The world’s wealthiest and most powerful
nations will be able to better endure these disruptions, just as they now enjoy
the energy consumption that causes it.
‘Terrorism’
charges might give the government leverage against a bid made by Nasheed to
participate in any official political action at any point in the future. What
happens now?
When Gayoom
the elder was president, the government sought to facilitate the entrance of
Islamist groups into the Maldives. The resumption of this now may be another
opportunity for proponents of genuine democracy to sharpen the concern of
international observers.
Journalists, independent social media activists, human rights defenders and opposition politicians in the Maldives are being continually harassed and threatened. A look at what lies behind these attacks explores whether extremism is being fuelled by the Maldivian Government for political gain.
Should Britain, the United States and
others who claim to be concerned, stand by and allow reactionary forces to stage-manage
a phony election, this sends yet another inconsistent and disheartening message
to those struggling for peaceful democratic change in the Islamic world and
beyond.
There are a number of troubling indicators
that major fraud may have occurred in the election held on September 7, which
raises questions regarding the integrity of the September 28 runoff.
Given such levels of violence against girls and women, it is a wonder
that so many Indians can feel superior while talking about the Taliban assault
in neighbouring Pakistan. It will take more to defeat the Taliban, be they of the Islamic, Hindu or any
other variety.
If western countries are unwilling to place
any pressure against a regime of questionable legitimacy, allied with a former
dictator and hard-line Islamists, while failing to provide any support for a
popularly-elected leader committed to democracy and to nonviolence, what kind
of message does that send?
The United States and
much of the international community has understandably been focused on increasingly
violent conflict in Syria. However,
attention also needs to be given to the Muslim people of this Asian nation and
their commitment to the power of nonviolent action
Two years after becoming a multi-party democracy a political struggle between the president and the opposition-dominated parliament has thrown the country into political deadlock
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This year, the theme is ‘populism’. Is the problem fake news or fake democracy? What media, what political parties, what politicians do we need to re-connect with citizens and make informed choices in 21st century democracy?
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