"formed bank to increase competitiveness, reduce interest"
one of the shareholders of commercial bank of maldives (cbm), champa hussain afeef has stated he started a new bank to increase competitiveness and reduce interest rates in the market. 
in an exclusive interview to avas, champa resorts chairman afeef said that forming a bank was a vision of his brother popular businessman mohamed moosa (uhchu). afeef said that when he first entered the resort market, interest rates were extremely high and therefore negatively impacted on business growth. therefore, he said he had envisioned opening a bank to make the sector more competitive and give easier access to loans and other financial instruments. 
"[my] brother mohamed moosa, uhchu, had this dream way before bank of maldives came into existence. when we first entered [tourism] sector bank interest rates were between 21-22 percent. that's when the idea formed. without bringing in competition, interest rates cannot be lowered," he said.
cbm was formed with 55 percent share of sri lanka's commercial bank, a bank which operates around 200 branches globally. tree top investments owns a 45 percent share in the bank, which has an asset base of around mvr 150 million.
afeef said an increase in the number of banks will increase competition and drive the interest rates downward; a key goal of cbm.
"i know that if one bank gives out at 11 percent, and another bank is giving at lower rates than that, the other banks will reduce their rates to that level. if there is demand, then interest rates must be lowered," afeef said.
a foreign bank coming to maldives, afeef says is a clear indicator of investor confidence.
"when a bank enters the market like this, it shows investor confidence. cbm's partner is one of the top banks in sri lanka. one of the thousand banks ranked positively internationally. they have maintained this for 10 years," afeef said.
the bank, located in h. filigasdhoshuge, is the sixth bank to open in six years.
commercial bank of maldives opens with mvr150 mln capital
the commercial bank of maldives (cbm) was inaugurated on monday with a capital of mvr 150 million.
president abdulla yameen abdul gayoom inaugurated the bank at a ceremony held at hotel jen in capital male. cbm is founded collaboratively by sri lanka’s commercial bank of ceylon and its maldivian partner tree top investments of which local business tycoon champa hussain afeef is a shareholder.
speaking at the ceremony, tree top investments’ chairman lars petre expressed hopes that cbm will play a major role in the maldives’ economy and stated that the new bank will actively shape the banking sector to conform with the archipelago’s ongoing transition to a digital economy.
cbm officially opened at 11:00 a.m. monday morning and commenced all banking services in addition to two atms and a cash deposit machine. the bank will also launch mobile banking, visa and mastercard services, as well as establish credit card terminals at business regions. moreover, cbm is also set to offer housing loans, private loans and business loans in the future.
cbm is the second bank to be opened in the maldives over the past six years. the last bank opened was maldives islamic bank (mib) in 2011.
tree top investments owns 45 percent of cbm while commercial bank of ceylon controls 55 percent of its shares.
currently, the banks operated in the maldives are bank of maldives ltd (bml), mib, bank of ceylon, state bank of india, habib bank, hsbc and mauritius commercial bank.
local audit firm joins international network, makes history
renowned local audit firm ah & associates has joined with one of the largest accounting networks in the world, becoming the first maldivian company to do so.
now as an associate firm of crowe horwath international, which manages around 200 audit firms in over 120 countries, ah & associates has been rebranded as crowe horwath maldives.
speaking at the rebranding ceremony held late monday at champa central hotel in capital male, managing partner hassan mohamed declared that the company’s services will be standardised according to crowe horwath’s specifications and will proceed with the latter’s technical aid.
“from now on, crowe horwath international will conduct quality assurance checks into our work,” he said.
crowe horwath maldives, which operates branches in both male and fuvahmulah island, was granted a rating of a by maldives inland revenue authority (mira). the firm’s services include accounting, taxes and providing counselling to investors in addition to auditing.
companies must meet specific criterion to become members of crowe horwath international, which is included in the world’s top ten audit firms. the criteria includes extensive knowledge of state conditions and suitable amount of experience in the field.
maldives kicks off tourism industry forum
the maldives commenced a major forum on tourism development with top officials of the industry on tuesday.
the forum hosted by the tourism industry at dharubaaruge convention centre in capital male was inaugurated by tourism minister moosa zameer.
speaking at the forum, the minister stated that the objective of the forum is to exchange ideas, information and experience between statesmen and top executives of the tourism sector on how to further develop the industry.
minister zameer said the forum will shed light on three main categories related to tourism, with development of environment, youth and human resources, and aviation.
“i hope that the information dispensed at this forum will prove fruitful in determining the policies required to improve the tourism sector,” he said.
stating that tourism in the maldives is advancing rapidly, the minister declared that more resorts will be unveiled over the next five years which will bring in more international brands to the archipelago.
“we want to ensure that employees for those [resorts] at the time of their unveiling are fully trained. as such, we’re training people for the tourism industry under a collaboration between the education ministry and tvet (technical, vocational education and training).”
the minister added that the government has also signed agreements with some atoll councils to train youth in the atoll islands.
minister zameer also related information on the ongoing development of ibrahim nasir international airport (inia) at the forum.
“in addition to that airport [inia], we’re also developing more domestic airports to facilitate easy transportation for tourists,” said zameer.
shedding light on the tourism marketing master plan, the minister stated that the plan will be framed to increase the number of tourists to the maldives. accordingly, projects to determine the current condition of the tourism market and seek more markets will commence next year, said the minister.
bml to unveil first islamic branch on thursday
maldives’ main bank is to open its first islamic banking branch this thursday.
an official of bank of maldives ltd (bml) announced that the bank’s islamic banking branch will commence services next sunday. details of the services available at the new branch will be revealed in time, the official added.
under bml’s islamic banking policy, all the branches of the bank already offers special islamic personal and business accounts named “wadi’ah” to its customers, along with “bml islamic visa debit” cash cards.
bml had also put together a shariah advisory committee of local and international islamic scholars to provide counselling on banking procedures that comply with islamic law.
voter list for council election to be announced next week
elections commission has said that the voter lists and constituencies for the upcoming local council election would be announced next week. 
talking on tvm’s “raajje miadhu” (maldives today) program, member of the elections commission, ahmed akram said that as the voter constituency list is announced next week, complaint resolutions would begin as well. 
he said that they worked hard not to have any mistakes on the list and efforts are being made to exclude the deceased from the list. 
akram said that the ballot box locations have been designated and all preparations have been made. 
while applications for candidates, monitors and observers have been opened online for the election, e-voting would be used in three areas of the country. 
a total of 651 councilors are to be elected at 259 councils which include 561 councilors for 179 island councils and 57 councilors from 19 atoll councils. with fuvahmulah city, 23 councilors would be elected for city councils.
the local council election is set to be held on 14 january 2017.
witness: did not see visam and leevan obstructing the police
defense witness has said that he did not see the raajjetv journalists mohamed visam and leevan ali naseer obstructing the police to fulfill their duties. 
the state charges of obstruction against the two said that on 2 november around 7:45 p.m., while the police and mndf closed down the maafannu stadium area for an operation, police ordered the people near iskandharu koshi to leave the area and while police corporal mohamed shaaheen was making at arrest at the scene, visam held the officer from behind and pulled him back. and leevan took the officer’s hand off the man he was trying to arrest.
at the hearing held today, all three defense witnesses testified that they did not see visam and leevan obstructing the police. the defense witnesses were the coo of raajje tv, hussain fiyaz moosa, and two raajje tv journalists, hussain fariyaz and murusheed abdul hakeem. 
two witnesses from the prosecution gave their statements at the hearing tonight. the two police officers that testified for the prosecution said that they saw visam and leevan in a struggle with a police officer. 
all witness testimonies in trial were concluded today. and the hearing in november would be the closing statements according to the chief judge, abdul baree yousuf. 
power issue at inia resolved
the electricity issue at ibrahim nasir international airport (inia) has been resolved. 
manager of corporate communications at the maldives airports company limited (macl), hassan areef told sun media that the power issue at inia has been resolved and the power has been restored to the entire airport. 
he said that the power outage was due to a problem with the main generator and the issue has now been resolved. 
inia has been experiencing blackouts at different parts of the airport since this morning. the issue continued to a small portion of the night as well. with the domestic terminal out of electricity, the international terminal was temporarily used for domestic flights. 
hassan said that no flights were delayed even with the power outage and no operational issues were caused. 
i study in grade nine.
yes my waist length hair is strong and voluminous as well. 
i'm sure you all would be interested to know my body measurements.
it is 36 inches, 24 inches 36 inches.
it is 30 inches round my chest.
so my bust is also not that small, right.
i got 24 inches round my waist because i'm not a fat person.
and yeah.
i'm a slim girl like they say.
definitely my buttocks measure 28 inches.
now you horny people can think whatever you want to about that.
 i shall tell you about a naughty comment that was passed to me one day.
it happened on my way to school.
there were two men.
i heard one of them say it when i passed by.
just look at that lady.
look at her ass.
must really be pretty amazing.
it made me smile.
when men say such things i get really happy.
even though i'm not fair in complexion, can't  say that i am a dark girl either. 
all i am sad about is that i have few  pubic hair.
i have very fine and few hair on my pussy.
i wish i had black and bushy hair there like my sister.
she has thick hair on her armpit as well.
but i don't find it pretty to have hair on armpit. 
what i do is, i remove those hair from armpit while i shower.
it reduces hair growth.
so now i have shared enough about me to you all.
but that's not the story i really am going to tell you.
the story is about how i had sex with someone for the very first time.
i started fucking early in my life at this age.
i like men who are older than me and who are more experienced than me.
at the beginning of school days i too experienced the teen love.
it was like every aminiya girl had a majeedhiya boy, likewise my boyfriend was also from majeediya.
he was sixteen and almost the same height as me.
our freedom was so limited that we could not get the opportunity for a single kiss in an year.
i don't know if it was so because of the strict school rules or that of parents or if amjad was too shy to do it.
probably it is because of the last reason i said just now.
because out meetings go late until midnight.
and nobody else comes there.
around ten thirty my sister and brother would go to sleep.
so it's just me and amjad alone.
he would be telling me some crappy school story while my heart irresistibly keeps dying for a loving caress or kiss from him. 
one night i couldn't hold back anymore and sat beside him and rested my head on his shoulders.
it was like amjad got an electric shock.
he panicked and pulled away saying that someone might come.
i was embarrassed.
and pretty angry too. 
ever since, in these one and a half years, amjad had kissed me only ten times.
yes i keep record of it.
nothing happened other than just kissing.
most nights i don't even wear my brassieres.
and that too was to see if he would play with my boobs.
but the night he accidentally touched my boobs also he was shy and said sorry about it.
what the fuck was that sorry for.
i am dying for him to touch me at those places.
anyway since that night i lost interest in amjad and as well as other youths of the same age.
yes, by youths  i mean the playful boys at school.
i can't feel the happiness and the butterflies i used to get in my stomach in seeing him anymore.
i have realized that love is surely some crappy bullshit.
no lust, no pleasure, just literal bloomy talks.
after all being friends with a boy is who is of the opposite sex is none other but to explore the feel the special sex organs they have.
so what the hell with the sweet talks.
what's the use of the vow talks.
as soon as we feel the love between us, and lust starts to grow,  isn't it time to start indulging the pleasure of sex from each other.
the world is a bridge.
it is human nature to meet more people and experience more things, so it's much better this way.
on friday on my way home from my brother's place, i dropped by to see amjad.
amjad's brother ashraf and ashraf's wife shareefa lives in the same house.
and their six year old son.
the little boy faisal loves me a lot.
on the other hand ashraf and shareefa also treats me real good.
and the secret behind our lasting relationship is also because of this happy family. 
ashraf is a slim and tall man.
i'm guessing his age must be somewhere around thirty or thirty-two.
his face is long and slim and keeps a moustache.
though his  moustache is not strong, it pretty black.
this guy ashraf is the kind of guy who has the handsome features i'm talking about.
on my visits to his place he would pass naughty comments to me if nobody is around.
oh look your looks are getting mature now he would say.
seems we have got married too early.
he would say such things indirectly at me.
today, friday, i visited amjad's room to find that no one was there.
so i checked the kitchen to find faisal.
no one was there too.
as i started to walk myself out, the door opened and there came ashraf out of the toilet.
oh haseena, what are you up to he asked me.
i just dropped by on my way home from my brother's place.
i said.
ashraf had a towel round his waist.
he had just finished his shower.
his hair was messy.
when i saw his muscular body, a strange feeling started to invade me.
i felt ashamed about it.
today shareefa and faisal have gone to her mom's place.
ashraf said.
let's go.
you must sit for a while before you leave.
where is amjad.
i asked.
oh he did not tell you.
he has gone to hulhule today.
i thought he will take you along too.
he said so and started walking.
come.
i followed him into the house.
he walked and stopped at his room entrance.
opened the door to invite me inside.
i hesitated a bit.
not because he might do something with me.
but because of the shyness due to the thoughts running in my mind.
get in.
i won't harm you.
he said naughtily.
i'm not scared of any fear of you harming me.
i said it unreluctantly.
i got myself into the room barely touching his body.
that instant he dropped his hands down from where he was holding onto the door and happened to brush his fingers against my boobs.
oh oh ouch.
he said with the sudden touch.
with the slight touch he still gathered the fact that i wasn't wearing my brassieres.
i was not shy either.
i told i don't need to where it yet.
but why, sure it doesn't appear small.
he said so and grinned.
i didn't comment back.
ashraf closed the door and walked to pick up the toy on the chair, kept it on the table and asked me to sit.
i sat down.
just don't look.
i'll just slip into my clothes.
he said.
no way.
i'll watch.
i said so to be smarter than him.
it's you who is going to feel shy.
he opened the wardrobe door and pulled out an ironed shirt and pants.
would i be able to see his dick while he is wearing his pants.
my heart raced as the thoughts ran in my mind.
and however much i tried to avoid, i couldn't help but look at him.
i got a strange feeling on my waist and inner body.
my boobs started feeling fuller under my dress.
i could not help but grabbed and squeezed my boobs.
it made me more horny.
i had never seen a man's dick in my life.
but i have seen pictures of such from books.
i wondered if men really had such big nice dicks as shown in those books.
what are you thinking about.
i got alarmed by his voice when he asked.
and my senses responded to my thoughts making me place my eyes on his penis.
seeing this he started laughing.
you are one such horny girl.
he said, and walked towards me.
he left the shirt and trousers in his hands on the table and stopped right in front of me.
my heart raced so fast it felt like as if it was going to jump out from my body.
i started feeling wetness in my pussy.
ashraf was standing right in front of me.
even a slight bend forward would touch my face on his tummy.
i smell his body odor and the scent of knights castile soap.
as the smell reached my nostrils it made my body go warm.
suddenly i untied the knot in his towel and grabbed it off his body.
oh my god.
the thing i saw.
looked a long snake in a flock of black grass.
ashraf's dick was hanging down.
i could see his balls behind it.
there you see what u were curious to watch.
it is sleeping now.
u have to wake it up.
he said so smiling.
i was lost for words.
my mouth went dry.
i kept staring at the dick proudly sleeping on the soft nest.
unconsciously my hands lifted up from my lap.
ashraf's dick must have sensed it was being watched.
it started to move slowly.
my hands slowly moved to touch on his thighs.
i touched and started dragging my hands upwards.
his lovely cute dick was swelling up with each of my hand movement.
i'm sure it won't be smaller than a good big banana.
suddenly i grabbed his dick.
the feeling it created in me in indescribable.
i dived my face into his pubic hairs.
the area too smelled on the mild nice scent of knights castile.
suddenly i started sobbing.
didn't know if it was out of the extreme happiness or shyness of my thoughts on him.
ashraf was the one who figured it out too.
oh haseena.
you are intensely craving for this.
he spoke softly.
shall i give you joyful experience today.
i started sobbing even more.
and i started caressing and kissing his pubic hairs, dick and balls.
my shyness has completely vanished.
i assured myself that this was what i wanted from the beginning.
and i knew that being too shy could not help me experience it.
i want ashraf.
not amjad.
amjad is not capable of giving me such happiness.
he could be experienced  as  ashraf.
oh ashraf ashraf, please fuck me.
i directly requested.
then i held his dick in the middle with my hands and put the huge cock in my mouth.
i did not want it to be separate from me.
i wanted to swallow it down.
now my pussy is so wet my panties are all soaked up.
and my juices dripped out on my thighs too.
ashraf's hand touched the zip at the back of my dress while touching my back and waist.
and he pulled the zip gradually down.
when my dress opened up to the waist, he started rubbing his hands on my back moving them down.
a thrilling shiver ran through my body.
he slowly started caressing my boobs.
i felt like my whole body was on fire.
suddenly i stopped sucking his cock.
ashraf grabbed my boobs and pulled me up.
while he stood me up he quickly removed the dress down from my shoulders.
i too slipped out of the dress and dropped it down.
i was standing in my pants and underwear only.
ashraf hugged me tight.
he made me feel the warmth of his body on mine.
let's go.
he said so and held my hand and made me sit on the bed.
he came and sat on the bed and started kissing me.
first thing he did was put his tongue inside my mouth.
i happily started sucking on his warm tongue.
after a while he pulled his tongue out.
though he didn't say it i figured that i must do the same and so i sticked my tongue into his mouth.
oh my my
now i'm feeling the real ecstasy of kissing.
i have never felt such intense pleasure from a kiss so far that i was experiencing then.
ashraf started rubbing his hands on my tits.
i was aware that my nipples were hard and protruding out.
every time ashraf rubbed and played with my boobs my whole body responded to it and made my cunt drip wet.
ashraf removed his lips from mine.
and started softly kissing my cheeks and neck.
his strong cock was moving in my hands.
i also rubbed my finger where the head meets the shaft and caressed the smooth skin on the head of his cock.
his cock also produced some kind of slimy juices.
every now and then the pre cum kept oozing out.
ashraf kept kissing on my neck and rested his head on my big tits.
my nipples were close to his mouth.
suddenly he started sucking on my tits.
he held the nipples in between his lips and licked them with this warm tongue.
oh the feeling is indescribable.
slowly ashraf rubbed my tummy and moved his hands down under the pants.
he pushed his hand under the pants and beneath the underwear.
he gently caressed my pubic region.
he caressed the pubic hairs too.
he was moving his fingers on me with such care, i felt the urge to whisper thankful words of joy and happiness to his ears.
every move of ashraf made my heart spill with extreme happiness.
i have now reached the top of the mountain of sexual desire.
i should close my eyes and jump off now.
it would be the biggest pleasure i could get.
the biggest happiness.
ashraf's fingers has invaded into the crevices of my pussy.
his fingers initially touched my clitoris.
yes.
it is clitoris.
i have read about the clitoris in books.
but i never knew that the tiny muscles was capable of bringing so much of pleasure and joy that i was experiencing at the moment.
ashrafs movements were making my mind go crazy.
i left my hands from his cock and hugged him tight.
and the pleasure made me start moaning and breathing heavily.
oh ashraf make it fast.
i can't hold it anymore.
fuck me please.
make me cum.
i yelled out of pleasure, oh...oh
ashraf got up.
told me to remove the pants and underwear.
my throbbing heart and shaky hands took me a while to remove them off.
when i laid myself down on bed, ashraf put his legs around my waist on bed and knelt down.
his strong cock was straight and rock hard.
i also could not help but got up again.
i lifted myself up between his legs and so his cock was pointing at the my eyes.
the cute lovely cock was dripping all wet.
i grabbed his cock from my left hand and started licking off the juices from it.
and i tried to put my tongue into the opening on the head of his cock.
my right hands were near his balls.
i slowly started rubbing his balls and started sucking on his cock.
after a while he pulled out the cock from my mouth forcefully and kept rested it on the bed.
and he too bent down and started kissing in between my tits.
he slowly licked around it.
after a few minutes there, he started sucking on the right side nipples.
i could feel then that the bed mattress was getting soaked with the juices dripping from my cunt.
i can't describe how awesome it felt when ashraf started pinching my left side nipples with his hand.
he took his mouth off right side nipples and went down kissing and licking my tummy, and playing his tongue in various ways down my body.
i could hardly contain myself at that point.
i too opened up my legs slowly.
i lovingly caressed his hair and started moaning softly.
he licked my belly button and down my lower abdomen to reach the region with hairs on my pussy.
yes.
on top of me.
instead of licking he started to bite there.
but not in a hard and painful way.
his actions added more fire to my burning desire.
suddenly my ashraf strated trembling.
because he lay like that and started playing my clitoris with his tongue.
and immediately he started sucking my pussy in different ways.
he drank all the juices that dripped from it.
sometimes he would push his big tongue inside my vagina.
felt like a jolt of fire shoving up.
every single time i feel as if i'm in another world.
i lost my control.
i started breathing heavily with loud moans.
and i started begging him to speed it up.
ashraf drank all my juices and got up.
as soon as he took his mouth away from my pussy he started kissing here and there on my body.
and it made my juices fill up inside and run out through my vagina.
then he pulled my legs and rested them on his shoulder.
my cunt was opened nicely and aimed at his cock.
slowly he touched my pussy with the tip of his cock.
he rubbed it sideways and inside my labia and targeted it against my cunt hole.
he was gentle and very caring.
i kept my eyes closed.
almost forgot all about the world due to the hot burning desire.
gradually he started pushing his big cock inside me.
as it the rock hard thing went inside, oh my god.
my my.
that amazing feeling.
suddenly ahsraf pushed it in harder.
anf i felt a sharp pain.
but the joy and pleasure was awesome.
i was forgot everything else.
i desperately started biting and spanking his body.
i felt like i was climbing high.
and the feeling you get when you look down from a high place came to me.
i was orgasming.
indulging the complete sexual pleasure.
i clenched his cock with my vagina muscles.
my cum was dripping immensely onto the bed.
ashraf's cock was like a fully automated piston.
pushing in and out.
sometimes shoving it in all the way till the end.
felt like the head of his cock going up to my chest inside.
aah, oh. my god
he is cuming.
he is cuming, oooh.
was it fire that came out from his cock.
it almost burned up my vagina.
then we both drained out of energy, lay exhausted on the bed.
i was the first to wake up.
it was after around thirty minutes or so after the fun.
soon as i woke up and i touched his soft cock.
it was so lovely.
this was the lovely piece of muscle that gave me all that pleasure and happiness.
i got up slowly and put the cock inside my mouth.
it was all soaked up with our cum.
as i started sucking, it became hard.
soon it blew up and out of mouth.
sucking on his cock build up horniness back inside me.
nipples of my tits went swollen and hard.
and i felt wetness inside my cunt again.
ashraf also woke up.
and we started our lovemaking again.
it ended way past five that evening.
ever since then i got very interested and curious about this.
this is my story of how i fucked a man for the first time in my life.
or the story of how i lost my virginity.
hospital window
two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room. 
one man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour each afternoon to help drain the fluid from his lungs.
his bed was next to the room's only window.
the other man had to spend all his time on his back.
the men talked for hours on end.
they began by telling each other about their illnesses.
but, eventually, their talks became more intimate as they spoke of their wives and families.
their homes, jobs, their involvement in the military service. 
and where they had been on vacation and other personal matters.
every afternoon, when the man in the bed by the window could sit up, he would pass time by describing to his roommate all the things he could see outside the window. 
the man in the other bed began to live for those one hour periods.
where his world would be broadened and enlivened by all the activity and color of the world outside.
"this window overlooks a park with a lovely lake.
ducks and swans play on the water while children sail their model boats." the man by the window said. 
"young lovers walk arm in arm amidst flowers of every color.
and a fine view of the city skyline can be seen in the distance."
while the man by the window described this in exquisite detail, the man on the other side of the room would close his eyes and imagine the picturesque scene. 
his smile growing with every new piece of detail told to him.
one afternoon, the man by the window described a parade passing by.
although, the other man couldn't hear the band, any commotion or excitement --- he could see it. 
in his mind's eye, as the gentleman by the window portrayed it with descriptive words.
days, weeks and months went by as this became a daily routine. 
small chitchat and an hour of the view of the outside world.
one morning, the day nurse entered the room to bring water for their baths only to find the lifeless body of the man by the window, who had died peacefully in his sleep.
she was saddened but called the hospital attendants to take the body away.
as soon as it seemed appropriate, the other man asked if he could be moved next to the window. 
the nurse was happy to make the switch and after making sure he was comfortable, she began straightening up the room.
slowly and painfully, the man propped himself up on one elbow to take his first look at the real world outside that he had heard so much about. 
he strained to slowly look out the window. 
it faced a blank wall.
the man was confused and somewhat disappointed. 
he looked forward to seeing all the wonderful things his roommate had described to him.
the park, the lake, the ducks and swans. 
none of that could be seen from the bedside window.
feeling a little frustrated the man asked the nurse, "what could have compelled my roommate to lie to me like he did?
he described such wonderful things outside this window but nothing he spoke of can be seen. 
all that is visible is that ugly grey blank wall. 
why did he lie to me?"
"didn't he tell you?" the nurse responded,
 "he was blind so he couldn't see the wall. 
but maybe he described such wonderful things because they were visions in his mind and he wanted to encourage you?'
the man laid back on his bed and let out a sigh as he softly said, "yes, that he did."
then he whispered to himself.
"thank you for sharing your wonderful world, my friend."
potatoes, eggs, and coffee beans
once upon a time a daughter complained to her father that her life was miserable.
and that she didn’t know how she was going to make it. 
she was tired of fighting and struggling all the time.
it seemed just as one problem was solved, another one soon followed.
her father, a chef, took her to the kitchen. 
he filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire.
once the three pots began to boil, he placed potatoes in one pot, eggs in the second pot, and ground coffee beans in the third pot.
he then let them sit and boil, without saying a word to his daughter.
the daughter, moaned and impatiently waited, wondering what he was doing.
after twenty minutes he turned off the burners.
he took the potatoes out of the pot and placed them in a bowl. 
he pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl.
he then ladled the coffee out and placed it in a cup.
turning to her he asked. “daughter, what do you see?”
“potatoes, eggs, and coffee,” she hastily replied.
“look closer,” he said, “and touch the potatoes.”
she did and noted that they were soft.
he then asked her to take an egg and break it.
after pulling off the shell, she observed the hard-boiled egg.
finally, he asked her to sip the coffee.
its rich aroma brought a smile to her face.
“father, what does this mean?” she asked.
he then explained that the potatoes, the eggs and coffee beans had each faced the same adversity– the boiling water.
however, each one reacted differently.
the potato went in strong, hard, and unrelenting, but in boiling water, it became soft and weak.
the egg was fragile, with the thin outer shell protecting its liquid interior until it was put in the boiling water.
then the inside of the egg became hard.
however, the ground coffee beans were unique.
after they were exposed to the boiling water, they changed the water and created something new.
“which are you,” he asked his daughter.
“when adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond?
are you a potato, an egg, or a coffee bean? “
in life, things happen around us.things happen to us
but the only thing that truly matters is what happens within us.
which one are you?
stop waiting for happiness to arrive!
too many people think of happiness as the ultimate goal of life. 
but, if you're waiting for happiness to arrive then it's likely that it never will! 
you convince yourself that life will be happy when you're married.
 when the mortgage is paid off. 
when you have children. 
when the weekend arrives.
 next summer. 
whatever particular dream you have, you're sure that when you reach it you'll finally be happy. 
unfortunately, this way of thinking is a trap. 
you're always wanting something more, always looking forward to a time when you'll be "happy".
 and, if you fall into this trap, you'll never reach that goal.
 when you get married, you might wish your partner was more affectionate or more proactive. 
when you have children, you might find their young age restrictive and long for them to grow up too quickly. 
when you've paid off that mortgage you might long for a better house, a better neighborhood, a better car.
 life will pass you by with that goal of happiness forever in sight but never quite in reach. 
happiness should not be your life's goal, it should be your life! 
the only time to be happy is right now!
it's state of mind.
not a set of accomplishments or the accumulation of material things.
there is no time to achieve happiness other than right now.
 you must accept that life will always have challenges.
and things will not always go your way and make the decision to be happy right now. 
instead of feeling disappointed when things don't work out the way you'd hoped, feel grateful for the experience.
 instead of dreaming of a brighter, happier, richer tomorrow, make today as wonderful as you can. 
treasure each moment that you have air in your lungs and treasure the people you share those moments with. 
alfred d. souza put this perfectly when he said, "for a long time it had seemed to me that life was about to begin – real life.
 but there was always some obstacle in the way.
something to be gotten through first, some unfinished business, time still to be served, or a debt to be paid. 
then life would begin.
 at last it dawned on me that these obstacles were my life." 
his perspective helped me to see that happiness is a conscious decision and that i can make it right now. 
he's not saying that having dreams, goals and ambitions is a bad thing. 
thinking of the future and having aspirations is essential to leading a happy and fulfilled life. 
the trick is not to let thoughts of the future overshadow your enjoyment of the present and the appreciation of the things and people you have in your life right now! 
there is no way to happiness: happiness is the way! 
stop waiting to meet your soulmate, to get married, to have children, to pay off your mortgage. 
 stop waiting for happiness to arrive and simply decide to be happy!
 it's not some great goal or destination.
it's a journey and a way of life.
 why not try it out today? 
work like you don't need money. 
love like you've never been hurt. 
and dance like no one's watching! 
president of ppm, maumoon abdul gayoom has said that the three powers of democracy have combined and they are all running the same voice.
the former president of the maldives said that ppm was formed to run the three powers of democracy, the government, parliament and judiciary as independent bodies, but today the initial aim is not being seen. 
"the three powers doesn't run independently, three powers have been combined, who runs these are not known but all that is seen is one voice running all of them" maumoon said.
maumoon said that although reducing debt is a goal of ppm, it is not happening and the foreign influence in the country is growing stronger.
 he said that the fight against corruption is not being seen and when the largest act of corruption, the mmprc corruption took place, relevant institutes were unaware.
he said that although some were dismissed from their positions on corruption charges, they were re-appointed to higher positions later on.
 and while they are not working to make the government a responsible entity, they are not working for equality either. 
"as you all know we do not get any equality.
some more powerful and influential body grabs the opportunities.
the simple citizens do not get equal opportunities" maumoon said.
president maumoon said that he tried hard to amend the things that went wrong but he was not given the opportunity to do so.
he said that people trying to correct things are being labeled as “mdp people” or people against the government.
maldivian central bank, maldives monetary authority (mma) has announced it was in the process of making easier arrangements for sale of usd 500 per ticket for maldivians travelling abroad.
travelers currently wait in long queues in banks for hours to purchase dollars for their trips abroad.
mma’s information officer, mansoor zubair informed “sun” that mma was discussing more convenient arrangements with the banks operating in the country.


“a lot of ideas are being discussed. but nothing has been finalized. the aim is to increase convenience,” said mansoor.
he said that the new arrangements would be announced as soon as it was finalized.
mma sells usd 4 million per month via banks in order to help the people in their needs, such as traveling abroad for medical treatment.
the ministry of economics has released yesterday, the strict rules that are supposed to be followed by the companies and drivers that will be engaged in this service.
the rules published in the government gazette states that according to the rules, regulations and laws riding motorbike on the road should be done with wearing helmets and other necessary precautious equipments. 
and while providing the service the driver should be wearing a vest.
furthermore the centers providing motorcycle taxi services requires to be registered places according to the business registration laws.
and the rules say that each centre can engage a limit of 20 motorbikes in the service.
currently the authorized service companies registered for this service are ride maldives private limited and wheel mv private limited.
according to the rules laid, existing number of motorbikes taxis engaged would be 40.
important points in the rules are as follows:
service must be given on a 24 hour basis.
every ride can be charged 10rf per ride or less.
work performed by the drivers must be reported and shared with the government.
the rules say that the driver should be one who is registered at a center.
it also says that the drivers should be maldivians and the vehicle should be registered under the law of transportation.
if a complaint has been filed against a driver and turns out proved guilty, the ministry has the power to take actions on the driver in accordance to the seriousness of the case.
and the actions that would be taken against the drivers as well as the taxi centers are stated in the rules.
suspending the driver and holding the license for an accounted period.
cancellation of the driver's license, and it can be issued again only after 5 years time.
centers will be fined ranging from mvr 500 to mvr 1000 if any complaints have been filed.
the rules say that the drivers should put up respect and decent communication with their passengers.
taxi service can only be given in affiliation with a registered center.
and prior to any riding service, the center should be informed about it.
as previously informed by the ministry, the two companies registered or authorized for this service must start it within two weeks of publishing of the rules and regulations.
economic ministry says that the introduction of motorcycle taxi services would help resolve the transportation difficulties currently faced by citizens living in male'.
and motorcycle taxi service would result in more job opportunities the ministry said.
an expatriate man has had his leg broken in a traffic collision that took place in hulhumalé city today. 
police media official told sun media that the collision took place near the happy market store in hulhumalé and was reported to the police today around 1:35 p.m.
the man injured in the collision had his leg broken above his ankle. 
he is now being treated at hulhumalé hospital.
a biosphere reserve official told to sun media today, that a boat named "dhoshi dhoani 1" which was travelling from dharavandhoo to male' last monday, got wrecked out coast south of hanifaru towards dharavandhoo and has been towed at a time of last night.
the boat wrecked damaged the reefs of b. hanifaru badly and has now been towed to dharavandhoo harbour with the aid of a tugboat.
b. atoll has been declared a unesco biosphere reserve since 2009, with some interest areas declared co-areas.
and it has been one of the most popular destination of tourists visiting maldives.
official said, in association with biosphere reserve and epa the area will be dived in to evaluate the extent of damage to reef tomorrow.
he said the true extent of the damage will be assessed and that owner of the boat would be fined as per regulation once the extent of damage is determined.

after the judging phase ends, the most prestigious tourism award in the region, the south asian tourism awards 2016 is ready for the award ceremony.
this year’s sata would have awards for 39 categories through ten segments.
with a little over two weeks remain before the two-day retreat gala award ceremony on 15 and 16 november 2016, preparations began months ago.
global brands for the award: 
the sata award is a special award in several different ways.
the south asian tourism award is sought by the most popular hotel chains in the world as the most prestigious award in the region. 
the support for sata received when nominations opened five months ago serve as proof that the south asian tourism awards remain the most dominant, honorary award of the region.
a number of global brands are battling for the sata award this year. 
hideaway, jumairah, park hyatt, coco collection, villa group, sun siyam, adhaarana along with constance, atiken spence, leela group, kingberry and taj samundra are competitors for this year’s sata. 
and with only 39 awards would be given this year through ten segments, only 273 nominees made through the vigorous screening this year.
massive support for online voting: 
nominees for the south asian tourism awards this year would be judged by a panel of experts which would account for 50 percent of the votes while the remaining 50 percent depends on online votes.
and so online voting was opened on 15 august to 5 october and received massive support.
expert panel of judges: 
the flourishing of an award show is determined by the quality of the said award show. 
to ensure that the said quality is maintained, fair judging by an expert panel is highly important. 
in that regard, the south asian tourism awards have a judge’s panel of notable experts in the field.
the panel consists of experts from india, sri lanka and the maldives that have served the tourism industry for a long time. 
sata nominees were judges by the expert panel from 18-27 october each nominee at their respective country.
support of regional organizations for sata: 
this year’s south asian tourism awards is special in numerous standings ranging from nominees, organizers all the way to partners. 
the south asian tourism awards being held this year in association with the colombo chamber of commerce is being organized by the popular and experienced organizer from the maldives, high rise. 
from tourism events to music show and launching brands, every event by high rise is a distinguished event. 
south asian tourism awards has received endorsement from major regional organizations such as confederation of credit tour operators from sri lanka alongside the colombo chamber of commerce, maldivian association of travel agents (ata) and liveaboard association of maldives (lam) along with the association of tourism trade organization india (attoi), kerela hotel general manager’s club (khgmc) and the third largest tourism organization in india, association of professional in tourism (apt). 
and recently, the maldives marketing and public relations corporation (mmprc) too have endorsed the south asian tourism awards. 
further perfection through partners: 
every event has a hardworking team behind the scenes.
it is difficult to successfully complete an event without the help and support of the partners. 
this year, sata has signed numerous partners. 
among them, one of the most notable partners is the popular sri lankan luxury hotel mount lavinia which has a 200-year long history.
mount lavinia has set special rates to stay at their hotel for people coming for south asian tourism awards. 
and the hospitality partner is the champaa central hotel from the maldives while the official photography partner is digital studio. 
the south asian tourism awards also received a strong team of media partners with sri lanka’s popular red fm as the radio partner, ceylon today as the print media partner and the sri lankan private tv channel art as the tv partner. 
the only maldivian media partner is the event’s online news media partner, sun online.
asian travellers, asian diver, asian geographic and floating asia along with corporate maldives has signed on as tourism and maldives.net.mv and corporate medias.
state trading organization (sto) has decided to reduce the price of fuel sold to fishermen starting next month. 
the announcement was made by the managing director of sto, ahmed shaheer this morning during the lanching ceremony of the new fuel barges to be added to the fsm (fuel supplies maldives) fleet held at funadhoo. 
shaheer said that taking maldives industrial fisheries company (mifco) under sto was an important decision by the government to improve the service provided to the public and strengthen the fishing industry. 
and so the fuel prices would be reduced for fishermen and changes would be made to the fuel according to the managing director of sto.
but he did not say what those changes would be. 
the last change to the fuel price for fishermen was made in march 2016 when mifco was a separate company and the price of diesel was reduced from mvr 10.50 to mvr 7.30.
the three new barges added to the fsm fleet today are larger than what they used before and would support the sto effort to provide fuel across the country with speed. 
fsm said that the barges named handhi, meemas and maatholhi were brought in under the strategic plan brought into effect two years ago.
transport authority has said that they have decided to temporarily convert maafaiythakurufaanu magu, which is currently accessible from boduthakurufaanu magu, near maafannu stadium, into a two-way street. 
currently maafaiythakurufaanu magu is a one way street with entrance from boduthakurufaanu magu.
chairman of the transport authority, abdul rasheed naafiz said today that maafaiythakurufaanu magu will be accessible from ameenee magu as well starting tomorrow, as a two-way street. 
he said that the decision was made due to the difficulties to the public when a road in the area is closed. 
as the road is being converted to a two-way street, the vehicles parked on the road have been taken with the help of the police and street signs have been installed to indicate the change. 
some roads in and out of ameenee magu has been closed door some time now for work on the previous site for the 25-story finance ministry building which has now being relocated to be built in hulhumale' and for some work by the mwsc.
and boduthakurufaanu magu has been closed from mary brown on wards to develop the industrial village. 
naafiz said that maafaiythakurufaanu magu will revert back to a one-way street when the road near the finance ministry is reopened.
feydhoo finolhu – used by police – has been made available for leasing for tourism.

feydhoo finolhu has been included in addition to the 11 places in the list of places available for leasing, released by ministry of tourism on october 27.
the estimated acquisition fee for the 4.10 hector feydhoo finolhu has been listed as usd 3.06 million (mvr 47.18 million).
the two lagoons available for leasing are in k. atoll.
feydhoo finolhu, which is managed by the police, is often used for camping and field trips by school students.
it’s also used to run rehabilitation programs for juvenile delinquents. 
economic ministry said that the maldives ports limited has signed on as a gold partner.
how are you
"this is the ""constitution of the republic of the maldives"". any reference to the ""constitution"" herein is a reference to the constitution of the republic of the maldives."
"the maldives is a sovereign, independent, democratic republic based on the principles of islam, and is a unitary state, to be known as the republic of the maldives. any reference to ""the maldives"" is a reference to the republic of the maldives."
"the territory of the maldives encompasses the land, air space, sea and seabed within the archipelagic baselines of the maldives drawn in accordance with the law, and includes the territorial waters, the seabed and air space thereof beyond the said baselines. any changes to the territory of the maldives may only be made pursuant to a law enacted by at least a two-third majority of the total membership of the people's majlis."
"all the powers of the state of the maldives are derived from, and remain with, the citizens."
all legislative power in the maldives is vested in the people's majlis.
as provided for in this constitution the executive power is vested in the president.
the judicial power is vested in the courts of the maldives.
the powers of the state shall be exercised in accordance with this constitution.
"(a) the following persons are citizens of the maldives:  1. citizens of the maldives at the commencement of this constitution; 2. children born to a citizen of the maldives; and 3. foreigners who, in accordance with the law, become citizens of the maldives.  (b) no citizen of the maldives may be deprived of citizenship.  (c) any person who wishes to relinquish his citizenship may do so in accordance with law.  (d) despite the provisions of article (a) a non-muslim may not become a citizen of the maldives."
(a) the religion of the state of the maldives is islam. islam shall be the one of the basis of all the laws of the maldives  (b) no law contrary to any tenet of islam shall be enacted in the maldives
the national language of the maldives is dhivehi.
(a) the national flag of the maldives consists of a white crescent in the centre of a green rectangle  surrounded by a red border.  (b) the dimensions and colour code of the national flag and the placing of the crescent on the national flag shall be as specified in schedule 3 of this constitution.
"the unit of currency of the maldives is the rufiyaa, divided into one hundred laari."
the capital of the maldives is the island of male'.
the national day of the maldives is the first day of the month of rabeeu al-awwal.
"(a) this constitution guarantees to all persons, in a manner that is not contrary to any tenet of islam, the rights and freedoms contained within this chapter, subject only to such reasonable limits prescribed by a law enacted by the people's majlis in a manner that is not contrary to this constitution. any such law enacted by the people's majlis can limit the rights and freedoms to any extent only if demonstrably justified in a free and democratic society.   (b) the limitation of a right or freedom specified in this chapter by a law enacted by the people's majlis as provided for in this constitution, and  in order to protect and maintain the tenets of islam, shall not be contrary to article (a).   (c) in deciding whether a right or freedom in this chapter, has been limited in accordance with article (a) and (b), a court must be fully cognisant of and make reference to all the facts, including:   1. the nature and character of the right or freedom; 2. the purpose and importance of limiting the right or freedom;  3. the extent and manner of limiting the right or freedom;  4. the relationship between the limitation of the right or freedom and the importance of the right or freedom;  5. the extent to which the objective for which the right or freedom has been limited could have been achieved by limiting the right or freedom to a lesser degree;  6. the extent to which the right or freedom must be limited in order to protect the tenets of islam, where the right or freedom has been limited pursuant to article (b).    (d) the onus of establishing that the limitation to any extent, of a right or freedom included in this chapter is within the reasonable limitations prescribed in this constitution is on the state or the person asserting the limitation of the right or freedom."
"(a) everyone is entitled to the rights and freedoms included in this chapter without discrimination of any kind, including race, national origin, colour, sex, age, mental or physical disability, political or other opinion, property, birth or other status, or native island.  (b) special assistance or protection to disadvantaged individuals or groups, or to groups requiring special social assistance, as provided in law shall not be deemed to be discrimination, as provided for in article (a)."
"it is the duty of the state to follow the provisions of this constitution, and to protect and promote the rights and freedoms provided in this chapter."
a citizen is free to engage in any conduct or activity that is not expressly prohibited by islamic shari'ah or by law. no control or restraint may be exercised against any person unless it is expressly authorised by law.
"every individual is equal before and under the law, and has the right to the equal protection and equal benefit of the law."
"everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of the person, and the right not be deprived thereof to any extent except pursuant to a law made in accordance with article 16 of this constitution."
"the state has a fundamental duty to protect and preserve the natural environment, biodiversity, resources and beauty of the country for the benefit of present and future generations. the state shall undertake and promote desirable economic and social goals through ecologically balanced sustainable development and shall take measures necessary to foster conservation, prevent pollution, the extinction of any species and ecological degradation from any such goals."
"every citizen the following rights pursuant to this constitution, and the state undertakes to achieve the progressive realisation of these rights by reasonable measures within its ability and resources:  (a) adequate and nutritious food and clean water; (b) clothing and housing; (c) good standards of health care, physical and mental; (d) a healthy and ecologically balanced environment; (e) equal access to means of communication, the state media, transportation facilities, and the natural resources of the country; (f) the establishment of a sewage system of a reasonably adequate standard on every inhabited island; (g) the establishment of an electricity system of a reasonably adequate standard on every inhabited island that is commensurate to that island."
"everyone has the right to respect for his private and family life, his home and his private communications. every person must respect these rights with respect to others."
"(a) no one shall be held in slavery or servitude, or be required to perform forced labour.  (b) compulsory military service, service required in cases of emergency or calamity threatening the life or well-being of the community, or service required pursuant to a court order shall not be deemed to be contrary to article (a)."
"unless otherwise provided in this constitution, every citizen of the maldives eighteen years of age or older has the right:  (a) to vote in elections, and in public referendums, which shall be held by secret ballot;  (b) to run for public office;  (c) to take part in the conduct of public affairs, directly or through freely chosen representatives."
everyone has the right to freedom of thought and the freedom to communicate opinions and expression in a manner that is not contrary to any tenet of islam.
"everyone has the right to freedom of the press, and other means of communication, including the right to espouse, disseminate and publish news, information, views and ideas. no person shall be compelled to disclose the source of any information that is espoused, disseminated or published by that person."
