Editorial
Changing of the guard in Male
Maldives' new leader has a unique opportunity
History has clearly been made in the Maldives. Three decades after he rose to power in the island nation, Maumoon Abdul Gayoom has conceded defeat to a young politician who has just beaten him at the country's first openly contested presidential election. Mohammad Nasheed, the 41 year-old former dissident who has just defeated Gayoom, has promised that there will be no witch hunt once he forms his government in Male. That is certainly most commendable. And equally commendable is the grace with which the fallen Gayoom has accepted the verdict of the electorate following the second round of the voting. These are big things to note and absorb from a small country that has set an example in political and electoral probity.
The expectation now is that the new president will move quickly into giving Maldivians a new administration based on democracy and human rights. There cannot be any denying that when a politician serves a long time in power, a degree of atrophy sets in everywhere. That to a significant extent has been the case with the Maldives, where over the years Gayoom has exercised power in an authoritarian manner. Opposition has repeatedly been suppressed and even the newly elected Nasheed has been in and out of prison for years on end. Anti-government agitation has been violently suppressed and politicians suspected of being behind the disturbances have been carted off to prison. Even the respected Ibrahim Zaki could not escape Gayoom's wrath. The result was an atmosphere of intimidation that naturally led to growing discontent in the country. That discontent has now proved to have been purposeful. The people of the Maldives have spoken and by electing their new leader have demonstrated their readiness to join the club of democratic nations.
We wish the people of the Maldives well. Under their new president, we expect, they will move on toward building truly democratic institutions and thereby promote the principles of good governance.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel.
Comments