The Hindu : National : Maldivians want genuine democracy: Ibrahim Hussain Zaki

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Apr 19, 2006

National

National

Maldivians want genuine democracy: Ibrahim Hussain Zaki

R.K. Radhakrishnan

Ibrahim Hussain Zaki — Photo: S. Thanthoni

CHENNAI : India should play a more active role in ensuring that true democracy is ushered in Maldives, said Ibrahim Hussain Zaki, vice president, Maldivian Democratic Party. Rather than strengthening the hands of a `dictator', India had a duty to promote democracy, he added.

"We are very disappointed and sad that today at this critical time of change in the Maldives, the Indian Government has given him [the President] a defence package... Much of this equipment is meant for the police. This will be used against us," he said, and added that the boat given by India was meant to patrol the seas looking for pirates and illegal trawling. "But he [the President] sent it to the Southern Atoll to attack people there. Several people were taken on board, brought to Male and put in jail," he told The Hindu on Tuesday.

He said most people in his country appreciated the socio-economic assistance extended by India. The Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital and the Vocational Training Centre were fine examples. "We would like to strengthen our forces also. But not [when the country is] in the hands of a dictator," he said.

Mr. Zaki, who was a Minister in the Maumoon Abdul Gayoom Cabinet for about 10 years, said he joined the Cabinet so that he could save the country by working from within the system. "I thought I could really influence him to bring change from within," he said.

According to him, the day a young jailed activist was murdered — September 20, 2005 — was a turning point in the Maldivian political history. "That exposed the human rights violations in the country [to people abroad]," he said. The reaction of Maldivians was spontaneous: many came out on to the streets in protest and demanded justice.

"That was the start. Until then, Maldives was ruled with an iron fist," he said. As much as 78 per cent of the Maldivian population were below 35 and 99 per cent of the total population were literate. According to him they wanted genuine democracy and not what the President practised now.

The President was playing a game with India and China, Mr. Zaki alleged. President Gayoom was "much more comfortable with the Chinese" and warming up to China "in order to replace India."

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