Don't get me wrong. I predicted this just two weeks ago. In fact, here's what I said in a piece for Minivan News, published on 24 January 2012
"It simply does not bode well for the country’s democracy when the powers bestowed to one arm of the State is unilaterally employed to twist the other arm.
The country has already had one failed attempt at democracy before. If the actions of the democratic leaders causes the general public loses faith in democratic institutions and the rule of law, then there’s no reason to believe it won’t fail again."
And that's exactly what happened last night. Our country's second (third?) experiment with democracy failed.
I was watching from a building with a vantage point, seeing the events of the night unfold on the streets below me. When the entire Police force refused to take orders and openly rebelled, I knew it was going to rapidly spiral out of control.
Once that happened, I saw the rioters lose all their fear. Stones and bottles were thrown. Window panes were smashed. Some of the protesters were relentlessly rebuking the armed forces for protecting 'the Jew' - and loudly applauding the Police.
In the meantime, the Vice President issued a statement ordering the armed forces to refrain from following 'unconstitutional' orders, while the rebelling police were calling for the Commissioner to issue an apology for issuing such orders.
Rumors flew that a faction of the army had also decided to join the rebels, but were being forcibly held at their base. In the space of a few hours, of course, the whole thing dangerously blew into a full blown national crisis.
A group of young men - ostensibly MDP activists - were seen rushing towards the republican square with sticks and other weapons. In the ensuing commotion, the police and the MNDF were caught in a vicious pitched battle, and copious amounts of pepper spray and tear gas canisters were being flung by both sides.
The way the situation was getting out of hand, I did momentarily fear there would be bloodshed. But the reality is that the country simply cannot afford to have the military publicly open fire on citizens. Even the dictator Maumoon with all his absolute powers didn't dare do it.
The way the situation was getting out of hand, I did momentarily fear there would be bloodshed. But the reality is that the country simply cannot afford to have the military publicly open fire on citizens. Even the dictator Maumoon with all his absolute powers didn't dare do it.
It just wouldn't work.
Given this, the President did the right thing by gracefully resigning in the face of a coup d'etat.
_
I must take the time out to say what I truly feel about President Nasheed.
I haven't the slightest doubt that he's a democrat in every sense of the word.
However, he is also more of an activist than a statesmen; more adept at giving populist, rousing speeches than building a national consensus. It is not surprising then that the last few months of the country has seen absolute political polarization - with no willingness on either side to compromise or see eye-to-eye on any issue.
President Nasheed's ability to turn conventional wisdom on its head and pull out one surprise after the other never failed to impress.
I severely criticized his decision to gamble with the country's economy by banning spas and massage parlours in the resorts. But one can't deny the sheer brilliance of the manoeuvre; the manner in which he publicly called the opposition's bluff and exposed the hypocrisy of the mullahs and the two-faced nature of people like Gasim Ibrahim.
President Nasheed's ability to turn conventional wisdom on its head and pull out one surprise after the other never failed to impress.
I severely criticized his decision to gamble with the country's economy by banning spas and massage parlours in the resorts. But one can't deny the sheer brilliance of the manoeuvre; the manner in which he publicly called the opposition's bluff and exposed the hypocrisy of the mullahs and the two-faced nature of people like Gasim Ibrahim.
Faced with an inflamed public charged with high religious rhetoric spewed by the local Taliban (I'm afraid, I have to include the likes of Dr Hassan Saeed in this), Anni could have easily chosen to plunge into feverish religious rhetoric himself.
Instead, he chose to make a public stand in favour of tolerant, moderate, traditional Islam. It is easy to underestimate the kind of courage it takes to do something like that in a society like the Maldives.
Where others like Velezinee and Ibra have repeatedly tried hard and failed, Anni succeeded in making the corrupt, runaway judiciary a subject of intense national debate, if only temporarily.
The Abdulla Ghazee episode proved to be his undoing. His activist bent of mind dictated, perhaps, that given the circumstances, the ends justified the means.
The Abdulla Ghazee episode proved to be his undoing. His activist bent of mind dictated, perhaps, that given the circumstances, the ends justified the means.
In a way, Anni has proved himself a sort of a soldier than a leader - more interested in building and preserving democracy than actually practicing it. This time, his big gamble failed.
Oftentimes in recent weeks, I have been forced to wonder whether it is worth preserving the 'Rule of Law' and the associated institutions - even when they are clearly dysfunctional and corrupt.Would the Maldivian public be better off with a benevolent, modernist dictator who can forcibly drag them in the direction of progress?
I hate to say that I can't answer it to this day.
One part of me understands how crucial it is to set proper democratic precedents in these early years. The other part of me sees not a ray of hope in the existing, corruption laden failure of a system - infested as it is by criminals and greedy businessmen consumed by avarice, and willing to burn society in the flames of violence and fundamentalism, if it means protecting their political or business interests.
Another thing that's constantly bothered me throughout the last couple of years is the lack of any credible opposition in the country - crooks and thieves with no apparent workable policies other than preventing the government from functioning in anyway.
It is not hard to see why the international community has been reluctant to back the opposition, or condemn President Nasheed's alleged excesses.
I truly dread to imagine bumbling idiots like Umar Naseer or Ahmed Mahfool (I'm sorry, I am unable to spell this guys name any other way) walk the hallways of power. This country simply cannot afford it.
But in a democracy, you have to live with what you get. And what you get is what you deserve. Maybe a stinking political system sustained by mindless personality cults, while masquerading as a 'democracy', is exactly what we deserve.
With the success of this coup, the Judiciary shall now instantly revert to being an instrument of political control and protection of the Gayoom clan and their cronies. I also predict that the local Taliban will again get a free run in spreading their hatred and paranoia, meeting even less resistance than the previous government. This is why I chose to use the word 'treason' in the title of this post. Traitors will now run our media and judiciary and other institutions.
Another thing that's constantly bothered me throughout the last couple of years is the lack of any credible opposition in the country - crooks and thieves with no apparent workable policies other than preventing the government from functioning in anyway.
It is not hard to see why the international community has been reluctant to back the opposition, or condemn President Nasheed's alleged excesses.
I truly dread to imagine bumbling idiots like Umar Naseer or Ahmed Mahfool (I'm sorry, I am unable to spell this guys name any other way) walk the hallways of power. This country simply cannot afford it.
But in a democracy, you have to live with what you get. And what you get is what you deserve. Maybe a stinking political system sustained by mindless personality cults, while masquerading as a 'democracy', is exactly what we deserve.
With the success of this coup, the Judiciary shall now instantly revert to being an instrument of political control and protection of the Gayoom clan and their cronies. I also predict that the local Taliban will again get a free run in spreading their hatred and paranoia, meeting even less resistance than the previous government. This is why I chose to use the word 'treason' in the title of this post. Traitors will now run our media and judiciary and other institutions.
As with every leadership change in Maldivian history, there'll be relentless efforts to demonize Anni in the coming days. From being a Zionist spy to a drunkard, he'll face every accusation.
And yet, despite all the flaws in his government, I sincerely believe that President Nasheed truly had great ambitions of going forward. The average Maldivian, however, insists on regressing. The relationship was bound to fail.
~Peace!
