Expectations?

I thought I had taken a vow of silence of all things political. After the Maldivian presidential election came the American one (a very important and history making one as everyone would agree). For me next came the NZ elections. As this is my adopted country this has a huge impact on me as well. Following the trend, we in NZ also had a change in government. After 9 years of Labour rule under Helen Clark, we have (ahem) the National Party in the house. Wonder how that is going to play out in the next three years. Anyway not going to say much...

BUT have you seen Haveeru recently? 14 NEW STATE MINISTERS! what the hell?

The only thing that comes to my mind right now is from Lord of the rings

"Don't be so quick to take what you can't give."

the BIG day

I never thought I'd be this nervous or anxious about the outcome of the vote. Will it be the same old Gayoom or some one new? If it is someone new, then who could it be? I don't know, this is kinda crazy - call it insane

I don't have the luxury to fly to male' to exercise my right to vote. Those who do have the right, and a way to exercise that right, do SO! this election could make history in a bigger way.

Vote people - vote

anyway, my cup of tea is empty and have to go to work, gonna stay up tonight and watch the election. Thankfully TVM seems to be broadcasting today.

Maldives and its 100% muslim status

When I was growing up, my mom would say, that we were 100% muslims. I always assumed that people had the 100% tick. So one day I asked my mom, are there any 90% or 50% muslims, and she told me to shut it and not to ask any stupid questions. So I asked her why it was a stupid question (in my child's mind it made perfect sense!), she told me to go read the Quran and drive Satan away from my mind. Her answer didn't make sense to be, but I did as i was told, but the question didn't go away!

After a couple of years I realised or rather understood, that the label was for Maldives and not necessarily Maldivians - to simply denote that, there was no other religion (allowed) to practice in the Maldives. I learned at this young age that , to be a Maldivian you first have to be a Muslim.

So I guess my question is, In this day and age, do we still need to hold on to the 100% title? I know plenty of people in the Maldives, who practice other religions. Both in open and in hiding. In hinding because these people fear Maumoon's wreath. In a recent visit to Maldives, I saw statued of the virgin mary and yeah plenty of crosses on sale in the jewellery shops and gift shops. This woudn't be the case as recent as a few years ago! I remember that anything to do with the church or the pope were censored out of Public TV. And talking of television, can you believe the amount of Ganesh, temples, and all the hindu ceremonies shown on tv? A few of the taxi's I travelled in had hindi devotional music blasting off. and yep, a lot of buddhist values and chants are making the rounds as well. If I didn't know any better I'd say, Maldivians were becoming more accepting, while in actual, Maldivians don't regard Hinduism or Buddhism as relgions or rather religions that poses a threat to their faith or the 100% status. But yeah, Christianity does. But then again it doesn't explain the sale of "christian stuff" in the shops.

Again, do we need to keep the status of 100% muslim status, when as a country we are obviously not? Do we really want to be hypocrites to the very religion we represent? what do we have to gain by keeping the status (other than the implicated Saudi dollars). What effect is it having on famlies that do have converts within them? what about these converts themselves? what happened to their rights? And what about all those people who define themselves as "non-practising" muslims (which there are plenty to be found in the Maldives).

Its all very nice and good for the people who are self righteous to say, I should go to hell for even bringing up this topic (again), but hell they are talking about is not in this world, what about the people who feel like they are living in hell already? I say this with the utmost respect, we as Maldivians have to learn to respect other religions and other cultures. That is, if we want to respect ourselves as human beings , and most of all as Muslims.

ANYWAY ANOTHER RANT ....

DO's new shade

For someone who is a self professed idiot on politics, I do notice a few things. And yeah I do do read DO occasionally. Of recent I have noticed that, DO has become extremely RED instead of the typical YELLOW it has been using. Wonder whether sappe has gotten tired of colours, or whether, one colur is superior to the other, OR whether RED is just representative of a stronger notion, or simply put a representation of power.

I wonder, what the long term consequences of this change in colour would be, or WHETHER it even has any long term or short term consequence, who knows, maybe he just likes that Red over yellow?

Hmmmmm, I think I am dehydrated, probably ranting again.

Hope everyone who observes Ramadan is having a great time. Those who aren't oh well, have a great time too.

Oh yeah, if anyone is around my neighbourhood, do drop by :)

New Dawn?

I have been really busy lately. Mainly becuase I have been really really sick the past couple of months, so going back to 'normal' life means, catchin up on it!

Anyway, I'm feeling good! for some reason it made me think of Maya Angelou and her famous poem that goes like "A rock, a river a tree" she recited it at a presidential inaugration. Here's part of it (more like the ending)

Lift up your faces, you have a piercing needFor this bright morning dawning for you.
History, despite its wrenching pain,Cannot be unlived, and if facedWith courage, need not be lived again.
Lift up your eyes uponThe day breaking for you.
Give birth againTo the dream.
Women, children, men,Take it into the palms of your hands.
Mold it into the shape of your mostPrivate need. Sculpt it intoThe image of your most public self.Lift up your heartsEach new hour holds new chancesFor new beginnings.

