to serve the best interests of the country and its people. I agreed, shook hands with the President, and left.

I went to the Fisheries Ministry straight from the President’s office, wrote my resignation letter and immediately submitted it to the President stating that I wished to resign my post as minister of fisheries, agriculture and marine resources to make it easy for the president to form a new cabinet more responsive to changing times. There was no response to my resignation letter, and when the new cabinet was announced in July two thousand and five, I still remained as the Minister of Fisheries, Agriculture and Marine Resources.

The environment and construction ministry was disintegrated and Mauroof Jameel took over the construction ministry. The environment ministry was handed over to Ahmed Abdullah.

Ministry of Fisheries, Agriculture and Marine Resources (2)

2011-01-26T00:35:00.000-08:00

When I took command of the Ministry of Fisheries, Agriculture and Marine Resources, I jumped into the midst of an array of conflicts. There was an ongoing conflict with the Ministry of Trade and Industries about fishing licenses for foreign owned vessels, another conflict with the Environment Ministry and its Environment Research Center regarding mandates, and still another one with the Ministry of Finance and Treasury about who owned MIFCO. There was also conflict among officials of the Ministry, and another between the Ministry and its Marine Research Center.

The conflict with other ministries was not at all difficult for me. The mandate of the ministry of fisheries, agriculture and marine resources was written down quite clearly in the law, and I had no doubt about its jurisdiction. I also had no doubt about the constituency which the ministry had to look after. I took full control and managed those conflicts in the best interests of the government and everyone concerned. What was more discerning to me were the conflicts within the ministry, and those conflicts were among the cream of the ministry, all highly qualified and experienced officials, in fact the best in their fields, and I had to take very special care not to hurt and de-motivate anyone of them. I had to be very tactful for whatever I did it was to the satisfaction and dis-satisfaction of some. I made a few mistakes, but I think my total score was better than good.

When I joined the ministry Jadullah Jameel was the Executive Director and Abdul Majeed Mahir was the Director General, two very senior civil servants of our time from whom I had invaluable advise and assistance. They retired from public service during my tenure at the ministry, and among the new team that took over were as the most senior officials Mohamed Zuhair for Agriculture, Faathin Hameed for Fisheries, Abdullah Naseer for the Establishment, and Mohamed Shiham Adam for Marine Research. There were many other young and energetic officials who contributed immensely to the work of the ministry. I had the best advise from all the senior most officials and I enjoyed their full trust and confidence.

In my capacity as Minister of Fisheries, Agriculture and Marine Resources, I was also Maldives Governor to the International Fund for Agricultural Development. Soon after I took over the ministry I visited Rome to attend the General Conference of the Food and Agriculture Organization. I addressed the conference on behalf of my country, the first time I addressed an international conference, and then later met the Director General of FAO. I raised the issue of technical assistance of FAO to the Maldives with the Director General and invited him to the Maldives so that he could see and understand our problems better.

Immediately after taking office, I made a few short visits to the islands to understand the problems of the sector (I would go on doing this almost every week throughout my tenure at the ministry). I realized both fisheries and agriculture needed much technical assistance to develop. I mentioned this to the Director General at our first meeting and told him that it was very difficult to work via the FAO office in Colombo, and that we required an FAO office in Male’ so that our requests could be made directly from Male’ instead of through Colombo. I told him that although we were a country with much lesser number of people, fisheries and agriculture are two very important sectors of our economy by which the poorest of the poor earned their income. I requested immediate assistance of the FAO to complete the new version of the Fisheries Law and to write a new Agriculture Law, as an appropriate legal framework was essential for these two industries to grow.

FAO obliged by sending experts to complete the almost completed new version of the fisheries law and to write an agricultural law anew. They also posted an FAO representative to work out of Male’ during the recovery from the Asian tsunami, and maintained a small office in the Maldives. I understand they maintained a special representative in the Maldives even after the tsunami recovery period. In my first visit to FAO, I also visited IFAD, where I requested a project for the betterment of the Maldivian farmers. I told them agriculture in the Maldives was already the fourth pillar of the economy, after fisheries, tourism, and consruction, with immense potential to grow. We discussed ways of developing such a project, and came up with the idea of creating value chains in the atolls where large consumers like the tourist resorts’ needs will be supplied by the farmers. The project finally came to fruition.

Soon after I returned from Bangkok after burying my brother Shakeeb, President Maumoon announced his reform agenda. A special majlis was convened to amend the constitution, the second time it happened during his tenure in office. At first I was a member of the majlis for being a member of parliament for Male’. Even after I lost the seat for Male’, I continued being in the special majlis by virtue of being a cabinet minister. Happily enough, the national dialogue for reform which Ahmed Mujuthaba and I had tried so hard to open ten years back was now happening right in front of my eyes. The difference was this time everyone was on board and claiming ownership. No matter, the important thing was the dialogue was open and reform finally a reality.

One of President Maumoon’s reforms was to move the police out of the defense ministry. Late in two thousand and four the Maldives Police Service was brought under the parenthood of the Ministry of Home Affairs, and the environment function moved to the construction ministry, and the ministry renamed as Ministry of Environment and Construction. President Maumoon decided to give up the defense portfolio he was holding since the beginning of his presidency, and appointed former Home Minister Ismail Shafeeu as the new Minister of Defense and National Security. Umar Zahir who was the former construction minister was moved to the Home ministry. I was asked asked by the President to take over the Environment Ministry. I agreed not because I wanted to but, is there a choice for a public servant whose first priority was to serve?

But the President did not change my portfolio. Instead the following day he appointed me as Acting Minister of Environment and Construction, while still holding the main portfolio of Minister of Fisheries, Agriculture and Marine Resources. It was then that the Asian tsunami of two thousand and four happened, and in addition to several lives, the livelihoods of many Maldivians including their houses, their fishing boats and accessories, and their farms were completely destroyed.

Ministry of Fisheries, Agriculture and Marine Resources

2011-01-24T23:37:00.000-08:00

I was appointed as Minister of Fisheries, Agriculture and Marine Resources in President Maumoon’s sixth term in office. The cabinet appointments did not happen as usual on the previous day before the presidential swearing in ceremony. Abdullah Jameel, Minister at the President’s office called at noon on the eleventh of November two thousand and three, and asked me whether I would like to be shocked. I said I would be shocked if it is shocking news. He laughed and said that the President wished me to take over the Ministry of Fisheries, Agriculture and Marine Resources. I accepted and was sworn in the same afternoon at about two.

I consider my job at the Ministry of Fisheries, Agriculture and Marine Resources, the most important government job I ever held. I consider it important because I was in charge of all the natural resources in the country, and I had the opportunity to work with the poorest segment of the country’s population, something which I loved to do. Also I performed the job during a very crucial time for the Maldives, the Asian tsunami and the political reform period turning the Maldives into a modern democracy. But my tenure at the ministry was short lived. I was at the ministry for only three and a half years.

When I began my political career in nineteen eighty nine my brother Shakeeb would often tease me and tell me that when I became the president of the country he would leave the country as he did not want to serve under me. And he did not, although I was not President. When I became Minister of Fisheries, Agriculture and Marine Resources, he was Chairman and Managing Director of the Maldives Industrial Fisheries Company (MIFCO), but we never got a chance to work together. He did come to Male’ for a few days in early two thousand four and attended just one meeting of the weekly MIFCO meeting I had with their executive staff.

My mother told me later that he had come to Ever Last with a brand new pair of shoes which he had just bought, and when she asked him what the shoes was for, he told her it was for him to wear to see the new minister, otherwise the minister would be angry if he wore an old pair of shoes for the meeting. As was agreed by a lot of people, he was the most experienced fisheries official of the country. He was widely known and respected in the sector, among his co-workers in the ministry, its organs and the company; among the fishermen and boat owners; among related institutions and establishments. During the short term he lived after I became minister I had invaluable advise from him, even from his death bed in Bangkok.

Between the time he went to Bangkok in October two thousand and three and the time of his death he came to Male’ for two short visits, and I went to stay with him in Babgkok twice also. Two or three days before his death I was feeling very uncomfortable and something was telling me I had to be in Bangkok. I called my brother Nasrullah who was with him, who told me that he was very sick because of the chemotherapy but that he did not think he was in critical condition. But I couldn’t stay, I took his youngest daughter who was staying with me in Male’ and left for Bangkok on an Air Seychelles flight which was on its way to Singapore and which had stopped over at Male’ International to refuel. My brother Akram joined me on the flight. I remember it to be a Tuesday night to arrive Bangkok on Wednesday morning.

