Facebook | Zitahli Resorts&Spa,Maldives

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Manaa-Manthiri
Independent Investigative Research & Analysis

IIRA is an independent THINK TANK presently working on 3rd Nov 1988 PLOTE terror attack to Maldives.The second project is ELAM WAR 04.

The contributors can be reach:
wowmaldives@hotmail.com
wowmaldives@gmail.com

If you have any pictures & information pls. keeps in touch.

Adam Rasheed Ahmed

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BlqLwCKkeY

Lower Quality Version: President Obama Speaks to the Muslim World from Cairo, Egypt

'No one is above the law': the 59th General Assembly high-level debate

Secretary-General Kofi Annan, in his address at the commencement of the high-level general debate, warned that international law was being "shamelessly disregarded" and urged world leaders to do everything within their power to restore respect for the rule of law at home and abroad. The Assembly also had before it the Report of the Secretary-General on the work of the Organization, which takes stock of the United Nations system's activities during the past year and emphasizes the ever-increasing scope of its tasks. The report, which covers the world body's action in the areas of achieving peace and security, meeting humanitarian commitments, cooperating for development, human rights and the international legal order, and enhancing management and partnerships, acknowledges that the year had been "extraordinarily challenging".

The Secretary-General also told Member State delegations that "the rule of law is at risk around the world" and called upon the international community to do everything within their power to restore respect for the fundamental principles of law. As violence and disaster swayed in many countries across the globe, he said, "every nation that proclaims the rule of law at home must respect it abroad, and every nation that insists on it abroad must enforce it at home".

“the unsung hero of this campaign, who built the . . . best political campaign, I think, in the history of the United States of America.”

David Plouffe was the campaign manager for Barack Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign. After winning the election on Nov. 4, President-elect Obama credited Plouffe in his acceptance speech, calling him “the unsung hero of this campaign, who built the . . . best political campaign, I think, in the history of the United States of America.”

Plouffe is credited with the campaign’s successful overall strategy in the race for the Democratic Party presidential nomination. He was credited by The New Republic for Obama’s success in the Iowa caucus and for crafting an overall strategy to prolong the primary past Super Tuesday. The Chicago Tribune writes, “Plouffe was the mastermind behind a winning strategy that looked well past Super Tuesday’s contests on Feb. 5 and placed value on large and small states.” Plouffe also maintained discipline over communications in the campaign, including controlling leaks and releasing information about the campaign on its terms. Averse to publicity himself, Plouffe’s control over the internal workings of the Obama campaign successfully avoided the publicly aired squabbles that frequently trouble other campaigns.

In May 2008, David Axelrod praised Plouffe, stating that he had “done the most magnificent job of managing a campaign that I’ve seen in my life of watching presidential politics. To start something like this from scratch and build what we have built was a truly remarkable thing.”

Plouffe began his political career when he went to work for Senator Tom Harkin’s 1990 re-election campaign. He later worked as a state field director for Harkin’s unsuccessful 1992 presidential campaign. In the same year, he successfully managed Congressman John Olver’s first re-election bid in western Massachusetts. In 1994, Plouffe managed Delaware Attorney General Charles M. Oberly’s unsuccessful campaign against Senator William V. Roth. Plouffe then worked as campaign director for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee in 1995. In 1996, Plouffe managed Bob Torricelli’s successful campaign to fill Bill Bradley’s New Jersey seat in the United States Senate.

From 1997 to 1998, Plouffe served as Democratic leader Dick Gephardt’s Deputy Chief of Staff. From 1999 to 2000, as executive director of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, Plouffe led a national campaign that led the Democrats closer to the majority.

In the winter of 2000, Plouffe joined AKPD Message and Media, but left briefly to serve as a strategist for Gephardt’s unsuccessful Presidential bid. He returned to the firm and became a partner in February 2004. Beginning in 2003, Plouffe and fellow AKPD partner David Axelrod worked on Barack Obama’s 2004 Illinois Senate campaign, beginning Plouffe’s association with Obama. Plouffe worked with Axelrod on Deval Patrick’s successful 2006 campaign for Governor of Massachusetts.

