Monday 29 June 2015

Maldives says "What Democracy?"!

First of all Congratulations to the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) for surviving 10 years in the Maldives as the only party with even the slightest stance towards democratic change :) 

Ex-president and leader of Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) Mohamed Nasheed is now under house arrest (though for medical reasons), the leader of the religious party that recently left the government coalition, Adhaalath Party (AP) is still locked up on charges of inciting to bring down the government and refusing the orders of the Police. Other opposition persons are self exiled in the UK and Gasim Ibrahim (the rich businessman who basically owns the political party Jumhooree Party,JP) has not been heard of since he left abroad. 

The supposed 'deal' between the opposition MDP and the Regime that is to allow Nasheed to stay at home rather than complete his jail sentence in jail (for the dubious made up charges of terrorism and a 13 year sentence). Then last week we heard the MDP say that it is now ready to work with the regime to change the system of governance to a Parliamentary system under the conditions that current president Abdullah Yameen remains as president and his party, the PPM, will elect the Prime Minister and that the current parliament will remain as it is unchanged. Though no one has clearly said that there would be no public referendum on the decision of a new system, it seems like there wouldn't be any. The PPM and MDP worked together last week to change the age of Vice President from 30- 65 years of age (reducing the age from 35) and are publicly campaigning on social media for the current Minister of Tourism and the ever notorious Ahmed Adheeb to be the new VP. The current VP Mohamed Jameel has also gone to the UK though the PPM has said they will go ahead with the vote of no confidence against him even if he was not in Maldives. 

The question that arises now is if PPM wishes Adheeb to be VP how can they change the system of governance to a parliamentary system and have a ceremonial President elected by the people with a Prime Minister elected from the parliament; then allow for Adheeb to be the PM? Will one of the MP's simply give away his chair for Adheeb since the agreement is for the current members of parliament to remain as they are? What gains does the MDP receive by this decision? Do they hope that the split between the ex-dictator Maumoon Abdul Gayyoom (the head of PPM) and the current president, his half brother will be further emphasized and brought up by pushing Adheeb to a higher position (whom Gayyoom is not a supporter of)? If MDP is betting the change of the constitution so rapidly merely on a whim that PPM will fall into internal chaos if MDP supports Adheeb, then it is one huge bet with the public to loose everything. 

One might get criticized by MDP supporters for creating such doubt over their decision but it is the ability of a party to communicate and involve larger amounts of persons in their decision making that makes them more democratic. When the few elite tell the public that they will do everything in our interest and merely carry out decisions that the lay public are left feeling confused and disillusioned then there is something wrong. Not everybody will understand the games and moves of a political party but what everybody does understand is that the elite of the party work FOR the people and not the other way around! I Pray we see something positive within the next few weeks.

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