I went to Bumnungrad directly from the airport. My brother was already in a coma. I decided I would not leave the hospital and started to live out of the visitors’ lounge and the cafeteria on the ground floor. My brother Shakeeb did come round just once for a short period of time on Thursday. I went into his cubicle of the intensive care unit. He opened his eyes, our eyes met, and he talked to me in his stern voice, the last time he spoke to anyone. I couldn’t understand what he was saying, so I patted him and told him to take it easy and rest. He closed his eyes and never opened it again. He died on Saturday the sixth of June two thousand and four.

Meanwhile our sister Dr. Mausooma, our cousin Mohamed Jaleel, our friends Riluvan Shareef and Mohamed Saeed, all had come from Male’ to be with him. All of us including his wife Nadiya Hassan, his children Ahmed Mirza Shakeeb, Fathimath Shaaneen Shakeeb, and Aishath Sheeneez Shakeeb were with him when he departed. Rilivan Shareef and I recited the Yaaseen at his bedside. My brother Nasrullah who sacrificed almost all his time to look after him in his illness recited the shahaadhaath to him and then he was gone.

One has to only ask anyone who knew him what he was to him, and then all you will hear is a beautiful story. I met a common friend who is not such a well off person, after my brother’s death, and he told me a wonderful story. My friend had collected some firewood for cooking from the garbage dump on the southern side of Male and was walking home with it when he met my brother who was riding his bicycle home after work (he rode a bicycle most of the time). He immediately got off bike, and asked our friend to follow him. Without saying anything else he walked with our friend to an STO shop bought our friend a gas cooker and gave him money to buy a canister of cooking gas, got him a pickup to take the stuff home, and then told him that if he ever ran out of cooking gas and did not have the money to buy it, to let him know. Then he walked back to his bike and his family. That is the kind of man my brother Ibrahim Shakeeb was. May Allah bless his soul and grant him eternal paradise.

I reached fifty the following July. As it was not yet fourty days since the death of my brother, and according to Islamic and Maldivian tradition the family was still in mourning, a grand celebration planned by my children and siblings never happened. I had always said to my wife that I wanted to be a grandfather by the time I was fifty, and I was concerned that even though my first two daughters had been married for some years then, none of them showed any signs of conceiving. But I was pleasantly surprised when my daughter Afshan brought me an envelope on my fiftieth birthday which I opened to find a urine test of Afshan which showed positive for pregnancy. Nine months later my first grand child Leem Ali Shahid arrived.

Shaayaan also decided not to continue on her education after her ordinary level examinations, although there is a certain business flair in her which I think could lead her to still go for further training in an area like fashion designing. She and Ahmed Michael an up and coming young businessman were married later in two thousand and four. They also had put off their wedding because of my brother Ibrahim Shakeeb’s illness. Shaayaan and Ahmed have a cute daughter Alya Ahmed Michael, who is my third grandchild. Nadira and I are now the proud parents of five wonderful children, and the grandparents of three lovely grandchildren.

Fathimath and Mohamed went to Colombo in two thousand and six, fathimath to do her graduate studies in International Business at the American National College in Colpetty, Mohamed to do his A level studies in Colombo International. Mohamed returned to Male’ after doing one year of upper secondary. He has still to go to college. Fathimath completed her degree and is currently employed at the Capital Market Development Authority as a Senior Officer.

Ministry of Human Resources Employment and Labour (3)

2011-01-24T00:46:00.000-08:00

The labour code which was passed by the cabinet in nineteen ninety three was now in force, and a draft law had already been written by the time I took over the ministry. I sought the help of the Labour Advisory Board to make some adjustments in the draft law and then submitted it to the Attorney General’s Office to prepare the final draft for submission to the majlis. By the time I left the ministry the draft law was still with the Attorney General’s office.

Meanwhile the Maldives College of Higher Education was established in nineteen ninety seven, and the training institution that were formally under the relevant ministries had been transferred to the college. This was a move I did not agree with. The training institutions, viz; the Hotel School, the Maritime Training Institute, the Centre for Management Studies etc., all were functioning well under their parent ministries. The ministries were quite aware of the needs of employers in their respective sectors and were constantly in touch with the employers, and even thought it was not a perfect system it had all the potential for developing into one. The purpose of these institutions was not to prepare students for higher education but to prepare trained manpower to fulfill the needs of the employment market. My own feelings were that in transferring the training institutions to the college, we lost that purpose.

Tthe three world bank projects, even though helped quite a lot to ease the much needed trained staff for the education, health and other sectors of the government, were finally not going to solve the national need for trained workers. We needed a permanent and sustainable system. The shortage of trained manpower was the most important employment issue of the day and needed to be addressed urgently.

We decided we needed to get the employers on board if we were to have a sustainable and permanent system. Training needed to be molded into employers’ needs. If we could not do that then we would be producing useless manpower who would either be underemployed or unemployed which would again exacerbate our problem. Employers needed to be on the council who decided the curriculum of the training. They needed to endorse and ensure employment for the trainees if we were to have a sustainable system. So we proposed a national skills development fund owned and operated by the employers of the country where the employers would pay an annual amount to the fund based on their payroll. The government would also participate in the fund not in its capacity as government per se, but in its capacity as the major employer of the country.

The proposal to form a national skills development fund was approved by the cabinet and put into force with a pledge of an annual contribution to it by the government. But the essential ingredients were missing. The employers were still not in the picture. We needed to attract their passion if we were going to seriously streamline the process, and create a productive world class workforce to gain the competitive edge that we needed so badly.

We also saw world bank assistance to the sector running out with the third education and training project and needed the continuing assistance of some other funding organization to achieve the much needed objectives of the sector. So we approached the Asisan Development Bank for their assistance and the result was the Employment Training Project which reinforced the need for a national training fund with employer participation. The project also included the establishment of a state of the art labour market information system, and a national vocational training system with the participation of private sector training institutions.

We realized the important role of employment agents in streamlining labour administration, especially employment, and we introduced a requirement in the labour codes for employment agencies to register with the ministry. The requirement was met with mixed feelings in the ministry. Some of us were unhappy because of the misconduct of many employment agencies in importing foreign workers, getting huge sums of money both from the workers and the employers, and then leaving the workers helpless without anyone to help them. I saw the problem, but I felt that instead of giving a blind eye to the agencies, it would be better if we brought them into our folds, and worked with them with the objective of bringing out the best in them, to make them our allies instead of our enemies.

An online job matching portal, where job seekers and employers could register their requirements was established in the ministry during those years. The main objective was of course to serve the needs of job seekers and employers and to match their requirements, but it was also designed to give the ministry much needed information about the job market so that appropriate training facilities could be designed with the information. Although the portal was set up centrally at the ministry the plan was to decentralize and get the employment agents to manage the portal through their respective offices in Male’ and the atolls.

The elections for the fifteenth parliament was held in late nineteen ninety nine. The Male’ seat was contested by Mohamed Nasheed, now the esteemed President of the Maldives, Ilyas Ibrahim and myself as front runners among a few others. Ilyas Ibrahim and Mohamed Nasheed were elected. I lost the second seat to Mohamed Nasheed by two hundred votes.

This was also a period in which several important events took place in my private life. My father in law Ahmed Riza passed away in two thousand and one. In nineteen ninety seven he had done a heart by-pass surgery in Madras at the age of eighty. He came out well from the surgery but soon after underwent a massive stroke which kept him bed ridden for the rest of his life. I am happy I also played a significant role in looking after him on his sick bed. He was more than just a father in law to me. He was my staunchest supporter.

Nadira has always told me, and I have seen it with my own eyes, what a kind father, and a grandfather he was. The latter part of his life, after he retired from public service, was spent fully in the service of his children and grandchildren. He did not let them visit him. Instead he visited all of them living in different houses and in different locations, at least once a day, and most of the time twice a day. His visits included his siblings, nephews and nieces and close friends also.

