MDP not FOM
Tourism Boycott is Planned by the MDP not the FOMIbrahim Ismail (MP Male’, aka Ibra) the recently elected, leader of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has threatened the government with a tourism boycott campaign, if the government does not comply with the MDP’s demands.
Ismail made his threatening remarks while talking to Reuters last Thursday (22nd December). He went on to say that, he would consider tourism boycott and a major civil disobedience campaign if Gayyoom ‘continues to delay promised political reforms’.
Several residents of Male’, the capital of the Maldives, were disgusted with these remarks, as Gayyoom has been implementing his reform agenda of 9th June at ‘breakneck speed’ as described by Dr Abdul Waahid Abdul Jabbar, the Pakistani political analyst who is currently in Male’ on holiday.
Since Gayyoom started his reform agenda, several positive changes have been made, including the introduction of a multi-party system, and the establishment of an independent human rights commission, wider separation of powers and a Judicial Services Commission independent from the executive, to name a few.
The main hindrance to the process has been the slowness of the work of the Special Majilis (Constitutional Assembly) in amending the constitution. Amending a nation’s constitution is not an easy task. Several viewpoints have to be carefully analysed. But the main delayers in this Special Majilis are Ismail’s MDP members. They have adopted since, mid 2004, a policy of boycotting, key Majilis sessions, if they feel that they would be defeated by a vote.
Ismail was jailed for two months after the ‘black Friday’ incident, which unfolded in the “Jumhooree Maidhaan” on the 12th/13th August 2004. A group of MDP activists (including Ismail and Ibrahim Zaki - MDP Vice President) gathered in the Jumhooree Maidhaan, in front of the National Security Service (NSS) headquarters and tried to force their
way in to the NSS HQ. Several NSS and police officers were stabbed by this mob and were seriously injured. Arson attacks were carried out on buildings in the vicinity and many public facilities were vandalised. Ismail was arrested for his part in these activities. The Government in an act of solidarity later dropped the charges after the Boxing Day Tsunami devastated the entire nation.
The current ‘tourism boycott campaign’ launched by a group calling themselves, the Friends of Maldives (FoM), founded and headed by David Hardingham of Wiltshire, UK. Hardingham’s organisation is not registered and the use of the name “Friends of Maldives” by this group is in contravention with the laws of England and Wales, as the name “Friends of Maldives” is registered as a charity run by Ms Toni de la Roque.
Hardingham, is in fact the leader of the MDP’s international wing based in Europe. He runs a number of clandestine, websites and radio stations including minivannews.com, dhivehiobserver.com and Minivan Radio Limited to name a few. Hardingham is being financed by Ahmed Ismail Maniku (aka Sikka sentenced to death, for his part in murdering 19 Maldivians in November 1988, Sikka was later granted a special presidential pardon by Gayyoom).
Hardingham has refused to comment on this matter. Olhuala.com has contacted him several times over the last few weeks, but he refused to elaborate on how he was able to finance purchasing two properties at a total of £273,000 since he began work for the MDP. He has also refused to explain the unusually large sums of money received from Account Number: 011-066186-101, HSBC Bank, Colombo – 3, Sri-Lanka. The US dollar account of Ahmed Ismail Maniku (Sikka).
The MDP has already attempted to carry out a major civil disobedience campaign. The MDP’s calls fell on deaf ears. No one, including their own members took any notice of the MDP’s calls to boycott government schools (over 90% schools are state owned and provide free education) and to boycott goods imported by the State Trading Organisation.
It is widely believed that, strong words used by MDP leader Ismail, is just a way of adding to the web of disinformation spread by the MDP through its various tentacles such as Hardingham, in an effort to discredit the long serving Maldivian President.
In actual fact, President Gayyoom is widely loved by his people and was elected for a sixth consecutive term in office, in 2003 by an overwhelming majority of over 90 % of the vote. Mr Gayyoom is also a dignified statesman respected by the international community. This was portrayed in the recent CHOGM held in Malta. Queen Elizabeth II of England, the head of the Commonwealth honoured Mr Gayyoom several times, as widely covered by the world media (see also olhuala.com articles). Mr Gayyoom further received a warm reception from the Islamic states, at the OIC meeting held in Jeddah last November.
Hence it is widely accepted that, the West and the Islamic communities consider Mr Gayyoom as a leading statesman and an ambassador for human rights and democratic reforms.
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