DhiPatriots

SECULARISM: OBLIVION OR SALVATION?

2014-06-29T03:26:00.000-07:00

In the name of allah, the most beneficent and the most merciful

For most Muslims “secularism" remains a taboo, connected to everything from mild peculiarity to an unnatural act of profanity. Part of the reason why secularism is judged with such suspicion in the Muslim world is for the reason that it is seen as an intruder from the world of Judeo-Christian ideas, alien to the framework of the Sharia and therefore a threat to Islam itself. Muslim thinkers who put secularism above the doctrine of a theocratic Islamic State have been few and far between, until recent times.

The first Muslim scholar to properly embrace secularism was the Egyptian judge, Shaykh Ali Abd al-Raziq (1888-1966), in his groundbreaking work al-Islam wa 'Usul al-Hukm (Islam and the Principles of Governance), published in 1925. The controversy and events that followed the publication of it marked a break even point in the debate on religion and its role in politics, waged in the Islamic world between the forces of orthodoxy and reformism.

Recent history has demonstrated that, in Iran and Turkey to Pakistan, Malaysia and Indonesia; the rise of Islamic movements and the strength of religious sentiment in the Muslim world are ignored by the governments in the Muslim world and the West.

A symbol of Islamic politics has been the belief that Islamic principles and values govern all aspects of life and that Sharia acts as an agenda for all human activity, whether in public or private lives. This belief counters the idea that a modern state’s legislation should not be dependent on any religious tradition. As Abrahamic religions have slowly started the similar decaying process, which the older religions went through in their respective times in history. Thus, at stake is not only how one understands secularism but how Muslims conceive of the Sharia and its ability to change and adapt to modern-day concerns and conditions.

For Shaykh Yusuf al-Qaradawi, among the most senior and esteemed religious authorities in the world today, the classical Islamic tradition is central and authoritative. Secularism and Islam, he believes, are incompatible in a country in which the majority of the population is Muslim. His concerns about secularism are not only religious but are also heavily political, influenced by his former membership and continued connection to the Muslim Brotherhood.

The hard truth that needs to be inhaled is that the Islamic Sharia is not up to date, to fill in the gaps opened by the new matters that arise day to day, in the modern world. Due to the evolution of human civilization, people are starting to demand complete and uncontrolled freedoms. The numbers of intellectuals in the modern day are numerous, compared to the olden days, and majority of them are of the view that the ‘command and control’ approach employed by the Islamic civilization of the old, does not fit in the modern world. They are starting to question whether the evolution of Islamic Sharia through the ages, have been deliberately or misguidedly pushed off path. The muftis and other leaders who are concerned with the task of developing Islamic Sharia have gone astray in their ideologies, and their approach to embrace the modern world, is becoming out of date and barbaric.

When we look at the issue in hand in the Islamic historic perspective, the terror spread around by the modern Islamic clerics using the word ‘secularism’ is swiftly dissolved. Due to the fact that - early Islamic history, in the era after Prophet Mohamed clearly showed secular ideologies in the governance perspective.

One which the first of the Arab Muslim secular governors succeeded in applying secular policies was the the governer Mu‘āwiya ibn Abī Sufyān.

The term “Islamic secularism” has been an actual, applied concept on the economic front ever since the era of the Caliph ‘Uthmān ibn ‘Affān, who made a partial separation, particularly in the realm of the public finances, between religion and politics. His famous remark was:

‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb used to keep his kinsfolk from the Treasury so as to gain God’s favour thereby, but I have given my kinsfolk access to it in order to gain God’s favour thereby’.

This was his reply to those who had protested and risen up against him for having granted the Banī Umayya a significant sum from the Muslims’ treasury, and for privileging them alone the high offices such as that of thewālī. And by so doing he is considered to be the first governor in Arab Islamic history to establish and apply a ‘quota’ politics familiar today in the Arab world among its religious and ethnic groups. It was a policy which ‘Uthmān inherited from the Caliph Abū Bakr in the ‘Saqīfa incident’, when the Ansār raised the slogan: “A leader from you, and a leader from us.” He replied “from us come the rulers, and from you come the viziers” and subsequently followed this with: “the Caliph must be a Qurayshī, in that people will only obey this class of the Arabs.” Abū Bakr himself inherited the quota model from the Prophet who had distributed the spoils of the Hunayn Raid among his kinsfolk and his tribe, whilst barring the Ansār from it.

The Caliph ‘Uthmān effectively fashioned the royal crown of the Banī Umayya, and placed it on the head of Mu‘āwiya ibn Abī Sufyān who perfected the secularism of the Caliph ‘Uthmān, and indeed intensified it, making a complete separation between religion and politics. Mu‘āwiya the politician defeated the pious cleric ‘Alī ibn Abī Tālib with the aid of the political parties active in the arena. All the Caliphs of the Umayyads subsequently followed this pattern (with the exception of ‘Umar ibn ‘Abd al-‘Azīz. In their turn the Abbasid caliphs also followed this system, as did the Umayyads of Spain (Shaker al-Nabulsi, 2011).

From the above literature, it is evident that the widely feared concept of secularism was present in the early Islamic history, and those who oppose it are either ill informed, or they take a stringent literal approach in interpreting the concept of secularism in Islam.

Once, Prophet Mohamed came across some people doing artificial pollination of palm trees. Due to some reason he disliked the idea and commented that it would be better not to do any pollination at all. However for the following year the harvest was poor. When he came to know about this Prophet Muhammad admitted his limitation of knowledge regarding secular affairs and said: “If a question relates to your worldly matters you would know better about it, but if it relates to your religion then to me it belongs.

From the above hadith it is apparent that a religious leader is not necessarily well versed in all aspects of human life. The Prophet being an exceptional human being, still admitted to having lack of knowledge in the worldly matters like the gathering of resources. A leader of a modern Nation has the requirement of being someone who has a vast amount of knowledge in all the aspects of living, in his/her respective Nation. His/her expertise must cover matters from politics, sophisticated economic policy making capacity, law, diplomacy and foreign relations etc.

Sadly the Islamic institutions of today, lack the necessary juice to handle the pressures and challenges of modern Nation building stratagems. In the time of the early caliphates, the Islamic system of governance was the most up to date system in the ancient world. This helped Muslims build a political and economic empire which was unrivaled. However the system of governance weakened and collapsed over time, due to the lack of effort been given to keeping the system up to date, to meet the demands of the ever changing world.

Today the Islamic Sharia alone is not enough (in my opinion) to manage an ambition and aspiring Nation. The Islamic economic system and the political system is not up to date, to cater for the individualistic nature of today’s societies. For example; the ‘Islamic finance’ is at large, an over complicated abomination made of the concoction of other financial systems of the world. It is a pure ill-fated product of the recent ‘de-westernization’ thought, spread by some of the hard-nosed Islamic philosophers of today. It lacks the enticements, ambitions and commercial outcomes that drive the other financial systems of today.

For the above reasons included among many others, several Muslim Nations of today have started to implement secular approaches to Governance and justice, and in many Muslim countries of today including Malaysia, the rigid interpretations of Islamic sharia is disregarded and the Islamic Sharia system is set aside, to cover ritualistic and customary purposes only.

On the other hand, there is an increase in the number of countries that have started to embrace previously abolished Sharia laws and regulations, due to increased usage of Islam as a political tool to gather support, and also owing to the growing influence of hardline spiritual clerics in those Nations.

In recent news, Maldives (a hundred percent Muslim country) have decided to overturn the unofficial moratorium on the death penalty, which came in to practice in 1953. The common practice had been for the president to commute all death sentences to life imprisonment through powers vested in him by Clemency Act.

The death penalty can be implemented in the Maldives starting from 27th April 2014, following the publication of procedural regulations in the government gazette, Minister of Home Affairs Umar Naseer has said.

Speaking at a press conference, Naseer said the chances of killing an innocent person after completing all the procedures in the regulation – titled “procedural regulation on investigating and penalising the crime of murder” – was “far-fetched” and “almost impossible”.

This decision by the Home Ministry of Maldives is largely due to the promises the Maldivian Government made to the conservative Islamist populace of the country, who played a big part in electing the Government. There will be consequences of this action, as it came in a time when the United Nations is working tirelessly to influence and pressure their members in to abolishing death penalty, due to the fact that capital punishment is a major obstacle to the human rights, specifically: ‘the right to life’.

In short, what happened in Maldives is the reversal of the decades of constitutional progress and criminal justice. Until recently Maldives was labeled as a model Muslim Nation for the rest of the Muslim countries of today. As the new Maldivian constitution was modeled to blend in Islamic Law and common law, in order for both systems to operate together harmoniously. In addition, a lot of hard work was done by various jurists from different Nations and of different faith, to model the newly passed Maldivian Penal code, to bring out a system of criminal justice for a Muslim nation, which is in line with the virtues of the modern world.

This action by the Maldives is directly influenced by the Islamic elements in the country. Until a decade ago, the Muslim Nation had a strict secular system of justice and governance. Though the constitution of Maldives is set within the boundaries of Islamic Sharia, Islamic criminal law was not implemented in the Maldives, in the majority of it’s constitutional history. The only form of Islamic law that has got it’s footing in Maldives is the Islamic family law. Even in the system of governance, the State was and is completely separate from the authority or influence of the religious figures. There were strict regulations and limitations put forth to limit the influence of Islamists.

However, freedom of expression has opened doorways for the Islamists to spread their influence in the Maldivian society, and they have created a level of paranoia among the general public regarding the secular nature of Maldivian system of Governance and justice system. Thus, promises of ‘Islamization’ started to appear in the manifestos of the political parties of Maldives, and it reached its climax in the recent Presidential election, when the current ruling Government put forth a campaign promise to bring back ‘hudud’ punishments. This decision has led to criticism from International bodies like the Amnesty International and even the United Nations itself.

The situation in Maldives is the tale of a modern Islamic Nation, which is being pushed back in to its ancient legal roots by ignorant Islamists who share an appetite for hatred against the west, and ending up being pushed behind in the race for Modernization.

This situation faced by Maldives is shared by many Muslim countries from around the world. A good example of this would be the situation Erdogen is creating in Turkey. However there are hopeful signs, as Muslims have started to question whether the traditional Islamic law and system of governance is the solution to the problems in their lives. Secularism did work in the Western world; in bring the countries out of the oblivion of civic freedom and justice, of the dark ages.

Now the questions arise; of whether secularism can be incorporated in to the systems of governance and justice, in modern Muslim countries? Is secularism the cure for the Islamic extremism?

Secularism does not denote to the barring of religion from the public life of a society. The misconception that it does is one of the reasons many Muslims tend to be hostile towards the concept.

Changing a State to be more secular is not similar in any ways to the call for secularising the society. A state should be secular in the sense that it is neutral to all the differing religious doctrines. As Abdullahi An-Naim argued that the state neutrality is necessary for true conviction to be the driving force of religious and social practice, without fear of those who control the state. With the exception of a handful, the overwhelming majority of the Muslim countries from around the World are multi-religious and multi-cultural.

A secular state must embrace democracy. And democracy cannot be based on Sharia law (which involves a caliphate), as that on the contrary would denote a theocracy. Thus the likely solution appears to be a morphed system that has the features of Islamic system of Governance as well as democracy. In short the changes should come within the boundaries of Islam.

A large number of great minds have attempted to and failed at secularism which shows one thing, the success to achieving secularism in a Muslim community or the muslim world is through Islam itself. Many Marxists (or Communists), leftist nationalist, even respected islamists (Gamal al-Banna, Khalid Muhammad Khalid and Ali ‘Abd al-Raziq) have failed to succeed on their path to secularism because their model of secularism is rooted on the ideas of the west, and is too detached from Islam; which explains the effective attacks on the concept by the modern day clerics who claim it un-islamic by attaching it to the way of atheists, rather than Muslims.

The solution to the taboo attached to secularism by the imams of the Muslim world is to call for it from within Islam, not apart from it or from a point outside of Islam. The mistake of those before was that they tried to achieve secularism from the outside, which only wasted their efforts. Knowledge and intellect is the most important key to solving the problems faced by the current Muslim world, knowledge which was employed as a weapon by Muslim thinkers like Sheikh Ali Abd al-Raziq and Sheikh Khalid Muhammad Khalid as well as Sheikh Khalil Abd al-Karim.

With the said weapon, Muslims can overcome their fear of secularism and accept it and adopt it as a complimentary partner to Islam, which can walk hand in hand together, and bring about the desired change to the Muslim world. In Ahamd Subhi Mansour’s words “Islam is the religion that is the closest to secularism”.

By: Mhd Ism

HOW TO OVERTHROW A DEMOCRATICALLY ELECTED GOVERNMENT.

2013-04-07T23:57:00.000-07:00

The following are 12 steps that might be useful in organizing and executing a 'Coup', to overthrow an elected Government.

1. Find and gather some opposition...ANY opposition in the country. Your best bet is some rich members of a former oligarchy or former military. Begin giving them funds, and, start training and informing them about the plan.

2. Come up with some reasons that the current government must go. The reasons could be true or not, that is irrelevant. A popular one to use would be economic issues, which goes well with number 5, below.

3. Buy and/or infiltrate significant media outlets. Use these outlets to whip up a broader backlash against the leaders.

4. Plant aids and informers in the Police and Army. Usually a few loyal associates holding influential positions in the institutions will do the job, in getting the support of a substantial amount of police/army officers. Brain wash them and make them believe that the actions they will be undertaking, is of greater good for the Nation. Or simply buy them out.

5. Meanwhile, use overt and covert means to destabilize the economy. In the Coup case of Haiti, Bush simply held back 500 million dollars in aid already earmarked for that country. There are other ways to destabilize currency, including working with rich elites within the country who will be happy to help.

6. Infiltrate some unions, social groups and non Government Organizations. You'll need some protesters in the streets. You can pay protesters to come or use expatriate workers who are employed by your contributors. That's fine.

7. Stage some opposition rallies. If possible, beat up some of the protesters and blame this on the government. This worked well in the Chavez coup attempt in Venezuela. Obviously, do not tell the protesters of your intentions.

8. Ramp up the anti-government rhetoric from the media outlets you control. Be completely outrageous. Call for demonstrations. Slander government officials. Do whatever it takes. The goal is now not just to spread negative information about the government but to force a response. Get some of your supporters arrested or man handled by the security forces. You can then have some "moderates" come along and say, "Well, I wasn't really that sympathetic to the opposition, but when the government began violating the Freedom of Expression, I realized (insert name of leader here) had to go." You can pay moderates ( those who are willing to get paid), or hire some good actors to do the job.

9. Don't actually kidnap the leader. He should be forced to step down, or be killed (as was Allende in Chile). After the leader is removed, if he survives, he should be silenced by any means necessary. Or else he/she will talk.

10. Keep your own personal involvement to a minimum. Some of your associates in disguises is fine, but make sure there is wide spread chaos before you or your associates step in to the crowd in person. Usually, the best approach is to wait until the leader is deposed and then send in the militia, in the name of "peacekeeping forces." Make sure you wait until the leader is actually deposed, though. It would be awfully embarrassing to be keeping the peace for the leader you are trying to get rid of.

11. It can get messy, but know that, once it's accomplished, any talk that it was an orchestrated coup becomes a "conspiracy theory" and will be relegated to irrelevant blogs and leftist or conspiracy websites. alt.conspiracy cannot hurt you.

12. In addition, Make sure that you get the support of at least some of the world powers, as soon as the dust clears.

Nationalism and the Reconstruction of Nations

2012-12-08T03:16:00.003-08:00

'There is nothing wrong with using a lesser hamrful virus, to cure a more harmful one

NOTE: Anthony D. Smith is one of most important contemporary scholars of nationalism. He is Editor-in-Chief of the scholarly journal Nations and Nationalism (Cambridge University Press) and is the author of many books on the subject including his "classic" The Ethnic Origins of Nations.

