The original Dhivehi article was published on Vaguthu.mv website on 4th September 2017.
The following is a loose translation:
Deputy Speaker of Parliament and Hulhu-Henveiru district member Reeko Moosa Maniku is one of the most experienced Maldivian politicians. He spent his youth also in the politics. He then invested most of his time to form political parties and bring reforms.
He worked hard to bring reforms to the Constitution while he was a member of the special Majlis (convened to reform the constitution). During Maumoon Abdul Gayoom’s presidency, when he held the supermajority of the parliament, Reeko Moosa fought hard for human rights, free pencil, and books for students, subsidy for fishermen, which were achieved by the efforts of few parliamentarians (lawmakers) like Reeko Moosa.
Top highlights of his work include bringing Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) party into existence, totalling members close to fifty thousand, taking MDP to the top ladder of the Maldives political arena, all this during a time when people were afraid to express themselves for fear of prosecution. Evident was his work he did while chairing MDP when MDP faced its most challenging days. Although, the MDP leadership has forgotten all that now, there will come a time when MDP will recognize his work.
Today, Reeko Moosa has been gaining power in the current Maldives political arena. MDP also believes that Reeko Moosa is taking back the control of the political scene. This was proven, when Reeko Moosa’s tweet on the 2nd of this month, jolted awake MDP and their leader Mohamed Nasheed from their slumber.
His tweet said, ‘the former president of the Maldives who acted like he had ants-in-pants (restless) to bring democracy to Myanmar, remains mum. Genocide of Muslims is happening in Myanmar.’
Myanmar ah democracy nugenevigen gayah hini araigen ulhunu Raajjeyge kureege raeesun mihaaru baheh nubune ?haahun muslimun maranee?
— Reeko Moosa Maniku (@ReekoMoosa) September 2, 2017
While the Myanmar leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi was under house arrest, President Nasheed was the one who expressed the most concern. He called for her release on different platforms. During his term in office, he even called for UN’s support.
In the letter addressed to the Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations Ibrahim Gambari, President Nasheed said that he is gravely concerned about the political situation in Myanmar.
On 2 March 2009, President Nasheed criticized the Burmese government and offered immunity from Maldives for Burmese Journalists and Writers.
However, today when the Rohingya Muslims are subjected to mass violence and suffering, President Nasheed did not express concern. Like, in the same way, President Nasheed phoned to congratulate Aung San Suu Kyi upon her release, he did not phone her to express concern over the current Rohingya crisis in Rakhine.
In response to Reeko Moosa’s tweet, MDP members sent out tweets like ‘ants coming out of their ant hills’, and finally, President Nasheed also sent a tweet. His tweet said that Aung San Suu Kyi must protect the Rohingya Muslim people — a good move.
Aung San Suu Kyi must protect the Rohingya's basic human rights. Not everything should be driven by political expedience.
— Mohamed Nasheed (@MohamedNasheed) September 3, 2017
However, it is difficult to accept that those who support MDP ideology and defend MDP in the international scene, like Kerafa Ahmed Naseem and Dr Ahmed Shaheed, maintaining their silence over the Rohingya situation.
We need to salvage MDP and our country from those who only seek the love and care of the west. There is no doubt that through the strategies of competent people like Reeko Moosa, people who love our nation would win over those who are prejudiced to the west.