"everyone has the freedom to acquire and impart knowledge, information and learning."
"(a) every citizen has the right to establish and to participate in the activities of political parties.  (b) everyone has the freedom to form associations and societies, including the following:  1. the right to establish and participate in any association or society for economic, social, educational or cultural or purposes; 2. the right to form trade unions, to participate or not participate in their activities."
every person employed in the maldives and all other workers have the freedom to stop work and to strike in order to protest.
everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly without prior permission of the state.
everyone has the right to protect one's reputation and good name.
"(a) every person of marriageable age as determined by law has the right to marry, and to establish a family as specified in law. the family, being the natural and fundamental unit of society, is entitled to special protection by society and the state.  (b) children must be afforded special protection as specified in law in the event of a marital breakdown of the parents."
"(a) children and young people are entitled to special protection and special assistance from disadvantaged people the family, the community and the state. children and young people shall not be harmed, sexually abused, or discriminated against in any manner and shall be free from unsuited social and economic exploitation. no person shall obtain undue benefit from their labour.  (b) elderly and disadvantaged persons are entitled to protection and special assistance from the family, the community and the state."
"(a) everyone has the right to education without discrimination of any kind.  (b) primary and secondary education shall be freely provided by the state. it is imperative on parents and the state to provide children with primary and secondary education. opportunity for higher education shall be generally accessible to all citizens.  (c) education shall strive to inculcate obedience to islam, instil love for islam, foster respect for human rights, and promote understanding, tolerance and friendship among all people."
"(a) every citizen has the right to engage in any employment or occupation.  (b) everyone is entitled to just and safe conditions of work, fair wages, equal remuneration for work of equal value, and equal opportunity for promotion.  (c) everyone has the right to rest and leisure, including limits on hours of work and periodic holidays with pay.  (d) everyone has the right to spend time at rest and leisure. in order to provide this right to each employed person, the maximum number of working hours have to be determined as well as the length of paid holidays."
every one engaged in employment with the state shall have the right of pension as provided by law.
"(a) everyone has the right to participate in the cultural life of the nation, and to benefit from literary and artistic endeavours.  (b) the state shall promote education, culture, literature and the arts, within the limits of its resources."
"(a) every citizen has the right to acquire, own, inherit, transfer or otherwise transact of such property.  (b) private property shall be inviolable, and may only be compulsorily acquired by the state for the public good, as expressly prescribed by law, and as authorised by order of the court. fair and adequate compensation shall be paid in all cases, as determined by the court.  (c) nothing in this article prevents any law authorising a court to order the forfeiture (without the giving of any compensation) of illegally acquired or possessed property, or enemy property.  (d) property of a person shall not be forfeited in substitution for any offence."
"(a) every citizen has the freedom to enter, remain in and leave the maldives, and to travel within the maldives.  (b) every citizen has the right to move to, and take up residence on, any inhabited island of the maldives.  (c) every citizen shall have equal access to the receipt of rights and benefits from any island where he has established residency."
"(a) in the determination of one's civil rights and obligations or of any criminal charge, everyone is entitled to a fair and public hearing within a reasonable time by an independent court or tribunal established by law.  (b) all judicial proceedings in the maldives shall be conducted with justice, transparency and impartiality.  (c) trials of any matter shall be held publicly, but the presiding judge may exclude the public from all or part of a trial in accordance with democratic norms:    1. in the interests of public morals, public order or national security;  2. where the interest of juveniles or the victims of a crime so require; or  3. in other special circumstances where publicity would prejudice the interests of justice.  (d) all judgements or orders of a court shall be pronounced publicly, unless the court specifically orders otherwise for the reasons stipulated in article (c). all publicly pronounced judgements or orders shall be available to the public."
"(a) everyone has the right to administrative action that is lawful, procedurally fair, and expeditious.  (b) everyone whose rights have been adversely affected by administrative action has the right to be given written reasons.  (c) where the rights of a person, a group or community has been adversely affected by administrative action, every such person, group or every person who may be directly affected by such action has the right to submit the matter to court."
"the application of the criminal law or criminal procedure, including the conduct of investigations, criminal proceedings and enforcement of sentences as provided by law, shall extend to the accused person only and shall not affect the legal rights or obligations of any other person."
"everyone has the right not to be arbitrarily detained, arrested or imprisoned except as provided by law enacted by the people's majlis in accordance with article 16 of this constitution."
"no person shall be arrested or detained for an offence unless the arresting officer observes the offence being committed, or has reasonable and probable grounds or evidence to believe the person has committed an offence or is about to commit an offence, or under the authority of an arrest warrant issued by the court."
"(a) no person shall be subject to search or seizure unless there is reasonable cause.  (b) residential property shall be inviolable, and shall not be entered without the consent of the resident, except to prevent immediate and serious harm to life or property, or under the express authorisation of an order of the court."
"everyone has the right on arrest or detention:  (a) to be informed immediately of the reasons therefore, and in writing within at least twenty four hours;  (b) to retain and instruct legal counsel without delay and to be informed of this right, and to have access to legal counsel facilitated until the conclusion of the matter for which he is under arrest or detention;  (c) to remain silent, except to establish identity, and to be informed of this right;  (d) to be brought within twenty four hours before a judge, who has power to determine the validity of the detention, to release the person with or without conditions, or to order the continued detention of the accused."
"no person shall be detained in custody prior to sentencing, unless the danger of the accused absconding or not appearing at trial, the protection of the public, or potential interference with witnesses or  evidence dictate otherwise. the release may be subject to conditions of bail or other assurances to appear as required by the court."
"after notice of an alleged offence has been brought to the attention of the investigating authorities, the matter shall be investigated promptly, and where warranted, the prosecutor general shall lay charges as quickly as possible."
"everyone charged with an offence has the right:  (a) to be informed without delay of the specific offence in a language understood by the accused;  (b) to be tried within a reasonable time;  (c) not to be compelled to testify;  (d) to an interpreter to be provided by the state where he does not speak the language in which the proceedings are conducted, or is deaf or mute;  (e) to have adequate time and facilities for the preparation of his defence and to communicate with and instruct legal counsel of his own choosing;  (f) to be tried in person, and to defend himself through legal counsel of his own choosing;  (g) to examine the witnesses against him and to obtain the attendance and examination of witnesses;  (h) to be presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt."
no confession shall be admissible in evidence unless made in court by an accused who is in a sound state of mind. no statement or evidence must be obtained from any source by compulsion or by unlawful means and such statement or evidence is inadmissible in evidence.
"(a) everyone has the right to retain and instruct legal counsel at any instance where legal assistance is required.  (b) in serious criminal cases, the state shall provide a lawyer for an accused person who cannot afford to engage one."
"no person shall be subjected to cruel, inhumane or degrading treatment or punishment, or to torture."
no person shall be imprisoned on the ground of non-fulfilment of a contractual obligation.
"everyone related to a matter has the right to appeal a conviction and sentence, or judgement or order in a criminal or civil matter."
"everyone deprived of liberty through arrest or detention as provided by law, pursuant to an order of the court, or being held in state care for social reasons, shall be treated with humanity and with respect for the inherent dignity of the human person. a person may be deprived of the rights or freedoms specified in this chapter only to the extent required for the purpose for which he is deprived of his liberty."
everyone who has been arrested or detained without legal authority or justification has the right to be compensated.
"(a) no person shall be found guilty of any act or omission which did not constitute an offence under islamic shari'ah or law at the time committed. nor shall a more severe penalty be imposed than the one applicable at the time the offence was committed. if the punishment for an offence has been reduced between the time of commission and the time of sentencing, the accused is entitled to the benefit of the lesser punishment.  (b) this article shall not prejudice the trial and punishment of any person for any act which was criminal according to international law."
"(a) if an accused is acquitted of an offence by a court, he shall not be tried again for the same or substantially the same offence. if an accused is found guilty and punished for an offence he shall not be tried or punished again for the same or substantially the same offence.  (b) the principle stated in article (a) does not apply to appeals relating to the offence."
"(a) all statutes, regulations, government orders requiring compliance by citizens and government policies shall be published and made available to the public.  (b) no person may be subjected to any punishment except pursuant to a statute or pursuant to a regulation made under authority of a statute, which has been made available to the public and which defines the criminal offence and the  punishment for commission of the offence.  (c) all information concerning government decisions and actions shall be made public, except information that is declared to be state secrets by a law enacted by the people's majlis.  (d) every citizen has the right to obtain all information possessed by the government about that person."
(a) the enumeration of rights and freedoms in this chapter are guaranteed equally to female and male persons.  (b) the enumeration of rights and freedoms individually in this chapter shall not be construed to deny or negate other rights retained by the people which are not specified in this chapter.
any law or part of any law contrary to the fundamental rights or freedoms guaranteed by this chapter shall be void or void to the extent of such inconsistency.
no employee of the state shall impose any orders on a person except under authority of a law. everyone has the right not to obey an unlawful order.
"anyone whose rights or freedoms, as guaranteed by this chapter, have been infringed or denied may apply to a court to obtain a just remedy."
"all existing statutes, regulations, decrees and notices inconsistent with the fundamental rights and freedoms provisions in this chapter shall, to the extent of the inconsistency, become void on the commencement of this constitution."
"the exercise and enjoyment of fundamental rights and freedoms is inseparable from the performance of responsibilities and duties, and it is the responsibility of every citizen:  (a) to respect and protect the rights and freedoms of others;  (b) to foster tolerance, mutual respect, and friendship among all people and groups;  (c) to contribute to the well-being and advancement of the community;  (d) to promote the sovereignty, unity, security, integrity and dignity of the maldives;  (e) to respect the constitution and the rule of law;  (f) to promote democratic values and practices in a manner that is not inconsistent with any tenet of islam;  (g) to preserve and protect the state religion of islam, culture, language and heritage of the country;  (h) to preserve and protect the natural environment, biodiversity, resources and beauty of the country and to abstain from all forms of pollution and ecological degradation;  (i) to respect the national flag, state emblem and the national anthem.  every person in the maldives must also respect these duties."
"when interpreting and applying the rights and freedoms contained within this chapter, a court or tribunal shall promote the values that underlie an open and democratic society based on human dignity, equality and freedom, and shall consider international treaties to which the maldives is a party."
no provision of the constitution shall be interpreted or translated in a manner that would grant to the state or any group or person the right to engage in any activity or perform any act aimed at the destruction of the rights and freedoms set out in this constitution.
"(a) the legislative authority of the maldives shall be vested in the people's majlis.  (b) the law making powers of the people's majlis pursuant to article (a), includes the following powers:  1. the amendment of this constitution, in accordance with the terms provided herein;    2. the enactment of legislation with regard to any matter, or the amendment or repeal of any law, which is not inconsistent with any tenet of islam;  3. the supervision of the exercise of executive authority and ensuring the executive authority is accountable for the exercise of its powers, and taking the steps required for ensuring the same;  4. the approval of the annual budget and any supplementary budget;  5. the determination of matters relating to independent commissions and independent offices in accordance with law;   6. the holding of public referendums on issues of public importance;    7. the performance of all duties otherwise expressly required by this constitution and by law.     (c) the people's majlis shall not pass any law that contravenes any tenet of islam.    (d) any matter submitted to the people's majlis for approval includes the power of the people's majlis to accept, reject, revoke or amend the disposition of the matter.   (e) any appointment or dismissal submitted to the people's majlis for approval includes the power of the people's majlis to accept or reject the appointment or dismissal."
"(a) the membership of the people's majlis shall be determined in accordance with the following principles:  1. two members for the first five thousand residents registered for each administrative division or two members for administrative divisions with less than five thousand residents; and  2. where the residents registered to an administrative division exceed five thousand residents, one additional member for each group of five thousand residents in excess of the first five thousand.   (b) the administrative divisions at the time this constitution comes into force, referred to in this article shall be the twenty administrative atolls plus male', for a total of twenty one. the details of the administrative divisions are specified in schedule 2 of this constitution."
(a) each administrative division shall establish separate electoral constituencies in accordance with the principles specified in article 71 of this constitution. all members shall be elected from a separate electoral constituency.    (b) the person elected from amongst those standing for election in each separate electoral constituency shall be the person receiving the greatest number of votes by secret ballot.    (c) a law shall specify the manner of determining the number of electoral constituencies in each administrative division and the boundaries of each electoral constituency. such law shall specify the principles pursuant to which the population on each administrative division shall be divided into the separate electoral constituencies such that there is an approximately equal division of the population.
"(a) a person elected to be a member of the people's majlis shall be so qualified if he:   1. is a citizen of the maldives;   2. is not a citizen of a foreign country;  3. is a muslim and a follower of a sunni school of islam;   4. has attained the age of eighteen years; and   5. is of sound mind.   (b) a person who has acquired maldivian citizenship is qualified to be a member of the people's majlis five years after the acquisition of citizenship and is domiciled in the maldives.    (c) a person shall be disqualified from election as, a member of the people's majlis, or a a member of the people's majlis immediately becomes disqualified, if he:    1. has a decreed debt which is not being paid as provided in the judgement;   2. has been convicted of a criminal offence and is serving a sentence of more than twelve months;   3. has been convicted of a criminal offence and sentenced to a term of more than twelve months, unless a period of three years has elapsed since his release, or pardon for the offence for which he was sentenced;  4. is a member of the judiciary.   (d) unless otherwise specifically provided in the constitution, a member of the people's majlis shall not continue to hold office in:    1. the cabinet of ministers;   2. the office of state minister, deputy minister, or other state office of an equivalent level;   3. an independent commission or an independent office;  4. the civil service;   5. a corporation wholly or partly owned or managed by the government;   6. the armed forces;   7. the police;   8. any other office of the state except an office held by virtue of being a member of the people's majlis."
"any question concerning the qualifications or removal, or vacating of seats, of a member of the people's majlis shall be determined by the supreme court."
"members of the people's majlis should be guided in their actions by considerations of national interest and public welfare foremost, and should not exploit their official positions in any way for their own benefit or for the benefit of those with whom they have special relations. they shall represent not only their constituencies but the country as a whole."
"every member shall anually submit to the secretary general of the people's majlis a statement of all property and monies owned by him, business interests and liabilities. such declarations shall include the details of any other employment and obligations of such employment."
"a member of the people's majlis may resign his seat by writing under his hand addressed to the speaker, and the seat shall become vacant when the resignation is received by the speaker."
"whenever there is a vacancy among the members of the people's majlis, an election shall be held within sixty days from the date of the vacancy. a by-election shall not be held within six months prior to a general election."
"(a) the people's majlis shall continue for five years from the date of its first sitting, and shall then stand dissolved. the first sitting of the newly elected people's majlis shall be held immediately after the dissolution of the previous people's majlis.  (b) election of members to the new people's majlis and all matters pertaining thereto shall be concluded thirty days prior to the expiration of the existing people's majlis."
"in the event of a declaration of a state of emergency, making it difficult to hold a general election, the term of the people's majlis may be extended by a resolution enacted by the people's majlis for a period not exceeding one year if such resolution is supported by two-thirds of the total membership of the people's majlis. when the declaration of the state of emergency expires or is revoked during an extended term, the people's majlis shall not continue for a period longer than sixty days, and all matters relating to the election of a new people's majlis shall be completed within that time"
"a person elected as a member of the people's majlis shall assume membership in the people's majlis upon taking and subscribing, before the chief justice or his designate, the oath of office of members of the people's majlis set out in schedule 1 of this constitution."
"(a) the people's majlis shall at the first sitting after the general election elect a speaker and a deputy speaker from its members by secret ballot. until such time as a speaker and a deputy speaker is elected the people's majlis shall be presided over by the consecutively longest serving member from among those present. where there are a number of members who have consecutively served the longest then the majlis shall be presided over by the member most senior by age of those having served consecutively the longest.     (b) the speaker, or in his absence the deputy speaker, shall preside over sittings of the people's majlis, and if neither is present, a person to preside over the sitting shall be determined as provided in the regulations governing the proceedings of people's majlis.    (c) the speaker may resign from his post by writing under his hand addressed to the deputy speaker, and the post shall become vacant when the resignation is received by the deputy speaker. the deputy speaker may resign from his post by writing under his hand addressed to the speaker, and the post shall become vacant when the resignation is received by the speaker.    (d) the speaker or the deputy speaker shall vacate his office:    1. if he ceases to be a member of the people's majlis; or    2. if the people's majlis at any time so resolves.    (e) no such resolution shall be moved unless fourteen days notice has been given to the people's majlis of the intention to move the resolution.    (f) the speaker shall not preside over the debate concerning his removal. the deputy speaker shall also not preside over any debate concerning his removal.    (g) the speaker and the deputy speaker have the right to take part and defend themselves in any debate concerning their removal. however they may not take part in any vote concerning their  removal."
there shall be at least three sessions of the people's majlis every year. the dates for the commencement and conclusion of the sessions must be specified in the regulations governing the proceedings of people's majlis. the sessions shall generally be held at the house of the people's majlis.
"at the beginning of the first session of each year at the first sitting, the president shall address the people's majlis on the state of the country, and may present proposals for improving the state of the country to the people's majlis."
"(a) subject to article (b), meetings of the people's majlis and its committees shall be open to the public.    (b) a majority of those present and voting of the members of the people's majlis or of a committee may decide to exclude the public and the press from all or any part of the proceedings if there is a compelling need to do so in the interests of public order or national security.    (c) article (b) does not prevent the people's majlis from specifying additional reasons for excluding the public from all or any part of a committee meeting of the people's majlis."
"the presence of at least twenty five percent of the members, shall constitute a quorum of the people's majlis."
"(a) unless otherwise provided in this constitution, all decisions of the people's majlis shall be decided by a majority of votes of the members  present and voting.    (b) despite the provisions of article 86 of this constitution, voting on any matter requiring compliance by citizens shall only be undertaken when more than half of the total membership of the people's majlis are present at the sitting at which the matter is voted upon.    (c) the speaker or other person presiding over sittings of the people's majlis shall not vote on any question, but in the event of an equality of votes, he shall have and exercise a casting vote.    (d) the speaker or other person presiding over sittings of the people's majlis may vote when a question must be decided by a two-thirds or three-quarters majority of the members."
"(a) subject to the provisions of this constitution, the people's majlis shall:    1. determine and control its administrative arrangements, hiring and firing of employees, determination of salaries of employees, and manage all matters concerning the sittings of the people's majlis. the people's majlis shall make regulations concerning these matters;    2. make regulations and principles concerning its business, with due regard to representative and participatory democracy, accountability, transparency and public involvement. such regulations may include rules of decorum and attendance requirements, and, subject to the consent of two-thirds of the members, may provide for non-payment of salary  29 and allowances.    (b) unless otherwise specified in this constitution, the validity of any proceedings in the people's majlis shall not be questioned in any court of law"
all proceedings of the people's majlis shall be published in the minutes of the people's majlis and available to the public.
"(a) no member or other person shall be liable to any proceedings in any court, and no person shall be subject to any inquiry, arrest, detention or prosecution, with respect to anything said in, produced before, or submitted to the people's majlis or any of its committees, or with respect to any vote given if the same is not contrary to any tenet of islam.    (b) no person or newspaper or journal shall be liable in respect of any report or proceedings made or published under the authority of the people's majlis, or in respect of any fair and accurate report of the proceedings of the people's majlis or any of its committees, where this is done in accordance with principles specified by the people's majlis."
"(a) every bill passed by the people's majlis shall be presented for assent by the president within seven days from the date of its passing, and the president shall, within fifteen days of receipt, assent to the bill or return the bill for reconsideration of the bill or of any amendment proposed by the president.     (b) any bill returned to the people's majlis for reconsideration shall be assented to by the president and published in the government gazette if the bill, after reconsideration, is passed without any amendments, by a majority of the total membership of the people's majlis.    (c) any bill not returned for reconsideration or amendment or assented to by the president within the specified time shall be deemed to have been assented to by the president and shall be published in the government gazette."
"a bill passed by the people's majlis shall become law when assented to by the president. every bill assented to by the president shall be published in the government gazette on the day of assent. such law shall come into force when it is published in the government gazette, or on such later date following publication stipulated in the statute."
"(a) treaties entered into by the executive in the name of the state with foreign states and international organizations shall be approved by the people's majlis, and shall come into force only in accordance with the decision of the people's majlis.    (b) despite the provisions of article (a), citizens shall only be required to act in compliance with treaties ratified by the state as provided for in a law enacted by the people's majlis."
"the people's majlis may, pursuant to law and for prescribed purposes, delegate to any person or body power to make orders, and regulations, or other instruments having legislative effect, including the power to:      (a) determine a date on which any law shall come into or cease to have effect;    (b) make any law or part thereof applicable to any area or to any class of persons."
"the people's majlis may by resolution refer to the supreme court for hearing and consideration important questions of law concerning any matter, including the interpretation of the constitution and the constitutional validity of any statute. the supreme court shall answer the questions so referred and shall provide the answers to the people's majlis, giving reasons for its answers. the opinion shall be pronounced in like manner as in the case of a judgment on appeal to the supreme court."
"(a) prior to the commencement of each financial year, the minister of finance shall submit for approval to the people's majlis a budget containing the projected revenue and expenditures for the year, and a statement of actual revenue and expenditures for the preceding year.    (b) the people's majlis may approve or amend the budget submitted by the minister of finance as in its discretion it deems fit.    (c) no supplementary expenditures shall be added to an approved budget without further approval by the people's majlis. expenditures included in the budget shall be applied solely for the specified purpose."
the executive shall not:  (a) spend any public money or property;    (b) levy any taxation;    (c) obtain or receive any money or property by loan or otherwise;    (d) provide any sovereign guarantees;     except pursuant to a law enacted by the people's majlis.
"(a) the people's majlis may require the presence of any member of the cabinet or member of the government to attend proceedings of the people's majlis, and to respond under oath truthfully to questions put to them and to produce documents, required by the people's majlis relating to the due performance of the obligations and responsibilities of such person.    (b) every member of the people's majlis has the right to question, in the manner specified by the people's majlis and either orally or in writing, a member of the cabinet or head of a government office, concerning the performance of his duties.    (c) any member of the cabinet or member of the government office to whom a question is addressed as provided for in article (b) shall answer to the best of his knowledge and ability.    (d) the questions and answers given as provided for in this article, whether orally or in writing, shall be published in the same manner as the proceedings of the people's majlis."
"the people's majlis or any of its committees has the power to:    (a) summon any person to appear before it to give evidence under oath, or to produce documents. any person who is questioned by the people's majlis as provided for in this article shall answer to the best of his knowledge and ability;    (b) require any person or institution to report to it;    (c) receive petitions, representations or submissions from interested persons or institutions."
"(a) the people's majlis, by a resolution, may remove the president or the vice president from office only on the grounds of:    1. direct violation of a tenet of islam, the constitution or law;    2. serious misconduct unsuited to the office of the president or vice president; or    3. inability to perform the responsibilities of office of president or vice president.    (b) a resolution as provided for in article (a), must be submitted to the people's majlis, under the hand of at least one third of the members, specifying the reasons.    (c) the people's majlis may establish a committee to investigate the matters specified in the resolution calling for removal of the president or vice president.  (d) at least fourteen days notice of the debate in the people's majlis concerning such a resolution shall be given to the president or vice president, and the president or the vice president shall have the right to defend himself in the sittings of the people's majlis, both orally and in writing, and has the right to legal counsel.   (e) a resolution to remove the president or vice president from office as specified in article (a) shall only be passed if it receives a two-thirds majority of the total membership of the people's majlis, and in such event the president or vice president shall cease to hold office.    (f) the regulations governing the functioning of the people's majlis shall specify the principles and procedures concerning a resolution to remove the president or vice president from office as provided in this constitution."
"(a) a motion expressing want of confidence in a member of the cabinet may be moved in the people's majlis, under the hand of at least ten members, specifying the reasons.    (b) at least fourteen days notice of the debate in the people's majlis concerning a motion under article (a) shall be given to the concerned member of the cabinet, and he shall have the right to defend himself in the sittings of the people's majlis, both orally and in writing.    (c) a motion of want of confidence concerning a member of the cabinet shall be passed by a majority of the total membership of the people's majlis."
"the president, vice president, members of the cabinet, members of the people's majlis, including the speaker and deputy speaker, members of the judiciary, and members of the independent commissions and independent offices shall be paid such salary and allowances as determined by the people's majlis."
the members of the people's majlis and persons appointed or employed by them shall not use their position or any information entrusted to them to improperly benefit themselves or any other person.
"the people's majlis shall, as provided for in its regulations, appoint a secretary general to establish and manage the secretariat, to arrange for the sittings and documentation of the people's majlis, and generally to assist the speaker and the members."
"(a) the security of the house of the people's majlis, all property attached thereto and all offices and facilities where its work is conducted shall be protected by the security services of the state    (b) the security services of the state shall ensure the protection and safety of all members of the people's majlis."
"(a) the executive power is vested in the president as provided for in the constitution and the law.    (b) the president shall be the head of state, the head of government, and the commander in chief of the armed forces.    (c) the principles of governance of the state being determined by this constitution, the president shall uphold, defend and respect the constitution, and shall promote the unity of the state.    (d) the president shall exercise executive authority as provided for in the constitution and law."
"(a) the president shall hold office for a term of five years and no person elected as president pursuant to this constitution shall serve for more than two terms in office, whether consecutive or otherwise.    (b) a vacancy in the office of president leading to the vice president succeeding to the presidency shall only be considered as a term in office within the meaning of article (a) if there are at least two years remaining in that term of office."
the president shall be elected directly by the people by universal and secret suffrage.
"a person elected as president shall have the following qualifications:   (a) be a maldivian citizen born to parents who are maldivian citizens, and who is not also a citizen of a foreign country;    (b) be a muslim and a follower of a sunni school of islam;    (c) be at least thirty-five years of age;    (d) be of sound mind;    (e) not have an undischarged decreed debt;    (f) not have been convicted of a criminal offence and sentenced to a term of more than twelve months, unless a period of three years has elapsed since his release, or pardon for the offence for which he was sentenced; and    (g) despite the provisions of article (f), not have been convicted of an offence for which a hadd is prescribed in islam or of fraud, deception or criminal breach of trust."
elections for the office of president shall be held within one hundred and twenty days to thirty days prior to the expiry of the existing presidential term.
"(a) the president shall be elected by over fifty percent of the votes. if no candidate obtains such majority, a run-off election must be held within twenty one days after the first election. the run-off election shall be contested only by the two candidates receiving the highest number of votes in the first election. if the two  38 candidates receiving the highest number of votes in the first election have an equal number of votes, only those two candidates shall compete in the run-off election. if there are two candidates in second position with an equal number of votes, then the run-off election shall be held among the top three candidates.    (b) if any of the two candidates withdraws from the run-off election, the candidate receiving the third highest number of votes in the first election may stand for election in the run-off election.    (c) the people's majlis shall enact a statute governing the conduct of presidential elections."
"(a) there shall be a vice president of the maldives who shall assist the president in the discharge of his duties and responsibilities.    (b) every candidate for president shall publicly declare the name of the vice president who will serve with him.    (c) the qualifications of office for the vice president shall be the same as those for the president.    (d) if the office of the president becomes vacant for any reason, the vice president shall succeed to the office of the president."
"the supreme court, sitting together in session, shall have sole and final jurisdiction to determine all disputes concerning the qualification or disqualification, election, status, of a presidential candidate or running mate or removal of the president by the people's majlis."
"an incoming president or vice president shall assume office upon taking and subscribing, before the chief justice or his designate, at a sitting of the people's majlis, the relevant oath of office set out in schedule 1 of this constitution."
"in addition to the duties and powers otherwise expressly conferred on the president by this constitution and the law, the president is entrusted pursuant to this constitution with carrying out the duties specified herein and shall have the following powers to do so:    (a) to faithfully implement the provisions of this constitution and the law, and to promote compliance by organs of the state and by the people;    (b) to supervise the efficient and harmonious functioning of all departments of government;    (c) to promote the rule of law, and to protect the rights and freedoms of all people;    (d) to guarantee the independence and territorial integrity of the maldives, and to promote respect for national sovereignty in the international community;    (e) to formulate fundamental policies of the state, and to submit policies and recommendations to the appropriate agencies and institutions of government;    (f) to appoint, dismiss and accept the resignation of members of the cabinet, and such officials necessary for the proper functioning of the duties of his office;   (g) to preside over the cabinet of ministers;    (h) to issue declarations of war and peace, and to immediately submit such declarations to the people's majlis for approval;    (i) to declare states of emergency, in accordance with the provisions of the constitution;    (j) to determine, conduct and oversee the foreign policy of the country, and to conduct political relations with foreign nations and international organizations;    (k)   1. to enter into general treaties and agreements with foreign states and international organizations, which do not impose any obligations on citizens;    2. to enter into and ratify, with the approval of the people's majlis, treaties and agreements with foreign states and international organizations, which impose obligations on citizens;    (l) to appoint members of diplomatic missions to foreign countries and international organizations in consultation with the people's majlis;    (m) to recall and remove from office members of diplomatic missions to foreign countries and international organizations;    (n) to receive and recognize the credentials of diplomatic and consular representatives of foreign countries and other parties and to accept their letters of recall;    (o) to appoint temporary commissions to advise the president on national issues and conduct investigations;    (p) to hold public referendums on issues of national importance;    (q) to declare national and government holidays;    (r) to issue awards, medals and honorary titles, as provided by law;    (s) to grant pardons or reductions of sentence as provided by law, to persons convicted of a criminal offence who have no further right of appeal;    (t) to ensure that the security services comply with their obligations as provided in this constitution;    (u) to perform all other duties specifically authorized by this constitution and by law."
"(a) the president has discretion to establish all ministries required within the government, and shall determine their areas of jurisdiction. the president shall submit all information relating to the ministries and their areas of jurisdiction to the people's majlis for approval.    (b) the people's majlis may give to the president such opinions and views it has on the ministries  and their areas of jurisdiction established in accordance with article (a)."
(a) the vice president shall exercise such responsibilities and powers of the president as are delegated to him by the president.    (b) the vice president shall perform the responsibilities of the president if the president is absent or temporarily unable to perform the responsibilities of office.
the president and vice president shall be paid such salary and allowances as determined by the people's majlis.
"(a) the president and vice president shall not hold any other public office or office of profit, actively engage in a business or in the practice of any profession, or any other income generating employment, be employed by any person, buy or lease any property belonging to the state, or have a financial interest in any transaction between the state and any other party.    (b) the president, or any person appointed or employed by him, and the vice president, shall not use his position or any information entrusted to him by virtue of his office to improperly benefit himself or any other person."
"every year, the president shall submit to the auditor general a statement of all property and monies owned by him, business interests and all assets and liabilities"
"(a) the president may resign from office by writing under his hand submitted to the speaker of the people's majlis, and the office shall become vacant when the resignation is received by thespeaker.   (b) the vice president may resign from office by writing under his hand submitted to the president, and the office shall become vacant when the resignation is received by the president."
"if the office of vice president becomes vacant by reason of death, resignation, removal from office, permanent incapacity, or succession to the office of the president, the president shall appoint a new vice president to serve the remainder of the term. the appointment shall be approved by the people's majlis."
"(a) in the event the president believes himself temporarily unable to perform the duties and responsibilities of office, he shall inform the speaker of the people's majlis in writing specifying the reasons thereof and shall handover the duties and responsibilities of his office to the vice president. the president shall resume the responsibilities of his office after informing the speaker of the people's majlis in writing.    (b) in the event the president is temporarily unable to perform the duties and responsibilities of office, and is not able to inform the speaker of the people's majlis in writing due to the nature of the inability, the vice president shall with the approval of the majority of the cabinet do so. in the event of such an occurrence, and until such time as the president is able to assume office, the responsibilities of the office of the president shall temporarily be assumed by the vice president. the president shall resume the responsibilities of his office after informing the speaker of the people's majlis in writing."
"(a) in the event of the absence or temporary incapacity of both the president and the vice president to carry out the duties of office of the president, the duties shall be carried out, in order of priority, by the speaker of the people's majlis, or by the deputy speaker of the people's majlis, or by a member of the people's majlis elected by a resolution of the people's majlis, until the president or vice president are able to resume the duties of office.   (b) in the event of the permanent incapacity, resignation, removal or death of both the president or the vice president, and both offices becoming vacant at the same time, leading to an incapacity to carry out the duties of the president, until such time as a president and a vice president shall be elected, the duties of both offices shall temporarily be carried out, in order of priority, by the speaker of the people's majlis, or by the deputy speaker of the people's majlis, or by a member of the people's majlis elected by a resolution of the people's majlis, until successors in office are chosen.   (c) the qualifications of office for any person temporarily assuming the office of the president shall be the same as those for the president."
"(a) if any of the instances specified in article 124 (b) of this constitution occur and both the office of the president and the vice president become vacant at the same time, a presidential election shall be held within sixty days of both offices becoming vacant and appointments shall be made to both offices.    (b) in the event of the occurrence of any permanent incapacity preventing the assumption of the office of president by the president elect and  vice president elect in the presidential elections, presidential elections shall be held within sixty days of such occurrence and appointments shall be made to both offices.    (c) where fresh presidential elections have to be held for any reason during the currency of an ongoing presidential term, persons elected to the office of the president or the vice president shall only continue in office for the remainder of the ongoing presidential term. for the purposes of article 107 of this constitution they shall be dealt with as specified in article (c) of the said article."
"any person temporarily discharging the duties of the office of the president or vice president shall take and subscribe before the chief justice or his designate, the relevant oath of office set out in schedule 1 of this constitution."
"the president and the vice president shall be answerable in law for any alleged criminal offence, whether committed before or during his term of office. however, if any criminal proceedings are instituted against the president, the people's majlis may if it so sees fit, by resolution provide that such proceedings shall not be continued until after the expiration of the term of office."
"a person who has served in the office of president, serving his term of office lawfully without committing any offence, shall be entitled to the highest honour, dignity, protection, financial privileges and other privileges entitled to a person who has served in the highest office of the land. such protection and privileges shall be specified in law.."
"(a) there shall be a cabinet of ministers appointed by the president, with responsibility for the duties and functions assigned to them by the president, this constitution and the law.    (b) the cabinet shall consist of the vice president, the ministers given responsibility for the different ministries, and the attorney general.    (c) except for the vice president, the president must receive the approval of the people's majlis for all appointments to the cabinet.    (d) the president shall submit to the people's majlis, within seven days of making appointments to the cabinet the names of the appointees to the cabinet for approval of the people's majlis."
"(a) a person shall be qualified to be a member of the cabinet if he:    1. is a citizen of the maldives;   2. is not a citizen of a foreign country;   3. is a muslim and a follower of a sunni school of islam;   4. has attained the age of twenty-five years;   5. is of sound mind.  (b) a person is disqualified from being a member of the cabinet, or a member of the cabinet immediately becomes disqualified, if he:    1. has a decreed debt which is not being paid as provided in the judgment; or 2. has been convicted of a criminal offence and sentenced to a term of more than twelve months, unless a period of three years has elapsed since his release, or pardon for the offence for which he was sentenced."
"a member of the cabinet shall assume office upon taking and subscribing, before the chief justice or his designate, the oath of office of members of the cabinet set out in schedule 1 of this constitution."
"the members of the cabinet shall comply with all the provisions of the constitution and the law, and shall faithfully discharge the responsibilities assigned to them by the president, including the following:    (a) to recommend to and assist the president in determining the general policies of the state, and to supervise and implement those policies in all areas of government activity, in accordance with the constitution and the law;    (b) to advise and recommend draft bills and proposals to the president, to be prepared for submission to the people's majlis;    (c) to direct, review and coordinate the work of the government;    (d)to ensure good relations and smooth functioning between the government and other organs of the state in their areas of responsibility;   (e) to prudently and carefully manage the assets of the state within their areas of responsibility;    (f) to recommend to and assist the president in formulating the general policies of the state in relation to national and international matters, and to direct, review and coordinate the political, economic and social development of the maldives;    (g) to promote, protect and uphold the rule of law, and defend public safety and the public interest;    (h) to perform all other duties specifically authorized by the constitution and by law."
"(a) the president shall appoint a person with distinguished education and experience in the legal field, who is also qualified to be a member of the cabinet, as attorney general. he shall be the legal advisor to the government.    (b) it is the duty of the attorney general to advise the government on all legal matters affecting the state. the attorney general's duties include performance of all legal duties pertaining to his office, and discharge of all responsibilities required to be discharged by the attorney general, by the constitution and by law.    (c) the attorney general has the right of audience in all courts of the maldives, and the state shall be represented in all courts by the attorney general or by a person delegated by him, except for those matters deemed to be the  responsibility of the prosecutor general in this constitution.    (d) the attorney general shall have authority, with the leave of the court, to appear as a friend of the court in any civil proceedings to which the government is not a party, where in the opinion of the attorney general the interests of the state or the public interest dictate.    (e) the attorney general shall promote, protect, uphold and defend the rule of law, the public safety, the freedoms of the public and the public interest.    (f) in the exercise of his powers, the attorney general shall be subject only to the constitution and the law and shall not be subject to the control or direction of any person or authority.    (g) the attorney general shall have power to issue general directives to the prosecutor general on the conduct of criminal proceedings."
"(a) members of the cabinet are responsible individually and collectively to the president and also to the people's majlis in the manner specified by the constitution for the proper exercise of the responsibilities and duties assigned to them.    (b) members of the cabinet shall regularly and fairly report to the president on all matters under their jurisdiction, and shall provide to the people's majlis information about matters under their jurisdiction when requested to do so."
the members of the cabinet shall be paid such salary and allowances as determined by the people's majlis.
"(a) a member of the cabinet shall not hold any other public office or office of profit, actively engage in a business or in the practice of any profession, or any other income generating employment, be employed by any person, buy or lease any property belonging to the state, or have a financial interest in any transaction between the state and another party.    (b) a member of the cabinet shall not use his position or any information entrusted to him by virtue of his office to improperly benefit himself or any other person."
"(a) the president may at his discretion remove any member of the cabinet from office by writing under his hand addressed to such member.    (b) despite the provisions of article (a), the president does not have the discretion to remove the vice president from office."
"every member of the cabinet shall annually submit to the auditor general a statement of all property and monies owned by him, business interests and all assets and liabilities."
"a member of the cabinet may resign from office by writing under his hand submitted to the president, and the office shall become vacant when the resignation is received by the president."
"a member of the cabinet shall be given responsibility for each authority or institute established by the government or the people's majlis, except for independent institutions specified in this constitution  or established pursuant to law. such member of the cabinet must take responsibility for the operation of such authority or institution and must be accountable for it."
"(a) the judicial power is vested in the supreme court, the high court, and such trial courts as established by law.  (b) the supreme court shall be the highest authority for the administration of justice in the maldives. the chief justice shall be the highest authority on the supreme court. all matters adjudicated before the supreme court shall be decided upon by a majority of the judges sitting together in session.    (c) no officials performing public functions, or any other persons, shall interfere with and influence the functions of the courts.    (d) persons or bodies performing public functions, through legislative and other measures, must assist and protect the courts to ensure the independence, eminence, dignity, impartiality, accessibility and effectiveness of the courts."
"the judges are independent, and subject only to the constitution and the law. when deciding matters on which the constitution or the law is silent, judges must consider islamic shari'ah. in the performance of their judicial functions, judges must apply the constitution and the law impartially and without fear, favour or prejudice."
"(a) the supreme court and the high court shall have jurisdiction to enquire into and rule on the constitutional validity of any statute or part thereof enacted by the people's majlis.    (b) in any matter before them, all courts have jurisdiction to determine matters concerning the interpretation and application of any provision of the constitution, and this shall not be deemed contrary to article (a).    (c) every court has jurisdiction to overturn the decision of a lower court.    (d) lower courts shall follow the decisions of a higher court."
"when deciding a constitutional matter within its jurisdiction, a court:    (a) may declare that any statute, regulation or part thereof, order, decision or action of any person or body performing a public function that is inconsistent with the constitution is invalid to the extent of the inconsistency; and    (b) may in connection with a declaration pursuant to article (b) make any order that is just and equitable, including:  1. an order providing just compensation for any damage sustained by any person or group of persons due to any statute, regulation or action that is inconsistent with the constitution; or    2. an order suspending the declaration of invalidity (of a statute, regulation or action due to inconsistency with the constitution) for any period and on any conditions, to allow the competent authority to correct the defect:     (c) may make an order limiting the retrospective effect of a declaration of invalidity of a statute, regulation or part thereof, order, decision or action of any person or body performing a public function that is inconsistent with the constitution."
"(a) the supreme court shall consist of the chief justice and such number of judges as provided by law. the supreme court shall consist of an uneven number of judges.    (b) matters shall be disposed of in the supreme court by an uneven number of judges sitting together in session.  (c) the supreme court shall be the final authority on the interpretation of the constitution, the law, or any other matter dealt with by a court of law."
(a) the high court shall consist of such number of judges as provided by law.    (b) matters shall be disposed of in the high court by an uneven number of judges sitting together in session.
"there shall be a chief justice of the maldives. the president as the head of state shall appoint the chief justice, after consulting the judicial service commission and confirmation of the appointee by a majority of the members of the people's majlis present and voting."
"(a) the president as the head of state shall appoint the judges of the supreme court, after consulting the judicial service commission and confirmation of the appointees by a majority of the members of the people's majlis present and voting.    (b) all other judges shall be appointed by the judicial service commission, to be established in accordance with the provisions of this constitution.    (c) judges shall be appointed without term, but shall retire at the age of seventy years.    (d) notwithstanding article (c), for a period of fifteen years from the commencement of the constitution, judges may be appointed for a fixed term of not more than five years, as specified in the terms of their appointment."
"(a) a person appointed as a judge in accordance with law, must possess the educational qualifications, experience and recognized competence necessary to discharge the duties and responsibilities of a judge, and must be of high moral character.    (b) in addition to the qualifications specified in article (a), a judge shall possess the following qualifications:-    1. be a muslim and a follower of a sunni school of islam;    2. be twenty-five years of age;    3. has not been convicted of an offence for which a hadd is prescribed in islam, criminal breach of trust, or bribery;    4. be of sound mind.    (c) a person appointed to be a judge of the supreme court, shall be at least thirty years of age; possess at least seven years experience as a judge or practicing lawyer or both as a judge and a practicing lawyer, and must be educated in islamic shari'ah or law.    (d) the people's majlis shall pass a statute relating to judges."
every judge shall take and subscribe the oath of office of judges set out in schedule 1 of this constitution before assuming office.
every judge shall devote his full time to the performance of the responsibilities of a judge. a judge shall perform other work only in accordance with and as specified by the statute relating to judges.
judges shall be paid such salary and allowances in keeping with the stature of their office as determined by the people's majlis.
"every judge shall annually submit to the judicial service commission a statement of all property and monies owned by him, business interests and all assets and liabilities."
"(a) a judge shall not be removed from office during good behavior and compliance with judicial ethics.   (b) a judge may be removed from office only if the judicial service commission finds that the person is grossly incompetent, or that the judge is guilty of gross misconduct, and submits to the people's majlis a resolution supporting the removal of the judge, which is passed by a two-thirds majority of the members of the people's majlis present and voting."
"the people's majlis shall have authority to pass laws concerning the administration of the courts, the trial and appellate jurisdiction of the courts and trial procedures."
"the courts have the inherent power to protect and regulate their own process, in accordance with law and the interests of justice."
"(a) there shall be a judicial service commission of the maldives.    (b) the judicial service commission is an independent and impartial institution. it shall perform its duties and responsibilities in accordance with the constitution and any laws enacted by the people's majlis. the jurisdiction of the judicial service commission shall extend to all members of the judiciary and such other persons as designated by the people's majlis.    (c) the judicial service commission shall function as provided by the statute governing the judicial service commission. such statute shall specify the responsibilities, powers, mandate, qualifications, and ethical standards of members."
"the judicial service commission shall consist of:    (a) the speaker of the people's majlis;    (b) a judge of the supreme court other than the chief justice, elected by the judges of the supreme court;  (c) a judge of the high court, elected by the judges of the high court;  (d) a judge of the trial courts, elected by the judges of the trial court;    (e) a member of the people's majlis appointed by it;    (f) a member of the general public appointed by the people's majlis;  (g) the chair of the civil service commission;    (h) a person appointed by the president;    (i) the attorney general;    (j) a lawyer elected from among the lawyers licensed to practise in the maldives by themselves."
"the judicial service commission is entrusted with the responsibility and power:    (a) to appoint, promote and transfer judges other than the chief justice and judges of the supreme court, and to make recommendations to the president on the appointment of the chief justice and judges of the supreme court;    (b) to investigate complaints about the judiciary, and to take disciplinary action against them, including recommendations for dismissal;   (c) to make rules:    1. regarding schemes for recruitment and procedures for the appointment of judges;   2. ethical standards of judges;   3. providing for such matters as are necessary or expedient for the exercise, performance and discharge of the duties and responsibilities of the commission;    (d) to advise the president and the people's majlis on any other matter relating to the judiciary or the administration of justice;    (e) to exercise such additional powers and functions prescribed by this constitution or by law."
the president as head of the state shall constitute the judicial service commission as specified in this chapter.
