Global Voices » Maldives

Maldives: Ask The People, Go For An Election

Rezwan — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 20:22:05 +0000

Maeed M. Zahir analyzes the current unstable political situation in Maldives after the incumbent resident Mohmaed Nasheed had been forced out of office last month. The blogger comments that Maldives now needs an election to get the people's verdict.

Maldives: Marred by Violence

Saffah Faroog — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 22:56:48 +0000

The political crisis in the Maldives took an ugly turn on Wednesday 8 February, 2012, when police brutally beat and injured supporters of the ousted President Mohamed Nasheed as they protested against what they claimed to be a coup that removed the island nation's first democratically elected president from power.

In the riots that followed, Nasheed's supporters torched and destroyed a number of police stations, courts, local council offices and other public buildings. Scores of police officers were hurt in the violence too.

Earlier in the day, in a meeting of Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), the party which won the first multiparty election of the Maldives in 2008 and brought Nasheed to presidency, the deposed President announced that his resignation on Tuesday was coerced.

“We will come to power again,” Nasheed said. “We will never step back. I will not accept this coup and will bring justice to the Maldivians.”

Police charge teargas on protesters. Image by anonymous photographer, used with permission.

Nasheed and his supporters then marched through the capital Malé and faced a line of police behind shields near the island's main square, just next to military and police headquarters. The protesters threw bottles and stones at the police while the police fired teargas canisters into the crowd. The confrontation between the two sides ended in a brutal crackdown by police, leading to blood-soaked protesters being rushed to hospitals. Among those hurt were members of parliament and senior leaders of Nasheed's party.

FreedomWatchMV has posted this video of the confrontation between the security forces and protesters.

Another video shows police dragging an MP and Nasheed out of a shop after dispersing the crowd. Nasheed was released after a debate between the policemen about whether he should be arrested or not. This video shows a blood-soaked man narrating how the police beat him up.

Yameen blogs about the events that took place in Malé:

There is a brutal, concerted effort by the runaway police department to crush protests by supporters of President Nasheed, following his release today.

I have personally witnessed the heavy handed tactics employed to combat MDP activists, energized by the release of President Nasheed earlier today after yesterday's coup d'etat that forced him to resign.

Tear gas was used indiscriminately on Orchid magu near the Supreme court building. Two people were beaten up and lay motionless on the street for a long time before they were dragged and shoved into an ambulance.

Then I saw a police jeep speeding into a crowd of protesters. A police jeep. Absolutely reprehensible.

Police brutality on protesters. Image by anonymous. used with permission.

Muju Naeem ponders if the Maldives has turned into a military dictatorship:

So if President Waheed did not give the order, then we can safely assume that the security forces were acting on their own. What this means is that we have incidentally slipped into a military/police dictatorship where the executive is there only in name only.
Maldives has become a police state.
Maldivian Twitter users have started using 3 hashtags to tell their story. Please follow;
1. #maldivespolicestate
2. #mvprotest
3. #mvcoup

Following the events in the capital, Nasheed's supporters responded by rioting in outer islands, setting police stations on fire, throwing stones at policemen on duty and burning down courts and several other public buildings. In a number of islands they drove the police out and seized the police stations.

Maldivians and foreigners are tweeting about the new wave of violence that has gripped the holiday haven.

foram divrania tweets:

@divrania: Peace to Maldives..ur too beautiful for politics and violence.

Nattu tweets:

@reallynattu: “@hisherm: I don't support any political parties. I support Maldives.” Including Me!

There is an eerie calm in the islands and the capital on Thursday as people remain tense about what could happen next. In a press conference, the commanders of the police and military assured that order will be restored and promised to investigate the previous day's violence.

Speaking to journalists at his residence, Nasheed said he was forced to resign by some military personnel as the country's police force mutinied against his rule. Calling for fresh elections, he vowed to come back to power and reassured that he has no intention of grabbing power through street riots. He also condemned the acts of violence his supporters had committed in various islands.

