Sunday afternoon I was in my regular coffee house for a quick bite and a hot milo. There were a couple of anti-Jumhooree Party activists who were gathered around two tables. The topic of discussion was the upcoming presidential elections. Their joy was calling names and filth at Gasim Ibrahim. I wondered to myself, I may not promote or campaign for him in the upcoming presidential elections, but he deserved better for his generosity to the ordinary folk of this country. Some even went to the extent of saying that his recent wealth was created from a World Bank loan which conditioned him to give social welfare assistance, and asked around for people who did not receive any.
My my! We Maldivians are practising for the month of Ramazan! My cafe colleagues also believe that Islam is their religion and would rise to any occassion to defend it – not practise it!
I was reminded of the gist of what Human Rights Commission Chief Saleem said in an interview two days ago, on TVM. He said that there can be no democracy without human rights, and the sum total of human rights was respect for other humans. He did say that democratic culture was a set of values inculcated in people over a long period of time, not an overnight phenomenon. How true I thought! Our champions of democracy were behaving like uncivilized barbarians!
Smile and Let Smile 
Anonymous
August 19, 2008 at 2:45 pm
yes democracy won’t come overnight. yet we can’t wait for it to arrive on a “golden tray” as we did for 30 years. it is these “barbarians” that make a difference. not the suit wearing, file bearing and dollar wielding politicians. things were going smooth for them for a long long time under the regime. until the “barbarians” burned a couple of public offices after the brutal murder of Evan Naseem.
Anonymous
August 18, 2008 at 9:52 pm
I have heard so many people say that Gasim uses abusive words to his staff. If that is true he does not deserve to be president. i cant vote for him no matter how much money he has.
Anonymous
August 18, 2008 at 9:44 pm
I cant understand why Gasim Ibrahim wants to be the president when he is already treated as the king of this country by so many.
Anonymous
August 18, 2008 at 12:48 pm
You get respect when you respect other people. Qasim Ibrahim, who calls his staff “Nagoo Bal–” and curses and swears at any occasion, does not deserve my respect. I am not voting for him.