"a member of the judicial service commission:    (a) appointed pursuant to article 158 (b), (c), (d), (e), (f), (h) or (j), holds office for a term of five years and is not eligible for reappointment;    (b) appointed by virtue of the office he held pursuant to article 158 (a), (g), or (i) remains a member of the judicial service commission only as long as that office is held."
"a member of the judicial service commission may resign from office by writing under his hand addressed to the president, and the office shall become vacant when the resignation is received by the president. a member appointed under articles 158 (a), (g), or (i) may not resign pursuant to this article."
"a majority of the members shall constitute a quorum at a meeting of the judicial service commission, and any decision of the judicial service commission shall be taken by a majority of votes of the members present and voting."
"a member of the judicial service commission who is not a member of the executive, the judiciary, or the people's majlis shall be paid such salary and allowances as may be determined by the people's majlis."
"a member of the judicial service commission appointed pursuant to article 158 (b), (c), (d), (e), (f), (h) or (j), may be removed from office by the appointor. members of the judicial service commission appointed by virtue of the office held pursuant to articles 158 (a), (g), or (i) shall be removed from membership of the judicial service commission upon vacation of the office he holds."
every member of the judicial service commission shall take and subscribe the oath of office of members of the judicial service commission set out in schedule 1 of this constitution before assuming office.
"(a) there shall be an elections commission of the maldives.    (b) the elections commission is an independent and impartial institution. it shall exercise its duties and responsibilities in accordance with the constitution and laws enacted by the people's majlis.    (c) the elections commission shall function as provided by the statute governing the elections commission. such statute shall specify the responsibilities, powers, mandate, qualifications, and ethical standards of members."
(a) the elections commission shall comprise of at least five members including the chairman of the commission.    (b) the president shall appoint to the elections commission those persons approved by a majority of the people's majlis from the names submitted to the people's majlis as provided for in the statute governing the elections commission.
"to be qualified for appointment to the elections commission, a person shall possess the educational qualifications, experience and recognized competence necessary to discharge the functions of the elections commission. members of the elections commission shall not engage in any other employment."
"the elections commission's responsibilities and powers include the following:    (a) to conduct, manage, supervise, and facilitate all elections and public referendums, to ensure the proper exercise of the right to vote, and to ensure that all elections and public referendums are conducted freely and fairly, without intimidation, aggression, undue influence or corruption;    (b) to prepare, maintain, and update electoral rolls, and to make all arrangements for holding elections and public referendums;    (c) to hold and declare the results of those elections and public referendums within periods prescribed by law;    (d) to compile the register of voters in each constituency, to revise it at such periods as shall be determined by law and to provide for publication of the register in the government gazette;    (e) to fix, vary, demarcate and continuously review the boundaries and names of constituencies or voting units in all elections in accordance with principles specified by law and to provide for publication of any amendments in the government gazette;    (f) to register political parties, and to perform those actions relating to political parties as specified by law;    (g) to educate and create awareness among the general public on the electoral process and its purpose;   (h) to perform such additional functions as may be prescribed by law"
"(a) voting in all public elections or public referendums conducted by the elections commission, shall be by secret ballot.    (b) immediately after the close of the polls, the presiding officer who is appointed by the elections commission shall, in the presence of such candidates or their representatives if present, and any other persons authorized by law to be present, count at that polling station the ballot papers of that station, and record and publicly declare the votes cast in favour of each candidate or question in a public referendum."
"(a) a person may challenge a decision of the elections commission concerning an election or a public referendum, or may challenge the results of an election, or contest the legality of any other matter related to an election, by means of an election petition presented to the high court.    (b) the manner for dealing with any challenge submitted pursuant to article (a) shall be provided for in a statute on elections."
a member of the elections commission shall be appointed for one term of five years. the people's majlis can approve the renewal of the appointment for an additional term of not more than five years.
"a member of the elections commission may resign from office by writing under his hand addressed to the president, and the office shall become vacant when the resignation is received by the president."
"a majority of the members of the elections commission shall constitute a quorum at a meeting of the elections commission, and any decision of the elections commission shall be taken by a majority of votes of the members present and voting."
the members of the elections commission shall be paid such salary and allowances as determined by the people's majlis.
"a member of the elections commission shall be removed from office only for the reasons specified in article (a), and in the manner specified in article (b):    (a) on the ground of misconduct, incapacity or incompetence; and    (b) a finding to that effect by a committee of the people's majlis pursuant to article (a), and upon the approval of such finding by the people's majlis by a majority of those present and voting, calling for the member's removal from office, such member shall be deemed removed from office."
every member of the elections commission shall take and subscribe the oath of office of members of the elections commission set out in schedule 1 of this constitution before assuming office.
"(a) there shall be a civil service commission of the maldives.    (b) the civil service commission is an independent and impartial institution. it shall perform its duties and responsibilities in accordance with the constitution and any laws enacted by the people's majlis. the civil service commission shall strive to achieve and maintain an effective and efficient civil service with high standards of professional ethics.    (c) the civil service commission shall function as provided by the statute governing the civil service commission. such statute shall specify the responsibilities, powers, mandate, qualifications, and ethical standards of members."
"(a) the civil service commission shall comprise of at least five members including the chairman of the commission.    (b) the president shall appoint to the civil service commission those persons approved by a majority of the members of the people's majlis present and voting, from the names submitted to the people's majlis as provided for in the statute governing the civil service commission."
"to be qualified for appointment to the civil service commission, a person shall possess the educational qualifications, experience and recognized competence necessary to discharge the functions of the civil service commission. members of the civil service commission"
"(a) the civil service commission's responsibilities and powers include the following:    1. to recruit, appoint, promote, transfer and dismiss the members of the civil service, as defined by law;    2. to establish uniform standards of organization and administration within the civil service;    3. to formulate measures to ensure effective and efficient performance within the civil service;    4. to establish personnel procedures relating to recruitment, appointments, transfers, promotions and dismissals;    5. to report to the executive and to the people's majlis on its activities and the performance of its functions, including personnel policies, findings, directions and advice it may give, and an evaluation of the extent to which the values and principles set out in article (b) are complied with;    6. to exercise or perform such additional powers and responsibilities prescribed by law.     (b) in carrying out its powers and functions, the civil service commission shall be governed by democratic values and principles, including the  following:    1. a high standard of professional ethics shall be promoted and maintained;    2. efficient, economic and effective use of resources shall be promoted;    3. services shall be provided impartially, fairly, equitably and without prejudice;    4. the needs of the public shall be responded to, and the public shall be encouraged to participate in policy-making;    5. the accountability of the civil service to all branches of the state and to the public;    6. transparency shall be fostered by providing the public with timely, accessible and accurate information;    7. good human-resource management and career-development practices to maximise human potential shall be cultivated;    8. employment and personnel management practices shall be based on ability, analysis of determined principles and fairness;    9. no member of the civil service may be favoured or prejudiced only because of support for or opposition to a particular political party or cause;    10. no member of the civil service shall use his position or any information entrusted to him to improperly benefit himself or any other person."
a member of the civil service commission shall be appointed for one term of five years. the people's majlis can approve the renewal of the appointment for an additional term of not more than five years.
"a member of the civil service commission may resign from office by writing under his hand addressed to the president, and the office shall become vacant when the resignation is received by the president."
"a majority of the members of the civil service commission shall constitute a quorum at a meeting of the civil service commission, and any decision of the civil service commission shall be taken by a majority of votes of the members present and voting."
the members of the civil service commission shall be paid such salary and allowances as may be determined by the people's majlis.
"a member of the civil service commission shall be removed from office only for the reasons specified in article (a), and in the manner specified in article (b):    (a) on the ground of misconduct, incapacity or incompetence; and   (b) a finding to that effect by a committee of the people's majlis pursuant to article (a), and upon the approval of such finding by the people's majlis by a majority of those present and voting, calling for the member's removal from office, such member shall be deemed removed from office."
every member of the civil service commission shall take and subscribe the oath of office of members of the civil service commission set out in schedule 1 before assuming office.
"(a) there shall be a human rights commission of the maldives.    (b) the human rights commission is an independent and impartial institution. it shall promote respect for human rights impartially without favour and prejudice.    (c) the human rights commission shall function as provided by the statute governing the human rights commission. such statute shall specify the responsibilities, powers, mandate, qualifications, and ethical standards of members."
(a) the human rights commission shall comprise of at least five members including the chairman of the commission.  (b) the president shall appoint to the human rights commission those persons approved by a majority of the members of the people's majlis from the names submitted to the people's majlis as provided for in the statute governing the human rights commission.
"to be qualified for appointment to the human rights commission, a person shall possess the educational qualifications, experience and recognized competence necessary to discharge the functions of the human rights commission. members of the elections commission shall not engage in any other employment."
"(a) the human rights commission's responsibilities and powers shall include the following:    1. to promote respect for human rights;   2. to promote the protection, development and attainment of human rights;   3. to monitor and assess the observance of human rights.    (b) the human rights commission shall have the following functions and powers, as regulated by law:    1. to investigate and to report on the observance of human rights;   2. to take steps to secure appropriate redress where human rights have been violated; 3. to carry out research, and to educate the public;   4. to exercise such additional powers and functions prescribed by law."
a member of the human rights commission shall be appointed for one term of five years. the people's majlis can approve the renewal of the appointment for an additional term of not more than five years.
"a member of the human rights commission may resign from office by writing under his hand addressed to the president, and the office shall become vacant when the resignation is received by the president."
"a majority of the members of the human rights commission shall constitute a quorum at a meeting of the human rights commission, and any decision of the human rights commission shall be taken by a majority of votes of the members present and voting."
the members of the human rights commission shall be paid such salary and allowances as determined by the people's majlis.
"a member of the human rights commission shall be removed from office only for the reasons specified in article (a) and in the manner specified in article (b):    (a) on the ground of misconduct, incapacity or incompetence; and    (b) a finding to that effect by a committee of the people's majlis pursuant to article (a), and upon the approval of such finding by the people's majlis by a majority of those present and voting, calling for the member's removal from office, such member shall be deemed removed from office."
every member of the human rights commission shall take and subscribe the oath of office of members of the human rights commission set out in schedule 1 of this constitution before assuming office.
"(a) there shall be an anti-corruption commission of the maldives.  (b) the anti-corruption comission is an independent and impartial institution. it shall perform its duties and responsibilities in accordance with the constitution and any laws enacted by the people's majlis. the anti-corruption commission shall work to prevent and combat corruption within all activities of the state without fear.  (c) the anti-corruption commission shall function as provided for by the statute governing the anti-corruption commission. such statute shall specify the responsibilities, powers, mandate, qualifications, and ethical standards of members.    (d) the statute governing the anti-corruption commission shall provide a definition of corruption."
"(a) the anti-corruption commission shall comprise of at least five members including the chairman of the commission.   (b) the president shall appoint to the anti-corruption commission those persons approved by a majority of the members of the people's majlis present and voting, from the names submitted to the people's majlis as provided for in the statute governing the anti-corruption commission."
"to be qualified for appointment to the anti-corruption comission, a person shall possess the educational qualifications, experience and recognized competence necessary to discharge the functions of the anti-corruption comission. members of the anti-corruption comission shall not engage in any other employment."
"the anti-corruption commission's responsibilities and powers include the following:    (a) to inquire into and investigate all allegations of corruption; any complaints, information, or suspicion of corruption must be investigated;    (b) to recommend further inquiries and investigations by other investigatory bodies, and to recommend prosecution of alleged offences to the prosecutor general, where warranted;    (c) to carry out research on the prevention of corruption and to submit recommendations for improvement to relevant authorities regarding actions to be taken;    (d) to promote the values of honesty and integrity in the operations of the state, and to promote public awareness of the dangers of corruption;   (e) to perform any additional duties or functions specifically provided by law for the prevention of corruption."
a member of the anti-corruption commission shall be appointed for one term of five years. the people's majlis can approve the renewal of the appointment for an additional term of not more than five years.
"a member of the anti-corruption commission may resign from office by writing under his hand addressed to the president, and the office shall become vacant when the resignation is received by the president."
"a majority of the members of the anti-corruption commission shall constitute a quorum at a meeting of the anti-corruption commission, and any decision of the anti-corruption commission shall be taken by a majority of votes of the members present and voting."
the members of the anti-corruption commission shall be paid such salary and allowances as determined by the people's majlis.
"a member of the anti-corruption commission shall be removed from office only for the reasons specified in article (a) and in the manner specified in article (b):    (a) on the ground of misconduct, incapacity or incompetence; and    (b) a finding to that effect by a committee of the people's majlis pursuant to article (a), and upon the approval of such finding by the people's majlis by a majority of those present and voting, calling for the member's removal from office, such member shall be deemed removed from office."
every member of the anti-corruption commission shall take and subscribe the oath of office of members of the anti-corruption commission set out in schedule 1 of this constitution before assuming office.
(a) there shall be an independent and impartial auditor general of the maldives.    (b) the auditor general shall carry out his responsibilities and duties in accordance with the constitution and any laws passed by the people's majlis.
the president shall appoint as auditor general a person approved by a majority of the total membership of the people's majlis from the names submitted to the people's majlis as provided for in law.
"(a) to be qualified for appointment as auditor general, a person shall possess the educational qualifications, experience and recognized competence necessary to discharge the responsibilities of the auditor general. the auditor general shall not engage in any other employment.    (b) a statute shall specify the responsibilities, powers, mandate, qualifications, and ethical standards of the auditor general."
"the auditor general's responsibilities and powers include the following:-    (a) audit, the accounts, financial statements and financial management and prepare and publish reports on:    1. all government ministries;   2. departments operating under government ministries;   3. other government agencies and offices;   4. all offices and organisations operating under the legislative authority;   5. independent commissions and independent offices established in accordance with the constitution and law, and all offices operating under the same;   6. all offices and organisations operating under the judicial authority;    (b) in addition to the institutions specified in article (a) any other institution or organisation required by law to be audited by the auditor general.  (c) subject to law, the auditor general may audit, report on and publish the accounts, financial statements and financial management of:    1. any institution primarily funded by the state;   2. any business entity, in which shares are owned by the state."
"the auditor general shall submit audit reports and an annual report to the president and the people's majlis, and to any other authority prescribed by law."
the office of the auditor general shall be audited as specified in law.
"the auditor general shall be appointed for one term of seven years. the appointment may be renewed for an additional term of not more than five years in accordance with the statute relating to the auditor general, by a resolution passed by a majority of the total membership of the people's majlis."
"the auditor general may resign from office by writing under his hand addressed to the president, and the office shall become vacant when the resignation is received by the president."
the auditor general shall be paid such salary and allowances as determined by the people's majlis.
"the auditor general shall be removed from office only for the reasons specified in article (a) and in the manner specified in article (b):    (a) on the ground of misconduct, incapacity or incompetence; and    (b) a finding to that effect by a committee of the people's majlis, pursuant to article (a) and upon the approval of such finding by the people's majlis by a majority of those present and voting, calling for the auditor general's removal from office, the auditor general shall be deemed removed from office."
the auditor general shall take and subscribe the oath of office of the auditor general set out in schedule 1 of this constitution before assuming office.
"(a) there shall be an independent and impartial prosecutor general of the maldives.    (b) the prosecutor general shall carry out his responsibilities and duties in accordance with the constitution and any laws passed by the people's majlis.    (c) the prosecutor general is independent and impartial, and he shall not be under the direction or control of any person or authority in carrying out his responsibilities and the exercise of his powers. he shall carry out his responsibilities and exercise his powers without fear, favour or prejudice, subject only to the general policy directives of the attorney general, and on the basis of fairness, transparency, and accountability."
the president shall appoint as prosecutor general a person approved by a majority of the total membership of the people's majlis from the names submitted to the people's majlis as provided for in law.
"to be qualified for appointment as prosecutor general, a person shall possess the educational qualifications, experience and recognized competence necessary to discharge the responsibilities of the prosecutor general. the prosecutor general shall not engage in any other employment."
"the prosecutor general's responsibilities and powers include the following:-    (a) to supervise the prosecution of all criminal offences in the maldives;    (b) to consider and assess evidence presented by investigating bodies to determine whether charges should be pursued;    (c) to institute and conduct criminal proceedings against any person before any court in respect of any alleged offence;    (d) to oversee the legality of preliminary inquiries and investigations into alleged criminal activity;    (e) to monitor and review the circumstances and conditions under which any person is arrested, detained or otherwise deprived of freedom prior to trial;    (f) to order any investigation that he deems desirable into complaints of criminal activity or into any other criminal activity of which he becomes aware;    (g) to take over, review and continue any criminal proceedings instituted by any prosecuting body authorized to initiate prosecutions pursuant to a law enacted by the people's majlis, and at his discretion to discontinue any criminal proceedings at any stage prior to judgment;    (h) to review or revert any decision to prosecute or not to prosecute any alleged offender, or to discontinue any prosecution;     (i) to appeal any judgment, verdict or decision in a criminal matter;    (j) to issue policy directives which shall be observed in the entire prosecutorial process;    (k) to uphold the constitutional order, the law, and the rights and freedoms of all citizens."
"the responsibilities and powers of the prosecutor general may be assigned with his express instructions, to any person working under his mandate or to any other person."
the prosecutor general shall be appointed for one term of five years. the people's majlis can approve the renewal of the appointment for an additional term of not more than five years in accordance with the statute relating to the prosecutor general.
"the prosecutor general may resign from office by writing under his hand addressed to the president, and the office shall become vacant when the resignation is received by the president."
the prosecutor general shall be paid such salary and allowances as determined by the people's majlis.
"the prosecutor general shall be removed from office only for the reasons specified in article (a) and in the manner specified in article (b):    (a) on the ground of misconduct, incapacity or incompetence; and     (b) a finding to that effect by a committee of the people's majlis, pursuant to article (a) and upon the approval of such finding by the people's majlis by a majority of those present and voting, calling for the prosecutor general's removal from office, the prosecutor general shall be deemed removed from office."
the prosecutor general shall take and subscribe the oath of office of the prosecutor general set out in schedule 1 of this constitution before assuming office.
"(a) the administrative divisions of the maldives shall be administered decentrally.    (b) in order to provide for decentralised administration, the president has the power, as provided in law, to create constituencies, posts, island councils, atoll councils and city councils.    (c) the jurisdiction and characteristics of constituencies, posts and councils created to provide for decentralised administration shall be specified in law"
(a) all members of councils created for decentralised administration shall be democratically elected by secret ballot by their respective communities.    (b) the president and the vice president of the councils elected to administer the administrative divisions shall be elected from among the members of each council by secret ballot of the members.    (c) the term of councils elected to administer the constituencies shall not exceed three years.    (d) the people's majlis shall enact a statute governing the election of members of councils created for decentralised administration.    (e) the elections of councils created for decentralised administration shall be conducted by the elections commission.
"the responsibilities of councils elected to provide for decentralised administration shall include:    (a) to provide democratic and accountable governance;    (b) to foster the social and economic well-being and development of the community;    (c) to establish a safe, healthy and ecologically diverse environment;    (d) to achieve such other objects as prescribed by law."
a bylaw or decision of a local authority shall be subject to acts or regulation of the people's majlis.
"local authorities shall be provided with an annual budget from the treasury as provided in law, and shall also have authority, in accordance with statute, to raise funds."
"local authorities shall be empowered to own property and to incur liabilities, subject to any limitations prescribed by statute."
"the maldivian security services, consisting of the military service and the police service, is established to enable all persons in the maldives to live in peace, security and freedom."
"the security services shall protect the nation's sovereignty, maintain its territorial integrity defend the constitution and democratic institutions, maintain and enforce law and order, and render assistance in emergencies."
"the actions of the security services must be exercised in accordance with the constitution and the law, and operate on the basis of accountability. the president shall ensure that these obligations of the security services are complied with."
(a) the people's majlis shall enact a statute on the organization of and the principles pursuant to which each security service shall operate.    (b) the security services shall be subject to the authority of the people's majlis.
"the security services shall be organized as two separate services, and shall operate independently of each other."
a committee of the people's majlis shall be established to exercise continuing oversight of the operations of the security services. the committee shall include representation from all the different political parties within the people's majlis.
"each security service shall be under the responsibility of a minister, who shall be answerable for its operations to the president and to the people's majlis."
"(a) the primary object of the military service is to defend and protect the republic, its territorial integrity, its exclusive economic zone and the people.    (b) if the president, as commander in chief, authorizes or orders the employment of the military service in defence of the republic or as part of an international undertaking, the president shall without delay submit the authorization to the people's majlis. the people's majlis may at any time approve the authorization, or revoke the authorization."
"the primary objects of the police service are:    (a) to maintain public order and safety;   (b) to protect and secure all people in the maldives, and their property;    (c) to investigate crime, conservation of evidence and prepare cases for disposition by the courts; and    (d) to uphold the law."
no person shall give an illegal order to a member of the security services. members of the security services shall not obey a manifestly illegal order.
"(a) members of the security services shall treat all persons and groups equally without any discrimination, and with humanity and dignity in accordance with the decorous principles of islam.    (b) members of the security services shall not engage in partisan political activity of any nature, and shall not affiliate themselves with any trade union or political party."
"(a) all property, assets and monies which at the commencement of this constitution were vested in the state shall continue to vest in the state.   (b) all property, assets and monies acquired for, or received by the state shall vest in the state."
"(a) the land, sea, and seabed, including all fish within the territory of the maldives, and all naturally occurring resources, including metallic ores, petroleum and gas, shall vest in the state.    (b) all living, non-living and naturally occurring resources of value within the exclusive economic zone of the maldives and the seabed shall vest in the state."
"(a) any property found within the territory of the maldives and any property occurring in the seabed or found drifting in the sea, save those naturally occurring or formed in the sea, without a rightful owner, shall vest in the state.    (b) all property such as gold, silver, other precious metals, jewellery, money and items of historical interest, excavated within the territory of the maldives without a rightful owner, shall vest in the state."
"(a) any transfer, sale, lease, release, mortgage (to any person) or destruction of, any property or assets owned by the state, and any such other agreement, shall only be entered into in accordance with law.  (b) money, property or any other thing kept as a reserve in the state treasury shall be used only after approval by a resolution passed by a two-thirds majority of the total members of the people's majlis"
"(a) no foreign party, shall own or be given ownership of any part of the territory of the maldives.    (b) a foreign party shall not receive a lease of, or be given in any other way, any part of the territory of the maldives for a period exceeding ninety nine years.    (c) no part of the territory of the maldives shall be used for foreign military purposes without the approval of the majority of the total membership of the people's majlis."
"except where specified in this constitution as the responsibility of another party, the executive may sue or be sued on behalf of the state, and may defend any action against the state, in any court of the maldives, in any foreign court, or in any other place."
"in the event of natural disaster, dangerous epidemic disease, war, threat to national security, or threatened foreign aggression, the president may declare a state of emergency in all or part of the country for a period not exceeding thirty days."
"the declaration of a state of emergency shall specify the reasons for the declaration of an emergency, and include measures to deal with the emergency, which may include the temporary suspension of the operation of laws and infringement of certain fundamental rights and freedoms guaranteed by this constitution in chapter 2."
(a) measures adopted in an emergency shall not contravene this article.    (b) measures adopted in an emergency shall not restrict the following rights and freedoms contained in the following articles of this constitution:    1. article 21 (right to life);    2. article 25 (no slavery or forced labour);    3. article 27 (freedom of expression);    4. article 28 (freedom of the media);    5. article 42 (fair and transparent hearings);   6. article 48 (b) (rights on arrest or detention);    7. article 51 (rights of the accused);   8. article 52 (confessions and illegal evidence);    9. article 53 (assistance of legal counsel);    10. article 54 (no degrading treatment or torture);  11. article 55 (no imprisonment for non-fulfilment of the contractual obligation);  12. article 57 (humane treatment of arrested or detained persons);   13. article 59 (retrospective legislation);    14. article 60 (prohibition of double jeopardy);    15. article 62 (retention of other rights);    16. article 64 (non-compliance with unlawful orders).   (c) any infringement of rights and freedoms under this constitution and the law shall be only to the extent strictly required by the emergency.    (d) measures adopted in an emergency shall be consistent with the obligations of the maldives under international law applicable to states of emergency.
the declaration of a state of emergency shall be published in the government gazette within three days of its issuance.
"(a) the declaration of a state of emergency shall be submitted to the people's majlis within forty eight hours. if the people's majlis is not in session at the time of the declaration, it shall be re-called within fourteen days, inclusive of holidays, and the declaration of a state of emergency submitted to the people's majlis for approval.    (b) the people's majlis may at any time:    1. approve the declaration in whole or in part;    2. extend the operation of the declaration for periods not exceeding thirty days at a time; or    3. revoke the declaration.    (c) where the president deems it necessary to extend the length of the state of emergency, he shall submit the extension to the people's majlis prior to the expiry of the state of emergency, and obtain the approval of the people's majlis for such extension."
the supreme court shall determine any issues with regard to the validity in whole or part of the declaration or any law or order made pursuant to the emergency.
"when the declaration of a state of emergency expires or is revoked by the people's majlis, all laws promulgated pursuant to the declaration shall cease to have effect."
the president must publicly announce the expiration of the declaration of a state of emergency.
the constitution may be amended by a bill passed by a three quarters majority of the total membership of the people's majlis.
"(a) the bill amending the constitution passed by the people's majlis shall come into force upon obtaining the written assent of the president.    (b) despite the provisions of article (a) above, the president shall give written assent to any amendments made by the people's majlis to the following provisions of this constitution only after a public referendum decides so by a majority of the votes cast.    1. any of the provisions contained in chapter ii (the maldivian charter of rights and freedoms) of this constitution;    2. article 79(a) (term of majlis);      3. article 107 (term of office), and article 108 (presidential election);    where the amendment does not receive a majority approval in the public referendum, it shall be deemed to have been defeated."
"after assent by the president, the bill amending the constitution passed by the people's majlis shall come into force after publication in the government gazette and on a date fixed by the people's majlis."
"(a) if the president does not assent to the bill amending the constitution passed by the people's majlis within fifteen days of receipt, the president shall inform the people's majlis specifying the reasons thereof. where the president does not inform the people's majlis of the reasons thereof within fifteen days of receipt the president shall be deemed to have assented to the bill.    (b) if the president does not assent to the bill amending the constitution passed by the people's majlis and so informs the people's majlis, the people's majlis may within a period determined by the people's majlis call for a public referendum to vote on the adoption or rejection of the bill    (c) if the bill is approved by a majority in the public referendum specified in article (b), the president shall assent to the bill within fifteen days and publish it in the government gazette."
"where the bill amending this constitution passed by the people's majlis does not receive a majority approval in the public referendum, it shall be deemed to have been defeated."
the bill amending the constitution may not include provisions other than constitutional amendments and matters connected with the amendment.
no amendment shall be made to any provision of the constitution during the existence of a state of emergency.
"all laws of the maldives must be enacted in accordance with this constitution. any law or part of any law inconsistent with this constitution is, to the extent of its inconsistency, void and of no force and effect. the obligations imposed by this constitution must be fulfilled. any conduct contrary to this constitution shall be invalid."
"unless amended by the people's majlis, the laws in force at the time this constitution comes into force which are not inconsistent with this constitution shall continue to remain in force."
"acts done pursuant to or in accordance with any law which is repealed upon the commencement of this constitution due to its inconsistency with this constitution, remain valid, and the repeal of any such law shall not affect any right or obligation of a person under such law or any punishment enforced under such law."
regulations derive their authority from laws passed by the people's majlis pursuant to which they are
"terms, periods of times and dates in this constitution shall be ascertained in accordance with the gregorian calendar."
"the table of contents, headings, and marginal notes are not part of this constitution but are inserted for convenience of reference only."
"(a) in this constitution, unless the context otherwise requires, the following words and phrases shall have the following meanings:    ""present and voting"" means, of those members participating in the meeting at which the voting occurs, being present at the time of voting and voting either in favour of, or against, the motion being voted upon. in determining the majority of those members present and voting, members who did not vote either for or against the motion shall not be counted;    ""a citizen"" means, any person specified as a citizen of the maldives in article 9 of this constitution;     ""court"" means, each and every place established by the constitution, or by a law enacted by the people's majlis, for the purpose of conducting a trial by a judge or bench of judges;    ""jurisdiction"" means, the area and matters over which an authority has power to exercise influence;  ""election"" means, those elections in which, pursuant to the law to govern administrative districts under the principles of decentralized governance, citizens vote to select members of various councils, as well as general elections held to select persons as members of the people's majlis and presidential elections held to select a person to fill the post of president of the republic. by-elections held to elect a person to any of the seats falling vacant comes within the meaning of elections;    ""tenet of islam"" means, the holy qur'an and those principles of shari'ah whose provenance is not in dispute from among those found in the sunna of the noble prophet, and those principles derived from these two foundations;    ""islamic shari'ah"" means, the holy qur'an and the ways preferred by the learned people within the community and followers of the sunnah in relation to criminal, civil, personal and other matters found in the sunna;    ""person"" or ""persons"" shall include natural and legal personalities;    ""have a financial interest"" means, doing anything in a manner that could increase his property or wealth, or safeguard his property or wealth from loss;   ""judge"" means, those persons appointed in accordance with this constitution to conduct trials in the supreme court, high court or trial courts;     ""constitutional matter"" means, proceedings where the determination of the meaning of an article of the constitution or any part thereof is required, or proceedings requiring a determination whether a law or any part thereof, or a regulation or any part thereof, or an order issued by a state authority, or an act committed, or a decision taken, by an official of that authority contravenes the constitution;     ""enemy"" means, those foreign nationals who commit acts detrimental to the independence and sovereignty of the maldives. citizens are not included in the meaning of ""enemies"";     ""law"" means, those statutes enacted by the people's majlis and assented to by the president, and those regulations which are authorized by, and which fall within the ambit of, those statutes;     ""threat to national security"" means a threat to the independence and sovereignty of the maldives, or a threat of major damage to people's lives, limbs or property. this includes terrorist attacks and acts of aggression committed using weapons. this, however, does not include the exercise by citizens of their legal rights to conduct peaceful activities in support of, or against various matters without contravening the law;     ""territorial integrity"" means, the security of all persons, places and things within the territory of the maldives or any part thereof and the exclusive economic zone of the maldives, and the retention of the entirety of the territory of the maldives under the control of the maldivian state;     ""tribunal"" means any institution not constituting a court, authorized by law toadjudicate cases where a dispute arises between two or more parties and to which an application is made for adjudication thereto;     ""tax"" or ""a tax"" means, all monies levied by the government from an individual or organization or other legal entity for the purpose of raising revenue for the state, and excluding any charge, fee or rent levied in accordance with law for the provision of a service.   (b) in this constitution, words denoted in the singular tense include the plural tense and vice versa."
unless otherwise specifically provided in this chapter:    (a) the provisions set out in this chapter shall apply from the commencement of the constitution until the election of and assumption of office by the president and the people's majlis; and    (b) actions during the transitional period shall be as provided in this constitution.
"(a) a five member elections commission shall in the manner specified in this chapter, be appointed within thirty days of the commencement of this constitution.     (b) the members of the elections commission shall be appointed as follows:-    1. each of the political parties shall submit to the people's majlis one nomination for appointment to the elections commission;    2. the people's majlis shall by resolution passed by a two-thirds majority of those present and voting confirm the appointment of five members to the elections commission from the nominations received from the political parties;    3. where five members are not confirmed as provided for in article (b) (2), the political party or parties whose nominations were unsuccessful shall be given the opportunity to submit further nominations in numbers equal to the membership positions unfilled;    4. where the nominations submitted by the political parties as provided for in article (a) falls short of five names; the political parties shall be afforded the opportunity to submit further names;    5. the members of the elections commission shall appoint a chairman of the elections commission from amongst themselves;    6. for the purposes of this chapter a political party shall mean a party which has held its elections and post bearers appointed to its posts."
vacancies in the elections commission shall be filled in accordance with the provisions of this chapter on appointments to the elections commission.
(a) the members of the elections commission established pursuant to this chapter shall possess the qualifications specified in article 169 of this constitution.    (b) a member of the elections commission shall not be a member of any political party.
"the responsibilities of the elections commission appointed pursuant to this chapter shall be to do all things necessary to conduct, manage, supervise and declare the results of the elections held pursuant to this chapter, perform actions relating to political parties, and such additional functions specified in this constitution to the extent required during the transitional period."
"the elections commission appointed pursuant to this chapter shall continue until the appointment, by the people's majlis elected as specified in the chapter, ""the people's majlis"" (of this constitution), of a new elections commission as specified in the chapter, ""independent commissions and independent offices"" (of this constitution)."
"(a) a judicial service commission composed of the following persons, shall be appointed within thirty days of the commencement of this constitution:    1. a judge of the supreme court other than the chief justice, elected by the judges of the supreme court;   2. a judge of the high court, elected by the judges of the high court;    3. a judge of the trial courts, elected by the judges of the trial courts;    4. a member of the people's majlis appointed by it;    5. a member of the general public appointed by the people's majlis;    6. the chair of the civil service commission;    7. a person appointed by the president;    8. a lawyer elected from among the lawyers licensed to practise in the maldives by themselves.    (b) despite the provisions of article (a), a judge from the supreme court shall only be appointed to the judicial service commission after appointment of judges to the supreme court as specified in this chapter.    (c) the judicial service commission appointed as provided in this chapter shall continue until constitution by the next elected people's majlis, of a judicial service commission as specified in this constitution."
"(a) a supreme court comprising of five judges, shall within forty five days of the commencement of this constitution, be appointed to deal with all legal disputes arising under this constitution and all matters coming to it on appeal from the high court.    (b) until the establishment of the supreme court as provided for in this chapter and appointment of a person to carry out the responsibilities of the chief justice as specified in article (c), the highest authority for the administration of justice in the maldives shall be a judge of the high court chosen from among themselves.    (c) until such time as the new people's majlis upon the recommendation of the judicial service commission constituted as specified for in this constitution, appoints a chief justice as provided for in article 147, the responsibilities of that office shall be administered by a judge chosen from within themselves by the judges appointed to the supreme court in the manner specified in this chapter.    (d) all matters pending on appeal to the president at the commencement of this constitution shall henceforth be dealt with and deemed to be pending before the supreme court. there shall be no further recourse of appeal from the high court to the president from then onwards.    (e) the supreme court established as provided for in this chapter, in formulating the principles applicable to the appeal process shall ensure that the following cases have the opportunity of appeal:    1. those cases disposed of by the high court where the right of appeal has been lost between the commencement of this constitution and establishment of the supreme court pursuant to this chapter;  2. those cases disposed of by the high court between the commencement of this constitution and establishment of the supreme court pursuant to this chapter;"
(a) the president as head of the state shall appoint judges to the supreme court established as specified in this chapter. the appointments shall be determined after consulting the judicial service commission and confirmation of the appointments by a two-thirds majority of the members of the people's majlis present and voting.    (b) the judges of the supreme court appointed pursuant to this chapter shall possess the qualifications specified in article 149 of this constitution.
the supreme court appointed pursuant to this chapter shall continue until the establishment of the supreme court as provided for in article 145 of this constitution.
"(a) all judges in office at the commencement of this constitution except for the chief justice shall continue in office until such time as a determination pursuant to this article.    (b) the judicial service commission established pursuant to article 157 of this constitution, shall within two years of the commencement of this constitution determine whether or not the judges in office at the said time, possess the qualification of judges specified in article 149.    (c) where it is determined as provided in article (b) that a judge does not possess a qualification or  the qualifications specified in article 149, such judge shall cease to hold office.    (d) where it is determined as provided in article (b) that a judge possesses the qualifications specified in article 149, such judge shall be appointed as a judge under this constitution.    (e) except as provided in article (c), judges may only be removed from office as specified in article 154 of this constitution."
all courts in existence at commencement of this constitution shall continue in existence until such time as new courts are established in accordance with article 141 of this constitution.
all matters pending before the supreme court established pursuant to this chapter and the courts in existence at commencement of this constitution shall henceforth be deemed to be pending before the courts established under this constitution.
"(a) the prosecutor general shall be appointed in the manner specified in this chapter within thirty days of the commencement of this constitution.    (b) until such time as the prosecutor general is appointed and assumes office, the responsibilities of the prosecutor general shall be carried out the by the attorney general. however the attorney general shall only carry out the responsibilities of the prosecutor general for a maximum period of thirty days.    (c) the president as head of the state shall appoint the prosecutor general as provided in article (a). the appointment shall be made by submission of a nomination to the people's majlis within fifteen days of the commencement of this constitution, and confirmation of the appointment by a two-thirds majority of the members of the people's majlis present and voting."
the anti-corruption commission shall in the manner specified in this constitution be appointed within sixty days of the commencement of this constitution.
"the elections commission, the anti-corruption commission and the prosecutor general shall in accordance with the provisions of this constitution, be appointed within sixty days of the first sitting of the first people's majlis elected under this constitution."
all laws in force at the time this constitution comes into force which are not inconsistent with this constitution shall continue to remain in force.
no amendments may be made to the constitution until the first election of and assumption of office by the president and the people's majlis under this constitution.
"(a) this constitution shall come into force, after approval of the special majlis, assent by the president and publication in the government gazette.    (b) upon the commencement of this constitution, the ""constitution of the republic of the maldives"" which came into force on 1 january 1998 shall be repealed.    (c) despite the provisions of article (a), until such time as the election of the president and the people's majlis, the specific provisions of this   chapter shall apply to the matters specified herein."
"(a) the people's majlis in existence at the commencement of this constitution shall continue until such time as the first elections of the people's majlis under this constitution are held, and election of members and assumption of office by the members.    (b) the people's majlis shall at the first sitting after the ratification of this constitution, elect a speaker and a deputy speaker from its members by secret ballot. until such time as a speaker and a deputy speaker is elected the people's majlis shall be presided over by the consecutively longest serving member from among those present. where there are a number of members who have consecutively served the longest then the majlis shall be presided over by the member most senior by age of those having served consecutively the longest.    (c) whenever there is a vacancy among the members of the people's majlis, and there is a period of six months between the date of the vacancy and the first sitting of the first elected people's majlis, an election shall be held to elect a member to the vacancy."
"(a) the people's majlis shall carry out the following:    1. to do all things necessary to facilitate the elections specified in this chapter in the manner provided herein;   2. to determine what laws are contrary to the constitution and to do all things necessary for the repeal or amendment of such laws;    3. to enact legislation required under this constitution;    4. to deal with all routine legislative matters necessary for the functioning of the executive and the judiciary, and for the proper functioning and good governance of the maldives.    (b) the people's majlis shall continue to consider bills submitted prior to the commencement of this constitution, and not yet enacted, and any other matters if they are not contrary to the constitution."
"(a) the first election of members to the people's majlis to be held under this constitution shall be held before 15 february 2009.    (b) the people's majlis elected in accordance with article (a) shall after taking and subscribing the oath of office and assumption of office, hold the first meeting of the first people's majlis elected under this constitution, before 1 march 2009."
"(a) within two years of the commencement of this constitution, excepting matters specifically provided herein, elections or appointments to posts shall be finalised in accordance with the provisions of this constitution, and institutions specified in the constitution shall also be created or established.    (b) until such time as elections or appointments to posts specified in this constitution in the manner provided in this chapter or this constitution are finalised, persons elected or appointed at the commencement of this constitution shall continue in office.    (c) until such time as creation of institutions specified in this constitution in the manner provided in this chapter or this constitution, institutions created or established at the commencement of this constitution shall continue."
"in order to provide for decentralised administration of the administrative divisions of the maldives, elections to island councils, atoll councils and city councils as provided for in this constitution shall be held before 1 july 2009."
"(a) the executive, the people's majlis, the judiciary, the independent commissions and persons in the independent offices, all state institutions, all persons in any state post and all citizens shall compy with the provisions of the constitution upon its commencement. the non-existence of a law shall not be an excuse for the infringement of any fundamental right or freedom under the constitution.  (b) despite the provisions of article (a):-    1. the people's majlis shall identify laws inconsistent with the constitution at its commencement and approve a course of action until such inconsistent laws or parts thereof can be amended or repealed. the executive shall within thirty days of the commencement of this constitution draw up a list of such laws or part thereof and submit it to the people's majlis. within ninety days of the commencement of this constitution, the people's majlis shall draw up and approve a schedule for amending or revoking such laws.    2. the people's majlis shall until the enactment and commencement of laws required to give effect to this constitution, approve a course of action in relation to these matters. the executive shall within thirty days of the commencement of this constitution draw up a list of such laws and submit it to the people's majlis. within ninety days of the commencement of this constitution, the people's majlis shall draw up and approve a schedule for enactment and commencement of such laws."
"(a) until such time as the first presidential elections under this constitution are held and a person elected to and assumes the post of president, the person holding the post of president at the commencement of this constitution shall continue in office.    (b) until such time as the first presidential elections under this constitution are held and a person elected to and assumes the post of president, the cabinet of ministers appointed by the person holding the post of president at the commencement of this constitution shall continue in office. the president has the discretion to make changes to the cabinet of ministers.    (c) the cabinet of ministers appointed after the first presidential elections held pursuant to this constitution shall not contain any members of the people's majlis."
(a) the first presidential elections to be held under this constitution shall be held before 10 october 2008.    (b) the president elected in accordance with article (a) shall take and subscribe the oath of and assume office on 11 november 2008.
"i, …(name of person)…, do swear in the name of almighty allah that i will respect the religion of islam, that i will uphold the constitution of the republic of maldives and the fundamental rights of the maldivian citizens, that i will bear true faith and allegiance to the republic of maldives, and will discharge the duties and responsibilities of the office of president honestly and faithfully in accordance with the constitution and laws of the republic of maldives."
"i, …(name of person)…, do swear in the name of almighty allah that i will respect the religion of islam, that i will uphold the constitution of the republic of maldives and the fundamental rights of the maldivian citizens, that i will bear true faith and allegiance to the republic of maldives, and will discharge the duties and responsibilities of the office of vice president honestly and faithfully in accordance with the constitution and laws of the republic of maldives."
"i, …(name of person)…, do swear in the name of almighty allah that i will respect the religion of islam, that i will uphold the constitution of the republic of maldives and the fundamental rights of the maldivian citizens, that i will bear true faith and allegiance to the republic of maldives, and will discharge the duties and responsibilities entrusted to me by the president and my duties and responsibilities as cabinet minister/ attorney general honestly and faithfully in accordance with the constitution and laws of the republic of maldives."
"i, …(name of person)…, do swear in the name of almighty allah that i will respect the religion of islam, that i will uphold the constitution of the republic of maldives and the fundamental rights of the maldivian citizens, that i will bear true faith and allegiance to the republic of maldives, and will discharge my duties and responsibilities as a member of the people's majlis honestly and faithfully in accordance with the constitution and the laws of the republic of maldives."
"i, …(name of person)…, do swear in the name of almighty allah that i will respect the religion of islam, that i will uphold the constitution and the laws of the republic of maldives, that i will uphold the fundamental rights of the maldivian citizens and will discharge the duties and responsibilities of chief justice/ judge honestly and faithfully in accordance with the constitution and laws of the republic of maldives."
"i, …(name of person)…, do swear in the name of almighty allah that i will respect the religion of islam, that i will uphold the constitution of the republic of maldives, that i will bear true faith and allegiance to the maldives, that i will uphold the fundamental rights of the maldivian citizens and will discharge the duties and responsibilities of auditor general/ prosecutor general/ membership of the elections commission/ membership of the judicial service commission/ membership of the human rights commission/ membership of the civil service commission/ membership of the anti-corruption commission honestly and faithfully in accordance with the constitution and laws of the republic of maldives."
male'    (including villingilli and hulhumale')  ha …...... thiladhunmathi uthuruburi  hdh ….... thiladhunmathi dhekunuburi  sh …...... miladhunmadhulu uthuruburi  n …........ miladhunmadhulu dhekunuburi  r …........ maalhosmadhulu uthuruburi  b …........ maalhosmadhulu dhekunuburi  lh …...... faadhippolhu  k …........ male' atoll  aa …...... ari atoll uthuruburi  adh ….... ari atoll dhekunuburi  v …........ felidhe atoll  m …........ mulakatoll  f …......... nilandhe atholhu uthuruburi  dh …...... nilandhe atholhu dhekunuburi  th …...... kolhumadulu  l …......... haddhunmathi  ga …...... huvadhu atholhu uthuruburi  gdh ….... huvadhu atholhu dhekunuburi  gn …...... fuvammulah  s …........ addu atoll
[flaggraphic]
"as provided in article 12 of this constitution, the national flag of the republic of maldives comprises of a green rectangle with a white crescent in the centre, the green rectangle being surrounded by a red border."