Nadira told me that she saw him angry with her only once. That was “black Thursday” which I have mentioned very early in my blog, when Ahmed Zaki was deposed as Prime Minister. Nadira had just got an LP (long playing) record of Cliff Richard’s “Me and my Shadows”, and she was playing "Gee Whiz, It's You" as loud as she could on her gramophone. Her father had asked her several times not to do it as there was too much happening on the island, and he didn’t want people’s attention on their house. Nadira didn’t want to listen as Cliff Richard was way too important to her than the existing political environment in the country. Her father came and stopped the gramophone, took out the stylus, and threw it on the roof of the house. May Allah bless His soul, and grant him eternal paradise!

I have stated earlier in my blog that Nadira was very ill during her second pregnancy, which took its toll on our second daughter Afshan. She became asthmatic as a small baby and never got cured of it in spite of several courses of treatment we gave her. She had a lot of difficulty in going to school, dropping classes quite frequently. She somehow managed to complete her lower secondary and sat the general certificate of education examinations, and then told me she had no will to continue with further education.

I understood her, and didn’t push her too much. She started to go to work at the government Audit Office where she met Ali Shahid, and they were married in two thousand and two. Afshan later went to Colombo to look after her sister Fathimath while she was doing her degree, and did a diploma in airline ticketing and reservations, and her results were better than good. She tells me she plans to still study further in this field.

In two thousand and two one of the two seats of parliament for Male’ fell vacant and I contested the seat in a bi-election, and got back to parliament. My brothers Shakeeb, Nasrullah, and Akram managed the campaign for me.

One of the saddest events in my life took place around mid two thousand and three. My brother Ibrahim Shakeeb fell very ill with a continuous fever and tiredness. He got treatment at the Indra Gandhi Memorial Hospital in Male’ but he was not improving. Finally he decided to go to Colombo for further tests and treatment. He went to Colombo with his wife, and I used to check on him almost every day. One day when I called him he told me that the test results were not good, and he will tell me about it when he returned to Male’. He returned to Male’ the following day and told me that he had leukemia.

By this time the majlis had nominated President Maumoon for a sixth term, and the campaign for the referendum was well under way. I was of course playing a major role in the campaign concentrating my efforts on the machangolhee ward. But when I knew that my brother whom I loved dearly not only as a brother but also as a friend, I decided to stop everything and accompany him to Bangkok where he wanted to take treatment. I stayed with him till he began his chemotherapy treatment, after being reconfirmed for leukemia at Bumnungrad Hospital Bangkok.

My brother Shakeeb insisted that this was no time for me stay with him in Bangkok and forced me to return to Male’ just on the day of the referendum. My brother Nasrullah and his wife Laila who would be with him most of the time through his illness replaced me to look after him in Bangkok.

Ministry of Human Resources Employment and Labour (2)

2011-01-22T22:01:00.000-08:00

I was sworn in as Minister of Human Resources, Employment and Labour on the eleventh of November nineteen ninety eight. When the Labour function was removed from the Ministry of Public Works and Labour in 1993 making way for the Ministry of Construction and Public Works, labour administration ceased to exist as an autonomous entity for the time being. The Labour section of the Ministry of Public Works and Labour was merged into the Ministry of Planning and National Development, and a separate labour section set up under the ministry to deal with labour matters. After sometime the labour function was moved to the Ministry of Trade and Industries, to be renamed as Ministry of Trade, Industries and Labour.

As far as I am concerned it was a wrong decision to merge labour matters into the functions of any other mainstream ministry as such a ministry would already be too overburdened with its basic mandate to give the required attention to labour and employment. Also labour and employment administration has to be impartial in its operations as it includes rights of workers, employers and government, and that in my view could not be done unless the ministry stood aloof from all other mandates. In fact our proposals from the Ministry of Public Works and Labour to separate the labour administration function from the public works function asked for a separate Ministry of Labour, as we foresaw rising labour and employment issues in the country.

Already close to ten thousand children were sitting the General Certificate Ordinary Level examinations every year, and the bulk of them would be out in the labour market soon after their examinations. About five hundred of them would go on for their Advance level studies. And out them only a about a hundred of them would go on for there degrees. Some urgent steps needed to be taken, and the five years in which labour was moving between Planning and Trade seemed to me to be a grave loss to the sector. However, the mandate was corrected with the formation of the new Ministry of Human Resources, Employment and Labour.

By the time the new ministry was formed, the students who had gone abroad for their diplomas and degrees had already started coming back to resume their official duties. And, unlike the time I left government in nineteen ninety three when one could count the number of degree holders in the country on the tips of one’s fingers, the staircases of Ghaazee Building were full of educated, young and energetic people with their laptops slung on their shoulder. They were either going into or coming out of government committees, and they all had determined looks on their faces. It was definitely a very pleasant sight to see.

Unlike the Ministry of Public Works and Labour which was created without any staff to handle the labour mandate, the Ministry of Human Resources, Employment and Labour was adequately staffed with young men and women from the Ministry of Planning and National Development and the Ministry of Trade, Industries and Labour. The Director General was Rasheeda Ali, one of the best civil servants I have worked with. She was educated, experienced and disciplined and very well versed with the matters of the ministry. She was of immense help to me throughout the next five years in which I served as minister of the Ministry.

Meanwhile my good friend Riluvan Shareef had returned from a foreign posting and the President’s Office requested me to accommodate him in the ministry, and he was posted to the ministry also as a Director General. I distributed the work of the ministry between the two Directors General, assigning human resources development to Rasheeda and, Employment and Labour functions to Riluvan. He was also an educated and experienced civil servant with international experience, and his background in economics was of much help in analyzing and forecasting the employment and labour situation of the country. Riluvan stayed with the ministry until he was transferred to the Ministry of Finance and Treasury by a request from it’s minister.

The routine work of the ministry included issuing work permits for expatriate workers and selecting students to go abroad on government scholarships. In the five years that I was out of government, the world bank funded education and training project – phase I which I signed in Washington in early nineteen eighty nine was successfully completed and closed, and the second phase of the project was in effect. During my tenure as Human Resources Minister the second phase was also completed and closed, and the negotiations on the third phase of the project was underway when I left the ministry.

Ministry of Human Resources Employment and Labour

2011-01-22T00:58:00.000-08:00

When Ahmed Mujuthaba resigned his seat in parliament and when I could find no way to carry on with the parliamentary agenda I had in mind I was lost and very depressed, although I did not show it to my family and friends. Even though I like to share my happiness with them, I find it very difficult to share my grief with anyone including the closest people to me. I was in distress and needed something to happen to lift me out of my predicament.

Meanwhile, my daughter Zaufishan had just completed her A-level studies in Sri Lanka and returned to Male’. Although she was a better than average student, she did not do too well in her O-level and A-level examinations as a result of a failed love affair, and possibly because of the major change in our lives because of the recent happenings in my own life. I know that my third daughter Shaayan who also excelled in her studies showed bad grades after what happened to me.

Zaufishaan had always wanted to be a doctor in her life, but with the grades she had in her O-level and A-level examinations there would be no university in the world who would accept her for a degree in medicine. So, she came back from Sri Lanka and joined the government hospital in Male’, the closest she could get to being a doctor.

One day in late nineteen ninety six she came home from work and told me that she had applied for a diploma nursing course from Pakistan. I was surprised and shocked because it was very unlike her to do something like that without discussing the matter with me. She later told me that she knew with the grades she had there was no chance for her to go on a scholarship unless she took something like this. I didn’t tell her at the time but I liked the way she made the decision by herself, and her rationale and decisiveness. It was so like me.

Anyway within a couple of weeks she was gone and began her nursing diploma at Baqai University in nineteen ninety seven. For the next three consecutive years until she obtained her diploma in nursing, she came first at all-Pakistan national level in the nursing board examinations, with a final score of 506/600. She was on a government scholarship but since she did so well in her diploma I supported her to do her bachelor’s degree in nursing for two more years, and she came first in her batch with a grade point average of 3.68/4. She was awarded two gold medals, one for her diploma and one for her degree. In a lot of ways I consider this to be my highest achievement in life. It is amazing how Allah lifts people out of distress.

A couple of years later she did her masters in Health Services Management at Curtin University Australia. At the time of this writing she is a Director at the Ministry of Health, on no pay leave to be with her husband Dr. Ibrahim Shujau who is completing his post graduate medicine course in internal medicine at University Malaya. Even though she was unable to become a medical doctor, she has managed to be part of a doctor’s life. They have a son of five years, Ibza who is my second grand-child.