"Perhaps the central question in our understanding of nationalism is the role of the past in the creation of the present. This is certainly the area in which there have been the sharpest divisions between theorists of nationalism. Nationalists, perennialists, modernists and post-modernists have presented us with very different interpretations of that role. The manner in which they have viewed the place of ethnic history has largely determined their understanding of nations and nationalism today.
"For nationalists themselves, the role of the past is clear and unproblematic. The nation was always there, indeed it is part of the natural order, even when it was submerged in the hearts of its members. The task of the nationalist is simply to remind his or her compatriots of their glorious past, so that they can recreate and relive those glories.
"For perennialists, too, the nation is immemorial. National forms may change and particular nations may dissolve, but the identity of a nation is unchanging. Yet the nation is not part of any natural order, so one can choose one's nation, and later generations can build something new on their ancient ethnic foundations. The task of nationalism is to rediscover and appropriate a submerged past in order the better to build on it.
"For the modernist, in contrast, the past is largely irrelevant. The nation is a modern phenomenon, the product of nationalist ideologies, which themselves are the expression of modern, industrial society. The nationalist is free to use ethnic heritages, but nation-building can proceed without the aid of an ethnic past. Hence, nations are phenomena of a particular stage of history, and embedded in purely modern conditions.
"For the post-modernist, the past is more problematic. Though nations are modern and the product of modern cultural conditions, nationalists who want to disseminate the concept of the nation will make liberal use of elements from the ethnic past, where they appear to answer to present needs and preoccupations. The present creates the past in its own image. So modem nationalist intellectuals will freely select, invent and mix traditions in their quest for the imagined political community.
"None of these formulations seems to be satisfactory. History is no sweet shop in which its children may 'pick and mix'; but neither is it an unchanging essence or succession of superimposed strata. Nor can history be simply disregarded, as more than one nationalism has found to its cost. The challenge for scholars as well as nations is to represent the relationship of ethnic past to modem nation more accurately and convincingly.
"... nationalists have a vital role to play in the construction of nations, not as culinary artists or social engineers, but as political archaeologists rediscovering and reinterpreting the communal past in order to regenerate the community. Their task is indeed selective - they forget as well as remember the past - but to succeed in their task they must meet certain criteria. Their interpretations must be consonant not only with the ideological demands of nationalism, but also with the scientific evidence, popular resonance and patterning of particular ethno-histories. Episodes like the recovery of Hatsor and Masada, of the tomb of Tutankhamun, the legends of the Kalevala, and the ruins of Teotihuacan, have met these criteria and in different ways have come to underpin and define the sense of modern nationality in Israel, Egypt, Finland and Mexico. Yigal Yadin, Howard Carter, Elias Lonnrot and Manuel Gamio form essential links in the complex relationship between an active national present and an often ancient ethnic heritage, between the defining ethnic past and its modern nationalist authenticators and appropriators. In this continually renewed two-way relationship between ethnic past and nationalist present lies the secret of the nation's explosive energy and the awful power it exerts over its members."

Anthony D. Smith

George Carlin - The Spoken words after his wife's death

2012-12-03T08:47:00.001-08:00

This is a Tribute to George Denis Patrick Carlin, who was an was an American Stand-up Comedian, Social Critic, Satirist, Actor and Writer/Author.

The following is a Speech given by him, soon after his wife passed away.

"....The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider Freeways, but narrower viewpoints. We spend more, but have less, we buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness.

We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up to tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom.

We have multiplied our possessions,but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often.

We've learned how to make a living, but not a life. We've added years to life not life to years. We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor.We conquered outer space but not inner space. We've done larger things,but not better things.

We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We've conquered the atom, but not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less. We plan more, but accomplish less. We've learned to rush, but not to wait. We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less.

These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits and shallow relationships. These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken homes. These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers,throw away morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill. It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom. A time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose either to share this insight,or to just hit delete...

Remember; spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever.

Remember, say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side.

Remember, to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn't cost a cent.

Remember, to say, "I love you" to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all mean it. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you.

Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again.

Give time to love, give time to speak! And give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind.

AND ALWAYS REMEMBER:

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away..".

George Carlin

The Chronicles of United Suvadive Islands Republic

2012-11-13T03:21:00.004-08:00

'Suvadive Republic 1959-1963', part 7 Michael O'Shea

Abdullah Afeef established a People's Council from elected representatives in each of Addu's five island townships - Hithadhoo, Maradhoo, Feydhoo, Meedhoo and Hulhudhoo. As president, Afeef proved to be honest and hardworking. Public services were provided for the first time, the run-down schools revitalised by administrative appointments and imported teachers from Ceylon, and an English medium school established in Hithadhoo. The schools' prize day ceremonies became public functions attended even by the British officers. These significant achievements in education were part of a continuing process of administrative innovation. According to local historian Abdullah Didi from Maradhoo:

The new government placed a tax of five percent on the income of those who worked at Gan and the rice portion of the wages was only handed over after the tax was paid,' according to local historian Abdullah Didi from Maradhoo. 'This rice ration was discontinued after the republic started importing its own. For the first six months after the revolt, there was no cash for the Gan workers, just vouchers. They could be used at the NAAFI store on Gan. People thought it was magic. Then the pound sterling was used, it continued in use even after the end of the republic in 1963, until the British left in 1976.

Moosaji, an Indian businessman from Ceylon already importing goods for the base, began to import goods on behalf of the republic. He used the old warehouse on Maradhoo which had been a British communication centre during WW2. Furniture could be imported to order! Individuals paid sterling into new People's Bank of Addu and Moosaji could supply whatever they wanted. Moosaji was the bank's managing director but the day-to-day manager was a Ceylonese, Mr Panjabsaram, who worked successfully with a local staff. All government workers were being paid properly and promptly. Teachers received 7 pounds a month. At this time, the exchange rate was Rf 100 for one pound, and a 100kg sack of rice was only Rf 30.

The new police force of twenty men wore smart uniforms, a blue sarong and a white shirt with an armband. They carried sticks painted white in the middle with bright red at either end. The usual punishments were imprisonment with feet in stocks, and sometimes whipping. People were sometimes hit for crowd control purposes and there was house arrest and exile to islands across the atoll.

Other changes made by Afeef's government included the registration of land, and the levying of a Rf 50 fine to discourage divorce.

The British, through Major Phillips and other senior RAF officers on Gan, co-operated closely with Afeef. The burnt out section of the vandalised Maaran'ga building at the base was restored and became Afeef's communications centre. Most importantly, the British protected the nascent republic against military attack by the Male' government.

The Huvadhu Revolt of 1959
News of the apparently successful revolt on Addu spread quickly into the other two southern atolls, Fua Mulaku and Huvadhu. Some of their men were already working at Gan base, and there had always been friendly family links between these atolls. After Nasir became Prime Minister at the end of 1957, he removed the ex-prime minister's political ally, Hirihamaaz, from his position as Huvadhu atoll chief and sent him into exile. A Male' appointee took his place. The atoll office was in Thinadhoo where Hirihamaaz's family lived and inevitably there was friction. Hirihamaaz had operated a lucrative trading operation in Huvadhu. A single room in his house is reliably reported to have contained more gold than the Male' treasury. Hirihamaaz and his supporters in Thinadhoo and other islands resisted the regulations and trading restrictions that Nasir's new atoll chief attempted to impose. They were already attracted to separatist ideas, and the booming economy in Addu was an overwhelming attraction. Within two weeks of the sacking of Maaran'ga, they had seized the opportunity and expelled all Male' officials from Thinadhoo.

Abdullah Afeef in Addu acted immediately to seek an alliance with the Huvadhu secessionists and sent a senior negotiating party. They arrived in Thinadhoo where two headmen from each of Huvadhu's inhabited islands had gathered. Encouraged by the friendly reception to the concept of a united republic, Afeef's representatives sailed across to Gaddhoo on the opposite side of the atoll. This island's headman, Ali Kaleyfaan, was loyal to the Male' government. Cunningly, he learnt what he could from the USIR negotiators, invited them to a large dinner of specially prepared chicken and while everyone was eating he left in a dhoani secretly for Male'. His men remaining on Gaddhoo tied up the astonished visitors and kept them under house arrest for a few hours until Ali Kaleyfaan was safely away. It is widely believed on Huvadhu that the Gaddhoo headman's report in Male' confirmed that support for the republic in Huvadhu was not unanimous, and that the British were not extending military protection outside of Addu.

The shaky alliance named the United Suvadive Islands Republic was officially formed on 13 March 1959, with Huvadhu and Fua Mulaku unrepresented on the People's Council. Huvadhu, a vast sprawling atoll, lacked a leader of the calibre of Afeef and infighting among the atoll's rival cliques led to disorganisation and petty feuding. The rufiyaa was devalued by up to 80% as traders linked with Addu, and staple imported food such as rice became rare and expensive. There was famine in some islands and more Huvadhu men left their wives and families to work in Gan.

Nasir attacks
Meanwhile in Male', prime minister Nasir organised a referendum which returned a resounding vote of confidence in his right to suppress the revolt in the southern atolls. An attempt was made to land Maldivian government officials on Fua Mulaku. The islanders pelted the men with sticks and stones when they tried to come ashore, and shooting erupted from the ship seriously wounding four people. Large sandbanks prevented the rifle fire from being more effective and the ship had to leave with its passengers still aboard.

Nasir decided to lead the next expedition himself and in July 1959, he cruised into Huvadhu atoll with rifles and hundreds of men collected from Male'. First stop was the island of Gaddhoo, on the eastern side of Huvadhu.

Gaddhoo was known as a rallying point for those opposed to the USIR, but in Ali Kaleyfaan's absence the pro-USIR faction had managed to raise their flag on the island. Speaking through an amplifier on the Maldive Star, Nasir ordered the flag lowered and replaced with the Maldivian emblem. Someone obeyed. Others swam out to the ship and Nasir warned them that people had to surrender or risk being sent off their island. Gaddhoo capitulated, and the leaders of the USIR faction were arrested and taken aboard. Moving across the lagoon to Thinadhoo, Nasir then attacked what he saw as the core of the Huvadhu revolt - the wealth and influence of Hirihamaaz Kaleyfaan.

Eyewitnesses in Thinadhoo in 1997 told the story of the attack on their island by Nasir.

From Gaddhoo, a person slipped away to warn people in Thinadhoo that Nasir was coming next day. That night people made sand bags to stop the bullets. When the Maldive Star arrived, Nasir ordered the people to surrender and raise the Maldivian flag. We refused. Then he started shooting. Two people were injured and died later of gangrene. There was nothing we could do to stop the Male' forces landing. Over the amplifier, Nasir announced that police officers would be going to people's houses.

Some men and boys used weapons such as sticks and balls of lime to attack the officers. Two odis in the harbour had returned from Ceylon. They were burnt by Nasir. Two houses were wrecked. One was the home of Hirihamaaz Kaleyfaan and the other belonged to Abdullah Katheeb, Hirihamaaz's son. These houses were full of valuable goods because they also contained storerooms. Hirihamaaz had a lot of gold. Everything was confiscated and taken aboard the Maldive Star.

People were being arrested as Nasir read out a list of names and called them 'criminals'. Their forearms and legs were tied with ropes. These people were taken to Male' where they were thrown into the harbour near the sewerage pipes and hit and kicked as they struggled to the prison. The men were locked up and fed one small piece of bread, three times a day. They had to eat the grass growing in the cell among the coconut fronds on the floor! A lot of people died in gaol. Those who didn't die were released.

The people in Male' who prepared the prisoners' bodies for burial said the faces were badly damaged and almost unrecognisable. Their arms were injured and appeared to have been tied behind their backs. The prisoners had been thrown into powdered lime and died by suffocation. Hirihamaaz and two of his sons were among the many dead.

The ruthless torture and murders in Male' prison were matched by the methods used to pacify and control Thinadhoo. Nasir's officials established the new atoll office in the looted houses owned by Hirihamaaz's family. Public shops were opened but poorly stocked, and the schools were closed. 'The new policemen from Male' behaved badly,' said old women in Huvadhu in 1997.'They wore shorts and drank alcoholic toddy. A woman couldn't even go to the mosque to get water without being harassed! People were arrested and assaulted and women were often raped. Some were made pregnant.'

Food shortages, chronic malnutrition and famine continued to afflict Huvadhu.

The reaction in Addu
Back in Addu, the immediate effect of Nasir's 1959 campaign in Huvadhu and Fua Mulaku was a state of high alert. The British had been conducting arms drill and target practice for their own men since April, after a farcical reaction in March to a false invasion alarm. The Gan base record keeper was bemused: 'It must be appreciated that at the present time service personnel are very thin on the ground and members of all sections had to be formed into the defence force. The most unlikely people were therefore seen clambering into landing craft armed to repel the aggressor.'

By July the British were alert and ready. They knew about arms deliveries to Male' from Ceylon, and using radio interception and aerial reconnaissance they had followed the voyage of the Maldive Star. Afeef was convinced Nasir would attack Addu and in August two boatloads of men from Huvadhu were intercepted and arrested by Afeef's men in the Addu lagoon late at night. They confessed to being an advance invasion force. The British ordered a regiment to Gan from Singapore and surveillance was increased. Although another boatload of Male' supporters was arrested at the end of September, the invasion never materialised. After the obligatory media slanging match between the British and Male', which included a RAF sponsored visit by selected journalists for friendly interviews with Afeef in October, both Nasir and the British settled down to conclude the negotiations over the base.

The 1960 Agreement
The Male' government had lost three atolls and won two back. Now they collected face-saving payments in return for the lease of Gan, and a guarantee from the British that Addu would be returned to their control as soon as possible. The Times in UK reported in February that protocol demanded that payments be received not as part of a lease, which was nominally granted free for thirty years. Instead, the Maldivian government received a 'special grant' of 100,000 pounds and a further 750,000 pounds for specific projects. The British withdrew their regiment from the base that same month with the official signing of the new agreement in Male', and Nasir's government announced that the United Suvadive Islands Republic had been dissolved 'through the good offices of the British government' and replaced by a committee, including Afeef, 'under the sovereign control of the Sultan of Maldives,' reported The Times in March.

Unfortunately for the British and Male', Afeef and his many supporters in Addu refused to budge. The islands around Gan were enjoying an unparalleled lifestyle with services and consumer goods they had never seen before. The events on Huvadhu galvanised Addu opinion against Nasir, and the British knew any direct action against Afeef would totally alienate the atoll against the base.

The British had soothed Male's impatience with a generous lease agreement, while Afeef and his associates were managing an efficient trading operation and assiduously collecting taxes. The tiny rebel republic published a small Dhivehi language newspaper The Addu Times which provided news, educational articles, government announcements, and trading information, as well as admonishing editorials reminding people of their duties to the welfare of the community.

Contrary to propaganda from Male', there was no Christian movement in Addu. Afeef used the government apparatus to collect Islamic taxes when they were due and announced penalties for non-attendance at Friday Prayer.

In March 1961, Afeef used The Addu Times to publicly promote a scheme to buy an expensive Rs 600,000 modern fishing boat with the indomitable trader and bank manager Moosaji providing half the capital and the people of Addu the remainder, at four gold coins per share.

Afeef's political confidence was reinforced by his victory at the People's Council elections a month later. On 11 May, the British Representative now resident at Male', Arthington-Davy, arrived in Gan for several days of sometimes heated and ultimately fruitless talks. The Adduans case was straightforward and heartfelt: 'we want our lives to progress educationally and economically and other ways without any hindrance.' Arthington-Davy was not believed when he told them, 'the government in Male' has totally changed from the way it was before and now wants to help and look after the people of Addu and develop the atoll.' He left empty-handed, granting Afeef two months to consult with his council and reply to a request to 'establish official relations between Addu and Male'.

In Male', the Maldivian government was pressing ahead with long delayed reform. During 1961, a Montessori school and English-medium government school were opened in the capital, and atoll administration was remarkably democratised by the decision in August to establish elected atoll committees as advisory bodies to the central government.

The Huvadhu Revolt of 1961
In the middle of the year, a small delegation of traders from Thinadhoo arrived to speak to Afeef. There had been a good fishing season in Huvadhu and they hoped to organise emergency food supplies from Addu. 'People requested permission to go to Addu and trade,' explained Mohamed Latheef at Thinadhoo in 1997:

There they met Afeef who convinced them to take action to rejoin the USIR. The inefficiency of Male' and the economic benefits of joining Addu were the major things discussed. This led to the June 1961 revolt. A hundred and fifty of us, we rowed five small dhoanis from Addu across the Equatorial channel. Morale was good. The dhoanis were full of juices, cordial, cigarettes, rice, and flour and sugar. Afeef organised everything. The leaders were Hassan Didi and Mohamed Hameed, both from Thinadhoo, and the rest of us were all men from Huvadhu working at Gan. For weapons we had old vehicle axles from the base. The dhoanis moved slowly up the western side of Huvadhu and waited off Thinadhoo until midnight, landing when everyone was asleep. Thinadhoo had a power station installed by Nasir for the government offices and streets. We threw sand into the generator and there was total darkness. Then we attacked the Male' officials, beat them thoroughly and arrested them all. They were taken to Addu. Next morning the USIR flag was raised on Thinadhoo and a crowd sang the USIR anthem.

Hassan Didi became atoll chief for a week, followed by Mohamed Hameed. Then Shihaab became atoll chief for one night. There was fighting between competing camps for the atoll chief's position, and buying of votes from people. One day Shihaab packed a motorbike into his dhoani with his supporters and said he was going to Addu. When he left through the Gaddhoo kandu, the people aboard realised he was in fact heading to Male'. Some jumped overboard. Shihaab arrived in Male' and was arrested and sent to prison. He died there after his head was crushed between two planks and his eyes popped out.

Despite the disorder in Huvadhu, this new revolt revitalised the United Suvadive Islands Republic. Within a week, Fua Mulaku revolted against Male' as well, and sent a contingent of arrested officials to join their Huvadhu counterparts in temporary detention at a special tent camp supplied by the British on Viligili, adjacent to Gan base. Food and luxuries flowed from Addu into Huvadhu and Fua Mulaku, and a trading company was organised in Thinadhoo with capital of 11,000 pounds.