"the width of the national flag is two-thirds of its length. the width of the red border is one-fourth of the width of the flag. the radii of both curvatures crescent are one-third of the width of the green rectangle. they are drawn from two points on a centre line across the length of the green rectangle, the first point being nine-sixteenth and the second at five-eighths of the length, measured from the side nearer to the staff, joining together to form a crescent. when the flag is hoisted the curvature of the crescent should face out."
green- british admiralty colour code no. t 1143 for nylon worsted bunting and no. t 817 a for other bunting.   red- british admiralty colour code no. t 1144 for nylon worsted bunting and no. t 818 a for other bunting.   white- british admiralty colour code no. t1145 for nylon worsted bunting and t 819 a for other bunting.
introduction: at my country's service
for over 50 years i was involved in the development of the maldives.
i began serving my country officially from 1958.
but in reality it was in 1956 that i began my “apprenticeship” with the maldivian national trading corporation (mntc) in colombo.
i retired officially from government service in 2008.
ending a career that saw me progress from being a trainee and then commercial secretary in colombo to vice president. 
during those 50 years i was working under executive instructions from two presidents.
ibrahim nasir who served as prime minister and president between 1958 and 1978, and maumoon abdul gayoom, president from 1978 to 2008.
my period of service to the maldives coincided with momentous changes in the country. 
from the virtual one-man-rule for 20 years of president nasir,
to the 30-year tenure of president gayoom
and the expansion of the maldives into the modern world of tourism,
satellite communications expansion
and international – and local – political intrigue witnessed in maldives. 
i have written this account of events during those years based on my own knowledge.
and without influence from anybody.
one of the reasons i have written this memoir is
because the period was one of tremendous growth for the maldives.
what happened during that time, and how, has not been fully understood by the modern generation.
even though the developments begun during those years are the foundation of the modern maldives.
i spent the greater part of my life as a civil servant.
due to my close relationship with the two presidents of the maldives for 50 years,
because i was intimately involved with 70% to 80% of the development of the country,
i feel it is my duty to make this information available. 
what the maldives was like in the past 50 years and how much maldives has developed then,
and how it has developed to being a modern country.
i feel the current and new generations of people need to know and to understand.
with minimum finance available,
it was not an easy task to achieve such amazing progress.
we had to do it ourselves with hard work.
we achieved this through building up the shipping, fishing and tourism industries.
of course, there were failures and setbacks during that period.
it is for new generations to go back through the history of the years from 1950 and make a decision.
whether the leaders and their civil servants, like me, did a reasonable job. 
of course, the conditions that prevailed then must be taken into consideration in arriving at a conclusion about our actions.
i don’t want the younger generation to believe life in the maldives in the past was as it is today.
it wasn’t. 
with this in mind i have included some pictures in this book to show how things were in the maldives in the 1950s and 1960s.
unlike other countries where change came over the centuries,
the maldives changed radically in half a century.
we had to learn everything from the beginning, having only an almost feudal system bequeathed by the sultans to build on.
when i began my service with the government in 1958,
the fact that there was no proper communication system between the people of the maldives and the rest of the world,
no telephone, no radio, no television and no regular air service, seems unbelievable now.
there were no banks.
no tourists.
the only means of earning foreign currency was via international shipping vessels.
that is exporting of dried fish on an ad hoc basis. 
here is the truth about those days.
and what happened to change the course of history for the maldives.
i have recorded here in as much detail as i can the circumstances at the time as i recall them.
i am writing this, not as justification of why things happened and what i did.
and what more.
i have written this book only because i was there when all of it happened.
with hindsight i can see that mistakes were made.
and recognise that at times there were failures of leadership too. 
this, however, is a history of my service for my country. 
president nasir never broadcast his achievements.
and so not much is on public record about his administration’s modernisation of the maldives.
president gayoom, on the other hand, was more public relations oriented.
but even so the background of important events during his 30 years as president is not known.
since my retirement, i have had an opportunity to look back at the period of nasir’s command.
and noted that many important matters have been omitted in the recorded history of the maldives. 
in fact nasir handled the burden of the job of president single-handedly.
the government had neither the funds.
nor adequately qualified manpower to run the country at that time. 
the fact that during the early years of nasir’s regime over 30% of the maldivian foreign exchange income was utilised on education,
especially to provide education for the poor is not generally known.
i therefore call upon the historians to put this in proper perspective when recording the history of maldives.
maldives,a small nation,having one language,alphabet and religion,should have a proper recorded history of which every maldivian could be proud.
i hope this book inspires a thorough evaluation of what president nasir did for the maldives. 
he was a practical, hands-on politician.
not an academic or theoretician. 
for some he may have seemed aloof.
but he was a man dedicated to improving the maldives through deeds not diatribes.
unfortunately, he passed away before i completed this book.
but i nevertheless pay tribute to president nasir as my teacher and mentor, as well as my leader. 
he was always ready with guidance and understanding, making it possible for me to achieve the impossible. 
he was my guru.
the advancement of the maldives from an impoverished feudal sultanate to today’s prosperity and renown was,
only possible because of what nasir began during his presidency.
president gayoom built on the foundation he inherited from nasir.
and my involvement during gayoom’s 30 years of leadership is also recorded here.
i am writing this account not for any self-glorification.
but for accuracy.
to put on record my living memories. 
my aim is to make generations to realise how maldives grew from a poverty-stricken, feudal protectorate,
to a vibrant, prosperous independent nation over the period of 50 years that this narrative spans.
the periods recalled here show the major socio-economic events that took place at that time.
but some events unfolded over several years. 
therefore there will be some overlapping in chronological sequences. 
i have also mentioned in passing some events of another period to add continuity to my story.
i am proud of having contributed to the development of my country in my small way. 
in this memoir i have hidden nothing.
for there is nothing to hide.
this is an account of a man who served his country and his leaders with loyalty and devotion. 
it is presented in the hope that others will learn, understand, and be encouraged.
over the years during my career many maldivians and foreigners gave me support, guidance and help. 
i would not have achieved what i did without their help. 
they are too numerous to be named here. 
i thank them all from the bottom of my heart. 
all the information contained in this log book was provided by me.
and written and edited under my supervision. 
however, there were areas where some close friends helped me in correcting certain information and providing the dates of events. 
i have included some historical photographs from the internet to make this book more interesting. 
i believe they are from the government and are in public domain.
i do not know who took these photographs. 
i give due credit to whoever who took these photographs.
my personal thanks are due to all those friends who helped me in the book's compilation.
with very special mention of the following loyal friends mentioned here.
hon ibrahim rasheed,sattar moosa didi, adam, the late mr hussain didi (my close comrade), 
and the late mr hussain moosa didi (a willing helper). 
these are just a few whose names i could recall at the time of finishing the writing for this, my life's log book.
my thanks are due to mr royston ellis for his untiring efforts in the compilation of this book.
ali umar maniku, 
singapore, 2008.
chapter 1
the early years, 1938 - 1947
on wednesday 28 december 1938 i was born in malé, capital of the then sultanate of maldives.
i was the eldest son of kolige umar maniku (1906-1985) and aminath hussain kaleyfaanu (1917-2007).
my father was a merchant.
a trader and vessel owner.
earning income through the sale of produce from the islands. 
this is the piece of advice he used to tell my brothers and myself.
“never get involved in politics. 
never tell your boss how to do anything. 
what he asks you to do, do to the best you can.” 
he also told me never to chair a meeting. 
a piece of advice i obey to this day.
his was a philosophy i have followed throughout my life. 
from boyhood i have been a government servant.
and my commitment to the maldives and loyalty to my country’s leaders has been paramount in all my dealings. 
i have always done what is required of me to the best of my ability in accordance with my conscience.
offered advice based on thorough research when asked.
and accepted the decision of those whom i feel honoured to have served.
i would really prefer that my part in the development of the country and its prosperity should remain a secret. 
however,i believe it is my duty, not just to my children but to their children and to all maldivians including those as yet unborn,
the maldives an undeveloped british protectorate of poor fishermen and traders,
to state my part in the emergence of our country from being to a vibrant and prosperous independent republic. 
as the 21st century advances, the struggles and despair, the shortages and poverty, illness and ignorance,
isolation and insularity, intrigue and revolution, negotiations and sabotage, and so much else that happened in the maldives, will be forgotten. 
many of the changes wrought in the past few decades have enabled the maldives to play a responsible part in the modern world.
i was privileged not only to witness, but also to innovate these changes not by design.
but by circumstance.
i entered a feudal world when i was born in the maldives in 1938.
and the bureaucracy of the neglected british protectorate served to complicate matters. 
i say this because here begins a mystery in my life.
that people were to comment on later. 
was i born in 1938?
or, as my passport says, 1934?
this passport is a curious document.
a relic of the last years of the british presence in the indian ocean. 
india in 1947 and ceylon in 1948, both gained independence.
my passport reflects the confusion of the times. 
it was issued “by the high commissioner in ceylon for her majesty’s government in the united kingdom” in colombo on 28 december 1956.
and describes me as a “british protected person of maldive islands.” 
it is valid for the british commonwealth, united states of america, and all countries in europe. 
however, the maldive islands were not then part of the british commonwealth, later known as the commonwealth of nations.
a note has been added in official british handwriting that the passport, was valid for one year.
and was not to be extended “without further evidence of citizenship.” 
that note was cancelled on 18 february 1957.
and another note has been added that says “letter from maldivian government seen.” 
obviously satisfied about my citizenship, the validity of the passport was then extended by the official until 28 december 1961.
what is even more curious is that on that date, 18 february 1957, an amendment was made to my date of birth.
it was changed in my passport to 28 december 1934.
thus, with the stroke of a british civil servant's pen, i became four years older, from 19 to 23, in a single day.
hence the confusion mentioned in the opening paragraph to this chapter. 
i will explain later how and why this happened.
first, some notes on the curious situation in the maldives when i was born in 1938 since it is relevant to the outlook of the time.
official documents then were hand-written in arabic.
and there was no official registry of births.
the traditions of centuries of the sultanate still lingered.
ever since the expulsion of the portuguese occupiers after 15 years in the 16th century by mohamed thakurufaanu and his fellow patriots,
the sultans of the maldives, had jealously guarded the independence of the islands.
a dozen invasive attempts we made by malabars from india, the portuguese and the dutch. 
but the islands survived.
by the beginning of the 19th century british power was becoming dominant in the indian ocean.
the presence of british vessels in their seas was deeply disturbing to the people of the maldives. 
in an effort to remain independent, successive sultans found it prudent to retain cordial relations with the british.
accordingly, the british were permitted to survey the islands in 1834.
british admiralty charts made then by commander r moresby are the source of charts in use even now. 
in 1887, the governor of ceylon, representing queen victoria, and sultan mohammad mueenuddeen ii of the maldives exchanged some letters.
this culminated in a formal agreement referred to now as the 1887 agreement.
the motive behind this for the sultan was to keep the british - who by then virtually controlled the indian ocean – out of the maldives. 
the relationship was uneasy but enabled the maldives to enjoy the status of a protected state.
although not officially a protectorate of great britain. 
the statehood of the maldives was recognised.
and britain had no power to interfere in internal matters.
although it appears the british tried, controlling only external affairs. 
the maldives was never a vassal state (or part) of ceylon.
since the 1887 agreement was with the governor of ceylon as the representative of queen victoria of great britain.
in 1932 – at the urging of the british who wanted everything clearly defined - the first written constitution was proclaimed.
the islands was being governed up to then by an unwritten one. 
historical records show that a form of democracy existed from early days. 
there were systems of taxation, national defence, discharge of public duties, and administration of justice. 
the sultan’s role was similar to that of a constitutional monarch. 
the sultan was assisted by three councils (majlis).
the raskamuge is majlis, the raskamuge dhevana majlis, and the raskamuge thinvana majlis.  
the first council consisted of the nobles.
and included the mother or mother-in-law of the sultan, his wife and a sister or sister-in-law. 
the second council included, the chief justice and chiefs representing the four wards of malé and officials in charge of defence and public works. 
the third council combined the first two with lower-level officials such as gunners and exponents of martial arts.
the members of the council of advisers and chiefs constantly reviewed all the actions of the sultan. 
they voiced the views of the public at the meeting of the councils, where the sultan was also present. 
when necessity arose, the sultans deviated from normal procedures with the advice and consent of the councils, thus creating new precedents.
which in due course became new conventions. 
the written 1932 constitution was based on the customs, conventions and traditional administration that had evolved over centuries.
sultan al-hasan nur ud-din iskander ii was proclaimed “sultan of land and sea of the twelve thousand islands and sultan of the maldives” in 1935.
he was forced to abdicate in 1943.
which led to turmoil among the ruling families of the islands.
hh al-muntakhab al-arash ud-daula al-mahaldibiyya amir abdu’l-majid (abdul majeed) didi (1873-1952),
was proclaimed in 1945 as “the sultan-elect to the throne of the state of the maldives.”
until then he was treasurer and prime minister for 26 years.
however, he remained in egypt most of the time.
and was never installed as sultan. 
he died in ceylon in 1952.
following his death various changes were incorporated in the constitution (the sixth). 
these allowed for the republican rule that was introduced (although temporarily) on 1 january 1953.
the prime minister of the maldives from 1945 to 1953,
on the death of the sultan-elect, 
the chairman of the councils of advisers from 21 february 1952 until 1 january 1953 was,
the head of state for life with the title “first in command,” given to,
athiri-ge amir mohamed amin didi  (1910-1954).
he was more popularly known as amin didi.
he became the first president of the maldives.
and is regarded as the father of modern maldives.
particularly  for his reform of the education system, reviving the maldivian language and literature, 
and giving women more of a place in society.
chapter 2
sosun villa 1948 - 1955
as a boy of eight in 1947,
in a schooner fathul bari belonging to the government of maldives,
when i left maldives by sailing for colombo of ceylon, all that was in the future.
the prime minister at the time was amin didi.
and he was giving a lot of attention and priority to education in the islands and in malé. 
he even opened a hostel in malé for children from the islands to attend school. 
he began sending selected children from malé schools to be educated at the english medium schools in ceylon, as maldives’ government scholars.
several of today’s leading citizens in maldives benefited under this scheme. 
this includes president gayoom (1937-),
my father wanted me to be educated too. 
however, i was not one of those selected. 
maldives was very poor.
and an average maldivian hardly had a square meal a day. 
the population of the maldives had dropped to about 45,000 after the second world war.
and the quality of the diet of most people was inferior.
since little of nutritional value was grown in maldives. 
and imported items were very scarce.
rice was rationed.
it was provided as staple foods.
it may surprise those who know me now that when i was a child i was very thin. 
i was weak and sickly and my father discussed what to do about it with amin didi.
because he knew him quite well.    
as a result, with government help initiated by amin didi, i was sent to ceylon.
not to study.
for medical treatment. 
because i was so small, i was entrusted to a guardian and sent to lodge at a house for maldives government officers in frankfurt place,
bambalapitiya, colombo 4.
i was sent for treatment to various doctors and responded well.
as my health improved, so did my appetite for education. 
i must have pestered my guardian and the government officers too much.
for after a few months i was asked if, now that i was healthy, i would like to stay in colombo to study. 
knowing that this was my father’s dearest wish for me, and because i was desperately keen to know everything, i said yes.
in 1948 i was enrolled in st peter’s college, bambalapitiya.
beginning in the kindergarten. 
st peter’s was, and still is, a roman catholic school.
and in those days most of the teachers were foreigners.
and the lessons were in english. 
there were at least 20 boys from the maldives at the school.
i had become, by chance, a government scholar as the government of the maldives.
government of maldives paid for my education, and board and lodging. 
inadvertently, i had become destined for government service.
in that year, 1948, ceylon became independent of great britain.
leaving the position of the sultanate or the kingdom of the maldives as somewhat invidious. 
the sultanate at the time was not actually independent because of the 1887 agreement with britain.
not being part of ceylon, the maldives did not become independent along with ceylon.
indeed, in 1948 there was no inclination among the people or rulers of the maldives to be independent.
or to do anything very much except continue fishing and trading in splendid isolation. 
travel between the islands and neighbouring countries was by sailing boat.
and at the whim of the trade winds.
it could take at least three days to sail from the maldives to ceylon during the northeast monsoon. 
the same journey could take 20 to 30 days in the southwest monsoon.
this was because boats had to adopt zigzag sailing to suit wind and weather.  
there was no international telephone service.
and communication with the outside world was by morse code, a legacy of the second world war.
there were only a few radio sets in malé.
and an even smaller number of vehicles.
and only sandy trails on which to drive them.
people lived in compounds of cottages of coral stone and palm thatch. 
education was rudimentary.
and even the teaching of islam was erratic and uninformed.
the diet was fish in various forms.
sometimes augmented with imported rice.
just as destiny created ceylon’s independence in 1948, she also introduced me in that year to a man who was to change the maldives forever.
i was sent to sosun villa.
a house that had been bought by amin didi for the boarding and lodging of students from the maldives studying in colombo. 
there i was put into the room, as was the custom, of one of the seniors with whom i was to share quarters. 
that senior was ibrahim nasir (1926-2008).
my memories of those days of the man who was to become the prime minister and then president of the maldives,
are little different from the man i was to know so well in later life. 
ibrahim nasir was born on 2 september 1926.
so he was 12 years older than me.
even as a young man in his twenties, he lived a life ruled by discipline. 
i remember the day in 1948 when the new boys were distributed among the seniors’ rooms.
i was taken to nasir’s room.
it seemed by a random chance.
and he stared at me without speaking for a few moments.
then he told me the rules of the room.
he said i must arrange my own bed, keep my clothes properly folded, polish my shoes, get up in the morning on the first bell, and so on. 
of course, i had to treat him with the proper respect due to a senior.
and his attitude implied that he expected nothing less.
i was not obliged to do any chores for him, as was the custom in british public schools.
he was a strict, straightforward person. 
i shared a room with him at sosun villa for about two years.
and because of that, there might have been a strong bond between us.
i never sensed that it might be so in later life. 
it was not in his nature to give praise when someone did something he approved of.
there was never a pat on the back for a job well done.
sosun villa was very important in my life.
as it was to every maldivian who ever stayed there. 
it was an education.
like a university in itself.
as well as a home for young maldivians keen to make something of their lives. 
in charge was a ceylonese, edward dias, who was a teacher at st peter’s college.
we all did our homework at sosun villa.
often under the instruction of another teacher from st peter’s, john wright, who came every evening from 6.30pm to 8pm.
amin didi himself had studied at st joseph’s college.
and st peter’s was the prep school for that college. 
perhaps, that’s why so many of us were sent there at that time. 
i believe that didi must have made donations to the rector of st peter’s.
i am amazed now at the foresight of amin didi in purchasing the sosun villa property so long ago.
sosun villa was a huge single storey, colonial bungalow. 
the government had very little money.
yet he made it a point to buy land for the maldives. 
melbourne avenue in bambalapitiya, colombo 4, which was then the maldivian government representative’s office and residence.
it later became the maldives embassy.
and, when maldives joined the commonwealth, the high commission building. 
amin didi’s innovations and reforms, however, were not all popular with maldivians.
hence he was deposed and exiled to dhoonidhoo in august 1953.
while he was there he tried to stage a come back to malé with the help of his supporters. 
this failed.
and he was severely injured from rough handling by the public. 
he died in january 1954, as a result of the injuries.
his body has been buried in vihamanafushi (now known as the holiday resort island of kurumba).
after the country’s brief period as a republic,
when the sultanate was restored on 11 march 1954,
hh jala’alatul malik mohamed farid i was proclaimed as sultan.
from september 1953 to march 1954,
ibrahim ali didi became acting head of state.
ibrahim ali didi, who was also known as ibrahim faamuladheyri kilegefaanu, became prime minister on 11 march 1954.
with ibrahim mohamed didi as his second-in-command, holding the important portfolios of finance and defence. 
then in november 1954, the man i shared a room with at sosun villa, ibrahim nasir, was appointed to the cabinet.
in june 1956 nasir became minister for public order and safety.
when ibrahim mohamed didi fell ill and left for ceylon,
nasir became deputy prime minister in december 1956.
he became prime minister the next year at the age of 31.
i record all this here for several reasons. 
one is to introduce people who were to be influential (albeit unwittingly) in my own career. 
another is to illustrate the feudal nature of the maldives at the time. 
the air force base built in addu atoll gan across the equator by the british,had been abandoned at the end of second world war. 
the british returned the royal airforce base in 1956.
and this resulted in the far-reaching shift in power in the maldives. 
(i was to play a part in the return of gan to the maldives’ fief in 1976, after maldives had become independent.)
the maldives shook off the hand of british “protection” in 1965 under prime minister ibrahim nasir.
even though the british still retained an air force base at gan.  
sultan mohamed farid ( 1901-1969) continued in his role as head of state.
however, following a public referendum on 1 april 1968, the sultanate (or kingdom) was abolished for the second time.
the maldives was declared a republic on 11 november 1968.
with ibrahim nasir as president. 
none of us could foresee the future in the mid-1950s.
but my father was aware of proper courtesies. 
so when i visited malé when i was about 15 but still a schoolboy, i went to see ibrahim nasir.
nasir had entered politics then.
which was not surprising.
since he came from one of the ruling families.
although he was not then in the cabinet. 
it was my father’s idea that i should visit nasir.
since i had shared the room with him for about two years at sosun villa. 
since nasir had spoken to my father about me,
my father arranged for me to pay him the courtesy call. 
that’s all it was.
and i’m sure the meeting must have been brief. 
it was on my visit to malé that in 1954,
after coming to male' i decided,
i ought to get on and do something with my life instead of remaining at school. 
i was in the ninth standard by then. 
most of the captains and owners of the sailing vessels that plied between malé and colombo were known to my father. 
i used to meet them at the port in colombo.
and sometimes they would come in search of me at sosun villa. 
many of them had small jobs they wanted doing in colombo,
like finding some trading goods or running errands.
i liked to help them.
and would often get some pocket money for doing so. 
also staying at sosun villa was shamsuddin hilmy, looking after the maldives interests handled by the maldivian national trading corporation . 
i used to visit him on saturdays when he would take myself and some other boys from sosun villa by car to fort (the centre of colombo).
so we could do some shopping and have some fun in town. 
then we used to go to pilawoos and have a plate of biriyani.
sometimes i would watch the work being done at the mntc headquarters.
and this interested me.
since there had been a change of government in the maldives, with ibrahim ali didi as prime minister and ibrahim mohamed didi, as his deputy,
this led me to see possibilities of things that could be done.
the independence i was beginning to feel through my own efforts in helping the ships’ captains,
made me feel that i should get into trading as well. 
after all, that was my father’s profession. 
this was about a year after amin didi had been deposed. 
i knew ibrahim mohamed didi and ibrahim ali didi who had together assumed power.
because they also used to visit sosun villa when they were in colombo. 
sosun villa was the kind of place where all maldivians met and talked of events at home and their plans for the future. 
life in sosun villa was very interesting,
and it will remain as a pleasant memory in my mind.
i must been very bold for my age.
(i was still only 15).
because i decided to stop studying and follow a working life. 
at the time, the representative of gom in ceylon was,
mohamed zaki who earlier had stayed at sosun villa.
at that time, he still came there to play sports with us.
one day i mentioned to mohamed zaki that i would like to stop studying and start work. 
he said,
he would take me to ibrahim mohamed didi, who was his uncle. 
didi was at the time receiving treatment at a nursing home in colombo. 
zaki, as promised, took me to him.
i told him of my desire to finish schooling and get some training for a career. 
he told me that he could not say ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to my request until he had consulted my father.
whom he knew well. 
he said he would write to him,
and that it would take four to five weeks to get a reply. 
after about three weeks, zaki told me that a reply had come from my father.
so he took me to didi again. 
he told me that my father’s reply was that since i did not want to study, 
there was nothing he could do. 
he had no objections. 
didi had a high regard for my father.
and asked me what i wanted to do.
i told him i wanted to be a trader like my father.
“in that case,” he said with a smile, “we shall have to send you for training with mntc”.
he instructed zaki to arrange it.
looking back, i suppose i shouldn’t have been surprised. 
my father must have received reports from his merchant and ship owner friends who had met me in colombo. 
he would have heard how eager i was to be a trader,
and how helpful i was being to them. 
he was in a position then to see that i was assisted to achieve my ambition.
so, although by then i was 16 and had only been in the ninth standard at school for three months,
it was decided in early 1955 that i would be sent to mntc for training.
the first problem was that i didn’t have any papers. 
in the maldives there were only parents’ records of births, written in arabic.
so i needed an official paper showing my date of birth before i could start a career record and get a passport. 
the necessary paper was eventually provided over a year later, in december 1956.
why my date of birth was put as 1934 instead of 1938 may have been a mistake.
or it may have been done deliberately to obscure the fact that i was so young to be starting work.
none of that concerned me at the time.
i was happy to be beginning my working life. 
chapter 3:
learning the ropes, 1956
a boy suddenly let loose in colombo today,
would be at far greater risk of finding himself out of his depth than i was in 1955.
although i was far from home and my father, 
his influence was everywhere.
even though we had no telephones to call home, 
i knew my father would receive word about me through maldivians visiting ceylon.
expatriate maldivians were a close community, 
supporting each other when in need.
of course, i was too young and inexperienced with little more than basic education,
i didn't know to appreciate the enormity of what i was doing by starting out on a career so young.
it sometimes grieves me that today’s young people, who have all the benefits of education to super-degree level, 
and know everything about theory, 
are actually handicapped by their lack of practical experience.
if i were to be a credit to my father,
i realised that i needed to ‘learn the ropes’ very quickly.
since father must have had doubts about letting me finish my education so early in life,
perhaps i was anxious not to disappoint him. 
i was faced with being taken on as a trainee at mntc with nothing more to help me than my eagerness to learn. 
mntc was the lifeline of the maldives.
and, until the maldives shipping company (msl) was incorporated in 1967,
met the transport as well as the trading needs of the maldives. 
the maldives shipping company had its roots and stretched back the days of, 
of sultan-elect abdul majeed didi, 
before 1948.
i was to become so closely associated to the company after its formation, 
the sultan-elect (who was resident in egypt)
appointed as the trade agent for gom,
a firm with offices in bankshall street, colombo, known as p b umbichy & company. 
the firm’s duties included the handling of all finance matters connected with gom. 
at the time, gom owned the schooners.
they were adiyathul rahman and fath’hulbaari.
and the sailing vessels (known as “bumbaa boats”) dharuma (fath’hul rahman), and utheem.
later, a motorised fishing vessel (hyacinth) was purchased. 
this boat had been converted for carrying cargo.
and had a capacity of about 400 bags.
during those days a sailing vessel drifted to the maldives.
it was named as "adaran faru."
this will be described later.
p b umbichy & co was controlled by the koya brothers of cochin. 
hassan koya, who was resident in kerala, was in charge.
and the company in colombo was managed by one mamuka. 
p m nair, who later became chairman of mntc, 
was then a cashier with the company,
or an accountant.
abdul majeed didi, the sultan-elect, visited p b umbichy & co from time to time to check on details. 
the company’s duties included the receipt and disbursement of government funds on a commission basis. 
the sale of dried tuna, known in ceylon as “maldive fish”, 
and other fish from the maldives was handled by the company.
with maldive fish being delivered to the ceylon food commissioner under a government-to-government agreement. 
other types of fish, such as muri fish, rim and faru fish chips and fish bone dust were mostly sold in the open market.
the expenses of gom’s representative’s office at 25 melbourne avenue,
as well as the government staffs’ and visitors’ expenses,
the expenses involved in the maintenance and running of sosun villa,
and any other disbursements ordered by abdul majeed didi,
or the disbursements through then prime minister amin didi,
were paid monthly by the umbichy company.
depending on the availability of funds derived from the sale of fish,
they also supplied the government stores (known as mgbs) in malé with goods.
the gom’s agent in ceylon was a c m hashim.
the maldives sent the annual jizee  (tribute) from the sultan to the british governor of ceylon. 
it was hashim's duty to carry it with the person involved.
he held the title of mudliyar, bestowed on him by the government of ceylon.
and the delivery of the tribute was a ceremonial event.
it was paid for the last time in november 1947.
hashim also handled the malé sailing boats (odi) that brought the fish and other products, from the south of the maldives, direct to colombo. 
when the trade winds weren’t favourable, some of those vessels drifted to galle instead.
it was the responsibility of hashim and the agent in galle to deliver the maldive fish to the food commissioner and obtain payment. 
this was a once a year transaction.
the owners of the cargoes usually sailed on the ships. 
they bought their requirements in colombo, loaded each odi, and sailed back. 
the entire operation was handled by the colombo and galle agents on a commission basis.
in 1946 or 1947 some maldivians registered a company in ceylon called the maldivian trading company (mtc).
it was a partnership formed by two employees of umbichy & co. 
one of them, p m nair, quit his job with umbichy.
but c p a nair continued in umbichy & co. 
they joined with agent,hashim, and kandi don maniku and nakhuda hassan kaleyfaanu, to run mtc as an import/export agency for the maldives. 
amin didi was aware of the venture.
and, because of his concern to have a government-controlled trade agency in colombo, 
in 1948 he negotiated with the partners of mtc.
this resulted in the establishment of the maldivian national trading corporation (ceylon) limited (mntc).
and mtc was amalgamated with it.
the maldivian national trading corporation (malé) holdings was formed by the government,
to own 75% share in the maldivian national trading corporation (ceylon) limited.
the balance 25% shares were held by the partners of mtc.
c p a nair was appointed as the chairman of mntc (ceylon).
with p m nair as the managing director.
and a c m hashim as a director. 
i understood that nair was given the power of attorney to look after the interests of mntc (malé) holdings. 
with the setting up of mntc (ceylon) the business previously handled by umbichy & co was gradually transferred to it. 
later the 25% shares in mntc (ceylon) held by private individuals were bought over by gom.
thus mntc (ceylon) became fully owned subsidiary of mntc (malé) holdings.
during this period, the borah traders were actively involved in trading. 
they were a community in malé who came from india, numbering about thirty.
originally borah merchants from bombay were invited by the then administration in the 1860s to malé to establish warehouses and shops.
as these were non-existent at that time. 
over time they acquired an almost exclusive monopoly on foreign trade. 
they also exported fish products to colombo.
delivering some (mainly tuna) to the cooperative wholesale establishment and selling other varieties of fish on the open market. 
they had a fleet of about eight sailing vessels.
the cooperative wholesale establishment was established in 1949 by an act of parliament of the government of ceylon.
to import, export and distribute essential commodities in competition with the private sector,
and distribute them to people through retail shops at a cheap price. 
there was a commercial arrangement between the borah traders and the gom. 
the country’s income at the time was not sufficient to buy all the food and other essential items and to take care of external expenses. 
the borah traders would therefore grant loans.
towards forward shipment of food to be set off against fish shipments.
by 1950 it was realised that sailing vessels were incapable of transporting the required goods in time.
the country was obliged to exist on a hand to mouth situation. 
sailing vessels, had to depend on the season and the wind for the passage to and from ceylon.
hence were often delayed or drifted in the strong currents and had to seek refuge in indian ports.
mechanised vessels were seen as essential. 
however, finding an available and suitable vessel was difficult.
because those ships were on a fixed trade.
and indian coastal shipping depended on them.
rail and lorry transport in india was limited.
and therefore coastal shipping was heavily relied on for the transport of produce and goods.
few indian companies operating 400 to 1,000 tonne capacity ships for the coastal trade off india, occasionally chartered ships for a voyage to malé.
commander s gill who had retired from the indian navy, and former indian navy officer, lt commander gurdas chadha,
met up with amin didi in the early 1950s at this stage.
since they had recently retired these two navy gentlemen had no financial resources.
but they did have connections with the indian government. 
they convinced amin didi to invest indian rupees 250,000 and formed a company with the name gill amin shipping company limited.
i am unable to recall the exact shareholding structure,
but i assume it was 40/60 or 30/70 with the gill group holding the majority and the balance held by the government of maldives.
the company acquired two steam ships.
one was a steam tug, formerly the property of the indian navy. 
this was converted to a one-hold cargo ship named margaret rose. 
the other was, about 900 tonnes.
it was a net-trawling fishing vessel.
which was converted and named sheila margaret.
i learned that amin didi invested in that company,
on a clear understanding by all parties that commander gill would make those ships available for the transport of cargo to malé from time to time. 
but the majority shareholders found that it was more profitable to trade elsewhere in the indian ocean rather than to malé. 
this was in spite of amin didi’s objections.
the two vessels operated from ceylon to india with copra.
and then within the indian coastal waters, and back to ceylon. 
at that time there was regular movement of copra and rubber to india from ceylon. 
the return cargo was bombay onions and various condiments. 
since the ships made very few visits to the maldives, 
considerable friction developed between amin didi and commanders gill and chadha over the situation.
after the removal from power of amin didi in 1953,
the new prime minister, ibrahim ali didi, 
sought to retrieve the capital investment of rs250,000 made by amin didi in the company.
this was achieved with the help of messrs c p a nair and p m nair.
since mntc was the agent in colombo for the gill amin shipping company. 
whenever the ships loaded cargo in colombo, 
a small amount of freight was retained towards the repayment of the capital.
(eventually, by the end of the 1950s, the dues were recovered.)
there was a further episode in the modern shipping history of the maldives that happened just before i became involved with mntc.
after the changeover from the first republic to a kingdom,
between the prime minister, ibrahim ali didi, and the british government on 15 december 1956,
a preliminary agreement was signed concerning the leasing by britain of gan in the southernmost addu atoll. 
(i will be dealing with gan later in this story.)
when he signed the lease document, 
ibrahim ali didi requested the british government to provide a small cargo vessel, an auxiliary schooner, to operate between malé and colombo. 
his idea was that the vessel would sail one way by sail, depending on the wind.
and use the auxiliary engine on the other passage.
thus saving on fuel consumption and delays waiting for the right wind. 
the british authorities searched and eventually found such a vessel in europe.
she was named adiyathul rahman.
(mntc’s earlier first vessel with that name had been sold).
and was loaded with diesel oil in drums and sailed to gan island to discharge.
the plan was to use oil for the construction work in gan.
after that the vessel sailed to colombo. 
the gan heads of agreement with the british government was the doing of ibrahim ali didi as prime minister. 
his power was reduced when ibrahim nasir took control a year later.
immediately, nasir instructed mntc/colombo, as agent of mntc/malé, not to load any of their cargo on this vessel.
since he regarded the agreement as subterfuge which he could not accept. 
the vessel had been acquired by the agreement.
thus the gom refused to accept the schooner.
and the vessel was later sold at auction by the british government.
chapter 4:
apprenticeship, 1956 - 1958
these events only became apparent to me as i learned my trade at mntc. 
when i joined mntc at building at 78 reclamation road, colombo,
the managing director of the company, p m nair, invited me to sit at a desk next to his. 
i remembered my father’s early advice to me. 
i told him as politely as i could that i would sit at that desk when i was worthy. 
first i needed to learn for myself from the bottom. 
the office had been converted from a simple shop house built in the dutch colonial period.
with the ground floor as the shop.
and the upper floor as a residence. 
the main administration office was upstairs.
and the ground floor was used to store dried fish, and for the wharf staff to work.
i wanted to be downstairs where i could watch the porters and stevedores, the wharf clerks, the customs brokers, the ships’ crews. 
even then i had the feeling that sitting behind a desk was not the way to learn how to do things. 
i wanted to learn about the clearance of merchandise, and all aspects of ship agency work. 
so i found a seat with the wharf clerks and watched, listened, asked questions, and learned.
the import of goods was run by a foreign contractor.
downstairs at the office , worked the wharf clerks of this contractor.
the chief of the clerks was madarsahib, a ceylon muslim. 
his forefathers had been engaged in clearing goods from customs.
and he had followed the family profession. 
he had four assistants who were also ceylon muslims whose ancestors had been engaged in clearing and forwarding for generations.
it appeared that this work was done by them only.
it was a monopoly.
i became friendly with madarsahib by buying him tea occasionally from the adjoining teashop and slipping him a few rupees now and then. 
i soon had his complete trust. 
he confessed that he had been advised by those upstairs not to teach me anything. 
i don’t know how true it was.
since upstairs were the managing director, p m nair, and k k r nair, the accountant. 
it seemed a strange way to treat me when i was supposed to be a trainee learning the business.
until i was able to build a friendship with them, i felt like i was neglected.
i followed my new friend, madarsahib, in the full process of cargo clearance, filling in and filing customs import entries,
assessing of values by customs officers and payment of duties until i learned them. 
i discovered that the formalities were set out in a booklet that i was able to buy from the government stationers.
the booklet turned out to be of very helpful use to me.
there was a noticeable amount of corruption in the customs valuation of goods and the passing of entries.
(ceylon then followed the gatt rules). 
one day, i was able to persuade madarsahib to show me how it worked. 
he completed the import entry and submitted it at the first counter in the customs long room.  
the long room was a room with a long counter with openings at short distances.
this entry was queried and passed down to be put out at the third counter. 
it was corrected and re-submitted then it was again pushed out, this time from the fifth counter, with a very minor query. 
madarsahib told me that this was deliberate harassment.
because he had not put any money inside the folded import duty form.
so he withdrew the entry, re-wrote the form.
folded it and put rs100 (perhaps equivalent to rs5,000 now) inside it.
he put it into the first counter again.
and told me to watch carefully.
he said that within half an hour a fully approved stamped entry would come out of the last counter.
that’s exactly what happened.
and we were able to remove our cargo without further trouble.
it seemed that a proper "cure" was done such that they could not return the form.
the next day, my new mentor said he would show me the most difficult and trying episode in the game. 
he filled in the entry for some textiles.
and folded rs50 into the form.
all seemed to be going well.
but then suddenly the form popped out of the counter dealing in valuation. 
the tip had not been enough! 
there was a query about the cargo and it had to be inspected.
this meant that the cargo had to be taken from the warehouse where it had been stored after being unloaded from the ship. 
the package  had to be traced and removed to the “sample warehouse”. 
there, the assessor would check if the value declared on the form was appropriate.
removing the package from one warehouse to another by hand cart was a tiresome business, especially in the hot sun. 
however, it had to be done. 
so we did it. 
the assessor inspected the sample package and certified its value as correct. 
we then had to re-submit the import entry so it could be approved for delivery. 
it was easy to see why importers preferred to spend as much as rs100 instead of going through the tedious inspection process.
i quickly realised, even with madarsahib’s guidance, that i needed more education.
but in the practical subjects that would help me.
after a few weeks observing the routine of the clerks and the traders they were dealing with,
i enrolled in the colombo polytechnic, near the savoy cinema in wellawatte, colombo 6.
every day after leaving the office at 5pm i took a bus to the polytechnic.
i took up bookkeeping, commerce and typing. 
i quickly picked up typing and the understanding of commercial matters. 
i did bookkeeping up to the intermediate stage and passed. 
this was useful.
soon i had the chance of posting entries in the mntc books of accounts. 
what i learned, i could use. 
i had always enjoyed reading.
and remember one particular book that i devoured from cover to cover.
it was called "high roads of literature."
i was soon able to attend to the clearance of ships loading at colombo for indian ports.
in those days, there were no alongside berths in colombo.
and all loading and discharging of cargo was done by lighters. 
outward port clearance could not be sought until the last lighter was loaded. 
usually a vessel would be loading for four or five days.
and this involved eight to ten shifts, both day and night.
as an apprentice at mntc, part of my work was to keep track of all the paperwork.
since customs papers, including copies of lighter receipts (boat notes) and captain’s copies of bills of lading, would be strewn everywhere. 
normally, clearance was done at night. 
by then, the night duty officer in the customs export department was invariably drunk.
or sleeping in the back room.
after i have collected all documents and tallied them with the export manifest, 
i used to wake the night duty officer with a cup of hot tea, to keep him happy. 
he would then bring the customs’ official seal and ask me to swear that everything was in order. 
he would glance through the export clearance, sign and stamp it without further ado.
then, i would take a rowing boat, proceed to the ship and deliver the clearance to the captain.
although i was pretty tired by then, i hadn’t finished. 
i would wait for the captain to give me a copy of the master’s cable to the owners.
and then take the rowing boat back to the shore. 
from there i would walk to the central telegraph office.
and see that the cable was despatched. 
only after finishing everything could i get a bus back to sosun villa, where i was still boarding.
after several months of studying both at the polytechnic and under my mentors at the port,
i felt that i could understand what was happening and what was involved in handling the work of mntc. 
those months of working, literally at the ground floor, and learning all i wanted to know, made a man of me. 
when i presented myself to nair in 1956 and said i was ready to sit upstairs at a desk with him and deal with matters, if that is what he required.
i knew more about the inside and outside workings of mntc than anyone else.
and better than nair.
at the time i joined mntc as an apprentice, mntc had begun to charter vessels. 
one of these was the effiginy belonging to the ambassador steamship company of cochin.
it was run by commander collis. 
this sailed from time to time from kakinada to malé, carrying cargoes of rice.
commander collis was introduced to p m nair by captain r s oatley, who was earlier master of one of the gill amin company vessels. 
true to form, there was a disagreement as the cost of chartering became excessive.
perhaps due to commander collis’s thinking that he had the maldives dependent on his ship.
during my time as an approved apprentice, fishing improved.
as did the price paid for maldive fish by the ceylon government. 
mntc’s turnaround with the mercantile bank was quite big by ceylon standards. 
a good relationship was built up with the bank’s cashiers and with the shroff of the bank during those years. 
the shroff was a powerful man.
he acted as the liaison between the bank manager and the trader or borrower. 
he held big deposits or land mortgages with the bank as security.
loans given by the bank to clients were guided by the shroff’s role. 
our good relationship helped us to get the first temporary loan.
it was a loan of ceylon rupees 500,000.
we were able to ship food to malé before we actually received the proceeds from the sale of fish. 
this was a big step.
and helped relieve the situation in maldives. 
such loans and advances became frequent and we were able to progress much faster.
a traders account was maintained between the trader, in this case mntc, and the central bank exchange control department. 
this was mainly because, in the 1950s, trading was on a consignment basis,
supported by consignments of ceylon tea sent to london for sale at london’s tea auction. 
tea estates were owned, managed and controlled by british companies.
since trade for the maldives fell under consignment accounting (there were no banking channels then),
we had direct dealings with “g” branch of the exchange control department. 
when a consignment of fish was received, it was delivered to the cwe on behalf of the food commissioner. 
the cwe made payment by cheque supported by a certificate of payment. 
that certificate was lodged with “g” branch and the value of the certificate was placed to the credit of the trader’s account. 
whenever we shipped anything, or made payment, we needed the exchange controller’s prior approval. 
the value of the shipment or payment was placed to the debit of the trader’s account. 
we tallied and agreed on the balance once every seven to 14 days.
we built up a good friendship with the officers and cashiers in “g” branch.
in order to make use of the overdraft we got from the mercantile bank, we needed a credit balance in the trader’s account.
however, with our “hand to mouth” situation, our trader’s account was in debit most of the time. 
hence we had to find a way to remove a big debit or a number of small debits from the trader’s account, so that there was a credit balance in it. 
by this, we could use the bank overdraft facilities for exports and for payment of ships whenever we bought one. 
mntc was chartering small ships from a german/ceylon collaboration.
they owned three ships.
that is max arlt, horst arlt and hugo arlt. 
there was another shipping company in colombo called eastern star lines ltd.
which had two ships, starline trader and starline enterprise.
and both were used occasionally on charter to carry cargo to malé.
during my period of apprenticeship, mntc started to import rice from burma. 
we regularly used max arlt for this purpose.
around then the shipping market in europe was undergoing a slump so we experimented with a charter from europe for six months.
with an option for a further six months. 
the ship elizabeth boye was a 3,000 mt dw vessel built in 1955.
she came to us straight from the yard with delivery and re-delivery in colombo, where we had her for a longer period.
with max arlt we started a round trade route from malé to colombo then cochin, tuticorin, rangoon and back to colombo and malé. 
she could carry about 800 mt cargo.
and was hired on a round trip basis.
not on a time charter (at uk pounds 110 a day) like elizabeth boye.
from rangoon, we brought part cargo rice to malé and the balance was bagged, and pulses and teak squares to colombo. 
from cochin we loaded dried prawns and coir yarn, and at tuticorin we shipped cotton yarn for burma.
the burmese cargo was controlled by the burma national shipping company, burma five star lines. 
this was nominated cargo.
and was arranged through k m mehta of gangee premji & co, leading rice traders in burma at that time. 
this was in 1957.
and mehta started to serve mntc then as a representative in burma on retainer, plus commission. 
we continued with elizabeth boye for one year.
and purchased a steamer of 1500 dwt called the nordic queen and named her maldive star.
we traded with both ships on the route from malé to colombo, india, and rangoon.
with the charter market in europe improving, we released elizabeth boye to return there and added the maldive crescent (1100dwt).
she was purchased for uk pounds 10,000.
the boat was powered by burnt coal.
and an additional 30,000 pounds was spent to convert her engine from burning coal to burning fuel oil.
the freight charges earned by these vessels and elizabeth boye helped us to expand. 
we were also able to ship food to malé before we received the fish sale proceeds.
gradually, through those ships we built up the capital to fund maldives shipping limited (msl).
eventually registered in the maldives in 1967.
i learned my trade during the two years i was an apprentice at mntc.
i continued learning even when i was finally appointed as commercial secretary at the maldivian government representative’s office in ceylon. 
my service record card, which is number 00002, outlining my career with the government, records that i officially started work on 13 july 1958.
the years i had spent at mntc were not regarded as government work and were not to be counted towards my pension.
however, what i learned during those first two years was invaluable in the work that i was destined to do for my country.
chapter 5:
commercial secretary, 1958 - 1959
the major political upheaval in the maldives that i have mentioned previously arose from prime minister ibrahim ali didi's decision.
that is unilaterally deciding to lease the southern island of gan in addu atoll to the british government. 
this was opposed by all of those in parliament and in the cabinet. 
ibrahim ali didi was forced to resign.
ibrahim nasir, who by then had become his deputy, stepped into his shoes and became prime minister in december 1957.
he was 31.
i was 18.
but celebrated my 19th birthday a few days later in colombo.
the maldivian government representative in colombo at the time was mr ahmed hilmy didi. 
although i now had my official appointment with gom as commercial secretary, my work was still at mntc. 
i was required to attend at the representative’s office in melbourne avenue every morning for an hour and in the evening for about half an hour.
that is for reviewing messages, organising purchasing, etc. 
at the time of my appointment i was officially 23.
and thought of myself as that age. 
in fact i was regarded as rather a rough diamond.
and i had learned to appear tough and uncompromising.
because of being involved with shipping and having to deal with ship’s crews, stevedores and conniving port officials. 
the responsibility of my work at mntc had also given me a maturity beyond my real age.
one day in 1958, i popped into the representative’s office at about 5.30pm.
the wireless operator was there.