BBC explaine Maldives Dictator's RICH life

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/7895484.stm

TERROR ATTACK BY TAMIL PLOTE TO MALDIVES

The courage of eleven soldiers lead by Capt. Moosa Ali Jalee & Late Cpl. Hussain Adam THE HERO IN TIME & THE HERO FOR EVER

The courage of eleven soldiers lead by Capt. Moosa Ali Jaleel (now Brigadier) who went out on a recon mission outside the side gates while still under fire. The section lost four of their colleagues to enemy fire. These soldiers managed to complete their mission and re-enter the HQ still under fire.

Late Cpl. Hussain Adam THE HERO IN TIME & THE HERO FOR EVER

Today we honor Cpl. Hussain Adam for the brave return of fire, which gave the HQ personnel time to get over the surprise attack of the enemy. Instead of hiding inside the guard-post, he opened fire at the enemy, pushing back their advance and giving our forces time to plan and retaliate. Cpl. Hussain Adam did save our independence on the day by giving away the advantage of surprise the enemy had.

Our forces actually fought and protected this nation. Even under the hail of bullets and explosives, the soldiers inside fought bravely; the NSS-HQ was never taken.

Indian help Maldives in 3rd Nov 1988 PLOTE TERROR ATTACK

The 50^th Independent Para Regiment of the Indian Army under, Col. S.C. Joshi, who landed in the Maldives, knowing the threat. The Indian Naval vessels INS Godavari and INS Tir did a commendable work in capturing the mercenaries and securing most of the hostages.

Political writer & Editor
Adam Rasheed Ahmed
can be reach:
wowmaldives@yahoo.com
wowmaldives@gmail.com

Wow lovely, how free is freedom of media in Maldives

Police summon minister for questioning

Sawad-Thoyyib-Maldives by Ibrahim Mohamed, Minivan News

A minister and state minister were summoned to the police station for questioning on the request of criminal court following a poll on state television earlier this month, which the court deemed disrespectful towards the judiciary.

Dr Ahmed Ali Sawad, the minister of tourism, arts and culture, and Thoyyib Mohamed Waheed, the state minister, were questioned along with the programme’s presenter, Adam Miqdhah, and Ibrahim Khaleel, the managing director of the Maldives National Broadcasting Corporation.

The court requested a police investigation on 10 June after Television Maldives (TVM) aired a programme, “Q&A with Miqdhah”, asking viewers whether they thought the ongoing legal dispute over Herathera Resort remained unresolved because the courts were too slow; 70 per cent of viewers said yes.

Speaking to Minivan News today, Sawad said police informed him they wanted to verify a few details, but he chose to remain silent.

“I was quite surprised. I didn’t expect it in this day and age, when we are struggling for our fundamental rights for freedom.”

Sawad said he could not comment on the programme as he had not watched it.

Miqdad said he too chose to remain silent during the police interrogation. He added he was unsure whether the investigation was being conducted because of the views expressed on the show or the poll.

TVM Deputy General Mohamed Asif said he did not understand why the investigation was necessary.

“From Haveeru Daily, I learnt that the judge wanted to clarify whether we had disrespected the court on purpose,” he said.

In an interview with the newspaper on 11 June, Judge Abdullah Mohamed said the poll would tarnish the reputation of the judiciary and foster a perception that the courts were incompetent.

The president’s office released a statement today, expressing concern over Sawad being questioned by police.

“At a time when international parties have noted that the media is very free in the Maldives and are congratulating the country for it, the president believes incidents like this could negatively impact their view of the country,” the statement reads. “Further, this is an obstacle to ministers freely carrying out their responsibilities.”

Protecting Ex-president is not only a DRP's responsible.

PROTECTING Ex-president

Protecting Ex-president is not a only DRP's responsible.

President Mohamed Nasheed say's ex-President Qayyoom must be protected accordingly.

Ex legal reform minister has different school of thought in legal ZIETGEIST.
Let's see what ex minister say's in his POLITICAL BLOG.

I don’t believe that anyone can be immune from the application of criminal laws – whether president or peasant.

All privileges and all benefits otherwise available to a person due to an office he holds in the country such as president, minister, judge or parliamentarian or any other public official ceases where criminal law begins.

Put another way, every person is liable for any crimes he may commit, or any laws he may breach.

But there may be different ways to deal with different office holders. This does not negative or defeat the “equality principle” which says that each person shall be equal before the law.

Equality principle is sometimes misconstrued in the media and even amongst politicians to hold that the president or commoner, public official or not, everyone must be subject to the same standards and processes.