Maldives: President Resigns After Mutiny

Saffah Faroog — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 18:31:00 +0000

Mohamed Nasheed, the president of Maldives most famously known as a climate champion, announced his resignation on Tuesday 7 February, 2012, after the military forces joined the police mutiny against his rule.

Nasheed, sworn in to office in November 2008 after the country's first democratic multiparty election, was inside the military headquarters when the military started withdrawing their allegiance to him. He was taken in a car to the nearby President's Office where he announced his resignation on live television in front of journalists.

Some Maldivians were worried about the safety of the president. Maeed wrote:

One Sincere Request remain, DO NOT HURT A PRESIDENT OF MALDIVES. UPHOLD DIGNITY and DON'T LET HISTORY REPEAT. PROTECT HIM.

People gather in front of Bandaara Koshi, the headquarters of Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF) where president Nasheed was taken. Image by MUHA. Used with permission.

He added in a following post:

We shifted from a Dictatorship to a democracy in 2008 and we showed an example to the world then. I call the Security forces to show that example again.

Earlier in the day, tension escalated as the police rioted against what they claimed were unlawful commands. After what appeared to be a bitter stand-off between the military and the police, the military retreated into their headquarters. The police protest was preceded by three weeks of evening protests organised by the opposition parties in the capital Male', after the government ordered the military to detain a top judge.

Mohamed Waheed Hassan, the vice president in Nasheed's administration, has been sworn in as the new president. Even though Hassan urged for calm during a speech after taking oath, it remains to be seen if the country can quickly restore stability after weeks of protests, destruction of property and attacks on journalists and media outlets.

Soldiers who mutinied shake hands with public. Image by MUHA. Used with permission

The continuity of the democratic exercise of the Maldives is in question as tension remains high. The supporters of the deposed president label the change in power as a coup while his opponents claim Tuesday's events showed the will of the people.

Opinion is divided and feelings are mixed on social networks and twitter as Maldivians try to come to terms with the fact that the government has changed approximately two years before the next scheduled election. The hashtag #Maldives trended on Twitter today.

Dhaanish tweets:

@Dhaaanish: @JeelAli @yaittey People will start realizing how sane Nasheed is compared to all these opposition retards later! Mark my words!””

Hum_Don tweets:

@Hum_Don: I feel sorry and sad to see the resignation of the very president we worked so hard to elect.

Epicloser expressed his views:

@epicloser: You didn't listen to #Dec23 protest Nasheed, you just made fun out of us and called us terrorists. This is the outcome for you. Peace.

Haumaldives has this to say about the mutiny:

@haumaldives: @CNN Maldives Nasheed carried arbitary arrests using the Military which led to protests.. and Military crackdown led to Police revolt.

People waving Maldives flags after the tension is over. Image by MUHA. Used with permission.

Limmto tweets:

@Limmto: Citizens beat #Nasheed at his own game. The #muzaaharaa. #Maldives #MVrevolution

profEuLOGist tweets about the rebranding of the state-owned TV station after police took over:

@profEuLOGist: Fastest transition of a media and rebranding I have ever seen! TVM to MNBC1 took months but back 2 TVM - 10mins!

Mashafeeg has this to say about the turn of events:

@mashafeeg: New era of democracy in Maldives, people proves their power and president shown his bravery by the resignation.

Maldives11 responded to Mashafeeg's tweet:

@Maldives11: @mashafeeg I doubt it was the people. sorry I am not convinced it was the people.

Mashafeeg also ponders about the future:

@mashafeeg: At last Dr.Waheed’s longed dream has come true, wonder how people will accept his presidency! better wait and see for a while! #Maldives

Hilmy7007, has high expectations of the new government:

@Hilmy7007: President Waheed should ensure his government is corruption free. We demand transparency n accountability in all projects awarded.

Maldives: On the Brink of Chaos

Saffah Faroog — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 07:28:38 +0000

Three years after the first democratic multiparty election in the Maldives ushered a democratic government to power, the infant democracy of the Maldives seems to be on the brink of anarchy and chaos. The democratic experiment of the Maldives could face an untimely demise as thugs belonging to the ruling party and the opposition clash on the streets of the capital Male‘, vandalising private property, torching private TV stations and attacking one another under showers of bricks and stones.

