According to president Nasheed, the battle between liberalism and fundamentalism is a battle of ideas.
Coming from the man under whose government is established the Islamic Ministry, this is mind-boggling. The Islamic ministry is controlled by the ultra-conservative Wahhabi party Adhaalathu. Whether they are mandated or not they oversee all matters to do with religion in this country.
The opportunistic liar sheikh Ilyas, a man who is as socially responsible as any crackpot fundamentalist, is an Adhaalathu member. His misogyny laced speeches are as vile, or deceptively more so, as those of sheikh Fareed’s. Programs on state-run TV station TVM, such as Thedhu Magu, help spread this misogyny and intolerance. Extremist religion groups have a free ride promoting their version of Islam in the islands uncontrolled and unchecked.
It is clear that madness is rampant in president Nasheed’s camp. When his Islamic ministry is able to say on their website (now removed) that the Haitians deserved the earthquake that killed over 200,000 men, women and babies, we don’t have to make second guesses at who is spreading the intolerance. When people in his own state minister is able to threaten to overthrow the government and still stay in office we know that Nasheed has lost control of his own people.
Which is probably why he fails to see that this “battle of ideas” is really a battle between liberals and his government – not with some obscure viral ideology floating around.
How dare he call upon the “liberally-minded” to organize and fix the mess that he created and is unable to now control? How dare he pass the responsibility to disparate free-thinking individuals? Can he ensure a secure platform for this “battle of ideas” without people in his own coalition threatening to overthrow the elected government that he chairs?
President Nasheed is begging the civilized world for help with one hand while feeding the intolerance (towards the west and liberalism) from within his own administration with the other. How the donor countries (and organizations) fail to see this baffles me. At the glorified begging racket that is the donor conference, president Nasheed said:
Liberally-minded Maldivians must organize, and reclaim civil society if they want to win this battle of ideas. People with broader viewpoints must become more active, to create a tolerant society.
Sir, liberally-minded people have nowhere to go with their ideas, no platform to stand, no security from harm. You simply cannot pass on the responsibility of creating a “tolerant society” to disparate and disorganized individuals that have no backing whatsoever. That too, after creating and funding a platform for fundamentalists. President Nasheed, if you want to make a real change then I challenge you to ensure security to liberal voices because you see, extremist intolerance can be life-threatening. President Nasheed, you cannot harbor the fundamentalists within your own administration and call on the liberals for a “battle of ideas”. Is that fair? Is that even logical?
If you cannot do that, and it appears to be that way, then shut the hell up. You have no right to talk about “liberally-minded” Dhivehin.
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Ahmed Zahid, Simon Shareef. Simon Shareef said: Blog updated / new article "The so-called Battle of Ideas" http://is.gd/b4Aet [...]
Simon, interesting perspective on the President’s remarks. Views that most of us easily overlook, or try to ignore, even if we have been misled repeatedly in the past.
very true, simon.
Raees Nasheed put the barking Mullahs on the pulpit. TV Mullah Ilyas is now in Mecca for Umrah. He took some dollars with him.
bala amilla ah platform eh hadhan masaikai kuran vee ennnu. Balaa eh. Dhivehinnah jehene hurihaa kameh tha bakakah laafa giraa fa amey kiyaafa boandheyn.
@Aisha,
That is on the way. The threat to liberalism isn’t a few people you see giving religious sermons; they are the covert organisations that are operating behind the scenes of many far-right blogs and groups. They are dangerous, armed and unpredictable. Extremists have only a liberal ideology to fear. Liberals have to fear for their life.
This is a totally different playing field. In the days of MDP in exile they only had to fear reprisal from Gayoom’s regime. Liberalism is under attack from a fundamentalist and violent religion whose followers are all over the globe. You should take back your words.
Are you real? I am flabbergasted . Really.
I think what the president meant to say is, he is taking the path of career over benevolence, or he choose the extremist side, this is an democracy if you what your philosophy to dominate work for it. Survival for the fittest. Let it be a urban jungle, arm ourselves and create warlords African style, running around with machetes, the preacher preaches with the blood on his face.
Something like Janjaweed?
If we only had Sheikhs like Her Highness Sheikha Mozah Bint Nasser Al-Missnad
http://www.mozahbintnasser.com.qa/output/Page2.asp
you had a slap by the president who by the way shows what it means to be a true liberal. Accepting all views is part of being a liberal and is something you cant ever be. You have to learn to live with all kinds of people and bridge the gap between different ideas. Learn son!!
it was just a power grab. we are still stuck in the same system. you can’t even hold a govt job without being an mdp member. same shit different party.
Liberal Simon Says: “You should take back your words.”
So there are people dedicated to their beliefs (no matter how ridiculous), efficient, organized and spreading their dogma rapidly.
While liberals (between trips abroad) when in this god forsaken country sit back on their lazy asses in their parents beyru fenvarrah made apartments whining for a saviour without doing anything themselves. Like Aisha above says.
Do you really want the president to exercise authority over all affairs from running the government to grassroots activism ???
Any bunch of people claiming they know whats best and silencing other viewpoints is dangerous for any society whatever they choose to label themselves as: extremist or liberal.
Aye aye i hear ya. 2 thumbs up. for the last bit.
And don’t forget the mullahrisation of the curriculum. In a battle of ideas, education is crucial. IF kids are gonna be taught only half the story, how is it going to be a fair fight, Nasheed? Teach them both sides of Islam and let them choose. I think what Nasheed wants is something like the American Civil Rights movement or gay rights movement. People coming out, getting arrested, getting killed, until the government is forced to change its laws. He’s not gonna do a thing.