Equality principle does not mean that. Any student of constitutional law would know that the principle simply means “like cases must be treated alike”.

People placed in identical or similar circumstances must be subject to equal application of the laws, and there shall not be any discrimination in the manner they are treated.

Returning to the issue of prosecution, it is my firm belief that a serving president or past president must be held responsible for any breaches of the law or crimes he may have committed while as president.

The constitution is clear in article 6 of it that a president is to govern the country in accordance with the constitution. He is asked to rule within the perimeters of the constitution.

It means that his powers need to be exercised within the bounds of constitution and law. It also means that the moment he transgresses a law he is deemed to have exceeded his remit as president; is exposed to legal liability; and must be held accountable for his deeds. That process of accountability must never be closed or prevented or restricted.

But there may be different ways to deal with that liability.

For example, the current Maldives constitution, in article 127, says that if a serving president is accused of a crime he committed while in office or even before assuming office, his prosecution for that offence may be postponed till he ends his term, if the parliament resolves it necessary to do so.

When I look at the draft of the disputed provision in the controversial bill on ex-presidents, in view of the arguments made against it, I don’t think that the draft actually reflects the concerns which have been generated in the media or expressed by some politicians.

Draft bill in section 9 focuses simply on protection from acts or omissions committed “as president”. It neither gives a president carte blanche authority to commit crimes while in office nor does it afford an ex-president such a blanket cover to hide behind presidential immunity.

My reading of the substance of that provision is this: if a president leaves office without being held to have committed a wrong, he shall not be subjected to any prosecution or enquiry in respect of any act or omission committed in his capacity as president.

I read it to be a protection against vexatious and frivolous claims. I read it not to be as any protection from criminal liability.

Said another way, I read the bill simply to mean that an ex-president cannot be held liable for the manner in which he had exercised his executive discretion.

It is undisputed that neither the constitution nor the law affords him any protection against any act committed or omitted in violation of the constitution or law – simple because the law gives him power to govern according to the constitution.

While I believe that none can be protected from criminal liability or prosecution, I admit that executive discretion must be protected.

Let’s take an example. While there may be a large number of people who may not have liked the current president to privatize the country’s international airport, he cannot be exposed to any litigation or inquiry because of that, as he did not commit an offence prescribed by law.

He may be subject to criticism in a public court of opinion, but not to conviction in a court of law.

This president may have waived with a single stroke of his pen nearly Rf 600 million worth of otherwise receivable tourism related revenue in December last year as an act of compassion towards certain tourist resort owners. He cannot be held liable if he has not breached a law.

The president cannot either be quizzed or tried for creating utility companies in the manner he has decided to do so, if he has not breached a law.

Simply for one reason – all of it is within his executive discretion or presidential prerogative.

Similarly, there must be several acts within a thirty year rule, where the ex-president can be pulled up for his acts or omissions. I recall one from a press release of the presidential commission.

Why did the ex-president decide to partner with Malaysian Helicopter Services instead of Emirates to create Air Maldives? That is totally within his discretion as head of state, and he cannot be questioned on that. That is no breach of a law. That is an exercise of his presidential discretion.

It may not be to the liking of a large number of people. And in hindsight, it may not also have proved to be a worthy effort. But criminal inquiry or prosecution would fail on that, for absence of a breach of law.

Therefore, in approaching or understanding draft section 9 of the bill on ex-presidents, we need to appreciate the difference between acts which are against a law and acts which are disliked but within the prerogative of a head of state.

While there cannot be immunity from legally wrong acts, there ought to be every protection given to safeguarding decisions made within the remit of presidential discretion. Otherwise, one cannot govern at all.

And this is a protection we afford not to presidents alone. We give similar immunity from suit to members of independent commissions and offices as well. If you look at laws on Human Rights Commission, Anti-Corruption Commission, and Prosecutor General you would come across protection from court battles being granted in relation to what they do in their capacity as those office holders.

My conclusion is this: whether or not, section 9 of the bill on ex-presidents survives the criticism it has encountered, Maumoon Abdul Gayoom can still be subject to criminal inquiry of a presidential commission or criminal prosecution in a court of law in respect of any act he may have committed against a law during his tenure as president. But the three constitutions under which he had served would protect him from being questioned on any decision falling within presidential prerogative.

