Friday, February 7, 2014

Remembering 7 February 2012

7th February 2012 started off blissfully for me. I was unaware of the events of 6th February and the terrible events that were unfolding when I woke up. My husband and I were on our honeymoon - news obviously was not the priority. We got married on the 3rd of February, had our wedding reception on the 4th and left to Dhunikolhu resort on the 5th. We had been planning to stay there for four days and leave to Malaysia.

We knew there was some tension in Male. There were protests and we had seen some violence as well. But we could never fathom things would get so out of hand that it would culminate in the toppling of the first democratic government of the Maldives through a vicious coup d'etat. I guess no one except those involved in the scheming and planning of the coup were aware or expecting it either.

On the 7th morning, we woke around 8 to find several missed calls and messages on our phones. My mother sounded frantic when I called her. Friends had sent worried updates which quickly informed us that things were going really badly in Male. We grew very concerned for the safety of our loved ones. When we heard of the situation at jumhooree maidhan [Republic Square] when President Nasheed went personally to address the revolting police officers, we became extremely worried about the President's well being. There was no doubt it. We had to return to Male.

We spoke to the manager on leaving to Male. He was hepful but advised that it might be better to stay back until things calmed down. He had heard it was utter chaos. We still insisted. Nobody seemed to know what was really going on. By 11, we heard the state broadcaster MNBC had been taken over by mutinying forces. We heard police officers had joined up with civilians calling for the President's resignation, and that they had violently beaten up MDP members. We heard that the police officers were confronting MNDF army officers and they had weapons. We heard so many horrific updates we wanted to be there ourselves, not being able to see what was happening was most frustrating.

We finally managed to make it back to Male by 1pm. At that time I had just moved into my husband's rented apartment, which happened to be right next to G. Kenereege, President Nasheed's home. Soon after we came home, we heard people on bikes calling 'Ganjabo dhanjassaa.. maraalaa'. Basicaly they were calling to kill President Nasheed. This continued many times, and every time sent chills down my spine.I couldn't imagine what the family would be going through then. I will never forget the fear and terror of that day as long as I live.

Then we sat down to watch this video of President Nasheed resigning on live tv. It was a heartbreaking address where he said he was stepping down because he always wished well for the Maldivian people, and he did not wish to see any suffering. He said would always do what is in the best interests of the country and the people. Not once did he say he was stepping down because he felt he could not perform the duties of a President, or because he believed he had committed any wrong that should result in his resignation, or that he just woke up and thought its a good day to give up what he had fought for for over a decade - the establishment of democratic rule, good governance and the progress that Maldives deserved. In the background I can see the engineers of the coup - and my heart swells with hatred and anger every time I see this. On 7 February 2012 I saw tears in my family's eyes, and felt my own. It was an indescribable feeling of numbness that washed over me. I did not know what to think or do, and I dont know how long I sat there in front of the tv.

I was then an employee at the President's Office. I had long admired President Nasheed and his efforts and struggle for democratic reform and protection of human rights. I made a decision then. I will not remain a day longer as an employee of a government that had come to power through a coup. I did not care to resign, and neither did I care about being terminated. I just stopped going. And since February 7th, I'm proud to say it would have been a rare protest/rally/parade/activity that I had missed starting from Insaafuge Dhathuru on 17th February at Raalhugandu up til today.

And I knew on February 8th that I made the right decision. The brutality of the police against unarmed MDP protesters was appalling. It is a shock I still haven't overcome. And what gets me everyday up to this day is that these attackers, these officers who had sworn to serve and protect the people and had broken their oath in the most atrocious manner, are roaming around freely. Hell, many were even promoted, as a 'reward' perhaps? To think these brutal acts committed against civilians protesting against the coup and calling to reinstate the democratically elected government, have gone unpunished and the perpetrators have faced no repercussions of their inexcusable behaviour makes my blood boil. Since then these past two years we have seen violation after violation of the people's rights, and no consequences. To say this encourages police impunity is a gross understatement.


