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"Press Freedom in Maldives has been traditionally very strictly controlled , so letting loose of such controls suddenly will not be very good. However, public opinion can best be amassed by giving press freedom” Dr. Saeed, Attorney General

OPINION - Ahmed Mujuthaba Mohamed, M.Hudhuasuru Maage, Malé Maldives - Tuesday, May 25, 2004^[1]

Dr. Hassan Saeed
Attorney General

An article published on Haveeru on the 24th of May states that a new draft is being prepared regarding a Freedom of Expression Statute. Answering to a question from Haveeru (readers will be baffled to know that the question wasn’t mentioned in the papers), Dr. Hassan Saeed (AG) goes on to say^[2]:

"Press Freedom in Maldives has been traditionally very strictly controlled , so letting loose of such controls suddenly will not be very good"

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"enWvunuLwgnwrWhea cnumulcaokUd cSwkwailcauk cnwkea cnumwkcnehea

- '04 iaem 24 - clwrenej InWTea - udIAws .rD -

This is an outrage. How can the Attorney General of the Maldives make a blatant statement, which has neither base nor representation of the General Public at all? We ask ourselves everyday how can we, the people of the Maldives come to recognise our needs and solutions. The AG (as well as law-makers) need not be concerned about public starting off a figure-smearing campaign, as a result of the Freedom of Speech.

Instead we ask the Government to allow the people to commune and express their needs and create Public discourse through debate and discussion, without restraints and intimidation. This should be enforced unconditionally though freedom of speech and freedom of assembly/association. Allow people to participate in Forums hosted in public halls and gathering places (a good suggestion is Dharubaaruge) and create debate. Although one may argue that communicative action is not applicable in the Maldives due to the inferior standards of education and communicative skills, I beg to differ. The Maldives has a large pool of educated, skilled and intelligent persons. Allow these people to lead the rest of the population in to the public sphere by example and practice, there from we can give a proper representation of the population’s needs and find apt solutions to accommodate the differences in our society.

Dr. Saeed also stated: “However, public opinion can best be amassed by giving press freedom,”

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- '04 iaem 24 - clwrenej InWTea - udIAws .rD -

The media as of now is a Government poodle and has no conscious of it self. It need not be. The proposals to allow media as the springboard for public opinion and debate are intrinsically not what the public is demanding. We need free media to assist us in the process of discourse and rational debate. The Government needs to regulate the media so that it is free from bias arising from economic interests or vested interests of owners of the enterprise. Apart from what Dr. Saeed said, there are more important avenues on which the Government of the Maldives can loosen its iron grip on the Rights of the people to communicate and express. Media is only one; sadly the proposals for reformation seem to be largely a suspension-mechanism to buy more time (perhaps for the last five years?)

I would like to thank the man whose hard work put together with limited resources and restrictions, allows me this day to express myself on this forum. Sappey, you have my utmost respect for giving this opportunity to a disgruntled Maldivian.

Even more so indebted to you, Mr. Sappey, is the President of the Maldives. As President Gayyoom sits in his office reading these comments, he will come to realise that he is being given an opportunity to heed to the demands of the people who he is liable to. He needs to act now before it’s too late when people will no longer hold even a speck of mercy for the fate that awaits him. Thank you on behalf of the President of the Maldives. Whether he will be kind enough to himself is entirely for him to decide.

Mr. President, free the people from the ignorance and deception that you have kept them in for the last 25 years. Maybe one day we, the people, will spare your life sentence taking pity on your old age. Wait no longer Sir. You are running out of time.

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1 - DO cannot independently verify the details of the author
2 - http://www.haveeru.com.mv/?view=2&id=3345