(We are all machines. Slaves of the system. Only when we free our minds can we free ourselves.)

Three and a half years ago when the people saw the battered and bruised body of Hassan Evan Naseem lying in the cemetery the whole town of Male’ went into a rage. The killing of the young man at Maafushi prison also sparked riots in the jail itself which the security forces tried to quell by shooting at unarmed prisoners and killing some of them. It was the public reaction to Eavan’s death and the response to the subsequent shootings at Maafushi jail, which has lead to the birth of a pro-democracy movement.

However, on April 15 when the bruised corpse of Hussain Solah was lying in the same cemetery, there was a muted reaction from the public. Thousands gathered to protest but they were forcefully dispersed by the Star Force. On 20 September 2003, it was young convicts and street kids who lead the protest. But on last Sunday there was a visible vacuum of leadership to express anger.

The founders of Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) went into exile to Sri Lanka to establish the party because they felt they had gone through enough after the brutal manner Eavan Naseem was killed. Last Sunday MDP was incapable of responding to the brutality of the Gayoom regime despite having what the party claims to be thousands of members.

Several activists that I met have expressed frustration over the helpless situation when the society is unable to do anything over another probable murder by the police. They feel that the people are looking up to MDP to provide them with instructions and to take leadership in any protest. They feel that if there was no MDP then the public would have expressed their anger in the same way they had reacted to Eavan’s murder.

MDP Chairperson Mohamed Nasheed (Anni) was there among the protestors. He was punched on the face and badly beaten before being dragged to the police station by the Star Force. Despite several people witnessing the brutal manner in which the Chairperson of the most popular political party was arrested, there was only a mild reaction from the public. There was a futile attempt during the night to gather people at Mercury Light Café. MDP issued press releases condemning the beating and arrest of Nasheed and calling for an inquiry into the death of Solah. However, many people, including myself, feel that the press releases are not enough in a time of national tragedy such as this.

The most tragic aspect of this is our own helplessness. One journalist told me that nothing could be done as long as the public reacts with fear to the advancing Star Force squads. The journalist said that as long as the people run away from the baton-wielding police, we will not be able to face their ruthlessness. However, I feel this is no excuse for the lack of an organized opposition or the lack of good leadership.

Some MDP activists assured me that the party is working day and night to alert the international community of Solah’s murder and also keeping up pressure on Maldivian government to prevent the body from being buried without further investigation. However, diplomatic pressures are not enough.

Anni, who was at the cemetery on September 20, 2003, before he left to Colombo to establish MDP, must have been thinking of that Saturday of 2003 as he was dragged to the police vehicle last Sunday. There is no doubt that we have made much progress during the past three and half years and MDP must be credited with that. But the society is still watching the brutal regime get away with another murder.

Further Reading:
Violent Death Leads To Trouble On The Streets
What Happened To Hussein Salah?
MDP Calls For Investigations As Battered Chairman Recovers
Injuries as visible as police misconduct - Dead body of suspect discovered floating in Male harbour
Oppn leader accuses cops of beating him