Culture of Election Rigging: Are Fair Elections Held in the Maldives?

As the first multi-party election in the Maldives is less than a fortnight away, Maverick looks at the culture of vote rigging in the Maldives, and reveals how elections in the country were systematically rigged. This report was published in Maverick 4.35 (July 2003), in another election year, five years ago. This report focuses mainly [...]

Dr Hassan Saeed defended Gayoom’s son in UK court

In June 2002, in Maverick 1.35 we recalled the atmosphere of fear prevailing in the Maldives in the year 2000 in the backdrop of a declining economy, in our article “Big Brother Flexes Muscle in the Maldives”. Police were everywhere; in teashops and cafes and restaurants, streets and near public pay phones. In cafes and [...]

މައުމޫނު ފުރަތަމަ ހުވާކުރިއިރު ހަތިޔާރު ހިފައިގެން ހުރިކަމަށް އޭނާ އަމިއްލައަށް އެއްބަސްވެފައިވޭ

16 ސެޕްޓެމްބަރ 2008 ދުވަހުގެ ރޭ ޓީވީ މޯލްޑިވްސް އިން ވަގުތުން ދެއްކި “ސިޔާސަތު” ޕްރޮގްރާމްގައި ޑީއާރުޕީގެ ފަރާތުން މިފަހަރުގެ ރިޔާސީ އިންތިޚާބަށް ކުރިމަތިލާ މައުމޫނު އަބްދުލްގައްޔޫމް ހެދި ދޮގުތަކުގެ ތެރެއިން އެންމެ ފާޅުކަން ބޮޑު އެއް ދޮގަކީ އޭނާ ނޮވެމްބަރ 1978 ގައި ރާއްޖޭގެ ވެރިކަމާ ފުރަތަމަ ފަހަރަށް ހަވާލުވެ ހުވާ ކުރިރޭ ފިސްތޯލަ ހިފައިގެން ނެތް ކަމަށާ އޭނާގެ އެކުވެރިން ވެސް ފިސްތޯލަ ހިފައިގެން ނެތް ކަމަށް ބުނެ ހެދި ދޮގެވެ. އިބްރާހިމް ނާސިރުގެ [...]

Gayoom is fully aware of torture in the Maldives

The last presidential election, held in October 2003, was clouded by the sad death of Eavan Naseem in Maafushi jail in September. The torture and killing of Eavan and the subsequent riots at jail and in Male’, brought the carefully concealed culture of torture in the Maldives to surface. Disturbed by the images of the [...]

Culture of Election Rigging: Problems with the presidential elections of the Maldives

For the first time, an Elections Commission relatively free from the direct influence of the Executive, has been formed in the Maldives, under the constitution amended and ratified on 7 August 2008. The challenges facing the new Elections Commission are immense: gaining public confidence and trust; oversee an election that could be marred in violence [...]

It has to start now

“It has to start somewhereIt has to start sometimeWhat better place than hereWhat better time than now All hell cant stop us nowAll hell cant stop us nowAll hell cant stop us nowAll hell cant stop us nowAll hell cant stop us nowAll hell cant stop us now” Rage Against the Machine – Guerilla Radio [...]