Culture has been called "the way of life for an entire society." As such, it includes codes of manners, dress, language, religion, rituals, norms of behavior such as law and morality, and systems of belief. Maldivians are 100 per cent Muslims and therefore they celebrate all the festivals that feature on the traditional Muslim calendar. Thus Islam is the cornerstone of the culture of Maldives.
Our educational system has principally rewarded those who have developed their ability to swallow information and regurgitate it during a prescribed time frame. This distorted thinking is further advanced by our scholars who return home after graduation from overseas institutions and impart knowledge to local communities without engaging them in critical thinking. Thus our minds which controls everything about our life is influenced, manipulated and in the end controlled by people who sometimes subvert faith and religion because of their ignorance or their madness. Many of the followers who blindly follow teachings that include the distorted ones get trapped into radicalism and extremism. Thus emerge the cults that often bring a painful end, it wrecks families and communities.
The recent bombing in Sultan Park Male' and the masked men of Hinmadhoo who stood against the police and security forces have revealed that we too have our cults who live differently, teach their children out of the mainstream schools and are prepared to fight and defend their separate way of life in small communities. This is just the beginning of our cults and if it progresses unchecked, we could hear of martyrdom and more destructive cults.
The battle against destructive and death cults can only be won when the Muslims take a forceful stance against extremism, separatism and radicalism. This view is beginning to be shared across the Muslim world and now its time for Maldives to walk its talk in making Maldives the peaceful country that it claims to be.
Is Islam a religion that has the propensity to lead to destructive cults?
Let us look at what some of this separatist groups are doing. Some of them say we should live exactly in the same exact way as the Prophet and his disciples lived. We should dress like them, eat like them and live like them. The argument is on whether Muslim men should be allowed to wear suites and ties as Westerners do or not? When they are told that why should we live like them when they existed 1500 years ago and our life today is different? Why should we ignore the current life style and not take full advantage of the technologies that exist today to our benefit? Their response is: "Don't you think that if Allah wanted to make the cloths of today lawful, He would've made the Muslims have them 1500 years ago?" How is it possible to reason out with such erratic thinking? If we can't reason out, is it possible to change such thinking and dogmatic behaviour?
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Tuesday, October 09, 2007
A young woman's journey searching religion.
The main message that I picked out is that by learning the virtues of different religions we learn to tolerate the intolerance.
Monday, October 08, 2007
Indians abused in Malaysia
More than 200 Indian nationals working in a Malaysian factory have alleged that they were being abused by their employment agent and are desperate to return home after three of their colleagues were brutally beaten up.
The 264 Indian workers, employed at a factory in Senai in Johor state, claimed their agent started abusing them when they arrived in Malaysia two years ago.
All the major Indian newspapers carried this news. Reading through the Rediff comments, it will be observed that there are flames from some angry Indians. The anger at the abuse is understandable and action must be taken to prevent such abuse. At the same time those who perpetrated the abuse must be held accountable according to the law. While the religion of the employer who allegedly inflicted the abuse is unknown, some have called for action against Muslims because it has happened in Malaysia which has a majority Muslim population.
The abuse will have to be investigated without bringing any religion in the picture because no religion calls for abuse of rights of other people. Every time something goes wrong it may be easier to scapegoat Islam but it does not solve the underlying problems of poverty, abuse, unemployment and oppression. It only distracts focus from the underlying problems.
The 264 Indian workers, employed at a factory in Senai in Johor state, claimed their agent started abusing them when they arrived in Malaysia two years ago.
All the major Indian newspapers carried this news. Reading through the Rediff comments, it will be observed that there are flames from some angry Indians. The anger at the abuse is understandable and action must be taken to prevent such abuse. At the same time those who perpetrated the abuse must be held accountable according to the law. While the religion of the employer who allegedly inflicted the abuse is unknown, some have called for action against Muslims because it has happened in Malaysia which has a majority Muslim population.
The abuse will have to be investigated without bringing any religion in the picture because no religion calls for abuse of rights of other people. Every time something goes wrong it may be easier to scapegoat Islam but it does not solve the underlying problems of poverty, abuse, unemployment and oppression. It only distracts focus from the underlying problems.
Sunday, October 07, 2007
New York mayor takes the train to work
Michael Bloomberg is an American businessman, and the founder of Bloomberg L.P., currently serving as the Mayor of New York City.
Bloomberg entered politics as a self-made media mogul and struck a populist note early in his mayoral campaign by pledging to use mass transit. Since starting at City Hall he has invited reporters, photographers and television news anchors to ride along with him.
The mayor's spokesman said that he "walked to the subway when he first started as mayor, and he stopped doing it when cameras staked out his house every morning and walked with him." Now the mayor is driven to the subway station at 59th Street and Lexington Avenue, where he can board an express train to City Hall.
Being driven to the 59th Street station shaves the mayor's commuting time by one-third, based on a reporter's test runs. It also saves him aggravations like taking the local train and transferring to the express.
"He goes to various stops depending on where he is going and where he is coming from," said the spokesman.
He is public transportation's loudest cheerleader in New York, boasting that he takes the subway "virtually every day." He has told residents who complain about overcrowded trains to "get real," and he constantly encourages New Yorkers to follow his environmentally friendly example.
Bloomberg entered politics as a self-made media mogul and struck a populist note early in his mayoral campaign by pledging to use mass transit. Since starting at City Hall he has invited reporters, photographers and television news anchors to ride along with him.
The mayor's spokesman said that he "walked to the subway when he first started as mayor, and he stopped doing it when cameras staked out his house every morning and walked with him." Now the mayor is driven to the subway station at 59th Street and Lexington Avenue, where he can board an express train to City Hall.
Being driven to the 59th Street station shaves the mayor's commuting time by one-third, based on a reporter's test runs. It also saves him aggravations like taking the local train and transferring to the express.
"He goes to various stops depending on where he is going and where he is coming from," said the spokesman.
He is public transportation's loudest cheerleader in New York, boasting that he takes the subway "virtually every day." He has told residents who complain about overcrowded trains to "get real," and he constantly encourages New Yorkers to follow his environmentally friendly example.
Saturday, October 06, 2007
University puts courses on YouTube
Berkeley university, one of the most prestigious universities in the US, is embracing the Internet revolution by putting free videos of courses on YouTube.
More than 300 hours of University of California, Berkeley, classes and events are available online. The university plans to continually add videos to the channel, which officially launched Wednesday with about nine full courses consisting of approximately 40 lectures each.
Check them out here.
More than 300 hours of University of California, Berkeley, classes and events are available online. The university plans to continually add videos to the channel, which officially launched Wednesday with about nine full courses consisting of approximately 40 lectures each.
Check them out here.
Friday, October 05, 2007
Weeding out pious frauds
What is emerging in the reports coming out from the Sultan Park bombing incident reveals that some of our youth are getting radicalised in Islam. This is starting at an early age, sometimes in high school. These issues will have to be addressed at its source before they grow big and manifest into lethal action causing harm and destruction. The problem is not with Islam but with twisted interpretations of selected texts to suit a particular thinking.
In the recent past, there were some students in Male's premier high school CHSE who were noted to be acting different from the mainstream. While we have to remain tolerant of diverse views, there is a concern in indoctrinating radical Islam in our every day life making harmonious living impossible because of the religious intolerance and extremism.
