Maldives is on the path of failed states

Maldives is coalescing Islam and the values of secular liberal democracy aimed at governing its people. Maldives is also feeling the heat of pressure for greater transparency and human rights by a demanding west.

Maldives, therefore goes through the 'coalescing exercise', more for political expediency rather than having a genuine desire to reconcile its community to the tenets of Islam or to live by the traditions of a liberal democracy.

Maldives follows the example of authoritarian Arab countries that in the last several decades have failed their people economically, socially and politically and their rulers have also failed by not delivering democracy to their people.

These Arab countries have leaderships that demonstrate high levels of narcissistic tendencies. These narcissistic leaders act and feel morally superior. The narcissistic leadership encourages a personality cult, has a tenuous grasp of reality and enjoys extraordinary trappings of power. Narcissistic leadership is about theatre, not about life.

Unfortunately, such narcissistic leadership tendecies have atleast partly contributed to the emergence of what the west calls ' Islamofascists' who are an extreme radical minority group that have resorted to a violent struggle. Such groups are against what they believe as the corrupt and undemocratic order in many Muslim countries and the west, whose support is often necessary to maintain such opressive regimes.

According to Foriegn Policy, the problems that plague failing states are generally all too similar: rampant corruption, predatory elites who have long monopolized power, an absence of the rule of law, and severe ethnic or religious divisions.'

Over the last several decades Maldives has used 'divide and rule' as a political strategy to govern its people scattered over many small islands separated by the deep ocean.

Political leaders use religion to provide moral justification for making symbolic statements. Such statements are nothing but Islamic rhetoric aimed at providing a sense of empowerment to its people.

Such inapt politicians use the religion of peace as a tool to achieve their oppressive political objectives. Frustrated fanatics with twisted minds who are marginalised in their own societies are desparately turning to violence as a last resort to salvage some pride and dignity of life. This is a worrisome development and has to be stopped in the interest of peace.