Nonsence ...

Many so seasons passed
With not many emotions to express
With not many experiences to learn
With not many expectations to await

Many so days passed

With not many happiness to rejoice
With not many actions to forget
With not many people to share

Many so hours passed

With not many memories to treasure

With not many pleasures to remember

With not many desires to dream

Many so seconds passed

With not many beats to skip
With not many tears to shed
With not many joys to fill

Many so seasons

Many so days
Many so hours
Many so seconds
Shall all but pass ….

**********
Haven't been blogging for months so here is something to post ...

This was  something I wrote on one of those many notepad files on my computer, sometimes when I read them for myself I feel like "boy this is so crappy" ... well either way thought maybe I ll just post it here ... 

Nonsence ... Nonsence it is indeed ...

Cheers :D

The old man sitting on Majeedhee Magu and the unattended generation.

Last evening as I was walking down Majeedhee Magu with a group of friends, I caught my eyes on this old man sitting on the pavement near 80 no. Fihaara, as we passed by one of my friends gave him some money... the poor man gave a smile that tells a story...

This is not the first time, and probably not the last time I will be seeing this man sitting at that same spot on Majeedhee Magu, hoping for someone to lend him a coin or two for a cup of tea and maybe one or two short eats from a nearby sai-hotta.

 

Well I am not trying to get your sympathy to this one man on Majeedhee Magu, cause its not only him that is left out and unattended to in the Maldives. For maybe a few seconds try to step out from the bubble we live in and reflect on our situation, ask yourself; How many senior citizens are out there without a warm bed and a decent meal? How many of them even have a place to call home? Where are their families? Whats the concerned Government authorities doing about it? Who is responsible?

 

I strongly believe, we in the Maldives are not poor. Cannot be! But yes, our people if they are indeed poor, its sadly because of the system we live in. Its either because of careless institutions or irresponsible families. We are not poverty struck and if we really observe the condition in most of the countries around the world, we need to be grateful for our situation. If we are poor, we are poor in our understanding of the concepts of family, and the understanding of social responsibility and societal ethics.

When the government started to give 2000 Rufiya to all those above 65 years of age, it was perhaps a sign of realization of the government responsibility over its senior citizenry. But with ever emerging high inflation and fluctuating economy, is this a solution? On top of this, there are cases where money sent is not properly delivered to the person its intended to. This is sometimes due to family intervention over the money or because someone at the end of that transaction spends that 2000 Ruffiya on something else.

We are at this stage where we need to build old-age shelters and senior citizen retirement homes for the homeless and unattended. With shattered family morals, and tainted societal values, we are at this junction where everyone has a hectic lifestyle and has not much time to spare for the parents who raised them, spending all their lives and effort to make 'people' out of their children.

Modern lifestyle and way of living contradicts the conservative culture of the older generation, which makes living with grandparents, and sometimes mothers and fathers difficult to the modern Maldivian family today.

At one stage we agree that we have issues and problems concerning treatment of the older generation and when governments do not spend much on welfare of the Senior Citizenry its becomes a debate of politics, but how many of us are willing to accept and realise our role and individual responsibility in ensuring the well being and welfare of our own parents?

These are important things we need to talk about and its imperative that we find solutions to these issues. Me, I don't want to be that old man sitting on Majeedhee Magu, say in the next 40-50 years ...

Principles and Ground Rules for Dialogue

I was going through one of those 'unsorted stuff box' I have been having for quite sometime, found this interesting book mark that explains (as it says) "Principles and Ground Rules of Dialogue". Been trying to figure out who gave this to me, not very sure, but I guess I must have picked it up from one of those workshops or training I have attended to.

Its not much, simply put and quite helpful if you really read them down. Its worth a share:

Principles and Ground Rules for Dialogue

• The purpose of dialogue is to understand and to learn from one another; no one can "win" a dialogue.
• All dialogue participants speak for themselves, not as a representative of others" interest. 
• In a dialogue, everyone is treated as an equal; status and stereotypes are left at the door.
• Be open and listen to others, especially when you disagree. Suspend judgement.
• Identify and test assumptions - even your own. 
• Listen carefully and respectfully to the views of other; acknowledge you have heard the other, especially when you disagree. 
• Look for common ground.
• Express disagreement with ideas, not the personality or motives; disagree without being disagreeable.
• Respect all points of view. 

Cheers :) 

Save a Mother - Save a Child , Ambulance Launch -1; can it really save lives?

So last night I was fortunate to get a glimpse of 'Ambulance Launch - 1', the mobile sea ambulance which appears to have been either donated or supported by UNICEF, and seems to belong to the Ministry of health and family.

Ones eye will get caught on to a touching quote inscribed on the launch as you pass by it, says "save a mother, save a child". So true, so meaningful and in a way explains the importance of the mobile Ambulance, then again, have a look at it, ask yourself the question; can 'Ambulance Launch - 1' really save a mother? 