To have people in our society who cannot go their to prayers to the mosques for whatever reason and confine themselves to build a cult is not acceptable. If anyone has a grievance or takes issue with the prevailing system compelling them to form their separate groups, their issues will need to be looked into before they get out of hand.
We need to teach our children the principles of good living.
In the recent past, there were some students in Male's premier high school CHSE who were noted to be acting different from the mainstream. While we have to remain tolerant of diverse views, there is a concern in indoctrinating radical Islam in our every day life making harmonious living impossible because of the religious intolerance and extremism.
To have people in our society who cannot go their to prayers to the mosques for whatever reason and confine themselves to build a cult is not acceptable. If anyone has a grievance or takes issue with the prevailing system compelling them to form their separate groups, their issues will need to be looked into before they get out of hand.
We need to teach our children the principles of good living.
Thursday, October 04, 2007
Increasing climate change refugees
Environmental degradation around the world is creating a new category of people known as "environmental refugees."
According to a National Geographic article in 2005, there are at least 20 million environmental refugees worldwide, the group says—more than those displaced by war and political repression combined. This figure continues to increase rapidly.
The inhabitants of the Carteret Islands are the first climate refugees due to sea level rise attributed to global warming and climate change. Other inhabitants of low lying islands and Island states, are also at risk. Tuvalu and Maldives are especially susceptible to changes in sea level and storm surges.
By 2010 the number of environmental refugees could grow to 50 million, the Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS) predicts.
Professor Norman Myers, who is a British environmentalist and authority on biodiversity has estimated climate change will increase the number of environmental refugees six-fold over the next fifty years to 150 million.
Equatorial countries that are home to hundreds of millions of people will become uninhabitable as food and water run out due to climate change, scientists are expected to warn this week.
A report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), to be published on Friday, will warn that the temperature rises of 2-3C predicted by 2050 spell global disaster for both humanity and the environment.
Australia has said that it will prepare to play its role as a part of a global coalition to do their share of assisting the low lying Pacific island states such as Kiribati, the Marshall Islands, and Tuvalu - which sit just a few metres above sea level - are at risk of being swamped as global warming forces sea levels to rise.
Maldives needs to quickly put its house in order internally and start taking action for long term survival/relocation without being content on asking the international community to reduce the greenhouse gases. The environmental threat is already looming on the horizon and we really don't have the time to waste in playing unproductive games.
According to a National Geographic article in 2005, there are at least 20 million environmental refugees worldwide, the group says—more than those displaced by war and political repression combined. This figure continues to increase rapidly.
The inhabitants of the Carteret Islands are the first climate refugees due to sea level rise attributed to global warming and climate change. Other inhabitants of low lying islands and Island states, are also at risk. Tuvalu and Maldives are especially susceptible to changes in sea level and storm surges.
By 2010 the number of environmental refugees could grow to 50 million, the Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS) predicts.
Professor Norman Myers, who is a British environmentalist and authority on biodiversity has estimated climate change will increase the number of environmental refugees six-fold over the next fifty years to 150 million.
Equatorial countries that are home to hundreds of millions of people will become uninhabitable as food and water run out due to climate change, scientists are expected to warn this week.
A report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), to be published on Friday, will warn that the temperature rises of 2-3C predicted by 2050 spell global disaster for both humanity and the environment.
Australia has said that it will prepare to play its role as a part of a global coalition to do their share of assisting the low lying Pacific island states such as Kiribati, the Marshall Islands, and Tuvalu - which sit just a few metres above sea level - are at risk of being swamped as global warming forces sea levels to rise.
Maldives needs to quickly put its house in order internally and start taking action for long term survival/relocation without being content on asking the international community to reduce the greenhouse gases. The environmental threat is already looming on the horizon and we really don't have the time to waste in playing unproductive games.
Wednesday, October 03, 2007
"NO TO TERRORISM! DON'T TOUCH OUR MALDIVES!"
"We don't want terrorists and terrorism in our Maldives!
Join the cyber-protest by Maldivian bloggers."
Join the cyber-protest by Maldivian bloggers."
Worries over veil in Turkey
Turkey is a secular democratic republic whose political system was established in 1923 under the leadership of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, following the fall of the Ottoman Empire in the aftermath of World War I. Turkey is located between Asia and Europe, often described as a bridge between the western and eastern civilizations.
The current constitution in Turkey obliges the government to ensure equality for all - a clause that women's groups fought hard to include. A revised new constitution is now being proposed, describing women as a vulnerable group in need of special protection.
Thousands of prominent men and women who make up the elite of this country are having panic attacks in the face of the possibility that Turkish universities might tolerate their students wearing the Islamic headscarf. Virtually everyday, bureaucrats, pundits and even university rectors lash out against the proposed article in the new constitution to set the headscarf free.
Under the Ataturk code, women were banned from wearing the headscarf in government offices. The Turkish military, the fiercest guardian of “Kemalism” as the cult of Ataturk is known, has used the threat to secularism as the pretext over the decades for many an intervention in politics.
Over the last 80 years, since becoming a secular country the Turks have still not got over the fear of seeing a veiled women.
The current constitution in Turkey obliges the government to ensure equality for all - a clause that women's groups fought hard to include. A revised new constitution is now being proposed, describing women as a vulnerable group in need of special protection.
Thousands of prominent men and women who make up the elite of this country are having panic attacks in the face of the possibility that Turkish universities might tolerate their students wearing the Islamic headscarf. Virtually everyday, bureaucrats, pundits and even university rectors lash out against the proposed article in the new constitution to set the headscarf free.
Under the Ataturk code, women were banned from wearing the headscarf in government offices. The Turkish military, the fiercest guardian of “Kemalism” as the cult of Ataturk is known, has used the threat to secularism as the pretext over the decades for many an intervention in politics.
Over the last 80 years, since becoming a secular country the Turks have still not got over the fear of seeing a veiled women.
Tuesday, October 02, 2007
Stop the madness
Maldives has long maintained a stand of remaining a moderate Islamic country. In all travel guides that gives advice to tourists visiting Maldives, our country is still declared as having very little crime.
The recent homemade bomb that went off in Sultan Park causing injury to 12 tourists has shocked our government and shaken our community. It has made headline news around the world drawing negative publicity to our idyllic sunny islands.
On crimes, we now know that some of the crimes committed in Maldives have become major crimes, way beyond petty crimes. The government, all the political parties and the people have condemned the attack on tourists in the strongest terms as they rightly should. Now it is time to look inward and seek answers why things have come to this stage.
Looking on the crime side, there are horrific crimes that has been committed in Maldives in the recent past. In Jan, 2000- In Thinadhoo a father-in-law was brutally killed in broad daylight by a son-in-law who attacked him mercilessly with a knife. 'He threatened to kill anyone who came near,' claimed by standers who watched in horror. More recently, on Himandhoo island last year, Wahabbis barricaded the island mosque saying that it was constructed on a burial ground. Later, an island official was found dead on the island's beach in December, after enforcing a government decision to close a breakaway mosque.
Looking at this Ramadan alone, we find that crime and violence has gone through the roof. Even the guards keeping watch on shops have not been spared and they have not been able to stop the theft. Now the shopowners themselves are losing sleep trying to keep vigil to protect their property and assets. We have come a long way from a country that has little crime.