The resurrection of the rebel movement in Huvadhu embarrassed the British who repatriated the prisoners to Male' in early August and that same month placated the Maldivian government with an airdrop over the capital of vaccine and other medical supplies during a typhoid outbreak. The Hulhule' airport project near Male' was pushed ahead and completed by November, and before the end of the year king Mohamed Fareed received an honorary KCMG.

But for the people of Thinadhoo, there was no escaping Nasir's wrath.

Abdullah Didi, speaking in 1997, was an eyewitness to the events on Huvadhu:

Thuthu Katheeb was island chief of Thinadhoo during the time of the second revolt. He eventually broke away from the USIR faction and went to Male' in late 1961. We thought Thuthu would bring back the Male' people and so they couldn't surprise us, the normal gardening days on nearby islands were changed. These were used to cultivate bananas, taro, sugar cane, chillies and watermelons.

One very rainy day in the late afternoon, it was too wet to tend the taro; people had stopped work and gone for a walk along the beach. Someone saw a boat through the rainstorms; others at first couldn't see it. Finally they all saw it. It was Nasir and Thuthu Katheeb in the Silver Crest, coming to attack. We hurried to the dhoanis and sailed back to Thinadhoo. The Silver Crest approached us on the water and opened fire. There was no real damage, the bullets went straight through the soft dhoani wood, but the woman who owned the dhoani died of shock that night.

In Thinadhoo the USIR flag was still flying defiantly even though it was normally removed at 5.30 pm. Ashore, children were crying and there was a lot of noise and panic. That night nothing happened, the Silver Crest stayed moored in the main harbour with its lights off.

Next morning we all gathered in the town house facing the harbour. Nasir used an amplifier to talk to the people, telling us to abandon the USIR and return to Male' rule. He told us to take down the flag. We didn't move, so the shooting started. A small boat from the Silver Crest had landed at the end of the jetty and the shooting came from there. A spotter used binoculars. One man, who kept poking his head out of the town-house window to look at the Silver Crest, was shot through the head. It split into two halves as he fell outside and the crows picked at his brains. Nobody removed the body because the shooting continued all day. Everyone hid.

At the end, Nasir called out the names of those he wanted. Other people took them towards the Silver Crest. Nasir ordered all those who wanted to be under Male' to go to Maahutta island in their dhoanis. But the tide was too low and it was difficult to reach the boats. Nobody helped anyone else. It was too hard to get to Maahutta so people went to Kaadedhoo and Maagodirehaa instead. There was very heavy rain all night and these uninhabited islands had no houses. So people sat in the rain all night on the grass. One woman delivered a baby. A man and woman on Maagodirehaa died of shock and fear. One person died on Kaadedhoo as well. After three days everyone realised they would not be able to return to Thinadhoo, so they dispersed among the inhabited islands of Huvadhu. The Male' people burnt down houses but nothing much was taken.

Thinadhoo was cleared of all its inhabitants, regardless of their loyalties, and the trading infrastructure of Huvadhu virtually collapsed. As they scattered among the islands, the Thinadhoo people found themselves blamed for Huvadhu's suffering. There were bad fishing seasons and the islanders were too scared to travel. The Male' government did not send adequate food supplies to the atoll. 'The situation was beyond description,' said Abdul Hameed in 1997. 'People from Thinadhoo faced the hatred of others on the islands and many died of hunger. They ate plants and leaves, and the stems of banana plants. Dead bodies and bones were found on uninhabited islands.' The Thinadhoo population was not allowed to return to their island until 1966.

The end of the United Suvadive Islands Republic
The crushing of the second revolt in Huvadhu was a mortal blow to Afeef's vision of an independent republic of southern atolls. Nasir's willingness to use firepower in the islands was not matched by the Adduans. Afeef had secretly imported some rifles but he refused to issue them,' according to Abdullah Ali speaking in 1997, 'and they were thrown into the sea to prevent further violence.' During the next eighteen months, British attempts to bring together the Male' government and Addu met with hostile demonstrations in Gan making it clear the Male' officials were unwelcome, and that Afeef was still their leader. In Male', there were demonstrations against British inaction against the rebel government and British citizens were evacuated from the capital in November 1962.

By 1963, the British were actively politicking in Addu against Afeef. In defiance of the rebel administration's authority, the Gan political adviser Rounswaite moved independently around the atoll, summoning meetings and speaking with worried businessmen and leaders. In September 1963, 'with feelings running high and many false rumours' a regiment from Butterworth in Malaysia was moved to Gan.

'Rounswaite had a lot of power throughout the atoll,' said eyewitnesses Abdullah Ali and Salih Ali Didi in 1997:

He could walk into any government island office without permission. Mohamed Saeed was his helper and became quite powerful. Mohamed Saeed and Afeef did not get on well. They still talked in public but at the office, things were tense.

In September, Rounswaite organised people from Maradhoo to make the Maldivian national flag. Nobody could remember what it looked like but eventually a design was found in the back of a book. Kubbage Ahmed made the flag and sewed it in the kitchen of Fonimaage in Maradhoo. It was finished in the middle of the night and at two o'clock in the morning on 23 September 1963, Alifuthaa of Elhadhaithaa and Hassan Rahaa's Ahmed climbed up onto the flagpole and tied it onto the post so it could not be lowered. After the dawn prayer the island chief Moosa Katheeb saw the flag and realised it meant trouble. He asked some young boys to cut it down. They refused.

Next day there was an emergency meeting of the People's Council in Hithadhoo.
'Maradhoo had decided to have the Male' flag flying. What are we going to do about it?'
Some were for and some were against it. There was a long discussion. A decision was made not to talk to the British nor to Male', and to continue alone. At lunch, Afeef said the British could not be ignored, because the republic had been close to them from the beginning. A few members wanted someone to make the suggestion that the council accept a peaceful takeover by Male', provided there were no retribution or punishments.

Back at the meeting we agreed to vote on the issue. Afeef was highly disturbed and shaking with anger. One group, which included Moosabe Kokko, said they didn't want the Male' government.
'We should be like men - be strong,' they said.
Another disagreed and said, 'We have to think whether we can stay as we are. So far we have depended on the British, and they are now using force to change the government. Maradhoo is already accepting it. Next the same thing will happen in Meedhoo. Then Hithadhoo men will probably be banned from work at Gan and children will be crying with hunger. Eventually we'll have to go begging. It is much better to surrender with dignity now.'

One man compared Addu's fate to that of flying fish - first chased by sea fish, then chased by the fish in the lagoon, and finally chased onto land where they are taken by humans...

Eventually Afeef accepted the inevitable. With three others, he left for Gan in the launch to meet the commanding officer and his advisers. When they met, a police officer stood between them. The CO asked very coolly who had landed on Gan yesterday without permission. Afeef said that he had no knowledge of a trespass. The CO then asked them what they wanted. The delegation said they were willing to accept Male' rule. They were asked to repeat their words. Rounswaite then advised them to forget all about the Suvadive Republic. The CO asked the other three to leave, so he could talk privately to Afeef. Later all four men had almost arrived back in Hithadhoo when a British speed launch containing armed men came up to the boat. Afeef and the three others were taken back to Gan. The British said they had heard that Feydhoo and Hithadhoo were going to attack Maradhoo people over the flag. Afeef guaranteed it would not happen and returned with the Male' flag on his launch.

Afeef knew that he would always be a rallying point for Addu separatism, and he doubted that the Male' government would honour its pledge to pardon him for his part in the secession movement. He cited the British government's letter of protection and told the RAF of his decision to seek asylum somewhere with a similar climate to Addu. On 30 September 1963, Afeef and his family travelled as passengers aboard the HMS Loch Lomond to settle in the Seychelles.

Ibn Battuta's Guide To The Maldives

2012-11-12T02:04:00.001-08:00

Chapter 16 from the English translation by Dr. Mahdi Husain
The Rehla of Ibn Battuta - India, Maldive Islands and Ceylon - translation and commentary
Oriental Institute, Baroda, India 1976

I resolved to undertake a journey to the Maldive islands (Dhibat-ul-mahal), of which I had heard a lot. Ten days after we had embarked at Calicut we reached the Maldive islands. These islands are to be reckoned as one of the wonders of the world. There are about two thousand of them of which a hundred or less form together a cluster round-shaped like a ring and have an entrance similar to a gate by which alone ships can enter.

When a ship comes to one of these islands it is absolutely necessary for her to have a native pilot in order to be able to put in at the other islands under his direction. They are so close to one another that the tops of the palm trees in one island are visible from another when the ship is putting out to sea. And if a ship misses the direction of the islands she cannot reach them, and the wind drives her to M'abar or to Ceylon.

All the inhabitants of these islands are Muslims - religious and upright people. And the islands are divided into atols, each of which is administered by a governor who is called kardui.

The atols are: the atol of (1) Palipur (Balebur), (2) Kannulus (Kinolhas), (3) Mahal - an atol after which all the islands are named and where resides the rulers thereof, (4) Taladib, (5) Karaedu, (6) Taim, (7) Taladummati, (8) Haladummati - which is like the preceding word except with the initial letter 'ha', (9) Baraidu, (10) Kandakal, (11) Muluk and (12) Suwaid - which lies at the farthest extremity.

In all these islands there grows no grain; only in the Suwaid region is to be found a kind of grain which resembles millet and is exported from there to Mahal. The food of the inhabitants is a fish which is similar to 'lyrun' and which they call qalb-almas. Its flesh is red and has no grease and smells like mutton. When it is caught the fish is cut into four pieces, cooked a little, placed in baskets of palm leaves and hung over the smoke. When it is thoroughly, dry it is eaten. It is exported from the Maldive islands to India, China and Yemen; it is called qalb-almas.

Trees of the Maldive islands
Most of the trees these islands are those of coconut which forms the diet of the inhabitants together with the fish already mentioned. The coconut trees are wonderful, and a tree bears yearly twelve racemes of coconuts, one raceme every month. Some of the coconuts in the raceme are small, some large, some dry, some green, and thus it continues forever. Milk is made from them as well as oil and honey, as we have described in the course of the first journey. From the honey they make a confectionery which is eaten with dried coconuts.

From all this and from the species of fish on which they live, the inhabitants acquire a remarkable and incomparable sexual vigour, and the islanders are astounding in this respect. I myself had in this country four wives besides slave girls. Every day I visited all of them and passed the night with one whose turn it was, and I remained there in this way for a year and a half.

Other trees of the archipelago are jaman, orange, lemon and colocasia. From the roots of colocasia they prepare a flour from which is made a kind of vermicelli, which is cooked with coconut milk and is one of the best foods. I found it very good and loved to eat it.

Inhabitants of these islands and some of their customs and their dwellings
The inhabitants of these islands are upright and religious and are men of right beliefs and good intentions. Their diet is consistent with the Islamic law and their prayers are accepted by the Almighty God. When one man meets another he says to the latter, 'God is my lord, Muhammad my prophet and I am a poor ignoramus'.

Their bodies are weak and they are not used to fighting, and in war their arms are prayer. Once in this country, I commanded the hand of a thief to be cut off whereupon several natives who were present in the court fell into a swoon.

The Indian robbers refrain from attacking them for they know from their past experience that whoever seizes anything from them meets quickly with a misfortune. When enemy ships come into their territories they seize the foreigners whom they meet, but do no harm to any of them. When an infidel takes anything, even a lemon, the chief of the infidels punishes him with painful blows inspiring fear of the consequences. If it were not so, these people would be easily overcome by any intending attacker because of the weakness of their physique.

In every island of the archipelago there are beautiful mosques and for the most part their edifices are made of wood. The inhabitants are clean and abstain from dirty things and most of them wash twice a day to keep themselves clean having regard to the great heat of the archipelago and the great amount of perspiration shed. They use much perfumed oil, that is, the sandal oil and the like, and smear themselves with a kind of musk perfume brought from Mogdishu. There is a custom in these islands according to which every woman goes to her husband or to her son with a collyrium case and with rosewater and ghalia oil (composed of musk and ambegris) after the performance of the morning prayer. And he applies the collyrium to both of his eyes, and annoints himself with rosewater and the ghalia oil. As a result, his skin takes on a polished appearance and ghastliness disappears from his face.

Their clothing consists of a waist wrapper; they bind this round their middle instead of the trousers and put round their shoulders an article of clothing called wilyan which looks almost like an ihram (a piece of cloth used by moslems during thehaj). Some put on a turban, while others wear a small kerchief. When any of them meets the judge, qazi, or the orator,khatib, he removes his garment from his shoulders, bares his back and accompanies him thus until the latter reaches his house.

One of their customs is that when any man from among them marries and goes to the house of his wife, she spreads linen cloth in his honour from the roof of her house to the wedding-chamber and along the cloth she places handfuls of cowries to the right as well as to the left of his path up to the wedding-chamber at the door of which she herself stands awaiting him. When he comes to her, she throws an article of clothing at his feet which is picked up by his servants.

In case the wife goes to the husband's house, it is the husband's house which is floored and bestrewed with cowries. On her arrival at her husband's house the wife throws the linen cloth at his feet.

Such is also the custom of these islanders when they greet the sultan, and it is absolutely necessary to have a piece of cloth which is thrown down at the time of greeting. We shall speak of it later.

Their buildings are made of wood, and they arrange the floors of their houses high above the ground as a protection against damp, since the earth in their country is moist. The process of construction with them is as follows: they fashion blocks of stone two or three cubits long, place them in rows one above the other and lay upon them beams of coconut wood. Thereupon, they raise walls of wood - an art in which they are wonderfully skilled. And they build in the portico of the house a chamber called maalam, in which the house owner sits with his friends. It has two doors through one of which facing the portico enter the visitors; while through the other at the side of the house enters the owner. Near this chamber there is a large vessel full of water which has a bowl called walanj, which is made of the coconut shell. It has a handle two cubits long with which one can draw water from the wells since the water is near.

Almost all the inhabitants, high as well as low, walk barefooted, and their streets, swept clean, are shaded by trees so that the walker feels he is in a garden. Despite all this, everyone entering a house must wash his feet with the water to be found in the large vessel at the maalam, and dry them on a thick mat of palm fibres which lies there, and then he enters the house. In the same manner acts everyone who enters a mosque.

Treatment of foreign visitors
It is the custom in these islands that when a ship puts in there, the kanaadir, that is, small boats - the singular of the word is kandura - sail out to meet it. On these are inhabitants of the island who have with them betel and karamba, that is, green coconuts. And everyone offers these according to his choice to one of the passengers, who thereupon becomes his guest, and he takes his luggage to his house as if he were a relative of his.

Any of these guests who wishes to marry can do so. When the time comes for the departure he divorces his wife as women do not leave the country. Whoever does not marry has his food cooked by the hostess in whose house he is staying. She serves him and supplies provisions when he leaves, and she accepts quite a small present as recompense.

Trade
The revenue of the treasury which is there called bandar, is derived from the purchase of a certain part of every kind of merchandise on board at a price fixed by the officials, whether the goods are worth this price or more. This is called the law of the bandar. And for the bandar there is on each island a wooden house called bajansar in which the governor, who is called karduvari, stores up the goods, sells them and buys them.

The inhabitants of these islands buy crockery, on being imported to them, in exchange for fowls so that a pot sells in their country for five or six fowls. The vessels take from these islands the fish which has been mentioned before, coconuts, waist-wrappers, wilyan and turbans made of cotton. And people take from there copper vessels which are abundant with the Maldivians as well as cowries and qanbar, that is the fibrous covering (coir) of the coconut. This is tanned in pits on the shore, beaten with mallets and then spun by the women. Ropes are made from it which are used to bind the ships together and are exported to China, India and Yemen; these ropes are better than those made from hemp, and with these ropes the beams of the Indian and Yemenite ships are sewn together for the Indian ocean has many rocks. If a ship nailed together with iron nails collides with rocks, it would surely be wrecked; but a ship whose beams are sewn together with ropes is made wet and is not shattered.

All transactions take place in this country by means of the cowrie, which is an animal picked from the sea and deposited in pits on the shore. Its flesh disappears and only the white bone remains. A hundred cowries are called siyaah, seven hundredfaal, twelve thousand kutta, and one hundred thousand bustu. They are used for buying and selling at the rate of fourbustu for one gold dinar. Sometimes the cowries depreciate, and in that case even ten bustu can be had for one dinar. They are sold to the inhabitants of Bengal for rice, because the cowries are also current in Bengal, and also to the inhabitants of Yemen who use these instead of sand as ballast in their ships. The cowrie is also the currency of the Sudanese in their country. I saw one thousand one hundred and fifty cowries sold for one gold dinar in Mali and Juju.

Women of these islands
The women of these islands do not cover their heads, nor does their queen and they comb their hair and gather it together in one direction. Most of them wear only a waist-wrapper, which covers them from their waist to the lowest part, but the remainder of their body remains uncovered. Thus they walk about in the bazaars and elsewhere. When I was appointed qazithere, I strove to put an end to this practice and commanded the women to wear clothes; but could not get it done. I would not let a woman enter my court to make a plaint unless her body were covered; beyond this, however I was unable to do anything.

