Speaker: Hon. Ibrahim Hussain Zaki (Vice-President and Shadow Foreign Minister of the Maldivian Democratic Party)
Discussant: Amb. Lalit Mansingh

Lalit Mansingh

Ibrahim Zaki has been the principle interlocutor between India and Maldives. He has also served as the Secretary General of SAARC in 1992. Despite being India's immediate neighbour, there is a lack of information about Maldives. In 1965, Maldives declared its independence and in 1968 the Sultanate was replaced by democratic institutions. There were certain events that questioned the smooth functioning of democracy. First, an attempt to overthrow the government in April 1980 was thwarted. Then there was another coup attempt that was foiled with help of Indian troops in 1987. Therefore, the question today concerns the functioning of democracy in Maldives and the issues that are troubling the island nation.

Also, Maumoon Abdul Gayyoom has been in power for a long duration, which is the longest for any democratic leader to remain in power. Is it a sign of stability in the Maldives or a sign of an imperfect democracy? On the issue of development, Maldives is a country with the highest per capita income among SAARC region. It has high literacy rate and high human development indicators. India can learn about operating its tourism industry based on Maldives' excellent record.

Ibrahim Hussain Zaki

Language is the key to human civilization, communication and progress. India and Maldives have many commonalities, foremost among which is the common root language - Sanskrit. Unfortunately, today, both countries are using languages that are alien to both cultures. It is paramount that India and Maldives continue to talk, to listen and understand each other in order to foster the close friendship that has always existed.

The need for this is even more in today's political climate. A recent article in an Indian newspaper stated that the Chinese are establishing a base in a Maldivian island of Marao; one of the largest islands in Maldives about 40 km south of the capital, Male. For the record, neither Marao nor a Chinese base exists in Maldives, yet. The story coincided with the Chinese Premier's visit to the Maldives in 2001. The story had no basis in 2001, and definitely not in 2006. There have also been reports of India donating a warship to Maldives as a part of its overall strategy to prevent China from further spreading its influence in the region. At a time of political instability, such military cooperation only serves to increase the distrust between the government of India and the people of Maldives.

It is important to note that although the Marao island story is a fabrication, high profile negotiations are taking place between China and Maldives. Furthermore, there are well-founded reports that the Chinese may get their wish to establish a military base in Maldives by 2010. India must keep a close eye on these specific developments and should not completely trust the current regime.

The relationship between Maldives and India should not be based on the perceived propaganda needs of the security agencies acting on the instructions of the regime in Maldives. India and the Maldives share common needs of trade and security in the high seas that surround both nations and the choices they make must be based on facts.

This brings us to a matter of great importance to India's relationship with Maldives - the democratic movement in Maldives, and the manner in which India responds to it. The reality is that Maldives is ruled by an autocratic regime. The Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), with the support of the majority of the people, is trying to end Gayyoom's reign. Many Maldivians have been unaware of the brutality of this regime because for a long time, like India, many believed in Gayyoom's constant rhetoric and promises of democratic reforms.

A democratic Maldives can give India all the security it needs on its southern borders. Many Maldivians live overseas, in India and Sri Lanka, and in Western countries. The experiences of this overseas population and the country's interaction with foreigners through its tourism industry and aid programmes have brought prosperity to Maldives. Further, the country now has telecommunications infrastructure, banking and trading expertise, spacious harbour facilities and vast fishery resources.

A brutal, ignorant and economically wasteful dictatorship is holding Maldives back right now. India can help immensely in making the Maldives a 21st century democracy. Many Maldavians are worried that the strong military alliance between India and Maldives is working against the country's struggle for democracy. Many Maldivian police and military personnel are trained in India, but some of their senior commanders are failing to support the movement for democracy, thereby causing a breakdown in law and order in recent months. The violence on the streets is provoked and sponsored by the dictatorship. It is consciously designed to fool people into thinking that democracy and freedom are not worth having. Of course, this criminal conspiracy will eventually fail, but Maldivians want it to fail sooner rather than later.

India can have its strong alliance with the Maldives without supporting one of the world's most repressive regimes. The security agencies have their rightful place in our governments, but they should not direct and control the relationship between the two countries. The free media in India should also play a leading role in bringing the countries closer. If Maldives and India cooperate together as mutually supportive democracies, the benefits to both countries will be immense and mutual security will be assured.

Since the end of the Cold War, the world has become much more globalised and military might as a measure of a nation's power and influence has been over take by economic strength, stability and prosperity. The world, today, is an increasingly interdependent place and India has prospered as a result of this phenomenon. However, India's great potential will emerge when further economic liberalism and open market policies enhance the quality of lives of the Indian people by many folds over the coming decades. India's strong partnership with great powers such as the US is a fine example of the trust and faith the world has in India and what the globalised world expects from India.