Then, in the very early morning hours of the eleventh of November, nineteen hundred and ninety eight at around one after midnight, while I was fast asleep, I was woken up by the telephone beside my bed. It was President Maumoon’s executive secretary Mohamed Hussein calling. He said that the President wished to know if I would accept the post of Minister of Human Resources, Employment and Labour of the new cabinet he was forming for his fifth term in office. I accepted.

As you know already, a lot of my supporters at that time were opposing President Maumoon, and my decision did not make them happy, naturally. But as far as I was concerned being useful was more important to me than just sitting in parliament and making futile attempts at reform. I knew there were reform minded members in parliament, but sadly we were a small minority, and even the small minority was not prepared to push the matter much. Most of us were happy if we just used political rhetoric to keep our electorates charmed. The next five years would show that the fifteenth parliament was also a lame duck parliament who did not achieve anything in terms of the much needed reform.

I was not prepared to idle for the next five years. Furthermore, and honestly, I had no grudges against President Maumoon for what happened to me. My upbringing and the belief system that I developed within me from the time I was a small boy did not allow me to have personal enemies. I could see the human weaknesses in President Maumoon as much as I saw his greatness. I was prepared to serve him to the best of my abilities as in the final countdown I was not really serving anyone else, but my country.

Some people accused me of lying to the public saying I had promised the public never to take a government job or serve President Maumoon’s government again. But, that is not true. What I said was printed on posters and displayed all over Male’ at that time. I think people who safeguard such documents for historical purposes would still have them for anyone to see. I myself kept a copy but I regret to state that I could not find it at the time of this writing. But I hope to have the exact poster printed in my book when it is published.

Meanwhile for the sake of my readers I will state here my statement as I remember it and as close to the exact wording I released in my campaign. I said, [“Mi waguthu” rayyithunge shu-ooru thah huri gothun, rayyithun ge majlis ge member kan kuramun, ehen wazeefaa eh adhaa kurumakee “dhathi kamakah” vane kamah fennaathee, “mifaharu” majlis ge member kamah hovijje name, ehen wazeefaa eh adhaa kuraakah “gasdheh” nukurameve.] The whole statement was conditional.

Soon after the results of the election was announced President Maumoon asked me to come and see him. I went and at the meeting he told me he would like to offer me a high ranking government post which I politely refused. I don’t know what he had in mind for me as he didn’t say and I did not ask, but I refused because I had a people’s agenda I was hoping to work on. We shook hands and parted as friends, and with mutual respect for each other.

In the height of our reform work, Mujuthaba’s and mine, my dear friend Ismail Shafeeu who was a cabinet minister at that time met me personally and asked me to accept such a government posting again, which I again politely refused. I don’t know whether he even knew what the government posting was because he didn’t tell me, and I was not interested to find out. I refused outright just like I did President Maumoon, because I didn’t want anything to disturb the reform agenda we were working on.

The third time I was offered a government posting was when Mohamed Hussein called me on the morning of the eleventh of November. This time he told me what the posting was, and I accepted not because it was a ministerial position, but because I believed that I had done everything possible to fulfill the work entrusted to me by my constituents, and there was nothing more I could do personally. I also believed that none of those reforms was going to happen within the balance few months of my term in office, and the two or three meetings of parliament which would be held in those few months. I also did not want to idle away my time doing nothing when I was offered an opportunity to serve. There are many of my constituents who came to see me regularly who know that at that point in time I was prepared to accept any worthwhile public office where I could be of meaningful service. And they understood the situation, and had no objections to it.

Member of Parliament (2)

2011-01-20T22:55:00.000-08:00

Some of the work that Ahmed Mujuthaba and I did together in parliament included the following.

We decided that it was essential to reform parliament before anything else. It was necessary to keep the executive in check. It was also necessary to have a disciplined parliament to make the new laws that were necessary to turn the country into a modern democracy. There were of course a couple of articles in the constitution stating that there must be a parliament, the constitution of the parliament, and the criteria to be a parliament member. So we drafted a bill entitled the “Conduct of Parliamentary Affairs bill” and proposed it to the first session of the fourteenth parliament. The bill was not even given a chance for detailed discussion, and it was thrown out of the floor reason given being that it was unconstitutional. I implored the majlis to point out the clause or clauses in the bill which contradicted the constitution and I was ready to delete what was necessary. None was pointed out to me.

The restrictions on the freedom of speech at that time was of major concern to both Ahmed Mujuthaba and me. We were concerned that with the restrictions in force which was stated in article 6 of General Laws, and old law dating back to nineteen sixty eight, there was not going to be a possibility for the commencement of any worthwhile national dialogue. And, too many people were being punished for disobeying the law. We, therefore, introduced a bill in parliament to abolish article 6. In the thirteenth parliament I had also refrained from voting for a bill on the Religious Solidarity of the Maldivian people as proposed by the government. The reason was not because I did not support religious solidarity itself, but because it contained a clause requiring religious scholars to obtain permission from the government to preach.

In the ensuing parliamentary debate I clearly stated my reasons for proposing the bill, and I said that I was of the opinion that the article was written against the people. On that, a motion was made on the floor of the house to sue me for defamation of the parliament. Fortunately for me, my good friend and colleague Ahmed Zahir was in the chair that day, and he decided not to go for a vote on the motion, as it infringed the immunities of a member of parliament, in this case me. I escaped, but our bill did not pass.

Our next proposal to parliament was a bill outlining the requirements of proposing the government budget to parliament, and its management by the government. Without much debate, the parliament thought that it was an unnecessary bill and our efforts to get it through failed miserably.

However, one bill did pass. At that time a person was required to reach the age of twenty five to register a company. We wanted to bring down the age to twenty one which was the voting age. The members thought it was a good idea and a counter proposal was made to bring the age even lower, so that persons of eighteen years of age could register companies. The counter proposal was received well and it passed.

Meanwhile we proposed some amendments to the constitution which was being rewritten at that time. We proposed amendments on the separation of powers, an independent and strong judiciary, and the concept of parliamentary confirmation for high political appointments.They all failed.

We discussed equal rights for women and felt that the clause in the constitution in force requiring the nation’s president to be a man was a major impediment. We therefore proposed an amendment abolishing the requirement. It did not pass. Only Minister of Women’s Affairs Rashidha Yoosuf and I voted for the amendment.

We also proposed an amendment whereby the President is elected by direct vote of the people. The amendment was not accepted as there was no one to second the motion, and a vote was asked to continue on the system of election of the president by public referendum on a nomination of the majlis. There was a slight amendment to the system in force whereby anyone could openly contest the majlis nomination. I opposed to continue the system of electing the president by referendum instead of direct vote by the people, and I was the only member who did not vote for continuing the system of public referendum.

By this time Ahmed Mujuthaba refused to tolerate what was happening in parliamentary circles and resigned his seat, leaving me isolated to continue on the work of reform. I tried and I knew that my campaign team tried to get the support of other reform minded members to continue work on the reform agenda. But none was forthcoming. Majlis met for just one meeting each session which was the mandatory required minimum number of meetings per session.

My life was becoming increasingly difficult as I was not used to idling. From the beginning of my working life, and for the last twenty years and more I had been working an average of about fifteen hours a day, starting my work at seven in the morning and finishing my work daily at midnight. I did not ever take leave for the sake of a holiday, except when I or someone else in my family fell ill. I worked weekends even. I tried to think of a business to do, but I knew business was not for me.

Meanwhile my neighbor Husna Razee and some of her friends had an NGO by the name of Fashan which was involved in some civil society work. Husna invited me to join her team so I went and did some work for them for some time. But that was also not so satisfying in terms of the time involved. It didn’t keep me occupied enough. I then started free lancing in consulting services. My guru Ahmed Adam and Solah Shihab helped me set up office inside my home and I did a little bit of work here and there, and even though I still was not occupied enough, it at least kept my brains oiled.

The new constitution passed in nineteen ninety seven short of unanimity by just two votes, that of Male’ member Ahmed Aathif and Thiladhunmathi Uthutru member Ahmed Muizzu. It came into force on the first of January nineteen ninety eight, and it allowed anyone to contest the majlis nomination for president. Several of my constituents came to me asking me to contest the presidential nomination. I refused.

One day just before the majlis was to be convened to vote for the presidential nomination, Ali Abdullah invited me to his house for a cup of tea, and we met on the terrace of his house overlooking the harbor of Male’ on the northern and western sides. We had a very private meeting and he asked me to contest the presidential nomination. He said he represented the thoughts of some leading business and social leaders and he and his associates would do whatever was necessary to win me the nomination. I thanked him for his trust and confidence in me, but I refused. I was not ready to be President.

