Democracy in the Maldives

Accompanied by Dr. Raghupathy, former lecturer in the Department of History, Jaffna University, I went around the national museum in Male. An old villa in the former Sultan’s palace has been converted into a museum. A second cultural shock awaited me. Unlike the national museum in New Delhi, which gives the visitor glimpses of the rich cultural heritage and composite culture of India, the museum in Male is testimony to a highly conservative society that upholds rigid Islamic ideals. The main exhibits highlight the history of the Maldives since it was Islamised in the 12th century. Objects relating to the pre-Islamic period are in a state of “benign neglect.” Most of them are kept in a closed room; a lone Buddha figure stands outside the entrance, exposed to the ravages of sun and rain.

As the President and supreme upholder of the Islamic faith, Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, who has been the Head of State since 1978, is committed to the promotion of Islam in all possible ways. Perhaps he considers such a policy to be essential for his political survival. At the same time, the realities of the Maldives, the need for modernisation, and the geographical proximity to India and Sri Lanka, dictate that the Government, in the long run, encourage a less exclusivist approach. The National Council of Islam is extremely conservative; Maldivian law is based entirely on the Koran.

When Thor Henerdhal, the well-known anthropologist, showed archaeological exhibits such as sun symbols to President Gayoom, evidence that the Maldives had an ancient civilisation comparable to Egypt, Mesopotamia and the Indus Valley, “his face lit up like a boy enraptured by Father Christmas’ gifts. He finally rose to his feet and said with pride: `We are a young Republic, yes. Now we have proof that we too have an old history, just like our neighbours in the sub-continent.'”