FEAR; inhibiting rights and freedoms of the Maldivians

Fear is an unpleasant emotion caused by the threat of danger, pain, or harm according to modern dictionaries. It is an emotion that allows us to do a lot but also refrain from doing somethings. Fear is the tool the oppressor uses to suppress those who threatens his power. Fear is an emotion like many other that we choose to experience and can learn to overcome. Though fear is an important emotion to protect one in times of dangerous paths it can also inhibit one’s own rights and rightful gains.

Since the reign of Maumoon Abdul Gayyoom (1979-2008) in the Maldives, Fear towards the public institutions was instilled rigorously with arbitrary detention and torture in the jails. Fear was first used by the old National Security Service to deter persons from not crime but political activities. There is clear evidence and this is something that simply cannot be denied by anyone. The fear of the institutions and the government worked very well allowing Gayyoom to rule over the Maldives for a long period of time without much challenge.

Then, the fear from Gangsters and drug cartels was the second reign of fear that arose within the Maldivian society. Though Gayyoom did suppress and ‘control’ the gangs and the streets of the capital Male’, was relatively safe during his rule; the moment he was toppled, the gangs roamed free. They were up for the highest bidding. The gangs used intimidation, knife attacks, beatings and theft to reinstall a new form of fear. Now the people once more ‘needed’ the government to protect them from these gangs. The gangs are ‘used’ by all sides of the political spectrum. The gangs that are made up of the young unloved children of Maldives who only seek to be loved and belong.

The next question is, who are these gangsters? Simply put, they are the UNLOVED CHILDREN of a society that is a by-product of a supposed democracy with religious connotations within a fragile constitution. The society that hides sexual abuse and incest and other heinous crimes within families, in fear of being punished by the state and in fear of being shamed by the public. A society that is so sick that it sends their children to a known paedophile to educate them. A society that allows their children to be abused by the religious teachers and afraid to say anything against the teacher since they are ‘religious’. A society that learned nothing but to sweep everything under the rug and live a charade of a life pretending all is good and dandy; because of FEAR!

Does not the Quran the book of the Muslim people of Maldives as per our constitution state, that It is only Shaitan (Satan) that suggests to you the fear of his Auliya' (supporters and friends)? Why should we fear these persons of Gangs and the State when they amount to far less in numbers and power as a whole compared to the society? It is only when we shed this fear of the evil persons and embrace them with love and when required stronger strength in numbers, shall we see a true good change. As long as we shop from these businessmen who finance and use the gangs to do their bidding including money laundry and drug trade, we are only financing our own demise. Unless we as an individual begin to change ourselves we will not experience and peace and unity in Maldives. Unless we learn exactly when to be merciful and when to be strong we shall continue to fall on our faces while trying to change the society.

“…Allah will not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves…” 13:11 Surat Ar-ra’d.