Do not be wedded foreverTo fear, yoked eternallyTo brutishness.
The horizon leans forward,Offering you space to place new steps of change.Here, on the pulse of this fine dayYou may have the courageTo look up and out upon me, theRock, the River, the Tree, your country.
No less to Midas than the mendicant.
No less to you now than the mastodon then.
Here on the pulse of this new dayYou may have the grace to look up and outAnd into your sister's eyes, intoYour brother's face, your countryAnd say simplyVery simplyWith hopeGood morning.

So what else is new?

"Qur’an Teacher Accused Of Child Abuse in the Maldives", my first thought was, well, what else is new?

People in power abusing the Maldivian children has almost become a norm now. Yeah, there are the few people who make a few noise when the case is initially known. I just wonder how many people follow through a case? Is it that Maldivian memory is so short lived that people forget that easily? or are we in denial or better yet, people are forgiving (not likely!).

This is a serious issue, the legal system needs to be more consistent and take these crimes more seriously (I don't mean to say, get your pitchforks and go on a witch hunt). I simply mean to say, do justice by the victims, don't victimise them anymore.

I should stop right there and not go into the whole, mudhinbe's and edhurubey's are saintly bid. Also not go into, how you shouldn't cross your Quran teacher no matter what. For that matter, also not question your tuition teacher. ( I wonder how many children Naseem sir is tutoring these days! - oh yeah I hear he is back teaching)

For the love of GOD! what is wrong with us? why do we keep putting up these child molesters and abusers? bloody hell, why the heck am I spending time writing this blog, without getting out there and doing something about it...

ok my rants done ........ for now

Independence Day or just the 26th of July???

All of yesterday, I waited for something special. That special feeling of independence and freedom. Boy was I disappointed! Pretty stupid of me to have any expectations isn’t it? As a kid, this was one of the holidays that I most looked forward to, all that preparation, going to galolhu dhandu and having fun. When I was old enough I always participated in one of the ‘acts’ of entertainment. Somehow it made me proud to be a Maldivian. I had pride in my Nation. Which is far from what most people feel today.

Nowadays the celebration it self has become a private show for Gayoom, the public no longer able to participate and celebrate. Strictly in my opinion this happened way back when he refused to have it in Galolhu Stadium. And from the sounds of things, yesterday’s celebration was solely meant for him. What a pity!

So why are we still celebrating Independence Day? Is it still relevant? Do we still feel independent? Sure it was some sort of mark in History when Nasir signed the agreement or release or whatever from the British. But these days all I hear from the opposition is the call for the BRITISH to get involved in Maldivian affairs. We are lucky if its only the British who are involved! And then on the other hand we have Gayoom playing his cards to impress these countries. Is this what we call independence? The older child trying to appease the parent, and the younger sibling crying for milk. What a state our independence is in!

I say we get rid of the Independence Day and start looking forward to celebrating a Freedom Day instead. I am not saying its gonna happen any time soon, but I can keep hoping can’t I?

My ignorant political ramblings

"My dear and old country, here we are once again together faced with a heavy trial" I saw that quote somewhere and thought, how true!

This time, the public is the jury. we supposedly get to choose our own future (wow, even the thought of that kind of freedom gives me goosebumps) but lets assume, we get a free and fair election. Do we really have a choice? is it a case of the lesser evils out of the evils? or is there something better out there for us this time.

what happens if ;

DRP gets into power? well, nothing exactly right? everything will be the same as now. No big changes. Are the people any better off? nope not really, but we do know whats in store for us. Since we know, we can be ready and more prepared. (but would that really get us anywhere?) And yeah, we would still be under the same brutal dictator ship. Time for change? Hell yeah!

What about MDP? hehehhehehe, I don't know, even the thought of MDP getting into power tickles my funny bone. They are not organised, too many people from the Party wants to be in power - wants to be the president. Anni doesn't look or come through as a strong personality. If he was, he should have been able to keep people together instead, or atleast his own party in order. I personally don't see any charisma or political maturity in MDP. Yes, it was good fun when they stood ground and tried to give people a voice. very well done, people got the opportunity to vent out the anger. now people are over that, they want to move on, but MDP still seems to be stuck slinging mud at others. This is time for good policy, not name calling. this is the time to show your strenght and your belief in people, which I am not seeing. the lack of transparency, lack of planning and lack of leadership has turned me off MDP. then again I was never turned on by MDP

HMMM Adhalath. good thing they are not running a polical party, otherwise we would be done for! They are strong, united, and has got plenty of charisma. (otherwise we woudn't see the rapid changes we have seen in the last few years). They are transparent in what they want to achieve, but is that good for the country? hehehe I don't think so! Plus politics and religion make an explosive mix. But, just becuase they are not in the running this time, don't forget about them, they are a force to be reckoned with. If I were you I'd keep an eye...

