Why not today?
Walking down the road in an Island in Baa Atoll, named Hithaadhoo, found some Fruits in the shades of a tree with some price tags. Also, just next was a Jar with some Coins and Cash inside, may have around a 1000 MVR in total. The amazing thing was while staring at the Jar, I noticed a local lady with a round “Vah burugaa” (veil) came over took some mangoes, paid a 100 to the Jar, took MVR 30 change from the Jar and walked away. Wow! The Jar was the shopkeeper itself, are we Maldivians still this innocent.
10 years later, January 30th, 2020, I was in Hulhumale’ hospital for a dressing, while some people came in with an Emergency Case of injury. The most intolerable thing I have seen lately in the Maldives, 1 Tourist, 2 Expat workers stabbed badly just because they were foreigners, and non-Muslims. Never thought we Maldivians will forget how we earn, how we build, and Most importantly how our pious religion guides us to respect others, Muslims or not.
Our development boosted since 1972, with the commencement of Tourism, where tourists describes us as the most peaceful place on earth, with white sandy beaches, smiley faces, and Naturally clean Roads. We have built our capital city from 1000 households to at least 30,000 accommodation units, with the heavy support of foreign expatriates Majorly from neighboring countries, meaning our Labor force is majorly Expatriates.
Sadly, today we have stabbed those 2 supporters of our Economy from our pious hands, while our respective religion strongly condemns any act of violence to any Human being.
What has brought us here? A question in my mind, which may have with you all too! Why haven’t we maintained our discipline, why aren’t we the peaceful smiley people to the people today. We still have people who are enthusiastic in good disciple, while lots are ruining our Natural discipline. Agreeable thing is that we have fought for Human rights, freedom of Speech since Monarchism. With hard work we achieved it, with a new democratically elected government under a new Constitution in 2008. But since then are we righteously practicing what we earned? Or are we acting like frogs out of the well?
How would our new generation be if we continue being stubborn, and act like frogs? Isn’t it time for us to draw the map of our future, with some sense of what we actually need to see tomorrow.
Indeed, it is time for us to outline our future with some border lines with core values of our religion which is also proven best practice of Humanity. Close down violence, stop defaming people for Political or personal grudges, make use of Freedom of speech to fight for your right, but not to withhold or ruin one’s right. Guide our kids with decent academics, with relevant Humanity principals, also us being a role model to them.
Is this freedom of speech, not necessary to keep defame, or be criminals in fighting for freedom of speech pr Human Rights