The clothes of some of them consisted of a shirt (qamis) besides the waist-wrapper and their shirts had short wide sleeves. I had slave girls whose clothing was like that of the women of Dehli and who covered their heads. But far from being an ornament, it looked like a disfigurement since they were not used to putting it on.

The female ornaments consist of arm-rings; a certain number of which a woman wears on both forearms in such a manner that the space between the wrist and the elbow is covered completely. These rings are made of silver, while gold rings are not used except by the wives of the sultan and his relatives. They wear also ankle-rings called baail and gold necklaces coming down to their breasts called basdarad.

A strange thing about them is that they seek employment as servants at a fixed rate of five dinars or less, getting their keep free from their employers, and they do not consider it a slight. Most of the girls do so, with the result that you will find ten to twenty of them in the house of a rich man, and any utensil broken by a girl is charged up against her. When a girl leaves one house for another, the new employers give her the sum for which she is indebted. She makes it over to the owners of the house whence she came; thus to the extent of this amount she remains indebted to her new employers. The chief occupation of these hired girls is the spinning of coconut fibre.

It is easy to marry in these islands because of the smallness of the dowries and the pleasures of society which the women offer. Most people do not even fix any dowry; only the witnesses are recorded and a suitable dowry consistent with the status of the woman in question is given. When the ships put in, the crew marry; when they intend to leave, they divorce their wives. This is a kind of temporary marriage (muta).

The women of these islands never leave their country, and I have seen nowhere in the world women whose society was more pleasant. A woman in these islands would never entrust to anybody else the serving of her husband; she herself brings him food and takes away the plates, washes his hands and brings him water for ablution and massages his feet when he goes to bed.

One of the customs of the country is for the women not to dine with their husbands and the husband does not know what his wife eats. In these islands, I married several women; some of them dined with me after I had tackled them, but others did not. And I was not able to see them eat and no device on my part was of any avail.

Cause of the conversion to Islam of the inhabitants of these islands and the demons from among the genii who molest them every month
Reliable men among the inhabitants of the islands, like the jurist (faqih) and teacher (mu'allim) Ali, the judge Abdullah - and others besides them - told me that the inhabitants of these islands were once infidels, and that every month a demon of the genii appeared to them: he came out of the sea and had the appearance of a ship full of lamps. It was customary with the islanders that when they saw him, they took a virgin maid whom they adorned and brought into a budkhana, that is, an idol-house which was built on the seashore and had a balcony commanding a view of the sea. They left the girl there overnight and the people, as they returned at daybreak, found her ravished and dead. Every month they cast lots and whoever was chosen gave his daughter.

Subsequently a Moroccan named Abul Barakat the Berber who knew the great Quran by heart came to them. He put up at the house of an old woman in the island of Mahal. One day as he saw her, he found that she had called her family together and the women were weeping as if they were in mourning. He enquired about their condition but they could not explain it to him. Then there came an interpreter, who informed him that the lot had fallen on the old woman who had no child except one daughter whom the demon was to kill.
'This night,' said Abul Barakat to the woman, 'I shall go in place of your daughter.' And, curiously enough, he had absolutely no beard.

He was brought at night into the idol house after he had performed his ablution. He kept reciting the Quran, and as the demon appeared to him through the balcony he continued his recitation. As the demon drew close enough to hear the recitation he plunged into the water and the westerner continued reciting as before until the dawn. Then the old woman, her family and the islanders came to take away the maiden and burn her as had been the practice. But they found the westerner reciting the Quran; so they took him to their king called Shanuraza and told him of the news. The king was astonished. The westerner then proposed to the king to embrace Islam and persuaded him to do so.
Shanuraza said to him, 'Stay with us till next month. If you act once more as you have already acted, and if you escape the demon again, I shall accept Islam.'

He stayed amongst them and God opened the heart of the king to Islam and he accepted it before the end of the month; and his wives, children and courtiers followed it. At the beginning of the next month, the Moroccan was brought into the idol house but the demon did not appear while he continued reciting the Quran till morning. Then the king and the people came to him, and they found him reciting. They broke to pieces the idols and razed the idol house to the ground. The islanders embraced Islam and sent missionaries to the rest of the islands, the inhabitants of which also became Muslims.

The Moroccan stood in high regard with them, and they accepted his cult which was that of Imam Malik. May God be pleased with him! And on account of him, they honour the Moroccans up to this time. He built a mosque which is known after his name. On the railed gallery (maqsura) of the congregational mosque, I read the allowing inscription carved in wood - Aslama as-sultan Ahmad Shanuraza ala yade Abil Barakat al-maghiribi (the sultan Ahmad Shanuraza accepted Islam at the hands of Abul Barakat the Moroccan). And the king assigned one third of the evenues of the islands to charitable purposes for travellers, since his conversion had taken place through them; and this portion of the state revenue is still disposed of for the same purpose.

Through this demon, many of these islands had been depopulated before they were converted to Islam. I had no knowledge of this at the outset when we visited this country. But one night as I was busy with my affairs, I suddenly heard the people shouting in a loud voice - 'There is no God but God, and God is great', and I saw the children carrying copies of the Quran on their heads and the women beating copper cups and vessels.
I wondered at their behaviour and asked, 'What are you doing?'
Someone answered, 'Do you not see the sea?'
I looked and saw what seemed to be a large ship full of lamps and torches.
'That is the demon,' they said. 'It is customary with him to appear once a month; but when we act as you see, he goes away and does not harm us.'

Queen of these islands
One of the wonders of these islands is that its ruler (sultana) is a woman named Khadija, the daughter of sultan Jalaluddin Umar, son of sultan Salahuddin Salih of Bengal. Sovereignty was exercised first by her grandfather, and then by her father. When the latter died, her brother Shihabuddin became king. He was still young and the vezir Abdullah son of Muhammad al-Hazrami married the mother of Shihabuddin and overpowered him. And it was he who married also this sultana Khadija after the death of her husband, the vezir Jamaluddin, as we shall relate further.

When Shihabuddin attained his majority he expelled his step-father - the vezir Abdullah - and exiled him to the Suwaid islands and established his own rule firmly. He then took one of his freed men named Ali Kalaki as his minister, whom he dismissed after three years and banished to Suwaid. It is related about the aforesaid Sultan Shihabuddin that he often illegally visited at night the harems of his dignitaries and courtiers. He was therefore deposed and banished to the region of Haladummati and subsequently a man was sent there who put him to death.

The only survivors from the ruling house were his three sisters, namely Khadijat-ul-kubra, Mariyam and Fatima. The inhabitants of the Maldive islands preferred for sovereignty Khadija and she was the wife of their orator (khatib) Jamaluddin who became vezir. He took over the reins of government and gave his own position of the orator to his son Muhammad, but orders were issued in the name of Khadija only. The orders were written on palm leaves with a bent piece of iron similar to a knife, while paper was not used except for writing the Quran and books of learning.

The orator mentions the queen in the Friday prayer and also on other occasions. 'O my God!' says he, 'help Thy female slave whom Thou in Thy wisdom hast chosen from all creatures and made an instrument of Thy grace for all muslims - verily, that is, sultana Khadija, the daughter of sultan Jalaluddin, bin sultan Salahuddin.'

It is a custom in the islands that a foreigner coming to the country and going to the council hall called daar must bring two pieces of cloth. He makes an obeisance in the direction of the sultana and throws down one of the said pieces; he then bows before her vezir - who is her husband Jamaluddin - and then throws down, the other piece.

The troops of the sultana who number about a thousand men consist of foreigners, though there are some natives also. They come daily into the council hall, make obeisance and then withdraw. Their pay is given to them in the form of rice every month from the bandar. When the month comes to a close they go into the council-hall, greet the sovereign and say to the vezir, 'Pay our respects to the sultana and tell her that we have come to ask for our pay'; thereupon appropriate orders are given.

The judge and the officials who are called wuzara also appear daily in the council hall; they pay their respects to the sultana through the bearers and then retire.

Officials and their duties
They call the grand vezir, who is also the deputy of the sultana, by the name of kalaki; and the qazi as fandayarqalu. All sentences proceed from the qazi, who is the most influential man with them, and his orders are carried out like those of the sultan or even more punctiliously. He sits on a carpet in the council hall and has three islands, the income from which he, appropriates for his personal use according to an old custom introduced by sultan, Ahmad Shanuraza.

The orator is called handijari; the chancellor of the exchequer famaldari; the minister of public works mafakalu; the magistrate (hakim) itnayak; and the admiral manayak - all these officials are styled 'vezir'.

There are no prisons in these islands and criminals are looked up in wooden houses which were originally prepared to hold merchandise. Each of them is secured by means of a piece of wood as is done in Morocco with European prisoners.

My arrival in these islands and the vicissitudes of my condition there
When I reached there I disembarked at the island of Kannalus [Kinolhas island in Raa atoll], a beautiful island in which there are numerous mosques. I put up at the house of one of its pious inhabitants where I was received hospitably by the jurist Ali. He was an accomplished man and had sons who pursued the study of sciences. There I met a man named Muhammad, a native of Dhofar (Zafar-ul-humuz), who entertained me and told me, 'When you enter the island Mahal [Male'], the vezir will detain you, for the people there have no judge.'

But I had planned to travel from these islands to Ma'bar, to Sarendib, to Bengal and finally to China. I had reached the Maldive islands on the ship of Captain Umar of Hinawr, who was one of the learned pilgrims. After our arrival in Kannalus, he remained there ten days. Then he hired a small boat in order to proceed to the island of Mahal with a present for the queen and her husband. I wanted to travel with him; but he said, 'The boat will not hold you and your comrades. If, however, you intend to travel alone without them, you can do so.'

I refused to do that and he departed. But the wind was unfavourable and adverse; so he returned to us after four days having endured hardships. He expressed his regret and urged me to travel with him along with my comrades. We sailed in the morning, landed about midday at an island, which we then left and spent the night on the next island. Thus, after a voyage of four days we arrived in the region of Taim of which the governor was called Hilaal. He greeted me, entertained me, and visited me in company with four men - two of whom carried on their shoulders a stick to which four fowls were fastened, while the two others carried a similar stick to which were tied about ten coconuts. I was surprised at the value they put on this miserable gift, but I was informed that they did this only out of respect and esteem.

We left these people and disembarked on the sixth day at the island of Usman, who was an excellent man and the best of the lot. He welcomed us and entertained us. On the eighth day we landed at an island of a vezir named Talmadi and on the tenth day we arrived at the island of Mahal, the headquarters of the sultana and her husband.

We cast anchor in the harbour of Mahal. There it is customary that nobody can go inland from the harbour except by their permission, which we obtained and I desired to go to a mosque. But the servants of the vezir, who were on the shore, prevented me and said, 'It is absolutely necessary for you to visit the vezir.'

And I had advised the captain that if anyone asked him about me, he should say, 'I don't know him,' lest anyone should detain me. I did not know that an indiscreet person had written to them introducing me as a qazi of Delhi.

When we arrived in the council hall - that is, the daar - we sat down in the lobbies near the third entrance. Qazi Isa, the Yemenite, came along and greeted me and I greeted the vezir. Then came captain Ibrahim. He brought ten garments, bowed in the direction of the queen (sultana) and threw one of the garments down. Then he bowed to the grand vezir and likewise threw another garment down; subsequently he threw the rest. They asked him about me; but he said, 'I do not know him.' Then they brought us betel and rosewater which is a mark of honour with them. The grand vezir lodged us in a house and sent us a repast consisting of a large bowl of rice surrounded by dishes of salted meat, fowl, quail and fish.

The next morning with captain Ibrahim and qazi Isa of Yemen, I went in order to visit a hospice at the further end of the island which the pious Shaikh Najib had built. We returned by night.

Early next morning, the vezir sent me a garment and a repast consisting of rice, quail, salted meat, coconuts and a syrup which is made from this fruit and which they call qurbani meaning sugar water; they also brought me one hundred thousand cowries for my expenses.

After ten days, a ship came from Ceylon (Saylan) carrying Arab and Persian fakirs who knew me and who acquainted the grand vezir with my affairs. This increased his joy at my being there. In the beginning of Ramazan he sent for me and I found the amirs and vezirs together with the food served before them on tables at each of which a number of guests were assembled. The grand vezir made me sit by his side and with him were qazi Isa, the vezir famaldari and the vezir Umar Dahard, that is, the army commander.

Their diet consists of rice, fowl, turnstone (the Ruddy Turnstone migratory bird), fish, salted meat and cooked bananas and subsequently they drink coconut syrup mixed with aromatics, which facilitates digestion.

On the ninth of the month of Ramazan, the son-in-law of the grand vezir died. The widow had been previously married to Sultan Shihabuddin, but neither of her husbands had completed the marriage because of her tender age. So her father took her back to his house and he gave me her house which was one of the most beautiful. I asked him for permission to entertain the fakirs who were returning from their visit to Adam's foot in Ceylon. He gave me permission and sent me five sheep, which are very rare in those parts as they are imported from Ma'bar, Malabar and Mogdishu. He sent me also rice, fowls, butter and spices. All this I sent to the house of the vezir Sulaiman Manayak, who had it cooked very nicely for me and added to it on his own behalf. He also sent me carpets and copper vessels, and we broke the fast according to the custom with the grand vezir in the palace of the queen. I requested him to allow some of the other vezirs to participate in the feast. He said, 'I shall come too.'
I thanked him and returned home; but lo! he had already arrived there, and with him came the vezirs and dignitaries of the state. He sat down on an elevated wooden pavilion. And every amir and vezir who then arrived greeted him and threw an unsewn garment down until about a hundred lay together; these the fakirs subsequently took away. Then dinner was served and consumed; afterwards the reciters read some Quranic verses in beautiful voices. Subsequently they began to sing and dance and I had a fire made and the fakirs went in trampling on it with their feet. Some of them ate the glowing charcoals as one would eat sweets and they did so until the flames were extinguished.

Some of the grand vezir's kindnesses to me
When the night ended, the grand vezir withdrew and I accompanied him. We passed by a garden which belonged to the state. He said to me, 'This garden belongs to you, and I shall have a house built in it as a lodge for you.'
I thanked him for this and wished him well. The next morning he sent me a girl and his servant, who brought her to me, affirmed, - the grand vezir sends this message to you, 'If this girl pleases you, she is yours; if not I shall send you a Marhata girl.'
Since the Marhata girls were to my liking, I replied, 'I want the Marhata girl.'
He then sent me one whose name was Gulistan, that is, flower-garden; as she knew Persian she pleased me very much, for, the inhabitants of these islands speak a language which I did not understand. The next morning he sent me a girl of Ma'bar named Ambari.

The following night after the retiring prayer of isha, the grand vezir visited me with a small suite and entered my house in company with two boy servants. I greeted him, and he enquired after my health, whereupon I expressed my best wishes for him and thanked him. One of the two boy servants threw down before him a buqcha, that is, a bundle from which he took some silk stuffs and a little box containing a pearl and ornaments. The grand vezir presented me with this saying, 'If I had sent you these things with the girl she would have said - this is my property which I have brought from the house of my master. Now, these things are yours. Give them to her. I prayed for him and expressed my gratitude, which he had so well merited. May God bless him!

Alienation of the grand vezir and my resolve to leave the islands and my subsequent stay there
The vezir Sulaiman Manayak had sent me a proposal that I should marry his daughter. I sent word to the grand vezir Jamaluddin seeking his permission for this marriage. The messenger returned saying, 'He does not approve of it for he would like to marry his own daughter to you when her iddat is over. But I declined the offer for fear of the bad omens attaching to her, for she had outlived two husbands before the marriage with either of them had been completed.

Meanwhile, I had an attack of fever which prostrated me - and everyone visiting this island is sure to catch fever; so my resolve to leave the islands was confirmed. I sold some of the ornaments for cowries and hired a ship to take me to Bengal. When I went to take leave of the grand vezir, the qazi approached me saying, 'The vezir has sent word - if you want to leave, you must return to us what we have given you; then you might go.'
I answered him, 'For some of the ornaments I have bought the cowries and they are at your disposal.'
But he returned to me with the following message: 'We gave you gold and not cowries.'
'I will sell them,' I replied, 'and let you have the gold.'
I asked some merchants to purchase the cowries from me, but the grand vezir commanded them not to do so. His whole object was to prevent me from leaving. Then he sent to me one of his special officers who said, the grand vezir says: 'Stay with us and you shall have all you want.'
I said to myself, 'I am in their power; if I do not stay of my own free will, I shall be compelled to stay. It is preferable to do it voluntarily.'
I said to the messenger, 'All right, I shall stay with him.'

