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The person disparagingly referred to as 'Velaanaagey Ibrahim Nasir' no longer owns Velaanaage. In fact, former President Ibrahim Nasir no longer owns any house in the Maldives, which he freed from British Colonialism in 1965. However, if a bill recently presented by Meemu Atoll Member Aneesa Ahmed to the Majlis is passed, Nasir is likely to get a house after 30 years of being homeless.
Nasir belongs to the dynastic house, 'Velaanaage', founded by his great grandfather Malingey Hassan Velaanaa Manikufaanu at the beginning of 20th Century. Descendents of Velaanaage Dynasty include former Vice President Ibrahim Mohammed Didi, President Ibrahim Nasir, Prime Minister Ahmed Zaki and current Defense Minister Ismail Shafeeu.
Velaanaage was legally expropriated in the 1990s and was demolished. Today a 15-story office complex is coming up in the plot of land, which happens to be in a prime location of Male.
With the passage of the bill Nasir will also get security befitting an ex-president after living in exile for 30 years. Nasir left the Maldives soon after relinquishing power in 1978 because he felt it was not safe to live in the country. His fears appear justified when one recalls what happened to his sons Mohamed Nasir and Ali Nasir and how his cabinet ministers were abused and paraded along the streets of Male. Earlier a former president Mohamed Ameen was lynched by an angry mob in 1953 (see photo above).
The bill currently in the Majlis is expected to close a sordid chapter in the history of Maldives. After that the door will be open for Nasir to return to the Maldives and live in safety. However, given his advanced age and ailing health it is uncertain how long he will be able to enjoy the opportunity.
But one thing is certain. No Maldivian living today would want to see an ex-president suffering for 30 years the way Nasir suffered his years in exile.
15 comments:
Nasir should be given all the privileges if Maumoon is accorded the same. Also according to the current bill in the parliament, the government should foot the medical bill at home and abroad so in effect Nasir's medical bill in Singapore also must be taken care of by the state.
Also among the descendants of Hassan Valaanaa Manikufaanu in the current top hierarchy of the government is the Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid. Home Minister Abdulla Kamaldeen and Education Minister Zahiya Zareer are also direct descendants of Hassan Velaanaa Manikufaanu.
Add to this list, Ibrahim Hussain Zaki, Shaheed Zaki, Ali Hussain Didi too.
I totally agree that they be given homes to live if they dont have homes. But Maumoon has his own house and if given homes to every ex presidents the people of Male' may have to move out of Male'. The homes given to them should be government property and should be taken in the event of death. We must not promise things that we cannot fullfill. Anyway welcome to Real Democracy and Goodbye to Namoona Democarcy!A WELLWISHER
In america, ex-presidents are given pensions and homes. But they live retired from active politics. If Gayoom wants those, he will have to retire from active politcs.
If Maumoon has a personal home, Kinbigasdhoshuge, why should (Anni's) government give him an extra house? It is not the people's problem that Maumoon has turned his house into a warehouse. If he wants to remain in Maldives, he should reconvert it to a place where he can reside. He can then conduct any kind of business he wants. But please, just because he ruled us for 30 years doesn't mean we the people owe him extra land.
dhen raee sun dhiri ulhefa aharun elhey nee konthaaaku. Aneh dhvehi raajeyga tha?
No ex-president shud be given a govt house to live. A generous pension, say two third of salary of an incumbant presdent is good enough plus expenses of a small office with 2or 3 staff.then a good medical insurance. That's all. Re Nasir. He did have his family home,Velaanaage until a few years back, when he chose on his own to sell it. The Govt. did not take it away from him. His cousin Abdulla Saeed acting on Nasir's behalf sold the house. Being a good location for office complex, The Govt bought it and has now bult 15 storey office complex. Next year when the building is fully complete it shud be given the name Velaanaa Building to honour Nasir and his illustious family.
To anonymous 4.19am,
Velaanaage was not bought and sold in the clean way you claim. When Nasir wanted to sell it at market value of about $ 7 million DOLLARS, the government exercised its first right to buy and took over the house for a paltry 7.5 million RUFIYAA. This right was never imposed by this regime except for Velaanaage. In effect what the government did was to seize the house at less than 10% of the value of the house.
Does this mean Government has to bear the cost of botox injections too?
Govt does not allow market forces to operate with respect to sale of land in Male'. Everyone knows this And this is not right either. But Nasir did sell his home. The gov did not take the home away from him. If he did not sell his ancestral home it will still be his to live or pass on to his children.
If we want to live in a civilized society then we should all keep personal grudges aside and follow the best practises of civilized societies.Almost all the retired American Presidents come from well to do families and have their private homes and sources of income.Still they get a decent government pension, a residence to stay, personal security and minimal personal staff as well.It is such a pity that some of us still have the mentality of the Maldivians who lived in 50s or 60s.
After all how many past Presidents you expect to see in a life time?Five to six will be an intelligent guess.This is not such a huge no for the rest of the people to become homeless in Male.We can never become democratic unless we rise above all and have progressive ideas and decide to say bye bye to all these petty thoughts seen so commonly in our society.
its important to see past presidents living freely in the society but its a slap and a mockery to people if criminals like maumoon and naasir ar allowed to live scot free in the society with immunity to all the crimes they have committed.
im surprised to learn that Waheed lacks intlect to distinguish between criminals and ex-presidents.
there is no denying ex presidents have rights but there is a denial that criminals should not be bee allowed to mix with innocent people.
what is wrong with these people like whaeedh. Come on. Nasir doesnt belong to any category of 'experesidents'. He is a k*****, he is a t**** like Golhaabo. If he comes to Male, i personally would ****** him ********** if i see him on the streets no matter how old or ailing he is. i will prove justice can be served out of court too.
Crimminals are provided free government accomodation in jail. food and medicals too. I suppos this solves our problem for housing our ex presidents. I am ofcourse assuming Anni will also go down the same path as our former Presidents. Ameen. Nasir. Gayoom. How many innocent people wew tortured under Ameen. And how many young girls did the Rannamaari claim. And how many people died in Ameen's ashige/jails?
If anni treats mr. golhaabo like an innocent person, it will be the first demonstration that anni will turn into a dictator.
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