sacrificechildren
Hithadhoo: School children onto the frontline while adults hide
Aishath Zeena, Seenu Atoll Correspondent
Aishath Zeena, Seenu Atoll Correspondent
S. Hithadhoo, Maldives, 22nd January 2006 (olhuala.com) – Senior MDP official Moosa Luthufee has used his teenage son in an attempt to achieve the MDP's political goals. The boy was among a handful of school children, all of whom were children of MDP members, carrying placards, led to the Atoll Office during recess today, by MDP officials including Mr. Abdulla Didi and Mr. Ali Khalid, the individuals in whose interests the campaign focusses on.
This is another escalation of the widely-condemned use of children by the MDP as political pawns. It follows formal requests by the MDP to use children in their demonstrations planned for Tuesday, January 24th.
The placards called for the reinstatement of Mr. Didi and Mr. Khalid, in their former positions as Senior Assistant Principals of two government run schools in Hithadhoo - they had been relocated to similar positions in schools in Male' pending an investigation into alleged gross misconduct with respect to the use of school premises. Their reinstatement is one of the three main aims of the demonstration called for by the MDP.
The schools concerned and the Ministry of Education had received numerous requests from parents concerned about Mr. Didi and Mr. Khalid's suitability to work in the education sector in Addu Atoll. They claim the two are guilty of deception and misuse of public property for personal and political gain. The Education Minister, Ms. Zahiya Zareer, has frequently called for all concerned to protect their children from the Maldives' volatile political sphere.
One concerned parent speaking via mobile phone told olhuala.com: "The MDP is all over our kids all the time. The seventeen kids who went to the Atoll Office have been seen at the last MDP rally in Hithadhoo - the hastily arranged one which led to the complaints about Didi and Khalid".
"The MDP ferried these children from Feydhoo and Hithadhoo. Seven children came from Hithadhoo - how could they do this without the help of adults?"
Maldiveindependent.org reports that MDP activists including Abdulla Ali of Reethifeyraan, Hussain Habeeb and Salaah of Miskihdhoshuge arrived at the Hithadhoo Muhibbudheen School at the interval break with prepared placards and then proceeded to lead the children to the Atoll Office. The children and the MDP activists left the scene quickly when angry parents arrived.
"The kids were met by Atoll Office staff who spoke with them for a few minutes. They soon left, saying that the matter was not of their concern and that they had been asked to do this by adults", continued the parent.
The MI website also says that the incident bears all the hallmarks of a publicity stunt by the 'Divehi Observer Group' which includes the Mini Van News website and clandestine radio station.
Luthufee, a former Atoll Chief, is also the father of Sandhaanu Ibrahim Luthufee, one of the leading activists of the MDP who has called for terrorism and a military coup for several years. Sandhaanu Luthufee is seen as part of the fascist hard right element within the MDP, a faction who seemingly is hijacking all the party policy formulation activities as moderates such as Mohamed Waheed and Mohamed Shihab are being distanced.
Click to read full story
This is another escalation of the widely-condemned use of children by the MDP as political pawns. It follows formal requests by the MDP to use children in their demonstrations planned for Tuesday, January 24th.
The placards called for the reinstatement of Mr. Didi and Mr. Khalid, in their former positions as Senior Assistant Principals of two government run schools in Hithadhoo - they had been relocated to similar positions in schools in Male' pending an investigation into alleged gross misconduct with respect to the use of school premises. Their reinstatement is one of the three main aims of the demonstration called for by the MDP.
The schools concerned and the Ministry of Education had received numerous requests from parents concerned about Mr. Didi and Mr. Khalid's suitability to work in the education sector in Addu Atoll. They claim the two are guilty of deception and misuse of public property for personal and political gain. The Education Minister, Ms. Zahiya Zareer, has frequently called for all concerned to protect their children from the Maldives' volatile political sphere.
One concerned parent speaking via mobile phone told olhuala.com: "The MDP is all over our kids all the time. The seventeen kids who went to the Atoll Office have been seen at the last MDP rally in Hithadhoo - the hastily arranged one which led to the complaints about Didi and Khalid".
"The MDP ferried these children from Feydhoo and Hithadhoo. Seven children came from Hithadhoo - how could they do this without the help of adults?"
Maldiveindependent.org reports that MDP activists including Abdulla Ali of Reethifeyraan, Hussain Habeeb and Salaah of Miskihdhoshuge arrived at the Hithadhoo Muhibbudheen School at the interval break with prepared placards and then proceeded to lead the children to the Atoll Office. The children and the MDP activists left the scene quickly when angry parents arrived.
"The kids were met by Atoll Office staff who spoke with them for a few minutes. They soon left, saying that the matter was not of their concern and that they had been asked to do this by adults", continued the parent.
The MI website also says that the incident bears all the hallmarks of a publicity stunt by the 'Divehi Observer Group' which includes the Mini Van News website and clandestine radio station.
Luthufee, a former Atoll Chief, is also the father of Sandhaanu Ibrahim Luthufee, one of the leading activists of the MDP who has called for terrorism and a military coup for several years. Sandhaanu Luthufee is seen as part of the fascist hard right element within the MDP, a faction who seemingly is hijacking all the party policy formulation activities as moderates such as Mohamed Waheed and Mohamed Shihab are being distanced.
Click to read full story