A rebellion within the ranks of police officers has created a nasty stand-off between the military and the police and a number of military personnel have joined the police in mutiny. Tension has reached a tipping point when there are conflicting reports about whether the president will resign.

The political crisis facing the Maldives was given a head-start in January when the government asked the police to start investigations against certain opposition leaders for what the government claimed were baseless insinuations and allegations that the government was undermining the Islamic faith of the country. Critics were puzzled when the police detained said opposition leaders in high profile investigation cases while the claims of the opposition could have been addressed through a civil case of defamation.

The ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) then started a public campaign named ‘Thiheneh Nukiyeyne‘ [div] (You Can't Say That), proclaiming that the party would not permit the opposition to continue making what it believed to be baseless allegations.

In the past, defamation was a criminal act and writers and individuals were sentenced to prison, based on defamation charges, for criticism they had expressed. Decriminalizing defamation in 2009 was hailed as a remarkable improvement for freedom of expression in the Maldives. The government's inclination towards criminal investigations regarding cases of defamation has become a deep concern for advocates of free speech.

After the Abdulla Mohamed, the Chief Judge of the Criminal Court ruled that the detention of the Vice President of the Dhivehi Qaumee Party (DQP) was illegal and ordered to release him from police custody, the police requested the assistance of the Maldives National Defence Force or the military to apprehend the judge. Mohamed has been under military custody since January 16 and his enforced disappearance has sparked street protests which has continued for three weeks.

Mohamed himself had been in the centre of several controversies earlier and the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) has found that he had violated the code of conduct for judges. Mohamed appealed this decision of the JSC in the Civil Court, and the court has issued an injunction against JSC not to take any disciplinary measures against Mohamed till the appeal case is closed. This injunction by the Civil Court itself is highly controversial because it encroaches on the powers the constitution has granted to JSC to make the judiciary accountable.

The government has since then claimed that the detention of Mohamed is part of its campaign to clean up the judiciary, which is corrupt to the core, according to the government.

Mohamed's detention in a military training camp has been declared unlawful and a violation of the constitution by several parties which point out that the military does not have legal authority to detain people. The government has not put any formal charges against Mohamed. The military claims that it has provided Mohamed with access to a lawyer and it has permitted the Human Rights Commission of the Maldives to visit him. His family was informed about his whereabouts only days after he was detained.

A number of eminent lawyers in the Maldives have spoken out against the detention of Judge Abdulla Mohamed. Among them are Shaheen Hameed, the Vice President of the Constituent Assembly which drafted the current constitution, Dhiyana Saeed, the first Attorney-General of the present government and Husnu Suood, another former Attorney-General under the present government.

Prosecutor-General Ahmed Muizzu, who was a prominent practicing lawyer of the country before his appointment as PG, has also pointed out that the detention is unlawful. Ahmed Faiz, the Chief Justice, has called for the judge to be released.

The Human Rights Commission of the Maldives has also expressed concerns about the continued detention of the judge. The UN has urged the government of the Maldives to either release the judge or to press formal charges against him. Abbas Faiz, South Asia Researcher at Amnesty International, in an opinion piece published in the local Minivan News website, has said that the judge's detention is arbitrary. “Amnesty International is calling on the government to either bring formal criminal charges against him or release him,” Faiz wrote.

Tension has reached a tipping point when protesters from the ruling party and the opposition parties clashed on February 6 evening leading to considerable violence. Thereafter, some police units stormed the assembly hall of the ruling party and allegedly vandalised property there. A group of police officers have rebelled against what they say are unlawful commands and gathered after midnight at the Republic Square in Male' in protest.

In a night filled with violence, the offices of VTV, a private broadcaster which is sympathetic towards the opposition and is owned by an opposition leader, was set on fire by a group of thugs. Aminath Shifleen, a journalist at Haveeru Daily, was injured while covering the protest. In the past few weeks, a number of journalists have been attacked during the protests and offices of media outlets have been attacked on multiple occasions. Private property destruction has also been a common feature of the protests that has engulfed the Maldives.

