Anyone seen the movie, Band of the Hand? It is about a group of young people trying to escape a life of crime and drugs and having to fight a corrupt establishment that encourages both crime and drugs. The only way the group of young people can survive is by being together- like the fingers of the hand.
Bob Dylan wrote the theme song for the movie and performed it with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. Oops! It is not a very recent movie-- it dates from 1986.
But a few recent incidents have reminded me of the song and the movie--especially the stories in Minivan News about how politicians are using and victimising young people to do their evil deeds.
I have recently discussed with the Human Rights Commissioner and some Members of Parliament on how we can help these young people break this cycle of violence, drugs and prison, and get rehabilitated to society. I also discussed these issues with some of the visting members of the EU delegation in a private capacity.
I am told that there is a contract out on me-- to muzzle me, paid for by politicians. The youths are not sure whether they should listen to me or to their paymasters. I am interested in how I can help these youngsters find a life of hope on the right side of law, and leave the gangster scene bankrolled by corrupt drug dealers and evil politicians.
Many of them have told me that there would be bloodshed in the year ahead and are concerned about the lawlessness and anarchy into which the country is sliding. Survival will take all us to band together like the fingers of the hand.
Here's the song:
Band of the hand
Band of the hand
Band of the hand
Band of the hand
Band of the hand
Band of the hand
Band of the hand
Band of the hand
Down these streets the fools rule
There's no freedom or self respect,
A knife's point or a trip to the joint
Is about all you can expect.
They kill people here who stand up for their rights,
The system's just too damned corrupt
It's always the same, the name of the game
Is who do you know higher up.
Band of the hand
Band of the hand
Band of the hand
Band of the hand
The blacks and the whites,
The idiotic, the exotic,
Wealth is a filthy rag
So erotic so unpatriotic
So wrapped up in the American flag.
Witchcraft scum exploiting the dumb,
Turning children into punks and slaves
Whose heroes and healers are rich drug dealers
Who should be put in their graves.
Band of the hand
Band of the hand
Band of the hand
Band of the hand
Listen to me Mr. Pussyman
This might be your last night in a bed so soft
We're not pimps on the make, politicians on the take,
You can't pay us off.
We're gonna blow up your home of Voodoo
And watch it burn without any regret
We got the power we're the new government,
You just don't know it yet.
Band of the hand
Band of the hand
Band of the hand
Band of the hand
For all of my brothers from Vietnam
And my uncles from World War II,
I'd like to say that it's countdown time now
And we're gonna do what the law should do.
And for you pretty baby,
I know you've seen it all.
I know your story is too painful to share.
One day though you'll be talking in your sleep
And when you do, I wanna be there.
Band of the hand
Band of the hand
Band of the hand
Band of the hand
Band of the hand
Band of the hand
Band of the hand
Band of the hand
Monday 24 December 2007
Sunday 23 December 2007
Anniversary of Peshawari Invasion: Velaanaage as the Tallest Building
"The loser now will be later to win...
The old order is rapidly fading...
The first one now will later be last,
For the times they are a-changin"-- Bob Dylan
23 December is the anniversary of the invasion of the Maldives by Peshawari Coolies led by Mr Mohamed Didi of Velaanaage. The attempt was defeated and it remains a mystery what happened to the mercenaries. The year was 1910.
Although the attempt failed, the Velaanage dynasty went on to become one of the most influential and controversial in the history of the country. The dynasty's grand patriach is Malinge Hassan Didi who is reputed, as are all of his bloodline, for their courage, made a name for himself during the troubled 1880s in the wake of the atrophy of the longest serving monarch (43 years!). Except for those who have only themselves to blame, those of the Velaanage dynasty are reputed for their indomitable spirit, honesty, probity, and candidness and for their selfless devotion to public service which is probably a hallmark of all dynasties accustomed to positions of leadership.
In 1910, Mohamed Didi and his son were tortured and banished to the island of Fuah Mulah but returned with full force to Male to dominate the country's political scene, especially after the demise of the First Republic.
Ibrahim Nasir, who is the grandson of Mohamed Didi became Prime Minister in 1959 and established the Second Republic in 1968. Although he established the all-powerful executive, he was a great believer in western education, modern infrastructure, free enterprise and egalitarian society. He also ensured that the British could not play hanky-panky with the Maldives and secured full independence in 1965. Nevertheless, Nasir's heavy-handed dealings with the insurrections in the South and repressive measures against political opponents tarnish his overall impressive presidency.
Apart from Nasir, the Velaanage dynasty also spawned the first ever elected Vice President, Ibrahim Mohamed Didi who headed the provisional government after the overthrow of Mohamed Amin Didi, the first ever President of the Maldives and the founder of modern Maldives. Mr Ahmed Zaki, the last Prime Minister also hailed from the Velanaage dynasty.