This picture tells a lot about how well the first response services are in the Maldives. It becomes more outrageous when you come to know where this was left at! Not far into the many islands of the Maldives, but at Vilingili (Vilimale'), which is considered administratively as part of Male' City, takes about 7 mins (max) on a ferry from the island of Male'. 

I came to understand from the locals, that it has been on that jetty for so very long and no one actually  has bothered about it. Just by looking at it, I can be sure that it is in no condition for use, at least not until thousands of dollars be spent on repair. 

Its important to reflect on some of these questions, Is it really effective for donor agencies and financial supporters to invest in the Maldives? Is this what they were hoping for? Is this what the people in Maldives expect from their government, which ever it be? Who is responsible? What are the consequences? Who is to be at lose here? How many more Ambulance Launches are out there on how many jetties in how many Islands?

Before we go about calling "Gaumah takaa, Dheenah Takaa" there are much more serious issues we need to attend to. Call for a "one nation", a more responsible one, that is corruption free and one that is more considerate towards its people.

iWitness: Angry rider, Confrontation and Custody

Maldivians and their Constitution – a story from History

Historian T. W. Hockly writes about the historical events that took place on 2^nd October 1934, the necessitated dethronement of the Sultan by the people of Maldives in accordance with Article 51 of the Maldivian Constitution.

“It appears that the Minister of Home Affairs, Muhammad Farid Didi Effendi, who is also the Prime Minister of the Maldive Islands, was informed that certain persons were convening secret meetings which has as their object the destruction of the New Constitution inaugurated in December 1934.

Warrants were issued for the arrest of four persons in this respect. It was learned from the arrested persons that there were others involved in the plot to destroy the Constitution. It was further alleged that among these others were four servants of Prince Hassan Izzudin, the son of the Sultan. Apparently the Prince had interested himself on behalf of certain individuals who had previously been deported.

When officials of the Ministry of Home Affairs attempted to arrest the four servants of the Prince the later refused to allow their arrest. He is said to have come out with his father, the Sultan, and to have informed the officials and the people gathered together that if the servants were arrested they would have also to arrest the Sultan and himself. It is stated that the Prince then cried out asking whether they wanted the Constitution or his father and himself. The People replied that they wanted the Constitution.

Steps were taken to effect the dethronement of the Sultan.

The ‘Revolution’ was of an entirely bloodless character, I understand, and was not followed by any disorder.”

Awkward Male’ – 10Rf please… actually 20Rf

So it was a random evening, neither late into the night nor that early into the evening. I found myself in one of those many pharmacies right in front of ADK Hospital on Sosun Magu. As I approached the counter, I received the typical foreign pharmacist grin, the mustache wink (you know what I mean), I am not sure whether he is Indian or Bangladeshi, I asked him for a particular tablet, and then someone tapped me on the back.

Turned around in a reflex, stood a young gentleman of average height, mid 20s wouldn’t say 30, bearded but not “Bearded” in you know what fashion. On sight one would observe two distinct features of this gentleman, 1- He seemed in a hurry as if he has to run a marathon, and 2- He was under the influence of some sort of intoxicate.

“Sir, can you please give me 10Rf? I need to get a medicine” he said in a trembling voice.

The foreign pharmacist gave me a serious look and then shook his head in a motion which I am to take as “don’t give”.

“Sir please I only need a 10Rf to get the medicine, please help” he continued.

“I have only got a 100Rf note, I don’t have a separate 10Rf” I told him.

“Why don’t you get change from the pharmacist?” he asked.

Well, frankly I didn’t know what to do. Avoiding this gentleman may be wrong in two possible ways. 1- He might be actually missing a 10Rf to buy the medicine or 2- He might be associated with some sort of gang and/or might as well have a sharp object ready to strike.

Not wanting to take any risks, I asked the pharmacist for a change of 100Rf, I got the change in one 50RF, two 20Rfs and one 10RF, I gave the gentleman the note of 10Rf, and then he says,

“Actually its 20Rf, can you please give me a 20 also?”

“This is all I have, sorry” I walked out as fast as I can.

I spent three years in India and I have met many beggars, I have actually seen the different varieties and classes of beggars India has to offer. Never did I meet someone in the state I found the gentleman in and never did I feel threatened by one.

O_o 

Lost ...

On a cold December I met an angel, 

on a journey to the crown of palaces, 

Railroads bonded an affection, 

only to be lost for circumstance ...

***

Love I thought possible, 

life I thought settled ...

Never will we loose, 

I thought commitment ...

***


Sadly it was only I, 
who thought affection 


***

I sleep only to run away, 

But I shall face again reality as sun warms up. 
I weep for my misfortune, 
But courage I seek from the day ahead ... 