(we were still communicating with malé by morse code).
i asked him how things were going. 
he said that there was an urgent message for the trade commissioner.
it was a message asking for some information.
he told me that the wireless operator in malé had reminded him several times about the message.
but there was nothing he could do about it as the trade commissioner had gone off for the day. 
while i was in the office, the radio burst into life again. 
the noise of the morse code chattering through the ether seemed to reflect the urgency of the message.
it was from nasir himself.
and he wanted the information without further delay. 
the wireless operator replied that he could not contact the trade commissioner but i was with him in the office. 
the reply was succinct.
a couple of did-did-dahs in morse code. 
i picked up the telephone, made a few calls and got the information.
(it was about prices).
jotted it down on a pad and gave it to the wireless operator to transmit.
a few days later there was another message requiring information.
but this time it was addressed to me. 
i fulfilled the task.
and thought no more about it. 
however, nasir obviously did.
since all subsequent messages from him for information were addressed to me, instead of to the trade commissioner. 
that was quite embarrassing and created an awkward situation.
since i had no wish to interfere with the trade commissioner’s duties.  
however, the orders came from the top, so i couldn’t argue with that.
i soon learned that nasir was not a person who would tolerate any mistakes. 
he needed information that was accurate. 
he was extremely sharp and clever in his calculations.
and expected those advising him to have done their homework first and to know their subject. 
i made certain that i did.
since i was interested in everything i was involved in and always wanted to know the answers.
because of my work i had built up a network of suppliers and contacts throughout colombo.
and i had a fair amount of knowledge about dealings in colombo involving the maldives. 
i noticed several areas where the situation could be improved to the benefit of the maldives.
and i felt nasir was happy i was taking such an interest.
at the time, the maldives had a population of about 80,000.
and a gross annual income of around us$2.5m.
nasir had ideas for development.
and knew that a prime requisite was for malé to have a proper harbour.
at that time, boats were beached at the waterfront or anchored off shore.
i was asked to liaise with a british engineer who was in malé preparing the feasibility study for the construction of the inner harbour. 
the visit was not only a chance to see conditions in the maldives.
but also – with hindsight – was an example of how  “the lord moves in mysterious ways.”  
by that i mean the chance acquaintances one makes in life, which sometime help shape one’s future. 
i had already experienced this through being put to share a room at sosun villa with ibrahim nasir himself. 
i journeyed to malé to negotiate with the british engineer.
and thought nothing more of it. 
however, i was to encounter that same engineer years later in hong kong.
and he was to play an important part in my life. 
negotiating, i learned in my youth, is not a simple matter.
it helps to know if the person one is dealing with can be trusted.
and so the experience i had then of the engineer was very helpful to me later. 
the following year, 1959, i learned by practice just how important are negotiating tactics.
i was asked to go to tokyo with ibrahim rasheed – nasir’s deputy -- to negotiate a deal involving fisheries. 
i had some contacts in the fishing industry in colombo.
and had already acquired the habit of researching, of looking for knowledge.
i liked to meet people.
and picked their brains whenever i could, just in case some day the knowledge i gleaned would be useful.
so, as soon as i heard about the tokyo assignment, i thoroughly researched the background to the fishing industry.
and learned what was required for the maldives.
so i could apply this in the context of what was being discussed.
while bargaining requires definite knowledge and, even better, practical experience of the matter, certain ploys are also essential. 
i reasoned that the maldives, however small, was a sovereign state.
not a commercial enterprise even though it should function like one when doing business. 
as a sovereign state, we had the advantage of our status.
and our authority could – and should – be used to drive a better bargain.
i was inspired to seek the best deal for the maldives.
because of my passion for the maldives. 
not just for the country.
but also for the end result that would lead to something worthwhile.
i had no personal stake in any of the deals i did for my country.
only a desire to get the best that was due to us as a sovereign state.
this attitude may sound curious to the young people of the 21st century.
who have everything handed to them by their parents or the state. 
they may not know how poor the maldives was.
and that it was only during the last 50 years of the 20th century that the country was able to develop and prosper successfully.
it seems impossible for the youth of today to imagine how the maldives was as recently as the 1970s, when there were not even any banks in malé.
the progress of the country depended on individuals who saw an opportunity, recognised it as such, and did something about it. 
we had to push every inch of the way.
never even considering the possibility of failure, to get things going. 
in nasir, we had a leader.
who was willing to listen to new ideas.
and was not afraid of them. 
it was our duty then to do so. 
it is ironic that our success at gaining a better life for people has brought in what the youth see as “easy money”.
and consequently they have not been imbued with the sense of duty, as were those pioneering maldivians of my generation.
in those days when salary scales were low, civil servants were allowed to have other employment.  
in fact, it was essential for government employees to have another source of income, simply to survive. 
the working hours then were from 7.30am to 12 noon and from 2.00pm to 4.00pm.
so there was plenty of free time.
it was not unusual for those in the private sector (after an afternoon break) to open their offices again at 6pm.
even young people like myself then had a keen work ethic.
this does not seem apparent among the youth of today.
nasir instructed me to accompany his deputy on the talks with japan to see interests of the japanese to catch fish in the waters of the maldives.
i used my spare time to make certain i was thoroughly briefed on the matter. 
we were to discuss the matter fully and to negotiate a suitable arrangement that would be lucrative to the maldives as well as to the japanese. 
the maldives was still under british protection and all external affairs were handled by the british.
so any government-to-government agreement had to be with their approval.
in tokyo the japanese government arranged a meeting with their fisheries agency, a government body under the fisheries department. 
unfortunately, while i had done much research into the fishing potential of the maldives’ waters, the japanese had not even heard of the maldives. 
furthermore, the government had no plans to give any assistance to the maldives.
since their focus was on assistance to ceylon.       
something about the way we presented our case must have interested the authorities.
because in the end they agreed to send two japanese experts to the maldives to see for themselves. 
one expert would be paid by the japanese government and the other by gom. 
the japanese government agreed they would pursue the matter further if the report of the experts were favourable. 
their research ship, fuji maru was then on a trip to sri lanka.
they also agreed to include a visit to the maldives.
the two experts were shiji, sponsored by the japanese government, and sato, sponsored by the maldives. 
when they visited i was able to accompany them on their trip through the northern atolls.
they visited the southern atolls, too. 
the expert sponsored by gom expressed his desire to experiment with pole and line, and longline, fishing in our waters.
we purchased a second-hand wooden boat from japan that could be used for dual purposes. 
it was named mullet. 
sato and a japanese engineer were hired for the experiment.
and the boat carried out some fishing.
alas, it ran aground and was wrecked and so the project was abandoned. 
however, based on the report prepared by the two experts, the japanese government presented the maldives with a new fibreglass boat.
the boat was designed for pole and line fishing and was called lopez. 
the problem we encountered then was a human one. 
island fishermen were very traditional in outlook.
thus were not prepared to leave their homes for even two or three nights at sea in a boat. 
locally built small boats, on the other hand, were ideal for pole and line fishing.
especially as the fishermen could leave home early in the morning and return the same day. 
what was needed was a reliable export market for their excess catch.
the population lived on the income from fishing and from our then small shipping industry. 
tourism was not even contemplated as a source of foreign exchange in the late 1950s and early 1960s.
our voyages were malé to ceylon and back.
with odd trips to india on an annual basis. 
there was a government-to-government agreement between the maldives and ceylon. 
as a result it was agreed that ceylon will buy a specific quantity of fish.
and, in turn, the ceylon government permitted shipments of basic foodstuffs such as rice, flour, sugar and other essential goods to maldives.
the price charged to the maldives government was fixed at 3% above the actual cost paid by ceylon for importing the goods.
when payment was made, food was delivered ex-warehouse to us.
from manning market we got sugar.
and the chalmers granary we got rice and flour. 
transport and all other costs were on our account. 
so a two-way trade developed. 
we brought dried fish (umbalakada) to colombo and we carried rice, flour, sugar and sundry items to malé. 
we were self-sufficient.
but making no progress.
under that self-sufficiency there was no opportunity to grow or improve at all.
when we had a good fishing season, it meant we were in for a bad time. 
our agreement with ceylon limited us to exporting fish to certain amount.
there was a certain quota of fish and we could not exceed that even though we had a surplus catch to dispose of. 
the solution was more government-to-government negotiations.
which inevitably resulted in delays in getting the matter sorted out with consequent loss to us.
because of no ready market when we were overstocked with fish.
a solution to the marketing of the fishermen’s catch that i referred to earlier, eventually presented itself. 
it actually had its origins in another idea of nasir’s with which he asked for my help.
when nasir became prime minister there was a population of about 30,000 in malé.
but no evening amusement for them. 
nasir was very interested in technology.
and wanted to open a cinema in the capital to give people something to do in the evenings. 
although this was a totally alien idea to me, i did some research and set out to do what nasir had asked me. 
it seems fitting now that this idea helped solve the fisheries problem too, which is why i mention its beginnings here. 
i began by hiring 16mm films through an indian film library in bombay.
these were in hindi.
and not intended to be shown for commercial purposes. 
however, we soon discovered that they were very popular in the maldives. 
with the malé audiences demanding a bigger variety of films, nasir started the malé cinema company as a public company.  
this company built the olympus cinema, which opened in 1959.
in those days there were no wealthy investors in the maldives to take on projects like that. 
only the government could afford to take on such ventures.
but nasir did not feel the government should be in the business of owning or running cinemas.  
however, he wanted the people to have entertainment so he decided to do it as a public company. 
this is yet another example of how nasir’s innovation was applied when it came to solving a problem.
having built the cinema there was the problem of where to get 35mm films to show in the cinema.
no indian distributor was prepared to rent a film for showing in malé.
for a return of about rf200, which was all we could afford to pay.
as i was based in ceylon as commercial secretary, i had time to take on freelance work myself.
so i became an importer of films into ceylon as a spare time occupation.
the rental achieved there made the project worthwhile for the indian filmmakers and distributors.
i was careful that, when i bought rights for ceylon, i included the maldives in the deal. 
i made sure that films were sent first to malé and then to ceylon.
so malé started getting first releases of the latest indian films. 
in those days the importation of films into ceylon was not restricted as it is now.
and i was friendly with the buyers of indian films, who were happy to help. 
even so there was competition to get good films from bombay.
and i set up a network there to help me beat the competition.
i had brokers in the film exchange and they kept me informed of what films were available. 
i also had daily reports of the indian circuits so that i could judge a film’s potential myself. 
i got to know some of the producers and directors who were producing good films, and had an idea of what to buy. 
i would buy on allotment.
just paying a small deposit, to get the films. 
while hindi films were very popular in the maldives, i also branched out into sinhala movies for ceylon. 
i began with having sinhala dialogue dubbed onto the hindi sound track.
but that was not too successful.
because the lip movements did not synchronise.
i even had a separate entity for my film work.
a company called sri films, with its own office and staff. 
some of the films we did in sinhala are still remembered today.
it was because of this simple enterprise that i was able to contribute ideas and financial acumen to improve the fishing industry a few years later.
chapter 6:
the southern revolution, 1959 - 1963
the dawn of the prosperous decade of the 1960s saw a rebellion in the southernmost atolls and a climate of growing uncertainty and tension throughout the islands.
in england the post second world war austerity of the 1950s boomed into the cheerfulness of swinging london.
in the usa, violence dominated the decade.
with race riots and the assassinations of president kennedy, martin luther king and robert kennedy. 
the maldives began the decade as an isolated sultanate.
a country surviving on a fledgling fishing industry and freelance trading.
and governed by a determined man of ideas as prime minister. 
the country became fully independent in july 1965.
and completed the decade as an independent republic under the same man as president. 
it was a decade of hesitant development for the country.
but the foundations of the modern, prosperous maldives of the 21st century were laid then.
although perhaps none of us involved at the time were totally aware of what we were helping to create. 
but by 1959, the maldives boasted an improved standard of living, better education, vibrant fishing industry and a growing maritime fleet.
in education gom introduced measures that resulted in locally educated maldivians being able to converse fluently in english.
and to do business comfortably. 
in the 1960s no one knew that english would become the world’s language of communication with the coming of the cyber age.
we were isolated and  had difficult relationship with britain over gan.
as a result of this we could not have been blamed for spurning english to concentrate on our own language of dhivehi.
as prime minister, however, nasir was a pragmatist. 
he introduced teaching in the english medium to the maldives.
hiring well-qualified teachers of experience from ceylon to teach, when they became available.
due to a change in the education policy in both countries.
he knew the value of the english language and saw that knowledge of english could only benefit the maldives. 
our relationship with ceylon was always complicated. 
traditionally, the ceylonese regarded maldivians as inferior.
and although ceylon now sees our islands as lucrative for investment, their entrepreneurs were late joining in. 
ceylonese manpower came first.
and some ceylonese suffered in the maldives through being away from home in a strange culture.
and some of them were treated poorly.
at the beginning of the 1960s the maldives was feeling the brunt of the ceylon government’s left wing, protectionist thinking.
i was particularly aware of this as i was stationed in colombo for the decade.
the attitude of the new bandaranaike government in ceylon was arrogant back then in 1970s.
for this reason i was obliged to leave colombo which made it necessary for us to shift our base for overseas commercial operations.
as i have recounted this later in my book. 
the 1950s finished inauspiciously.
with a dispute over a new agreement concerning the lease of the southern island of gan in addu atoll to britain. 
it was opposition to the original agreement that had precipitated ibrahim nasir to the post of prime minister in 1957.
when nasir became prime minister the british had already started the construction of various facilities at gan. 
a british company, costain limited, was awarded the lucrative contract. 
nasir demanded that the british re-negotiate the original lease.
which was for 100 years at a rental of 2,000 uk pounds a year.
the dispute resulted in a delay of the construction with consequent inconvenience to the british and losses to the british companies involved.
both the british government and their contractors wanted the matter resolved as swiftly as possible.
since they had already taken possession of gan and couldn’t bear the cost of delays.
the agreement of lease of gan to the english was terminated after 18 years.
i became actively involved in it and so learned of the background circumstances.
since i was not in maldives at the time.
but based in colombo.
it appears that the british collaborated with malcontents in the southern atolls to stir up a rebellion.
not just in addu.
in huvadhoo and fuvahmulah discontent began to simmer. 
it was claimed that the salaries paid by the british to the maldivians working on the british projects in gan, were not passed onto the workers. 
in fact the workers were paid.
but at maldivian salary levels.
the people of addu wanted to export their dried fish directly to ceylon and to purchase essential foodstuffs there, without routing trade via malé. 
the gom under nasir directed that all trade from all the islands, including the southernmost ones, should be routed via malé.
major w w philips, was a renowned bird watcher who had several books to his credit.
he turned up in gan, clearly with british government consent, ostensibly to study the flora and fauna. 
his main purpose, however, seems have been to create a revolution in gan and addu atoll.
he was able to do this by playing on the historical tension that had always existed between the atoll and the capital, malé. 
a similar situation had taken place during the second world war when the british had a staging post in gan. 
the adduans talked of rebellion then although.
perhaps because of the war, nothing happened. 
it appears that major philips set the scenario for a new rebellion and worked out the details. 
abdulla afeef, an educated english-speaking maldivian from addu , who had been involved in previous plan for rebellion, was selected as leader. 
he had a political ambition to rule addu atoll and possibly the whole of maldives.
and thus seemed perfect for the machinations of the british.
in january 1959 an atoll office was burnt and the maldivian flag was torn down.
the people of addu, led by afeef, declared self-independence claiming separation from the rest of the maldives.
and refusing to follow instructions and policies decreed by the government in malé. 
they collected payment for the addu labour force directly from the british officials.
and began to export their fish products directly to ceylon. 
later, people in the adjoining huvadhoo atoll and fuvahmulah joined addu in this revolution. 
in march 1959, the british press hailed the creation of the “united suvadive islands”.
in view of the advantage for the british of having a puppet administration in gan. 
this was an unusual and blatantly illegal situation as under the terms of the 1887 agreement.
britain was to protect the maldives.
not subdivide it. 
the rebels set up their own administration with tacit british support. 
the british wanted gan under their sphere of influence.
and hoped to use the situation to force nasir to agree to the lease they had unilaterally negotiated with his predecessor. 
a cargo service was started from colombo direct to gan.
(instead of via malé as required by customs) using a borah trader in colombo, moosaji & company, as their agents. 
the british rendered all assistance for this.
as it helped costains continue the construction of the military installations on gan without interference from gom in malé. 
in march 1959, the government sent the ship elizabeth boye with food supplies and army personnel, to fuvahmulah.
that is under the command of dhapparu moosa maniku and abdul majeed mahir as civilian liaison officer. 
the army commander and the liaison officer advised the islanders to give up their foolish desires and to surrender. 
they were told to come and collect the food supplies and renounce independence. 
the islanders responded by throwing stones at the ship.
to which the army replied with a few rounds fired in the air. 
this calmed the situation but the islanders did not surrender. 
dhapparu moosa maniku decided not to proceed with the offensive. 
he withdrew, returned to malé and tendered his resignation.
a new offensive was planned against the rebels. 
prime minister nasir sent a high powered delegation to colombo, india and egypt to obtain relevant support. 
the delegation consisted of ibrahim shihab, mohamed zaki, sheikh ibrahim rushdy, farouk ismail and hassan zareer.
ahmed zaki was the government’s representative in colombo at the time.
the delegation went to india to meet nehru, the indian prime minister.
ostensibly for political support. 
i understand that both president nasser of egypt and the indian prime minister nehru strongly advised against any confrontation with the british. 
egypt, however, did promise to supply some arms.
although this never happened despite our sending two of our ships to the suez canal to collect them. 
efforts were then made by farouk ismail and hassan zareer to buy arms from the underworld in ceylon. 
they succeeded in purchasing a few obsolete firearms and also a fishing vessel. 
it was a wartime-built mfv (motorised fishing vessel).
that had been in jaffna.
from where they brought it to colombo. 
the plan was to use that vessel for the re-taking of huvadhoo.
a cargo vessel by the name of hermes or sonsbeak was enlisted to tow the vessel to malé. 
unfortunately, it leaked badly.
and the tow had to be abandoned.
and both vessels returned to colombo.  
the vessel was taken to the taos boatyard where it was rebuilt and re-engineered. 
she was re-named erina.
and, after re-fitting, sailed to malé under her own power.
and was used for several years by the port commission.
meanwhile, talks were taking place between prime minister nasir and the british representative. 
in 1959 nasir informed me about the failure of his emissaries to obtain arms to put down the rebellion.
all he had at his disposal were three old pistols purchased for rs35,000 each.
nasir was adamant that he needed to retake huvadhoo and addu atolls. 
after studying the situation i was able to tell him that it was possible to purchase arms legally. 
he retorted that it wasn’t possible.
since the british would block their purchase.
i pointed out to him that all countries needed to have a local police force for the maintenance of civil peace, law and order. 
the maldives, just because the country was nominally a protectorate of britain, was no exception. 
the government was entitled to buy normal arms used by a police force. 
i advised him to let me have a list of requirements.
together with authority in writing from the prime minister’s office.
if my memory is correct, the list was:
100 rifles ex-war surplus reconditioned - type 303
10 sterling sub-machine guns (with 3000 cartridges)
3 vickers machine guns
5 pistols new
200 teargas canisters
10000 rounds of ammunition
leonard hunt export co ltd of coventry, was given the authority to purchase the arms and to ship them to the maldives via colombo. 
it was one of the mntc/colombo buying agents in the uk.
export was permitted by the uk. 
with the assistance of the ministry of external affairs of maldives, permission for the trans-shipment was obtained from the colombo authorities. 
the shipment was transferred under police protection to the adaran faru and transported to malé. 
the total supply bill was about 3,000 uk pounds.
in july 1959, prime minister nasir made a trip to the south.
in order to capture and bring back under maldivian jurisdiction both huvadhoo and addu atolls. 
this time, he took a maldivian ship, maldive star.
manned by a maldivian crew.
and a few indian officers.
members of the malé public volunteered to join the expedition.
and there was a contingent of army officers on board. 
the vessel also carried rice and other foodstuffs.
nasir and some of his cabinet ministers sailed in a small yacht silver crest.
which was his official vessel. 
there was already a specially trained army contingent based on an island in the south.
and the prime minister liaised with the army by prior arrangement. 
silver crest then towed the army personnel in a fishing boat to thinadhoo in huvadhoo atoll.
the ship's crew were greeted with hostility by the islanders who were armed with homemade lances, wooden poles and rocks of coral stone.  
prime minister nasir set out in with a contingent of armed soldiers. 
they set fire to and burnt one of the island’s fishing vessels laid up in anchorage.
the army commander used a megaphone to call on the islanders to surrender. 
they refused and started to throw rocks and their wooden poles. 
the prime minister then ordered the army commander to fire a few rounds as a warning. 
he again warned by megaphone and asked the islanders to surrender by lifting a white flag and then to walk down into the water.
this ultimatum was accepted and the islanders surrendered.
although three people were killed in the confrontation.
after bringing an end to the conflict, two days later on friday, 17 july 1959, nasir left for malé by maldive star.
the british who have been monitoring the situation took measures to strengthen its defences in gan.
assuming that the next destination for nasir would be addu atoll. 
the british airlifted 100 soldiers on 7 august 1959 from singapore to gan.
the same day, britain protested to the maldivian government describing as invasion of thinadhoo resulting “in serious loss of life.” 
the british government further warned through her high commissioner in ceylon.
that if further attacks occurred britain has a right to “take proper steps to safeguard their installations” in addu atoll. 
however, after protest by the maldives government, on 14 august, british soldiers were flown back to singapore a day later.
the maldives representative in colombo is ahmed hilmy didi.
he handed over the note of protest on british troop build up in gan.
his statement said that the british “troop movement has been motivated by no kindly consideration” toward the maldives.
huvadhoo atoll returned to government control.
and the would-be leader of the maldives, abdulla afeef in gan, was unable to advance his ambition to take over the whole of the maldives. 
the ringleaders of the rebellion in huvadhoo atoll were brought to malé and tried in court; some were jailed and some were banished.
as a footnote to history, the maldive star, returned from the south with prisoners and volunteers.
and then maldives star set out for colombo with some government ministers and officials on board. 
halfway through the voyage, she ran out of fuel oil. 
we had to send another vessel.
thus sent starline enterprise under the ceylon flag, to tow the ship to colombo. 
the usual trip of two days took eight.
giving all on board a particularly rough time, especially after the trip to liberate the south. 
eventually, the british realised that their customary “divide and rule” tactics would not work in the maldives. 
a new agreement was signed on 14 february 1960 between the british government and the government of the maldives.
that is for the use of gan and a certain area of hithadhoo (“maamendhoo”), an island in addu atoll, for the british military. 
the relevant article of the agreement reads: 
"the whole area of gan island together with the demarcated 110 acres of (maamendhoo) hithadhoo island,
and the use of addu lagoon and territorial waters adjacent thereto,
for the defence of the maldive islands and the commonwealth, unrestricted use entrusted and granted,
exclusively to be used by the united kingdom government, from 15th december 1956,
has been given as a free gift for 30 years from the maldivian government to the united kingdom government".
nothing herein contained shall impair the sovereign status of those areas as part of the realms of his highness the sultan of the maldive islands.’”
the generosity of the maldives government in making a “free gift” was eventually rewarded with,
a grant of 100,000 uk pounds with a further 750,000 uk pounds over the next five years.
which was in fact the cost of the building by the british of the central hospital, malé’s first, and of purchasing the golden ray ambulance launch. 
before signing the maldives independence agreement, there took an agreement signing on 9th september 1963.
ibrahim nasir signed on behalf of the government of maldives. 
on behalf of british government signed the minister of commonwealth relations officer of the uk duncan sands.
the signing ceremony was held in dhaarul uloom.
(this was the hall of majeediyya school).
(a reference to this agreement was included in the maldives independence agreement signed on 26 july 1965.
it confirmed the use of gan by the british without a fee until 15 december 1986.)
this was not, however, the end of the rebellion led by abdulla afeef. 
in spite of being offered a full pardon by prime minister nasir in june 1960, he rejected it.
it was a month later.
a representative of the british government, humphrey augustus arthington-davy, took up residence on dhoonidhoo island, near malé. 
in may 1961 arthington-davy visited addu to try to find a solution to the continuing crisis.
but seemed to exacerbate it.
as residents of thinadhoo island in huvadhoo atoll and fuvahmulah joined the revolt.
in july 1961 addu submitted demands to the majlis, which were rejected.
and nasir was authorised to put down the rebellion.
this he did in huvadhoo and fuvahmulah in february 1962.
although the revolt in addu continued until september 1963.
on 1st november 1963, fuvahmulah surrendered and accepted the maldivian government.
when the addu stopped rebelling and surrendered totally, the atoll chief and atoll committee was appointed on 4th january 1964.
by then, with construction work on the staging post well advanced, the gan agreement signed,
and with talks underway for the independence of the maldives, the rebellion fizzled out.
the british provided safe passage for abdulla afeef and his family to the british colony of the seychelles. 
mr afeef boarded hms loch lomond on sunday 29th september 1963.
the ship sailed from gan harbour on monday 30th september and arrived in seychelles on friday 4th october 1963.
i happened to visit the british high commission in colombo to discuss some pending british aid for the maldives. 
it was the day afeef was sent from gan to seychelles by british warship.
the first secretary of the high commission, peter moon, met me and we discussed the aid matter. 
after we finished, the diplomat told me he had some information that may interest me.
he looked at his watch and announced: “abdulla afeef is right now on his way to the seychelles.”  
then he looked at me and said pointedly: “is there any other solution?”
i replied like this.
“no, i don’t think there is.
because you cannot and will not hand over afeef to the government of the maldives.”
the main reason moon made me privy to that secret information was that he knew that i would convey this to prime minister nasir. 
when i did this he said quietly: “yes. 
there is no immediate alternative other than removing afeef from the scene.”
sometime later, nasir, as president, granted afeef a pardon. 
after that afeef visited malé and addu.
but he did not stay. 
he returned to the seychelles where he died in july 1993.
30 years after being exiled.
his descendants are still in the seychelles.
and some are working in government service there.  
chapter 7:
stirring times, 1962
while the southern rebellion was happening i was active in colombo in the expansion of the shipping side of mntc. 
gom had given top priority to create manpower for the available jobs. 
two young men, ahmed adam and hussain moosa had already been recruited and joined the maldivians living in sosun villa. 
they were marine engineering apprentices with walkers on a three or four year course.
and sailed in our vessels for some time. 
(john walker, an engineer, established walker & sons in kandy in the 1850's.
walker & greig was started in 1854 as a branch of walker & sons.
and was involved in designing machinery for use in tea factories. 
walkers became one of the largest commercial establishments in ceylon. 
today a malaysian listed company, mtd capital bhd, holds 90% of the shares of walkers.)
ahmed adam and hussain moosa went on a scholarship to burma, provided by ilo at their training school in rangoon. 
the practical work for this institution was provided by working on irrawaddy marine craft, slipped for repairs. 
being a very big river with heavy traffic, there were plenty of vessels requiring maintenance and repair. 
thus, it was an ideal location and situation for their training.
they completed their course and returned to colombo to sail as engineers on mntc vessels.
until, in 1960, gom required adam to improve the malé electricity supply, and he took up new duties in malé.
i was instructed by nasir to work on this. 
at that time, about 60-80 kw power was generated and distributed in malé.
i discussed the possibility of help as a loan or credit with harrisons lister engineering ltd of colombo.
it was a company owned by harrisons lister of the uk.  
malé used lister diesel engines exclusively then.  
i also spoke with browns & co ltd of colombo.
(brown & company was established in ceylon in 1875.
and was mainly involved as estate and general agency work. 
the greatest money-spinner was the agency they held for the uk-built ruston-hornsby (r&h) engines. 
these were in great demand the.
and a good number of estates in ceylon were powered by r&h engines. 
during the post-independence period, the management passed into ceylonese hands.
and since then, it has expanded as a group.
browns took an interest in assisting the maldives. 
2 x 225 kw r&h generators plus switchgear,
transformers for a 3,000 kw overhead/underground distribution system to cover malé,
and gears needed for that was agreed to be bought.
the package included the training of one engineer at r&h and also at the factories of the switchgear makers.
until the new equipment was received, it was agreed that browns would operate the powerhouse for a fixed monthly fee. 
ahmed adam, was selected to be sent to the uk for this training.
which lasted about two years. 
materials were received on a long-term payment basis. 
the distribution system was laid throughout malé.
in the meantime, the ceylonese staff of browns in the malé powerhouse became careless.
and the island was subjected to frequent blackouts. 
there was even a small amount of sabotage. 
at this stage, nasir took action and advised me to speak to the browns’ staff who were partly responsible for the mischief. 
the staff were sacked. 
ali didi was appointed to take up the operation of the powerhouse.
and this eventually became a unit of the maldives shipping line (msl) formed in 1967.
didi put the power house in order. 
adam returned after training and joined ali didi. 
he took over the operation gradually and managed the powerhouse well. 
the powerhouse staff under adam’s supervision carried out the generating capacity and the distribution system.
including the laying of underground cables. 
(he managed the operation until he retired from the powerhouse in 1980.)
moosa continued to sail. 
he became a chief engineer.
and was a very hardworking, intelligent and friendly person. 
he retired from sea service in 1980.
but continued to contribute to development of professional manpower in msl for several years.
the early 1960s were stirring times.
there was an air of confidence in malé.
as though maldivians were about to become masters of their own destiny.  
this was not just because talk of independence was in the air.
but through more practical and mundane matters.
such as trading, which was at last expanding. 
previously, gom had been content to follow tradition and let official trading be supplemented by the private sector. 
however, private trading had fallen into the hands of the borahs, a trading community from kutch mandvi porbandar on the west coast of india. 
there had been a settlement of them, amounting to about 30 traders, in the maldives for many years.
they had managed to capture over 75% of the maldives import and export, wholesale and retail trades.
they had their own sailing boats which plied between malé and colombo and india. 
in august 1962, these traders were advised by gom to stop trading and to leave the maldives.
some of them did. 
others nominally maldivianised their trading.
so that it appeared maldivian nationals now handled the business.
but it wasn’t.
the borahs were only using maldivians as a front. 
when the government realised this, the borah traders were asked to deposit all their cash.
with the maldives government bodu store (mgbs).
it was the government trading arm.
and with treasury too.
there being no banks then.
accordingly, by the end of the 1960s, they had deposited about rf3,500,000 with mgbs.
the larger traders closed up their businesses and went to colombo or india where they had other businesses. 
the smaller traders remained.
and mgbs released a fixed amount of cash every month to meet their living expenses in malé. 
however, they still carried on illicit trading on a small scale, such as lending money to maldivian traders. 
maldivian traders were poor and had no capital base.
so very few were able to be involved successfully with the import/export and retail trades.
the borah traders who returned to india naturally did not keep quiet about being asked to give up their lucrative businesses and quit the maldives. 
their protests eventually reached the highest indian authorities.
and were taken up by zakir hussain, who actually came from the borah community, when he was vice president of india. 
the presidential secretary to the government of india, mr gandevia, was charged with investigating the matter. 
he had previously been india’s high commissioner in ceylon and so was familiar with the situation. 
ahmed zaki was still at that time the representative of the government of maldives in colombo.  
he was summoned to the indian high commission for talks with gandevia.
and zaki asked me to attend the meeting with him.
it was not a very diplomatic encounter. 
gandevia was very straightforward.
and somewhat loud in his presentation. 
he accused gom of holding on to the assets of indian nationals and not permitting them to be repatriated. 
he warned that the government should settle this matter soon, otherwise bilateral relationships would be affected.  
zaki reported this to nasir in malé.
i understood that the government’s response was that there was no proof that the funds had been imported into the maldives in the first place. 
even accepting that the borahs did come with a small amount of capital,
their wealth had been amassed in the maldives over the period of 30 to 40 years that they were there.
accordingly, the government agreed to permit repatriation of their deposits on an annual fixed quota basis over a 20-year period.
repatriation would have to be in kind since there was no banking system in the maldives. 
the traders would be permitted to buy some designated local products from the market and then export those to ceylon or india. 
the local market value would be released from the deposits held by mgbs.
the borah traders understood the meaning of this reply.
and also knew that they were being asked to wait a long time for the rf3.5 million deposited with mgbs.
it took a decade to sort it out.
and it fell to me to do so. 
that was because nasir wanted a better solution. 
he asked me to see if we could negotiate with the traders individually.
beginning with one or two of the big ones. 
the idea was to arrive at an exchange rate of around one indian rupee to five maldivian rufiyaas. 
we would pay them off in cash at that rate, against full legal discharge. 
this solution was embarked in the early 1970s.
i recount it here out of time sequence as an example of the many different commercial aspects i was involved in that lingered over the years.
i began by closing a deal with one of the biggest depositors at mgbs, m s hibatullabhoy. 
it was a difficult matter.
but there was some reassurance that gom would honour any of the proposed commitments once agreement was reached. 
meanwhile, the smaller depositors resident in kutch mandvi porbandar in india were contacted.
that is through akber ali valji & sons, a borah trading company in bombay who were the buying agents there for mntc.
talks progressed slowly. 
by 1975 we were able to buy up all the deposits.
we spent about 70,000 uk pounds for the liability of rf3.5 million.
that represented an average exchange rate of mrf50 to one uk pound.
the complaints of the borah traders were resolved.
the misunderstanding with the government of india cleared up.
and, most important, we managed to remove what was then a very big government liability.
chapter 8:
communications, 1962 - 1964
during the very early days of nasir’s premiership he instructed me to deal with two matters.
which i mention here although i do not recall the dates. 
to illustrate nasir’s hands-on approach to detail,
and his enthusiasm to try new ideas to improve conditions for maldivians.  
first was when a canadian company proposed to the gom to collect lobsters from the maldives for organised export to europe via sri lanka.
i was instructed to negotiate a fair deal.
with special attention to protecting fishing in the maldives, especially avoiding interference in the shallow water breeding of small fish. 
this was because maldivian fishermen used sprats as bait to catch skipjack tuna by pole and line. 
negotiations were held and a contract concluded with an advance paid to the maldives government. 
the canadian investors sent an expert from canada.
and engaged local experts from sri lanka, including the respected sri lankan diver, rodney jonklaas. 
however, there was some problem between the canadians and the sri lankans and they could not proceed, so the project was scuppered.
the second deal was more successful. 
the inter government philatelic agency in new york owned by manfred lehmann and eric lehman (two jewish brothers) wrote a letter to gom.
asking gom to give them the sole agency for the sale of maldivian postage stamps worldwide, except in the maldives.
i investigated the reason behind this proposal and discovered that there was a growing demand worldwide for collecting stamps as a hobby. 
several countries were becoming independent from their colonial governance and were beginning to issue their own stamps. 
most of these were ceremonial stamps covering their independence.
some stamps were definitive.
some stamps were thematic.
and there were stamps to depict celebrative issues. 
the sale of stamps to collectors was becoming a booming business.
and the lehman brothers’ inter government philatelic agency was the leading agency, controlling the issuing of stamps for several countries. 
it was decided that the maldives should try its luck. 
the maldives was a de-facto british protectorate and was not supposed to have any defence or external connection without british approval. 
the british controlled all defence and external affairs, contacts and dealings. 
undaunted, however, we requested the lehman brothers to send a representative.
so mr manfred lehmann flew into colombo. 
i was appointed to negotiate with him.
the talks were guided in consultation with premier nasir by wireless through the maldives government representative office. 
the negotiations were completed and an agreement signed and the operation started very soon afterwards. 
maldives issued several colourful and beautifully designed stamps of about eight to 12 issues per annum during the first few years.
celebrating international events by the issuance of stamps. 
this was a novelty for foreign stamp collectors.
the result was that the maldives became very popular with stamp collectors.
and this brought in a reasonable foreign exchange income. 
also the maldives was well advertised by way of issuance of first day covers, plus ceremonial and historical stamps of international interest. 
the agreement with igpa still continues.
but the terms would have been changed by now.
there was a lighter episode to the negotiations, although i did not realise this until later.
manfred lehmann arrived in colombo on a thursday afternoon and stayed at the grand oriental hotel. 
although the next day was a friday, a non-working day for maldivians,
i began negotiations because lehman was a busy man and wanted  to conclude as soon as possible. 
i agreed and told him, “ok, we will continue tomorrow.” 
he apologetically said he was not available on saturday. 
so we concluded on sunday, a holiday in sri lanka. 
later, i learned that saturday was the sabbath holiday for jews and that was why he didn’t want to negotiate on that day. 
prime minister ibrahim nasir was a very intelligent person.
and he had a technical mind of very high calibre. 
he often used his free time in “meddling with mechanical and electronic equipment”.
during the early part of his premiership he lived in athiri maafannuge. 
in the backyard of that house there was a veranda, which he used as his “workshop”. 
there was a standing instruction from nasir that whenever any communication equipment was discarded from our ships, such be sent to maldives. 
this was a blessing in disguise for our ships.
because communication equipment could not be discharged in colombo or india. 
at that time we discharged marconi radio telephony equipment made up of fulmar transmitter and guardian receiver. 
in 1962 this telephony equipment, together with transmitter and receiver,
were brought from the wireless office, the government office for communication, to this “workshop”.
nasir had maizan ahmed maniku as his assistant. 
an unused westrex transmitter (imported for telex communication) was introduced to the “workshop”.
to be modified as a broadcast transmitter. 
later n.t. ahmed didi was included as another assistant. 
with his two assistants as “mechanics and engineers”, nasir worked.
tried by trial and error to convert the equipment to audio transmission in his “workshop.” 
there was a w/t connection from his veranda to colombo through the wireless office of malé or for direct use by nasir.
i was accustomed to meeting nasir on the athiri maafannuge veranda.
at one time, i saw him to be busy with his mechanics on the aforementioned transmitter receiver. 
he smiled and told me that they were going to convert it as a voice transmitter with a view to starting radio broadcasts of speech and music. 
he was successful.
because i later saw the set in operation. 
i visited him again a few weeks after that. 
there was a discussion about starting a proper radio transmission in mw and sw frequency. 
fm was not in use then. 
nasir wanted to import/fabricate a real transmitter, which would have signal strength to cover the entire maldives. 
we are talking a distance of about 300 nautical miles in radius.
luckily the islands are flat and there is no difficulty as in other countries that are mountainous. 
the discussion went on about getting a good radio technical engineer and also the necessary tools required to setup a workshop for the project. 
nasir passed the job on to me, and i started to work on this “project.”
queen’s radio in colombo was the agent for marconi marine of uk. 
the original msl fleet had marconi radio equipment. 
in the 1950-60s the most advanced combination was oceanspan-7 transmitter and atlanta receiver made by marconi of uk.
this equipment was for wireless transmission and receiving system approved by itu for marine use. 
the colombo agents had a chief engineer by the name of quinton wikramasinghe. 
i had come to know him fairly well.
because we used queen’s for servicing and surveying radio equipment on our ships for marine operating permit under imo rules. 
i understood that he was a frustrated radio engineer of high intelligence and knowledge.
so i enquired from him his views and interest getting involved for setting up a radio broadcasting station in the maldives. 
he was very interested and was ready to go ahead. 
naturally i got excited and went to maldives where the subject was discussed with nasir in malé. 
wikramasinghe was invited to malé.
he came with a homemade small transmitter.
this transmitter was used by nasir at his “workshop.” 
when the tests were completed to his satisfaction, on 12th march 1964 for the first time ever in the maldives malé cineco radio was started.
on the 90 meter band with regular broadcasting of speech and music programmes.
signals probably reached a distance of about 70 to 100 miles, depending on weather conditions.
the equipment was all kept at the veranda workshop in the earlier period. 
nasir added to his team of assistants, sabnamee ismail didi, abdulla khaleel, konday ali maniku and abdulla zubair as“ engineers and mechanics”.
to improve the transmission and equipment,
nasir wanted wikramasinghe to be a permanent engineer in maldives. 
i discussed the idea in detail with wikramasinghe, basically as follows:
to fabricate / build radio transmitter within required frequencies allocated for the region by the itu in mw/hf band. 
the transmitter should be powerful enough to cover maldives and possibly sri lanka and south india. 
government of maldives will employ him. 
accommodation, living allowance and a salary paid. 
work to be done at athiri maafannuge,.
assisted by the existing staff. 
he requested to bring his own technical assistant from sri lanka. 
additionally he wanted his wife to join him. 
these were all good points for his settlement in maldives to get our job done. 
his background was that he had worked for communication and radio broadcasting departments in ceylon. 
he was a “ham radio” enthusiast.
probably the chief of the colombo ham radio club. 
he was fed up, even thought he was at the top.
of not being able to do further study/experiments in the field of broadcasting communication. 
this was because of restrictions imposed by radio broadcasting act in ceylon. 
all arrangements were agreed, a short memo of understanding was signed and he was then onboard.
he looked at the modified fulmer/guardian transmitting equipment. 
he knew that there were people in maldives who could achieve the targets aimed for.
at the request of nasir, as the existing equipment was not able to cover the nation, 
i investigated the purchase of new or used transmission equipment from europe /usa. 
enquiries revealed the prices were very high and well above our budgets.
wikramasinghe suggested we purchase war surplus communication equipment from the dealers in the uk.
at that time there was an export market for war surplus. 
i felt this was not a bad idea. 
hence i recommended to nasir and he approved this.
wikramasinghe was sent to our buying agents to explore the market and submit a list of materials with prices for our approval. 
that is to uk.
he scanned the market.
mostly liverpool/coventry area.
and was able to get a heap of “scrap” at a very low cost sufficient for us to pick and choose what we required. 
these were secured, packed and shipped to malé. 
the materials were in malé in one and a half to two months. 
work started in earnest and two transmitters’ were fabricated. 
in the meantime a new radio station was constructed in malé, lonuziyaarayhkolhu.
an aerial system was erected which was quite massive.
transmitters were taken to the new station and installed. 
trials were carried out and transmission started. 
clear signals were received within the maldives, also part of south india. 
the setup later on became, “maldives broadcasting services” / “radio maldives” -- the national radio station. 
wikramasinghe worked in maldives sometime thereafter and then returned to colombo, as he was not in good health. 
after the airport was built, with wickramasinghe as the production engineer,
also produced the following transmission/receiving equipment by use of old marine communication equipment and “scrap imported from uk”:
first hulhulé airport direction beacon
equipment for communication between the hulhulé control tower and aircraft.
cineco radio broadcast government announcements every day between 4.30 and 5.30 pm.
the workshop engineers produced the communication equipment by,
modifying a second-hand pye r/t set output power 10 watts using 2182 khz (marine distress frequency).
broadcasts included news in dhivehi and english and music in dhivehi, hindustani and english.
even up to 1967, broadcasting transmitters, most other equipment like audio mixers, etc., were manufactured in athiri maafannuge “workshop”.