On the moderate Islam front, in the recent past we have seen different factions of Islam making there presence felt in our society. We see the increasing Wahabi influence by men whose trousers are worn well above the ankle, and who keep long beards. They gang up in difference places spreading their brand of Islam. There is an outburst of extremism and religious intolerance. The violence that is happening in Addu makes the place look like a war zone.
On the political front, our country is going through a dramatic change when democracy and reform and setting up the institutional framework is the priority of the national agenda. Presently we have fractious unity between political parties , the government and the parliament. Nothing gets done without inordinate delays and the country is heading down on a slippery path. The only reason there is a huge outrage and a call for firm action against the perpetrators of bombing in Sultan Park is because it caused injury to 12 foreign tourists and therefore may hurt tourism. The same standard must be applied to every injustice and every abuse of the right of Maldivians. The same standard must also be applied to stop the import of drugs and eradicate drugs from our society. If it were the case we would never have come to this stage.
Unless we stop this shift to radical Islam and increasing violence, we will destroy tourism and hurt other industries and no one will be able to find any joy living in Maldives. Unless we wrench our country out of the grip of this madness more doom and destruction will follow. It is time for politicians, law enforcement agencies and the people to step up and face this daunting task.
The recent homemade bomb that went off in Sultan Park causing injury to 12 tourists has shocked our government and shaken our community. It has made headline news around the world drawing negative publicity to our idyllic sunny islands.
On crimes, we now know that some of the crimes committed in Maldives have become major crimes, way beyond petty crimes. The government, all the political parties and the people have condemned the attack on tourists in the strongest terms as they rightly should. Now it is time to look inward and seek answers why things have come to this stage.
Looking on the crime side, there are horrific crimes that has been committed in Maldives in the recent past. In Jan, 2000- In Thinadhoo a father-in-law was brutally killed in broad daylight by a son-in-law who attacked him mercilessly with a knife. 'He threatened to kill anyone who came near,' claimed by standers who watched in horror. More recently, on Himandhoo island last year, Wahabbis barricaded the island mosque saying that it was constructed on a burial ground. Later, an island official was found dead on the island's beach in December, after enforcing a government decision to close a breakaway mosque.
Looking at this Ramadan alone, we find that crime and violence has gone through the roof. Even the guards keeping watch on shops have not been spared and they have not been able to stop the theft. Now the shopowners themselves are losing sleep trying to keep vigil to protect their property and assets. We have come a long way from a country that has little crime.
On the moderate Islam front, in the recent past we have seen different factions of Islam making there presence felt in our society. We see the increasing Wahabi influence by men whose trousers are worn well above the ankle, and who keep long beards. They gang up in difference places spreading their brand of Islam. There is an outburst of extremism and religious intolerance. The violence that is happening in Addu makes the place look like a war zone.
On the political front, our country is going through a dramatic change when democracy and reform and setting up the institutional framework is the priority of the national agenda. Presently we have fractious unity between political parties , the government and the parliament. Nothing gets done without inordinate delays and the country is heading down on a slippery path. The only reason there is a huge outrage and a call for firm action against the perpetrators of bombing in Sultan Park is because it caused injury to 12 foreign tourists and therefore may hurt tourism. The same standard must be applied to every injustice and every abuse of the right of Maldivians. The same standard must also be applied to stop the import of drugs and eradicate drugs from our society. If it were the case we would never have come to this stage.
Unless we stop this shift to radical Islam and increasing violence, we will destroy tourism and hurt other industries and no one will be able to find any joy living in Maldives. Unless we wrench our country out of the grip of this madness more doom and destruction will follow. It is time for politicians, law enforcement agencies and the people to step up and face this daunting task.
Monday, October 01, 2007
The youngest CEO at 17.
Here's a rags to riches story where the American 17-year-old girl Ashley Quall is featured in a Fastcompany article. It is an interesting article of how a minor (legally) has really become big in business.
The power of Quall's website whateverlife.com hit home last year when Quall posted a music video of an unknown boy band on her website. This was at the behest of the creator of online video widget, similar to YouTube, who had been hired by Columbia Records to see what kind of buzz he could create with an inexpensive marketing campaign conducted purely on the web.
This is evidence of the meritocracy on the Internet that allows even companies run by neophyte entrepreneurs to compete, regardless of funding, location, size, or experience--and she's a reminder that ingenuity is ageless. She has taken in more than $1 million, thanks to a now-familiar Web-friendly business model. Her MySpace page layouts are available for the bargain price of...nothing. They're free for the taking. Her only significant source of revenue so far is advertising.
According to Google Analytics, Whateverlife attracts more than 7 million individuals and 60 million page views a month. That's a larger audience than the circulations of Seventeen, Teen Vogue, and CosmoGirl! magazines combined. Although Web-site rankings vary with the methodology, Quantcast, a popular source among advertisers, ranked Whateverlife.com a staggering No. 349 in mid-July out of more than 20 million sites. Among the sites in its rearview mirror: Britannica.com, AmericanIdol.com, FDA .gov, and CBS.com, even ahead of Oprah.com.
Now her life is centered around working in the basement of the two-story, four-bedroom house that she bought last September for $250,000.
Sunday, September 30, 2007
What feeling does our Gaumi salaam evoke?
Romanized Transliteration of gaumi salaam
"Gaumee mi ekuverikan matee tibegen kureeme salaam,
Gaumee bahun gina hyo du'aa kuramun kureeme salaam.
Gaumee nishaanang hurmataa eku bo lambai tibegen
Audaa nakan libigen e vaa dida-ak kureeme salaam.
Nasraa nasiibaa kaamyaabu-ge ramzakang himenee
Fessaa rataai hudaa ekii fenumun kuriime salaam."
Translation
"We salute you in this national unity.
We salute you, with many good wishes in the national tongue,
Bowing the head in respect to the national symbol.
We salute the flag that has such might ;
It falls into the sphere of victory, fortune and success
With its green and red and white together, and therefore we salute it."
In public events and in schools the national anthem is sung to show patriotism. Many people believe that patriotism is a virtue. This is what the political world and popular media in many countries portray patriotism to be. For some people patriotism means to fight in defence of one's country, to kill or to die for it. For others just cheering their national football team will do it.
The Soviet Union was short on freedom and democracy, but the one thing it had plenty of was patriotism. President Vladimir Putin wants to boost Russia's patriotism and has made it as one of the priorities. The Russian government has approved a $17m programme that will urge youths to mark military victories, and will fund the re-introduction of military-style games in schools.
After Japan's defeat in the 2ND World War, the country has adopted a pacifist constitution to demonstrate that no-one has anything to fear from a more patriotic Japan. But now, Japan's lower house of parliament has passed a bill encouraging teachers to instill patriotism and respect for tradition in their students. The bill, which will now go to the upper house, would change the country's education law for the first time since it was enacted in 1947. The bill which was strongly backed by former prime minister Abe calls on teachers to instill thinking among students "respecting tradition and culture and loving the nation and homeland."
If one were to define patriotism, it does not merely indicate morals or ethics. Patriotism relates to a sense of belonging for the country that we are born in. It is about a feeling of national pride and love for the nation. Extreme patriotism is one reason for the Japanese military aggression and territorial expansion prior to the 2ND World War. Hence not all patriotism has produced good results.