Fareedha. Ey. Thats what history told us and thats how it can only be done. I bet a million dollars that even if our beloved president gives him 24/7 full armed security, he wont go to an open forum (TV) and be ready to discuss these issues.
Forget Simon. I know a lot of such so called liberals who live in fear. Fear of the mullahs. Aaaaarh..
Now Simon will say why me? Why not you? Or him? or she? I am doing my bit .. he will whimper.
Well he is the one who is trying to make so much noise and bothered about these mullahs. Me i live abroad. So i don’t really give a Shite now. I can drink. I can fornicate. I can go clubbing. I can say what ever i want in this country. And its a secular happy Liberal country. The only reason i am commenting here is cos to me Simon looks like a bigger coward than what he portrays on paper/.
No pun intended Simon. :)
Liberalism is not about fighting for the right to drink, fornicate and go clubbing. Please dont give further ammunition to those we are fighting against. It is about calling for the protecting fundamental freedoms for all the individuals in the country. While liberals acknowledge and accept difference of opinion radicals wants to threaten and silence the liberal voice. The threats are real, and yes most liberals are cowards because really who would want to risk harm to themselves and family.
I’m glad you’ve found all the freedoms in the world and good for you. Frankly I dont know why you are in this debate at all. But if you do want to contribute I feel that supporting those who are talking out against intolerance would be better than calling them names. But then you have your freedom of choice and freedom of expression so its really up to you.
Nasheed created this mess. He has to clean it up. It is no longer a battle of ideas. It has become part of some Maldivian lifestyle. They want implement their ways as part of law like wearing veil in government offices, anyone against them are anti-Islamic etc. We know the their idea of perfect Muslim and Islamic state. That is whats happening in Maldives and its getting out of hands. After all, they are coming after us.
Nasheed, noone expects you to come out clean at the end of the term but at-least you have responsible for your governments actions.
As far as I’m concerned, President Nasheed fattened the extremists up ….
He knew how dangerous the extremists were – when Ali Rameez and his women-hating cohorts created the propaganda that unveiled women were responsible for the tsunami in 2004. But the average Maldivian proved too shallow to withstand their massive mobilization. So, it is my belief, that in order to raise the resistance against them (knowing full well he could not directly intervene, as he lacked the armed force to change the constitution.) – he vested a lot of power to the extremists; who then began abusing their newfound powers.
This was exactly what he had planned.
This mobilized the resistance;- with every arrogant action on their part, our ranks increased exponentially. For every rufiyaa they squandered, the will of the resistance grew stronger. And now, President Nasheed has given the literal green light for our operations to continue. What started as an isolated outcry against them is on the verge of becoming a united front.
We now have the funds, the contacts and the ability to make a difference.
This is just my opinion, pay it what heed you will.
Hey Runner sorry to hear about your unwanted roommates the jihad internet police group. Do they leave out their smelly socks on the floor and everything?
you know we’ve recently been on a mission fighting til death with the fearless umar naseer, but frankly he does not have what it takes to organise a good pow wow. we need a more.. erm.. sane leader for the Big Fight! someone charismatic and able to inspire emotion by the very sight! Someone like Ali Rameez…. hmmm…
@Aisha
Yes I am not talking nonsense here. And since you are not in the country I can understand how you will find it shocking when I tell you about the seriousness of the situation.
@liberal??
If the president can exercise authority over the Islamic ministry, and he should unless it is an independent organization, then he should not let the ministry spread fundamentalist harebrained ideas in the country.
I know people like you love cheap jibes to get back at others (as you have done here) but you ought know the situation at hand better before you attempt speaking. I don’t know which is more typical of the Maldivian mentality: people like you or people like me.
—
I have had this blog running for over 5 years – most of those years under Gayoom’s regime. But guess what, it was blocked and banned by Mr. Nasheed’s administration by order straight from the Islamic ministry that is under him. It was done without informing me and unlike you people, I don’t hide behind anonymity so the least they could have done is let me know they were going to ban my blog. Or perhaps even invite me to discuss the situation.
They didn’t do any of that. As a result of their blockade several of my client’s websites which were hosted under the same IP as my blog were blocked.
Did any organisation stand up for my right to express? No! In fact, I walked into the Postel building where the telco authority is and asked to meet the people in charge to find out what had transpired for my blog to be banned.
President Nasheed is in a dream. His government is authoritarian while he maybe otherwise at a personal level. The case of banning this blog is a clear sign of its authoritarian rule.
So tell me, do I need protection from fundamentalists outside or within HIS government or from his own government? You tell me.
This is the situation we are in and you people have the nerve to talk rubbish.
I’m just glad you were able to get this site unblocked without getting a bunch of murderous Komitehs holding you at gunpoint the moment you entered that building.
Still, I respect your opinion; I know what a hassle it must’ve been to actually go in there. I am of the opinion that all government buildings are a screencopy of “The Place that Drives you Mad” from the 12 Tasks of Asterix.
there were no IP addresses back when the only form of computation was flogging camels.
It is against Islam to block IP addresses.
“1. O Prophet! Why holdest thou to be forbidden that which God has made lawful to thee? Thou seekest to please thy consorts. But God is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. ‘
- Quran
Hey Aisha,
I know who you are bitch!
Hey Aisha!. What country is that? I want to build a fortress there as well.
Kait: I smell the lovely, musky aroma of jealousy.