antenna masts were made under the supervision of kadhili dhonhuthu’s workshop in “kaburuge” and,
under supervision of ahmed adam in the engineering workshop of power house. 
at this period the work of the airport was started.
thus, equipments including hf transmitter, vhf set and beacon, were being manufactured in the same athiri maafannuge “workshop”.
under the same engineer wickramasinghe, aided by his maldivian assistants. 
in addition, all maintenance for the equipment in the “wireless office”, telephone exchange and the film theatre, were all done by the same team.
the hf transmitter to communicate with aircraft at this time, was installed in the office of prime minister, which was the former customs building. 
the beacon transmitter was installed at the veranda of bandeyrige (public safety). 
there was an interesting development in this regard concerning radio transmissions.
a us company wrote to the radio station enquiring if they would transmit materials provided by them with aerials beamed to a part of south india. 
material would come from usa on a weekly basis by mail. 
they offered a fair price on “time used” basis. 
as far as the radio station was concerned income was limited to a few local commercial advertisements, hence the offer was welcomed. 
nasir approved this and the business commenced with payment always in advance in favour of the radio station.
much later, in 1978 after the change of the government from president nasir to president maumoon,
it was discovered by gom that the material boradcasted by pan american via malé radio to south india was for the preaching of christianity. 
the authorities decided to stop this and the broadcasting was cancelled. 
i understand that the radio station was very much improved to higher levels as time passed with foreign aid.
mainly from the australian government aid.
chapter 9:
airport & independence: 1964 - 1965
although i was officially based in colombo, i was summoned in 1964 by prime minister nasir.
to be in charge of what was to become the predecessor of the most significant events in the prosperity of the maldives: the building of an airport.
actually there was already an airstrip for light aircraft on hulhulé island, close to malé.
this was completed in 1961 by the british royal air force.
as a consequence of the 1956 lease to the british of gan.
the gan airstrip was itself begun by the british royal navy in 1941 for use by the fleet air arm.
it was only transferred to the british royal air force in 1957 for use by raf planes.
as a staging post on the way from and to britain and the far east.
the airstrip at hulhulé was the first one to be built in the islands in peacetime outside of gan. 
hulhulé was inhabited at the time.
and used to be the retreat of sultans in ancient days. 
the residents were relocated to malé and all the coconut palms felled. 
an area was levelled and its top surface laid with perforated steel sheets to stabilise it.
light aircraft operated by the raf used this runway providing a link with the airstrip at gan. 
civilians from gan and colombo were carried by some of these raf flights by special arrangement. 
occasionally, small four-engine propeller aircraft, operated by the sri lankan air force on charter, landed at this airstrip.
since july 1960, the british had a representative, humphrey arthington-davy, in residence on dhoonidhoo island, near malé.
as the maldives was a state whose external affairs were handled by britain, he was not acting as a governor,
but as a quasi-ambassador for britain.
who liaised with visiting negotiators and gom over various matters.
this included talks of independence too. 
humphrey arthington-davy made himself decidedly unpopular by trying to interfere in the internal affairs of the maldives. 
he left the maldives in 1964.
and later became british high commissioner to the kingdom of tonga from 1973 to 1989.
since there was now an airstrip, gom was keen to have planes landing on it that were not operated by the raf,
but also planes that could carry civilian passengers. 
negotiations took place with air ceylon and with the commercial branch of the sri lankan air force.
about the possibility of operating their two small aircrafts, harron and riley and later followed by convair 300 aircraft.
with air ceylon, we negotiated the possibility of operating their avro 748 aircraft.
the british representative, arthington-davy, objected to this.
saying that the runway was not safe for such an aircraft.
negotiations went ahead, however, and arrangements were made for an avro to make a trial flight from colombo to land on the strip at hulhulé. 
as the plane came into view and circled the airstrip, humphrey arthington-davy  was at dhoonidhoo.
and i remember him setting off red flares in a frantic effort to warn the pilots not to land. 
neither the pilots nor the maldivians were deterred and the trial flights landed and left without mishap. 
arthington-davy also left, in july 1964.
being the last (as well as the first) full time british government representative based in the maldives.
the british showed a hostile attitude to this further step towards liberty, this time in the form of independent air transportation.
this led to a national movement among maldivians to build their own runway and airport at hulhulé. 
funds were collected and there were many public donations towards the project and plenty of volunteers prepared to help with labour. 
the public support was amazing.
technical assistance and guidance were obtained from the public works department in colombo on a government-to-government basis. 
ceylon loaned the required machinery, such as stone crushers, rollers, tar boilers, plus civil engineers to supervise the work. 
coral was harvested from nearby reefs.
and firewood brought from faraway islands to heat the bitumen. 
work began on 1 may 1964.
it was when the idea for a self-built airport was gaining momentum that nasir called me to malé and instructed me to be in charge of the project.
especially relating to the foreign component. 
i had no alternative but to agree, even though i was still officially based in colombo.
moreover, i had never worked in the maldives and was very apprehensive about doing so.
of course, i had considerable experience through working with gom while i was based in colombo.
but my knowledge of the bureaucracy and work style of the civil service in malé was limited. 
in addition, i had no knowledge of the administrative capabilities of the people i might be working with. 
i had an idea that my own independent and tough approach to work would not fit in well with the more leisurely attitude of maldivians at home.
it was such a momentous occasion that i remember the interview in nasir’s office very well. 
ibrahim rasheed, nasir’s deputy, was present when the order was given to me to take charge. 
i explained that i would need capable people to serve under me.
nasir immediately indicated that was why rasheed was present at the meeting.
rasheed’s main ministry was home affairs.
and i had previously visited him there occasionally. 
sometimes, in my presence, he would discuss with his secretaries various matters concerning malé and the islands falling under his ministry. 
i had noted during my visits the ability of one particular secretary who always appeared knowledgeable, willing and able. 
i didn’t know his name at the time.
after accepting my new assignment and being told to seek assistance from rasheed,
i asked if he would give me the secretary i had observed in his office. 
rasheed laughed and told nasir that the gentleman i was referring to was abdullah hameed. 
nasir immediately agreed and the gentleman was released to me.
i met hameed and told him that i had no knowledge about maldivian administration matters.
i explained i would be relying fully on him and he immediately understood the implications. 
i told him he should muster a team of good administration people.
and that i would discuss with rasheed about getting them assigned to the project. 
we set up a project team called the hulhulé airport project unit and i was able to have the services of the people hameed recommended. 
we moved to hulhulé, took over a boathouse as our office, and began to organise the construction work.
money was pouring in for the project both from the public as donations and from government payments. 
i was very concerned about proper accounting.
so i found someone, a professional whom i could trust, who was working in the audit office.
and asked him to audit the account books once a week, as a private job. 
this ensured that public accounting procedures that would eventually be required by the audit office were followed properly.
voluntary workers came to us in large batches. 
this put the project into competition with other labour units such as the port commission, and the shipping department. 
we had to be very careful to value their work on a fair basis.  
batches of volunteers to help with the work also came from schools, the various wards in malé and even from nearby islands. 
it was spontaneous voluntary work.
inspired perhaps as a way of showing the british they could not stop our desire to have our own airport.
it was a pleasure to see how fast we were progressing with local manpower and in the absence of heavy earth-moving equipment. 
the colombo engineers specified that we must excavate the land to a depth of two or three feet.
so that all vegetation, especially the roots of coconut trees, could be removed. 
to be cautious of the possibility of eventual decay of roots if they were left, which could cause subsidence and deform the surface of the runway.  
after excavation, the sandy soil had to be cleaned of any remaining roots by manual sieving. 
this soil was then re-laid in six-inch layers.
and using vibro compaction and stationary rollers the soil was made compact.
it took time as everything was done by hand.
the excavation was done by volunteers.
by using very basic hand tools.
the material was carried away in gunny bags. 
we had no lorries nor tippers.
we only had four old massey ferguson tractors and trailers. 
the tractors constantly needed repairing.
we would use them by day and repair them at night. 
repairs had to be done at the workshop of the malé powerhouse.
since that was the only place with any welding and machining equipment.
one important matter proved to be very tricky to organise. 
the natural formation of hulhulé island resulted in a small water clogged area at the eastern end. 
this was full of vegetation.
the bottom had silt and mud. 
there were fish living in the water and large sea birds congregated there to wait for prey.
it was obvious that voluntary labour would neither like, nor be able, to fill up the area.
we had to find a way to do it before the volunteer teams reached that point. 
first, though, we needed to know the actual depth of this swampy area.  
i managed to persuade a plucky maldivian, kundi saleem.
supported by thutthuge dhohutthu and others, to go into it. 
we tied a rope around his waist and held him on both sides so that if he sank beyond his height we could pull him up.  
he did sink, up to a depth of four feet.
the engineers insisted the area had to be cleared of all vegetation as best as possible and then filled with rough coral sand (kashiveli). 
luckily, at hulhulé then there was a point on the north of the island where this sand piles up. 
we devised a scheme whereby we would use our labour to clear the vegetation by hand and by rakes along the stretch approaching the swamp. 
when the volunteers left at the end of each day, we transported 25 tractor loads of this coarse sand and began to fill up the area.
this exercise continued for several days. 
by the time the voluntary labour force reached the swamp, we had the land above water level. 
we also managed to connect a small islet, known as gaadhoo, to hulhulé by filling in the channel of water with coral and sand. 
this could be seen as a prototype for the creation of hulhumalé almost 40 years later.
a control tower was constructed with whatever material we could find. 
after two years, the project was complete and the airport was opened on 12 april 1966.
an avro aircraft of air ceylon made the first commercial landing. 
the runway we built was in operation for 15 years using the bitumen surface that we laid.
indian airlines operated two flights a day with boeing 737 aircraft and air ceylon’s avro flew in regularly.
as did sri lankan air force and air maldives convair aircraft during the period from 1966 to 1981.
it was in the context of negotiating independence that the new airstrip was begun and the borah trader situation arose. 
our old friend (or should that be antagonist) humphrey arthington-davy was involved in discussions.
since he was still the official british representative to maldives although he was no longer resident. 
the subject of independence had been broached during the discussions in 1960 concerning the leasing of gan.
duncan sandys, the british minister responsible for commonwealth relations, visited malé in 1963 and held talks.
his talks were designed to lead to a negotiated independence. 
this was in relation to the 1887 agreement under which maldives was a protectorate state.
the maldives was still nominally a sultanate.
but an amendment to the constitution, passed in 1964, consolidated power in the hands of the prime minister, ibrahim nasir.
the final agreement concerning independence was signed in 1965 in colombo.
by prime minister nasir and the uk high commissioner in ceylon, sir michael walker.
independence arrived on 26 july 1965.
the times of london commented at the time.
"although the islands are now technically independent,
this rather diffuse state that has never been under british rule as such,
is not expected to seek membership of the commonwealth or the united nations.”  
less than two months later the maldives joined the united nations, opening the way for many other small states to become members.
chapter 10:
shipping after independence, 1965 - 1967
while the airport was being built, the vessel city of victoria carrying a cargo of bitumen for the project ran aground. 
this was salvaged by maldivians.
the british government eventually gave a grant of uk pounds 40,000 towards the cost of repair.
repairs were carried out in mazagon docks, bombay and she was renamed dhiffushi maadhoo. 
that was the name of the reef it ran aground.
this was the first steamship registered under the maldivian flag.
the mntc ships; maldive star and maldive crescent were registered under the british flag in london.
but as owned by mntc/colombo. 
this was possible because ceylon was an ex-dominion. 
around this time we gained another salvage ship, one belonging to borah traders. 
this was loaded with a cargo of jaggery in bags.
and it seems she had drifted without a crew from a mooring in porbandar of kutch in india, from where such boats operated. 
she was found and salvaged when she got beached on a reef in the maldives called adaran faru. 
we assumed she was god’s gift to the maldives.
she was a sailing vessel.
and said to be the sister ship of salaamathi, belonging to eusufally gulam hussain, a borah trader in maldives with his main office in gujarat, india. 
she was refloated and brought to malé and, under the laws of the sea, became the property of gom. 
she was named adaran faru.
after trading as a sailing ship for a period, this ship was mechanised with a lister blackstone engine installed at mazagon docks, bombay.
it cost around us$ 40,000.
the british government rendered some assistance for this mechanisation, as well as for the dhiffushi madu. 
adaran faru operated between colombo and malé on a regular basis and carried various cargoes.
flour and sugar at times.
but did not carry rice. 
dhiffushi maadhoo joined our gulf trade.
until she caught fire and burned. 
adaran faru was plying between malé/colombo/malé. 
she virtually carried all imports into the maldives excepting rice.  
she also carried kerosene and diesel oil for local consumption. 
at that time kerosene was packed in four gallon cans.
each two cans was packed into a wooden case known as ‘theyo manu.’ 
often the kerosene in the ‘theo manu’ leaked due to poor soldering of the cans and piercing of the nails used in fastening the wooden case. 
at times the loss exceeded 10 per cent of the shipment.
our ships travelled frequently between colombo, india and middle east.
thus a large number of empty 45 gallons drums became available after the consumption of lubricants contained in them.
we managed to collect a sizeable number of empty drums discharged in colombo and cleared through customs as scrap after paying a small duty. 
the supplier of kerosene and diesel then was shell company of ceylon. 
we arranged with shell company to have the drums cleaned and washed in their drum-cleaning yard. 
the drums were then filled with kerosene and diesel and sent to malé replacing the four gallon cans. 
by switching to this method of shipping we were able to avoid the loss due to leakage. 
the traders in the maldives did not welcome this change to 45-gallon drums.
because it was much heavier and more difficult to transport than the four gallon cans they were used to. 
buyers usually tied the floating 45-gallon drums to their boats and towed in the sea.
then beached them in their islands, and hauled them ashore and then sold the contents. 
the empty drums were returned to malé. 
the returned drums were somewhat dented during the transportation and turned rusty from exposure to the seawater. 
the empty drums were sent to colombo.
to be cleaned and filled again for export. 
we managed to use these drums two or three times before discarding them. 
by this we eliminated ‘theyo manu’ and the cost of leakage.
as a next step, we fitted bulk oil tanks in adaran faru.
to carry diesel and kerosene supplied in bulk by bowsers in colombo.
and then discharged them to tanks in lighters of the shipping department, who were shipping agents and stevedore for all vessels calling in malé.
oil was a dangerous commodity because of its high fire risk. 
storage for the first bulk ‘oil tank farm’ was next to what was then the prime minister’s office, the old customs building. 
three cylindrical tanks with a capacity of 15,000 to 20,000 gallons were fabricated in colombo and brought to malé and installed in the tank farm.
oil discharged from adaran faru was brought to the tank farm and pumped into the storage tanks. 
the tank farm was kept under 24-hour police security to ensure that there was no arson or pilferage.
the 45-gallon drums were filled in the tank farm and continued to be used in the distribution of oil to the islands.
about 25 to 30 new empty drums arrived in malé every month.
being empty lubricating oil drums from our ships.
and these contributed to the increase of the pool of drums available for distribution of oil to outer islands.
later, a pipeline was laid from the tank farm to the powerhouse.
and oil was pumped into the storage tanks of the powerhouse for the use of the powerhouse generators.
a satisfactory system of oil distribution, sufficient for the period, was in place at a minimum cost and functioned smoothly without any mishap.
with the consumption of oil increasing, the tank farm was shifted to the newly reclaimed land west of malé. 
additional tanks were also installed. 
finally the tank farm was shifted to funadhoo. 
three defective tanks of 1500 tons capacity each from ex raf base in gan were dismantled.
and brought to funadhoo by the tow/cargo hold of msl vessels and reinstalled in funadhoo after refurbishment.
funadhoo has since then expanded further. 
a bund/ retaining wall was constructed around the tank farm.
to arrest any leakage of oil spilling into the sea.
funadhoo remains as the oil terminal of the maldives.
the british government offered aid for shipping in limited scope. 
to have a ship operate a service between malé and colombo, we requested a 500 dwt vessel as a replacement for adaaranfaru and utheem.
maldives did not have any maritime regulations at that time.
and since she was not a signatory to imo (international maritime organisation) it was not possible to register a ship with maldivian flag. 
the british therefore suggested the government to form a company in the uk and register the vessel under british flag.
maldives investment ltd was incorporated in the uk for this purpose. 
this company was fully owned by the government of maldives. 
turquand, youngs & co. was appointed secretary and auditor of this company.
a ship called mondara was purchased, and renamed as maldive mariner.
and given by gom to the maldives shipping line (msl) newly formed in 1967.
at the same time, another vessel, named maldive mail, 3,000 dwt, was purchased from british aid and given to msl for operation.
those two vessels were owned by maldives investment ltd.
and sailed under the british flag. 
maldive mail caught fire and sank.
the boat value was recovered from insurance. 
the maldive mariner sailed on for several years, before sinking as she was being towed to karachi in 1980.
this boat was not insured.
british “protection” had long been a fetter on our dealings with the rest of the world. 
at the time of independence in 1965, i was based in colombo.
where i had the official post of special under secretary to the office of the prime minister. 
this was a post created by nasir.
because the ofiice in colombo had become the maldives high commision.
and so that i could dedicate myself to projects concerning the maldives in the convenience of this office. 
i held the post from 18 december 1961 to 27 november 1967.
i worked very hard in colombo to help maldives gain the substance that enabled the country to survive the early years of independence.
eventually to prosper beyond the wildest dreams of us all.
i have previously referred to the forming in 1948 of the maldivian national trading corporation (ceylon) limited (mntc/colombo).
at that time 75% of the equity was owned by mntc/malé.
later, 100% equity was secured by gom through mntc/malé.
in 1959 mntc (ceylon) ltd purchased the maldive crescent.
and i have written in an earlier chapter that she (like the maldive star) was registered in london. 
this was because ceylon was an ex-dominion and was in the commonwealth.  
thus a ceylon company could own a british flagged ship. 
the reason why the ship was purchased under ceylon ownership was because no laws, rules and regulations on maritime existed in the maldives.
ceylon at that time also did not have any rules or regulations for the registration of ships, thus the british flag was adopted. 
however, mntc/colombo was not allowed by the ceylon government to expand further in shipping.
because ceylon was going to start its own national shipping corporation.
after the independence of the maldives, it was decided to register ships under the maldives flag.
since there were by then simple laws that enabled this, based on what was practised in the maldives for sailing vessels.
the result was the establishment on 9 may 1967 of a new company registered in male'.
it was maldives shipping limited (msl).
the new company did not receive any funding or capital contribution from the government when it was formed. 
although i was the main instigator of that enterprise, i followed my father’s advice and refused to be msl’s chairman or managing director.
although i was a director and the officer in charge. 
it was necessity that obliged the now-independent maldives to have our own shipping line. 
this became very successful
it was so successful in a short span of time that msl salvaged the nation from isolation.
msl extended international shipping from south asia to the middle east and southeast asia.
playing a major role in the economic and social development of the maldives. 
the main objective of the company was to facilitate the shipment of supplies to malé.
shipping was never considered by the maldives as a money earner.
it was only supposed to be a service to keep the supply lines open to our “rather diffuse state” as the times described us.
foreign carriers were not interested in the maldives.
because the quantity of cargo movement was very small. 
per capita income was very low.
at about us$20.00 to $30.00 per annum.
being small islands with very limited requirements, carriage of cargo to the maldives was not a worthwhile commercial venture. 
both gom and i knew that.
yet we had to do something to keep cargo flowing despite all the difficulties.
i had been able through my efforts at mntc/colombo to utilise the earnings of its ship chartering operations to purchase ships. 
the company then owned the maldive star so she was transferred to msl ownership.
the transfer of this ship created a notional share capital of us$153,790.
this was the start of a very successful shipping line.
and i can say with pride that msl never received a cent from the government treasury.
indeed, it was msl’s contribution to the treasury, as well as its provision of a reliable cargo service, that was instrumental in the development of the maldives.
this is often forgotten.
especially by the younger generation.
who were not even alive when we were struggling to make a future possible for our unborn children. 
there has been criticism of msl in later year.
because it is no longer the large and successful shipping line that it was in the years when it was most needed. 
by the 1960s, steamships were out of the scene, replaced by motor vessels.
prices were high. 
developed countries applied high rates of insurance.
and modified rules with the purpose of getting old vessels depleted. 
that was because the west could not compete with the east on labour charges, so they wanted another advantage. 
msl was not in a position to go for high value ships. 
our horizon was very small.
and our resources limited.
the maldives was not known.
and we had no chance of borrowing from banks in international money markets.
there were many limitations for our expansion into a modern operation.  
there was no capital market or credit rating.
however, we kept on trying. 
starting with two small vessels (maldive star and maldive crescent) msl expanded into a genuine national shipping line.
owning 40 vessels within 15 years of commencement.
profit generation and loans from financial institutions, financed this expansion.
not by the government of the maldives. 
the maximum profit, of us$7.443 million, was earned in 1980.
chapter 11:
manpower, 1967
i was instrumental in the administration of, and arranging the financing for msl.
however the most important factor in the building up of our shipping industry was our local crew. 
maldivians live with the sea and they are born seamen.
the success of msl could not have happened without the support of maldivians.
we employed retired bangladeshi engine crew and experienced foreign seamen in the beginning.
but it was maldivians who learned from those expatriates and kept msl afloat when times were bad, as well as good. 
i know of no other nationality imbued with such loyalty and self-discipline.
therefore “who is a maldivian?”
it makes me ask this question.
every maldivian is uniquely bound by language, dhivehi, spoken by no other nationality.
of course, dhivehi has evolved over centuries.
by borrowing words from other cultures and adapting them to our island environment. 
every native maldivian was born and raised on an island, surrounded by the sea.
which represents both his liberty to sail away as well as confining him to his island home. 
the main bond, however, is our faith.
since the 12th century all maldivians are muslims.
language, religion and the island environment mould a maldivian from birth.
he is blessed by his faith and nature to be intelligent and hardworking.
he is interested and keen to learn.  
but he is secretive, too.
and prefers to get on with what he plans to do without any self-promotion. 
he knows a lot.
but will speak a little. 
a maldivian learns fast.
adapts easily to new technology.
and is prepared to make sacrifices to improve himself and his life.   
a maldivian is characteristically self-sufficient.
able to fend for himself.
and, being proud and content at being a maldivian.
makes few demands if he is treated fairly and with respect. 
he knows there is only one maldives in the world and feels beholden to his country.
even when far from home. 
a maldivian is loyal.
and industrious.
a maldivian will respond to friendship in the manner to which friendship is extended to him.
he is forgiving.
but does not forget a misdeed.
as there is no caste system in the maldives, a maldivian bestows respect only on fellow maldivians who have earned it.
in short, maldivians have dedicated and trust.
the pioneers of development were maldivian crews and my maldivian colleagues. 
if not for the trust and dedication, none of our enterprises of shipping, fishing and tourism would have been successful. 
if not for the united work of maldivians during the mid-20th century to create the prosperous lifeline , there would be no maldives today.
here, i would like to pay tribute to those who worked with me in those early days.
seamen, clerks, engineers and cadets, wharf rats and commodores, all helped to keep the lifeline to the maldives open and thriving.
all contributed to the success of maldivian shipping.
especially, messrs ali hussain didi, hussain moosa, and ahmed adam stand out.
as those, who combined the can-do spirit with discipline, competence and leadership.
as i have written earlier, msl’s activities were carried out from colombo via mntc/colombo. 
mntc first chartered vessels.
and then bought two ships. 
at this stage, the government of ceylon refused further purchase of ships.
saying that they would shortly be forming the ceylon shipping corporation. 
ultimately, this took more than eight years to happen.
msl was formed by a presidential decree in may 1967.
the first vessel to be registered under the maldives’ flag was diffushi madu.
formerly city of victoria, hong kong flag. 
as mentioned earlier, she had been salvaged by maldivians and repaired with financial help from britain.
the vessel was registered using laws, rules and regulations that were in force then for local trading vessels.
maldives was not then a member of the united nations.
hence the laws of the imco, a un agency dealing with maritime affairs, could not be used. 
however, dhiffushi - maadhoo was repaired in bombay and issued with a safety equipment list by surveyors of the government of india.
an endorsement was added that the ship complied with all imco rules and regulations.
this endorsement permitted the vessel to trade in regional waters.
in those days, prices of steamships of 1,500/2,500 dwt of 15 to 20 years of age were cheap.
it was possible to buy a vessel in reasonably good condition for uk pounds 75,000 to 100,000.
since msl had surplus cash, we purchased some small ships of 1,500/3,000 dwt range.
later, we purchased motor vessels with steam auxiliaries.  
an important purchase was maldive explorer.
formerly owned under a different name by brockle banks. 
it was a steam turbine vessel. 
we purchased her and then chartered her back to brockle banks.
delivered in the uk, and she sailed on their liner service to the east, ending at calcutta and re-delivered to us at colombo. 
we then sold her for a good profit to the ceylon shipping corporation!
it is appropriate to include here a mention of the help and guidance we had from ali hussain didi. 
in colombo, he lived in sosun villa, the maldivian hostel there. 
his desire was to be a marine engineer. 
he completed his workshop training with walkers engineers in colombo.
and he studied theory at the ceylon technical college. 
due to turmoil in malé in 1953 against amin didi's regime, ali hussain didi found it prudent to leave the maldives.
he proceeded to europe where he worked for a german ship owner. 
later, when nasir became prime minister, didi requested permission to return to malé.
this permission was granted.
and he joined msl. 
that’s when the real work of building up the shipping line started. 
we built our own repair shop at sosun villa. 
this cut down operation repair costs tremendously. 
ali hussain didi helped young maldivians take up engineering as a career.
he made them follow walkers engineering and ceylon technical college training. 
he also arranged for several young maldivians to be trained with mazagon dock, an indian school of marine engineering.
didi disciplined the crew and trained them properly in shipboard work. 
he handled many difficult repairs and dry docking operations. 
this enabled us to make considerable savings. 
he was one of the important pillars of msl.
and without his contribution of time and skill we would not have progressed so fast with such good results.
throughout the long time i knew ali didi, he was a steady and true friend, someone who could be relied on and trusted for any endeavour. 
he was always ready to tackle the most difficult jobs.
yet had the time to visit me and stay by my side when i almost died of typhoid. 
a man of integrity and principle.
he was always ready to serve.
and he did so cheerfully and with no thought for personal gain or recognition. 
he was an inspiration to our family.
and a role model for our children, who adored him. 
he was truly a maldivian hero who was ready to serve at our time of need. 
there are so many people to whom i am indebted.
not only for the help they gave me during those early years.
but also for what they did for the maldives. 
i am especially grateful for the help given to me in colombo during the period 1963 to late 1970.
by such people as p m nair, v v nair, ajwad hashim, bobby dharmakan, a l e perera, k k r nair and c p a nair.    
v v nair (known to us as v v) was the brother-in-law of p m nair. 
they lived in the same residence in colombo. 
vv travelled with p m nair from home to the office and back. 
they used to pick me up from my house in bambalapitiya. 
during the drive we would always talk.
and it fascinated me since vv knew all the details of the shipping business.
he ran his own successful import agency from an office close to ours. 
one day i invited him to visit our office some afternoons to assist us. 
he agreed. 
his vast experience and good command of english was very helpful. 
we were able to carry out profitable negotiations in freight fixtures and in chartering vessels because of him. 
i shall always appreciate his efforts. 
he retired to live a good life in his hometown of alleppey, malabar coast, india. 
we remained in contact by mail over the years.
bobby dharmakan joined mntc as an accountant. 
he quickly demonstrated his aptitude for accounts.
and also in diplomacy with his handling of the officials of various government departments in colombo. 
he was a great asset.
and became a dear friend whom i learned i could always depend on. 
he now lives in italy.
the late a l e perera was especially helpful in taking care that our interests in colombo port were well looked after. 
he was able to achieve many things that were beyond the ability of others. 
he managed to achieve all this with customary cheerfulness and dedication. 
the late ajwad hashim was the son of the late hashim, a founder director of mtc and mntc. 
ajwad was responsible for getting us in the colombo/jeddah tea trade. 
it was his foresight and action that helped us to succeed in that trade. 
he was a sincere and good friend.
he was a well educated qualified lawyer.
and very interesting to talk to. 
unfortunately, he passed away at quite a young age, leaving a wife and children.
his children have since settled, after a successful professional education, in the uk.
i have always said, and i cannot emphasise it enough, that our success in shipping and other projects is solely due to
the dedication, loyalty, and hard work of many attentive, intelligent people.
my respect and regards to all living and dead crew members of msl.
as well as their agents, suppliers and associates.
for the great help they rendered willingly to make the shipping line a success.    
when we started we had ships with steam engines.
and we had only a small amount of sophisticated machinery. 
we had to get our crews to switch from the old ways to the new ways of mechanisation.
we had to think of a way to get experienced crew to train our maldivian seamen. 
we achieved this by recruiting retired engine crew from the then east pakistan.  
there were such trained people available because of the nature of the shipping industry at the time. 
european ship operators, especially the british, maintained their own crew rosters in bombay, calcutta and chittagong. 
they recruited crew for deck and engine rooms from those rosters.
they tried to keep hindu crew on deck and muslim crew for the engine room. 
if their vessels operated up to the west coast of india, then bombay was the crew change port. 
if a service was extended around the east coast of india, then chittagong and calcutta were the crew change ports. 
these owners operated a “conference line service” between europe and india/middle east.
and calling at the major ports of the indian subcontinent and the middle east. 
the outward service covered west coast india, pakistan, arabian and persian gulf ports. 
the east coast service ended at calcutta and the east pakistan ports of chittagong and khulna.
according to their company rules, crew had to retire at the age of 55 and were unable to sail any more.
this policy resulted in many retired (and unemployed) but able and very experienced crew idling in chittagong. 
i sent a representative to chittagong and managed to get a batch of six retired engine crew willing to join us. 
we obtained pakistani passports for them.
(essential then as indian passport holders needed a visa to visit colombo, which pakistan passport holders did not). 
we arranged for them to sail from chittagong to karachi in the east/west pakistan passenger service (pakistan flag) ships.
these ships had to stop in colombo for bunkering. 
at colombo we transferred them to our own ships. 
we employed two maldivians as trainees for each of those experienced crew.
sometimes as many as four sets. 
we had east pakistani crew for a long time as we continued to train our maldivians.
maldivians are intelligent and quick to learn as well as hard working.
and the retired engine crew were excellent as trainers. 
on the deck side we had no difficulty training deck crew. 
we had old experienced seamen from the sailing vessels training the fishermen from the islands who joined as recruits. 
this training helped maldivians gain skills. 
we trained electricians, welders, radio officers, pursers, and navigational officers in sri lanka.  
young maldivians were also trained in bombay and singapore to become engineers and navigation officers.
msl trainees replaced foreign personnel on our ships.
and eventually found work with other international shipping lines. 
we had no difficulty in finding enough trained crew to enable us to expand. 
during the peak days of msl, we employed about 2,000 maldivians.
even today there are maldivian officers and seamen who began their careers with msl, now working on international lines.
these people remit millions of dollars annually to the maldives.
in the 1960s, msl was able to expand its fleet of ships.
because it was able to buy small general cargo ships at quite cheap prices.
the “liberty class” ships built mainly by the usa from 1941 to 1945,
and liner vessels built in europe, could carry similar quantities of cargo to several ports. 
msl was able to buy this type of ship, cheaply because the liner market had gone through massive restructuring after the start of containerisation.
and such ships were not in high demand.
these ships had two holds aft and three holds forward of the bridge.
the closure of the suez canal in 1956.
the oil price hiked, and the countries and ports in the red sea, adan,jiddah, aqaba, sudan, persian gulf developed.
this result provided the opportunity for maximum utilisation of our small cargo vessels. 
but difficult times were ahead for msl.
as containerisation took over and world shipping slumped.
chapter 12:
fishing and tourism 1967 - 1973
from 27 november 1967 to 6 april 1975, i was the representative of the maldives for trade, under the ministry of foreign affairs, in colombo.
it was a time fraught with problems.
as we endeavoured to develop our islands while, in sri lanka, political restrictions were rife. 
being in colombo or travelling meant that i was not privy to the political situation in malé. 
nasir never discussed politics with me.
and our only conversations were about business, commercial or trade matters. 
that’s how i liked it.
since my passion was trading.
not into politics.
nasir used to ask me to obtain information for him.
for example, on the world market price of rice or sugar.
i would send him the information. 
he would study it carefully and give me his instructions on what he wanted done.
usually never more than a two-line sentence.
it was my job to do it.
so, the political trends and the atmosphere were beyond my personal experience and knowledge. 
in april 1968, there was a referendum that resulted in the abolition of the sultanate.
ibrahim nasir became president of the republic of the maldives on 11 november 1968.
the day now commemorated as republic day.
life in the islands at the beginning of the decade was not easy. 
a report in the times of ceylon that appeared in 1970 on the fifth anniversary of independence must have been written with tongue-in-cheek.
it said: “the maldivian minds his own business.
and disregards what is said disparagingly of him. 
he is a much maligned man as he is passive by nature. 
he has more important things to do during his life on earth.
so that he ignores all that is said of him.”
what the writer was referring to – whether deliberately or not – was the cloud of fear and suspicion that had begun to hang over the islands. 
the 1970s saw the rise of domestic espionage with people, even family members, spying on each other.
even if someone spoke his mind over simple matters like the price of rice unless what he said be interpreted as being against the government.  
the maldives was suffering from this malefic climate of mistrust.
by coincidence it was flabbergasting to have a remarkable and long lasting effect on the prosperity of the islands and maldivians.
one was the return to malé in 1971 after 23 years of study and teaching abroad of maumoon abdul gayoom.
he became a teacher. 
then, my colleague from the building of the airport,abdullah hameed, maumoon's younger brother, became cabinet secretary to president nasir. 
not surprisingly, gayoom soon came to the notice of the president.
but according to gayoom's biography, this was worrying to him.
because when he was in egypt, he had openly criticised nasir’s relationship with israel.
however, president nasir had heard about gayoom’s devotion to islam and asked him to write sermons to be read at the friday mosque.
in 1972, gayoom became manager of the government shipping department.
which gave him a first hand knowledge of the work we were doing at msl. 
the other event involved our main livelihood, fishing.
the early 1970s were exceptionally good for fishing.
on one occasion in 1972 we had our ships adaran faru with 2,500 bags of dried fish lying outside colombo harbour.
and maldive star with over 4,000 bags outside colombo harbour.
we could not offload and clear the cargo.
because of the quota for ceylon having been exceeded.
hussain ali didi was the maldives representative in ceylon at the time. 
he obtained an appointment with mrs bandaranaike who had been returned to power as prime minister of ceylon in 1970.
i was requested by didi to accompany him for the meeting.
little realising at the time how significant the outcome would be for the future of the maldives. 
the meeting was held at temple trees, the official residence of the prime minister. 
when we arrived, ratwatte, the secretary to the prime minister, met us and he requested us to wait in the sitting room.
bandaranaike exclaimed as she came down the magnificent staircase that she had just returned from her constituency. 
we were astonished.
she said that children were crying there for the want of milk. 
in view of this, she demanded, how could ceylon afford to pay for dried fish from the maldives?
she stated that only the rich in ceylon could afford to pay for fish from the maldives and it was a luxury. 
she said “please do not depend on ceylon to buy your fish. 
you must request your government to cut down its export of fish to ceylon by 15 percent a year.”
she said that after six years we would have to find alternative markets for our dried fish. 
this news stunned us.
since we were dependent on the ceylon quota to enable us to obtain our basic supplies. 
we did manage, however, to persuade bandaranaike to issue instructions to release the two shipments lying afloat.
i returned to malé after that meeting greatly troubled.
by what could be done to make our fishing industry viable.
so that the people would not starve through lack of funds to purchase basic necessities.
i was at my home in malé when i received an unexpected visit from one ananda de silva from ceylon.
i had met him earlier.
since he was associated with c j fernando, who was an enterprising fisherman in ceylon.
c j fernando opened nippon fishing co in sri lanka in partnership with the japanese. 
they were operating long liners. 
ananda de silva was their manager.
he was also a partner in taos limited, which built long line fishing boats under colombo plan financing. 
i knew ananda de silva quite well.
and that was how he came to see me when the import of dried fish to sri lanka was being restricted. 
de silva was the agent for most of the japanese fishing fleet operating in the indian ocean.  
the fleet used to call at the colombo port for stores, water, bunkering, etc.
de silva asked me if the maldives would be interested in selling raw fish for freezing.
previously, we were involved only in the export sale of dried fish.
so this idea was a new departure for us.
he told me that the marubeni corporation of japan is interested in the project, to work through their subsidiary, hoko fishing company of japan.
i was sure that this idea would appeal to the government and to our fishermen if it could be worked out properly. 
i requested an appointment with nasir.
and explained to him the full situation.
beginning from our discussions with bandaranaike, her ultimatum, and the suggestion of de silva.
nasir was very positive. 
he wanted to proceed with the scheme immediately. 
officials from the state trading organisation (sto) were brought in for the negotiations that were begun with the hoko fishing company. 
hoko agreed to start operations in the northern atolls.
since there were better fishing grounds there than in the south. 
nasir, and the minister of fisheries and authoritarian of state trading organisation abdul sattar moosa didi ,and myself,
and ilyas ibrahim as secretary, i still recall the meeting we had.
it was a meeting to discuss the logistics to make the scheme work. 
we needed a formula on how to operate.
that is how to weigh and how to make payments to the fishermen for their catch. 
sattar proposed that we have a representative from the maldives on each hoko purchasing vessel. 
he is to record the weight of the fish, issue a receipt to boat owner ,who would give it to atoll chief or katheeb and collect payment from him.
i objected.
as i believed that such a roundabout system of payment would not work.
by then i had a lot of experience in disbursing the salary of ships’ crews, particularly the salary of adaran faru. 
there were occasionally complaints of non-receipt of salary by the crew members.
but they never pressed their complaints.
this made me realise that perhaps middlemen and thugs were involved, 
and they could control the system of payments.
i told sattar that if we were to make this a success, the fishermen should be paid the same day that they delivered fish to the purchasing vessel. 
i realised that we would be creating history.
as the fisherman (the producer) would thus get paid the moment he delivered the catch (his product). 
this never happened in the produce trade.
nasir considered my idea.
then he asked me if i was aware of the “gan island iron safe robbery episode.” 
i told him that i wasn’t aware of it.
he went on to explain that government money for disbursement had been locked in the safe and it had been broken open.
and rf300,000 had been stolen.
clearly he was worried that something similar might happen.
and he said that he was not willing to take a risk on government funds, which my proposal might entail.
he then asked me: “are you, ali maniku, prepared to underwrite a sum of rf500,000 for this scheme.
and if it is robbed, would you guarantee to make good the loss?” like this he said.
there was tension in the room while i considered the matter. 
i have previously written about working privately in a partnership with nasir related to obtaining films to be shown at the olympia cinema in malé. 
my understanding with the cinema company in malé was that the revenue would be divided 50%-50%.
nasir was in charge of the company and he held my share on account. 
over the years this sum grew substantially, thanks to the popularity of the films we imported.
and it meant that nasir was holding for me around rf400,000 to rf500,000.
this came about as a result of my own out-of-office-hours role as an importer and distributor of hindi films.
we both knew that this money was there when nasir challenged me to guarantee the payment scheme that i had suggested for the fishermen. 
this was a huge risk that could have resulted in dire consequences for all concerned.
including nasir himself. 
however, such was my desire to see the project work, i came to a conclusion.
i agreed to underwrite any loss from the scheme that i suggested, for on-the-spot payment of cash to fishermen for their catch. ⇥
i put it to nasir like this.
i told him he could earmark rf500,000 from the cinema money he was holding on my account as my guarantee.
then i added that i had a condition.
that he must provide trustworthy people with good track records in government to manage the scheme.
he replied by saying that manpower was not under his command but that i should sort out the matter with sattar. 
so, i turned to him and requested good manpower. 
he mentioned a few names.
of which the two i knew and would be happy with were those of singapore manikufaanu, and ali kaleyfaanu kuda tuttu.
singapore manikufaanu had worked as cashier/accountant at the maldives representative office in colombo for a long period.
and ali kaleyfaanu kuda tuttu was our arabic and quran teacher.
we got good quality young manpower and sincere service from the sto.
they were anbaree abdul sattar, ismail shafeeq and ismail ibrahim. 
the agreement was signed with marubeni of japan on 6 april 1972.
the operation ran smoothly. 
there were no falsified documents.
no disputes with the fishermen. 
the result was a good growth in the fishing industry and a significant improvement in the way of life of islanders.
as an offshoot of this, the mechanisation of dhonis progressed rapidly following its official introduction in november 1974.
mechanised dhonis were able to travel between islands and fishing grounds faster.
whereas sailing dhonis depended on direction of current and wind. 
mechanised boats were able to do two to three trips a day to and from the fishing grounds. 
this increased the earning of the fishermen and improved their living conditions.
in its first year of operation, the japanese company bought 7,000 tons.
the annual amount had reached 30,000 tons when the japanese withdrew from the trade nearly 20 years later.
i was called in by nasir about three years after the beginning of the scheme. 
nasir told me that the government was spending rf16,000 on transport to replenish the food stock and cash to the collecting vessels.
and that this was excessive. 
he wanted me to find another way of making payments to the fishermen.
i told him that maldivians knew how to read a dial weighing scale.
and could convert kilogrammes to pounds, and most of them had pocket calculators. 
i suggested that gom appoint the marubeni company as the agent to pay the fishermen.
the scheme of direct payment could still work even when done by the japanese themselves. ⇥
nasir said that he would be willing to advance maldivian rufiyaa to marubeni against bank guarantee or a letter of credit.
i told him that marubeni would agree to the idea. 
however, i then had the big problem of convincing ishikawa (marubeni’s representative) to accept the task. 
when i spoke to him he was quite upset and not agreeable, rejecting the idea at first.
i had to plead with him and pointed out that we had succeeded in cooperating without any problems up to then. 
the maldives, the japanese and the industry were all benefiting from the arrangement. 
trust had been created.
and there were no problems between the japanese and the maldivians in any way.
they understood each other. 
i asked him, for my sake, to give the payment scheme a three-month trial. 
eventually, he agreed and the experiment was started.
and it worked well. 
the system prevailed until marubeni withdrew from the maldives in the 1980s.
i knew i was taking a risk by guaranteeing my own funds to set up the scheme.
but i trusted maldivians.
and had faith that the system would work.
it was typical of nasir to support me on a new untested venture. 
he also proved his mettle a few years later when his intervention saved me from being unjustly sent to prison in colombo.  
somewhere on the internet, on one of those websites that are set up specifically to disparage the maldives, i am described as a “smuggler.”
in my position, i am not surprised that i occasionally attract criticism and comment.
based on a misunderstanding of events or deeds. 
i have never succumbed to corruption in any way.
and in fact it was my sheer  and naive  honesty that nearly did see me imprisoned as a smuggler.
this incidents still haunts me even after 35 years.
before relating the details of that episode, it is important to look at the maldives and sri lanka in the early 1970s.
although i visited malé for specific projects then, i was based in colombo as the trade representative for maldives.
hence i had my home there in frankfurt place, on the seaside of galle road in bambalapitiya. 
in march 1972, the first organised group of tourists arrived in the maldives.
spearheading an amazing, unexpected and frenetic development.  
the story of the coming of tourism to the maldives and the development it made possible is well-known. 
the arrival of the first group, who stayed in houses in malé.
and visited nearby uninhabited islands and engaged in activities like scuba diving and spear-fishing.
this led to the development of the island of vihamanafushi, which was named "kurumba village".
spear-fishing has now been banned.
this island was leased by ibrahim rasheed.
and developed as the first tourist resort.
by a partnership of ahmed naseem and my brother, m u maniku, and an italian, george corbin. 
it had about 20 rooms and 40 beds.
it was the beginning of what has become the “grand hotel” of the islands, the premier resort of kurumba maldives.
president nasir instantly recognised the potential of tourism and wanted the government to enter into the business.  
he himself also became involved through a company he founded called crescent tourist agency (cta). 
a team that included myself was selected by nasir.
and given a mandate to develop islands to provide a total of 600 beds for this new venture.
the islands of bandos, furanafushi, farukolhufushi, baros, villingili, meerufenfushi and wellasaru were selected for development. 
much of the foreign exchange required for the importation of items for construction came from msl. 
all the necessary materials for construction were imported from singapore by msl vessels. 
i used to be given a shopping list of what to buy and had to ship the materials to maldives as speedily as possible. 
work on the six islands was carried out by several private contractors.
the rooms were simple.
not like the lavishly furnished, luxurious air-conditioned rooms of today’s resorts. 
they had plain cement floors, asbestos ceilings, and half-tiled toilets. 
for bathing and washing, we used brackish, salt water drawn from the ground. 
rainwater was collected for drinking purposes. 
surprisingly, the very simplicity appealed to the early visitors.
and their enthusiasm for holidaying in the islands was spread by word of mouth.
helping the industry to flourish.
i was only involved to kick start the business.
thereafter the trade was handled by private developers. 
however, i did make a tour to europe, together with impet of walkers tours of colombo.
to drum up interest among travel agencies. 
we visited several countries on that first sales and marketing tour.
including italy, germany, denmark, switzerland, sweden and the uk. 
we travelled by train.
and carried with us three full suitcases of simple brochures with the tariffs of the pioneering six island resorts. 
very few europeans knew anything about the maldives.
and even in the tourist industry less than five percent of the agents we met had even heard about the islands.  
however, by the end of that year, we had a fair number of tourists from sweden, denmark and italy.
the government began to earn direct revenue.
that is through the rental charged for the islands, and bed tax . 
the income from tourism quickly matched, and then overtook, that earned from fisheries. 
at the beginning, as we learned how to cope, tourism was not well managed.
as everyone learnt on the job. 
however, it has now become a very professionally run industry giving satisfaction to visitors from all over the world. 
the benefits of tourism are inestimable.
meanwhile my brothers, were all working in the private sector.
they combined their talents and founded universal enterprises.
which now operates several very popular resort islands, including kurumba maldives.
i was never personally involved with the company nor directly with tourism. 
when tourism began, local political developments were of little consequence.
unlike today when the smallest ripple in the calm of our island life attracts considerable media attention.
in the 1970s there was some turmoil in the islands but it did not interfere with the development of tourism.
president nasir became unwell and was unable to attend satisfactorily to the day to day running of the government. 
he proposed an amendment to the constitution allowing him to appoint a prime minister. 
the choice was to be decided by the citizens majlis.
ahmed zaki was eventually chosen as prime minister.
and he looked after the day to day business of gom but president nasir was still definitely in charge.
the atmosphere at the time was fraught with worry for those interested in politics and governance. 
even maumoon abdul gayoom was arrested in 1973 and banished for four years.
however, nasir got re-elected as president in 1973.
maumoon benefited from an amnesty to mark this in november 1973.
and was soon appointed as under secretary in the telecommunications department. 
chapter 13:
changing base, 1973 - 1975
in colombo at the beginning of the 1970s all was not well.
this was evident from the sri lankan government’s fast adoption of socialist policies.
which affected not only the people of sri lanka( as it was called from after 1972).
but it also affected maldivians. 
gom began to consider changing the base of the operations of msl and also of focusing its trading activities elsewhere. 
it was then that an episode occurred involving me personally.
that highlighted the difficulties of our relationship with the ceylon government.
i had been resident and stationed in colombo since 196.
and, because of my duties, travelled frequently to india, the maldives and the far east.
in those days credit cards were not available to residents of sri lanka. 
so on my travels i was accustomed to carrying plenty of cash.
usually, about us$5,000 to $8,000, to cover overseas expenses.
tourism arrived maldives, msl went through expansion.
and the nasir got re-elected as president in 1973.
thus i was constantly on the move.
and i was also involved in purchasing and general commercial activity for the government. 
sometime in 1974 i travelled from malé to colombo carrying with me us$7,000 in cash.
i had a diplomatic passport. 
even so, in those days, everyone was required to fill in several forms at the airport.
to declare all the currency in their possession.
and i was no exception.
i breezed through customs as usual and began my drive to colombo in the car.
it was on the ride i realised to my horror that i had not declared the money i had.
it was the us$7,000 in cash.
i had simply forgotten about it.
since it was an amount i always carried for travelling in emergencies.  
at that time in those difficult days, it was a serious offence to be in sri lanka in possession of undeclared currency. 
i was appalled at what i had done unwittingly and determined to report it immediately.
i was accompanied by joseph weerakkody, the mntc representative.
who, because of his duties, knew the colombo customs personnel very well. 
i ordered the car to turn around and we drove straight back to the airport.
we went to the customs office and i explained the position about my non-declaration of my foreign currency.
i was asked to make a statement.
i was told that there was nothing they personally could do and a decision could only be made by the chief customs collector (baggage office). 
i was told i should proceed to the customs head office in colombo, opposite the governor general’s house.
the next day, weerakkody and ajwad hashim came with me when i went to the head office. 
i was called in by the chief and questioned. 
i answered fully.
explaining the circumstances and how i had returned to the airport to declare the currency as soon as i realised what i had done.
the officer charged me with smuggling and prepared his report. 
at that time, a special cid unit created by felix dias bandaranaike was very active in tracking down foreign exchange. 
the possession of foreign currency was prohibited.
and in the restrictive outlook of the time it was a dirty deed, indeed. 
this unit was known and feared as the “fourth floor torture unit”.
it was called so because of the way it conducted its enquiries. 
to my astonishment, the customs chief called the cid officer and passed his report to him, saying “manik is yours now.” 
the cid officer asked me to come with him. 
hashim, who was a practising lawyer, wanted to talk to me. 
the cid officer replied: “he is now under our custody and you cannot talk to him direct, only through us.”
i was taken to the cid office.
where i was searched and the officer took all my papers, passport, etc.
he then drove me to my house in frankfurt place and went through the rooms searching everything.
they went to my bedroom and opened my cupboards. 
the papers of myself and my wife were taken away.
even though they were personal letters written in maldivian script. 
my mother was in colombo at the time.
and was very upset about it all.
especially as none of us could understand why it was happening.  
i was then taken to the mntc office.
where all the drawers and cupboards were searched. 
in the more liberated and liberal climate of sri lanka today, it must be difficult to understand how such a thing could have happened. 
sri lanka was then under srimavo bandaranaike.
and similar to a communist country.
with very strict laws relating to foreign currency.
imported goods, too were not allowed.
it happened that president nasir arrived in colombo that same afternoon. 
the maldivian ambassador, hussain ali didi, reported my matter to the president upon his arrival. 
he immediately contacted the governor general, william gopallawa, and requested my release.
as i was scheduled to accompany president nasir on an urgent visit to singapore.
governer general gopallawa contacted prime minister bandaranaike and then felix dias bandaranaike. 
the result was a telephone call to the cid personnel, while they were still searching my office, from their boss, tyrell gunatilake.  
i heard the conversation.