In times of war, citizens show their patriotism by supporting their troops. Although 70 per cent of the American population is opposed to the war in Iraq now, yet all of them support their troops who are in harm's way.
Recently I asked someone who replied emphatically, "Yes, I love my country." When I pressed further to explain, a more cautious reply came, "Well, I love the islands, they are beautiful but I don't like the system in Maldives." My guess is that many of us would ruefully agree to this statement given that we are on a self-destructive path and our loyalty and love have become concepts applicable only to our personal self.
In the first line of our anthem, we salute our unity. Where does this unity exist in Maldives for us to be able to do that? We do everything that is counter productive to the concept of unity. We have lost our unity of purpose for common good completely. If we believe scientific predictions, even the natural forces are stacked against us. The rising sea level may sink our islands into the sea before we are able to extricate ourselves from the dark hole that we still continue digging deeper.
"Gaumee mi ekuverikan matee tibegen kureeme salaam,
Gaumee bahun gina hyo du'aa kuramun kureeme salaam.
Gaumee nishaanang hurmataa eku bo lambai tibegen
Audaa nakan libigen e vaa dida-ak kureeme salaam.
Nasraa nasiibaa kaamyaabu-ge ramzakang himenee
Fessaa rataai hudaa ekii fenumun kuriime salaam."
Translation
"We salute you in this national unity.
We salute you, with many good wishes in the national tongue,
Bowing the head in respect to the national symbol.
We salute the flag that has such might ;
It falls into the sphere of victory, fortune and success
With its green and red and white together, and therefore we salute it."
In public events and in schools the national anthem is sung to show patriotism. Many people believe that patriotism is a virtue. This is what the political world and popular media in many countries portray patriotism to be. For some people patriotism means to fight in defence of one's country, to kill or to die for it. For others just cheering their national football team will do it.
The Soviet Union was short on freedom and democracy, but the one thing it had plenty of was patriotism. President Vladimir Putin wants to boost Russia's patriotism and has made it as one of the priorities. The Russian government has approved a $17m programme that will urge youths to mark military victories, and will fund the re-introduction of military-style games in schools.
After Japan's defeat in the 2ND World War, the country has adopted a pacifist constitution to demonstrate that no-one has anything to fear from a more patriotic Japan. But now, Japan's lower house of parliament has passed a bill encouraging teachers to instill patriotism and respect for tradition in their students. The bill, which will now go to the upper house, would change the country's education law for the first time since it was enacted in 1947. The bill which was strongly backed by former prime minister Abe calls on teachers to instill thinking among students "respecting tradition and culture and loving the nation and homeland."
If one were to define patriotism, it does not merely indicate morals or ethics. Patriotism relates to a sense of belonging for the country that we are born in. It is about a feeling of national pride and love for the nation. Extreme patriotism is one reason for the Japanese military aggression and territorial expansion prior to the 2ND World War. Hence not all patriotism has produced good results.
In times of war, citizens show their patriotism by supporting their troops. Although 70 per cent of the American population is opposed to the war in Iraq now, yet all of them support their troops who are in harm's way.
Recently I asked someone who replied emphatically, "Yes, I love my country." When I pressed further to explain, a more cautious reply came, "Well, I love the islands, they are beautiful but I don't like the system in Maldives." My guess is that many of us would ruefully agree to this statement given that we are on a self-destructive path and our loyalty and love have become concepts applicable only to our personal self.
In the first line of our anthem, we salute our unity. Where does this unity exist in Maldives for us to be able to do that? We do everything that is counter productive to the concept of unity. We have lost our unity of purpose for common good completely. If we believe scientific predictions, even the natural forces are stacked against us. The rising sea level may sink our islands into the sea before we are able to extricate ourselves from the dark hole that we still continue digging deeper.
Friday, September 28, 2007
Gandhi's triumph of non-violence changed the world
Mahathma Gandhi was the pioneer of a civil disobedience movement that brought the British empire down to its knees and gained independence for India.
This was a defining moment in the history of the 20th century that inspired movements for civil rights and freedom across the world.
Gandhi is the man Albert Einstein, the famous scientist is quoted to have said, "Generations to come, it may be, will scarce believe that such a one as this, ever in flesh and blood walked upon this earth."
This was a defining moment in the history of the 20th century that inspired movements for civil rights and freedom across the world.
Gandhi is the man Albert Einstein, the famous scientist is quoted to have said, "Generations to come, it may be, will scarce believe that such a one as this, ever in flesh and blood walked upon this earth."
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
What kind of capitalism for us!
After the collapse of communism in Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, when it comes to the prosperity and growth of an economy, the choice is no longer between socialism (or communism) and capitalism. Rather, the choice is between forms of control of the economy that are all arguably capitalistic, in the sense that the bulk of the means of production are in private hands.
Yet across the globe, we see a remarkable variety in capitalist systems – and in performance. There are capitalist societies whose record of innovation and growth is remarkable. The United States is a prime example, as are many of the most industrialized countries of Europe and several other economies that are moving toward the forefront. And there are several apparently capitalist nations, including several in South America, in which growth has been slow – and, in some instances has managed to decline – despite the outpouring of productivity-enhancing innovations in the world economy.
According to a Financial Times article, Europeans have little faith that their continent can compete economically with fast-growing Asian countries – but are even more convinced that it should not become more like the US.
The wary attitude of Europeans towards US-style capitalism and the gloom of many about economic prospects are revealed in an FT/Harris poll.
Asked whether the European economy could compete effectively against rising economies in Asia, such as China and India, almost two-thirds of French respondents said No.
The figures for Italy, at 56 per cent, Germany, at 45 per cent, and the UK, at 41 per cent, were lower, but still higher than the percentage saying Europe could compete with such Asian countries. The difference was accounted for by those who were not sure.
When asked whether Europe’s economy should be more like that of the US, the results were clear-cut. Those saying it should not, included 78 per cent of Germans, 73 per cent of the French, 58 per cent of the Spanish. In both Italy and the UK, 46 per cent opposed the US model.
Among those polled in the US, 30 per cent thought Europe should be more like the US.
So clearly, the European Union countries are struggling to define what is the best free-market, capitalist economic system for them.
Europeans are concerned that multinational corporations are seen as more powerful than governments, and those polled generally believed that regulations protecting workers’ rights should be strengthened rather than relaxed.
How do we feel about the capitalism that we are following in Maldives. Do we need to liberalise our economy further, do we need to strengthen workers rights, do we need more competition avoiding the forming of monopolies or what else do we need to do to create a just and progressive society?
How do we address the imbalances in our economy such as income levels and widening gap between the rich and the poor? These imbalances can be addressed when the people and the government work to improve the well being of every individual.
The Japanese language has a term 'Kyosei' which means ‘to live and work together for the common good.’
What kyosei means to us in business: it reminds us of our responsibility to create a new vision of work that fosters the long-term sustainability of people, profits, and the planet.
The interests of employees, customers, owners, and stakeholders are all honoured equally, that is how kyosei is meant to work. We need to find our own kyosei to share our prosperity in a more equitable and just manner.
Yet across the globe, we see a remarkable variety in capitalist systems – and in performance. There are capitalist societies whose record of innovation and growth is remarkable. The United States is a prime example, as are many of the most industrialized countries of Europe and several other economies that are moving toward the forefront. And there are several apparently capitalist nations, including several in South America, in which growth has been slow – and, in some instances has managed to decline – despite the outpouring of productivity-enhancing innovations in the world economy.