The disputed bill is no cover to exposing the ex-president to criminal prosecution or inquiry in respect of a crime or legal wrong. The draft bill proposes to protect him only to the extent of acts or omissions committed as president, that is to say, in his capacity as president and within the constitution, and in the exercise of his executive discretion and prerogative.

That is all. And if that meaning is not clear for all alike, I propose that the draft be further improved to spell out just that in precise terms.

http://www.mnasheed.com/2009/09/immunity-from-prosecution/

WHO SAY'S DRP is a FAN CLUB for Ex-president Abdull Qayyoom.



A fan club is a group that is dedicated to a well known person, group, idea (such as history) or sometimes even an inanimate object (such as a famous building). Most fan clubs are run by fans that devote considerable time and resources to supporting them. There are also "official" fan clubs that are run by someone associated with the person or organization the club is centered around. This is the case for many musicians, soccer teams and more.

Functions as an organization:


Larger fan clubs may organize events and fundraising relating to what they are based on. In some cases the money that is raised goes directly to the people the fan club is based around.

DRP Mr.Nihan (MP) has submitted a bill protecting the ex presidents of MALDIVES. The young & old (MP)'s of DRP was really busy these days.

PROTECTING THE PRESIDENT is a taught job no matter present or ex.

The most of the Maldivian public & president MOHAMED NASHEED is very positive to provide protection to Ex-president Abdull Qayyoom.

Lots of Maldivians has changed their POLITICAL MOOD now. Why DRP parliament group has mentioned in this bill Abdull Qayyoom or Ex-presidents cannot bring to justice.

This was really a turning point. Public gathered in front of PARLIAMENT HOUSE & MDP members, non political party independent members raised their voice & alert whole nation.

MDP young MP Mr.Shifaz claimed he feel's & understand from this bill "NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW" simply not true, all people are equal but some are more equal than others.

The reality is young MP's of DRP & its members feel ABDULL QAYYOOM to retire completely from POLITICS.

MDP MP's & its member has same MODE & MOOD of thinking & claimed DRP is not presently acting as OPPOSITION PARTY it seem to be EX-PRESIDENT AL USTHAAZ MAUMOON ABDULL QAYYOM's FAN CLUB.

Writer can be reach:
Adam Rasheed Ahmed
Editor & Political Writer
wowmaldives@yahoo.com
wowmaldives@gmail.com

THE MAN FOR ALL ISLANDS
Ex - President of Maldives Gayoom (1978 / 2009)
Summoned by Presidential Commission on Corruption:




A visiting European Union Parliamentarian to Male mentioned, while referring to former President Gayoom that it would be better for him to remain as a respected Statesman like former Presidents of other countries. Though undiplomatic, what he said is essentially true.

Having remained as President for three decades with "unlimited power," Gayoom should have gracefully retired and remained as an elder statesman making himself available for consultations if required and more importantly remain above politics. It looks that he has ambitions to become president again and it is not a good sight for a person of his position to be addressing party rallies all over Maldives. If he has such ambitions to continue in politics then he will necessarily have to take the flak of all the mis doings of those cronies who enjoyed power and privilege (pillage?) during his time and will have to explain and be accountable. This is what has happened now.

President Nasheed soon after taking over saw to it that the outgoing president was given due respect, privileges and financial support. In the joint press conference soon after election, he requested Gayoom to be of help to them in governance. His approach as mentioned in our paper of 2919 of 10th November 2008 was one of forgiveness, respect and tolerance.

Nine months later what has gone wrong that on 12th July, the Presidential commission had formally summoned Gayoom to its office to probe into alleged embezzlement and corruption of state funds and resources? One could be the enormity of the embezzlement of the state funds and two, it could also be due to pressure from President Nasheed�s colleagues who were not happy with the way Gayoom having obtained all the privileges for a "former president" and yet going about criticising the government repeatedly on all issues in the party meetings. Many of them who are pressing for action were the ones who would have suffered most during Gayoom�s time.

One cannot forget the way Gayoom chased his predecessor Ibrahim Nasir and his family out of the country by slapping innumerable charges against him. Ibrahim Nasir is being remembered now on the independence day when he was able to have a smooth transfer of power on 26th July 1965. The problem of Gan base in Adu Atoll was also skillfully solved and the base is now under the sovereign control of the Maldives Government. But Gayoom will also certainly be remembered one day provided he gives up his ambitions now.

