Because this week was just overall depressing, PPM MPs abandon Noah’s Ark, Velezinee continues making videos, Gasim submits his voice samples, and police want to investigate a topless model’s photos. These are short takes on the headlines of the week gone by. Two robbers charged with terrorism The two were part of a masked group […]
Because there is no such thing as a proportionate response in YAG’s arsenal, this week: Maumoon can’t catch a break, Nihan’s verbal diarrhoea, Maseeh survives the roll-call, and also my weekly update on Muizzu and his marbles. No confidence motion against Speaker Maseeh defeated Hoo-boy. How do I even summarize this one? The opposition spent weeks […]
Because fangirls are crazy, and that Affan dude from Maldivian Idol should seek an immediate restraining order, this week: aqeeda remains endangered, corruption is part of YAG’s nature, Vaguthu website is temporarily worth visiting, and President Nasheed drops by in Colombo. These are short takes on the headlines of the week gone by. Muizzu opens a Disabled Parking zone […]
Because I finally could sleep, but now I feel old. This week I look at easily impressed youth, judicial colloquiums, another human rights day of holding posters, and setting the record straight on Shigella and Cholera. These are short takes on the headlines of the week gone by Gender Minister shares message to Persons with Disabilities. A surprisingly thoughtful […]
Because it was November 3 again, and evil-dictator Gayoom is fast becoming my favourite politician in town (and I can’t deal with this new reality), this week I look at the latest in PPM vs Lame PPM, and MNDF’s continuing celebration of the Indian army’s victory over Sri Lankan Tamil rebels. These are short takes on the […]
Because YAG has literally removed the furniture and erased the signboard from his own party headquarters as some form of punishment to his elder brother, this week I look at the sibling rivalry between two dictators of mixed abilities. These are short takes on the headlines of the week gone by. Gayoom withdraws support for Yameen YAG’s continued […]
Because I finally slept through a rainy Saturday afternoon, this week I observe – slack-jawed – at how old man Gayoom destroyed a military APC with a joke. These are short takes on the headlines from the week gone by. “Yameen handed control of ruling party” No kidding. A civil court judge straight up told *the* Maumoon Abdul […]
Maldives Home Minister Umar Naseer is confident that he can win at the Olympic 100m hurdles. He just needs some slight change of rules – firstly, to remove those annoying barriers that get in the way. Having to jump over these numerous obstacles were clearly undermining his goal of completing the race, he noticed. He […]
This Week in Maldives: January 8
Because you guys liked, RT’d and shared the hell out of the last edition, this week I focus on aqeeda-endangering textbooks, Dunya’s return to the dark side, and Muizzu engaged in a series of unfortunate Muizzed up things. These are short takes on the headlines of the week gone by. Dunya rejoins the regime Dunya […]
Dhoonidhoo Diaries: Part 3 – Heat and Captivity
This is the third instalment in the Dhoonidhoo Diaries series where I pen down my experiences in Dhoonidhoo prison where I was incarcerated following an unprecedented regime crackdown on the May Day rally. Read Part 1 here and Part 2 here. Nearly 200 democratic protesters were arrested on 1st May 2015 by the Maldives’ authoritarian […]
Dhoonidhoo Diaries: Part 2 – Prison Cell
1st May 2015 saw the largest anti-government protests in Maldivian history, with nearly 20,000 protesters filling the main thoroughfare in Malé. I was among the nearly 200 democratic protesters arrested that day, in the largest police crackdown in over a decade. I was released after being held for 21 days without trial. But several May […]
Dhoonidhoo Diaries: Part 1 – Arrest and Incarceration
1st May 2015 saw the largest anti-government protests in Maldivian history, with nearly 20,000 protesters filling the main thoroughfare in Malé. It also saw the largest police crackdown in over a decade, with nearly 200 democratic protesters arrested. I was among those arrested, and was held captive for 21 days, including 5 days of house […]
I remember the exact moment when I first saw Ahmed Rilwan. It was late 2009, and I had just arrived in the Maldives. Some bloggers had gotten together to sort of welcome me and get introduced. We were sitting in a sea-side café at night, when he walked in with two other well known bloggers. We hit […]
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