“nothing found in the house and office” they reported.
i was next taken to the infamous cid office on the fourth floor. 
a cid officer told me that he had been instructed to release me. 
he prepared a detailed list of the items they had taken from me, including the sum of us$7,000.
he asked me to sign an undertaking that i would present myself for further questioning on my return from singapore. 
i signed both documents.
and left all the items with the cid.
i told the officer.
“the problem in sri lanka is that you don’t trust anyone.
i need not smuggle us$7,000 into this country.
i could call london and move more than a quarter of a million pounds here immediately.”
i was driven to the maldives embassy.
where president nasir waited to greet me.
i felt like crying when i saw him and knew what he had done. 
he asked me briefly what had happened. 
he then told me that i should travel with him the next morning to singapore by swiss air. 
he seemed to be deep in thought.
and did not discuss the matter further at the time.
president nasir was flying to singapore for medical treatment. 
he stayed at the hyatt hotel.
as did i and his personal staff. 
a few minutes after we had checked into our rooms, the president’s secretary, ilyas ibrahim, called me on the room telephone.
he said that the president wanted to see me and i was to bring my passport.
i immediately went to his suite. 
he took my passport and looked at it.
he then asked me, “do you know what this is?”
i replied. “it is my passport”. 
he said : “no. this is a diplomatic passport.  
sri lankan customs and cid cannot touch you after they allowed your entry as a diplomat. 
the passport visa states that as well.” 
he then added words that made me realise the confidence he had in me.
“i will not surrender you to the sri lankan authorities.”
i explained to him as best i could that we did not want to upset the sri lankan authorities.
since our livelihood depended on sri lanka and the business we did there. 
sri lanka purchased all our fish.
and supplied food items and general goods under a form of government-to-government barter.
president nasir replied: “however small or vulnerable we are, we are a sovereign nation.
and i will not accept any of our people to be treated in this way.
we have to keep up our prestige and status as a country.” 
he then asked his secretary to request his office in malé to make immediate arrangements for two of his ministers to fly singapore.
they are, ahmed hilmy and abdul sattar, who were previously ambassadors to sri lanka and to the un/usa, respectively.
hilmy was a very tough speaker and took action quickly.
sattar was very quiet with the demeanour of a real diplomat.
both ministers arrived in singapore the next evening.
and stayed at the hyatt hotel. 
the president called them, together with ilyas and myself, to his suite.  
he then explained to them what had happened to me in colombo and showed them my passport. 
he said that he had given an undertaking to the governor general of sri lanka with the words that “i will send maniku back to colombo.”
he commented that he had heard my explanation.
and looking at my passport, he felt that neither the customs nor cid could arrest or detain me. 
“he is allowed into sri lanka as a diplomat, and that is stated in his visa.” 
he added: “i have, therefore decided not to surrender maniku.”
president nasir then asked both ministers to fly to colombo, meet the prime minister, and convey his message.
he continued: “if the sri lankans do not agree, i am ready to break all ties and relationships with sri lanka.”
the ministers endorsed his decision.
i told them exactly what i had told president nasir previously.
the two ministers flew to colombo the next day. 
the president’s office in malé had arranged an appointment with prime minister bandaranaike.
the permanent secretary of the sri lankan ministry of external affairs, n q dias, was also present at the meeting. 
when the ministers met the prime minister, they explained the position that president nasir was taking. 
meanwhile, nasir instructed me not to visit sri lanka.
this obliged me, whenever i had to leave the maldives on business, to fly from malé to gan by piper two-engine plane.
and then by raf aircraft from gan to singapore.
some six months passed without me returning to my base in colombo.
zaki was the prime minister of the maldives then.
he had been ambassador in colombo for several years.
hence he was friendly with sri lankan government ministers. 
i understand that n q dias approached him in an effort to resolve the impasse.
coincidentally, bandaranaike, her foreign minister, as well as dias, visited malé as guests of prime minister zaki. 
i was told to attend a reception being hosted in their honour.
both dias and bandaranaike spoke to me. 
they told me to forget the incident.
 said “you are completely free to go in and out of sri lanka with respect.”
around this time we were involved in the relocation of the base of msl’s shipping operations. 
this was the result of many circumstances.
one of which was that the sri lankan government established its own shipping corporation in 1973/74.
it set up what it called a freight bureau. 
this enabled it to control all the freight coming in and going out of sri lanka. 
the government used the united nations conference on trade and development (unctad) chapter as the authorisation.
to have a majority control of freight going out and imported to srilanka. 
even the balance had to go on nominated vessels.
we also had to leave because we had no more room to operate. 
my main concern was shipping.
keeping open the lifeline to the maldives.
with the introduction of container ships we began to lose carrying cargo from colombo and the persian gulf. 
it seemed that the expansion of our shipping line was over. 
cargo from india to the gulf and the red sea also reduced considerably. 
this affected the building up of msl. 
we never borrowed to finance the company.
all purchases were by cash. 
in the 1970s we were approached by chandoo brothers of karachi, our agents in pakistan.
we were partnered by them in some joint venture companies and purchased some ships with finance arranged by them. 
this continued for six to seven years.
the game of shipping changed day by day. 
containers came into play in different ways. 
first, it was unitised cargo.
then the carriage of loaded barges in a ship’s hold, the lash barge system introduced by the usa.
finally, containers were the choice and shipping companies utilised them in different ways.
some converted single deck vessels to container carriers. 
others built new ships. 
all this was very expensive. 
it required huge capital investment but the returns were good at the time.  
unfortunately, we could not keep up with that development as we were small capital players.
and still did not know enough about finance. 
containerised cargo could not be carried to maldives.
as there was no infrastructure to load and unload containers.
therefore there was a natural disincentive to purchase container-carrying vessels.
we tried tramping.
with 17 to 20 year-old vessels being used.
there was a shipping market revolution then. 
good market periods became fewer and dry periods were extended.
eventually we had to give up. 
the purpose for which msl was started, however, was fulfilled.
that is, a reliable supply line to the maldives was established. 
this is in place.
and will continue to be so. 
however, revenue from shipping as a dependable earner for the government was no longer feasible by the end by the 1980s.
we arranged to relocate msl to bombay in 1974.
and were welcomed by the indian authorities. 
we were given a lot of facilities and exemptions from many rules and regulations by the indian government to encourage us. 
it was quite a change from the complex situation that had arisen in sri lanka. 
i assumed that the sri lankan authorities were not unaware that i had moved the entire shipping operations from colombo to bombay.
thus msl became the main operators between bombay and the gulf. 
msl was the major carrier of produce from sri lanka to the red sea ports of aden, jeddah, aqaba, port sudan, assab, and massawa. 
also to arabian and persian gulf ports of dubai, kuwait, the iran ports, and iraq, dammam, doha, etc. 
it was a win-win situation. 
because tea cargo must go fresh to the market, traders wanted frequent shipments. 
the suez canal was closed in 1956.
following this, the conference line ships had lost the ability to serve the red sea ports and arabian/persian gulf. 
we were prepared to give shippers sailings every 15 days.
with msl, they were getting fresh stock to the market in record time. 
on return journeys, we had cargo from assab, massawa and aden, as well as from gwadar, pasni, ormara, karachi and bombay. 
we had a network of offices in sri lanka, india, pakistan, uk and singapore.
singapore later became our base of operations.
with the introduction of unitised and container shipping in the 1970s, conventional shipping began to be phased out.
there was heavy restructuring and re-organisation. 
ships had to be converted and new ones ordered. 
shipping suddenly became a heavy capital business. 
unfortunately, this was not the field of msl.
because our main purpose was to be the supply line to the maldives.
supported by a regional operation.
msl did not have the capital or investors.
to participate in what was a fast capital-intensive evolution was uncapable.
in the 1970s, the number of container and semi-container vessels increased.
hence sea transportation and the turnaround time for container vessels improved dramatically.
most tramp vessels that msl was using were no longer profitable.
to operate carrying small quantities of cargo in break-bulk to different ports was profitable. 
also, by mid 1970s, the useful life of most of the msl ships was nearing the end.
in addition, the ports of the red sea and the persian gulf were well developed and more and more of their cargoes were going in container vessels.
thus it gave them a faster turnaround time.
all that was in the future when a short while after i set up msl’s office in bombay, president nasir went to colombo for a medical checkup. 
he asked me to come to colombo to meet him there.
i was in bombay, supervising msl operations but, as instructed, i flew back. 
this was the first time i was returning after the currency incident. 
at colombo airport i was received by the maldivian ambassador and sri lankan protocol staff. 
president nasir himself waited outside the airport. 
i came out of immigration and customs without any problem and it was with extreme relief that i joined nasir in his car for the drive to colombo.
that was the end of this unhappy episode.
except for one small incident. 
i stayed at the maldives embassy during that visit. 
a cid officer visited me there by appointment.
to hand over all the papers and documents they had taken from me. 
he returned everything.
except the us$7,000.
“what about the us$7,000?”
i asked.
there was no answer.
i said then.
“well, i understand that sri lanka needs foreign exchange.
and therefore i should not expect it to be returned.”
i was rescued due to the daring of president nasir, who was prepared to take a stand for what he believed was right.
if it weren't for him i might well have been imprisoned as a smuggler.
it was my own honesty that got me in that difficult situation.
and nasir’s honest support that got me out of it.
chapter 14:
gan again, 1975 - 1976
while i was broadening the horizons of the maldives overseas, in malé, life was becoming more difficult. 
rising prices on the world market of imports affected the ordinary maldivian who found staples like rice and sugar were becoming too expensive.
(all related, of course, to them huge increase in oil prices at the time).
the normally placid maldivian was nearing breaking point. 
on thursday 13 june 1974, there was a demonstration about the rising food prices and against the repression being suffered by people in malé.
it looked like becoming a spontaneous rebellion to bring down the president.
and nasir reacted angrily.
and to control the people, ordering the police to fire in the air. 
fortunately, there were no casualties from the shooting.
and soon the citizens were controlled.  
when president nasir and his cabinet members arrived the scene, the conflict had ended.
but later it was heard that there was high possibility that the plan was being plotted by some people.
there were many arrests.
including that of maumoon abdul gayoom.
maumoon was jailed without trial.  
he was released after 50 days, and within six weeks was given a post in the prime minister’s office as under secretary.
that job was short lived.
as prime minister zaki was himself banished in march 1975.
he was first kept in dhoonidhoo.
later on in fuahmulak.
there was also a reshuffle in government.
with nasir appointing five vice presidents.
including to my complete astonishment ,myself.
i asked nasir why he was promoting me to that post. 
he told me he was not a person to discuss things.
and i was forced to accept. 
while my duties still concerned shipping and trading, i was also involved in several special assignments. 
one of these was,
the result of the combination of circumstances that made nasir decide it was time,
to find a more suitable base for the overseas activities of the maldives. 
since the 1940s all our overseas operations had been conducted through colombo.
perhaps what happened to me contributed in part to the final decision to move our overseas trade office.  
it was also becoming increasingly difficult to comply with the protectionist and restrictive practices.
and all the petty rules and regulations that were used to enforce them.
in practical terms, this meant the markets were empty.
and there was nothing coming in to re-export.
nasir saw what a great future the maldives had with the tourism industry.
and was keen that this should be developed in the fastest and most practical way possible. 
we were getting no support from sri lanka for this.
and, in fact, sri lanka was cutting down on imports.
nasir instructed me to find another place to set up base.
i travelled throughout the neighbouring countries - india, pakistan, malaysia, thailand, and singapore - in search of a suitable new base.
as i have recounted, bombay had already been chosen as the base for our shipping activities.
particularly in view of the special concessions offered to us by the indian authorities. 
i reported back to nasir that my choice as the centre of our overseas trading operations would be singapore.
he wanted to know why.
i explained that it was like a supermarket. 
it was possible to buy even the small quantities of imports that we needed, and people were keen to trade. 
the laws were fluid, there was no exchange control.
and it had a fine trading seaport. 
he agreed and it was left to me to arrange.
i had to negotiate an understanding with the singapore government for us to open a maldives government trading office there. 
the singapore government was very strict about issuing visas and work permits to foreigners, even then. 
they were only issued to highly qualified people.
whom, of course, we did not have.
however, it seems the potential of maintaining a good relationship with the maldives was recognised.
and we were granted a concession of being able to have maldivian employees, as long as they constituted no more than 10% of our total staff.
this was, in fact, the beginning of a long and successful informal relationship between our two countries.
and we began trading operations from singapore in 1975.
singaporeans were not slow to support our fledgling tourist industry by extending credit.
and over the years have themselves become major participants in the success of the industry. 
we would probably never have gone to singapore had the attitude of sri lanka been different.
however, given the massive development of singapore and its superb infrastructure and practical approach to governance, i am very glad we did. 
i held the post as one of his deputies, or vice presidents from 6 april 1975 to 14 january 1977.
during that period i made official visits to meet the heads of states of kuwait, libya, and iran. 
of these, i recall the visit to kuwait. 
fathulla jameel,  the then deputy foreign minister who later became foreign minister, travelled with me. 
when we met the amir of kuwait a translator was also present.
after usual greetings, i mentioned to the amir through the translator in english that jameel was a scholar from al azhar university in cairo, egypt.
and that he spoke fluent arabic.
the amir questioned jameel in arabic and told me that he speaks better arabic than himself. 
the translator was asked to leave.
and jameel sat next to the amir. 
our request for help -- in financing the airport extension project -- was granted.  
to everyone’s surprise, nasir made gayoom the deputy ambassador of the maldives in sri lanka his posting to colombo.
however, maumoon was in colombo for a short period.
as nasir lost patience with the sri lankan government, apparently for their interference in maldivian affairs.
and closed down the embassy in colombo. 
maumoon was later attached for a short time to the un mission in new york.
maumoon was posted as deputy minister of transport.
i was involved with him eversince.
since his portfolio included shipping. 
we worked well together. 
it was during this period that nasir called me in and asked me to take on a responsibility that i felt was beyond my ability and experience.
i was not a diplomat.
rather i was a man of action.
nasir, of course, was not to be deterred.
he gave me three large files containing documents.
letters and minutes pertaining to meetings and exchanges that a high powered committee.
which included shihab and hilmy, had had with british negotiators about gan. 
the british had served notice on the gom that they intended withdrawing from gan that year, 1976.
regardless of the agreement they had signed to stay until 1986.
there was a labour government in power in britain.
and it had decided to withdraw british forces from bases east of suez as part of budgetary cuts. 
our committee had made little headway on discussions with the british for suitable compensation. 
the view of gom was that there will be loss of jobs by the withdrawal of british from gan.
and there should be adequate compensation for the displacement of the workforce.
this was based on the following facts.
before the british built the base the people of the area earned their livelihood from fishing. 
they had given up fishing to work for the british for 20 years.
they had sold or abandoned their fishing boats.
and there was no fishing in addu atoll. 
with the closure of the base, there would be no work and the labour force would have to be rehabilitated.  
the maldives government had no money for such a scheme.
and requested three million pounds as compensation. 
the british position was that they had no procedure or practice to pay compensation when they closed up a base or staging post. 
discussions had stalled.
and the matter remained at that, as a stalemate.
nasir told me that the british had served notice to say that they will withdraw and vacate gan within two months.
whether they had a formal agreement or not. 
they further advised the government that they would remove all equipment, machinery, etc., from gan and hithadhoo island.
nasir was not very happy that an agreement could not be reached for a peaceful withdrawal.  
he then told me that he had no objection to the british withdrawing from gan but they should not take anything with them. 
he specifically told me that all substantial materials must be left behind.
he informed me that he had arranged for ahmed adam and moomina haleem to travel with me to gan. 
adam was to check the powerhouse.
and ms moomina would check the hospital. 
my reaction was to wonder just what i was being asked to do.
i told nasir that i needed to go through the files so i could understand the position. 
he agreed and gave me two hours to do so.
i went home, taking the files with me. 
i only had a little time to peruse them.
but was able to get a better idea of what was going on, and also to develop some kind of strategy. 
after two hours i returned to nasir’s home, velaanaage.
and he told me that he had arranged for a piper seneca aircraft to take us to gan the next morning. 
i agreed.
but said that i would need to take ali hussain didi with me. 
nasir instructed ilyas, his secretary, to tell didi that i needed him in gan.
by the time i got back home to palm court, didi was already there waiting for me.
he asked me what this important matter was all about. 
i showed him the files and explained the position briefly.
i told him that i needed him with me as he was a person who had worked with the raf and knew the british. 
i said that i was expecting there to be a showdown at our meeting with them.
i told him i might have to talk tough and get angry and that i might even walk out of the meeting in a huff.
i needed him to remain in the meeting to calm down the british and arrange for me to meet them again. 
this was my strategy. 
it was small chance i told him but i was prepared to risk it and may have to take that course of action.     
we travelled to gan the next day.
we were received by the commanding officer of the base and taken to our quarters.
we then had lunch at the senior staff mess as guests of the commanding officer. 
the british negotiating team joined us at lunch.
and the meeting was fixed for 2pm.
on our side we were four.
that is didi, moomina, adam and myself. 
on the british side there were seven people.
representing defence, public accounting, civil service, the raf, etc. 
we had barely exchanged the usual courtesies when the british started.
all the frustrations that had built up during their meetings with the ministerial committee spilled out. 
i listened patiently.
then i told them that l was only a simple businessman and a government servant.
i was not a politician or a diplomat or a minister. 
i explained that i had been instructed by the government of the maldives to resolve this matter peacefully and in a friendly manner. 
if they were not ready to do so, then i did not think we could make any headway.
again they all started talking about the frustrations they had experienced.
the waste of time, etc.  
at that point i interrupted them quite rudely. 
i pretended to be angry. 
i said that if that was their attitude, i was going to withdraw from the meeting and return to malé.  
i stood up, pushed back my chair and, with a quick glance at didi, walked out of the meeting.
i went back to my quarters and waited patiently.
sure enough, after about half an hour didi called me and asked me to come back to the meeting. 
i went back. 
by then, the british had calmed down and were prepared to listen to me.
i told them my views, as a businessman. 
i explained that the equipment in gan was now over 20 years old.
the cost of taking the equipment to europe was a waste of public funds. 
the british no longer had any interest in the indian ocean. 
the next base was masirah in the persian gulf, then cyprus, then london. 
the junk in gan was not needed in those bases.
those who had been working in gan for 20 years had forgotten how to fish.
and anyway no longer had their fishing boats. 
they had earned three pounds a day for about 20 years working with the british.
this had raised their lifestyle expectations and standards.
when the base closed, they would be left unemployed. 
adjustment of their lifestyle would be very difficult. 
therefore compensation or severance pay was vital.
the british team had obviously prepared themselves, too.
but because of my stance were now ready to compromise.
they explained that, according to their rules, the payment of gratuity was not considered when a royal air force base was closed.
however, they would consider paying increased aid to the maldives for the next three years.
so that such aid could be used to rehabilitate the people of addu atoll and improve living conditions in the south.
they agreed not to remove any substantial equipment, except the security equipment.
the meeting closed on a happy note.
and we had a good dinner and returned to malé the next day. 
nasir had obviously decided to hold me responsible for gan. 
he instructed me to organise the take over. 
i was to maintain and dismantle some equipment and ship it to malé. 
ali hussain didi was entrusted with that job.  
he picked a team from our shipping fleet to do it. 
i went up and down between malé and gan about four times during that period. 
nasir advised me that i should attend the final withdrawal and handing over ceremony.
that i did.
receiving the base at gan on behalf of gom.
after the handing over, i reported back to nasir, thinking that was the end of the episode. 
to my surprise he told me to pick up a file that was on his office table. 
he instructed me to turn to the maldives independence agreement that was in the file. 
he explained that there was a clause in that agreement.
that stated that the raf could use gan airstrip whenever it was required to protect the commonwealth. 
this could be done without reference to the government of maldives, and without the usual courtesies or permission being requested.
nasir told me that he was of the opinion that from the day the raf withdrew from gan, they had lost that privilege.  
he wanted me to draft a letter that the government should send to the british government. 
i explained that i was not sufficiently knowledgeable to do that and that i would need legal help. 
he agreed.
i went to colombo and contacted my friend, sam kadirgamar, qc. 
he was in nuwara eliya for the april vacation.
so i went to meet him there and discussed the situation with him. 
he drafted an appropriate letter, which i transmitted by wireless through the maldives embassy, and then i proceeded to singapore.
a few weeks later i heard from nasir saying that the british government had replied but did not agree to our stand. 
they wanted to meet a maldives government representative to discuss the matter.
nasir told me that he had decided to send me.  
this was difficult at the time because of my duties with msl so i told nasir that i was fairly busy. 
he said that he was not in a hurry and that i could meet the british negotiators whenever i was in the uk.
which i used to visit about four times a year then.
about two months later i was in england on a shipping matter.
i informed nasir and told him that after about three days, i would have completed my work.
i gave him my hotel details. 
the next day i came back to the hotel in the evening from my shipping meetings.
i was surprised to find there was a letter from the british ministry of defence. 
it contained an invitation for lunch the next day at 1pm.
i knew what this was about and thought of the position i would take in view of this cordial approach.
i was picked up at my hotel by the british secretary of defence himself, roy mason. 
we drove to the defence ministry and sat there for a while discussing this and that, matters of no real consequence. 
then, we went to a small restaurant in the west end of london for lunch. 
an assistant accompanied mason.
i was alone. 
when coffee was being served after the lunch, mason quietly said that we still had a small matter to discuss.
the gan issue.  
he told me that her majesty’s government did not agree to the view that we had expressed about the use of gan by the raf.
i explained to him as follows. 
britain had no more interest in india, pakistan, sri lanka or even the far east except hong kong. 
gan was not needed for the transfer of troops to hong kong.  
there was then a six-power agreement (uk, new zealand, australia, singapore, malaysia, brunei) in existence. 
troops were moved by vc-10 aircraft with the range uk to singapore, to australia.
re-fuelling in gan was not required. 
further, as far as hong kong was concerned, china could take over any time it wanted.
the british would not be able to stop them.
i said that since maldives was now an independent sovereign state.
it was only right that due courtesy should be extended. 
i had thought through the position from the british point of view and could see the situation that mason was faced with. 
i made a suggestion to him.
“let sleeping dogs lie,” i said.  
i told him he could make a statement in the house of commons saying the matter was discussed.
and h m government expressed disagreement to the gom representative’s viewpoint. 
i will say we don’t agree to the british views for the reasons i had stated.
i said that the matter would resolve itself with the passing of time.
we hoped and prayed, of course, that it would not become necessary to use gan for commonwealth protection.
mason got my point.
and said that it was a good idea. 
the matter has remained like that ever since. 
time has extinguished its effects.
when the british withdrew from gan, they left many well-trained maldivians with considerable experience in many fields. 
this supply of experienced labour coincided with rapid growth in the tourism industry.
so all the qualified personnel were able to find employment and helped build up the new industry.
chapter 15:
telecommunications, 1976 - 1978
my involvement in my country’s telecommunications sector began in 1974.
when i headed the maldivian team that negotiated a deal with the overseas communications service (ocs) of india.
a teleprinter link between the ocs and the telecommunications department (tcd) of maldives was set up.
through which maldives was, for the first time in it’s history, able to communicate with the rest of the world via telex.
before then, our only communication link was to the maldivian embassy in sri lanka and tcd.
via collins transceivers installed at both these places. 
it was exclusively by the government.
messages from government to foreign embassies accredited to the maldives,
and it’s trade office in colombo and vice-versa, were either read out or sent via morse-code by operators at tcd. 
the operator at the ambassador's office would write, and put down the address to be delivered by messengers.
same method is used to convey messages from these places and trade office to maldivian government.
meanwhile, tourism had begun and the first group of tourists arrived in the maldives in late 1972.
thus the urgent need for international telecommunications was felt to enable the operation of a viable tourist industry.
maldives shipping operations also had moved out of colombo to bombay, and a way to communicate with the government was yet to be found.
the issue was tabled for indian government assistance to the maldives.
a top level indian government delegation arrived in malé for discussions with the maldivian government.
the delegation was headed by mr. p.g. damle, director general of the overseas communications service.
i led the maldivian delegation that met this team.
a project was worked out which led to the establishment of the bombay/malé telecommunications link in 1974.
the maldivian government set a receiving station at marine drive no. 54, within two or three months.
under the guidance of three indian engineers.
maldives shipping limited became one of the first subscribers to the link.
and became the top user of the link.
but the bombay/malé teleprinter link and the other communication facilities were insufficient.
including the wireless link to our embassy in colombo,
and the small automatic telephone exchange set up exclusively for use in malé.
these were proved to be insufficient for the rising demands of development, especially tourism development, in the maldives.
we had built resorts for visitors to stay in.
but we had not given much thought to their need to communicate their holiday in the maldives.
person to person communications to foreign destinations was unheard of.
and seemed a distant reality.
as a new industry, tourism was making demands on the infrastructure of the maldives. 
we built resorts for visitors to stay, but had not given much thought to communications beyond a small automatic telephone exchange in malé.
external communication between our embassy in colombo and government in malé was still by wireless. 
there was a special hf telex link between msl in malé and msl in bombay through indian government assistance. 
it was in 1976, during one of my visits to malé from singapore where i was based, running msl.
president nasir called me in to see him
he showed me a leaflet that had been forwarded to him though our embassy in colombo.
about a proposal from the nippon electric company (nec) for a portable earth station satellite dish.  
he said he wanted to get one for the maldives.
i had previously seen something similar in singapore so the system was not new to me. 
however, i knew the price was high.
indeed it was quoted as us$1.5 million (fob japan) for equipment and us$49,189 for installation and testing.
that was a huge sum for the maldives then. 
i remained quiet wondering what to do. 
nasir asked me why i was quiet.
i replied that this was a big investment and being the latest in satellite technology.
and that it was highly technical. 
we would need skilled manpower to operate it.
he responded by saying he would find the us$1.5 million by securing some aid funds and by withdrawal of some resources.
he waved aside my protest that we had no trained maldivians to operate the equipment by saying that i would have to find a competent operator.
i was stunned. 
then he told me: “i know we can go for hf telex first.
but i need to catch back lost time.  
i need the latest technology in communication. 
attaining this will be a big help for us move forward. 
and even speed up the development of the country.”
by this, i got the message and the answer. 
it was now my problem to find the solution. 
i was baffled.
but, of course, this was an order.
so i agreed to look into the matter. 
i left malé that evening to stay in colombo overnight before catching my flight to singapore the next day. 
i stayed at the ceylon intercontinental hote.
but was unable to sleep well because of the problem. 
it was not just a matter of buying the satellite dish.
but of finding a reliable operator, then getting the equipment installed.
and everything else for the maldives to be on satellite communication, covering telephone, telex, fax, tv, etc.
since i wasn’t able to sleep properly, i decided to get up.
it was about 5am.
hence i went down to the coffee shop for a cup of coffee.
afterwards, i sat in the lobby of the hotel thinking what i should do. 
there were only a few people there at that early hour. 
i noticed three englishmen at the counter paying their bills.
and afterwards they came and sat near me in the lobby while they waited for their taxi to the airport. 
naturally, we got talking.
they explained they were on their way from hong kong to the seychelles by the boac flight that morning.
this is another incident of fate unexpectedly giving us a helping hand. 
the three men were officials with cable & wireless.
they were on their way to the seychelles to discuss with the government there the installation of a satellite dish and telecommunications system.
which was similar to the one president nasir had asked me to set up. 
they explained that cable & wireless (c&w) handled the telecommunications systems of several islands in the caribbean. 
i asked them whether they would be interested in the indian ocean and they said yes. 
so, i mentioned that the government of the maldives was also considering the installation of such equipment. 
i asked if c&w would be interested in the operation on a basis to be discussed and agreed.
the answer was, “yes.”
they gave me some brochures about the company.
and i said i would get in touch with them in london.
they left for the airport. 
when my friend hashim came to meet me,i told that i changed my mind and would not go to singapore but must return immediately to maldives.  
i phoned the maldives embassy and a wireless message was sent to nasir that i was coming back and would like an appointment to see him.
i bought a ticket to malé at the colombo airport and flew by air ceylon to the maldives. 
nasir must have sensed the matter was urgent.
because one of his secretaries was at the airport to meet me with a government launch.  
we went straight to the president’s office. 
nasir asked me what the problem was.
i told him that i had found an answer to the most difficult part of the assignment he had entrusted to me. 
i gave him a copy of the c&w company profile and the visiting cards of the officials i had met. 
he glanced through the profile and said that c&w was first class and i should go ahead and make arrangements with them. 
i then explained why i thought it necessary to consult him before i went any further. 
i said that negotiations with the british over their withdrawal from gan had not been very pleasant. 
i did not know what the political view was about having a british company handle our national and international telecommunication services.  
nasir told me that he regarded the gan chapter as closed.
and he was happy for me to negotiate with the company.
as soon as i returned to singapore, i contacted the representatives of nec and asked them to prepare a detailed proposal.
and  also to provide a firm quote with terms of equipment supplying, financing, installation, training, etc. 
the nec and mitsui officials visited the maldives and carried out a preliminary survey for setting up the satellite station. 
i discussed the earth station proposal including an international switching centre, etc., in tokyo.
in the meantime, i discussed with c&w personnel about the operating of the system.  
i arranged a meeting with c&w at the msl office in singapore. 
their team included an engineer, wilkinson.
who gave expert advice on the nec proposals. 
since c&w was setting up a similar system in the seychelles they had the knowledge and were able to compare matters. 
i had invited the nec representatives as well.
they were waiting in another room. 
after i had heard what the c&w team said, i asked the nec people to join us. 
they were surprised at the presence of the c&w team. 
i told them c&w were to be the technical and operations managers.
and thus it would not be proper to conclude this business without their advice and help.  
there were some minor technical shortcomings to the proposal that c&w wanted resolved.
and nec agreed to do that without any additional cost. 
then came the bolt from the blue that shook me completely as i thought everything was settled.
both c&w and nec told that the equipment used in seychelles was on the fdm system working on the indian ocean satellite. 
there were now no more free circuits on that satellite.
since all of them were reserved by india, singapore and other countries. 
if we needed any slots, which of course we did if the system was to work, we had to request a special release via intelsat. 
that would take time.  
a new satellite based on scpc/pcn system was now in operation.
this satellite would take over all the fdm systems within two years. 
the fdm satellite would then be isolated. 
already type a dishes were being used in this system by several countries.
at this stage, the nec engineers suggested that the maldives could become the first country to use the new system on a small satellite dish. 
they assured me that there would be no technical problem. 
when there was a switchover from fdm to scpc/pcn satellite, there would be a very slight delay in the transfer of signal.
but human ears would not notice.
i had already arranged for the director of maldives telecom to be sent to the usa to negotiate membership with intelsat. 
there, it was easy for me to verify what they proposed. 
we were advised by intelsat that they could allocate a frequency immediately if we opted for the new system. 
i had to make an instant decision. 
there was no time for discussion with those in the maldives.
because our communication would have to be through colombo or bombay.
a long explanation of the technical details by wireless would have been difficult because of atmospheric conditions.
i asked nec what would be the reduction in price.
they tried to argue that we were getting the latest technology at a lower price.
my counter argument was that we would be a “guinea pig”.
this was an experiment as the maldives would be the first country to use the system.
i told them if something went wrong i would lose my job.
and could expect severe punishment for agreeing to the proposal. 
the only way i could recommend the system would be, with significantly reduced price and the guarantee to solve defects for free. 
i requested a reduction of us$200,000.
finally, we agreed the guarantee and a reduction of us$150,000.
hence putting the cost of the system at us$1,350,000.
when i met the c&w team later they wanted to know what had happened. 
i gave them a brief explanation and told them the final price. 
their response was that i had achieved a better deal for the maldives than they were able to get for the seychelles.  
the equipment was eventually installed and the satellite functioned well. 
it remained in service until the 1990s.
c&w signed an agreement with gom on january 1977.
for a period of 10 years starting from the date for the sole right to operate and develop the international telecommunications of the maldives.
what would have happened if i hadn’t got up early that day at the ceylon intercontinental hotel and met those c&w officials by chance!
i sometimes wonder
after completion of the satellite communication installation, nasir called me and instructed me to prepare a new project.
the introduction of television to the maldives.
by that time, i knew the officers and engineers of nec.
and my experience of working with them on the nec/mitsui satellite project had been comparatively easy. 
therefore, my first approach was to them. 
nec produced the equipment incorporating the latest technology.
we had a meeting to review their proposals in colombo. 
for our reference, we used a navigation chart produced by the british navy to see the catchment area the equipment would cover.
the nec engineers suggested various combinations of equipment to give different areas of transmission of the tv signals. 
since we had a very limited budget, there was a cap on what we could actually spend.
naturally, the greater the power output of transmission, the greater the radius of coverage of the signal. 
we selected equipment that would give us a radius of 15 nautical miles, based on the nec technical data.
all the islands of the maldives are flat with no obstructions of mountains.
hence the nec engineers explained that we could reasonably expect a coverage of more than that, perhaps 20 to 25 nautical miles.
the project was not confined to transmitting equipment.
but also involved the building of a television station with studio facilities. 
the biggest problem was how to set up a tv transmission aerial mast.
we diagnosed the whole project and assigned responsibilities for the execution of different jobs.
nec was contracted to supply the complete equipment for the tv transmission station, along with the drawings for the construction of the station. 
nec was also to fabricate the tv transmission aerial mast in a knockdown condition. 
the maldives government was to provide the foundation of the tv transmission tower, and to assemble the mast.
nec was to deliver all the equipment, install it and conduct tests. 
they were also to train two maldivians in japan, and afterwards in the maldives, in the operation and maintenance of the equipment. 
a price for the equipment, the aerial mast, the installation and training for the colour transmission we wanted, was negotiated.
all inclusive i was able to negotiate at us$450,000.
a project proposal was prepared and submitted to nasir. 
he went through it thoroughly and asked some pertinent questions. 
luckily, i was able to answer satisfactorily based on the knowledge i had myself gained during the negotiations with nec/mitsui. 
he approved the project and instructed me and ahmed adam, then in charge of the electricity and powerhouse in maldives, to go ahead. 
we had to complete the job in six months.
nec duly submitted the drawings for the tv transmission station and the aerial installation. 
the design of the station was for reinforced concrete and brick construction.  
in those days, concrete was something very new for the maldives. 
furthermore, concrete was made with sea sand (coral sand) with finger coral as the aggregate plus cement.
all this contained salt. 
this resulted in the concrete cracking up very quickly due to the rust caused by the reinforced steel that was used to strengthen it.
we could not use that method.
as the building was going to be big, by maldivian standards at the time.
and would be housing heavy equipment at various levels.
so, i decided to redesign the building to a steel structure.
this would be covered with paint plus limited masonry materials using river sand, aggregate and cement imported from sri lanka.
i contracted a mechanical draftsman from colombo and transferred him to singapore.
there he worked on the preparation of plans for the structure following the rcc drawings supplied by nec. 
he was advised to use steel sections, which would provide the load bearing factors in excess of what was achieved in the rcc building. 
full sets of the drawings were prepared and sent to nec for their approval.
and they approved.
i had the fabrication done by a steel prefabricator in singapore. 
it was marked properly according to the assembly drawings and was shipped to the maldives.
in the meantime, we had the problem of getting a crane with the length of jib long enough to lift the tv aerial mast when it was assembled. 
there were only two cranes at the time in malé.  
one was a jones crane, imported for using at the port.
it had a capacity of 6 tons.
the other was a coles crane, a gift from britain, with a capacity of 60 tons.
that was the one we needed.
unfortunately, we discovered that the jib was not long enough to lift the aerial mast and hold it until it was bolted to the base holding the mast.  
we contacted coles in the uk and arranged to import a section of the jib, in order to obtain the length we needed.
as usual, delivery from the uk to malé would take a long time.
but we had our deadline so we had to appeal to them to make it a special case and send it urgently.
they obliged and we received the section of the jib just in time. 
the building was completed and the foundation for the aerial mast was also finished on time. 
this was due to the hard and concerted efforts of ahmed adam and his workers.
nec was satisfied with the work we had done. 
the equipment was transhipped to malé on msl ships from singapore. 
on delivery it was installed and tested. 
the television station was opened on 29 march 1978.
and achieved a transmission radius of 25 miles.
even at present, the same building, although modified and enlarged several times, is still being used.
another of my special assignments concerned the extension of the airport runway so that it could take jumbo jets, such as the boeing 747.
this became necessary due to huge increase in the number of tourists wanting to visit maldives. 
requests for funding assistance were made by gom to several countries. 
the government of kuwait responded positively.
that is in line with the maldives breaking the connection with israel. 
this encouraged a brotherly islamic nation to help the maldives in some way. 
oil prices were high and the arab countries had surplus funds available.
kuwait’s emir sent abdul hamad as his emissary to discuss the request for funding.
i was in malé.
and was advised by nasir to attend the meeting with hamad. 
fathulla jameel of the foreign ministry headed the maldives delegation. 
hamad got straight to the point.
opening the meeting with these words.
“gentlemen, it is not necessary for you to convince me that there is potential for tourism in your country. 
i have flown over the maldives.
and am satisfied that there is great potential for tourism. 
to achieve this, you will need an international standard airport. 
the emir of kuwait has committed to lend the government of maldives an amount of kuwaiti dinar 5 million.
