Maldives Dictator should learn from the Indonesian Dictator's Legacy

DO Special Review
Indonesia's former leader, Dictator Suharto passed away yesterday after suffering from multiple organ failure. He was forced to resign in 1998 after a popular uprising and had been living quietly in the capital Jakarta. When one compares the life of Dictator Suharto with the Maldives Dictator, it is eerily similar. One could almost substitute the names and one would have difficulty in realizing that this was about Dictator Suharto and not Dictator Gayyoom. more

The Role of the Internet in the Demolition of the Maldives Dictatorship

DO Editorial
Dictators are a dying breed now. Across the globe, over the past couple of centuries, we have seen numerous dictatorial regimes being replaced by democratic governments. Of course, it is never easy to confront a dictator or destroy their power. But time and time again, we have witnessed that when a population is united in its endeavour to bring about change, no dictator can survive for long. Just regard what happened to dictators from Chile, Philippines, Indonesia, former Yugoslavia, Romania and most recently Saddam Hussain of Iraq. They were all powerful dictators, who ran their nations with an iron fist, without any regard for the rule of law or respect for human life. Where are they now? more

Maldives Dictator Golhaa Boa will not ratify any amendment that stands in the way of him seeking another term in office

DO News Review

The amendment limiting the terms of presidents passed on Monday brought new hopes to the people. The amendment states that no one can seek more than two 5-year terms in office, which technically means that the incumbent Dictator who has been running the country with an iron fist, without any regard for the rule of law, will not be legally allowed to seek another term in office, as he is currently in his 6th term. This is of course good news for the reform movement and will certainly lead to the emergence of a democratic nation smoothly. more

Dr. Saeed's brothers face intimidation from the 'Valhlhaa Kulli' Golha Boa Dictator

DO Local News

Male' – Dr. Hassan Saeed, former Attorney General, who resigned last year from 'Valhlhaa Kulli' Dictator's cabinet to joined the reform movement, has been constantly intimidated by the Dictator. Within days after his resignation, his house was attacked and office broken in. The Dictator also told thugs in Male' to physically attack Hassan and his two colleagues, Dr. Shaheed and Jameel, who also resigned from the cabinet. In a new development, the one and only 'Valhlhaa Kulli' Dictator is taking his anger out on Hassan's brothers as well. His brother, Addu Atoll Chief, Hussain Saeed was asked to report to Male' just days after Hassan resigned from the cabinet and is likely to be been demoted to a Headmaster post. And, in a recent development, his other brother Ibrahim Saeed has been sacked from his job at Aminiyya School. Commenting on the issue, Dr. Saeed said, "What can you expect from an autocrat who is staring down at certain electoral defeat? Those are actions of a desperate man seeking desperately to cling on to the spoils of office. I hope that the next time President Gayoom ends up in New Delhi, Dr. Manmohan Singh will remind him of his favourite Victor Hugo quotation: "Even armies cannot stop an idea whose time has come!" In the Maldives, a new president is an idea whose time has come!"

"Attempt to stab" the dictator 'foiled'

DO News Review
A youth from Haa Alif Hoarafush tried to stab the Dictator around 10.30 this morning while he was visiting the island, according to local media sources. The youth was identified as Mohamed Murushid, a 20 year old. According to local sources, he had a knife concealed in a Maldivian flag and attempted to stab the Dictator as he passed by. The attempt was foiled by a boy scout from the island and the Dictator's bodyguard. more

Violence! Violence! Violence! - the Dictator Golhaboa's dirty deals

DO Editorial
"Violence! Violence! Violence!" When those three lethal words left Dictator Gayoom's lips during that now infamous interview, there were some among our people who did wonder if the protest was all about violence. Now, two years later, the realization of those words have come to fruition. Now, we are wiser as to why those words oozed so smoothly out of the Dictator's lips. Violence is what he knows. Violence is what he practices. Violence is what he will resort to in the future. more

Saddam's yacht: yours for $34mn

DO News Alert for Golhaabo
Ocean Breeze: the super-yacht has an asking price of $34 million (AFP).A super-yacht built for former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein is awaiting a buyer in the port of Nice, with an asking price of 23.5 million euros, ($34mn) according to a specialist website. The 82-metre (270-feet) Ocean Breeze, built in 1981 by Danish shipyard Helsingor Vaerft, started life as the Qadissiyat Saddam, but was never actually delivered to Iraq, says www.superyachttimes.com. more