There were five candidates for the presidential nomination of the majlis, including President Maumoon who was completing his fourth term in office. He won the majlis nomination unanimously, and won the public referendum with the usual heavy support. He began his fifth term in office on the eleventh of November nineteen ninety eight.

Member of Parliament

2011-01-19T23:40:00.000-08:00

The following day, the eleventh of November nineteen ninety three found me a jobless man for the first time in my adult life. Of course I had a seat in parliament as a member for Male’, but parliament met for just about once or twice in a session, those days.

President Maumoon was to be sworn in that day for his fourth term in front of the Majlis. And according to custom soon after the swearing in each member in turn shook hands with the President. I went to the session of the Majlis and did what was required of me, and walked back home to the surprise of everyone who saw me, as I was no more being driven in my official car. I became the talk of the town in a different way.

I had a government pension of three thousand two hundred and fifty rufiyaas which was half my pay at the time I completed my first twenty years in public service, and my parliamentary members pay was one thousand two hundred and fifty rufiyaas making my total income just four thousand five hundred rufiyaas. I had five children going to school, so I had to find some other work for my family to live our lives, and get our children through school. It is interesting to note after sixteen more years of service when I discontinued my public service in November two thousand and eight, my pension remains the same as what I got then. I do not write about this as a complaint because I know there are many people who are worse off than me, but at a time when government wages and pensions have become a national issue, I thought my readers would find it very interesting for comparative purposes.

As for me I joined my friend Abdullah Abdul Fattah to operate a café and restaurant in the premises of Ever Last, the house I was living in. The café was called “Madikilan’bu” and it gave me sufficient income to make up for what I lost. I also went to parliament when a meeting was called which rarely happened. By virtue of having been a minister and as member of parliament then, I was also a member of the special majlis convened in the early eighties to amend the constitution, and remained so until the beginning of nineteen ninety eight, when the special majlis was dissolved after passing the constitution. I was also in the drafting committee of that constitution, by virtue of being a member representing Male’.

Soon it was time for the parliamentary elections to elect members for the fourteenth parliament. I was in two minds. I was not sure that I had the backing to get elected. I discussed the matter with Kudadhon Abdul Majid who was a good friend and whose company was leasing a shop in the premises of Ever Last. He was very positive, and after discussing the matter with his colleagues Mahmood Raazee, at the time of this writing Minister of Economic Development and Trade, and Ali Hashim who was a cabinet minister till recently, told me that they will support me and even go the extent of managing my campaign for me. Ibrahim Ismail, Advisor to the President at the time of this writing, also played a major role in the management of the campaign.

I was glad that I got a team of such stature to back me, and the team also got me the support other prominent leaders of society and business. Some of them helped financially, while others worked very hard to get wide public support. Yellow was proposed to me as the campaign colour and the temple flower as the logo of the campaign. I accepted the yellow colour but refused to accept the temple flower as it looked too Buddhist to me. I opted for the sunflower and they accepted. But doesn’t all this sound like a familiar story?

Anyway thanks to the hard and sincere work of the campaign management team and others they got onto the campaign I was elected as the first member of parliament for Male’. My friend and colleague Ahmed Mujuthaba was elected as the second member. I shall always remain indebted to the campaign management team and their friends for the sincere service they rendered to me and my family in re-electing me to the majlis. Especially at a time when I was forsaken by my friends in government.

It also seemed that somehow Ahmed Mujuthaba’s destiny and mine were connected. Remember, I was gifted to Ahmed Mujuthaba’s beloved father Bodufenvalhugey Seedhi when I was a very small boy. I followed Ahmed Mujuthaba to the Telecommunications Department as its secretary. He then followed me to the Department and Tourism and Foreign Investment as its Director. Again I followed Mujuthaba first as Chairman of Bank of Maldives, and then as Executive Director of Maldives Shipping Limited. We served in the same cabinet, and now we were elected to serve in the same parliament, representing the same constituency. Over the years I have found that I share the same outlook and viewpoints as him in many things. But our personalities are very different. We remain good friends even today, and often visit each other for an occasional chat.

As soon as the results were out and even before we were sworn in, Ahmed Mijuthaba and I met to discuss how we would set to work on our parliamentary responsibilities. I lived in an extended family and my house was not adequate to do our work as there was too much noise made by the kids. On the other hand Mujuthaba lived alone with his wife Ursula, and the sitting room of their house was quite adequate for our work. There weren’t many lawyers around at that time, so the drafting of the bills we wanted to propose was done by ourselves.

As I said before, although we saw eye to eye in many things and found it very easy to work together, Mujuthaba and I are very different people. We worked very hard through day and night to propose some good bills but when we found that the majlis was not prepared to listen to any reason, he gave up and resigned his seat. I stayed behind but having lost a good partner who was replaced by Umar Zahir, then a cabinet minister, I was unable to propose any bills from the time Mujuthaba left. But until then, and between us, we proposed some very good private bills to parliament, which had not widely been done up to then.

Ministry of Public Works and Labour (4)

2011-01-18T22:42:00.000-08:00

By mid July in nineteen ninety two, Mohamed Waheed Hassan Maniku member of parliament for Male’, currently the Vice President of Maldives, had resigned his seat. Ilyas Ibrahim met me the same day and told me that I was his choice to fill the vacant seat. I told him that I would very much like to be a member of parliament since this was something which I had not yet done in my almost twenty years of public service. I was going to be twenty years in service that year.

Ilyas Ibrahim asked me to wait till President Maumoon talked to me as I was already a minister, and it would be the proper way to have the President’s blessings before I contested. The following day President Maumoon asked me to come to his office, and he discussed the matter with me. I agreed to contest.

I already knew Male’s society leaders through my involvement in the two epidemics of nineteen seventy seven and nineteen eighty two. I talked to all of them and after getting their blessings and agreements, I sent in my application to the elections division of the Home Affairs Ministry. Upon advise from the leaders whom I met I wrote a few hundred letters to certain house-holds in Male’ and met some people in their homes and my home. I was elected without much difficulty.

Soon after I was elected and took my oath of office as member of parliament, Kan’dholhudhoo Mohamed Moosa Kaleygefaan met me and told me that he has come to me with a message from Ilyas Ibrahim. He said that Ilyas wanted him to tell me that he was going to contest the presidency in the forthcoming majlis nomination in nineteen ninety three, and would want my full support in the endeavour. Ilyas had left abroad to Fiji the same day. I was surprised.

Surprised because I didn’t think that he would want to compete with President Maumoon for the nomination, and also because I could not understand why he would want to send anyone with such a message to me when he and I were more than thick friends. I just heard what Mohamed Moosa Kaleygefaan said, and did not give him any indication of a reply. But I thought about the matter and decided President Maumoon was not going to contest in the forthcoming nomination, and was probably making way for Ilyas to take over the presidency.

But again to my surprise President Maumoon announced on the eleventh of November nineteen ninety two that if it was the wish of the majlis and people of the country he would accept the majlis nomination. Meanwhile in parliament I was hearing more and more members talking about nominating Ilyas for the presidency. And in my visits to the atolls, I began hearing more and more people saying that Ilyas was the best choice for the presidency.

I thought to myself. After all I was one of the members of parliament who was going to vote in the nomination and I had to decide for myself. I thought about the mood in my own constituency and decided that Male’ would not yet chose any other person over President Maumoon. I thought about what my personal feelings were. Ilyas was a good man, a capable man, who I believed has the capacity to manage the country. Personally, he was closer to me than President Maumoon. But, as far as the presidency went, I believed Maumoon was still the better choice.

I thought that I should discuss the matter with President Maumoon. But on second thoughts, if I told President Maumoon it would create a rift between Ilyas and me. If I didn’t and if Ilyas was serious it would make me a collaborator. If I discussed the matter with Ilyas, either way he would request me to stay silent, and if he asked me to do that it wasn’t going to be easy for me. In the final countdown, I was also a minister in President Maumoon’s cabinet, and had a duty of loyalty to him.