Thereupon he returned to the grand vezir, who was delighted at this and sent for me. When I appeared before him, he stood up and embraced me saying, 'We want you to be with us, and you intend to leave us.'
I made some excuses which he accepted; then I added, 'If you want me to remain here, I must make certain conditions.'
He replied, 'We shall accept them; out with your conditions.'
'I cannot travel on foot,' said I.
According to the local custom, however, nobody could ride there except the grand vezir. And when they had given me a horse to ride upon and I rode, the people - men and children - followed me struck with amazement until I complained to the grand vezir about this. A dunqura (small drum) was then beaten and it was proclaimed aloud that no one should follow me. The dunqura is a kind of copper plate which is struck with a piece of iron and can be heard from a considerable distance; when it has been struck, a proclamation is made about the thing intended.
The grand vezir said to me, 'If you desire to ride in the dola well and good. If not, we have a stallion and a mare; you may choose whichever you may prefer.'
I chose the mare which was forthwith brought along with some garments.
'What shall I do,' I asked the grand vezir, 'with the cowries which I have bought?'
'Send one of your comrades to sell them for you in Bengal,' he said in reply.
'On condition,' I answered, 'that you send someone with him to assist him in the sale.'
'Certainly,' said the grand vezir.

So I sent one of my comrades, Abu Muhammad bin Farhan, and with him they sent a man named Haji Ali. But it so happened that the sea became stormy, and the entire cargo had to be thrown into the waters - even the provisions, the water, the masts and the leather sacks. For sixteen days they remained without sail or rudder or anything. At last they landed on the island of Ceylon after suffering from hunger, thirst and privations. Then came back to me my comrade Abu Muhammad after a year. He had visited Adam's foot, and he visited it later again with me.

Id I witnessed with them
When the month of Ramazan was over, the grand vezir sent me a garment and we went to the place of prayer. The route to be taken by the grand vezir from his dwelling to the place of prayer was decorated; the ground there was carpeted with cloths, and heaps of cowries lay to the right as well as to the left. Each of the amirs and dignitaries, who had a house on this road, had planted small coconut trees, betelnut trees and banana trees in the ground before it. From one tree to another there were stretched ropes on which were fastened green nuts. The master of the house stood at the door and as the grand vezir passed, he threw at his feet the silk or cotton cloth which his slaves picked up together with the cowries which were heaped upon the road.

The grand vezir went on foot and wore an Egyptian cloak of fine goat wool and a large turban. He was girdled with a scarf of silk and over his head were borne four parasols. He wore slippers whilst other people went barefooted. Trumpets, horns, and drums were sounded before him and soldiers preceded and followed him crying 'Allah-o-akbar' until they reached the place of prayer. The prayer over, the grand vezir's son delivered a sermon. Then a litter was brought, and the grand vezir sat in it. The amirs and vezirs bowed to him, and threw garments at his feet in conformity with the custom. He had not ridden a litter before, since kings alone do so. The litter being lifted by the litter carriers, I mounted my horse and we entered the palace.

The grand vezir took his seat on a dais, and near him sat the other vezirs and amirs. The slaves stood by with shields, swords and staves. The repast was brought in, then areca and betel nuts and finally a small dish containing muqasarisandal. As soon as a number of guests had dined, they were anointed with it.

And I saw that day with some of their meals a fish of the sardine species salted but not cooked, which had been sent to them as a present from Quilon. This fish is found in large quantities in Malabar. The grand vezir took a sardine, began to eat it and said to me, 'Have some, for it cannot be had in our country.'
'How should I eat it? It is not cooked,' said I.
'It is cooked,' he answered.
I asserted, 'I know it better because it is abundant in my country.'

My marriage and appointment as qazi
On the 2nd of the month of Shawwal I agreed with the vezir Sulaiman Manayak to many his daughter. Then I sent word to the grand vezir Jamaluddin with a request that the nuptials should take place in the palace in his presence. He gave his consent, and in accordance with the custom, betel as well as sandal was brought. The people assembled but the vezir Sulaiman delayed. He was called but he did not come and when called a second tune he excused himself on the ground that his daughter was ill. The grand vezir, however, said to me secretly, 'His daughter refuses to marry and she is absolutely free to have her own way. But since the people are now assembled, would you like to marry the step-mother of the sultana, the wife of her father - that is, the lady whose daughter was married to the vezir's son.'
'Yes,' I answered.
Then the qazi and witnesses were summoned, and the marriage was solemnized and the grand vezir paid the dower.

After a few days she was brought to me. She was one of the best women and her society was delightful to such an extent that whenever I married another woman she showed the sweetness of her disposition still by anointing me with perfumed ointment and scenting my clothes, smiling all the time and betraying no sign of ill humour.

After this marriage, the grand vezir Jamaluddin compelled me against my will to accept the qazi's post. The reason for this was my criticism of the practice of the then qazi, who appropriated the tenth part of the bequests when assigning them to heirs.
'You are entitled,' I said to him, 'only to the remuneration which might be agreed upon between you and the heirs.'
But he was absolutely no good at anything.

When I became qazi, I strove with all my might to establish the rule of law (shariat). Litigations are not there as in Morocco. The first of the bad customs which I abolished was that requiring the divorced wives to stay in the houses of their erstwhile husbands. The divorced wife had to stay in the house of the man who had divorced her; unti she had married another man. I cut it at the very root. Some twenty-five men were brought before me for acting in that way and I had them whipped and paraded round the bazaars, and I caused the women to be removed from their houses.

Then I pressed for the saying of congregational prayers and ordered that men should hurry through the streets and bazaars after the Friday prayer; those who were found not having attended the prayer were whipped and publicly disgraced.

I bound the imams and muezzins who were receiving fixed salaries to the strict performance of their duties and sent a circular all through the islands to this effect.

Finally I endeavoured to compel women to wear clothes, but I was not able to get this done.

Arrival of the vezir Abdullah son of Muhammad al-Hazrami whom Sultan Shihabuddin had banished to Suwaid and the story of what passed between him and myself
I had married his step-daughter - the daughter of his wife - and I loved her very much. When the grand vezir recalled him and restored him to the island of Mahal, I sent him presents and I met him and accompanied him to the palace. He greeted the grand vezir who accommodated him in a splendid house in which I used to visit him.

Once it happened that I was in holy seclusion in the month of Ramazan and was visited by all excepting him. When the grand vezir Jamaluddin visited me, with him came also Abdullah for form's sake.

Then estrangement sprang between us. When I came out of my seclusion, the sons of the grand vezir Jamaluddin as-Sanjari who were the maternal uncles of my wife, that is, the step-daughter of Abdullah - complained to me. Their father had nominated the vezir Abullah their trustee in his will and their property was still in his hands; although by law he was no longer their trustee. They demanded his presence in the court.

It was customary with me that whenever I sent for one of the party in a suit I sent him a blank or filled in notice. As soon as he saw this he had to hurry to the court of justice, otherwise, I would punish him. Accordingly, I sent Abdullah the customary summons. This offended him and he nursed a grudge against me, hiding his enmity; then he delegated someone to represent him at the court. But I came to know that he had made some very opprobrious remarks.

It was a custom with the people high as well as low to show the vezir Abdullah the same respect as was shown to the grand vezir Jamaluddin. And their salutation consists in pointing the forefinger to the earth, kissing it and putting it on the head. I gave an order to the public crier who proclaimed in the sultan's palace in the presence of all that whoever saluted the vezir Abdullah as the grand vezir would be severely punished. And I made him promise that he would no longer permit the people to do so. This augmented his enmity.

I again took a wife - the daughter of another vezir who stood in high regard with the people and whose grandfather, sultan Daud, was the grandson of sultan Sri Ahmad Shanuraza. I then married a woman who had been one of the wives of the deceased sultan Shihabuddin and built three houses in the garden which the grand vezir had granted me. And the fourth wife - the step-daughter of the vezir Abdullah - lived in her own house; she was to my mind, the dearest of all.

After I had become connected by marriage with the above-mentioned people, the vezir and the islanders feared me for they felt themselves to be weak. Slanderous and mischievous reports about me were sent around to the grand vezir mostly through the agency of the vezir Abdullah until a final estrangement broke out.

My separation from them and the reason for it
One day a woman complained to the grand vezir about her husband, one of the slaves of the late sultan Jalaluddin, and informed him that he used to consort with one of the sultan's concubines and had illicit intercourse with her. The grand vezir sent witnesses who entered the concubine's house, found the fellow sleeping with her on the same bed, and arrested them both. Next morning when I heard of this, I went to the council hall and took my usual seat without making any statement regarding her case. One of the courtiers came to me and said, 'The grand vezir should like to know if you have any business with him.'
'No,' I answered.

It was his intention that I should make a statement on the affair of the concubine and the slave; for, as a rule I would not let any case which had been presented go until it had been decreed by me. After estrangement and dislike had materialized, I omitted to do so and subsequently I returned to my house and took my seat whence I delivered my judgments. Soon after came one of the vezirs saying on behalf of the grand vezir, 'Last night such and such occurred in connection with the affair of the concubine and the slave. Deliver a judgment according to the law.'
'That is a case,' I replied, 'on which judgment cannot be pronounced except in the sultan's palace.'
I therefore went back there and the people assembled. I sent for the concubine and slave and ordered them to be chastised as punishment for their privacy. Afterwards, I let the woman free, while I jailed the slave and returned home. The grand vezir sent some dignitaries to me to secure release of the slave. I said to them, 'Do you intercede with me in favour of the negro slave who has violated his master's harem, while but yesterday you deposed and killed Sultan Shihabuddin for entering the house of one of his slaves. And I ordered forthwith; accordingly the slave was beaten with bamboo rods which are more painful than whips, and I had him paraded through the island with a rope round his neck.

The deputation then returned to the grand vezir and told him of this. He got up and sat down boiling with anger; then he assembled the vezirs and army leaders and sent for me. I went to him. Usually I showed him the respect due to a ruler, but this time I did not. I said simply, 'Salamun alaikum.' Then I said to the bystanders, 'You are my witnesses that I herewith renounce my post as qazi as I am not in a position to fulfil its duties.'
The grand vezir then said something addressing me and I rose up moving to a seat opposite him, and I retorted in sharp tones and the muezzin announced the time for the maghrib prayer. Thereupon the grand vezir entered his house saying, 'They say I am a ruler. But look! I summoned this man with a view to making him feel my wrath; far from this, he wreaks his own ire on me.'

It may be recalled that my influential position there was due to the sultan of India, as my position at the latter's court was well understood. The people feared him even though, they were distant from him. When the grand vezir had returned to his house, he sent the deposed qazi to me, who had a glib tongue. He said to me, 'Our master asks you why you insulted him publicly and you did not bow to him.'
I replied, 'I used to bow when I had an affectionate heart for him. When estrangement took place, I gave it up. Since the greeting of the moslems is salam, I greeted him thus.'

He sent the deposed qazi to me again saying, 'As your objective is but to leave us, you should pay your wives' dowries as well as your debts to the people; then you might go, if you want to.'
On hearing this I bowed, went to my house and paid all my debts.

During my stay here, the grand vezir had given me some carpets and household utensils such as copper vessels, etc. He used to give me whatever I asked of him and he had a liking for me and held me in esteem; but his attitude towards me changed, since people had inspired in him fears about me. When he heard that I had paid off my debts and had determined to leave, he regretted what he had said and delayed to grant me permission to depart. I swore with the most solemn oaths that I had to leave and sent my luggage to a mosque on the beach and I divorced one of my wives. For another who was pregnant, I fixed a term of nine months in the course of which I might return, failing which she could act as she thought fit.

I took with me the wife who had previously been the consort of sultan Shihabuddin in order to restore her to her father in the Fua Mulak island. I also took along with me the wife whom I had married first and whose daughter was the sultana's sister.

I made a compact with the vezir Umar, the army commander (dahard) and with the vezir Hasan, the admiral, that I should go to Ma'bar the king of which was the husband of my wife's sister and return thence with troops so as to bring back the Maldive islands under his sway and that I should then exercise the power in his name. Also I arranged that the hoisting of the white flags on the ships should be the signal and that as soon as they saw them they should revolt on the shore. Never had such an idea occurred to me until the said estrangement had broken out between the vezir and myself. The grand vezir was afraid of me and used to say, 'This man will certainly force his way to the vezirate whether it be during my lifetime or after my death.'
He often made enquiries about me and said, 'I have heard that the emperor of India has sent him money to foster a revolt against me.'
He feared my departure lest I should fetch troops from Ma'bar. He sent me a message to remain in the country until he had fitted me out a ship, but I refused.

The sultana's sister complained to her about the departure of her stepmother along with me. The sultana intended to prevent her but could not. When she saw her firmly resolved to depart, she said to her stepmother, 'All the ornaments you possess have been bought out of the state money. If you have witnesses to prove that Jalaluddin has presented you with all these, all right; if not give these back.'
The ornaments were worth much, nevertheless my wife gave them up to these people. Then the vezirs and the chiefs came to me in the mosque and urged me to return. 'If I had not sworn I should certainly return', said I.
They said, 'Go to one of the islands to fulfil your oath and then return.'
'Very well,' I replied in order to satisfy them.

When the night fixed for my departure came, I went to take leave of the grand vezir. He embraced me and wept so much that his tears dropped on my feet. That night he passed guarding the island in person lest my brothers-in-law and my comrades should revolt against him. At last I departed and came to the island of vezir Ali. There my wife was attacked by severe pains and she desired to return. So I divorced her and left her there, and I wrote about this to the vezir because she was the mother-in-law of his son. I divorced also the pregnant wife for whom I had set a term and sent for the slave girl I was fond of. We then travelled through the islands from one group to another.

Women with one breast only
In one of these islands I saw a woman who had only one breast. She had two daughters, one of whom likewise had only one breast while the other had two - one large and rich in milk, the other small and without milk. I was amazed at the conformation of these women.

We came to another of these islands which was a tiny one and contained only one house inhabited by a weaver who had a wife and children, a few coconut plants and a small boat by means of which he fished and sailed to any of the islands be liked to visit. This island contained also a few small banana trees; but we saw no land birds there except two ravens which flew towards us as we put in at the island and circled round our ship. By God, I envied that man and would have liked the island to belong to me so that I might retire there until my death.

Then I came to the island of Fua Mulak where lay the ship of captain Ibrahlm, the ship in which I had decided to travel to Ma'bar. He came along with his comrades to see me and they entertained me to a splendid feast. The vezir had written a letter for me directing that I should be given in this island one hundred and twenty bustu of cowries, twenty bowls of atwan, that is, coconut-honey and a certain quantity of betel, areca nuts and fish daily. I stayed seventy days at this island of Fua Mulak and married two women there. It is one of the most beautiful islands and wears a fresh look. One of the wonders I saw there was that a branch cut off from its tree and planted in the earth or fixed on a wall produced the leaves and grew into a tree. I also saw that the pomegranate there bore fruit continuously all the year round. The inhabitants of this island feared lest captain Ibrahim should pillage them at his departure and wanted to seize the weapons on his ship and keep them until the day of his departure. This led to a quarrel; then we returned to the Mahal island but did not enter it. And I wrote to the vezir a letter telling him what had occurred, whereupon he wrote to say that there was no cause for seizing the arms. Then we returned to the Fua Mulak island, which we left in the middle of Rabi-us-sani 745 [August/September 1344]. In the month of Shaban of this year [December1344 / January 1345], the grand vezir Jamaluddin died. May God have mercy on him! The sultana was going to have a baby by him. The baby was born after his death and the vezir Abdullah married the sultana.

Ibn Battuta on 'the Coconut'.
The coconut tree is one of the most wonderful trees. It is similar to the date tree and there is no difference between the two except that the former produces coconuts while the latter produces dates.

The coconut resembles the human head. There is a semblance of the eyes and mouth on the shell. And, when it is green, its interior is like the brain and the fibres on the shell are hair-shaped. These are woven into cords which are used in joining up the ship's planks instead of the iron nails and are also used in making the ship's rope.

The Indian coconut and particularly that which grows in the Maldive islands rise to the dimension of the human head. It is said that in the remote past, one of the Indian physicians was near and dear to a king who had a vezir. The vezir had an enmity with the said physician. The physician said to the king, 'Should the head of this vezir be cut and buried, it would produce a tree bearing a large fruit which would benefit the Indians as well as the world at large.'
The king inquired, 'And if the vezir's head does not produce the result you foretell?'
'In that case,' replied the physician, 'you may do with my head the same that you did with his.'

Thereupon the king ordered, and the vezir's head was cut off. The physician took it, sowed a date stone in its brain and 'treated' it until it became a tree which produced the Indian coconut.
But this story is false; we have mentioned it because it is very well-known among the Indians.

Among the properties of this coconut are the following: it strengthens the body, conduces to plumpness, adds to the ruddiness of the face and acts wonderfully in toning up the sexual powers. One of the marvels about it is that if cut while yet green, one could drink its highly delicious and cool water which generates heat and acts as an aphrodisiac.

After the water is drunk a piece of its crust is made into a kind of spoon by which the kernel is extracted, and this kernel tastes like a half-boiled egg and is nutritious. This formed my principal diet during my stay in the Maldive islands for a period of one year and a half.

Another marvel about the coconut is that they make out of it oil, milk and honey. And the process for making honey out of it is this: the coconut cultivators called al-fazaniya climb the tree morning and evening and extract the juice which is subsequently turned into honey and named atwaq. They cut out a fruit-bearing branch leaving the rump of it to the extent of two finger-breadths and suspend to it a small pot in which drips the juice from the cut-up branch. Were the pot suspended in the morning, it would be attended to in the evening when the cultivator comes with two bowls of the said coconut shell - the first filled with water. And in the second bowl he throws the juice collected from the said branch and washes the branch with the water contained in the first. Then the branch is cut into more deeply and the pot is suspended to it again, and what was done in the evening is repeated in the morning.