One Hajj Equals Hundred Hajjs : Golhaa Is 'Definitely' The Boa

Do News Brief
Male' – Reliable sources within the regime are reporting that Maldives Dictator 'Golhaabo' has decided to go to Hajj again this year. The sources said that he will be accompanied by a huge contingent of 25 people, most of whom will be his private bodyguards. Rumour has that Golhaabo is going to pray to Allah to grant him one more term, he was advised to do so by his palmist. What is astonishing is that this trip will cost us just over 350,000 dollars, and that is a modest estimate, since there is no telling how much the 'Demented One' will spend on his shopping. This is enough for more than 100 Maldivians to go to Hajj. Some fear that he maybe taking hard cash with him, say a couple of million dollars, to stash in a Saudi 'Royal' Bank, in case he has to flee the country in the near future. "This is waste of public money. In Islam, you are required to go to Hajj once, if u can afford it." said Sheik Moosa, from Himendhoo. "I don't know how many times he has been to Hajj", he concluded. "Elhaa hajjah gossa filaanee kan neyge.. Dhen TV aai radio in govaanee avahaara vejjeyey... kihaa salhi... [ the bastard will go to Hajj and probably disappear.. TV and Radio will then report that he had passed away... how wonderful!]" said Ibrahim Saleem (Tubbs) from Hithadhoo.

ޒުވާން އިޝާރުގެ މަރުގެ ޒިންމާވެސް ނަގަންޖެހޭނީ ހަމަ ސީދާ ގޮޅާބޯ

މި އަނިޔާވެރިކަމާ ބިރުވެރިކަމުން ސަލާމަތް ވެވޭނީ، ދިވެހިންގެ މައްޗައް ފާވެފަ މިހިރަ ރަހުމުކުޑަ ދައްޖާލު ގޮޅާބޯއާ، އޭނާގެ ޖައްލާދު ވަވަތި އާދަނުމެންގެ މުށުތެރޭން ގައުމު މިނިވަންވި ދުވަހަކުންނެވެ. އަދިވެސް އިތުރު އެތައް ފުރާނައެއް ނެތި ދާނެއެވެ. ބަލަން ތިބޭށެވެ.

Free and fair elections incompatible with Golhaa Boa Gayyoom

DO Editorial
"It's not the people who vote that count. It's the people who count the votes." (Josef Stalin) Elections in the Maldives under Dictator Gayyoom have been a sordid drama of disinformation, intrigue, machination, intimidation, coercion and fraud. Every trick in the cheat sheet was used to guarantee the result, while ensuring that the elections looked superficially free and fair, when in fact they were neither. more

Golhaabo's 'Haazaa' economy backfires

DO News Review

Maldives Dictator Gayyoom's promise to increase government employee salaries –a rather transparent election sop –has backfired badly on him. As predicted, the announcement has driven consumer prices through the ceiling, making an already difficult life impossible for ordinary Maldivians. They are not amused. The price of a staple item such as a loaf of bread has increased from 11 rufiyaa to 15. Taxi drivers have announced a fare hike from 15 to 20 rufiyaa, while landlords are contemplating an increase in rents, which is expected to be in the range of 20 to 30%. The high shop rents, when they come, will be most certainly passed on to the consumer, thereby worsening the situation. more

President's Niece Gives Photographer The Finger

Minivan News

President Gayoom’s niece showed photographers the finger this afternoon as she left the Majlis building. Fathin Hameed, one of Gayoom's personal appointees to the Special Majlis, exited the building at 12.30pm with several other MPs from Gayoom’s ruling Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party. As usual several photographers and journalists were camped outside the Majlis building, waiting for MPs. The photographer who was the target of Fathin's gesture said she turned away from the main entrance to leave by a side exit. When she saw a photographer at the side exit, she returned to the main courtyard, and mouthed something to him before raising her middle finger. more

Dictator Genral Gayyoom's true legacy

Do Special Review
One leaves behind only what one brings. When Golhaabo came to power, he came with a gun. When he finally relinquishes power he will leave behind box cutters, swords and homemade bombs. "Violence, violence, violence:" That will be Gayoom's legacy. One could almost hear Gayyoom in his death bed bequeathing his heritage, "To Maldivians I leave two things: drugs and extremism. If they hold on to those, they will never have peace, even after I'm gone…"
more

Dictator uses people's money for his Presidential campaign

DO News Review

It was announced on Sunday that in 2008 the government would increase the wages of the state employees. Further measures include the government funding the books and stationary needed by all students from Grades 1 to 12. Additionally the fee for participating in the O' level and A' Level exams are to be paid by the government for those who can't afford it. more

DOLLARS AND SINNERS: The criminal nexus between resort owners and Dictator Gayyoom

DO Editorial

"All dictatorships are cruel and wasteful. They deprive the populace of basic rights while enriching a small minority at the expense of rational development." These opening lines of the introduction to a research article from Stanford Graduate School of Business could very well be referring to Maldives Dictator Gayyoom. Actually, the article was referring to Alberto Fujimori of Peru who was deposed following one of the most notorious corruption scams in history. This uncanny resemblance exists because while dictators may differ, their methods are identical. Like Fujimori, Gayyoom also maintains his stranglehold on power through a bribery scheme, which in his case is bankrolled by Maldivian tourist resort owners, who are the real beneficiaries of Gayyoom's kleptocracy. Through patronage and favors, the scheme ensures the loyalty of atoll and island officials. more