Will democracy work this time?

AS Foreign Minister Dr. Ahmed Shaheed Stated in his address to India's Council of World Affairs in New Delhi, democratic reforms have been attempted on three different occasions in the Maldives since 1932. The earlier two attempts failed; but Shaheed claims that the current attempt could succeed.

While Shaheed does not specify the earlier two democratic movements, one can assume that the first of them was the one that ended with the label of 'Motor Boat Revolt.' The second was presumably the movement launched at the beginning of President Gayoom's regime, the movement that fizzled out and died with the 1998 Constitution.

Each movement was made possible during periods of weakness experienced by autocratic rulers. The earlier two movements failed when the ruler regained his composure. As Shaheed has also noticed the current movement is different in that the ruler was deposed before he could regain his authority. So it's left to the new ruler to complete the endgame. Will he stifle the movement if he does get full authority?

This time around there are certain safeguards against degradation into autocracy – independent judiciary and parliament. However they are not absolute guarantees. Parliamentary control can be regained through engineered defections. Judiciary can be cowed down by threats. So time alone will tell us the fate of the current democratic movement.

Dr. Shaheed sues Umar Naseer

Legal redressal for defamation is a necessary evil, as Foreign Minister Dr. Ahmed Shaheed would tell you. He has on Sunday filed a civil lawsuit against Islamic Democratic Party (IDP) leader Umar Naseer to recover Rf. 57,898,477 from him for alleged defamation.

Such lawsuits are the downside of unfettered freedom of expression, which in recent years has caused irreparable damage to the reputations of respected public figures. Something had to be done about it. As Shaheed's lawyer Dr. Mohamed Jameel said, one hopes this case will set a legal precedence that would be a deterrent to anyone tempted to make unsubstantiated accusations against opponents. Miadhu Daily quotes Dr. Jameel as saying, "We have to make people who make such allegations answerable and accountable. There are certain limits and boundaries stipulated in the new Constitution for freedom of expression."

Explaining how the figure of 57,898,477 was calculated Jameel said the amount included his fees as well as reparation for damages to Shaheed and his family's reputation and his future career prospects. He said this is how such are calculations are made in other countries too.

Miadhu Daily reports that Islamic Democratic Party (IDP) in early March alleged that senior government officials, including foreign minister Dr. Shaheed, accepted US $ 2 million in bribes to recognize Kosovo independence. The bribe was allegedly from Behgjet Pacolli, the leader of New Kosovo Alliance (NKA).