When I think of all the people who suffered on February 6th. 7th and 8th, and then consider that people actually voted for those in the front lines of the coup two years ago, that shocks me even more. Do they not care that a democratic government elected by the people was toppled by force? Do they not want justice? Do they not see the injuries inflicted on people like them by a savage police force? Do they not see the biased judgments of courts and the many institutions that turn the other way, depriving victims of due justice? Do they not consider that this could have been them, that this could still be them? Because as long as we allow injustices to go unpunished, as long as we set these dangerous vile precedents, none of us are safe. I fear there will be a day we will come to regret our follies and bad decisions, spurred on by greed or envy or unwarranted hatred or even plain ignorance.

Two years later, on this day, I remember President Nasheed as one who did one of the hardest things a person in his position would have to do, and in doing so, avoided the country falling further into chaos and savagery and bloodshed. I commend him for standing up taller every time he falls, and inspiring thousands of every day people like myself to follow that example. I thank him for his perserverence, determination and unfailing courage, not to mention that ever bright positivity, even in the most challenging and dismal of times because it has given the strength for so many of us to do the same. I remember all the victims of brutality and injustice who have been denied their rights and whose rights continue to be violated even now. I am inspired by the thousands more who joined the cause against dictatorship and tyranny, and the long struggle for democracy and human rights. I am thankful for the strength and courage MDP as a party has shown in the face of great hardship, and the exceptional dedication of every member as well as every believer in freedom and equality and justice - because all of them make me believe things can be better.

Today is not only a day of loss. As I see it today is a day of hope too. And I think it's fitting that MDP has opted to boldly launch its parliament campaign on this very day because I believe it reflects MDP's greatest strengths - positivity, perserverence and hope. As I see it we have come so far, and in such difficult circumstances. While its agony to remember the events of this day two years back, I think we deserve to stand a little taller today. We remember that we were not broken, and that we can't. And since I truly believe in the raw passion, energy and incredible dedication of our members,
I know we will never forget and we will never give up on our ideals.

5 comments:

  1. On that day Nasheed did the only thing any respectable human being would do. I can't imagine somebody like Waheed, Yameen, or Maumoon stepping down from power for the sake of peace and stability.

    That was actually the day I started supporting Nasheed. I was very critical of him up until that point. But he did what no other leader would have done: he stepped down from power just to stop a small group of violent citizens from wreaking havoc in the country. Can you imagine any other leader in the whole world who would do that? I bet not.

    People will be quick to bring up the arson cases that happened on 8th February, as if that somehow justifies the coup. Yes, some government buildings were burned down. It happened because people were pissed off. They felt like they were hit, so they hit back. The difference is they hit inanimate objects like buildings, desks and vehicles. They didn't hit you on the back of your head with a baton until it bled, okay? So calm down. I would say their reaction was quite mild compared to what the Republic Square protesters were prepared to do had Nasheed not resigned.

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    1. yes I can't imagine them doing it either because their primary motivations are power and greed. I do know many like you who started supporting President Nasheed's cause and struggle after February 7th because what he did was exceptional. It bemuses and angers me at the same time that people compare that angry backlash by the people on February 8th after they had been violently beaten up. I am not condoning any vandalism of public or private property but I can understand their fury. And it is far far milder, true, compared to what could have happened if President Nasheed had decided to cling on to power.

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  3. Quite frankly I was a massive supporter of President Nasheed and MDP.. Could proudly say that there wasnt a single protest I missed in the later days of MAG's regime...However with regard to the arrest of Ab.Gazi I was very dissapointed in MDP and the government. We were turning out to be what we stood against. I firmly believe even the most notorious criminal should be treated with in the boundaries of the law..

    However I sat down beside the TV on the 6th night and remember getting up from the seat around 1.30pm the next day...I was shocked by the turns of events and was unable to process it..However....It reminded me why I support Prez Nasheed...It restored my faith in him...& wud be forever grateful for his actions that day!!

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    1. I guess I could empathize with your feelings about Ablo Gazi's arrest, being unsure if it was the best decision. It was obvious that it was a matter for debate even among MDP members.. Like you, my faith was renewed after the terrible events of Feb 7th. And since then I have been proud of every move every decision he's made and I truly believe its some of us Maldivians' loss that we don't know a good thing when we see one.

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