Today, scions of that clan are everywhere. Defence Minister Shafeeu, Education Minister Zahiya, Trade Minister Jaleel, Foreign Minister Shahid, Justice Minister Muizz, Deputy Foreign Minister Aminath Didi, High Commissioner Shaheed Zaki, High Commissioner-designate Ali Hussain Didi, Home Minister Kamaluddin, Vice President of MDP Ibrahim Hussain Zaki, Shadow Defence Minister Amin Faisal, business tycoons Ahmed Mahir Didi and Mohamed Mahir Didi, the intellectual Dr Farahnaz Faisal, all hail from Velanaage.
One of the great differences between Gayoom and Nasir is that Nasir made public servants accountable to their deeds. Perhaps he was able to do it because he did not pack his cabinet or offices with relatives, despite the dominance of the clan. It was Nasir who unravelled the in-bred clan rule and introduced a meritocracy.
Well may Qasim Ibrahim take a commercial loan from SBI to build Velaanage as the tallest building in the Maldives.
The old order is rapidly fading...
The first one now will later be last,
For the times they are a-changin"-- Bob Dylan
23 December is the anniversary of the invasion of the Maldives by Peshawari Coolies led by Mr Mohamed Didi of Velaanaage. The attempt was defeated and it remains a mystery what happened to the mercenaries. The year was 1910.
Although the attempt failed, the Velaanage dynasty went on to become one of the most influential and controversial in the history of the country. The dynasty's grand patriach is Malinge Hassan Didi who is reputed, as are all of his bloodline, for their courage, made a name for himself during the troubled 1880s in the wake of the atrophy of the longest serving monarch (43 years!). Except for those who have only themselves to blame, those of the Velaanage dynasty are reputed for their indomitable spirit, honesty, probity, and candidness and for their selfless devotion to public service which is probably a hallmark of all dynasties accustomed to positions of leadership.
In 1910, Mohamed Didi and his son were tortured and banished to the island of Fuah Mulah but returned with full force to Male to dominate the country's political scene, especially after the demise of the First Republic.
Ibrahim Nasir, who is the grandson of Mohamed Didi became Prime Minister in 1959 and established the Second Republic in 1968. Although he established the all-powerful executive, he was a great believer in western education, modern infrastructure, free enterprise and egalitarian society. He also ensured that the British could not play hanky-panky with the Maldives and secured full independence in 1965. Nevertheless, Nasir's heavy-handed dealings with the insurrections in the South and repressive measures against political opponents tarnish his overall impressive presidency.
Apart from Nasir, the Velaanage dynasty also spawned the first ever elected Vice President, Ibrahim Mohamed Didi who headed the provisional government after the overthrow of Mohamed Amin Didi, the first ever President of the Maldives and the founder of modern Maldives. Mr Ahmed Zaki, the last Prime Minister also hailed from the Velanaage dynasty.
Today, scions of that clan are everywhere. Defence Minister Shafeeu, Education Minister Zahiya, Trade Minister Jaleel, Foreign Minister Shahid, Justice Minister Muizz, Deputy Foreign Minister Aminath Didi, High Commissioner Shaheed Zaki, High Commissioner-designate Ali Hussain Didi, Home Minister Kamaluddin, Vice President of MDP Ibrahim Hussain Zaki, Shadow Defence Minister Amin Faisal, business tycoons Ahmed Mahir Didi and Mohamed Mahir Didi, the intellectual Dr Farahnaz Faisal, all hail from Velanaage.
One of the great differences between Gayoom and Nasir is that Nasir made public servants accountable to their deeds. Perhaps he was able to do it because he did not pack his cabinet or offices with relatives, despite the dominance of the clan. It was Nasir who unravelled the in-bred clan rule and introduced a meritocracy.
Well may Qasim Ibrahim take a commercial loan from SBI to build Velaanage as the tallest building in the Maldives.
For the Record: Shaheed's Resignation from Cabinet
Please find reproduced below the Exclusive Interview that Dr Shaheed gave to Reuters just prior to handing his resignation to President Gayoom on 21 August 2007. This interview is being reproduced here for the record. This was a written statement given by Dr Shaheed. Subsequently, Dr Shaheed had given interviews to Minivan News, Haveeru, Haama Daily, and Dhi FM radio elaborating the reasons why he quit. He has also agreed to do an interview with Dhivehi Observer covering the same material.