Evaluation of physico-chemical characteristics of groundwater of Sindhuvalli Village, Mysore District

EVALUATION OF PHYSICO-CHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF GROUNDWATER OF SINDHUVALLI VILLAGE - MYSORE DISTRICT

A dissertation report submitted to Dept. Environmental science, Yuvaraja’s college (autonomous)

MAEED M. ZAHIR - EMMANUEL .C - FIDAAD JALEEL

Class 2012 - VI Sem - Bachelor of Science (CEnEr)

DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE

YUVARAJA’S COLLEGE

UNIVERSITY OF MYSORE

April 2012

- - - -

INTRODUCTION

Groundwater is a precious and the most widely distributed resource of the earth and unlike any other mineral resource, it gets annual replenishment from the meteoric precipitation. The worlds total water resources are estimated at 1.37 x 10⁸ Million hectares (ha-m). Of these global water resources about 97.2% is salt water mainly in oceans, and only 2.8% is available as Fresh water. Out of the 2.8%, 2.2% is available as surface water and 0.6% as groundwater. Even out of this 2.2% of surface water, 2.15% is fresh water in glaciers and ice caps and only of the order of 0.01% (1.36x10⁴ M ha-m) is available in lakes and reservoirs and 0.0001% in streams. Out of 0.6% of stored groundwater, only about 0.3% (41.1 x 10⁴ M ha-m) can be economically extracted with the present drilling technology, the remaining is unavailable as it is below 800 m.

We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence!

Nobel Peace Prize laureate, and civil rights hero, Martin Luther King, Jr., on that August 1963, at Lincoln Memorial, Washington D.C. delivered one of the worlds most admirable speeches of all time. 

A speech that echoed across freedom movements in every corner of the world. 

"I have a dream" he said. Yet he cautioned;

"...In the process of gaining our rightful place we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy out thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred. We must forever conduct our struggle on the high planes of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force..."

An advice worth remembering at this difficult time for Maldives as a Nation. 

I strongly condemn violence taking place in the Maldives. 

Whether it be Police Brutality, isolated and/or organised attacks on Policemen. Whether it be by activists of Political divisions in the County. Or by random thugs taking advantage of the current political instability in the Country. I am Against any form of Violence !!

Yes we need an Election!!!

Victory for the People - Flickr Photo: enwiie

"Kratos Demos - Power to the People " ... Simple and unambiguous. 

Joseph A. Schumpeter, the famous Austrian-Hungarian-American economist and political scientist, describes in short the Classical Doctrine of Democracy in his book Capitalism, Socialism and Democracy as:

"The Democratic method is that institutional arrangement for arriving at political decisions which realizes the common good by making the people itself decide issues through the election of individuals who are assembled in order to carry out its will."

Democracy is in theory simple and justifiable, let the people choose and let the people decide. 

In the Maldives we are very new to this concept. In fact we can come to a conclusion to say that we are an infant nation when it comes to democracy, social, civil and human rights; pillars necessary for a people State. 

We came up with  a new constitution to support a democratic nation. We got rid of a long serving President, who dictated a nation for 30 long years. We, for the first time had the freedom to establish and participate in Political Parties. We struggled and we achieved the right of Freedom of expression and freedom of peaceful Assembly. We held the very first Multi-Party Elections in the country. Yes we did that all.

Unlike other countries, who struggled for generations and shed blood for their cause we were lucky to embrace democracy the easy way and yes it was a miracle. But with the new freedoms and gift of democracy did we have the necessary felicitous institutions, organizations and people ?? Have we made the right choices?? Is the Nation progressing or heading further back down in the drain??

As of now we are still struggling. Struggling to get back on our feet as a nation. And what we seriously need now is an overhaul in the system. Especially the Judiciary!!

Coup d'état in the Maldives ??

President Nasheed writes his resignation letter

Maldives observed a change of government on 7th February 2012. Continuous protests brought  Nasheed's Presidency to a brink, and the 7th February Mutiny became the end for the first democratically elected President of the country. With Mohamed Nasheed's resignation, Vice President Dr. Mohamed Waheed Hassan Maniku, took oath of office as the President. Of course as per the Constitution. 

The following day Maldives woke up to hear allegations and conspiracy of a Coup d'état. "By all definitions it was a Coup" Nasheed spoke out. 

By definition, a Coup d'état is a strike against the State. It is a sudden and decisive change of government illegally or by force. Question is: 'was this the indubitable setting in Maldives on that February Tuesday'? 

The Events - End of a Presidency

Events that led to his resignation was bloody to some extent. After the continuous series of protests against the 'enforced disappearance' of Criminal court Judge Abdulla Mohamed, by Anti-Government protesters, factions of the Maldives Police Service mutinied over what they called 'being given unlawful orders' and demanded Commissioner of Police Ahemd Faseeh to meet them and assure them that they will not be given unlawful orders anymore. 