After a large quantity of the juice is collected, it is cooked in the manner the grape juice is cooked, and when it turns into a thick juice it becomes an elegant honey of very great utility. Then it is purchased by the merchants of India, Yemen and China, and they carry it to other countries and make halwa out of it.

The process of extracting milk from the coconut is this: there is in the house something like a chair in which sits a woman holding in her hand a stick with a sharp iron end. The coconut is opened to the extent that the iron end should enter it scraping the inner parts which drop into a dish until nothing remains of the kernel of the coconut. Then the grounded stuff is dissolved into water which becomes white and tasty like milk, and people grease their food with it.

The process of making oil from the coconut is this: the ripened coconut having fallen from the tree is picked up. Then its shell is removed and it is cut into pieces and placed in the sun. When it is nearly dried, it is cooked in the pots and its oil is extracted. This oil is used for lighting purposes and for greasing the food, and women apply it to their hair and it proves highly useful.

Ghosts and Other Fears

2012-11-10T04:30:00.000-08:00

Maldivian folklore is rich and diverse with wide varieties of Spirits, Monsters, Magicians, Mysterious Travelers, Healers etc. We should note how our mythology is similar to the South East Asian folklore.

PEACE SELLS, HOW DO I BUY IT?

2012-09-21T15:26:00.005-07:00

Today we are locked behind doors, under surveillance, on the radar of several CCTVs, surrounded by body guards and more like prisoners in a jail. Decades back our society was a peaceful and safe place for us to enjoy the beauty of living. The joy and love to belong to a specific society was a pride and privilege, but today it’s the vice versa. Our society has transformed into world full of crimes, violence and insecurities. It seems to all of the people in this society that it is an endless fight to bring about the tranquility and harmony which we once enjoyed. All the tales we have heard are now as pages of history.

As beautiful and wonderful our natural beauty is, long ago our society was a place people felt safe and happy to live in. Back then a late night stroll, a shopping spree, running errands
were joyous acts which we all engaged in, but sadly now we have no guarantee that we may return home safely to live another day. However, it was a time, where streets had few lights, less patrolling occurred with houses underdevelopment. But now, we have buildings rising from the ground to the high skies, with so many camera’s and security personnel patrolling almost each and every single inch of the streets. Despite the changes over the years, number of crimes committed has elevated as a savings in a bank account would.

The big question is how did the so called “ Partey’s “ appear on the streets and how did we started to feel unsafe even when inside our own homes, with the constant fear of being mugged, robbed or even being attacked runs in our minds. The changes we have seen in our society over the past few years tell us that we all have a responsibility to bring back the harmony and peace we had as a luxury. To create a peaceful place as we used to have, isn’t it the us who are to be the change and to fight to bring the peace , since we are in need of PEACE.

by: Adam

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Mocking Snippets of a Black & White Nation

2012-08-14T08:16:00.000-07:00

It is being unerringly clear in the last few years that Maldives has only two real political figures. The rest are an amalgam of solid minorities who side with either of the two real men depending on varying levels of the flow of political current, financial loyalties, religious opinions, power hunger and a bit of national priorities. We as a nation are to blame.

It is we who have failed to see beyond the personalities of two men. A lot of you may argue that you support actions by politicians and political parties based on their national priorities but when you dig deeper, the truth really reeks of prejudice.

You realize your perceptions of actions are disfigured and manipulated when you think about the amount of hate you harbor for at least one of those real men. This is not in any way a damning accusation leveled at any of the two real men but a humbling revelation of how divided we truly are. We are being spoon fed into believing different political colours. Whether you are rebel or government or cop or protester or judge or normal is totally irrelevant! Regardless of who you are, rise above the hate people! It is not a matter of blindly adhering to the yellow, pink, blue, red or green. A truer analogy of us now would be as a nation of the two real men’s followers and the rest of the crowd: a black & white nation with shades of grey. Let us dream instead of ourselves as what we’ll call a rainbow nation…
A nation that draws into all the clarity and vividness of each individual and each party just as each colour combines with all others to form that perfect combination of a rainbow.
South Africa was also termed the Rainbow nation after its victory over apartheid, but I think the term connects better with an ideal Maldives now.

I do not hesitate and not just I, plenty others would concur too, in predicting outright that considering the possible candidates for the next presidential election are much the same as the last, the voting will finally be split into followers of the two real men’s politics. The minorities would again be dumped into paled significance. It is time that we as a people, try to overlook the hate we harbor, and dive in deeper into what would make the Maldives tick as a better nation. To dive in deeper means to thoroughly research, not just the minorities, but also the two majorities and endorse the very best things that they offer this nation.

Consider those policies and actions of each political entity which can be deemed nationally beneficial and practically feasible. Pick out those policy statements and actions that seem too outlandish or ridiculous or wrong. Argue with constructive criticism within yourself and with educated friends on what you think would be ideal. Do not restrain yourself to the political party you are aligned to and try digging even deeper on policies of people you are biased against. By roaming deeper into the ocean, you might not find real ambergris but you will certainly come close to envisioning what true Maldivian ambergris should represent.

Our nation is much more than two and four/five men. Overlook the hate and delve in deeper. Forget leveling accusations at each other and work towards healthier bonds of understanding. Rising above hate is the only possible way. A nation of less than 400,000 people, we are liable to harder and quicker consequences of what we do. This isn’t about the elections or about the balance of power in Maldives. This is the literal manifestation of the grief of a wounded nation. Remember that the wounded are dangerous. It is up to us to decide how we intend to define dangerous. Dangerous can translate into berserk reactions and death. Dangerous can also mean summoning the willpower to fight back for survival.

Just words though are meaningless. Let Ramadan be the beginning that sets the nations wheels back in right motion. The Qur’an states:
Truly, God does not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves.
[Ra'd 13:11]
Perhaps makes this the new national slogan eh? For now, a nation remains stuck at the crossroads.

by: Artful Dodger

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Being a Maldivian and its issues

2012-08-07T12:22:00.002-07:00

Welcome to my life. Welcome to your life and the life of every other ordinary Maldivian youth.

We claim to be of one culture, one tradition. but what tradition? Sure some of the older folks stick to the traditional attire but how many young males have you seen walking around in a sarong lately? Unless there is an event at the work place even the females wear clothes inspired by Indian to western way of dressing.

Our national sport is football. Oh how very traditional of us. How many of us have held a tennis racket and faced our backs to a net to play bashi? I am going to guess that a greater number of Maldivians have played tennis instead of the traditional sport bashi. Sure we know the some really cool games like thinmugoali and pachas, but how many of us have really attempted these games? Even the games that we as kids used to play (like gandufilla) have lost its appeal for our new generation.

Traditions are most apparent in celebrations normally; celebrations of special days or occasions. For a 100% Muslim nation what day could be more special than the special occasion of the two Eids? How do we Maldivians celebrate it “traditionally”? We have a special lunch and wear new clothes. That is as special as it is going to get for us. Our brides wear white gowns and our grooms put on a suit for their special days. If we have a tradition or culture it is not very apparent on the day of our weddings.

Being creative beings Maldivians have a history of traditional form of art that involves different types of crafts. Observe old pillars at our mosques or the tomb stones of the decades past and the breath taking art of carving appears bold and beautiful. However this beautiful tradition has also become lost in our path to being modern. Our forefathers carried on with the proud tradition of laa jehun (a form of wood carving and coloring) and kuna viyun (weaving mats) but it too has almost come to a halt in our time.

The only tradition that we follow that I can think of is the celebration that follows the ritual of male circumcisions. I am not sure if this is an achievement we should be proud of.

by: KB

Maldives: The Next Atlantis? (Sea Shepherd)

2012-08-03T15:53:00.002-07:00

www.seashepherd.org/Maldives-the-next-atlantis?/

When one thinks of world class diving, the tiny Republic of the Maldives immediately comes to mind. Keen divers travel from all corners of the globe to this Indian Ocean island nation. They come to marvel at the biodiversity its atolls and islands shelter under their shores.

The Maldivian islands, once considered a global leader in sustainable fishing and climate change talks, spurred on by the Republic’s vulnerability to sea level rise, now seem to be spiraling into the lucrative abyss of long-lining, marine mammal trafficking, unsustainable aquaculture, and destruction of habitat.

While anchored in the Maldives this November, the crew members of Sea Shepherd’s ship the Brigitte Bardot were contacted by local Maldivian activists. The activists proclaimed they had tried all the proper channels in an attempt to protect their environment. They had tried to hold their government to its campaign promises, without success, and the time had come for direct action.

In a meeting with Sea Shepherd Captain Lockhart MacLean and crew member/marine scientist Zoe Beckett, members of the Maldivian dive community voiced their concerns about the future of the Maldives environment and the need for the world to know about the issues facing this delicate and fragile eco-system.

For centuries the Maldivians have maintained a sustainable tuna fishery based on the traditional, dolphin safe pole and line method, UNTIL NOW.

Sea Shepherd has been informed that while maintaining the DOLPHIN SAFE logo on their tuna products, Maldives has allowed for long-lining to start replacing pole and line, without re-branding the packaging to inform customers of this change in fishing methods.

Maldivian long-liners are already searching for foreign companies to cooperate with them in this destructive venture.

In October, Maldives President Mohammed Nasheed approved a lease to Maldives star tennis player and developer Amir Mansoor. This lease, backed by the Ministry of Finance and the Department of National Planning, would allow for the building of a captive dolphinarium inside a lagoon, which would be sealed off from the surrounding waters. To appease local activists, Mr. Mansoor claimed the dolphins would not be local Maldivian species. They would instead be imported from overseas, opening the door to speculation on whether these would be Taiji dolphins.

In an overtly corrupt fashion, Maldives National Planning Council has been awarding lucrative lagoon reclamation projects and leases, which replace marine habitat and reef systems with hotels and resorts, to well placed politicians such as the Chairman of the Ruling Party, Reeko Moosa Manik, and Sim Ibrahim Mohamed, the husband of Tourism Minister Mariyam Zulfa.

Furthermore, in a bid to increase profits, mangroves in northern Maldivian atolls are being destroyed to make way for sea cucumber farming planned for Chinese export.

A sensitive, shallow lagoon, currently a critical Manta Ray breeding ground, has been leased to sea cucumber farmers. Although approved, construction has not yet commenced. There is time to stop this!

These sea cucumber varieties are non-native, and apart from the obvious destruction of mangrove habitat (which is essential to maintaining healthy fish populations), there is lack of research on the impact of this intensive monoculture upon local biodiversity.

Another issue facing the Maldivian nation is coral mining for construction. This has been listed as one of the major contributing factors to reef destruction and in all likelihood is responsible for the island of Male, the capital of Maldives, slowly sinking under its own weight.

Could it be that the Maldives is the next Atlantis? An island paradise with bountiful resources, whose human population has been sustained for hundreds of years by the delicate balance it maintains with the marine life surrounding its 1900 atolls and islands, all destroyed in a few short decades due to greed and short-sightedness.

The two top contributors to the Maldives economy are Tourism (over 30%) and Fishing (around 10%).

The introduction of long-lining last year in Maldives has made way for by-catch in the Tuna Fishery. Dive tourism in Maldives depends on sharks, rays and turtles, which are all vulnerable to by-catch. This industrial fishing method has out-competed the traditional and more sustainable pole and line fishermen, who will have to convert to long-lining to survive.

In a dangerous downward spiral of destruction, it looks as though the Maldives government is signing away their environmental legacy in the name of short-term economic gain and corrupt pocket-lining.

It is time for the international community and lovers of the sea to take action before the bounty and uniqueness of this island nation is lost. In the words of Captain Paul Watson “extinction is forever.”

by: Captain Locky MacLean
All rights reserved by www.seashepherd.org
Posted: December 10th 2011

Dear Leaders

2012-08-02T15:02:00.001-07:00

As a youth of the nation first I would like to thank you all for all the good things you brought us, through your determination and bravery ( though your intentions are questionable majority of the time).

However your combined work in the political field brought us to the conclusion that your joint positive efforts to improve this country is resulting in an overwhelmingly greater negative impact on our society, our security, our economy and our country at large. This forces us to question your intentions.

Since the coming of our first Republic, our citizens have not fully trusted the modern laws of governance ( after the abolition of the sultanate), to this day. As a result, our nation have not fully understood the full values of governance which enabled the developed countries to stay far ahead of us for all our history.
During the days of our First Republic, our political leaders had the golden opportunity to see our future with high hopes, honesty, selflessness and determination to lead our country to the heights other countries achieved over us in a similar span of independent history, resources etc.
Thus its beyond reasonable doubt that something is going on wrong in our governance and politics over a long period of time. Non of the last 3 Presidents have given us any reasonable belief that we are moving ahead as a country, that we are progressing as one Nation. Non of the governments tried to bind the citizens as one body.

We have never been one nation, nor one society. For a country with a few hundred thousands as citizens, we are and we were divided through out our Republican history. People of the south have stayed rebellious to every government that occupied Maldives since the departure of British from Addu Atoll Gan. Somebody should seriously question why the self sufficient society specially Addu had during British time disappeared. why the factories were closed, why the Assets were sold. why non of the monetary gain from the sale were not specially granted to people of Addu Atoll. Also people should question why a lot of Atolls in Maldives are completely ignored from media and development plans.

I reasonably believe that if there is a government, they don't come without negative elements. In all world governments there appear to be have corruption amongst their veins. As every election campaign of every leader anywhere in recent times have been huge monetary investments by the rich and the private economic stake holders of the respective Nations. In every country there are political parties present to fight for the rights and well being of businessmen, conservatives who paint religion and heritage on their flags, fanatics who paint people with democratic colors but give them a dose of total lack of freedom to think on their own and pass their own judgements about issues. These people have a large number of gatherings behind them, who are a people who forgot about the value of having a one Nation, one society, one motive.We forgot the importance of our heritage of 'one religion and one race'.
I would also share a thought of mine to all the self-claimed society elites, self-claimed political geniuses, self-claimed policy makers and those people in our country who somehow shamelessly calls themselves law makers.

Kind faithful and honest leaders of our Nation on both sides of the divide. We force our selves to believe that you wish good for us. We somehow divide our selves in believes that different individuals of you can bring prosperity, wealth and development to our beautiful Nation. What we want from you is, any one of you who lands on the throne at any time - give us hope, give us a taste of the money our Nation reeks of. Majority of us haven't ever enjoyed the money our Nation earns.

Through out our recent history we have been lead with the firm belief that things will get better after the eye of the storm passes, however it didn't and since the turn of this year, the divisions, the economic downfall and the unrest have grown wider and deeper in form cracks in the foundation of our Nation. We have an economy that hangs by a thread, we have a rapidly dissolving foreign relation ties. If we don't act now, our country will shut down, we will get over run with mayhem, with lack of security, departure of foreign investors and our life source (tourism) will be gone. So it is a great Request from us youths of Nation that, please satisfy the people first before going on with your own personal ambitions. Please give our new born babies guarantee that a successful future is ahead for them in Maldives. Give a reason for our version of gangsters and other street dwellers to get of the streets and discover their destined and deserving clean paths in life. Please take away the frowns and over exhausted faces from the middle class citizens of our country. When all is done, when everyone is happy, that is the time you can go ahead with your self glorifying plans, to write your names in history etc. Then we will be happy to glorify you, then there wont be anyone to mind if you collectively rob a few laaris from each of us once in a while.

P.S- A happy person is a better person. A more hard working person , with a bigger positive attitude. Thus easy to govern and more financial successful to manage.

by: mhd ism

The Maldivian Way of Life (for citizens)

2012-07-26T11:28:00.000-07:00

The Maldivian way of life is a broad concept. It is astonishingly complicated in comparison to the tiny size of our population. In the foreign media, The Maldives is advertised as one of the most exotic pieces of land on the face of the earth. All the pictures are of happy folks on white sandy beaches, enjoying the sun, drinking cocktails.

However the reality is much more complex than that. Maldives is not a heaven. Not for its people. Even before the current economic crisis and the political crisis, the majority of Maldives were made to be a bunch of commoners who sweat blood to survive through the years of their lives. When a child is born in Maldives, to a middle or lower income family, the child does not have any guarantee for its future. Due to the fact that Maldives does not entertain easy routes to life.

In the life cycle of our societies the classifications and approvals are provided for the people through their local schools. Which is the first step at throwing the dice for a future. Our education system is vigorous. When a young student enters an educational institute, they are brutalized. The system is out of date and does not allow the students specialize at an early age.

When majority of the young school goers drop out as early as 15 or 16, their life is literally over. They either have to go to the heavily mocked and dreaded special classes of the non government schools or they have to get involved in a minimum wage job. Though a lot of the youngsters despise these two outcomes and end up in street corners abusing substances.

