The original Dhivehi article was published on Vaguthu.mv website on 9th October 2017.
The following is a loose translation:
Indeed, Maldives has a long history. While there are stories that we take great pride in, there are many that are dismal, that we rather not want to hear and never want it to be repeated. Especially to seek foreign assistance to scuffle with the country’s leadership, which has been happening since ages ago in the Maldives, indeed, a very wrongful act committed and continued to by few Maldivians even today.
Reckon, there isn’t a country like the Maldives where people who represent the nation, with the international community’s help, committed to shame and destroy the nation.
Some amongst us are even today, travelling from one country to another, from one diplomat to another, begging, from one leader of an international community to another, securing areas, doing everything possible to damage the nation.
Maldives is a nation different to the rest. Maldives is one of the 2 nations in the world where the constitution identifies that the religion is Islam and every citizen is a Sunni Muslim. Foreigners’ sole purpose is to make Maldives a secular country. They are not concerned to know who the leader is, how the leadership is and whether the leader takes care of its citizens.
Countries who had sought foreigners assistance and toppled governments is enough evidence. The US removed Iraq’s late leader Saddam Hussein saying that he was a tyrant. However, now, when there are hundreds of killings happening daily in Iraq, it is not considered as violence; it is not a problem, and they are not even trying to stop it.
The reason is pretty clear. They wanted to get rid of a leader who wanted to broaden the ideology of Islamic Caliphate and who was very vocal against the inhumane crimes committed by the US and other foreign governments. The US successfully accomplished that.
Let’s look at the revolutions that followed after in the Middle East. In Egypt, the west attempted several times and finally removed Mohamed Morsi (elected Muslim Brotherhood leader), who preceded Hosni Mubarak after his downfall. The people’s leadership was deposed, because having a leader in Egypt that would defend Islam, could obstruct the West’s strong influence in the Middle East.
The leadership of the Maldives can be changed too. However, no leadership can be ruled in the way that pleases everyone. People who witnessed the rule of President Maumoon, President Nasheed and President Waheed are here in the Maldives. There were many who opposed each of their leadership. In each of the leadership, there were many of those who benefitted and lost. There were those that became extremely rich as well.
The leader of a country is not that important. What is important is the person who is acting as the leader, the government and the people who are serving the government to be sincere. In the same way, the opposition who are responsible to ensure the government is accountable for their actions must remain sincere too. It shouldn’t be a personal agenda; they shouldn’t be people who have long-term plans to sell out the country with the help of foreigners.
Maldivians in the past had experienced the bitter aftertaste for being greedy for power. Like how the Portuguese colonized Maldives, the Dutch hegemony in the Maldives when Velaanage Mohamed Didi lead the Peshawari Coolies* to bring a coup, the secessionist movement of United Suvadive Republic with the backing of the British and the attempt to capture Malé city on November 3rd (1988) using Tamil mercenaries. We must still be prepared for similar attempts.
People amongst us who have the desire to rule, are many. The international organisations and the affluent people associated with them are also not few.
We must always not forget that amongst us there would be a ‘Portuguese Colonialists’ ‘Cannanore Ali Raja’ an ‘Andiri Andirin’ and a Viador*, simultaneously there will also be a ‘Meedhoo Thakuru’ and a ‘Thuffaashana’ who will be ready to act as their aides. And we must always keep in mind that there will also be a ‘Muhammad Shamsuddeen Iskander III’ (King Kula Sundhura Katthiribavana, reigned 1892 and 1903-1933) and an ‘Al-Khatib Ahmed Muhyiddin’ who are raring to overpower with the foreign assistance.
Despite all that, we still have something to be grateful about.
That people like Ali Rasgefaanu*, Mohamed Thakurufaanu and Martyr Hussain Adam, emerges whenever the need arises within the Maldives soil. And in the days to come, we have the guarantee that when we are faced with such a situation, people like them will be there. The enemies must bear that in mind.
*Andiri Andirin was a regent of the King Dom Manoel (Sultan Hassan IX) who was the first Maldivian and the only member of its royalty to renounce Islam and convert to Christianity, later upon his deposition he took refuge in Goa, India.
*Viador overseer of a trading post.
*Ali Rasgefaanu (Sultan Ali IV, reigned from 1557 – 1558) Killed in battle. Son of Prime Minister Abdur Rahman Dorhimeyna Kaloge and Sitti Rani Kilege. He was married to Princess Aysha Rani Kilege, aunt of Dom Manoel and daughter of Kalu Mohamed.
*23rd December is the anniversary of the invasion of the Maldives by Peshawari Coolies led by Mr Mohamed Didi of Velaanaage. The attempt was defeated and it remains a mystery what happened to the mercenaries. The year was 1910. Mohamed Didi and his son were tortured and banished to the island of Fuvahmulah.