In the early hours of the morning some people are still active on social media, expressing their opinion on the unfolding crisis. This Facebook page titled Zuvaanunge' Maidhaan (The Square of Youth) has some pictures of the protests. There are frequent updates in Twitter:

Husnu Suood, former Attorney-General, tweets:

@hsuood: dont think they can avoid a bloody confrontation. Sad day for Maldives. #mvprotest

Nattu tweets:

Maldives National Defence Force vs Maldives Police #mvprotest. MNDF steps back.

Yoosuf Waheed asks:

What's going on! Hard thing r pretty nasty in #Maldives

Ali Tholhath says:

@tholhath: Sad day for Maldives. Stop this madness.

Ali Shiyan tweets:

@falho_D: Sad to see it all come to this, who is winning now? And to think it cud hav been so simple,sad day for Maldives indeed.

Shareef asks:

@shareef: Things are getting worse, #Maldives Army V/s Maldives Police. Who will Win

Agisa asks:

@agisaa: what happened to the #maldives while i was sleeping?

Sofwathullah Mohamed tweets:

@sofwath: Nothing more to say. Blame games won't help. God save Maldives. #mvprotest

And here is an update: Ahmed Affan Shafy reports with a picture:

Maldives Military joins forces with police and the public against the unconstitutional rule of Mr Nasheed.

Image posted to Twitter by @AhmedAffanShafy

South Asia in 2011: A Year Full of Controversies and Protests

Rezwan — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 20:13:02 +0000

This post is part of our special coverage 2011 on Global Voices.

2011 was an eventful year for social media as people used many tools to organize protests, share frequent updates and news which had impacted our lives. We have seen people talking intensely in Facebook, Twitter, blogs etc about deaths of world-changing figures - from inventors to dictators and terrorists. The Arab Spring and Occupy Wall Street protests became viral and the world was glued to the events in the Middle East and elsewhere in the world.

South Asian countries also have seen use of social media to discuss about many controversies and protests. This year we saw more netizens using microblogging sites to share their opinions.

Controversies

In January, Pakistani celebrity Veena Malik was accused by religious hardliners of immoral behavior as she took part in the Indian reality show Big Boss. Pakistani netizens stood divided amongst its conservative and liberal lines.

Veena Malik at Lux Style Awards. Image by Arun Reginald. CC-BY-SA-3.0

At the end of the year Veena Malik stirred up another controversy when FHM India, a male lifestyle magazine, published her nude picture on its cover page. Veena’s shoot with an ISI Tattoo on her arm sparked strong reactions from right, left and center in Pakistan and India.

On the other hand a Pakistani Islamic televangelist was also at the center-point of a controversy. A behind-the-scenes video depicted Dr. Amir Liaquat Hussain, a notable religious scholar, uttering abuse and profanities as well as religious blasphemy.

In April the Sri Lankan government had condemned a 196 page leaked report on civilian casualties by an United Nations (UN) advisory panel, dismissing it as flawed and biased. Intense debate ensued in Twitter and Facebook.

In May the accidental death of a research scholar from Kerala, India sparked controversies about the privacy of women, privacy of a dead person and in general about the lingering male chauvinism in Keralan society.

A couple of Indian Ministers were drawn into controversy because of their statements. India's Health Minister, Ghulam Nabi Azad, angered the gay community and gay rights activists with his comments at a HIV/AIDS conference in New Delhi. Netizens condemned his take on homosexuality as “unnatural” and a “disease” that had come from the West.

In December the Indian Union Communications and IT Minister Kapil Sibal asked Internet giants such as Facebook, Google and Yahoo to pre-screen derogatory, defamatory and inflammatory content about political leaders and religion and filter if objectionable. His words got a huge backlash from the netizens.

Wordle Image of the banned word list. Click on the image to enlarge.

In November, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) become the center of controversy when it sent a list of 586 Urdu and 1,109 English banned words and phrases to the mobile phone operators in the country to filter them.

The pregnant Bollywood actress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and her impending child birth produced a media hype in India. Bangladeshi exile writer Taslima Nasrin was also drawn into controversy when she tweeted that she wished that Aishwarya would give birth to a girl child.