TOP STORIES
Maldives Foreign Min quits over reform pace
By Reuters
Tuesday August 21, 03:50 PM
By Simon Gardner
COLOMBO (Reuters) - Maldives Foreign Minister Ahmed Shaheed said he submitted his resignation on Tuesday, the third top cabinet member to quit this month, accusing conservative elements in the government of stalling on democratising reforms.
Shaheed called Reuters from the capital Male just before handing his resignation letter to President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom.
"There is a conservative guard within the parliament and cabinet which is resisting the proposals of reformists like me," Shaheed told Reuters. "So I think the answer is to work outside the system and find a middle ground and provide an alternative."
It was not immediately clear how the president had reacted.
Shaheed was a key architect of the reform agenda Gayoom pledged in late 2004 to revamp the Maldives' autocratic power structure in the face of harsh criticism of the government's rights record.
He will now join fellow reformists -- the former justice minister and attorney general who quit earlier this month and call themselves 'New Maldives' -- to forge an alternative centre ground ahead of the first multi-party presidential elections next year.
Unlike his two colleagues, Shaheed did not accuse Gayoom himself of delaying reforms. But he did say he thought it was time Asia's longest-serving ruler passed on the baton after 29 years in power.
Political parties were legalised in 2005, but promised reforms -- including a new constitution providing for separation of powers, judicial independence and the right of free assembly among others -- have yet to materialise in the chain of 1,200 mostly uninhabited islands 800 km off the toe of India.
"I want to applaud Gayoom for risks he has taken by taking forward the sweeping reform agenda and I remain a friend and fan of the reform process," Shaheed added.
"President Gayoom has a chance to emulate Nelson Mandela to pass the torch on to a new generation, and I hope he does it."
Gayoom told Reuters on Sunday he planned to run for re-election next year for a seventh and final term to see his reforms through. He aims to complete the reform process within 2-3 years.
With Shaheed's exit, Gayoom's directly appointed 13-strong cabinet is now down to nine members.
His resignation comes just days after the Maldives voted to adopt a U.S.-style presidency in a referendum seen as an endorsement of Gayoom's rule.
It also comes on the eve of a no-confidence vote scheduled in parliament brought against Shaheed by political rivals after he declared it was not effectively protecting the rights of ordinary citizens in a land of 300,000 mostly Sunni Muslims best known as a luxury honeymoon destination.
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TOP STORIES
Maldives Foreign Min quits over reform pace
By Reuters
Tuesday August 21, 03:50 PM
By Simon Gardner
COLOMBO (Reuters) - Maldives Foreign Minister Ahmed Shaheed said he submitted his resignation on Tuesday, the third top cabinet member to quit this month, accusing conservative elements in the government of stalling on democratising reforms.
Shaheed called Reuters from the capital Male just before handing his resignation letter to President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom.
"There is a conservative guard within the parliament and cabinet which is resisting the proposals of reformists like me," Shaheed told Reuters. "So I think the answer is to work outside the system and find a middle ground and provide an alternative."
It was not immediately clear how the president had reacted.
Shaheed was a key architect of the reform agenda Gayoom pledged in late 2004 to revamp the Maldives' autocratic power structure in the face of harsh criticism of the government's rights record.
He will now join fellow reformists -- the former justice minister and attorney general who quit earlier this month and call themselves 'New Maldives' -- to forge an alternative centre ground ahead of the first multi-party presidential elections next year.
Unlike his two colleagues, Shaheed did not accuse Gayoom himself of delaying reforms. But he did say he thought it was time Asia's longest-serving ruler passed on the baton after 29 years in power.
Political parties were legalised in 2005, but promised reforms -- including a new constitution providing for separation of powers, judicial independence and the right of free assembly among others -- have yet to materialise in the chain of 1,200 mostly uninhabited islands 800 km off the toe of India.
"I want to applaud Gayoom for risks he has taken by taking forward the sweeping reform agenda and I remain a friend and fan of the reform process," Shaheed added.
"President Gayoom has a chance to emulate Nelson Mandela to pass the torch on to a new generation, and I hope he does it."
Gayoom told Reuters on Sunday he planned to run for re-election next year for a seventh and final term to see his reforms through. He aims to complete the reform process within 2-3 years.
With Shaheed's exit, Gayoom's directly appointed 13-strong cabinet is now down to nine members.
His resignation comes just days after the Maldives voted to adopt a U.S.-style presidency in a referendum seen as an endorsement of Gayoom's rule.
It also comes on the eve of a no-confidence vote scheduled in parliament brought against Shaheed by political rivals after he declared it was not effectively protecting the rights of ordinary citizens in a land of 300,000 mostly Sunni Muslims best known as a luxury honeymoon destination.
