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| Dr. Mohamed Waheed (Vice President of Maldives) |
At a time of growing discontent among the public on the issue of President Nasheed’s violation of the
Constitution running into its third week, Maldives is goggling
for a viable democratic solution to this standoff between the government and
the opposition. A close consideration of the Vice President Dr. Mohamed Waheed Hassan
Maniku has become an imperative.
Referring to the ongoing stalemate he writes in his website “The
most important and most precious dividend from the democracy struggle in
Maldives has been freedom from fear. It is the knowledge that no one of us will
be dragged out of our beds in the middle of the night and taken to an
undisclosed location. The moment we deny this freedom from one person, we deny
that freedom for all.”
The first ever Maldivian to receive a Doctorate of
Philosophy from Stanford University, Vice President Dr. Waheed has demonstrated
restraint and maturity as a hardened politician whilst in the midst of the
ongoing political crisis. One couldn’t expect more from a man with a Master’s
degree in Political Science from Stanford University and years of experience on
as an international civil servant behind him.
Dr. Waheed served the United Nations in various capacities, and in various countries ranging from Tanzania to Bangladesh, from UNICEF Headquarters
in New York to Kathmandu, Nepal and in Afghanistan, where in the aftermath of the
American War he was assigned to help with the reconstruction
efforts to build up the Education Ministry of Afghanistan from scratch. He also served as the UNICEF's representative to the body responsible for reforming UN
organizations.
Dr. Waheed returned to the Maldives to contribute to process
of political development and bringing democracy to Maldives. In June 2008, after
several unsuccessful attempts to work with Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), Dr. Waheed formed Gaumee
Itthihaad Party and under a coalition agreement with the MDP, he ran for vice president and was elected during the 2008
Presidential Elections.
His political career has not been a smooth one. In 1989 Dr.
Waheed contested for one of the two seats from Male in the Majlis; his
popularity was challenged by the establishment of the Bimbi Force which was
responsible for a number of arson attacks as well as a campaign of intimidation
directed towards him and his supporters. During the leadership race immediately after
the formation of the MDP a clandestine coalition of political leaders who
feared Dr. Waheed’s comeback mounted a campaign to defame him by attacking both
him and his family.
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| The common man is a priority for Dr. Waheed |
Dr. Waheed received the blows of his political opponents with
humility and restraint. He proved himself worthy of consideration clearly as the leader of
choice, with qualities second to none in the political arena. “Maldives
can gain from the diplomatic skills, expertise and experiences of this man” said
one foreign diplomat. Waheed has clearly demonstrated
his ability as a skipper armed with the skills and tools to maneuver Maldives from these
troubled seas to calmer waters.
Whilst he continues to exercise his patience and tolerance
even from within the framework of the very government that he condemns. Mother Maldives is a crying, she is crying
out for protection, protection for her children. She is crying for protection
to those who are weeping every night out of fear that they may be the next one to
be dragged out of their bed in the middle of the night and taken to an
undisclosed location.
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| Coalition Leaders meet Vice President The only viable option for saving Maldives from catastrophe |
God fearing Nation loving Maldivians should put aside
the political differences and prejudice give due consideration to Dr. Waheed
today, not because he is Waheed the Vice President, but because he is the only
viable solution we have now to come out of this political situation, and continue
on with our new found love affair with democracy until 2013, without setting
examples and paving the way for coup d'état's, government overthrow scenarios and social unrest in our little society in
future.
UN political team to visit Maldives for talks on democratic transition
ReplyDeletehttp://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=41138&Cr=democracy&Cr1
No. Dr. Waheed's estimations have proved to be wrong in the past. Do you remember his promotional statement for Nasheed in 2008 - "Mohamed Nasheed is the most sincere young man he (Dr. Waheed) had ever met in his life"?. How right was!
ReplyDeleteI'd be a fool to believe it was an honest mistake. This is politics - stop thinking with your hearts guys. Think with your brains, for God's sake!
Besides, isn't this the the opportunity Dr. Waheed would have hoped for in the first instance? He doesn't have a political following in the Country. His only opportunity is in riding someone's popularity. Yeah, go ahead and put him there and watch him lead MDP as their candidate in 2013. kekekkekeke!!!
He is a very good educated soft spoken person I do respect him a lot. I have known him for a long long time, days of him in TV Maldives. The first day I saw him as a politician was after he came back from abroad and wanted to go in the parliament. I can't even describe here how we spend those days. I was interested in political field I knew what was happening in that area. So much of injustices happening but nobody to raise a finger cause of fear. No way of writing like this, then we saw this person boldly coming and wanting to be Male' Member, I personally campaigned for him and we did it. He was there for awhile and he went off when we needed him the most. That was the first disappointment we got......
ReplyDeleteThen came Nasheed he stayed throughout he never left us he got the brunt of the cruelness of the regime, but still he was firmly standing with the people. If I have to write the whole thing of what sacrifices Nasheed gave to the people I think I have to write a book....so to make it short when Waheed knew for sure this place is safe to come he came back and made a party. People were too fed up with him he didn't get the support he thought he will get with the education he got and the experience with the outside world. But sad to say there was another person who was genuine and caring for the people than Waheed. So when that got into his mind he took the hand of Nasheed to get the fame light he wanted from the public. He was only accepted by the people was cause Nasheed accepted him, that he didn't know didn't wanna believe. After winning against Gayyoom he cunningly waited to push Nasheed over and get the chair, this is not the first time he went behind the President's back, one thing he is not prepared is Nasheed is too clever for him, we don't want a person who abandoned us at a time we needed him the most, this is why I am saying he will go when the going get tough......my opinion
If he loved my country he would have not come back for the top post.He has spend all his years abroad making money.Otherwise,India will be ruled by all those who spend their years in UN.Democracy is a weapon to fool the masses and rule over them, and be masters to so called democracies.
ReplyDeleteDr. Waheed. Yes I believe he is the right man who could provide a solution to the crisis. But we have to be more than willing to put aside the apathy of the past and look forward to move away from this state of lawlessness and mayhem.
ReplyDeleteThis is not a situation that we the people have gotten into, it's a situation that the President Mr. Nasheed has brought about to divert attention from the fact that four separate court cases filed against four members of parliament of the MDP and that if the judiciary is allowed to operate as normal, it will surely convict these members, and MDP will lose four seats in the Parliament.
In any case, Mr. Nasheed is now in contempt of court, and so is Mr. Moosa Maniku, Mr. Ibrahim Ismail, Mr. Zuhair (the spokesman). It now is not a case of if but when.
Patience and tolerance is running out, I may Allah have mercy on us and let not 1954 repeat in 2012.
Today the May 5th. it's 05/05 and since Dr. Waheed took over office I feel he is doing a super job. He has overcome the media attack that Nasheed and Mr. Hardingham launched against him and the Country.
ReplyDeleteKeep up the good work Dr. W.