Actions have been taken by a Bangladeshi court against a teacher living abroad, as a consequence of his Facebook status.

Protests

Anna Hazare addressing the people and media at Jantar Mantar, Delhi. Image by Sarika Gulati, copyright Demotix (08/04/2011).

In India, social media has been extensively used to power civil society's push for a proposed anti-corruption bill. The movement is being led from the front by a Gandhian social activist Anna Hazare, who continues to receive a huge amount of support in home and abroad - online and offline.

In November, India's Agriculture Minister, Mr. Sharad Pawar, was slapped on the face by a youth, who was apparently fed up of the growing inflation, corruption and graft cases in the country and decided to hit out at the Union Minister in protest. Netizens discussed the merits and demerits of this violent protest.

In Bangladesh, citizen media was a vital tool for the indigenous people in the Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh who shared news about the ethnic clashes between Bengali settlers and indigenous people. These minorities have found a voice via blogs and Facebook when the mainstream media have been accused of ignoring the plights of the local aboriginal people. Later in the year many Bangladeshi indigenous people had taken the streets holding meetings, human chains and rallies, demanding constitutional recognition of their identity. Bloggers engaged in a debate on this issue.

Farzana Yasmin. Image courtesy Kowshik

In this region some of the protests were unprecedented and unique. In several South Asian countries Dowry is prohibited by law but is still widely and illegally practiced. A protest against dowry was much discusses and lauded in the social networks in Bangladesh. Farzana Yasmin sent ripples across the country by divorcing the bridegroom right after the wedding as her in-laws demanded a TV set, refrigerator, motorbike and a few more things as ‘gifts' from the bride's family in presence of the guests.

In Bangladesh capital Dhaka after a three-fold campaign via Blogs, Facebook and street protests authorities of the Viqarunnisa Noon School and College (VNC) were forced to sack and arrest a teacher accused of sexually molesting a student.

In July bloggers and online activists among other protesters were arrested while striking in protest of a recent Production Sharing Contract (PSC) between the Bangladesh government and United States energy giant ConocoPhillips for deep sea gas exploration.

A placard of the Occupy Dhaka Movement

This year in October Eight Bangladeshi migrant workers were beheaded in public in Saudi Arabia for being involved in the robbing a warehouse and killing of a security guard. Netizens were enraged by this horrific punishment and questioned the transparency of the trial.

The Occupy Wall street movement prompted a similar protest in Dhaka where people vowed to get themselves free from the two feuding, corrupt and occupier political alliances.

A recent venture by the Bangladesh government to takeover 25000acres of wetlands (Arial Beel) 60km South of the capital city of Dhaka, for a proposed International airport and satellite city led to protests and violence in the area. Netizens too, reacted strongly to the government debating the need for a new airport and the government was forced to back down on the airport project.

In Pakistan, the death of 24 Pakistani troops by friendly fire from NATO helicopters and fighter aircrafts in Pakistan sparked protests across the country.

Raymond Davis, an American diplomatic staff, is under investigation for the double murder of two Pakistani motorcyclists in Karachi, Pakistan. Following the US demand to release Davis, the protesters took to the streets in a country which already has increasing anti-US sentiments.

In Sri Lanka, clashes at the Katunayake Free Trade Zone (FTZ) in Sri Lanka between protesting workers and police claimed the life of an young worker and injured many workers and policemen. The debate on the social media on this issue sent a strong signal to the Sri Lankan government.

Protesting increase of commodity prices in Maldives. Image from Twitpic by Ahmed Nazim (@GraveBone).

For seven consecutive days, thousands of residents of Male, the capital of Maldives, have protested on busy streets and public spaces, expressing their dissatisfaction over soaring prices of consumer goods and economic mismanagement of the government. Madivian citizen journalists shared the updates of the protests.

Nepali Internet users were caught in disarray as the Internet Service Provider’s Association of Nepal (ISPAN) shut down its internet service as a mark of protest against the government's crackdown on ‘illegal VOIP call bypass'.