According to a Financial Times article, Europeans have little faith that their continent can compete economically with fast-growing Asian countries – but are even more convinced that it should not become more like the US.
The wary attitude of Europeans towards US-style capitalism and the gloom of many about economic prospects are revealed in an FT/Harris poll.
Asked whether the European economy could compete effectively against rising economies in Asia, such as China and India, almost two-thirds of French respondents said No.
The figures for Italy, at 56 per cent, Germany, at 45 per cent, and the UK, at 41 per cent, were lower, but still higher than the percentage saying Europe could compete with such Asian countries. The difference was accounted for by those who were not sure.
When asked whether Europe’s economy should be more like that of the US, the results were clear-cut. Those saying it should not, included 78 per cent of Germans, 73 per cent of the French, 58 per cent of the Spanish. In both Italy and the UK, 46 per cent opposed the US model.
Among those polled in the US, 30 per cent thought Europe should be more like the US.
So clearly, the European Union countries are struggling to define what is the best free-market, capitalist economic system for them.
Europeans are concerned that multinational corporations are seen as more powerful than governments, and those polled generally believed that regulations protecting workers’ rights should be strengthened rather than relaxed.
How do we feel about the capitalism that we are following in Maldives. Do we need to liberalise our economy further, do we need to strengthen workers rights, do we need more competition avoiding the forming of monopolies or what else do we need to do to create a just and progressive society?
How do we address the imbalances in our economy such as income levels and widening gap between the rich and the poor? These imbalances can be addressed when the people and the government work to improve the well being of every individual.
The Japanese language has a term 'Kyosei' which means ‘to live and work together for the common good.’
What kyosei means to us in business: it reminds us of our responsibility to create a new vision of work that fosters the long-term sustainability of people, profits, and the planet.
The interests of employees, customers, owners, and stakeholders are all honoured equally, that is how kyosei is meant to work. We need to find our own kyosei to share our prosperity in a more equitable and just manner.
Monday, September 24, 2007
Is Pyrard's opinion true for Maldivians?
Writing about the state of affairs in our country on his blog , Simon writes that we lack ambition and foresight. We lack the power of forward thinking. This is the case today and this was the case 400 years ago when Pyrard wrote in his journal:
“In my opinion, it is the easy means of living which renders [Maldivians] indolent and negligent, and this prevents them getting rich; for most of them care only for the wherewithal to live, without ambition, desire, or trouble for aught beside.”
Here are my comments that I posted on his blog:
"Pyrard's observation of Maldivians being indolent and negligent in 1602 when he was held captive in Male', does not add up for me.
That was probably the worst period in our feudal history, when our rulers- the sultans were involved in brutal and messy successions. We were also captured and occupied by the Portuguese. Our people were helpless then as they appear to be now, although there is more outrage expressed now.
If Pyrard had said our rulers were greedy and self-serving and failed to empower our people and improve their lives, that I can accept.
I agree with the problems in our country that you have outlined here and the contradictions imposed on our society. As you said we can sell and serve alcohol to foreigners but we can't have a casino. Both alcohol and gambling are prohibited for Muslims. We have allowed alcohol but cannot allow gambling to foreigners citing religion. These kinds of contradictions are all around us.
As noted by Dr.freex here, it is futile to compare Maldives to Singapore or Malaysia. Few can match our hypocrisies, double standards and injustice when we are a 100 per cent Muslim country.
It is true that our present situation is pathetic, but I don't believe it is because we are born lazy. Take the special majlis amending a constitution that took seventeen years to make. Three years and millions of rupees have spent but still the job is not done. Half the time meetings are cancelled becoz our handsomely paid members don't show up and there is no quorum for the meeting. Does this happen becoz the people are lazy?"
Let us cast our thinking back by two generations, say to the 1950s. This was the period when Maldives did not have mechanized dhoanis and mechanized boats to transport goods and ferry people from island to island. The islanders used sailboats or dhoanis with sail that used wind power to carry their dried fish to Male' where Male' merchants will buy and store them while awaiting shipment to Ceylon by the government. The islanders would buy their provisions and other items from Male' shops and sail back to their island.
For the islanders, it involved hard work. The fishermen set out at dawn in search of bait fish, which were caught and kept alive in a specially prepared compartment of the dhoani and they sailed out to the sea and returned in the evening with the day's catch. Fish would be distributed and the women played an important role in cooking the fish during the night and drying them in the sun for several days.
Maldives did not have tourism those days. For the merchants in Male', life was better than those of the islands, in this centrally controlled economy.
The traditional dhoani built out coconut timber is the most common means of travel in the Maldives. The islanders built their own transport infrastructure, i.e, their own craftsman built their travelling dhoanis by their own design and skills passed on from generation to generation. Today imported timber is used widely in dhoani building. Over the centuries the basic design of dhoani remained unchanged.
Battheli is a type of large multi-sailed ocean going vessel used in the Maldives. It is used for inter atoll transport, as well as overseas travel and trade.
Odi is the local name for large, sea and ocean going sail vessels, used for inter atoll and overseas trade and travel.
For the most part, life on the islands was one of subsistence. The merchants in Male' were more into making money and they had an advantage over the islanders since Male' was the Capital as well as the commercial hub. Even most of the uninhabited islands in the outer atolls were leased to landlords sitting in Male' who in turn subleased them to the islanders for a higher rental.
My feeling is that this is the type of lifestyle that Pyrard referrd to as "the easy means of living which renders [Maldivians] indolent and negligent, and this prevents them getting rich, for most of them care only for the wherewithal to live, without ambition, desire, or trouble for aught beside.”
I couldn't disagree more. Maldivians were hard working people who provided for their families and wanted to give a good life to their children. They did the best they could.
In 1974, the first mechanized dhoani was launched, under a government sponsored project, revolutionizing not only the local boat building industry, but all aspects of the country’s sea transport system.
This was a major transformation and a turning point for the Maldivian economy, its inter island transport system and perhaps its way of life as well.
By this time a Japanese company under a deal negotiated by the government kept three freezer and six collector vessels to buy fresh fish from the fisherman. The fisherman could sell their catch and get paid on the spot.
The first fish canning plant was established on the island of Felivaru, as a joint venture with a Japanese firm, in 1977.
Tourism was introduced to the Maldives in the early 1970s. There were many people who began to see life working on the tourist resorts or serving the resorts as a better opportunity than toiling in the hot sun fishing. As tourism expanded and became the lead industry, fishing gradually took a back seat in the national development of the country.
The tourist dollars and various grants and loans from international lending agencies started flowing in from this time onwards up to now. We have several Maldivian graduates returning from overseas universities and our businessmen are now more preoccupied with making money.
In the past, everyone had to be productive and did something that contributed to the good of society. Today, the very people who endured hardship growing up are overindulging in providing for their children. Some of these pampered children are able to live off their parents wealth even as adults. An increasing number of younger persons are struggling on drug addiction. There are others are trapped in poverty as the country advances, because of the inequitable distribution of wealth.
What is happening during this Ramadan is a good reflection of our current society. We have foreign Imams preaching, we have political parties Imams preaching, in fact we have more preaching than at any other time in our history. Yet we find that every Ramadan breaks the previous Ramadan record for criminal behaviour and robbery. This cannot happen from a people who are just laid back and lazy.
