Bushry Column - Let's Party in Maldives :: Dhivehi Observer

Bushry Column
Let's Party

Mohamed Bushry , 30 June 2005 - Bushry Column Archive

Even until a few hours before the registration of MDP, many people were skeptical that Gayyoom's government would register an opposition party. The skeptics were saying that the government would come up with some last minute excuse to delay the registration process indefinitely. Thank Allah the skeptics were wrong. MDP has finally been registered and political parties have finally become a reality in the Maldives. Indeed it's time to party. But there are some worrying signs on the horizon.

A public announcement by the Home Ministry is circulating in the national airwaves. Maldivians are being warned not to use political parties as an excuse to conduct illegal gatherings or to break the law in any sense. My personal view is that this isn't the right time to make such threatening announcements. This is a historical time for Maldives. This is a moment that the Maldivian people have been waiting for a long time. We persevered with great patience and courage. Finally when we got what we have been striving for, the Home Ministry is making these threatening remarks.

In a meeting at Iskandar School, on Sunday night, MDP Chairman, Mohamed Nasheed called the President to form a coalition with MDP and hold immediate elections. Would the Home Minister consider that remark to be inciting public unrest and instability? On that ground, would that meeting be considered an illegal gathering?

Founders, administrators and ordinary members of some political parties are being accused of inciting violence. As an ordinary member of a political party, I would like to express my strong disapproval of the timing of this announcement by the Home Ministry.

We should not be deterred by this. We should be euphoric and savour this moment. We should indeed party. We should fight for our rights. We should strive to eradicate corruption and nepotism. Our efforts to bring true democracy to this nation should not be considered as acts against the nation. Those who fight to establish democratic values should not be labeled as thugs. We should not let ourselves be intimidated by anyone's threatening remarks.

I would like to express my personal support for MDP Chairman's call to the government. Indeed we would like to see a caretaker, coalition government formed by the two biggest parties MDP and MPP. We would like the present cabinet to be dissolved and a new cabinet formed under the coalition government. We would also like to see fresh general elections and a presidential election held. These changes should come in good faith, and not under pressure.

I would also like to call educated Maldivians such as Dr. Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik, Dr. Abdul Sattar Yousuf, Dr. Riza, Dr. Saeed, and Mr. Abdullah Rasheed and Shafeeq (Kuda Sappe) to return home and participate in the newly emerging political system in the country. No one should believe that he has a birthright to be the next president of this country. Anyone who has political ambitions should show their faces and standup for freedom and liberty. This is not a Halloween Party where the members hide behind evil looking masks. We should throw away our masks and come forward with transparent intentions.