The status of a middle or lower income earner in the Maldivian society is so low that a normal earner would not be able to take his/her family for a dinner at a nice restaurant, monthly. The differences in income distribution in Maldives are tremendous. The capital Male have a majority who are hardly finding a spacy place to sleep at night. But in Male the way of life that is advertised is that of a high income society. All of the eateries in Male' with a 'restaurant' tag on, are not priced for middle income earners. I am sure that one of the first things a foreigner will notice on Male' streets are - out of place restaurants. Places that might look perfectly at home in City centers are broadly and boldly erected in a low income town. The businesses makes sure that the expectations of the people are higher than their income and current capability.

It would make a great conspiracy theory, if some one comes up and says that the reason for lack of well maintained good quality recreational facilities in Male' is is due to the fact that local businessmen dislike the idea. If good quality recreational facilities are offered to the public, the businesses will lose a whole lot of money. Specially people in restaurant business will lose majorly, from the fall of demand for the over priced coffees and useless blabbering atmosphere they offer.

In our way of life, working as one society has always being an important part. Traditionally we used to exist as tiny well connected Eco-system, between man and nature. We were called 'the children of the waves'. Every member of the community contributed their part to the well being of the community and the community's fishing business. These fishing villages were perfect model of how humans can manage a good existence, on tiny pieces of land , in the middle of an ocean, with almost no resources.

However these days, in our communities, its all different. Nobody considers the well being of others. We see each other as just another chunk of meat. We are buzzing around daily to cannibalize, brutalize and to prey on the society and to have things our way. The whole society has become a business, instead of the society contributing to a joint functioning business that is called economy. Its all about how shiny the glass on your shop windows are. All about how many pricy and exotic items you have on your display. All about how you perform on the race to suck money out of the community. Also how wealthy you are above your opponents, enemies, neighbors etc. People are becoming popular because of how many enemies they make, instead of the friends they gain.

In all the ways of life, holiday is the delightful factor everyone look forward to. When we mention about holidays, that is the occasion Maldives is famous for. However, it is a fact that there is not a single resort currently in Maldives targeted for local income index. The majority do not get to enjoy a fine vacation on our god gifted beaches like foreigners do. Unless we go ahead and spend beyond our means ofcourse.

We all love to spend beyond our means don't we? When a youngster gets a new job, the money he earns is enough for him to go through the month with coffees and a huge phone bill. This gives the delusion at an early age that they are living a good life. One of the unheard reasons why BML is failing to establish itself as a growing Bank is - majority of Maldivians do not have much to save in any bank. We all buy thing we don't want, with money we don't have, to impress people we don't like ( a recent quote i came across).

In short the Maldivian local way of life is a mixture of heartaches, headaches, hard work, low return, high expectations, low outcomes, high chances of failure, low chances to succeed etc. But who is complaining?, we do get a tasty sip of a coffee at the end of the day with a crowd of friends, don't we?

by:mhd ism

Another Murder

2012-07-23T07:45:00.002-07:00

Another murder has taken place in our tiny nation. A day that should bring together strangers to mourn for a brother of Islam and a fellow man of our nation has instead turned into a day of bickering between the different political parties.

A blame game as one may call it takes away the value of the individuals lost life. A soul is turned into a ball that is being bashed from one side of the net to another on this court of politics. We hear lines like - “We did not do it, they did”. “Oh no they encouraged it”, “but his grandfathers uncles’ cousins’ daughter is in your party”. Politics is simply a part of life, it should not consume our lives whole; shame on those who will use two death for their own political gain.

A person as he grows old takes on many different roles, in paper one life may have been lost. Reality however is that a son has been lost, a husband has been lost, a father has been lost, a police officer has been lost, a friend has been lost, a colleague has been lost, a brother has been lost. So many people have lost an important person and our duty is to comfort them and to provide justice for them. The person has left us to be with our one true God. He does not need us, but those who were left behind needs us. Let us forget for once our colors and come together to mourn this loss.

While pointing fingers we have forgotten those that will feel the loss for many years to come. How many of us have stopped and wondered what will happen to the wife and son? What of the father and the mother? Do you even know if he had a father and a mother? How many of us have truly felt for his family and friends? How many of us have taken the time to call them? Ask for any way to help them? Do we even know what has become of the body and when he is going to be buried? We are too busy justifying the innocence of our party and instead making sure the blame goes to the other party.

At a time like this let us not forget those whose lives were cut short brutally and unfairly before this. This is hardly the first loss we have had, even during this year. They have been mourning the death of their loved ones for a much longer time. Do you think just because time has passed they would have forgotten the day? How would we feel if someone who killed our father, brother or even son and still walked free? Every single murder involves a victim who has people who lives them. They should be given justice because every life, regardless of sex, age, profession or political color is worth the same and deserves justice.

Politicizing a murder will only achieve one thing; injustice.

by: KB

Top 10 Most Deserved Executions

2012-07-23T07:41:00.001-07:00

Top 10 Most Deserved Executions
(Click Above To View List)

Throughout the course of human history, criminals have been made to pay for their crimes in one form or another. Countless souls have been lost at the hands of criminals, who in turn lost their lives after judgment was rendered upon them by their peers. The rallying cry behind many executions is to assuage a sense of wrongdoing and provide justice to those who were harmed.

While the argument will no doubt continue for decades, if not centuries, about the moral standing of executions, there are those who the vast majority would argue deserved execution. The following individuals undoubtedly earned their execution, as well as a place on this list of Top 10 modern executions.

source: Listverse.com

Capital Punishment, a possibility?

2012-07-21T04:36:00.002-07:00

'The lawful infliction of death as a punishment' is practiced in many countries from around the world. Though the concept of capital punishment sounds new to us, it was implemented in Maldives even as recently as a few decades ago ( in the time of Amin Didi).

Recently we see a rise of people who come out to call for lawful execution of the heinous crime doers. Also there are masses opposing to this in the modern day Maldives. However the facts might be, we forget that its not just a matter that involves 'putting criminals to death'.

Most supporters of the death penalty feel that offenders should be punished for their crimes, and that it does not matter whether it will deter the crime rate. Supporters of the death penalty are in favor of making examples out of offenders, and that the threat of death will be enough to deter the crime rate, but the crime rate is irrelevant.

According to Professor Isaac Ehrlich's study, eight murders are deterred for each execution that is carried out in the U.S.A. He goes on to say, "If one execution of a guilty capital murderer deters the murder of one innocent life, the execution is justified." To most supporters of the death penalty, like Ehrlich, if even 1 life is saved, for countless executions of the guilty, it is a good reason for the death penalty. The theory that society engages in murder when executing the guilty, is considered invalid by most supporters, including Ehrlich. He feels that execution of convicted offenders expresses the great value society places on innocent life. Isaac Ehrlich is an American academic economist.
Also the supporters point out that, it is completely fair and just. If somebody kills somebody, they shouldn't be allowed to keep their own life. Even though somebody who is innocent might be executed, the chance of that happening is constantly decreasing with DNA testing, appeals, and other methods.

The death penalty is a very useful method to deter crime, and to save money. It is also completely just, as well as morally and religiously correct, in a normal society. However we should consider whether our Maldivian society is in such a condition for its implementation . Some of the factors we are faced with are the size of our communities and the implications of death sentences in our town lives, village lives. Family lives. The hangman for your wrong doer child might turn out to be your next door neighbor.

Also before we move to building gallows, we should make sure that our policemen, forensics and the investigators are professional enough to prove a person guilty beyond reasonable doubt. As Capital punishment is the most sensitive judicial issue, it involves giving a person 'life or death'.

In addition, today there is a growing concern about the integrity of the Maldivian Judiciary. There is an ongoing talk of possible misuse of powers by the judiciary. This makes some of the people skeptical about the implementation of death sentence in Maldives in a time like this. As it can easily be misused. Like in other countries, where the governments at times use it to eliminate opponents.

In my personal opinion, the Maldivian judiciary should be made more efficient, trustworthy and transparent before implementation of Capital punishment. Also we are desperately in need of a Terrorism Act and a National Security Act.

Then again, our views on the current government are divided and we are refusing to take any step forward before the next election happens.

by: mhd ism

Ramazan Kareem

Dreams of a Maldivian Entrepreneur/Brain Fodder, for Bored Desk Workers

2012-07-19T08:26:00.001-07:00

What economics sometimes does is divide by zero. It takes things to the limits so the very essence of life is lost. Funny how some things in life that modern economists define to be luxuries are in fact what can be termed necessities in a deeper sense of the word.

Let’s say if taking that holiday amidst the canals of Sicily every month was what really cleared up all your stress and made your peace of mind, then wouldn't that be your necessity for a healthier longer life? Wouldn't that be more necessary than the extra hours you grind up at work or activities hostile to your health and state of mind? Or would you still want to drive yourself crazy for a stressed up life with a short warranty which includes none of those days at the beach that enrich your lives? Money is to be accumulated but surely also spent well? Is that not the right execution of which we term freedom of will? Perhaps people would be better off reconsidering that automatic restraint of freedom of will that we have so ingrained in our modern lives - to save and suffer now to live after retirement? Should not people always save and enjoy too and thus prosper in bliss towards retirement and beyond?

Sometimes how people prioritize would have you believe that there is enjoyment and serenity at only a certain phase of your life and none at all others – maybe when you're young or old or maybe even just through your mid-life. Prioritize so in glorifying a select set of your years and you will obviously tend to also obstruct, along with yours, those golden years that others close to you deserve. Your kids and other loved ones? Your decision to thus prioritize different phases in your life also affects their golden cycles. Yes, a lot of factors need to be considered when making choices but you do first have to dream up to your ideals to live the ideal dreams. Now that is being truly brave.

All you Maldivians on your own and fighting for your dreams by embracing that endless adventure of entrepreneurship: May God bless your pursuits!

A delightful Contribution by : Artful Dodger

The Black Diary: January 2020

2012-07-18T01:41:00.004-07:00

1st January 2020:

Yet another year for the ongoing demise of our Nation, which was known as a top tourist destination even as recent as a few years ago. Though it has been been less than a decade, the grim experiences we faced in this short time is well enough for a life time. We fell from grace, we destroyed ourselves.

In our quest for glory and power over each other, we destroyed the Nation our forefathers built on a strong foundation. Difficult might have been the task, but we accomplished it.

Last year our tourist count turned out well below one thousand. These days the tourists are not those who visit Maldives for its beauty and peace. The ones that dare to enter Maldivian grim waters are those with adventurous danger seeking spirits. As we have fallen as a society, and changed as people.

Since the beginning of our end (2012), our tourism had come to a final halt. The Maldivian tourist market fell to an all time low in 2013 due to the continuous series of civil unrest. Our own country men readily broadcasted our internal struggle infront of the world like a reality show. In the end, we were branded as just another 'rebellious dangerous Islamist Nation'. During those days People were violated in the streets by the security forces, women and elders were beaten up bloody. In the aftermath, damage was done in the reputation department well beyond repair and the tourism just could not pick up from there. The resulting economy crash lead us to witness the great migration.

When the Maldivian Economy turned out bankrupt as expected - in early 2015, the foreign investors packed the money safes and left the country. We became a group of stranded people on patches of sand, in the middle of the Indian Ocean.

Our society's elites gave Nation wide statements and retreated to the accommodations provided by their foreign allies. The ones with deep pockets didn't hesitate to liquify their assets in Maldives and made haste in buying a life elsewhere in the world. The Normal citizens (the majority) of our Nation were left at Nature's mercy. At first some effort was done to change our lives with foreign aid but in time the effort givers turned there faces to other areas of the world. As they came to believe that there are far more needy people than us, in greater numbers in other parts of the world and it is much easier to reach them.

Today our struggle for daily bread hangs on the strings of aid provided by our neighbor India and the OIC. Some of the few thinkers who remained behind made an agreement with India for food aid, in return we had to provide India with two of our islands with airports, for Indian military interests.

Our society is in ruins. We are over run with crime. There is non who bothers to provide security among the people. The few policemen whom the leadership are able to employ with the meager state income, are only enough to provide security for the leaders. A walk through the streets will show us the faces of hungry youngsters, hopeless men and women, doing anything humanly possible to survive through the day.
Global warming and its effects are now a well occurring phenomena rather than a theory. One third of the previously inhabited islands are now well submerged. The remains of the once Maldivian way of life sit in a pool of sea water. Majority of the people are now concentrated in the Capital territory of Male' (includes Hulhumale'), which act as temporary sanctuaries.

So here i sit on an eroded beach, with the ever rising Indian ocean at my feet. Hungry, thirsty, hopeless and wondering. Why didn't we heed the warnings?

by; mhd ism

An Island Nation In Transition – Vulnerabilities and Concerns

2012-07-15T16:55:00.001-07:00

A. Macroeconomic situation

The    macroeconomic situation, like that of other   small   island   nations, remains highly vulnerable.This vulnerability derives from its smallness, remoteness, and narrowness of its economic base, with   heavy   reliance   on   two   volatile sectors – fishing   and   tourism. Other complicating factors include a high dependence on   imports, dependence on external aid, openness of the   economy to external fluctuations and   scattered   population (Country Population Assessment 2001)The problems of physical vulnerability in terms of its small size,   with   80   per   cent   of   the   islands   barely   one   meter   above   sea   level,   adverse   effects   of climatic changes, ecological fragility and scarcity of land-basedresources,confront Maldives with extraordinary challenges for ensuring sustainable development.

B. Unbalanced population and resource distribution

More than a quarter of the country’s population (74,069 of 270,10 1) resides in Male’ (Census 2000).    In   contrast,   40   per   cent   of   the   inhabited   islands   have   less   than   500   residents. The national   average   household   size   is   7,   considerably   larger   than   in   many   other   developing nations. In Male’, the average household size is 8 (Statistical Yearbook 2002). Facilities for upper secondary education are present only in Male’The dispersed remote islands remain deprived of basic amenities and incomes and remain poor and insecure.

The Vulnerability and Poverty Survey of 1998 revealed that almost 40 per cent of the rural population lives below the income poverty line defined as RF 600 (around US$51) per capita per month.Nearly 15 per cent of the country’s population lives on an income of less than RF 7.50 per day. Twenty-eight per cent of the atoll population gets less than hours of electricity per day, 40 per cent lives on islands without a health centre, hospital or private clinic, while 12 per cent of the population has no access to safe water.

Other   forms   of   human   deprivation   prevalent   in   Maldives   include   limited   opportunities   for secondary education while tertiary education is mostly sought abroad.Further, the benefits of growth are uneven in Maldives. While Male’, the capital city has gained the most from the rapid    expansion    in economic and   social   opportunities,    the quality   of life in Male’ is constrained by severe shortage of physical space, overcrowding, congestion and pollution.

C. Young age structure

The   Maldivian   population   is   a   young   population,   with   a   median   age   of 18.7 years in 2000 (Country Population Assessment 2001).Despite the declining growth rate in recent years, the momentum effect of the young age structure can be expected to cause significant population increase in the years to come. Presently, 44 per cent of the country’s population is less than 15 years of age.The dependency ratio for Maldives is among the highest in the world.The dependency   ratio   is   also   higher   in   the atolls than   in   Male’. Those   aged   16-35 years form more than a third of the population.


D. Education concerns

Current enrollment at the primary level shows a declining trend for boys and girls, which may reflect declining birth rates.Total secondary school enrollment was about 50 per cent for both sexes   in   1997,   but increased   to 51   per   cent   for   girls   in   2000. However,   serious   gender differences emerge at higher secondary level and above. At upper secondary school (grades 11 and 12), a high level of discrepancy exists in male/female school enrollment (36 per cent females   to   64   per cent males) (Country Population Assessment 2001). Another cause for concern is the number of students who drop out during or after the secondary level, especially after 15 years of age. The completion rate for secondary education (both sexes) was 33 per 1,000 in 1995.The dropout rate, contrary to the usual patterns in many developing countries, is slightly higher among males (Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey 2001).

E. Sociocultural context

        1. Gender

Although   the   Constitution   does   not   allow   any   form   of   discrimination   between   men   and women, in reality discriminatory practices exist in society.These are mainly in the areas of marriage and divorce, property rights and provision of evidence in courts of law.Other more abstract areas of subordination relate to perceptions held by the society at large concerning the   domestic   roles of   women   (Country   Population   Assessment   2001). Sexual   abuse   and domestic violence are among the lesser-reported social problems.

          2. Marriage and divorce

Relatively     early marriages,   the   accepted   practice   of   serial   monogamy   and   easy   divorce
procedures have led to a high rate of marriage, remarriage and divorce, loose kinship family structures   and   weak   ties   to   family   units,   which   in   turn   contribute   to   greater instability   of marriage (Razee 2000). In 1998 in Male’, there were 70 divorces per 100 marriages.These do not constitute a complete and permanent separation, however, as many of the divorced couples remarry.

'Razee (2000)' reviewed   data   from   surveys   on   island   women   conducted in 1979 and 1991. Both reported that half of all women married at 15 years or younger. On average, a woman weds four partners, three of them by 30 years of age. The latter survey showed that 63 per cent   of   those   married   had   two   or   more   marriages. The    census   cohort   analysis   confirms similar findings and reports that Maldivian women have four marriages on average by the time they reach 50 years of age.

