In our little Maldives
politics has become an entertainment and a delightful pastime. And I am filled
with remorse for I see the failings of a nation when the seriousness of these
events transform into this type of a spectator event. Seeking leaders for our
nation that will guide us to a moral future is I am sure the secret expectation
of every Maldivian citizen. But for reasons of fear of reprisal or the ignorant
followings of a system now steeped in identity politics akin to tribalism, only
very few are able to vote their minds.
It is ironical that
our warped sense of faith and attachment to our parties allows us without
compunction to take bribes for our vote and yet seem also bound by a curious
kind of morality that tells us that once a bribe is taken, a casting for our
true calling would be tantamount to a lie. How inextricably we are tied to this
web of lies that are spread by our parties! To the hapless and ignorant masses
these deceptions of propaganda are indeed egregious social offences. If we want
a true democracy the parties have a prime role to educate the public of their
rights and responsibilities. It appears that the whole nation is coerced into a
trance of the rhetoric of freedoms and rights of the individual with the
complete absence of the responsibilities that should go along with it. Of
course this can’t be otherwise because our parties are not political parties in
the true sense. True outfits of this sort must have a sound social, political,
or spiritual philosophy that drives and directs such groups. That would be what
attracts the polity – to a just cause that is worth the sacrifice. In our
Maldives there is none of that. No party has such a guiding ideal but merely
big name individuals who desire to be nation’s president leading the group and
the follower coterie being those who would love some nefarious benefit from
these big guys when the time of being in power arrives. The next line of
followers are those who merely like to be associated with the lead individual
for purposes that are not even known to them; just some kind of a mesmerising
aura enticing them – the thrill of being associated third and fourth hand. How
starved must we be for adulation to be in such a ruck, or be in the blissful
ignorance of leaders who they believe can do no wrong. The well known mob
spirit is what guides them even if it maybe that they will have tears to shed
when the dust settles. It’s the chance they take to be noticed and be counted.
In Maldives the
political dust never settles for there is an election ready for the ballot all
the time. And the preparations for it begins way in advance and the joy or
resentment that follows lingers long after, so much so that one wonders when is
the time for governance to happen. Perhaps not so repulsive is this state of
limbo for the majority of our public who both yearn for constant entertainment
in whatever form or the smell of some largesse that can be inveigled out of
these diehard politicians who want to get the pole position to milk the ever
present national cow; and this cow is getting fatter as our economy grows and
the reap of MIRA expands. The argument always is that as the nation gets richer
the trickle down will be greater; and the people still believe this outmoded
economic theory.
For our politicians, getting
to the top positions is very lucrative even if they have to dish out millions
on the way, for then in their perch for five years it would be open house to
line their pockets to their hearts delight as has been all along the past 10
years of democratic life in Maldives; if some other gang doesn’t topple them
prematurely. So imagine such a nation. How can it ever hope to bring in
peace? Yes, most of us citizens have the secret desire for peace in our
mind. But it is hidden and covered up to
such a great extent that our soul is suffocated, and our false self or ego
(hawa-nafs) dominates. And it will take Allah’s miracle to get us out of this
mess. When the Shaithan puts us on the path to avarice, greed and selfishness,
only miracles can save us. But of course Allah doesn’t need us or this humanity
for His omnipotence to be solvent. Even if we go to the dump which we
eventually will if our divisive party politics continue in Maldives, Allah will
recreate another group of beings to replace us. It is we who lose this world
and the next. Yet we can’t lose our hope in the mercy of Allah. May he still
give our Maldives another chance. Let us not be among those who would plead with
Allah on the Day of judgement to give us another chance. And we know that would
just not be possible.