The South Asia authors team will continue to highlight and translate more citizen voices from across the region in 2012. You can get involved in the Global Voices community in multiple ways. Please do send us your suggestions and feedback. Wishing you a happy 2012.

This post is part of our special coverage 2011 on Global Voices.

Maldives: The Changes The 17th SAARC Summit Brought

Rezwan — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 00:26:28 +0000

Hassan Ziyau describes how the preparations for the 17th SAARC Summit brought astonishing changes in Addu and Fuvahmulah, the two atolls where the summit was held.

Maldives: Reactions To Defacing Of Monuments

Rezwan — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 21:38:29 +0000

Some SAARC countries have sent monuments to Maldives to celebrate the SAARC summit this year. Maldives' religious party Adhaalath had called for removal of these alleged idols. Sri Lankan blogger Indrajit Samarajiva shares his reactions on the desecration of the Sri Lankan and Pakistani monuments.

Maldives: Discrimination Against The Foreign Labors

Rezwan — Sat, 27 Aug 2011 01:04:21 +0000

‘Legacy of Pain' is outraged by the attitude of the Male City Council who recently discussed the “nuisance and bother” of expatriate workers who gather on Fridays at the Republic Square in the Maldives capital.

Maldives: Quality Schools

Rezwan — Sun, 07 Aug 2011 23:11:46 +0000

Quality Schools is a blog of the Educational Supervision and Quality Improvement Division (ESQID) of the Ministry of Education in Maldives which disseminates suggestions and best practices for Maldivian schools to improve their quality of education.

Maldives: Workshops On Citizen Journalism

Rezwan — Sun, 10 Jul 2011 11:12:21 +0000

The Maldives Project consists of a series of citizen journalism workshops on three islands in the Maldives during the period from June 15 to August 10, 2010. You can find all about them in their blog.

Maldives: Privacy Act Required

Rezwan — Sat, 18 Jun 2011 22:47:51 +0000

How would you feel seeing your personal data divulged in a public website? Iru Veli highlights a few recent incidents of privacy breach of personal data of many Maldivians and stresses the need for a privacy act in the country.

Maldives: Failing Democracy

Rezwan — Thu, 26 May 2011 10:38:39 +0000

Mode at A Geek's Thoughts wonders why democracy is failing in Maldives.

Maldives: Rocked by Protests Over Economy

Saffah Faroog — Sat, 07 May 2011 22:08:47 +0000

For seven consecutive days, thousands of residents of Male, the capital of Maldives, have protested on busy streets and public spaces, expressing their dissatisfaction over soaring prices of consumer goods and economic mismanagement of the government. The protests are being organized by the opposition parties, even though they have labeled it as a youth-led protest.

While there is a genuine dissatisfaction over the government’s mismanagement of the economy, not all residents are joining the protests, because of the highly political nature of the protests and the extent of violence involved. A number of people, including police and journalists, have been hurt during the protests. According to reports more than 300 people have been arrested so far, a figure, which has been disputed by the government.

Protesting increase of commodity prices in Maldives. Image from Twitpic by Ahmed Nazim (@GraveBone).

The government has tried to play down the significance of the protests, blaming the opposition for trying to destabilize the first democratically elected government of the Maldives and trying to topple the government before the next presidential election scheduled for 2013. The government has not acknowledged that there has been a considerable increase of prices of goods following a recent devaluation of the local currency against US dollar.

The following video of the day 3 of the protests was uploaded to YouTube by sunmvlive. See more videos by the user.

Bloggers and tweeps react to the crisis in the Maldives:

Nina Ali reacts to a statement by the President that prices have not soared and one tin of powder milk is sufficient for two children for one month:

how big do they think one tin of powder milk is.. : ONE BARREL????

Sofwath tweets about the rising cost of living:

Those who don't have to pay everything they earn for rent would never understand. They can joke and laugh but the reality is very different.

Tweeps find it ironic the government is trying to restrict the protests while the current leaders staged a number of protests when they were in the opposition. Rizwee tweets:

Current Maldivian regime doesn’t have heart to see anti-government protests. They forgot how they protested in the past regime.

