Decide Maldives: Mohamed Nasheed - salvation or suicide? (PART 1)

DECIDE MALDIVES: MOHAMED NASHEED,
SALVATION OR SUICIDE?
                                                               BY AAIZ A. AND HMH.

We will be kick starting Decide Maldives 2013 by the very first article based on the first democratically elected president of Maldives, His Excellency President Mohamed Nasheed who got elected to office in November 11, 2008, to this day remains the most prominent figure in the major opposition party, Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) and is one of the most influential politicians that this country has ever seen. President Nasheed, a largely famous figure in the international world too, was and remains a large controversy; earning himself both a heavy amount of skepticism and also, adoration. Known for his spontaneity and sometimes impulsive manner, today, Nasheed is also the subject of a worldwide documentary film; ‘The Island President,’ 

CONTENTS:-

·                   BIO SKETCH

·                   EARLY LIFE

·                   FAME AND NOTORIETY

·                   SERVICES (Coming Soon!)

·                   POLITICAL OVERVIEW (Coming soon!)

·                   DECISIVE FACTORS (Coming soon!)

Biographical Sketch

Name	Mohamed Nasheed
Alias	Anni
DoB	17 May 1967
Address	G. Canaryge
Island	Male’
Name of Spouse	Laila Ali
Current Occupation	Presidential Candidate of Maldivian Democratic Party.

Early Life

Mohamed Nasheed, commonly known as Anni, born to a first class family of Male’ is the second child of Mr. Abdul Sattar of G. Canaryge and Ms. Abida of G. Madhrasa Dhoshuge. His elementary education was completed mostly at Majeediyya school, Male’ and later at the Overseas School of Colombo from 1981 to 1982 until he completed his GCE Ordinary Level Certificate.

In 1982 he moved to the United Kingdom where he completed his Higher Secondary Education. After the completion of A’ levels, Nasheed did his Bachelor of Arts in Maritime Studies at Liverpool Polytechnic, now Liverpool John Moores University.

As Nasheed completed his University education in 1989, he returned to Male’ in 1990 and in the year 1994 he married Laila Ali, first daughter of the wealthy businessman and landlord late Ali Abdulla, the owner of Alia group of companies. From his marriage with Laila, he has two daughters; Meera Laila Nasheed and Zaaya Laila Nasheed, the birth of both whom he missed as he was in jail at the time. It was rumored that during the early years of their marriage, Mr Abdulla assigned Nasheed with the affairs of Alia store, the famous hardware shop in Maldives. However this is not authorized to be completely true and this is the only account of information we have regarding any job he might have served in. It can be said that he was a self employed man as he had his own modes of finances through books and magazines he published.

Nasheed through his father, is a member of the famous Kerafa clan, a wealthy, family hailing from Male’ with landowners and businessmen. Due to their prominence in the affairs of the state, even during the time of the first republic, the family has been quite famous in the capital and their members were honored. Mr Sattar, who was credited as a freedom fighter, for his initiatives and efforts to free Maldives from British domination is now seen by a good proportion of the country’s population as an enemy of the state and government; the bitter result of the on-going political feud in the country.

Kerafa clan is a family linked to political upheavals in the Maldives. Since the time of the first republic up to this day any major attack on the government has been linked to this family, a fact which will be discussed in the upcoming headlines of this article.

Fame and Notoriety

One of the most adored and also one of the most despised personas in recent Maldivian History, Mohamed Nasheed has in his wake, an almost cult like following. The fame and also, notoriety Nasheed had earned for himself, had no doubt been a result of a hefty list of moments which brought him to the spotlight, both positively and otherwise. To go into the depth of the illustrious political life that Nasheed had had, would require a lengthier document than a simple article and is not entirely essential for the purpose of this document. So the authors have agreed upon certain key events which we think were essential and hence, some peak moments of his career might or might not be missing.

Nasheed made his first imprint in the political scenario of Maldives in an article which he wrote to the magazine Sangu in 1990, contending that the previous year’s election was rigged. This resulted in him being arrested and kept in detention for days. But the arrest, did not deter Nasheed, it only propelled him to write more articles of the sort to the Sangu magazine and also to Hukuru magazine as well as to foreign Medias, asserting that he was tortured in prison by different means. Being continuously arrested by the government earned Nasheed much sympathy internally and externally; even getting designated as an Amnesty International Prisoner of Conscience in 1991.

Nasheed was once again charged in 1992, this time on the grounds of withholding crucial information about an assassination attempt on the SAARC delegates of that year and was sentenced to jail for 3 years. He was released the following year again to be rearrested in 1996 with regard to a similar article claiming that the 1994-95 elections were rigged as well. For this he earned the Amnesty International Prisoner of Conscience designation, once more. 

Nasheed contested in the 1999 People’s Majlis elections and got elected as the Male’ member. But before he could fulfill his tenure, he lost his seat on the charges of stealing government documents of historical significance from Velaanage. The Maldivian public next heard from Nasheed in what many rightfully believe to be the turning point of the recent Maldivian history......

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