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Saturday 22 December 2007
Discussion on Democracy in the 21st Century
Pictures from the meeting
Audio from the meeting*
* Thanks to Capital Radio 95.6 for the recording.
Monday 10 December 2007
A Thought for Human Rights Day 2007.
"Equal Participation"Mohamed Juman Shareef
Winner of Open Society Association Human Rights Day, Photo and Poster Competition
I feel it is an injustice not to highlight the stimulating thoughts and efforts of our forefathers, when the beauty of our nation is mentioned. The real beauty and victory of our nation was delivered through their sacrifices and compromises. With limited resources, but with enormous courage they had faced the reality and fought for unity. The national liberty that we relish today is their handiwork. I share my words of respect for their countless efforts and never ending memory.
Intruders affiliated with compatriots, continuously tried to abort the peace and prosperity of our nation. However, they had also continuously failed. We have succeeded so far. Having faced such circumstances, I call ourselves survivors. Obviously survival was what brought us from the birth. But our history had survived much more, and we are the descendants trusted with the responsibility of making the coming generations survive with the Maldivian identity.
Excuse me for being collectively inquisitive over a matter that could be quite controversial. But I wonder how many of us especially youth, really realize the national responsibility we hold in ourselves? Lodging our personal challenges aside, how many of us really think with a broader and a national interest? How many of us really care?
Today, our environment is threatened with deliberate violence. Sad to say, the youth today express their courage in more aggressive ways rather than being reasonable. It is becoming a very intense and a severe concern in our society. Stabbing and murder are fast becoming a frightful reality. And the hardest fact is that today, it is not any other people, but our own people gambling away our liberty and unity in an easy game.
I believe it is unfair to accuse the majority for a minority's actions. But every head has an impact on the whole nation. A little impurity in your bowl can make it whole foul. If our community split into sub-groups and engage in destroying one another, it is time for us to freeze for a moment and let our mind comprehend the scene.
A blood feud will do us no good. It will eventually kill us all in evil. It's simply a fools game to be persistent in taking giant steps to sabotage one's own home. It cannot lead or serve our nation.
The biggest challenge posed for us today is the moment we live in. There is a saying, "The action without conscience is a wild beast". It's this beast that could threaten our environment. Never let the wild beast have its way or rule. You have got a brain where you could stir the presence of mind. Real triumph lies where we think beyond the moment. Real victory lies where we look beyond the present.
Let us all welcome the real values of life and precede with wit, wisdom and insight. Let us be more passionate in sharing, caring and bearing our own species. Humanitarian values must be appreciated with justice. The belief that one man is superior and another man is inferior must be completely abolished. Equality among us must be an implemented reality. Glimmer of smiles and shine of hope must be cultivated in this land. If we all work together as one, in promoting the right perceptions and virtues, I believe that, UTOPIA is not an impossible dream. THERE, rights for all is guaranteed.
Kulshoom Ali,
10th December 2007 - International Human Rights Day.
Male' Maldives.
Thursday 6 December 2007
‘Decent Work for Disabled People’
Mohamed Juman Shareef
'Disabled people should have equal rights to enjoy the benefits of cultural advancement'.
'Disabled people should have equal rights to enjoy the benefits of cultural advancement'.
On 3rd December it was International Day for Disabled People. The theme for 2008 is ‘Decent Work for Disabled People’. This week volunteers from Handicap International, the Ministry for Higher Education, Employment and Social Security, Jamaluddin School, and the Open Society Association (OSA) have been conducting company visits around Male'. The visits allowed dissemination of information and the opportunity to discuss the issue of disabled people in the workplace in the Maldives. The companies came from a variety of different fields including the media (Haveeru), fishing (Island Enterprises), tourism (Villa Hotels), delivery services (DHL), UN, construction, wholesale, law firms and public affairs.
The visits aimed to introduce to company directors and human resource managers to the situation for people with disabilities in the Maldives. It allowed a valuable exchange of ideas and opinions on the attitudes and prejudices held among the Maldivian community. The issue of accessibility was raised in terms of those with disabilities as employees as well as people with disabilities as customers. Companies were encouraged to consider disabled persons in their recruitment and employment and to provide opportunities for on the job training. Finally, the company managers were asked to make commitments to furthering the cause for people with disabilities by providing internships and sponsoring in the future.
The visits were extremely valuable; many of the people in high positions were positive and willing to make changes to accommodate disabled people. However, the exercise highlighted that the Maldives is at a very early stage in its development towards providing a service for disabled people to get work. The discussions also showed that overall attitudes of society towards disabled people are still under-developed and there is a strong need for greater awareness about the rights of disabled people to live and work equally in the community.
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