“In my opinion, it is the easy means of living which renders [Maldivians] indolent and negligent, and this prevents them getting rich; for most of them care only for the wherewithal to live, without ambition, desire, or trouble for aught beside.”
Here are my comments that I posted on his blog:
"Pyrard's observation of Maldivians being indolent and negligent in 1602 when he was held captive in Male', does not add up for me.
That was probably the worst period in our feudal history, when our rulers- the sultans were involved in brutal and messy successions. We were also captured and occupied by the Portuguese. Our people were helpless then as they appear to be now, although there is more outrage expressed now.
If Pyrard had said our rulers were greedy and self-serving and failed to empower our people and improve their lives, that I can accept.
I agree with the problems in our country that you have outlined here and the contradictions imposed on our society. As you said we can sell and serve alcohol to foreigners but we can't have a casino. Both alcohol and gambling are prohibited for Muslims. We have allowed alcohol but cannot allow gambling to foreigners citing religion. These kinds of contradictions are all around us.
As noted by Dr.freex here, it is futile to compare Maldives to Singapore or Malaysia. Few can match our hypocrisies, double standards and injustice when we are a 100 per cent Muslim country.
It is true that our present situation is pathetic, but I don't believe it is because we are born lazy. Take the special majlis amending a constitution that took seventeen years to make. Three years and millions of rupees have spent but still the job is not done. Half the time meetings are cancelled becoz our handsomely paid members don't show up and there is no quorum for the meeting. Does this happen becoz the people are lazy?"
Let us cast our thinking back by two generations, say to the 1950s. This was the period when Maldives did not have mechanized dhoanis and mechanized boats to transport goods and ferry people from island to island. The islanders used sailboats or dhoanis with sail that used wind power to carry their dried fish to Male' where Male' merchants will buy and store them while awaiting shipment to Ceylon by the government. The islanders would buy their provisions and other items from Male' shops and sail back to their island.
For the islanders, it involved hard work. The fishermen set out at dawn in search of bait fish, which were caught and kept alive in a specially prepared compartment of the dhoani and they sailed out to the sea and returned in the evening with the day's catch. Fish would be distributed and the women played an important role in cooking the fish during the night and drying them in the sun for several days.
Maldives did not have tourism those days. For the merchants in Male', life was better than those of the islands, in this centrally controlled economy.
The traditional dhoani built out coconut timber is the most common means of travel in the Maldives. The islanders built their own transport infrastructure, i.e, their own craftsman built their travelling dhoanis by their own design and skills passed on from generation to generation. Today imported timber is used widely in dhoani building. Over the centuries the basic design of dhoani remained unchanged.
Battheli is a type of large multi-sailed ocean going vessel used in the Maldives. It is used for inter atoll transport, as well as overseas travel and trade.
Odi is the local name for large, sea and ocean going sail vessels, used for inter atoll and overseas trade and travel.
For the most part, life on the islands was one of subsistence. The merchants in Male' were more into making money and they had an advantage over the islanders since Male' was the Capital as well as the commercial hub. Even most of the uninhabited islands in the outer atolls were leased to landlords sitting in Male' who in turn subleased them to the islanders for a higher rental.
My feeling is that this is the type of lifestyle that Pyrard referrd to as "the easy means of living which renders [Maldivians] indolent and negligent, and this prevents them getting rich, for most of them care only for the wherewithal to live, without ambition, desire, or trouble for aught beside.”
I couldn't disagree more. Maldivians were hard working people who provided for their families and wanted to give a good life to their children. They did the best they could.
In 1974, the first mechanized dhoani was launched, under a government sponsored project, revolutionizing not only the local boat building industry, but all aspects of the country’s sea transport system.
This was a major transformation and a turning point for the Maldivian economy, its inter island transport system and perhaps its way of life as well.
By this time a Japanese company under a deal negotiated by the government kept three freezer and six collector vessels to buy fresh fish from the fisherman. The fisherman could sell their catch and get paid on the spot.
The first fish canning plant was established on the island of Felivaru, as a joint venture with a Japanese firm, in 1977.
Tourism was introduced to the Maldives in the early 1970s. There were many people who began to see life working on the tourist resorts or serving the resorts as a better opportunity than toiling in the hot sun fishing. As tourism expanded and became the lead industry, fishing gradually took a back seat in the national development of the country.
The tourist dollars and various grants and loans from international lending agencies started flowing in from this time onwards up to now. We have several Maldivian graduates returning from overseas universities and our businessmen are now more preoccupied with making money.
In the past, everyone had to be productive and did something that contributed to the good of society. Today, the very people who endured hardship growing up are overindulging in providing for their children. Some of these pampered children are able to live off their parents wealth even as adults. An increasing number of younger persons are struggling on drug addiction. There are others are trapped in poverty as the country advances, because of the inequitable distribution of wealth.
What is happening during this Ramadan is a good reflection of our current society. We have foreign Imams preaching, we have political parties Imams preaching, in fact we have more preaching than at any other time in our history. Yet we find that every Ramadan breaks the previous Ramadan record for criminal behaviour and robbery. This cannot happen from a people who are just laid back and lazy.
Saturday, September 22, 2007
Black O-pium energy drink gets ousted
I wonder whether anybody got drunk on the black o-pium energy drink for it to be banned in Maldives.
This is a Thai energy drink with mushroom extract in it.
It is a lightly carbonated energy drink that uses the same formula (with the exception of carbonated water) as its non-carbonated counterpart.
As reported on Haveeru, the NCB said in a statement that although there were no traces of any narcotic drugs in the drink, the NCB believed that the name of the brand and the phrases used in promotions and advertisement for the product encouraged people to abuse its namesake drug.
Maldives may have insulted the Black O-pium energy drink, but when the action comes from a country that is desperately trying to control an out-of-control drug crisis, we just have to treat it as a lesser evil.
So we bid adios to the funky looking drink , not for its fault but because we as a people failed to stop an onslaught of drugs by greedy traffickers who have addicted an alarming number of our younger generation. Any product that carries an unsettling name may find similar trouble, since our society is at the edge of an abyss.
Friday, September 21, 2007
Politicians battle over Lord Ram's existence
Here is the kind of incident that can lead to an explosive situation when politics is mixed with religion and religion is used as the punching bag to achieve political and economic objectives.
DMK Chief and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi on Wednesday said there was no historic proof of Lord Ram's existence.
There was also no proof of Lord Ram having constructed a bridge and being an expert in engineering, he told a TV channel.
The Opposition BJP leader Mr. L.K. Advani addressing a press conference said he respected Mr. Karunanidhi’s right to be an atheist. But he should know that he had no right to show disrespect to Hinduism. Every citizen had a constitutional duty not to hurt the religious sentiments of any community. Being the Chief Minister of a State, Mr. Karunanidhi’s constitutional duty was even higher.
The central issue here is the Sethusamudram Shipping Canal Project which proposes linking the Palk Bay (sea between South India and Sri Lanka) and the Gulf of Mannar between India and Sri Lanka by creating a shipping canal through the shallow sea sometimes called Setu Samudram, and through the island chain of Rama's Bridge, also known as Adam's Bridge.
Due to shallow waters, Sethusamudram presents a formidable hindrance to navigation through the Palk strait. Though trade across the India-Sri Lanka divide has been active since at least the first millennium BCE, it has been limited to small boats and dinghies.