But the charges of corruption and diversion of Gayoom�s regime are serious. Instead of taking umbrage under the existing law that the Presidential commission has no powers to issue summons or warrants ( in fact the civil court has upheld this position), Gayoom should have cooperated with the commission to clear his name. A Police team had been to his house to record his statement. There are two versions as to what he said. One said that he signed to the effect that the "commission was not constitutionally empowered to summon people against their will." Another said that "it is not possible for me to answer the commission�s questions since I do not have any of the documents with me now�. He was also reported to have said that it is not certain that the documents are in tact!

DRP sources had also said that the sending of two peons to the former president to serve the summons has lowered the status of the President to that of an ordinary citizen. Hasn�t the former president brought on this situation on himself?

Empowerment of the Commission could be done separately as the civil court on the case filed by President�s brother has not questioned the legality of the commission itself but only its powers. The other way would be to take the "Police Route" of registering separate cases of corruption and defalcation of funds by the former President. This is what is happening and media reports indicate that on 26th July, the Maldives Police Services has formally asked the Prosecutor General Ahmad Muiz to prosecute Gayoom for refusing to attend the enquiry relating to embezzlement of state funds and resources.

The next step would be to with hold his passport and that will be more humiliating.

While there were many cases of diversion of sources and misuse over a period of time, the audit report of the government of 2007 particularly revealed waste, fraud and money laundering. The report according to the Auditor General Ibrahim Naeem showed widespread fraudulent practices by government officials who cooked books and fudged documents. There were serious instances of corruption on the supply side.

Further, the 2008 budget had an unacceptable deficit of Rf 4 billion and according to the Auditor General it was not a balanced one. He said that his warnings were not heeded and the current dollar shortage is directly related to the imbalanced budget. The former government is said to be directly responsible for the severe economic crisis the country is undergoing.

If only former President gives up his ambitions, remain above politics, let the law take its course against all those in his regime who had embezzled or misused funds and cooperate with the President�s Commission against corruption, it will be good for the country as a whole and the nation that has been nurtured by him for three decades will feel grateful to him.

India very special friend of reformists & MDP & President Mohamed Nasheed's Government



Let's know the SWOT before criticize INDIA-MALDIVES security knot.




M A L D I V E S

NOTE: The information regarding Maldives on this page is re-published from The Library of Congress Country Studies and the CIA World Factbook. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Maldives National Security information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Maldives National Security should be addressed to the Library of Congress and the CIA.

Military branches:	Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF): Quick Reaction Force, Security Protection Group, Coast Guard (2007)
Military service age and obligation:	18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2008)
Manpower available for military service:	males age 16-49: 89,505 females age 16-49: 85,745 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:	males age 16-49: 72,150 females age 16-49: 69,058 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:	male: 4,749 female: 4,084 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:	5.5% of GDP (2005 est.)
Military - note:	the Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF), with its small size and with little serviceable equipment, is inadequate to prevent external aggression and is primarily tasked to reinforce the Maldives Police Service (MPS) and ensure security in the exclusive economic zone (2008)

I N D I A

Dr. Subhash Kapila

Introductory Observations

The Indian Republic in the first fifty years of its existence maintained a strategic autonomy in the conduct of its foreign policy despite a much more limited national power profile and economic profile than that exists today.

Today, when India is economically vibrant and strong and India has been able to amass sizeable conventional and strategic assets, India to its citizens seems strategically tied down in adding muscle to the conduct of its foreign policy.

Adding muscle to India�s foreign policy does not imply war mongering or military adventurism. Adding muscle to India�s foreign policy implies that India�s national security interests are accorded a paramountcy in the conduct of foreign policies to the exclusion of the personal predictions of the Indian Prime Minister and his proximate foreign policy advisors. It also implies the existence of political will to secure India�s national security interests.

GREATER INDIAN VISIBILITY IN ITS NEIGHBOURHOOD & India to take up digital mapping of Maldives

By V.Jayanth

MALE Sept. 23. India is to undertake digital mapping and hydrographic surveys of the Maldivian land mass and coastlines, besides assisting the Indian Ocean State in setting up an information technology village, the Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, announced here today.

Accepting a civic reception and a Key of Male here this evening, Mr. Vajpayee said a team from the Department of Space, Survey of India and the Indian Navy's Hydrographic unit would carry out the study and survey to help the Maldives map its future and estimate its potential in the fisheries sector. It could also help in its environment protection programme.