In practical terms, this means that many women spend a significant part of their life without a partner Given both the instability of marriages and the large number of men working away from home, many of the households are headed by women.They are compelled to bring up children without the support of a partner.The extended family continues to play an important role in providing support to many single mothers and their children.This is especially crucial in urban areas where more women work outside the home.

          3. Mobile populations

Internal   and   external   mobility   is   another   component   affecting   the   lifestyle   of   Maldivians, especially those living in Male’. With a large expatriate population of skilled and unskilled persons   working   in   Maldives,   along   with   increased   overseas   travel   and   increased   internal mobility, there is an escalating risk for various lifestyle problems. Constant mobility creates long separations from family members, leaving those individuals more vulnerable to stress, isolation and other psychological strains.

          4. Sexual behavior

Consensual sex between unmarried persons is punishable under legislation. A total of 866 persons   from   Male’   and   the   Islands   were   charged   with   illegal   coital   relationship   between 1998 and 2001 (Statistical Yearbook 2002). Despite legal restrictions, all sexual behaviors are found in Maldives (Jenkins 2000). Fear of discovery and legal prosecution limits these practices   but   does   not   forestall   them entirely. Due   to   its   illegal   status,   the extent   of   per-marital or extramarital sex is not known. However, it is estimated that some proportion of young people experiment with sex before marriage. By the age of 21, a very high proportion will have had sexual intercourse at least once (Jenkins 2000). Other sexual behaviors such as homosexuality and commercial sex practices are known to exist and cases of sexual abuse have also been recognized. Foreign and Maldivian sex workers can be found in Maldives, as a   large   number     of workers     work    away    from   their   homes    creating    a pool   of potential commercial sex clients.

          5. Juvenile delinquency

There is concern from the about the growing problem of juvenile delinquency in Maldives. Statistics from Ministry of Defense and National Security indicate an increase in petty crime from   169   cases   in   1992   to   462   in   1996. The   number   of   sentenced   persons   under   19   also increased     from    391   in 1988   to 512    in 1998   (Human Development Report 2000)The relationship between crime and drug abuse has not been examined.

          6. Other lifestyle-related problems

The threat of lifestyle diseases is also emerging as a major health problem and lack of data makes the observation of trends difficult (National Assessment Report 2002). The 1995 data show that diabetes and cardiovascular diseases accounted for 9 per cent and 31 per cent of the causes     of death,   respectively. Tobacco      consumption      (either   smoking   or   chewing)   still remains   high   and   a   1995   survey   revealed   that   there   is   a   smoker   in   71   per   cent   of   the households. Ninety per cent of smokers are males and 10 per cent are females.

The   first   positive case of HIV was detected   in   Maldives in 1991. However, Maldives has enjoyed   relative   freedom   from   the   HIV   pandemic,   as   HIV   prevalence   remains   very   low. Eleven persons of Maldivian origin were detected to be HIV positive between 1991 and 2000. A   much   higher   number   of   foreigners   (85   cases   between   1995   and 2000) in Maldives were found   to   be   HIV   positive.   However,   there   is   no   room   for   complacency   as   movement   of people from Maldives to other countries and back, early marriage and frequent divorces, all support conditions for the spread of HIV/AIDS.

The     National   AIDS   Control   Program   was   established   in   1987. In   1996,   the   Ministry   of Health   introduced   Sentinel   Surveillance,   enhancing   awareness   creation   and   screening   of expatriate workers.Currently, all foreigners who seek employment in Maldives are required to   undergo   HIV   testing   before   a   work   permit   is   granted. Also, Maldivians   returning   after spending more than a year abroad are required to undergo HIV testing. (Health Report 2001). The     Department      of   Public   Health    (DPH)      carries   out the   day-to-day     operations     of the programmes   and   networks   with   the   small   NGO   sector   in   awareness   building   and   offering such other services as counseling.

Drug     abuse    has been    recognized     as a growing     problem     in Maldives. This    monograph attempts   to   present   the   current   scenario   of   drug   abuse   in   the   context   of   the   sociocultural milieu in Maldives.

Source: UNDP

Think Natural

2012-07-14T06:42:00.000-07:00

Let’s look at some words and trigger some thoughts:

Respect: from a very young age every child, every individual is taught to respect others. Respect our elders we are told. Share our toys. The basis or the idea of respect is to not be selfish. Why? Being selfish is so terribly wrong as a person is not capable of living alone without the help of others. But then, a lot of us have this belief that we only need positive interactions with fellow humans to survive on earth, and therefore we are only respectful of our fellow human beings. This may be because humans are the only ones capable of reminding others of the fact that they helped others. We ignore those that gave us a lot but never asked for anything in return because we cannot hear their voices. I am talking about our surrounding, our environment.Mother Nature.

Greed: without any regard to the fact that we would cease to exist the day we have damaged our planet beyond repair we live our lives as if it will last forever. We run our engines and we produce toxic chemicals and release it into our environment and we dump tons of waste into our oceans. Now one may argue that I do not ride a car, I do not dump tones of waste nor do I have a company that produce toxic waste. But we tend to forget that instead of opting for a 10 minute walk we opt for a 5 minute motor bike ride, you may even turn to a 15 minute taxi ride (depending on the traffic). We do simple actions like throwing away gum wrappers and empty plastic bags on to public grounds and justify the actions in our minds, thinking - “everyone does it; me not doing it will not make a difference”however in majority situations we face in social lives, caring makes the difference.

Appreciate: At times, we may consider ourselves God's greatest creation. Yet we are incapable of producing anything out of thin air. We have to depend on our environment, on mother earth to give us that from which we can make something. A saying comes to me “fenkakkaa boleege izzai” (basically: we only see them when we need them). I think the time has come for us to actually appreciate the fact that this is all we have and that it has given us quite a lot.

Hope: do not simply throw your hands and say “one person alone does not make a difference”. No! A single fisherman who refuses to set adrift an old net in our waters could save one of our marine diversity's gems - turtles from getting tangled up and getting drowned (a terrible experience I am sure). One person that refuses to throw away a plastic wrapper and instead, use a bin could shame a number of others into using the same bin. Hope and faith is a strong power if used wisely. A common phrase used by people to justify a wrong action is “everyone does it”. They say you cannot stop the process because if one person chooses to walk, there will be ten others who decide to ride. What I do not understand is how that phrase could possibly justify how eleven wrongs are better than ten.

Think: we look around us and we realize that there is a certain system in which living species interact with each other. We call it Eco system. Everything around us is linked and it is inter-related. Humans are a part of this system but when our needs pass beyond basic and become selfish we produce an imbalance in that system. A simple and perfect example is the relationship of the sea urchin and a certain shell (sangu boli) that consumes the sea urchin. We interfered with this relationship when we started removing the shell from our reefs to export them. This led to an over population of sea urchins in our reefs.

Stop thinking that you only need to respect other human beings. We share a planet with millions of other species who are letting us share their habitats with them.

by: KB

Maldivian Civil War: Characteristics

2012-07-12T14:13:00.001-07:00

Eras

Through out our first Republic and until today in our second Republic, we are marked with an ongoing conflicts and struggles for power and wealth. The Citizens are been victimized in this conflict, with thin pockets and hopelessness.

Generations of Conflict

For generations, Maldives have been divided as a society. Though the so called Republic arrived, all our elected leaders till date, are from influential families/factions.
There is wide spread hatred among the factions that have been boiling for generations. We have leaders who were assassinated by rebels. At one point, some of us even invited foreign mercenaries to join the Civil conflict.

Battlespace:

In Maldives there is no inducement of the whole country in to a bloody war, as there are no weapons in civil hands. Thus Maldivian elites resolve to using the Judiciary and the Parliament as their ground to fight the battles. Even in the Maldivian battle-arena there are casualties to people, as we are left with a downward economy, low income and minor assurances for our future.

Weapons:

The people are the weapons. The crowds and masses our political leaders gather are the unlimited ammunition.

Also through out the ages of the conflict, leading factions have resolved to using the police and the military in their struggles.

Tactics:

The tactics implemented by our tribal leaders come in a wide range from clever to down right nasty.
Some turn to the media for their advantage. Others join up as leagues and bring down the mutually agreed odd elements.

Most of our recent elections show us glimpses of succesful civil war tactics.

Strategy:

The Maldivian civil war strategies are outright revolting.
In other Nations they have situations of leaders who come to power and build new Nations and give the people a lot of wealth and prosperity - then they run away with immense wealth.

However in our case the strategy is simply "$ as much as possible in 5 years". They tend to forget the promises they make for the people. When each individual comes to power it has been a frenzy to gobble up as much as earthly possible, in 5 years. They remember the people when the next election lurks over their heads. Then they turn to giving the public a little ration from the money that was robbed from the public pockets.

For a long period, the strategy to deal with opponents was simply 'shutting them up'. However in modern times it doesn't work that way, so they turn to unfair accusations, trials etc

Organization:

Except for Male, previously there were specially selected island chieftains for crowd maintenance. Who also acted as the supreme voice of the government, towards islanders. now there are counselors and other good lumps of jobs for the same purpose.

In Male' the leaders used to have the full organizational authority and a lot of support. Now it has changed due to the official division of Named factions. Also a new recent conflict have brewed up, between the people who control the City and those who govern it.

Logistics;

In Civil conflicts, logistics is the discipline of planning and carrying out the movement and maintenance of the masses.

Logistically our factions are well prepared and wise.
One example is the brilliant move of not wasting time before coming back to attack the throne from which the individual fell from (shown by a few leaders of ours). Due to the fact that, if there was a lapse of time, their supporters will give up and fade.

by: mhd ism

For Proud Maldivian Book Worms

2012-07-11T20:14:00.002-07:00

1. A Hero In Time. Author: Royston Ellis

2.Folk Tales of the Maldives. Author: Xavier Romero-Frias

3. The Maldives Islanders. Author: Xavier Romero-Frias

Net Zero Plan 2020

2012-07-11T18:40:00.001-07:00

The talk of 'Maldives working towards becoming a carbon neutral country' , is a famous headline maker around the Globe Today and organizations and groups from around the world has welcomed this bold claim by our Leaders (in the name of our Nation), with high hopes.

However, this talk of our urgent struggle for survival, does not come to the tongues of the leadership during domestic gatherings. There has been no programs to make the public aware of the so called fate for us in a few decades or so. Despite the fact that our leaders are advertising a carbon neutral goal around the globe, no party is giving an effort at explaining this concept to the local Maldivians. Most amongt us are clueless about the National task, which we have to achieve in a time span of less than a decade.

I believe, Statesmen giving bold statements are not enough to achieve this goal. Primarily this is the first challenge we took as a country to pioneer a global achievement, with the international community as witnesses. Thus, failure by the end of 2020 does not appear to be an option. With our National pride at stake,we need to hurry in this task, as a promise has been already made in our name and the Global community is watching.

To achieve our goal of an Eco-friendly future, we should start learning from the examples laid down by other Nations in the field. Countries like Iceland, has taken their future goals as a 'Hydrogen economy'. Iceland has plans of becoming the hydrogen Middle East of the future.

The hydrogen economy is a proposed system of delivering energy using hydrogen, instead of a traditional fossil fuel run economies. Already hydrogen fuel cells are developed and are being used in variety of daily uses such as in car engines, running small power stations etc. Unlike the smoke in traditional combustion engine, the only byproduct of a hydrogen fuel cell is water.

At this point it should be noted that, in the current world market the Fuel cells are relatively expensive, but since they have a simple construction, future mass production would make the price tag extremely low.
If Maldives is truly developing a feasible energy efficient plan, fuel cells would be a fantastic addition. By embracing the hydrogen future, we will not only achieve ou carbon neutral goal. We will also achieve immense advancements over other Nations.

Lately new technologies have eliminated the barriers to the long-hoped-for hydrogen economy. Which is developing a non-polluting energy source for hydrogen. Nanoptek who are experts in tapping the sun's energy and they have developed a solar-powered electrolyzer that creates hydrogen from water and sunlight, which they hope to be in industrial use in near future. Here we have the golden opportunity to be their first customer.

p.s if we are in danger of vanishing as a country, we need to take the matter on environment as a personal issue. For the fact that, in order to become a National issue, it should become the issue among the individual citizens of our Nation. Also it would be much more effective, if crowds of us face the international community about our Apocalyptic situation, instead of one or two men from amongst us.

by: mhd ism

A Thought On What We Do In The Name of A Wedding

2012-07-10T09:04:00.001-07:00

We here in Maldives have a tradition. This tradition or you could even call it a ritual, normally involves two people of different sex of the age group 18-25 years. The ritual is as follows; two people and those closest to them get together and see exactly how much money and time they could possibly waste on two very short hours of their lives. Now, everyone in our community do not perform this ritual, however those that do try to compete with the others who do to see who can waste more money. We like to call this ritual a wedding.

Call me crazy, but I think a wedding is a celebration of the legal binding of two people in a contract for life. It should be a joyous event where the celebrated couple and those they call family and friends enjoy food, fun and love. But a lot of us see it as a competition to see who has the most money to waste. I call it a waste because I have heard brides and grooms voice their appreciation of the fact that the event is FINALLY over because they had been so busy. I feel that a wedding should be a fun event that all parties involved should enjoy, especially the couple around which the whole thing revolves.

The first time I found out that it costs at least 350 MRF to get a consultant who helps the bride put on her hijab my jaw literally dropped (the price range was from around 350-750 MRF). This is the piece of cloth that we use to cover our hair that I talk about; not the gown or even the make-up. Also, the price does not cover the cost of the materials required for the head covering.

This got me thinking deeply about the extent of the price people are willing to pay to have a wedding. A wedding in Islamic culture is supposed to be a feast involving a lot of people; family, friends and neighbors’. This is so that the fact that the couple is married becomes known information, so the food is a non-optional requirement which can be accepted. But then we have; give always, decorations, covering for chairs, brides maids, flower girls, photographers, cards, etc (my mind is too limited I am sure to comprehend all the requirements).

I see married couples struggling financially after marriage, working non-stop to make money to barely survive and I wonder, instead of spending all that money on a party that honestly took less than it gave would not the couple be better off if they had saved the money for their married life? The wedding lasts only few hours but the marriage (hopefully) lasts a life-time. Which do you think is more important? Which should be the reason for your joy more? If the answer is your wedding I feel that is a very depressing thought.
Here is a thought. Instead of spending all the money on an event that the couple honestly does not get to enjoy why not spend it on some enjoyable events? Instead of spending days packing tiny gifts (I reckon it is an excuse to spend quality time together with friends before the wedding) to give the guests why not have some pre-party events? Do something that will achieve the same purpose and will also be enjoyable. You could have a henna party for the girls OR even a bodu beru night. Most Maldivians will always find a bodu beru night enjoyable.

Don’t let your wedding be work. Let it be a chance to get to know your future husband/wife a little bit more. Take it as an excuse to bond more with your in-laws. A good foundation, a good beginning will insha Allah make way for a healthy and happy life together.

by: KB

Marriage Venture Co.

2012-07-10T09:03:00.001-07:00

Wedding, a joyous occasion. The ceremony in which the world gets to see a glimpse of the two young souls as a couple for the very first time. All around us, people give their utmost effort in making their wedding ceremonies stand out amongst the rest.

We can say with a bit of certainty that the old Maldivian traditional weddings have slowly faded in to the pages of history. Though we see Hawaiian style beach weddings being advertised for tourists in the name of Maldivian tradition. Among Maldivians, nowadays we see themed weddings, with known designers constructing the ceremony with theatrical brilliance.

Nowadays it is the culture that when two young couples come together, they need to produce a lavish ceremony for the society and the society forgets about them afterwards.

The division of classes in Maldives are inform of bank account balances. Nobody wants to be looked down as a lower income earner in the Maldivian society, as it is a grim hole to be in.

For this reason nobody wants to act in the boundaries of their capacity. Leading to each and everyone wanting to throw up wedding ceremonies similar to what the elites of the society hold for their sons and daughters.
This leads to an urgent need from the side of the marrying couples to deliver their 'statement of social standing' to the society in lavish splendor.
But who makes the most positive outcome out of this green-eyed situation? The wedding designing studios and the catering companies.

Every girl wants to become a bride, 'now and forever'. This is not an easy task and it is pocket draining. By the end of most of middle income earner's weddings, their savings dry up. They virtually are left with no funds to immediately fund their future living. Unless they work their way back to saving again. This is not an easy test.

In addition there is news that some even resolve to taking bank loans to assure, that their marriage venture is a success. We all know that the authorities are quite forgetful in providing us with money but that they are sharp and merciless in squeezing it out of us. specially under a loan contract.

Money is the main authority that rules our society. We were called 'The Money Isles' by the Arabs in the past and we still have leeches who just cannot get enough for themselves. These leeches squeezes the money out of middle class, in any form they can. The best strategy they could come up to achieve this in the modern day is by advertising items of high income lives in a middle income dominated society.

by: mhd ism