The Tamil Nadu government wants to carry out the dredging proposed in the Sethusamudram project to allow naviagation for larger ships which will bring tremendous economic benefit but a large Hindu majority object to it on religious grounds and the project has been put on hold.
According to the Hindu epic Ramayana, the islands were built by an army of monkeys to allow Ram to cross the Palk Strait that separates India and Sri Lanka and rescue his kidnapped wife.
A campaign by Hindus against the creation of a sea lane they say would destroy a sacred site rocked the Indian cabinet yesterday as ministers clashed over the now-suspended project.
In a report submitted to the Supreme Court, which is examining the project, the Culture Ministry said there was no proof the events described in the Ramayana ever took place or that the characters in the epic existed.
Meanwhile, Hindu nationalists in the northern state of Punjab burnt effigies of Sonia Gandhi, the Italian-born leader of the ruling Congress party.
"How would a Christian know about the Hindu religion?" cried protesters led by former Test player Navjyot Singh Siddhu, a Hindu nationalist MP.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has put on hold the half-billion-dollar plan to dredge sandy shoals in a strip of sea between India and Sri Lanka after Hindus objected, saying the formation was created by the God Ram.
This situation clearly demonstrates that although Indians do have freedom of speech, being a multi cultural and multi religious society, they must respect each other's faith and feelings. Unless cooler heads prevail incidents like this where passions run high, can very easily lead to deadly consequences.
Karunanidhi still maintains his stand. "You tell me whether Rama lived. I had only stated that there was no person in the name of Lord Ram. What is wrong in that?" he asked.
DMK Chief and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi on Wednesday said there was no historic proof of Lord Ram's existence.
There was also no proof of Lord Ram having constructed a bridge and being an expert in engineering, he told a TV channel.
The Opposition BJP leader Mr. L.K. Advani addressing a press conference said he respected Mr. Karunanidhi’s right to be an atheist. But he should know that he had no right to show disrespect to Hinduism. Every citizen had a constitutional duty not to hurt the religious sentiments of any community. Being the Chief Minister of a State, Mr. Karunanidhi’s constitutional duty was even higher.
The central issue here is the Sethusamudram Shipping Canal Project which proposes linking the Palk Bay (sea between South India and Sri Lanka) and the Gulf of Mannar between India and Sri Lanka by creating a shipping canal through the shallow sea sometimes called Setu Samudram, and through the island chain of Rama's Bridge, also known as Adam's Bridge.
Due to shallow waters, Sethusamudram presents a formidable hindrance to navigation through the Palk strait. Though trade across the India-Sri Lanka divide has been active since at least the first millennium BCE, it has been limited to small boats and dinghies.
The Tamil Nadu government wants to carry out the dredging proposed in the Sethusamudram project to allow naviagation for larger ships which will bring tremendous economic benefit but a large Hindu majority object to it on religious grounds and the project has been put on hold.
According to the Hindu epic Ramayana, the islands were built by an army of monkeys to allow Ram to cross the Palk Strait that separates India and Sri Lanka and rescue his kidnapped wife.
A campaign by Hindus against the creation of a sea lane they say would destroy a sacred site rocked the Indian cabinet yesterday as ministers clashed over the now-suspended project.
In a report submitted to the Supreme Court, which is examining the project, the Culture Ministry said there was no proof the events described in the Ramayana ever took place or that the characters in the epic existed.
Meanwhile, Hindu nationalists in the northern state of Punjab burnt effigies of Sonia Gandhi, the Italian-born leader of the ruling Congress party.
"How would a Christian know about the Hindu religion?" cried protesters led by former Test player Navjyot Singh Siddhu, a Hindu nationalist MP.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has put on hold the half-billion-dollar plan to dredge sandy shoals in a strip of sea between India and Sri Lanka after Hindus objected, saying the formation was created by the God Ram.
This situation clearly demonstrates that although Indians do have freedom of speech, being a multi cultural and multi religious society, they must respect each other's faith and feelings. Unless cooler heads prevail incidents like this where passions run high, can very easily lead to deadly consequences.
Karunanidhi still maintains his stand. "You tell me whether Rama lived. I had only stated that there was no person in the name of Lord Ram. What is wrong in that?" he asked.
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Abusive language and name calling
When you hear a person hurling abusive language at another, it is generally a cry for attention by someone who feels in some way inadequate. Sometimes such outbursts are followed with over-the-top aggression. These actions reflect how desperate a person is. Nobody wins in needless negativity and name calling.
Recently there was an incident inside the Parliament in Maldives where one Member of Parliament is alleged to have abused another Member of Parliament and the case is now being fought in the court for defamation of character.
Politicians debate and make laws in the parliament which is an important pillar in a democracy. Politicians also seek to influence us to endorse their policies or turn out to vote for them in elections. The language they use has meaning and affects people who hear them.
The denigration and degeneration of our society in Maldives is at an all time high and we have to take action to reverse this trend.
We are a nation of people who do have values. Freedom of speech doesn't mean we use abusive language and name calling without consequences.
While most of us would fall short of the standards expected from us from time to time, those of us like politicians who are in the public eye and are seen as role models must try to live up to our standing in society.
Insulting an opponent is not going to achieve a victory, rather it appears to be an admission of defeat from the moment it begins.
Our children are not growing up in a perfect world. When we make a mistake, when our politicians make a mistake, we and they need to accept responsibility and offer an apology. Once we start doing that as a nation we can begin to clean our act. That will be a good beginning for our children who can see the adults respecting each other.
We can stop our elected officials from using abusive language and the next time they come around campaigning for election, we have to warn them that we are watching them and will not tolerate any name calling in public.
There are abusive Narcissists in all societies, they have to face their own internal demons and change their behaviour through counselling and treatment. Abusive behavior can also result from mental health issues or disorders like uncontrollable rage, drinking, drugs or impaired brain functioning. Such people will need medical treatment to deal with their problems.
Recently there was an incident inside the Parliament in Maldives where one Member of Parliament is alleged to have abused another Member of Parliament and the case is now being fought in the court for defamation of character.
Politicians debate and make laws in the parliament which is an important pillar in a democracy. Politicians also seek to influence us to endorse their policies or turn out to vote for them in elections. The language they use has meaning and affects people who hear them.
The denigration and degeneration of our society in Maldives is at an all time high and we have to take action to reverse this trend.
We are a nation of people who do have values. Freedom of speech doesn't mean we use abusive language and name calling without consequences.
While most of us would fall short of the standards expected from us from time to time, those of us like politicians who are in the public eye and are seen as role models must try to live up to our standing in society.
Insulting an opponent is not going to achieve a victory, rather it appears to be an admission of defeat from the moment it begins.
Our children are not growing up in a perfect world. When we make a mistake, when our politicians make a mistake, we and they need to accept responsibility and offer an apology. Once we start doing that as a nation we can begin to clean our act. That will be a good beginning for our children who can see the adults respecting each other.
We can stop our elected officials from using abusive language and the next time they come around campaigning for election, we have to warn them that we are watching them and will not tolerate any name calling in public.
There are abusive Narcissists in all societies, they have to face their own internal demons and change their behaviour through counselling and treatment. Abusive behavior can also result from mental health issues or disorders like uncontrollable rage, drinking, drugs or impaired brain functioning. Such people will need medical treatment to deal with their problems.