The Prime Minister said the Tata Consultancy would undertake a project to computerise the postal service network in the archipelago. This would be a model of Government-industry partnership that could be duplicated in other development areas.

Mr. Vajpayee, along with the Maldives President, Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, participated in another function to lay the foundation stone for the Faculty of Hospitality and Tourism Studies here. Though started in 1987, the institute, functioning in a guest house, could not meet the growing needs of the tourism industry. With Indian help and expertise, this would function in a new building and double its capacity to 200 students per course.

Mr. Gayoom stressed on its significance to the Maldives, given its focus on tourism and the need to train young men and women in meeting its needs.

Briefing the media on the one-to-one talks between the two leaders and the delegation-level discussions, the Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson, Nirupama Rao, said the Maldives had sought Indian assistance in the "greening and development'' of the Hulhumale island, where about 50,000 people would be resettled over the next 25 years. Indian companies were invited to participate in the housing projects too.

She said the Maldives President was keen on signing a science and technology agreement with India. Accordingly, New Delhi would draft such an agreement and send it to Male for approval, before the two Governments could sign it.

In response to Mr. Gayoom's request for Indian expertise to set up what he called an `Internet village', the Maldives was asked to send a delegation to Hyderabad and Bangalore to see for itself the facilities and developments, so that it could give a concrete shape to its proposal. Similarly, India would also assist in the development of e-governance here, to link various Ministries and agencies.

Ms. Rao said the National Research Laboratory for Conservation of Cultural Properties in Lucknow had restored the `Fenfushi' mosque in Male and had now been asked to take up a similar restoration of the `Dharumavantha Raasgefaanu' mosque, also in Male. (Mr. Vajpayee took credit for the laboratory being located in his parliamentary constituency)

As far as the Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital here was concerned, the Government of India had agreed to set up another operation theatre, provide tele-medicine links with Indian health institutions and help develop it as a teaching institution. India would offer two additional seats in medicine to students from the Maldives, in addition to the present two.

As Mr. Gayoom noted in his banquet speech "An ocean brings our people together. In the past, the monsoon winds brought friends, merchandise and profit. Today, the airwaves and satellite signals exchange real time sounds and sights of both our cultures''.

The Maldives Home Minister, Ismail Shaffieeu, who presented the Key of Male to Mr. Vajpayee, later told Indian journalists that the ocean state was keen on expanding aviation ties with India — more flights to more cities, to bring more Indian tourists to the island resorts. At present, Indian Airlines operated services

only from Thiruvananthapuram and it was essential to provide flights out of New Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai.

The snap decision India made to stop the attempted coup in the Maldives, on the heels of its Sri Lankan intervention last year, shows the scale of its ambitions in South Asia. India says it wants to preserve ‘regional stability’. This is the sort of phrase that is used on such occasions. Trouble in Maldives poses no threat to Indian security, of course; but Mr Rajiv Gandhi’s government does not like the idea of coups. The week’s events showed, impressively, that India has the means to impose its will.

The prime minister came to know of the coup attempt at 8.30 on the morning of November 3rd, when he received a telephone call from an aide of the Maldivian president, Mr Maumoon Abdul Gayoom. The first transport aircraft, carrying 150 paratroops, landed in the Maldives less than 14 hours later, having flown, 1,700 miles from a base south of Delhi.

The United States, which had been in touch with Mr Gandhi, was happy for India to fix things in the Maldives. A similar view was taken by Russia and by Britain, the former colonial power, which used to have an air base on Gan, the southernmost island of the Maldives. Having Mr Reagan, Mr Gorbachev and Mrs Thatcher cheering him on must have bemused Mr Gandhi. It is a lot better than the accusations he hears from Sri Lanka.

The trouble in Sri Lanka, unlike that in the Maldives, does threaten Indian security. Ever since 1983, when the Tamil campaign for a separate state on the island began in earnest, India has wanted the Sri Lankan government to give the Tamils a generous measure of autonomy. It does not want to risk upsetting the 55 m Tamils who live in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, which in the 1950s had a strong separatist movement, called the Dravida Kazhagam. Although this movement failed, one or other of its more legitimate offshoots, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the All-India Anna DMK, has been ruling Tamil Nadu continuously since 1967.

The Maldives may accept India as a protective uncle.

Adam Rasheed Ahmed
wowmaldives@hotmail.com
wowmaldives@gmail.com