I met President Maumoon and told him that I felt if he was going to contest the presidential nomination Ilyas could be a challenge to him, and told him the reasons why I thought so. He asked me whether I would be ready to tell him these things in the presence of Ilyas, and I said yes. I agreed because I had nothing to hide and as far as I was concerned these are matters that should be discussed among responsible people, and conclusions arrived at without malice. If I was wrong in what I thought I should also be corrected. The following day President Maumoon, Ilyas Ibrahim and I met.

Then the hands of the invisible enemy started playing again. At first the newspaper article entitled “Hello is he there, no he is not” which I wrote about earlier appeared in a leading newspaper. By this time it was nomination day. I usually go to office sharp on time at seven thirty, but that day I went to office even earlier because I wanted to have somethings done before I went to majlis. My secretary brought matters that needed my attention, and on top of the pile of papers was a fax with a large photo of me and a caption reading “How about Abdullah Kamaludeen for president?”. Soon after seven thirty in the morning, my friends and many others started calling me some jokingly, some with concern, and others sarcastically saying that this fax was circulating, and some thought I was behind it. I was not, and I do not know who did it.

I went to majlis and voted my nomination in a secret ballot. By this time I was member of parliament for Male’, Minister of Public Works and Labour, Chief Executive Officer of Islamic Centre, Chairman of Bank of Maldives, Chairman of Maldives Ports Authority, Chairman of Maldives Electricity Board, and Executive Director of Maldives National Ship Management Limited, in addition to membership in many other councils and committees of government. I was too far gone to escape without harm.

Between July and November I was stripped of all the government responsibilities I was entrusted with. Meanwhile the President had stopped giving me appointments and all my dealings with his office had to be done through either the Minister of State for Presidential Affiars or the Executive Secretary to the President. And, finally on the tenth of November nineteen ninety three, the Minister of State for Presidential Affairs called me on the phone to tell me that the President wanted conveyed to me that he was not reappointing me to the new cabinet he was appointing for his fourth term in office.

The reason why he was not reappointing me was given to me but I am not going to state it here because I believe that there is a certain discipline that senior public servants have to maintain throughout their lives whether they are in office or not. All I can say is that the reason given is a misguided reason for which I did not, do not, and will not take responsibility. But a ministerial status is not my right and will never be my right and therefore I have no misgivings for my fate. If at all, what happened to me made me a stronger and better person, and I am grateful to my creator for making it so.

I have no malice in my heart against anyone for what happened. My friends and colleagues came to me with stories of who they thought the enemy was, and how they thought it happened. But I did not let them get too far because I was not and I am not interested in finding out. Furthermore, President Maumoon continued to enjoy my highest esteem and respect as much as I did and do President Nasir. I did not serve the President for what he gave me. I served my country through him because I believed in him, and continue to do so even up to today. But the events of the time also showed to me how misguided even a president can be.

Ilyas Ibrahim never changed his attitude or closeness to me in spite of what happened. We remain close friends and collegues.

Ministry of Public Works and Labour (3)

2011-01-17T22:57:00.000-08:00

Meanwhile, following the November third incident of nineteen eighty eight, it was found that some of the mercenaries had come earlier to the Maldives on the pretext of being foreign workers. At that time the Department of Labour had nothing to do with work permits, and foreign workers were allowed into the Maldives on request by a resident visa given to them by the Department of Immigration on arrival. It was felt that the system needed to be revised, and after scrutinizing the Singapore model the issuance of work permits for foreign workers was assigned to the Ministry of Public Works and Labour beginning the first of January nineteen eighty nine. It was still required to obtain a resident visa from the Immigration department after the work permit was obtained from the labour ministry.

Regulations governing the employment of foreign workers were also announced the same day as the work was assigned to the Ministry. There were already about five thousand foreign workers in the country, and more and more applications were coming in for work permits. The country’s gross domestic product was growing at almost ten percent annually, and workers of different categories were in demand. The country did not have a trained workforce to meet the demand, and import of foreign workers was inevitable.

Nevertheless the issue became a very controversial one. Public opinion differed. While a segment of society thought there really was no need for that much of foreign workers, the government was only responding to a market need. I did not think there was anyway of preventing foreign workers from arriving as there was a real demand, and how could one prevent it in a world that was becoming more and more borderless and paperless. The demand had to be met rationally for the economy to grow.

To rationalize the import of foreign workers I thought of three approaches. One was to have a state of the art labour market information system which would help determine more realistic numbers. Two was to establish a nation-wide employer oriented apprenticeship and training system to reduce the demand for foreign workers, and three was to raise the dignity of the Maldivian worker so that he or she becomes a productive worker for whom work is sacred. But for any of these things to happen there needed to be a legal basis, and set aside a proper law, we did not even have regulations to govern the labour sector. It was very embarrassing to me that while we had regulations covering the employment of foreign workers, we did not have any law or regulation to cover the employment of local workers.

Meanwhile the draft regulations governing the labour sector had gone to the President’s office earlier and was awaiting cabinet approval. I pushed the President’s office hard to get the regulations approved, and finally it was submitted for cabinet approval sometime in 1993. The cabinet approved the draft regulations as they were submitted, and decided that they would come into force on the first of January Nineteen ninety four. By that time I was long gone from the Labour Ministry.

In nineteen ninety Nadira was pregnant for the sixth time, having had four births and a natural abortion earlier. She was now into her early thirties and the pregnancy was proving to be a bit difficult. We were both looking forward very much to have a boy. Finally it was time, and we took her to the hospital. I was quite concerned for my wife, and knowing how worried I was my friend and colleague Ismail Shafeeu came to the hospital to keep me company. All my brothers Shakeeb, Nasrullah, Akram and Zafarullah were also with me. The news we were getting from inside was not good, It seems Nadira was getting weaker and weaker and she was getting into a critical situation. Finally, they called in Dr. Naila Ibrahim Didi who had looked after Nadira’s pregnancies throughout. She took a few minutes inside the labour room, and then the heir arrived. I wanted to name him Jawfar after my father, but it was Nadira’s earnest desire that I name him Mohamed, and I did.

I was appointed Chairman of Maldives Electricity Board in nineteen ninety one. The Board was undergoing heavy losses at that time. I looked into what was happening and found out three factors contributing to the losses. Firstly, there was something wrong with the procurement system both local and foreign, especially foreign. And we were stocking too much spare parts, much more than was necessary, so we streamline the system, and brought down the level of stock and inventories to a rational level. Secondly there were heavy transmission losses. If my memory is right I was told that were losing close to fifteen percent due to low quality cables. So we took immediate steps to reduce transmission losses. Thirdly, we found the establishment was a bit over-staffed, but I did not want to lay off anyone thinking of the consequences to the families of those who were laid off. So I gave instruction to stop recruiting new staff for posts that fell vacant, and we also streamlined the duties and shifts of the staff. By the time I left the Maldives Electricity Board in nineteen ninety three, we had twenty seven million rufiyaas liquid cash in the account of the board, and we were running on profit.

In nineteen ninety one I was also asked to take over Maldives National Ship Management as its Executive Director. I appealed to the President saying that I was by now having too many jobs, and some people may not take it too favourably. I was worried because I was hearing people talk about it blaming the President and me personally. People thought I was getting a fat sum of money for all the jobs I was having. But that was not true. I was not paid a regular salary for the extra jobs, only some remuneration which totaled not more than twelve thousand rufiyaas a month including the six thousand five hundred rufiyaas I was paid as minister. Furthermore, even though I got my pension while I was having all these jobs my pension was calculated only on my salary as minister, and nothing more. I write about this not to complain about what I was earning, but to clarify a point so many people I know had doubts about.

When I appealed to the President about the Maldives National Ship Management Limited job, he told me that he appointed me to the post on advise of Ali Maniku who was acting in the capacity of Chairman of the company. At that time Maldives National Ship Management was also undergoing heavy losses. The general opinion was that the company’s losses were due to mismanagement. True, there might have been some extravagancies, which the company had already identified when I took over. I only needed to implement those measures, as a result of which nineteen ninety one and nineteen ninety two turned out to be two consecutive years of recent history in which the company broke even.

With my limited knowledge on shipping matters, and as far as I saw, the most basic issue for the company was the 40:40:20 resolution of the UNCTAD, which gave the right for two trading countries to each control fourty percent of the shipping between the countries, leaving only twenty percent for which the ships of the rest of the countries could compete. The competition was too tough for us given the size of our ships and other factors. So our income was largely based on the freight we got to carry to the Maldives from Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and other countries. Maldives did not have much exports, so that also proved be a losing factor because there was no freight for outbound ships from the Maldives. To add to the difficulties private shipping lines had begun to operate by then, and therefore our ships were in competition with them too.

