I think people are getting my point.
Mohamed Shihab in his blog writes.
The following is a linke to the news on Haveeru of three men who tortured and videoed a 15 year old girl nude in the “woods” of Villingili, an island of Male’ 8 minutes by boat. According to the newspaper the case was reported on the 8th of this month. And it is b..f… irresponsible that such a matter has not been reported to the public by the authorities, three days since; for purposes of national security and human rights, perhaps! People who have the capacity to digest such atrocities and keep it under the carpet to disclose in due course, needs to be replaced at the first next opportunity. This country cannot show leniency to child molesters, rapists, and cold blooded murderers. [They could have murdered this girl too!]
http://www.haveeru.com.mv/english/?page=details&id=17599
My immediate reaction on reading the news item, was to call people whom I know who are in places which are related to the matter. A very educated argument that I got from one was, that newspapers sometime create a zeal out of these issues and are also known to fabricate the truth. That the names and faces of the accused will not be disclosed, in any developed country, unless it was established that the accused were the real culprits. When I further insisted I was told that it could be me who was wrongly accused - rights, my foot! Some were sympathetic to my view that the faces should be shown. After all, they do that for lesser crimes; and the accused are blamed in the media well in advance of the court decisions.
I guess I have to modiy my decision not to vote in the upcoming referendum; and go out and vote parliamentary. A presidential system will be run by educated technocrats. A parliamentary system of government will be run by ordinary people without much education like me and the great majority of this country; who will understand and listen to our feelings and pulse, more than the high class elite. Our matters will be taken more seriously. I am compelled to consider a parliamentary form of government to secure a better future for my children and grand children.
I will make a conclusion on Friday. The decision by the educated elite of this country who run the government now will tell us how swiftly a presidential system of government can address of matters of national importance to the people over those that are important to the sitting President! Let’s see.
“A parliamentary system of government will be run by ordinary people without much education like me and the great majority of this country; who will understand and listen to our feelings and pulse, more than the high class elite.”
What b—s—. Is Lolly Jabir, Sun Travel Shiyam, Jausa Jaufar, Yameen, Qasim etc the kind of people who understand the sentiment of us? They may have come from poor backgrounds but they now rub shoulders with the elite. Let me tell you that this Mohamed Shihab, who works for DAMAS, (another fat company owned by Gayoom loyalist Solih, used to appear on TVM and defend the regime, while opposition activists were being tortured and arbitrarily arrested. Who is he now to open his mouth and pretend to be another reformist?
Maldiveshealth: I respect your blog and most of your posts but I would like you to refrain from being just another person making this referendum so politicized by headlines such as “Vote Parliamentary to protect the vulnerable”.
It is still a difficult task even in India for the untouchables to have their voices heard. India has a parliamentary system.
It is not a matter of system but having a good government that protects the vulnerable. Any government in any system must protect the vulnerable.
How can we not politicize and talk about politics and a referundum? You tell me and i will happily follow that.
Dont be angry my friend. I know about Shihab. And i also know the likes of many others who has suddenly emerged from where ever they have been and are trying very hard to portray themselves as reformists and to win public support.
Lolly Jabir, Sun Travel Shiyam, Jausa Jaufar, Yameen, Qasim.. might rule for a few days.. Not for ever.
In a parliamentary system money will play a major role as in every aspect of politics does. Same goes with presidential system. Party politics is money. Without money , there is no politics. If you think otherwise you are dreaming.
Coincidence or not..Today i came across a quote. It said ” If you dream alone as an individual, you are ONLY dreaming… if WE dream as a collective group we are making that dream a reality”
And what i see today is that the Maldivian people are dreaming .. not individually but as a collective whole. It does not matter which system of government they are supporting. They all are dreaming. They have sweet dreams for their kids and grand kids. They have aspirations. The energy is there. They have a vision for Maldives. All of them. The public is dreaming as a collective whole and i find this optimism which tells me that the people are not going to give way for another dictatorship or the people are not going to give way for a Jabir or Qasim to play with us anymore.
Especially the youth and their optimism keep me thinking positive on this regard. They have taken the initiative and i think we all should join hands together and make this beautiful country of ours livable.