Maldives … the Sunny Side of life:
Maldives has been branded the "Sunny Side of Life" for visitors from affluent countries. The visitors can enjoy the white sandy beaches, pristine clear blue lagoons, the refreshing breeze of fresh air and complete peace and serenity in this country; that is if you are prepared to pay for the package. The degree of a taste of heaven depends on how much you are willing to pay.

A taste of paradise is a reality for those who can afford it. Yet there are only a handful of people in the country where this paradise exist, who can afford the same. The majority who live in the periphery are told that they have the blessing of Allah the Almighty. That they are fortunate to have the blessing of the Creator. And finally the other day, the President told us that we have to be proud of to be Maldivian.

The result of this type of conditioning is that we as Maldivians have become accustomed to living a lie. And the biggest lie of all is going to be continued again shortly in the constitutional amendments that is going to happen shortly (it can take a few more years if the MPs do not find someone who can buy them for millions of dollars each!).

The lie is: that all Maldivians are and must be Muslims. What this practically means is that you must believe in Islam. The clause was put in the Constitution when the Maldivians were subservient to a Monarch; rather subjects of a King.

Maldives … living a Lie:
As a nation of people conditioned to lead a life that is pegged to a set of lies; the so called "reform process" that has been plagueing the country for nearly seven years now has also chosen to follow the conditioning.

The pillars of the reform process have told that they will give up their lives to protect and safeguard the lie. Almost all political leaders and political parties have personally pledged to fight to keep the lie as the pillar of the new Constution; if it can be called new.

It is not a surprise that new things forged by old minds and old allies will only protect the lies that have brought them riches and prosperity, wouldn’t they?

The truth is that the so called "opposition reformists" claim that they will not accept any formula for the future of Maldives that has Maumoon in its inception, design or implementation. They don’t understand that some Maldivians have minds of their own; free from the clutches of those who were our masters and want to continue to be. What they are saying is true! But the semantics is wrong.

The future of Maldives can belong to the people only if the formula of reform will not have "the former Masters of the People" in the inception, design and implementation of the reform formula.