And the private shipping lines were at an advantage because they had their own trading sections, so their ships were bringing their own cargo to a large extent. On finding this out I proposed to the President’s office that one way we could avoid losses to the company was to amalgamate the State Trading Organization and the Maldives National Ship Management Limited, naming it something like Maldives National Trading and Shipping Limited, so that we would have a level playing field with the other companies. I hadn’t got a response to my proposal by the time I left, but we started to bring our own goods on our ships, and made one or two trips to Addu Atoll directly from Singapore so that items like cement and timber etc. could be found in the atolls at the same price as Male’ or cheaper than Male’. But this activity was stopped by the Ministry of Trade and Industries saying that government companies had specific mandates and should stick to those mandates. Although there was nothing much I could do about it I did not agree with these instructions as I firmly believed that one of the short term solutions to keep the company afloat was to diversify.

I also thought of diversifying into the local sea transport and air transport business so that the company could have a wider transport mandate than just a shipping mandate. In fact I did some work to turn the company into one, but I had to move our before any solid outcome.

Ministry of Public Works and Labour (2)

2011-01-17T00:59:00.000-08:00

Early in nineteen ninety I was replaced by Ali Abdullah of Yaagoothuge as Managing Director of Maldives Ports Authority, and I was appointed Chairman of the Authority relieving of my day to day responsibilities for the port of Male’. I felt that the change was a good one. I knew Ali Abdullah from the time I was a small boy. He used to sit as manager of a hardware shop known as Junction Store near my house, and we used to meet several times when my brothers and I walked to Baa miskiiy (now Masjid Zikraa) for our prayers. He would stop us on our way back and talk to us about many interesting things. I saw Ali Abdullah’s success through the years, and I had every reason to believe that he wouldn’t let down the Ports Authority and the government, and he didn’t. He continued declaring annual profits throughout his tenure.

The same year my good friend and cabinet colleague Ahmed Mujuthaba resigned as Chairman of the Bank of Maldives. He had been its Chairman since inception, and I replaced him as the second Chairman of the Bank of Maldives. Bank of Maldives was formed in the early nineteen eighties as a joint venture between the government of Maldives and IFIC bank of Bangladesh, under bilateral cooperation between the two countries. The agreement forming the bank was for a period of ten years. It was during my tenure as the Chairman of the Bank of Maldives, that the government decided to buy out IFIC’s shares in the bank and make it a fully Maldivian owned bank.

A decision was also made to sell twenty five percent shares to the public and the balance seventy five percent shares to be retained by the government. My own preference was to sell fourty nine percent of the shares to the public and retain fifty one percent for the government, and subsequently go on divesting the government shares in the bank, so that it should become a privately owned Maldivian bank in the future.

At that time Bank of Maldives had only two Bangladeshi officers in the bank, the general manager and the chief accountant. I proposed Arif Hilmy who had just returned home after completing his masters degree in economics and who would later become the Minister of State for Finance with independent charge for the ministry, to replace the Banglashi general manager, and his nomination was accepted by the President. Arif Hilmy is one of the smartest economists I have known in my career, and it was a pleasure working with him in the prestigious Bank of Maldives, until it was time for me to go in 1993.

My visit to Pyongyang in mid nineteen ninety to represent the government of Maldives was a real eye opener for me, in many ways. The Maldivian delegation consisted of two boys and two girls from the Youth Centre and me, and we spent three weeks in the city. On our return trip our plane to Colombo left Moscow much before its schedule time and we missed it and all our baggage. Furthermore, there wasn’t a connection we could get and we checked in at a hotel closeby to the airport. We had very little money on us, and I knew I had to do something quickly before our money ran out. I went to the airport three times a day for two days before we finally managed to get a connection home via Singapore.

My mother had gone on pilgrimage to Mecca when I returned home. When I came home my grandfather Hassan Maniku was not well, He was well past eighty and suffering from cancer of the mouth. He had taken treatment in Colombo for the ailment earlier. I took him to hospital where the doctors thought it would be better for him to be admitted. I visited him the following day in the evening. He was in a very jovial mood when I went, but passed away within the hour while I was still with him.

My grandfather is a major influence in my life. He was also a public servant and served as Atoll Chief in many atolls. It was during his tenure as atoll chief in Shaviyani when Bodu Thiladhunmathi, the political incident in which many people from the north came to Male’ to protest and change the government of President Amin Didi. It is said that my grandfather’s influence on the people of Shaviyani prevented a single person from the atoll joining the protestors.

My farthest memories of him are from the time he served as a customs official which was his last job in the government before he retired. At that time he used to stay with my parents at Machangolhee-aage. My brothers and I used to wait for him in anticipation in the late afternoons when he would come home from work with goodies inside his umbrella for us. Then we would take long walks with him on the streets of Male’. There were no cars and no motor cycles, only the occasional push bicycle. In the nights he would tell us wonderful stories to put us to sleep. I can remember many of the stories he told us, but there was one particular story of himself and my grandmother going to Africa on a visit, and himself wearing a pair of shorts and my grandmother wearing a frock and sitting under a sun umbrella, on a beach somewhere in Africa. Where on earth he had this idea I do not know, as most Maldivians would not have even thought about tourism those days. It probably would have been an earnest desire in his mind to go back to where his roots were. His lineage starts with a black man who was washed ashore in the Maldives, on a piece of plank.

He demonstrated his love and affection for us in every way. He was a pious man and did his prayers regularly. He was a very patient man, and I have never heard him complain about anything in life, in spite of many difficulties in his life which became evident to us even. Even in illness, I have not heard him complain about pain. My Allah bless him and grant him a permanent place in heaven.

Although I played a major role in the formulation of the education and training project which I signed with the World Bank in my visit to them in nineteen eighty nine, the Ministry of Public Works and Labour was not assigned to implement the project, and rightfully so, because we were not adequately staffed to manage a project of the sort. Instead the Ministry of Planning and National Development implemented the project, but I was glad to see our young people leaving the country in numbers for their studies abroad under the project.

Ministry of Public Works and Labour

2011-01-16T02:44:00.000-08:00

The following day, the fifth of January nineteen eighty nine, I took my oath of office as my country’s Minister of Public Works and Labour in front of President Maumoon Abdul Gayyoom. Chief Justice Moosa Fathy read out the oath to me. I was thirty four years old.

I came home, joined my mother, wife, children and siblings to say a prayer to Allah the almighty asking for His blessings. After that I went to Galolhu burial grounds where my father lay and prayed for him, then returned to my office to resume my official duties. My colleagues at the public works office, the Islamic centre, the ports authority, all were there to congratulate me. I felt a sense of affection and gratitude to all of them, without whose sincere good will and support, I would have never reached where I was.

One of the first official duties that I had to perform as a cabinet minister was to travel to various capitals of friendly countries and multi lateral organizations of which we were a member, on an aid sensitization mission. Normally, the Minister of Foreign Affairs or the Minister of Finance would go on such missions, but this time the task was assigned to me. I left on the eastern leg of the mission with the Director of External Resources Mohamed Shihab, and Director of Planning and National Development Aminath Mohamed Didi.

Our first stop was Manila and the Asian Development Bank, then on to Tokyo and Australia. (Here I have to make a correction. I wrote in an earlier blog that the social education centre project was negotiated with the government of Japan in an earlier visit. My memory misguided me.) In Tokyo we proposed for Japanese grant aid, a convention centre for the Maldives, and it did not work out at our first meeting. But before we left Tokyo a foreign ministry official visited me in my hotel to tell me that if the government of Maldives would change the project for a social education centre then the Japanese government could accommodate that project for grant aid. I called the President’s office and Ministry of Foreign Affairs to tell them about the Japanese government’s stand on the matter. Immediately I got the go ahead to accept their suggestion, and the project for the social education centre was finalized.

Mohamed Shihab and I went to Japan later to work out the details of the project. Mitsui Corporation was awarded the contract, and the social education centre project was coordinated and administered by the Ministry of Public Works and Labour. The social education centre which stands at the western end of Majeedhee Magu was later renamed “Youth Centre” and has served the youth of the country in numerous ways.