Article 64 of the Constitution: Non-compliance with unlawful orders state that "No employee of the State shall impose any orders on a person except under authority of a law. Everyone has the right not to obey an unlawful order". The mutinying Police were requesting that this Article be honored.

At this point Police did not call for the President's resignation, very clearly their only demand was an assurance by their Commissioner. This never happened. Instead what we witnessed in the Maldives were confrontations with Pro-Government supporters and mutinying police, followed by clashes with the Maldivian National Defense Force (MNDF) who were trying to take control of the situation.

As morning broke, President Nasheed came to the scene, must say a brave attempt, faced the mutinying Police and tried to address them, he was responded by "Sir, No Sir". With that failed attempt he was moved into the Maldivian National Defense Headquarters (adjacent to the Republic square)

Frankly, it is unsure when and how the demands to meet the Commissioner of Police changed to the call for Nasheed's resignation.

Dr. Mohamed Waheed Hassan Maniku, a legitimate President?

Dr. Waheed takes oath of office as President

The third President of the second Republic of the Maldives, Mr. Mohamed Nasheed was forced to step down, after what appeared to be a historic Mutiny of the Maldivian Police Service. Nasheed resigned in his office, in front of media and on television, people of the island nation witnessed Nasheed as he humbly said those words,

 "I resign because I am not a person who wished to rule with the use of power ... I believe that if the government were to remain in power it would require the use of force which would harm many citizens". 

Second in command that day in Maldives was Dr. Mohamed Waheed Hassan Maniku. 

Elected Vice President

2008 was perhaps the most important year in modern Maldivian history. The first ever Multi Party democratic elections were held in the country, after a 30 year long autocratic rule by then President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom. A nation stood divided, Pro-Gayoom supporter on one side and Anti-Gayoom elements on the other. 

Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), the first registered political Party in the country, the beginning of the modern democratic movement in the country, nominated Nasheed after a party primary.

Dr. Waheed was then (and still remains) leader of the minority political faction, Gaumee Ittihaad, that emerged out of MDP. He himself  also had declared his intentions to run for the Presidency. 

Nasheed making the friendly gesture to his old colleague, invited Dr. Waheed as a running mate. After the first rounds of election, it was a battle between Gayoom and Nasheed. Naturally all political organisation other than that of Gayoom's Dhivehi Rayithunge Party (DRP) and his younger brother Yameen's Peoples Alliance, joined hand in hand and allied behind Nasheed.

Open Letter: Answer to those who have certain allegations

Dear Readers. 

I am writing this post after being bombarded with accusations, doubts and "suspicions" brought down on to me. I have repeatedly been accused directly and indirectly for being an MDP Activist (thug) and a propaganda agent. I have been labeled as a bias, one sided, person with no ability to think rationally whatsoever or to see a certain "big picture". 

To begin with please note that I am of sound mind and health. I am very much in control of my thoughts, words and action. I do not belong to any Political Organization (division) in the country, nor am I a member of any Political Party. If I am on any membership roaster of any such organization in the Maldives, it is very much without my consent or knowledge. No person/persons is/are influencing my capacity as a human being to understand, think or reason. 

Yes, I frequently tweet, discuss and post my ideas on issues in the Maldives; concerning Political, Moral, Social, Ethical and other issues that are of interest to me. I have done so and I do so with clear understanding and accordance with the individual fundamental right guaranteed to me by Article 27 of the Constitution of the Republic of Maldives. I have never expressed any idea, thought or ideology for that matter, that may be classified as 'against any tenets of Islam", and I never intend to, my strong belief does not permit me ever to do so. 

I am very sorry that I do not tend to believe in everything I hear, every idea that is being passed on to me and that I do not comply with the ideologies and concepts that some of you may believe and/or portray to be the certain "big picture", truth or reality. I do not necessarily have to believe in what you may think right and what you may think just. I do not have to hail what you hail and what you acknowledge. 

Best Regards

Maeed

Note: This is a post meant to those who have repeatedly harassed me and for those who have doubts about me on certain matters that I hope I have addressed here. I hope the rest of the readers do not take this post as of any offence. 

The 07th February Mutiny - End of Mohamed Nasheed Presidency

The Third President of the Second Republic of Maldives, Mr. Mohamed Nasheed (G.Kenereege) has been forced to step down, after what appeared to be a historic 07th February Mutiny by the Security Services and Civil disobedience. 

Once again I call all authorities, forces, services and all people in general, do not harm President Nasheed in any way. He is an elected President of the Republic of Maldives. Uphold the dignity.

Remember that there is an elected Vice President in the Country. Hand over him the responsibilities of the President as soon as possible. Give way to a smooth change. He should take up the oath of office immediately.

We shifted from a Dictatorship to a democracy in 2008 and we showed an example to the world then. I call the Security forces to show that example again.