Epicloser makes fun of a pro-government protest held on Friday against the other protests:

Pro gov protests ended and prices went down instantly. Everythings solved. People are happy. xD

Epicloser also tweets about the violence involved in the protests:

The capital city of Maldives is on its way to fall into total anarchy. Now gangsters are mixed with protesters and setting fire on places.

Masood Ali tweets about the instability:

Happy to be a Maldivian, but happily cant walk in my country

Badruddeen believes violence is not the solution:

@sujauu totally agree with you on this. Everyone should avoid violence at any cost. Violence is not the way forward.

Not everyone is willing to take part in the protests even though they are not happy with how the government is handling the economy. Sofwath tweets:

@p3st yeap in Male'. Won't join any of these stupid protests this time. These people gone totally crazy. No one talking abt solutions.

Haifa Imad tweets:

@nunthu nope will NOT join the protest too many agendas. Turned into a political affair since day 1.Jus concerned abt our nation flag.

Gaanagaa pokes fun about the protests which has been labeled as youth-led but organized by opposition:

Elders protesting for youth's right for cheaper iPads and Thai food. Meanwhile, youth busy watching soccer on elder's TVs.

Badruddeen feels the protests are staged by the opposition to overthrow the government:

@epicloser lol revolution to reduce the price of bread or violent revolution to overthrow a legitimate government?

As the price increase began after the government devalued the local currency against the dollar, P3est tweets:

Dear Mr. Obama, Please send a shipment of Dollars to the Maldives before all hell breaks loose. Thanks. Your sincerely, @p3st

The protests have been going on mainly during the night and some residents are feeling the toll of sleepless nights. profEuLOGist tweets:

A request from a youth| can u politicians plan the protest sometime arnd mornin & finish it off arnd 4-5pm? PLEASE? I can donate suncream.

A pro-government protest organized by the ruling party. Image from Twitpic by I. M. Saeed (@epicloser).

Hassan Ziyau reacts to profEuLOGist’s tweet and elaborates the downside of the protests:

Freedom to protest through peaceful means is without question a given right by the constitution to its people. However in practicing one’s rights, the rights of the others should not be violated. Referring to the above mentioned tweet, I am in full agreement with its idea, that the protest if need to be held should be held during daylight and in a place which can accompany large amounts of people, such as the republic square rather than the small crowded streets and lanes of the capital.

Some mainstream media outlets and even some protesters have drawn parallels between the Arab revolutions and the current protests in the Maldives. However, the government officials point out that the government is democratically elected while the opposition’s roots are with the 30-year-old dictatorship that ended with the election of 2008.

Blogger Thakurubey summarizes the different perspectives on the protest:

the protest that has been going in the street of Male for 5 consecutive nights is viewed in differently. supporters of the government view it as a plot organized by the opposition to overthrow the government by means of protest. taking a model of recent protest that led to government change in most of the middle east nations. The ruling party vows to defend the government by all means. the opposition and its supporters say it is protest by the youth to highlight the impact the country is facing due to the dollar reference change made by the government to stabilize the economy.

Hassan Abdullah writes about the need for both the government and the opposition to act responsibly and put the nation first:

So I request those who are not happy with the current regime to criticize the government make them held accountable and voice out against them or even protest against them, but save your own account in-terms of truth and justice. And I request the government, especially president Nasheed, not to make false promises and to STOP showing illusion and to do whatever you can to save the nation from crisis.

My final request to my dear brothers and sisters as someone who do not have any knowledge like the rest; “please do not set your focus on today or tomorrow, set it far beyond that.”

Maldives: Evening Protests Paralyzing Male

Rezwan — Fri, 06 May 2011 09:42:38 +0000

Hassan Ziyau writes about the recent evening protests in Maldives capital Male which are erupting into violence and public property are being destroyed.

Maldives: Crackdown On Anti-government Protests

Rezwan — Sun, 01 May 2011 20:39:28 +0000

Khaulath Mohamed at Haumaldives reports that security forces have cracked down on recent anti-government protests in the Maldives and 80 protesters were arrested.