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Will a recession hit our shores?
More and more economists are predicting about the severity of the bad US housing loans and its impact on the global markets.
Commerce International Merchant Bankers (CIMB Malaysia) chief economist Lee Heng Guie told StarBiz that it could result in an implosion in funds and banks that are holding these bad loans,” Lee said, citing US Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke's estimate of a total loss of US$100bil due to subprime loans.
Delinquency rates for subprime loans were high at 13.8% in the first quarter this year, he said.
An article in Economist.com, titled 'Heading for the rocks' gives three scenarios.
• Scenario 1. The Economist Intelligence Unit’s central forecast, to which we attach a probability of 60%, sees the impact being contained by timely monetary policy action, with only a modest effect on the global economy.
• Scenario 2. Our main risk scenario, with a 30% probability, envisages the US falling into recession, with substantial fallout.
• Scenario 3. Should the US enter recession, another, darker scenario arises: that corrective action fails, and severe economic repercussions cascade from the US into the world economy with devastating effect. We attach only a 10% probability to this outcome, but the potential impact is so severe that it warrants careful consideration.
Scenario 1 is a normal capitalistic phenomenon that sees periodic corrections in the financial markets. The other two scenarios pose more serious questions and wide ranging global impact on financial markets. In any case a recession would see people losing jobs in the US and elsewhere in the world.
Consumers will have less spending power and the leisure and travel industry will take a hit. This is where Maldives will get effected.
One wonders whether Maldives which is heavily dependent on foreign tourism, is able to see the dark clouds on the global economic horizon. What kind of an impact will the Maldives experience if there is world wide recession in the near future?
This question is pertinent because our political parties are busy raising the tempo of discontent and divisiveness after the recent referendum for governance and everyone has someone to blame. It seems, the more action we take to solve our problems, with a strange multiplier effect the number of problems increase.
Just when you think that we have hit the bottom and things could not get any worse, the next incident makes you sway your head in disbelief. Our problems have become so enormous that we have reverted to the law of the jungle.
In an article on Haveeru Online yesterday about increased theft during Ramadan, there was a photo of a person who was involved in a theft last year, being paraded half naked on the road after shaving his head. A group of people around him were ridiculing and some laughing at him.
The man has committed a crime and should be punished according to the law. To take joy in a man's misery in that manner is unbecoming of civilized human behaviour. It is reminiscent of the dark age. I have never imagined of such a sight in Maldives, the 100 per cent Muslim country that earns its living as the peaceful idyllic sunny paradise.
Commerce International Merchant Bankers (CIMB Malaysia) chief economist Lee Heng Guie told StarBiz that it could result in an implosion in funds and banks that are holding these bad loans,” Lee said, citing US Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke's estimate of a total loss of US$100bil due to subprime loans.
Delinquency rates for subprime loans were high at 13.8% in the first quarter this year, he said.
An article in Economist.com, titled 'Heading for the rocks' gives three scenarios.
• Scenario 1. The Economist Intelligence Unit’s central forecast, to which we attach a probability of 60%, sees the impact being contained by timely monetary policy action, with only a modest effect on the global economy.
• Scenario 2. Our main risk scenario, with a 30% probability, envisages the US falling into recession, with substantial fallout.
• Scenario 3. Should the US enter recession, another, darker scenario arises: that corrective action fails, and severe economic repercussions cascade from the US into the world economy with devastating effect. We attach only a 10% probability to this outcome, but the potential impact is so severe that it warrants careful consideration.
Scenario 1 is a normal capitalistic phenomenon that sees periodic corrections in the financial markets. The other two scenarios pose more serious questions and wide ranging global impact on financial markets. In any case a recession would see people losing jobs in the US and elsewhere in the world.
Consumers will have less spending power and the leisure and travel industry will take a hit. This is where Maldives will get effected.
One wonders whether Maldives which is heavily dependent on foreign tourism, is able to see the dark clouds on the global economic horizon. What kind of an impact will the Maldives experience if there is world wide recession in the near future?
This question is pertinent because our political parties are busy raising the tempo of discontent and divisiveness after the recent referendum for governance and everyone has someone to blame. It seems, the more action we take to solve our problems, with a strange multiplier effect the number of problems increase.
Just when you think that we have hit the bottom and things could not get any worse, the next incident makes you sway your head in disbelief. Our problems have become so enormous that we have reverted to the law of the jungle.
In an article on Haveeru Online yesterday about increased theft during Ramadan, there was a photo of a person who was involved in a theft last year, being paraded half naked on the road after shaving his head. A group of people around him were ridiculing and some laughing at him.
The man has committed a crime and should be punished according to the law. To take joy in a man's misery in that manner is unbecoming of civilized human behaviour. It is reminiscent of the dark age. I have never imagined of such a sight in Maldives, the 100 per cent Muslim country that earns its living as the peaceful idyllic sunny paradise.
Monday, September 17, 2007
Enforcing Death Penalty
Islamic Democratic Party leader Umar Naseer has said that if he is elected president in the next election in 2008 he would impose capital punishment for drug offenders. He said that all locals and foreigners who are caught with proven evidence of using drugs would receive the death penalty.
Speaking to a reporter of Miadhu, he said that within a month of his election as president, social harmony will be reinstated.
These are lofty objectives even if it comes on campaign trail.
Social harmony is an important goal for a stable and better life for every citizen in society. It is the government's responsibility to create the conditions conducive for development of social harmony.
Social harmony does not come about when rulers of a country are focused to divide and rule, an outdated tactic still being used in some countries.
The death penalty is about ending a person's life and since it removes any chance of rehabilitation, careful consideration must given before carrying it out.
Singapore is one country that carries out death sentences where the appeal has been turned down, so its population knows precisely what will happen to them if they are convicted of murder or drug trafficking.
In most countries that practice capital punishment today, the death penalty is reserved as punishment for premeditated murder, espionage, treason, or as part of military justice. In some countries, sexual crimes, such as adultery and sodomy, carry the death penalty, as do religious crimes such as apostasy, the formal renunciation of one's religion.
In many countries that use the death penalty, drug trafficking is also a capital offense. In China human trafficking and serious cases of corruption are also punished by the death penalty.
Speaking to a reporter of Miadhu, he said that within a month of his election as president, social harmony will be reinstated.
These are lofty objectives even if it comes on campaign trail.
Social harmony is an important goal for a stable and better life for every citizen in society. It is the government's responsibility to create the conditions conducive for development of social harmony.
Social harmony does not come about when rulers of a country are focused to divide and rule, an outdated tactic still being used in some countries.
The death penalty is about ending a person's life and since it removes any chance of rehabilitation, careful consideration must given before carrying it out.
Singapore is one country that carries out death sentences where the appeal has been turned down, so its population knows precisely what will happen to them if they are convicted of murder or drug trafficking.
In most countries that practice capital punishment today, the death penalty is reserved as punishment for premeditated murder, espionage, treason, or as part of military justice. In some countries, sexual crimes, such as adultery and sodomy, carry the death penalty, as do religious crimes such as apostasy, the formal renunciation of one's religion.
In many countries that use the death penalty, drug trafficking is also a capital offense. In China human trafficking and serious cases of corruption are also punished by the death penalty.
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