Looking at the problems we face in Maldives today, it now seems that getting to the democracy is the easy part. This is only the beginning of the democratization process, i.e., the separation of powers and the building of independent institutions that reinforce democratic values. We now have the separate powers, but each power has more than sufficient to still cause tyranny to the people who gave them the power.
Reducing the civil servants pay while the commissioners of the independent commissions decided to increase their wages and while the elected members of the parliament refused to even consider to take a pay cut stands out as a glaring injustice forced out on the ordinary civil servants.
Recently the Ministry of Economic Development pushed to permit sale of alcohol in inhabited islands against strong opposition from the Islamic Ministry and several civil society organisations and many members of the public who petitioned the government against such permit because of the widespread problems of drug abuse, violence and killings that even the president has acknowledged. Granted that we are on a learning curve of the multi-party pluralistic system of governance, what we saw in this case is still an appalling level of incoherent behaviour between two ministries of the same government. Under pressure from the mass public protest, the government had to heed the battle cry against the sale of alcohol in inhabited islands and was forced to change policy.
Today, civil servants are back on the street protesting to restore their pay cut, hoping that the government would take cue from them and heed their call as well.
To be a democratic country, a country has to choose its leaders through fair and competitive elections, ensure basic civil liberties, and respect the rule of law.
After a free and fair election of the country's first multi-party presidential contest, we have had a peaceful transition in 2008. Rewind 30 years back, in 1978 we also had a peaceful transition in the nation's top job. We have since learnt that everything good in a democracy does not come just by changing the political guard in a peaceful transition. Disingenuous politicians, their ignorance and careful evasion of issues have left behind for future generations a host of intractable challenges. On top of the social list, an illegal drug epidemic affecting more than 30,000 youth most of whom are addicted to drugs. The present government needs to do more to provide care and rehabilitation to the addicts. In order to tackle the illegal drug business, stricter deterrent sentences have to given to those who are trafficking and selling illegal drugs. Unfortunately, the judiciary that is not functioning as it should is making this woeful legacy even worse by not meting out stricter deterrent sentences against hardcore drug trafficking criminals.
History has shown us that the democratization takes time because it requires the development of new institutions and widespread trust in them by the citizens. In the United States and Britain, it took well over a century before all the institutions and democratic practices were firmly in place. In Maldives in order for the nascent democracy to take roots, our government has to initiate the process of inculcating democratic ideals of trust, tolerance, and cooperation starting with young children from homes and schools. The challenge to build a culture of peace depends on the ability of a community to settle disagreements and resolve conflicts without waging violence.
We have a long way to go, but we are on our journey of the democratization process.
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6 comments:
we need stricter laws to punish the drugs people. perhaps death penalty for dealers will be a very good deterrent.
maldivesresortworkers- Couldn't agree with you more. I support mandatory death penalty for drug traffickers and pedlars who profit by and addicting and killing our youth.
Drug addiction is a devastating illness. For most addicts it becomes a lifelong battle, it leads them to cheat, steal and even kill in order to feed this deadly habit. This is happening in Maldives. The authorities will have to crack down hard to fight the scourge of illegal drugs.
A death penalty on drug dealers?. That'll be hard - because even the judges are accepting bribes from them.
A recent case had given the virtual middle finger to 6 months of hard police detective work; the police will be reluctant to spend so much time, knowing full well that their cases will be thrown out of court.
Hi Shadowrunner-What happened to the conscience of the judge who let the drug dealer off the hook?
We have idyllic resorts and our government promotes a peaceful 'sunny side' to woo foreign tourists in order to boost our economy while the local community has to live in fear of criminal gangsters and ruthless drug traffickers and dealers. It is pathetic.
Hilmy, I think when it comes to Big Money, even Judges being Humans are fallible :)
Hi Hilath- Yes, we are all fallible-i.e, we all make mistakes. A judge takes an oath to follow the law and deliver justice. If the judge does not follow the law and succumbs to big money then he is in breach of his oath. It is not just a mistake. By violating the oath, the judge is depriving citizens their constitutionally guaranteed right to due process and justice.
Our parliament needs to enact a law to disbar judges who vilolate their oath and deprive citizens their right.
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