We returned home after a two weeks mission and after an interval of a couple of days, I left on the western leg of the mission with my dear friend Deputy Minister of Planning and National Development Ismail Shafeeu and Director of the Ministry of External Affairs Abdul Hameed Zakariyyaa who after the mission became a staunch supporter and good friend. We visited eight capitals in Europe including Rome, Brussels, Bonn, Paris, Oslo, Stockholm, Copenhagen, Amsterdam, and London. Then we went to the United States of Amerca where we visited the State Department, International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. At the world bank I signed the agreement on world bank assistance to the education and training sector of the Maldives, viz; phase one of the Education and Training project under which many Maldivian students completed their diplomas and degrees in various fields. We returned home after one month.

Meanwhile, Male’ residents were experiencing difficulties because of very bad roads. Vehicles were increasing in Male’ making pot holes in the unpaved roads, and when it rained the roads got flooded to such an extent it was impossible for anyone including school children to walk on the roads without getting their feet wet. An inexpensive solution had to be found. Public works rose to the occasion and pioneered a pilot road project on fan’diyaaru magu. The drainage system was developed in house, and the surface of the road was cement stabilized. The thinking behind the pilot project was if the road proved to be successful, then to quickly cement stabilize all the roads of Male’, and subsequently when the cement stabilization broke to repair it with the cement stabilization as base material, and give the road a tar surface.

The pilot road proved successful in the sense that it was done with minimum cost and did not collect water on the surface. However, the project was discontinued because the Male’ municipality came up with a project to build roads with interlocking cement blocks. They used the same drainage system developed by the public works ministry. I did not support the building of roads with interlocking blocks, and I still do not, because I felt that usage would make the surface uneven in time allowing for pot holes for water to collect, and also make the surface smooth whereby motorcycles and bicycles would skid when it rained. But mine was just one voice, and in a country heading towards democracy, just one voice doesn’t count. Male’ municipalty did a good job paving all the roads of Male’ in record time.

Another problem we were faced with at that time was the issue of waste collection and disposal. In the absence of an organized system people were throwing garbage all over the island and the government was finding it very difficult to keep the city of Male’ clean. At the Ministry of Public Works and Labour we discussed the issue, and came up with a solution. Our solution was to take the garbage and waste out of Male’ on trucks using a landing craft. We made the proposal to the President’s office, and on approval asked Ali Maniku in Singapore to help us build a landing craft for the purpose in Singapore. As usual Ali Maniku did the needful and the landing craft was built in record time. We named it “Ufuli” and brought it down to Male’ on tow of a cargo vessel owned by the Maldivives National Ship Management Limited.

On its arrival I thought that if the Ministry of Public Works and Labour got into the business of waste collection and disposal, while there was a Male’ Municipalty, then that would be a bad precedent. We therefore handed over the landing craft to Male’ Municpalty to carry on the work of waste disposal. I am happy to know that it proved to be a workable system and has till today continued to perform. But there is so much more that need to be done in the area of waste disposal and I hope that the authorities concerned will do the needful before the matter gets out of hand again.

Department of Public Works and Labour (5)

2011-01-15T08:47:00.000-08:00

Nineteen eighty eight was a presidential election year again, and a year of national significance. The majlis nominated President Maumoon for a third term, and he was easily confirmed by the national referendum. There wasn’t any hall in Male’ at that time which could take in the number of invitees the government wanted to have at the swearing in ceremony. I was entrusted to build a pavilion on the southern side where the stadium is today.

We got the Department of Public Works and Labour workforce on the job sometime in October, and by early November the work was almost finished. On the second of November we worked until the early hours of the morning of the third, and I went to bed around two thirty in the morning. No sooner had I gone to sleep than my wife Nadira woke me up to tell me that there was some unusual noise. I woke up still half asleep and told her that it must be some coconuts falling on our roof from our neighbor, the Raazees’ house, and went back to sleep, to the dismay and wrath of my wife. Soon after she woke me up and told me sarcastically that the coconuts hadn’t stopped falling still. I told her it must be our water pump firing up before its death and went back to sleep. But Nadira wouldn’t let me, so I woke up and after sitting cross legged on the bed for sometime and listening to the continuous noise thought, yes, there is something wrong.

I got out of my sleeping clothes, washed my face, put on my regular clothes and walked out to my gate. But before I got there I saw two people cross my gate with guns in their hands. I was very frightened and walked backed inside the house, then called Abbas Ibrahim Minister of State for Presidential Affairs, who confirmed that the National Security Services headquarters in Male’ was under enemy attack with weapons.

I tried to call Ilyas Ibrahim Deputy Minister of Public Safety and Minister of Trade and Industries but he was not answering the phone, so I called Ambaree Abdul Sattar Director of National Security who confirmed to me that President Maumoon was safe and he was in touch with him, and also that all the senior officers of the National Security Services were inside the headquarters building and holding out well. It gave me great comfort to know this information.

All sorts of information were coming in about people dying and about people carrying guns and going about shooting everywhere and anywhere. I couldn’t believe some of the information. Then I heard that Kin’bigasdhoshuge where Ilyas Ibrahim stayed and Meenaaz where Abdullah Hameed Minister of Atolls Administration stayed were under gun attack. I went to Kin’bigasdhoshuge first to see that the people who attacked the house had gone. Then I found that Ilyas Ibrahim himself had escaped but was hurt and lying in a closeby house. I went and saw him, and he was in pain with a broken wrist. He told me to do whatever I can to help save the situation.

I then went to Meenaz to find out that Minister Abdullah Hameed had left the house with his family and were safe somewhere. Much later on I found that Faathin Hameed, minister Hameed’s daughter, who would later become my sister in law, and a colleague at work refused to leave the house and stayed in the house throughout the gun attack. I salute her today for her bravery and refusal to give into injustice. At work I knew her to be a very opinionated and hard worker who strived to realize her viewpoints. Her advise helped me a lot in my work.

Returning to the happenings of the day, there was nothing much anyone could do. I went upto the Islamic Centre but some national security service men in plain clothes advised us not to go beyond. I went to the central hospital and saw fallen and bleeding people being brought there, and I tried to help in any little way I could. I returned home for lunch, and while I was standing at the gate I saw my good friend and Minister of Transport and Shipping Ahmed Mujuthaba and his wonderful wife Ursula Mujuthaba being taken under heavy armed guard by the enemies.

By afternoon the enemy gunmen had almost accepted defeat. They took the Maldivian hostages including Ahmed Mujuthaba, Ursula Mujuthaba, Ismail Naseer and many others on board mv. Progress Light which was in the Male’ anchorage and left to wherever they were going. On President Maumoon’s appeal, Rajiv Gandhi Prime Minister of India sent a regiment of the Indian army to assist and they arrived towards midnight.

The Maldivian National Security Services gates opened and together with the Indian forces they chased the enemy and caught up with them in mid ocean. There was shooting from both sides and of course our side won. But the crossfire caused heavy casualties to the hostages. Some of them were shot by the enemy. May Allah bless them all.

The following day life on Male started to become normal. I was relieved to see my very close friends in the Maldivian security services Mohamed Zahir, Adam Zahir, Hussein Ibrahim Fulu, Shawkath Ibrahim, Ahmed Naeem, Moosa Jaleel and many others alive. The National Security Services under the leader of their commander in chief President Maumoon Abdul Gayyoom had saved the day for the Maldives.

But I had work to do. Masjid Sultan Mohamed Thakurufaan Al Auzam and the Islamic Centre had been the main target of enemy gunfire and was pockmarked with bullets all over. The building was very heavily damaged. I as the executive officer in charge of the Islamic Centre and as Director of Public works got to work to repair the building.

Two months later on the fourth of January nineteen eighty nine at about ten thirty in the evening while I was still working in my office, the Administrator of the President’s official residence Naibugey Abdul Muhaimin telephoned me and told me that the President wished to see me at Mulee-aage. I hurried home took a quick wash, dressed in my official attire, shirt and tie, and went to the President’s official residence. A presidential assistant met me at the gate and guided me in, where Abdul Muhaimin met me on the varendah and ushered me into the western waiting room. It was around eleven fifteen in the evening.

Soon afterwards, President Maumoon himself walked in with his usual welcoming smile. We shook hands, talked for a few minutes about this and that, and he asked me about my mother and family. Then quite suddenly he asked me whether I would accept the post of Minister of Public Works and Labour in the new cabinet he was forming the following day. I accepted.