IDP hmmm yeah - they do have some good policies. But some really bad ones too. And the leader plain sux! Nothing more to say

Gaumee Itthihaad - HEHHEHEHEHHEHEHHHEHHEHE HAHAHAHAHHAHAHHA HOOOO HO HHO HO HO. was that too much? ok, one more thing, having PhD's and MBBS doesn't qualify people to run countries!

There are other parties, but I can't be botheres anymore. I think I have rambled on enough...

Clueless about constitution(s)!!!!

I am the first to admit that I am totally clueless and out of touch with current affairs. But I did start reading up on the usual goss sites, and kept coming across 'new constitution'. It got a bit confusing for me ... and here is why

wasn't it sometime back that there was this big hoo haa about this 'new one' about being the same ol' old one? Wasn't it becuase our dear old president wanted to run for election again?? and I remember MDP making a huge fuss about it. You can understand my confusion when I saw 'new constitution' in three or more headlines in DO itself!

Some one clue me in, what the heck is happening now? Do we have a new constitution or do we still have the old one which has been ammeded.

man, remind me never to drop off the face of blogsphere again!

oh yeah , my e-mail add is myinsanitee@gmail.com, I changed it ages ago, but still get some to my old old old inbox, which i never check!

Why did the Chicken Cross the Road?

I recently got this chain mail “why did the chicken cross the road” it was humourous, because of the responses attributed to the people. When I forwarded it to some Maldivian friends… they came up with their own, lets see....

REEKO MOOSA: Alhugandu midhannavanee varah kerihure. Thiya kukulhu thihen magu huraskuran thelhi thelhi huttaa maruvegen dhaanee. Iraadha kurevviyyaa thiya kukulhakah dheneh ehen bulhaa thakakaa nukulheveyne. Thiya kukulhuge dhuvas thah gunemun
edhanee...

Majilis ge Izzaitheri Raees: MAGU HURASKURI IZZATHERI KUKULHU GE VAGUTHUKOLHU HAMAVEE, DHEN IZZAITHERI MUSALHAH FURUSATHU ARUVAANAN....

MDP - It was to protest the violent actions of a demented dictator.

Maumoom: It's because of violence, violence, violence. And he did not cross the ROAD he went to Javvah, Fazaayah, havaayah!


ADHAALATH: If it is a female chicken it should not have gone out of her home anyway. If it is a male chicken, who cares.

Everyone esle: because chicken had a vision and was prepared to face the challenge


If you have not see the original mail, here you go;


DR. PHIL:The problem we have here is that this chicken won't realize that he must first deal with the problem on 'THIS' side of the road before it goes after the problem on the 'OTHER SIDE' of the road. What we need to do is help him realize how stupid he's acting by not taking on his 'CURRENT' problems before adding 'NEW' problems.

OPRAH:Well, I understand that the chicken is having problems, which is why he wants to cross this road so bad. So instead of having the chicken learn from his mistakes and take falls, which is a part of life, I'm going to give this chicken a car so that he can just drive across the road and not live his life like the rest of the chickens

GEORGE W. BUSH:We don't really care why the chicken crossed the road. We just want to know if the chicken is on our side of the road, or not. The chicken is either against us, or for us. There is no middle ground here.

COLIN POWELL:Now to the left of the screen, you can clearly see the satellite image of the chicken crossing the road...

DR SEUSS:Did the chicken cross the road? Did he cross it with a toad? Yes, the chicken crossed the road, but why it crossed I've not been told.

ERNEST HEMINGWAY:To die in the rain. Alone.

GRANDPA:In my day we didn't ask why the chicken crossed the road. Somebody told us the chicken crossed the road, and that was good enough.

JOHN LENNON:Imagine all the chickens in the world crossing roads together, in peace.

ARISTOTLE: It is the nature of chickens to cross the road.

BILL GATES:I have just released eChicken2007, which will not only cross roads, but will lay eggs, file your important documents, and balance your check book. Internet Explorer is an integral part of eChicken. This new platform is much more stable and will never cra...#@&&^(C% ........
reboot.

ALBERT EINSTEIN:Did the chicken really cross the road, or did the road move beneath the chicken?

BILL CLINTON:I did not cross the road with THAT chicken. What is your definition of chicken?

ALSHARPTON:Why are all the chickens white? We need some black chickens

COLONEL SANDERS:Did I miss one?