Today, Maldives is gasping for freedom and democracy. The country has been ruled by autocrats for far too long and their primary aim and objective has been to sustain their grip on power. Despite being a relatively stable and prosperous economy in the region, the sad fact is that the fortunes of the nation are controlled by less than one per cent of the population. The current regime of President Gayyoom has failed to capitalise on the great opportunity to further the tremendous scope for economic cooperation with India. Of course, India is the largest source of manpower recruitment for the Maldives. Teachers, doctors and other workers from India consider Maldives their second home, but their worker rights are not fully protected as there are no adequate employment laws and Gayyoom's government does not allow the formation of labour unions.

Trading between the two nations declined in relative terms over the past three decades. Maldives is now home to some of the finest resorts in the world and demand for import is high. Almost 80 per cent of the material is imported and over 25 per cent of that comes from Singapore alone, whilst imports from India only amount to an average of 10 per cent. Imports from India were in fact less than the volume from Sri Lanka in 2004. Even Indian products are being imported from Singapore, a mechanism that needs to change in order for India to benefit from Maldives' economy. A democratic Maldives could pave the way for greater mutual cooperation between the two nations and the MDP will not hesitate to exploit any such opportunity.

It is a sad fact that the system of governance in place in Maldives does not permit constructive change. During my tenure as the Secretary General of SAARC, I was able to get a comprehensive understanding of the key problems in our region. The most significant issue was the lack of communication between countries, which can be overcome with advancements in information technology. Therefore, this avenue must be accessed to share its vast resources to ensure an equitable life, dignity, respect and tolerance.

India recently co-founded the Global Democracy Initiative with the aim of promoting democracy and development around the world. The people of Maldives hope to be one of the first nations to benefit from this initiative. Maldives wants freedom from tyranny, injustice and oppression. Maldives can be transformed into a fully fledged democracy and the MDP is on course to form the first ever democratic government in the Maldives. Propaganda by those in power will be tackled by pursuing a determined path of non-violence followed by Mahatma Gandhi. Therefore, a continued dialogue process is necessary. As in the words of Mahatma Gandhi, "Freedom is the gift of God?and the right of every nation."

Questions & Answers

Question: There is an impression that Maldives has a very democratic system - the referendum. The decision to get into the new system by replacing the Sultan by democracy, the approval for a new Constitution and the president's election were all conducted by referendum. Where has the system failed and how has democracy been subverted? Specifically, when President Naseer sacked the Prime Minister and took over powers and amended the constitution. Secondly, President Gayyoom too has been elected and continuously re-elected by referendum till now. Therefore, where is the system failing?
Answer: In Maldives, the system has been in place for long and the system has not changed. Thus, one man holds three powers. President Gayyoom is the head of the judiciary, government and military. He has an authority over the Parliament because he appoints several members. He has de facto control over the Parliament. The need of the hour is to change the fundamental document i.e. the Constitution.

Question: Unfortunately, there is a lot of gap between what is happening and what is understood of those developments outside. What are the main developments of the last two years, especially the democratic movement and the evolution of public opinion in Maldives? What was the state's response, what are the fault lines and what are the possibilities of intervention, etc.?
Answer: The reason for a change from within the system is because for any other alternative course, there will be a price to pay. Dictators are not overthrown without a revolution. The revolution occurs when the grassroots levels rise. In September 2003, there was a cold blooded murder of a young boy by the police and it proved to be the turning point. People took to the streets and burnt institutions that support Gayyoom, like the Parliament, election office and the court. The jailing of members of Parliament in 2004 was the second incident. About ten to twelve thousand people were jailed after they went to a public square for a peaceful democratic protest. The European Parliament condemned the incident and restricted any Maldivian government official's entry till the people were released. Since then, Gayyoom has been trying to prolong his dictatorship and maintains a veneer of democracy. However, only a constitutional reform will address the real issues. There is no progress on this front and hence international pressure is required to this end.

Question: The MDP's roadmap talks of multi-party election. Does it also include amendment of the constitution or formulating a new Constitution?
Answer: These proceedings are already in motion. We are now waiting for the constituent assembly to consider it. The constitutional reform should be over by November 2006 because all the research has been completed and the constituent assembly came up with a draft of what should be in a democratic government. There is no need for a delay. Gayyoom is ready to accept, but only a question of timing of implementation remains. Gayyoom had formed a party and that party has taken over the Parliament without an election and without the people's trust. The MDP wants to remove the 29 appointed members and let this Constitution be drafted only by the elected members.

Question: Is it a simply matter of deadline or does Gayyoom have another agenda?
Answer: Gayyoom does not want to change the Constitution until next election in 2008. He wants to be re-elected for another term based on the old Constitution.

Question: At the reform agenda of 2004, Gayyoom did speak about two terms for the president. Article four of the Constitution categorises the power of the state, but does not address the question of separation of power. Are there attempts to make fundamental changes to article four of the constitution even when Gayyoom is in power or after Gayyoom's term ends?
Answer: Maldivians believe that the country will not achieve democracy till Gayyoom is in power. There is a need to remove Gayyoom legally, so elections have to be held soon. He is trying to delay this process. A new Constitution under his presidency will be compromised. India has special relations with Maldives and Gayyoom has been uneasy with it. He has invited China into the picture. The MDP feels that this is a dangerous move. India has a democratic and stabilising influence, and this virtue must be harnessed by Maldives.