“i will send officials and engineers of the kuwait fund to investigate and make a detailed study and a plan for this. 
my inspection shows that the present runway was built by you, including the reclamation of land. 
even this time, the reclamation will be the maldivians responsibility. 
if you fail to reclaim the land required in time and the contractor has to idle, then the claim for idle time will have to be paid by you.”
at that stage i explained, that the last reclamation was done manually without the use of any dredger. 
the land had been levelled and now there was no more sand available to be shifted manually for backfill. 
as one end of the new runway would extend over the sea where the depth was 35 feet, reclamation was essential.
hamad then said that there would be a sum of us$500,000 available as technical aid.
that it can be used for the reclamation and that was the best that he could do.
countries such as britain and saudi arabia had declined to help us.
since here was someone prepared to help us to a certain extent,  we could not reject or refuse his help. 
we said that we would try to find a way.
when i reported this to nasir he asked me to find out how much it would cost to reclaim the necessary land by contractors. 
we made a quick quantity survey with depth records and the help of singapore contractors. 
the lowest estimate was in excess of us$4 million.
so all hope of getting the job done seemed lost since the government did not have the funds.
a freelance dredger design engineer who heard about the project visited malé and had an interview with mr ahmed adam. 
he said that he could design and build a small dredger that would do the job satisfactorily since the material was pure coral sand. 
adam directed him to discuss this with me in singapore.
this engineer was in partnership with a small engineering company operating in singapore. 
he was very interested in the project and produced a drawing and specification for a 16” cutter suction dredger.
to be built in singapore in a small shipyard at jurong. 
dredge building knowledge existed in that area.
as several tin mining dredgers had been built there using the same cutter suction system.
i thought i would take a calculated risk.
we agreed on a price of us$200,000 to build the dredger.
it would be tried in dredging in jurong and delivered to us. 
it included 15 lengths of 14 inches, 6m x 6mm dredger ms pipes and rubber couplings plus coupling clamps.
the dredger was to be fitted with a dutch-made hydraulically driven cutter, driven by caterpillar engine. 
spare parts were available locally.
the dredger was built, tried and then towed to malé in 1977.
i requested nasir to please try it out upon arrival and let me know the results.
this was my decision to follow it.
and if it failed i would indeed have been in trouble. 
it was towed to maldives by the msl tug capricorn.  
within one hour of the tug’s arrival, i had a call from nasir to tell me that it was dredging well. 
that put me at ease. 
the total cost up to malé was us$225,000.
later, a second dredger was built by the same people at the same yard.
but the depth of the dredge increased to 35 feet.
because it was at the deeper farokolhufushi end of the runway. 
an extra 10 feet depth was required.
the two dredgers reclaimed land for the airport well before the contractors came to the site.
afterwards, the two dredgers did a lot of other work in the maldives.
including the enlarged dredging of malé and some atolls.
from day to day trading, i had progressed to being involved in so many different projects for the government.
yet, at the beginning, i had no experience in such matters. 
probably, i was able to do what was required of me because i had a natural curiosity about how things were done. 
i learned to ask the right questions, and remembered the answers. 
i also relished the thrust and parry of negotiating.
there was soon to be another unexpected change in my career. 
on 14 january 1977 i was appointed by nasir to the newly created post of minister of shipping.
based in singapore. 
it was a difficult period in my life.
because of the uncertain situation in malé.
that would eventually lead to the retirement of nasir and the election of maumoon abdul gayoom as president.
chapter 16
changing of the guard, 1978
i have already mentioned the uncertainties that stalked the maldives at this time. 
even the prime minister, ahmed zaki, was removed from office by nasir and banished to an outlying island. 
he was eventually freed after gayoom was elected president.
and he became the permanent representative of the maldives at the un.
nasir rarely appeared in public.
even on major state occasions like independence day or republic day.
most maldivians, including those living in malé, had no idea what he looked like. 
i did, of course.
but my contact with him after 1976 was by telephone.
this was because i was based in singapore and not keen to return to the maldives.
i heard a rumour that at the end of my last visit, the police had arrived at the airport to arrest me just a few minutes after my plane had taken off.  
it was a difficult time to check on whether the rumour was true.
and i did not want to find out by returning.
and running the risk of being detained at malé or banished to an outlying island.
as had happened to the prime minister, after serving my country loyally for so long. 
i carried on with my duties as normal in singapore.
even though i had no idea of whether the nasir was displeased with me or not. 
it was not his habit to praise, or even thank, people who carried out his orders. 
i did not expect any such word from him. 
so, one afternoon in april 1978 i was surprised to get a telephone call from nasir himself.
he explained briefly that, probably through some visiting thai fishing vessels, there was an outbreak of cholera in the maldives.
of course, the administration had notified the world health organisation (who) and requested assistance.
but there was a lot of bureaucracy involved. 
i understood from nasir that the situation was dire and that many were sick and two people had died.
he saw it as a national emergency.
and was taking command personally. 
he asked me whether i would help him.
i had not been to the maldives for nearly two years.
even though i said that, of course, i would do my best to help him beat the cholera epidemic. 
nasir laid the blame for sluggish action with his minister of health and with the who.
i asked him to send me details of what was required.
within the next three hours, i received three pages of telexes.
containing details of the various drugs and medicines required to treat the cholera epidemic. 
most of them had indian names and were manufactured in india. 
i immediately arranged for a port captain at the msl bombay office to go to calcutta and purchase the medicines. 
and to send them to malé by air via colombo.
the other medicines including large size vials of cholera vaccine, i managed to secure through my contacts in thailand, malaysia and singapore. 
i was fortunate enough to be able to assemble all the medicines in one day. 
i arranged solomon, of my singapore office, to carry the twenty packages as baggage by swiss air flight from singapore to colombo that evening.
after transiting in colombo, he was able to deliver personally, the twenty packages to malé the following day.
meanwhile the medicines secured in india, including 15 drums of chlorine powder, were despatched in one of our ships from tuticorin.
i was able to secure and send all the medicines within three days. 
nasir himself handled the entire operation.
and the country was soon free of cholera. 
although several people died, there was no doubt that nasir’s quick action saved several thousand more. 
this was an experience from which i learned a lot.
especially how to take quick action in the event of a disaster.
since i had officially joined government service in 1958, i would be due for my pension, paid after 20 years service, in july 1978.
however, i was ready to retire before then. 
i discussed this unofficially with zahir, nasir’s secretary.  
he explained to me that if i wanted to leave before the pensionable date then “you will have to get a discharge.” 
such a discharge was unlikely.
and would certainly lead to displeasure.  
on the other hand, if i waited until midnight on my pensionable date, i would be discharged automatically.
if i wanted to continue in government service, i could then be re-employed.
it seemed less complicated to go about my normal duties and wait for 13 july 1978.
and i could retire without fuss.
when 13 july 1978 finally arrived, i went to my office in singapore as usual.
expecting it to be my last day as a government servant.  
it was a less chaotic and quiet day.
and i was relieved to go home thinking that my days of service to the government had come to an end. 
a phone call came at 9pm that evening from nasir.
i was astonished by the call.
he laughed at my surprise. 
he told me that i would be pensionable from midnight that evening. 
i replied that i was well aware of that and planned to retire quietly after having given 20 years of active service to gom.
nasir’s tone changed.
and he said he needed a personal favour from me. 
i asked him what i could do. 
he then said that he wanted me to remain in my post until he completed his term of presidency in november that year. 
he explained that he wanted me to remain in service until the new regime settled down.
i was reluctant to commit myself.
but i thought back over the years i had known him and found myself telling him.
“since you have never requested a favour from me, i cannot say ‘no’ to you. 
i will abide by your request.”
this was actually the first real intimation that i or anyone else in government had received that nasir was really planning to retire. 
the suspicion in the maldives at the time was that he wouldn’t.  
or maldivians believed that he would not retire.
at vote of the members of citizens’ majlis in june 1978 to select a presidential candidate for the referendum, all except three votes were for nasir.
those three other votes were for maumoon abdul gayoom. 
i later learned from abdullah hameed that nasir had phoned him after that vote and assured him that he really did not want to be president again. 
nasir was only 52 then.
and many people in malé believed he would not easily relinquish power. 
when the vote was held again, gayoom received 27 votes.
enough for him to be put forward as the presidential candidate. 
there was considerable tension in the maldives.
and many secret meetings as people whispered about what might happen. 
in singapore, however, nasir contacted me before the referendum to help him secure permanent residence status in singapore.
this was to be under the “economical benefits” scheme then used by singapore to attract investors to the country. 
i helped complete nasir’s application.
which was then submitted to the economic development board (edb) of singapore for consideration.
nasir was at the time still president of the maldives.
and the diplomatic passport he submitted in support of his application showed “president of maldives” as his profession.  
when the edb officers saw this, they realised his application could only be approved by a higher authority.
the file was sent to the office of the prime minister, then mr lee kuan yew.
it remained there in the hands of his political secretary.
the delay in hearing the answer to his application was causing anxiety to nasir.
and he wanted to know the reason for it. 
i made some discreet enquiries.
found that the political secretary was expected to write a report on the matter before he referred the file to the prime minister for his decision. 
since he knew very little of the situation, he was in a quandary.
my contact told him that he had a friend who could help with the matter. 
a meeting was arranged between us. 
i explained to the secretary.
“mr nasir is relinquishing his post as the president and is not going to stand for re-election. 
he therefore may have decided not to reside in the maldives. 
since he has been an absolute ruler for 20 years, he will have more enemies there than friends.
he may not face a peaceful life there during retirement.”
the secretary understood the rest. 
he submitted his report and the application for permanent residency was approved.
during this period, i received a message from maumoon, via ilyas ibrahim.
asking me whether i would remain in the government to serve him. 
since i knew that this was the wish of nasir, and i was happy to work with maumoon, i replied in the affirmative.
maumoon gained over 90 percent of the votes at the referendum.
however there were rumours that something might happen to prevent his inauguration, scheduled for 11 november 1978.
the time for the swearing-in of maumoon abdul gayoom as the second president of the second republic approached. 
i am sure most people in the maldives must have been a bit nervous.
apparently maumoon was not nervous. 
he telephoned me that day and told me he had received my message of support via ilyas. 
i reconfirmed directly to him that i would remain to serve him.  
after the inauguration, nasir suddenly decided to leave for singapore via madras.
i think that there was a movement by those who opposed his regime to detain him for trial. 
at the same time i received the news that he had left malé, i received a message from president gayoom.
saying that he was sending fathulla jameel, the foreign minister, to see me in singapore.
coincidentally, flight from madras with nasir and one from colombo with jameel were to arrive at singapore on the same night at the same time. 
i arranged for my assistant, solomon, to receive nasir.
and to tell him that i had to attend an urgent meeting and hence i was unable to meet him at the airport.
but that i would visit him the following morning.
and i did meet nasir the following morning.
i met jameel at the airport and we had immediate discussions. 
he told me that he was worried that nasir in singapore might try to interfere with the new government in some way.
that he was worried he might try even stopping food shipments. 
i replied to him with these words.
“those are all impossible things. 
i am here.
and i will see that the new government’s needs are fulfilled. 
the trade and supplies will never suffer.”
fathuhulla asked me to name the post i needed to serve the government. 
i told him: “a post is not my concern. 
i do not even need a diplomatic passport. 
however, it is helpful at times.”
i reassured jameel that the new government need have no worries and that i would serve maumoon loyally in whatever capacity he decided.  
later, when i visited the maldives and saw maumoon, i assured him that i would remain to serve him for one to two years.
until the situation was clearer. 
i refused to name any particular post that i wanted. 
he appointed me as his special adviser.
a post i held until my eventual retirement in 2008 after 50 years of government service.
chapter 17
special adviser, 1979
one of my first assignments was connected with the newly constructed airport on hulhulé island.
where i had helped organise the land reclamation project. 
maumoon told me that a dispute had arisen between the contractors and the consultants.
that is regarding the parking area that the indian contractors had completed.  
i was asked to investigate the matter and find a solution.
i talked with the consultants who were guiding the work and approving to signify that the work had been carried out to a specified standard.
they said that the surface of the parking area was too rough and that it should be dug up and re-laid. 
that meant the removal and relaying of several hundred tons of heavy, reinforced concrete.
in addition, the cost of the contract work had exceeded the original estimate.
we were short of funds to construct the paved shoulders of the runaway and lengthen it by 300 metres.
but it was a necessary job if the runway was to be used at all. 
i set up a meeting with the contractors, the consultants, representatives of gom and myself. 
having reviewed the situation, i decided that we should leave the completed parking area “as it is.” 
i said the funds that were available for re-building it should be used instead for constructing the runway and lengthen the runway by 300 metres.
the consultants objected. 
i discovered then that there was a clash of personalities between the consultants, who were german, and the contractors, who were indian.
i told the consultants firmly that i was not concerned with their personal arguments. 
“we, as owners, decide.” 
i also told them.
“any consequences arising from this decision are our responsibility. 
my decision is final.
and it has to be complied with.” 
the meeting ended on that note.
to which i must add that the original parking area remained as it was laid then.
and there were neither defects.
nor complaints from the airlines.
in my role as special adviser, i now had a difficult task. 
there were all kinds of rumours going about in malé both before and after nasir’s departure. 
it was alleged that nasir had taken with him us$3 million of government funds in foreign currency.
this was said to have been a gift from the government of saudi arabia to the maldives.
i was asked to help the ministry of finance to investigate to see if there was any truth in the rumour.
i explained the procedure to trace the receipt, if any, of such funds. 
my argument was that the government of saudi arabia would not issue a cheque or an order to pay in the name of nasir. 
payment would have been issued in favour of “the government of maldives.” 
i advised that they scrutinise all the foreign bank accounts of the government. 
the finance ministry thought that such banks would not respond to their request for bank statements.
since the accounts were operated by the single signature of nasir.
i explained the procedure they could follow and how such matters are resolved when a government is changed. 
i understood that they acted as i suggested.
and traced the receipt of the us$3 million in an account.
it was not missing at all.
and, in fact, it was exchanged to maldivian rufiyaa at the then fixed prevailing exchange rate of mrf3.93 to us$1.00 and credited to the treasury.
i used my visit to president maumoon to discover the truth about the rumour that during nasir’s time the police were planning to arrest me. 
i explained this to maumoon who understood my feelings about the situation.
(even maumoon himself have been arrested twice himself during nasir’s regime).
and maumoon told me that he would undertake to investigate the matter. 
since the police and army were now under his control, it was possible for him to conduct an enquiry. 
he was kind enough to oblige my request. 
i had a message from him later that he had questioned the commander of the army and others who were in the forces at the time. 
they told him that there was nothing of that nature or any orders as the rumours had described. 
this put me at ease.
as i was always puzzled how it could have happened. 
i am ever grateful to maumoon for this favour and the resultant clarification.
maumoon placed me in the post of his adviser at a difficult time for him and for the country. 
from that day in 1978 when he asked me to assist him, i did all i could to serve him faithfully and truly for 30 years.
both president nasir and president maumoon had their own distinctive style of management.
and i learned to adapt to their different styles of management and administration.
there are many controversies surrounding nasir.
especially in his handling of dissent and the addu/huvadhoo affair.
my knowledge of these matters is limited to the roles in which i was involved. 
one must remember it was the time when maldives was still an isolated, “diffuse state”.
and people like nasir learnt the ropes as he went along. 
he was seen as a tough leader.
who dealt very harshly with any opposition. 
however, given the limited means available and the primitive circumstances of the maldives, 
nasir had many signal accomplishments, which were seen remarkable for a small and poor country. 
he placed a strong emphasis on education, 
and gave bright children from the islands the opportunity to study in malé and overseas. 
he opened up the economy and encouraged free trade. 
he repealed a lot of medieval legislation. 
despite his “strongman” image, he was scrupulously fair and showed no favouritism towards his family or friends. 
government offices ran efficiently.
hospitals managed to cope adequately.
the main schools in malé turned out excellent results. 
the budget was balanced. 
and all this was done without taxation or duties.
above all, corruption was almost unheard of.
an achievement that is yet to be bettered in asia.     
i was all set to be of service to the maldives and help president maumoon.
but, incredibly, one of my earliest associations with maumoon as president was due to an incident i encountered.
it was in 1979, i was in circumstances that forced me to request his help.
it began when my long-term friend, l singh, came to me in singapore in 1978.
with a proposal to buy a 1963-built freedom mark one vessel.
the sale of this vessel had been foreclosed by the financiers, simble (ocbc) of singapore. 
singh had contacts in ocbc.
as well as good friends in the bnp bank national de paris. 
this bank had just opened a branch in singapore.
and was looking for new business. 
the agreed price to buy this vessel from ocbc was us$1.5 million.
i considered this a very fair price for a modern ship. 
singh’s proposal was the payment of 10% of the value to be paid as an advance.
the balance of 90% was to be paid in instalments.
singh and i were to be 50/50 partners in the purchase and ownership of the vessel.
i duly paid my 5%.
but singh could not at first raise his part of the advance payment. 
he had a good friendship with the two assistant managers in bnp.  
he lend money from bnp as a loan.
he also arranged an overdraft of us$100,000 to meet the operation cost.
this was enough for us to take delivery of the vessel and we began chartering her. 
the cash flow was not enough at the beginning to pay the instalments.
and singh negotiated payment delays with bnp.
after a few months of operations, singh was called in for an interview by officers of the singapore corrupt practices investigation bureau . 
subsequently, i was summoned for an interview as well. 
it appeared that balasubramaniam was “on the take”.
and had been accused to be engaged in corrupt dealings on a regular basis involving some of the bank’s clients.  
during their investigations, the cpib had come across payments made by singh and they looked suspicious.
officers of the cpib came to my office, searched the books and files and took some books and records away with them.
when i was interviewed by the officers, they questioned me if i had paid money to anyone to get the loan from the bnp to purchase the ship.  
this was considered as corruption in singapore.
 i denied it vehemently.
because i did not pay any money.
i was detained for several hours in a room that was very cold and was repeatedly asked the same questions. 
i had accounts at the time in the bnp and in the habib bank. 
the cpib had copies of my accounts for that period. 
they questioned me demanding that i explain all the withdrawals from the bank. 
i did my best to explain it. 
the idea they had was to see if any money drawn out was for balasubramaniam. 
since the figures did not tally in the way they wanted, i was allowed to leave.
i was shocked and upset about this treatment.
since i was totally innocent of any wrongdoing.
and had no knowledge of the matter at all. 
i was in a very nervous state about this harassment.
especially in view of my position as a representative of gom. 
without further ado i flew to bangkok. 
after staying there a few days i went on to karachi.  
i knew that president maumoon was on a visit to london.
so i flew there to meet him because i was so worried about the incident.
in london, i explained exactly what had happened. 
as the episode could create a bad impression for the government,
and to the new president, i undertook to resign from government service.
maumoon did not accept my resignation. 
he instructed his foreign minister, fathulla jameel, to proceed to singapore and find out the full details of the charges, if any.
jameel flew to singapore and had a meeting with dhanabalan, then the foreign minister of singapore. 
he had a second meeting with dhanabalan.
and also with the cpib officers conducting the enquiry. 
the cpib officers said that they had “no complaint or any charge against maniku.” 
they explained that they were conducting an investigation about some corrupt practices that certain bnp officers had committed.  
they only needed a statement from me to complete their investigation.
a few weeks later, i flew to singapore with jameel. 
a cpib officer recorded my statement and the matter was considered closed. 
because of his help when i was in need of it, i shall always be grateful to gayoom. 
i was able to repay that favour sooner than i expected.
by passing on a tip off i received about a threat to his life.
chapter 18
coup attempt & mosque construction, 1980 - 1984
16 months after maumoon had been as president, i received a telephone call from a sri lankan friend of mine to pass on some incredible news.
the wife of the italian ambassador to the maldives (who was based in colombo) was on holiday in kurumba noticed something.
her suspicion was aroused by the presence of nine tough-looking british men who were in the island.
they were supposedly on a diving holiday,
but they seemed to spend more time in anxious discussions on the beach than under the water.
the lady was quick to see that they were not the average holidaymaker intent on having a good time in the sun. 
she managed to overhear some of the conversations.
and what she heard worried her. 
they were asking the local staff about the president.
and whether he was popular and if he had people protecting him, etc.  
she soon realised something was seriously wrong.
perhaps because of her experience as a diplomat’s wife.
it alarmed her so much she returned to colombo before the scheduled end of her holiday.
she told her husband what she had overheard. 
he in turn got in touch with my contact, hussain hashim, and explained what his wife had told him. 
he did not want to make an official comment because his wife’s doubts were based on speculation.
but he felt it was his duty to report to someone in the maldives. 
hashim telephoned me in singapore to ask what to do.
i thanked him for letting me know and said i would check on the matter.
quickly, from various sources i discovered that there did seem, in fact, to be a plot to capture the headquarters of the national security service.
and seize president maumoon so that the perpetrators of the plot could take power.
i telephoned maumoon and told him what i knew.
he confirmed my tip off from his own sources in colombo,
and security was immediately increased around the nss headquarters, etc.
seeing this activity the mercenaries.
most of whom were former british special air services (sas) men.
apparently they realised what a crazy assignment they had been engaged for, and quietly flew back to england.  
the full truth of the plans for the coup were revealed later.
one of the mercenaries, discovered that they were being lured to the maldives on what would have been a suicide mission.
so utterly disgusted, he returned to maldives to give evidence during the investigation.
it appeared that each of the mercenaries had been hired for 10,000 uk pounds.
and told that there was popular discontent against the president and that his overthrow would be easy.  
suspicion about who had planned the coup fell on nasir. 
he was quick to deny it.
he said that since taking up residence in singapore, he had taken no part in maldivian politics,
and sent a letter to the straits times stating that.
“and i was in no way involved in a plot against the life of president maumoon or of any other person,
 in the maldives or anywhere.”
the three alleged leaders of the coup went on trial in february 1981.
one of them, ahmed naseem, was a brother-in-law of nasir.
and a partner with him in some of his business ventures.
he was sentenced to life imprisonment.
and later, as often happened then in the maldives, reprieved. 
he later became a senior official in the civil service.
and minister of state for foreign affairs after the 2008 election.
my role as an adviser involved me in a lot of behind the scenes activities.
some minor, some major activities. 
i did not seek an official position.
which made my status somewhat nebulous in my dealing with foreign governments.
on 11 november 1982 according to my service record, my position was regularised as “special adviser to the president.”
that was my official status up to my retirement in 2008.
i received a telephone call from gayoom while i was on a visit to kuala lumpur.
it must have been in 1980 as i recall.
he told me that he was to make a visit to saudi arabia.
and he intended to ask the king of saudi arabia for some help with the construction of a grand mosque in malé. 
the site in malé, where the islamic centre now stands, had long been earmarked by previous rulers for the building of the grand mosque.
maumoon told me that he needed a documented proposal to support his request for assistance. 
he wanted a plan, visual drawings and details, like capacity envisaged.
so that he could properly explain his ideas.
in kuala lumpur, i had earlier seen and been impressed with the medium size mosque at bangsar. 
i requested our kuala lumpur agent, haja to drive me around kuala lumpur to view some mosques and also to take me to bangsar mosque. 
i wanted to meet the architect who had designed it.
i learned that the architect regularly visited this mosque for magrib and ishaa prayers.
so we went there in time for magrib prayers.
i was fortunate that day.
because he was there. 
he was haji hajeedar.
and i spoke to him.
i explained our situation and our requirements and asked if he would be available to help. 
although he was very busy then, his reply impressed me.
he said that he was always available for building the house of god.
i told him that a mosque similar to the bangsar mosque would, in my opinion, fit into the land we had available.
and could be designed to accommodate 5,000 people.
since he had designed that one, i hoped that he could speedily prepare a presentation proposal with the necessary information.⇥
hajeedar was true to his word. 
he prepared plans and documents and then flew with me to malé. 
there we met president maumoon.
and he gave a lucid explanation of the salient points. 
the president was happy with the proposals. 
he took them with him when he visited saudi arabia. 
as a result the king pledged us$3 million for the construction of the mosque.
we appointed hajeedar as the architect.
and told him to put together a team of structural,mechanical and electrical engineers to visit the site,complete the design with the final drawings.
and told him to open these documents for tendering in malaysia.
normally, engineers for a building of this magnitude would require soil tests.
to ascertain if it is necessary to consolidate the soil by piles. 
the maldives has coral, sandy soil.
and the rock formation is below 6,000 feet.
however, to satisfy the consultants, six boreholes were drilled and the customary condition report was provided. 
the result was a blank.  
the alternative was to build the mosque on a raft foundation, actually on two rafts. 
any natural expansion then would not crack the concrete slabs.
the drawings were made and tenders were called for.  
a chinese contractor by the name of chip hoa was the successful tenderer.
it was a labour contract.
with gom supplying all the material. 
this was necessary to be done at the time.
because in those days few people knew where the maldives was. 
what is available and what had to be supplied wasn’t known.  
had we given it as a turnkey job,
the contractor would have loaded the quotation to protect himself for all the unknown factors.
the official construction commenced on 11 november 1982.
and the building of the grand mosque and islamic centre was completed on 11 november 1984.
the mosque was adorned with a colourful gold dome. 
this has lasted without the gold colour fading very much, despite its exposure to the sea air. 
the dome was made out of anodised aluminium supplied by alcon malaysia. 
we made sure that alcon did an accelerated lab test.
to see if the material would suit the salty air condition of the maldives. 
during the construction period, we realised that we were going to run short of funds. 
when president maumoon visited brunei at the invitation of the sultan of brunei, he spoke to the sultan about the project. 
the sultan was impressed with what was being built and donated us$2 million to complete it.
it was a historical moment in maldives history when dr mahathir, joined maumoon to participate in the opening ceremony of the islamic centre. 
it was built with assistance from malaysia as well as from saudi arabia and brunei.
and pakistan provided the carpets. 
the design of the mosque included a meeting hall and classrooms in an open, prayerful ambience. 
i am happy to say that it is well looked after and utilised fully, with meetings and classes regularly held in the classrooms.
it is now the focal point of malé.
the golden dome dominating the skyline.
and attracts tourists, many of whom have never been in a mosque before.
as well as maldivians who worship there every day.
chapter 19
air & sea, 1984
with the commencement of maumoon's administration, maldives continued to build up goodwill with the arab world. 
the leaders of the administration understood the arabs and were able to converse in arabic fluently. 
the palestine liberation organisation (plo) was very active and had established an embassy in maldives. 
although i was not directly involved with the projects discussed with the plo, 
i came to know that a joint venture airline was on top of the list.
i happened to be in maldives when i had a telephone call from maumoon who explained to me briefly,
about the plo’s interest in establishing a joint venture airline with the maldives.
and he said that he was in favour of it. 
he then informed me that there was a plo delegation in maldives to negotiate the details.  
there had been an mou signed between presidents arafat and maumoon, outlining the interest. 
maumoon wanted me to work out the details as necessary for mutual benefit.
and i told him “i am ready.” 
following this discussion i had a call from maumoon’s secretary informing me about a meeting scheduled at the msl office in about an hour’s time. 
i happened to be in msl and told the secretary that i would wait for the plo representatives.
in a short while, a delegation led by george halaaz, and his assistant and the plo representative for the maldives came.
the meeting was held in msl boardroom. 
george explained to me the details.
which briefly were
plo will make the entire investment including working capital as necessary;
maldives should hold 51 percent of the shares of the joint venture company.
to comply with international requirement of the majority of shares being held by nationals. 
however, the profits would be distributed equally to the joint venture partners on a 50/50 basis.
but the losses would be born solely by the plo.
there should be equal board members from two countries.
with chairmanship rotating.
my job was to prepare an mou to for a national airline operation, using the maldivian flag and the aircraft carrying maldives registration.
this document would be required to be produced to obtain traffic rights. 
the preparation of a suitable legal document for the intended purpose was beyond my capacity. 
luckily i had a sri lankan solicitor visiting malé to do some shipping documentation and i decided to bring him in. 
he was invited to the meeting. 
i also had with me dca representatives. 
i introduced the lawyer to george halaaz and requested him to go through the process once more. 
i also gave him a copy of the mou signed between presidents arafat and maumoon.  
i saw the face of the lawyer becoming serious. 
he knew that he had to prepare an authentic document (at least on the face of it).
because this had to be produced to the air licensing authorities of different countries to obtain traffic rights for the new airline. 
this was not an easy task.
george halaaz started to become restless as he wanted a short document. 
he became very vociferous and told me to my face that everything was agreed between our bosses and there was nothing more to discuss. 
a short agreement is enough. 
he started to argue with me.
and accused me of becoming an obstacle and that i was not interested in this joint venture. 
i explained to him the ultimate decider is not arafat or president maumoon.
nor him and me. 
the civil aviation authorities in the various countries have the right to accept or reject and/or grant landing rights. 
one very important condition was the majority national ownership of the airline. 
authentic and customarily accepted documents will be required to achieve this.
however, george didn’t calm down.
i had to tell him, “you do what you want!” and walked out. 
i went into another room. 
a while later, i had a call from maumoon and he was a bit surprised because i had walked away. 
however, he knew there must be a real reason for me to do so.
i patiently explained the situation.
especially i explained the need of foolproof, authentic documentation suitable for the purpose. 
i told him unless george halaaz agrees to walk in the right path we can’t achieve our purpose,
and we will have problems even before we start the airline. 
i think that maumoon understood the situation. 
he explained to me the attitude of palestinians, especially plo. 
i think perhaps he contacted somebody of a higher rank than george halaaz.  
he called me back and said please meet george again and try to resolve the matter.
i said i would it. 
i went back to the room then george came and hugged me. 
i told him i am not his enemy. 
my job is to produce the correct documents that will serve the purpose required.
i must say we had smooth sailing thereafter. 
we completed the document. 
i learnt that the civil aviation authorities signed it later.
and maldives airways international was incorporated on 29 august 1984.
although i was not involved in this any further, i understood that the airline was established with three old dc-8 aircraft.
the airline started operating under maldives registration/flag, as maldives airways. 
unfortunately, this venture failed.
ending with a substantial loss borne by maldives.
let someone else tell the balance of that story.
my concern was msl. 
back in 1979, gom had decided to modernise the msl fleet.
accordingly, with the help of the government, msl put up a proposal and negotiated with commercial banks.
the islamic development bank (idb and the kuwait fund. 
msl was in comparatively robust health then. 
the freight market was strong.
and future prospects looked good. 
our feasibility studies forecast attractive returns.
so, it was decided to pursue further fleet expansion. 
the consultants for the idb and for the kuwait fund boarded and inspected three of msl’s ships. 
they also thoroughly examined and surveyed all prospective purchases under the loans. 
their feasibility studies also showed the investment prospects were worthwhile. 
the outcome was that idb financed the purchase of two bulk carriers.
that could compete and carry homogeneous cargo in worldwide trading. 
these were two 20,000 dwt bulk carriers.
the kuwait fund financed the purchase of five 15,000 dwt vessels.
(in the 1960s and 1970s, msl ships were ranging from 600 to 13,000 dwt.)
the new acquisitions of the company brought vitality and msl was able to compete effectively in the shipping business.
recording its biggest profit (us$7.443m) in 1980.
but then the global recession in 1981/1982 caused a slump in world trading.
none of the experts who prepared the feasibility studies had reckoned that paul volcker, the chairman of the united states federal reserve board,
would attack inflation in the usa so savagely as to plunge the world into recession. 
at that time, the usa was the dominant economy.
and if it sneezed the whole world caught a cold.  
in a short space of time volcker raised interest rates from 8% to 20% and, even worse, kept them very high.
tramp freight rates depreciated by about 50%.
several big companies collapsed and declared bankruptcy. 
as a consequence of the recession, a leading insurance company in the london market, also declared bankruptcy. 
shipping could not survive this economic squeeze.
aand shipping companies like hellenic, salen, etc., went under. 
the shipping recession was exceptionally deep.
and lasted for over five years. 
values of ships plummeted.
and those of ships over 15 years old ended at, or near, their scrap values.
there was no definite financing for msl to reconstruct and reinvest following the pattern of changes of the trade and the type of ships engaged. 
there was no possibility of major borrowing for investment.
many steps were taken to restructure the company with a view to bringing it back to profitability. 
these steps included:
cutting down on administrative expenses.
reduction in staff.
closing down of overseas offices.
scrapping of non-profitable vessels and sale of some vessels to reduce bank liability.
renewal of fleet.
however these measures failed to bring the company back to profitability.
from time to time i had recommended to the president various measures to restructure or close down the company. 
in 1982 msl recorded a loss of $6.6 million.
this was the highest loss recorded in a single year. 
in a report dated 5 december 1983, i told the president that if we wound up the company at that time,
there would be a net deficit of us$ 1.9 million.
that is after meeting the soft loan liabilities outstanding at that time of us$ 13.12 million.
which was well within the us$ 15.98 million contributions made to the government.
in order to protect msl it was decided to scrap our older ships to mitigate losses. 
this process continued.
until the company ended up in a position that a significant part of its business was centred on cargoes to malé. 
it was this that kept the company afloat.
perhaps this was how it was meant to be fitting.
considering how msl had kept the maldives afloat at the beginning. 
later, some judicious sales at good prices after the 1988 upturn in freight rates.
this helped msl weather the storm.
again on 27 january 1989, i reported the would be status to the president that if we sold all the vessels and wound up the company.
there would be a surplus of us$5.2 million in addition to the us$ 15.98 million contribution made to the government.
because at that time all our vessels had a higher market value than the book value.
and i felt that it was a good time to exit the industry.
but at that time if we wound up the company it would have a negative impact on kuwait fund and idb and on any future borrowings from them.
the company also employed some 950 employees and retrenching all of them at the same time would have a significant impact on the economy.
had msl exited the shipping business at that time, the maldives would have been at the mercy of foreign lines.
as they would have had the monopoly of the shipping business.
this would have meant a rising import cost of all products.
msl being the national carrier kept supply lines open all the time for essentially an import economy. 
the following paragraph is an excerpt from a world bank review.
“this could have been a disaster for maldives.
but it did not happens so because of the foresight which led to the establishment of a national shipping line, msl.
which now provides the country its only effective sea-link with the rest of the world. 
this has helped maintain regular services in maldives.
the maldives might otherwise have been at the mercy of foreign lines. 
transport costs also risen less than they might have done without msl.”
another consideration here is that msl made a contribution of us$ 15.98 million based on criteria as determined by the government.
in the form of food supplies, subsidy for haj pilgrims and for education. 
had this money been retained and reinvested in the business,
we would have been able to have a modern fleet capable of competing with other lines of similar size in other countries. 
but i felt at that time the government’s need for the funds was of greater importance.
another major project that i was involved in under maumoon's presidency was related to singapore and to the airport. 
following the construction and opening of hulhulé airport, regular flights were made by air lanka,maldivian airline, as well as indian airlines. 
there were also charter flights from europe.
operated by such companies as condor and alitalia during the tourist season. 
one day, i had a call from michael tan, the manager (commercial) of singapore airlines (sia). 
he said that, although he knew i never attended parties or lunches, etc., he wanted me to make an exception and attend a private dinner.
the managing director of singapore airlines, dr choong, was hosting this for me and tan would also be present. 
i really could not say “no”.
since dr choong was in charge of singapore airlines, which was the most important commercial undertaking of the singapore government.
i accepted and agreed to meet them at the place they had chosen, the omar khayyam restaurant in coleman street.
tan was waiting for me when i arrived.
and he escorted me upstairs to the last table.
where dr choong was waiting. 
after the usual greetings, he went directly to the matter he wanted to talk about. 
he said that although there was talk that hulhulé runway was too short and narrow, he knew that it was suitable for boeing 747 jumbo jets to land.
i knew that was so, too.
even though i had heard gossip that it wasn’t.
dr choong told me that the chairman of singapore airlines, pillay and chief pilot had been to the hulhulé, inspected the new runway and facilities. 
this surprised me to some extent.
the government of the maldives knew nothing about it, as the visit had not been official.
dr choong said that sia would like to fly from singapore to malé and on to europe with a regular three flights a week.  
however, if that was to happen they had to have the rights exclusively for three years. 
that was for the risk they would be taking in running this route and needed protection to cover the inevitable losses of the early part of operation.
as usual, i was frank in informing them of the situation. 
i told them i would personally be delighted if sia would fly to and from europe via the maldives.
as it would help greatly with building up our tourism industry. 
however, air lanka also wanted to operate a service to europe from maldives. 
this was soon after air lanka cancelled the agreement with sia for their european flights to route via colombo.
i added that the president of sri lanka, j r jayawardene, had a son who was a pilot with air lanka. 
in addition, the dca of maldives was friendly with president jayawardene and his son, 
and was himself very much in favour of air lanka having the rights that dr choong was requesting. 
i suggested that the only way dr choong could change the situation would be for the top authorities in singapore,to speak directly with maumoon.
i knew that maumoon would be visiting singapore in the near future for a medical check-up. 
i said his visit would be a fine opportunity for a discussion about the matter.
dr choong thanked me for being candid with him. 
he must have taken my advice.
because when maumoon visited singapore for his check-up,
there was an invitation from lee kuan yew, the prime minister, for a lunch at istana.
the other guests were dr goh keng swee, the deputy prime minister, pillay, the chairman of sia, and dr choong. 
i understood that the prime minister himself put forward the proposal to maumoon.
and maumoon had agreed. 
the officials did the rest. 
sia began to fly to and from europe through the maldives in march 1984.
and it helped to kick start the flow of better paying passengers.
and, hence, helped our tourism industry move a little up-market.
chapter 20
tourism & fishing, 1984 - 1986
after maumoon came to power in 1978 there was a radical re-think about the tourism industry.
and whether it should be encouraged, or prohibited because of the unsavoury influences it was bringing to the islands. 
in the beginning nudity was allowed on the beaches of some resorts.
tourists were staying in villages upsetting the religious way of life.
and passports were not even required of foreign visitors.
as well as introducing guidelines for tourism development and resort management, 
gom passed a bill requiring that all land in the maldives should belong to the state.  
compensation was paid to those who had bought islands and the title reverted to the state.
the resort islands were then leased back to those who had previously owned them.
of course, i have my own views on tourism.
like to see the islands catering for all kinds of clientele.
with mass-market, low budget tourists in some islands, and the wealthier, niche-market clients in more exclusive resorts. 
we should also move with the times, concentrating on other markets, such as the chinese, alongside the traditional european markets.  
we cannot afford to relax either in the improvement of the product nor in the marketing of it. 
we need better air links in and out of the maldives.
and our inter-island transport infrastructure also has to be streamlined. 
we have to make it easier for visitors to get around within the islands. 
tourism is a fragile industry.
and it concerns me that we might be depending too much on it for our prosperity, however well run it is.
in the days when tourism began, we had no idea of how the industry would develop.
and i suppose, even now that we have 650,000 visitors a year, we cannot envisage how the industry will be in 20 years’ time.
as long as we preserve the natural resources that are the assets that draw visitors, 
and there are no major social or political upheavals either in the maldives or elsewhere, 
the islands should always be a popular destination for those who seek sun, sea and sand. 
having been involved so long with the government, 
it was inevitable that, under maumoon, i should be asked to handle the re-negotiation of projects that i had set up several years previously. 
such happened with the hoko marubeni agreement in which the japanese company.
the agreement was to purchase fish direct from the fishermen and freezing the fish for export.
the company gave notice in 1982 of their intention to withdraw from the agreement the following year.
the company said that the overheads were too high because they had to employ a large number of japanese officers and crew.
they were operating 10 vessels.
comprising three mother vessels and seven collector vessels. 
all the ships were old.
for the maldives fishermen, this presaged a huge disaster.  
under the scheme introduced years back, fishermen were paid the same day for their catch when they delivered it to the carrier or collector vessel.  
mother vessels were larger vessels equipped with freezing and storage capacity.
collector vessel were smaller ones.
they bought fish from the fishermen to keep on ice until delivery to mother vessels for freezing and storage.
and with the withdrawal of the buying ships, the fishermen would suffer.
as would the economy of the maldives, without an export market for the fishing industry.
we had not even thought of making alternative arrangements to provide the fishermen with a market when hoko marubeni informed of quitting. 
on the maldivian side, the state trading organisation (sto) handled the fisheries project.
ilyas ibrahim was in charge of it.
finding an alternative had become his problem.
and, since we had set up the original scheme together, he called me. 
he was so determined that we should find a workable alternative that i was persuaded to join him in seeking a solution. 
we decided to set up a new operation ourselves. 
we began by negotiating with hoko to purchase their old fleet.
consisting of three mother vessels with freezing capacity of 174 metric tons per two shifts of 16 hours.
the second shift was kept for freezing of fish that was brought by the collector vessels.
holding capacity of these three mother vessels was 2,350 metric tons.
and the seven collector vessels had a buying capacity of 140 metric tons per day.
the vessels had a total collecting and freezing/storage capacity of about 6,000 tons.
we managed to persuade them to sell the fleet for us$1 million.
with payment spread over several years. 
we also arranged with them that we would retain some of their japanese crew who would train maldivians to take over their jobs. 
the expertise was needed in engineering and refrigeration.
so, we sent 12 maldivians to singapore to be trained in refrigeration on a crash course.
during our negotiations we learned the real reason why hoko was pulling out and selling the fleet to us. 
they had learned all the weak points about marketing frozen fish from the maldives.
and we listened carefully.
so we could benefit from their experience. 
we discovered that the frozen fish had a high histamine content.
the big problem was that it took three to four hours for the fish to reach the reefer or collecting vessels. 
during that time the fish was left in the open in the sun, in temperatures of up to 39 degrees.
thus, it was necessary to take much more thorough steps to protect the freshly caught fish. 
this exposure to heat, damaged fish and histamine was released.
hoko/marubeni told us that the only reliable market for our frozen fish was thailand. 
when the indian ocean fishing season was at its height, huge quantities were brought to thailand and the market became flooded with fish. 
the packers carried vast inventories resulting in their cargo having to remain afloat, as it couldn’t be sold ashore.
we thought about this.
the problems with storing and selling frozen fish, and the huge market potential in thailand. 
we decided to enter into a long-term sales contract with one of the biggest canneries in thailand, unicord pca.
we negotiated an agreement whereby unicord was obliged to receive our fish throughout the year. 
we had a price change clause in the agreement.
stating that if the market price went up by us$10, the seller had a right to call upon the buyer for an increase.
similarly, if the price declined, the buyer had the right to claim a reduction in price.
fish is really a fishy product.  
the normal practice was for the supplier to get paid 90% of the invoice on shipment.
the balance of 10% was only paid after samples of the fish were cooked and laboratory tested to ascertain the histamine content.
the result from the sample applied for the whole shipment.  
we knew that our fish was high in histamine. 
however, we had managed to negotiate a good settlement and the company made a good profit throughout the year.
because of the good quality fish our fishermen supplied.
the new contract worked out well.  
for this, full credit is due to ilyas ibrahim.
for his regular attention and follow up of the operation. 
the project was such a success; i was able to work later with ilyas ibrahim in setting up the felivaru fish canning plant on an island in the maldives. 
we found ways and means to cut down capital investment costs.
sto also bought up the nippon fish canning plant operating in maldives.
this was integrated into the felivaru plant.
the canning plant gave a tremendous boost to the maldives fishing industry. 
it remained under sto until the maldives industrial fisheries company limited (mifco) was incorporated.
and its operations were transferred to mifco. 
as for the fleet of 10 old vessels purchased by sto, they remained in service for another 12 to 15 years before they were scrapped.
my contact with the fishing industry did not end there.
some years later, the kuwait fund was interested in funding a new fisheries project for the maldives.
some consultants, gopa, were appointed by the kuwait fund to carry out a feasibility study.  
they proposed the construction of three dumb refrigerated barges and one tug.
each of 500 hp.
the capacity of each barge was 1,500 metric tons.
the counterpart of the kuwait fund and gopa was the maldives fisheries corporation (mfc). 
i was instructed to join in the negotiations.
i had ali hussain didi as one person who worked alongside me in building the maldives shipping line. 
he had always had a desire to get involved in fisheries.
because of what he saw as its great potential for the maldives.
he and i went through gopa’s proposal very carefully. 
most of the mfc team rejected the proposal. 
the main reason was that to handle 1,500 ton barge by one tug would be impossible.
there was also the danger of the barge anchor dragging and this could result in the grounding of the barge.  
we were conscious that real sheltered waters did not exist in the open seas of the maldives.
even though the reefs and islands enjoyed calm waters in their lagoons.
our rejection of gopa’s proposals prompted the officials of the kuwait fund to ask us to submit our own proposals.
these would be considered by the fund and by gopa’s experts. 
we accepted the challenge. 
a team consisting of ali hussain didi, hussain manikufaanu, ahmed adam and myself were selected as the task force.
first, we decided we needed to learn about the end product: canned fish. 
we went to bangkok and visited two or three fish canning plants to study the operation. 
especially important, was how they managed the fish for quality. 
then we contacted japanese and korean shipyards.
to find out the price of 1,500 tons capacity longline vessels to be used as reefer vessels.
from korea, we obtained a very good price for vessels that would use ammonia as the refrigerant in the reefer system. 
the price was for new boats built to our specifications.
the offer was made by daewoo trading.
for vessels to be built by the kirim shipyard in pushan, which specialised in building long liners. 
our proposal also consisted of 10 collecting vessels to be constructed in maldives.
these vessel were be engineered and equipped with a refrigeration system.
we also proposed the building of 30 second generation engine fishing boats to be sold to fishermen on long-term payment.
this was a continuance and follow up of the programme of mechanisation of fishing boats initiated by gom in 1974.
we also proposed the construction of three flake ice plants of 30 metric tons daily and 3 fuel tanks of 500 metric tons each.
the ice plants and the fuel tanks were to be installed in laamu atoll, ga atoll and gd atoll.
in addition to this, several small components for daily use, and consumable spares and stores, were also cost up and included in it.
gopa and the kuwait fund studied and examined the proposals. 
they were obviously impressed although certain changes were suggested. 
they wanted the refrigeration system to be r22 and not ammonia.
now, however, r12-r22 as well as ammonia are considered hazardous.
503 high-speed gas is used as the refrigerant today.
the consultants did not like the idea of machinery being stacked up. 
according to them, it caused congestion and the crew cannot work well under such conditions. 
we noted, however, that the korean and japanese boats had stacked up machinery.
on gopa’s insistence, we had to spread the auxiliary machines inside the engine room at the bottom level. 
by doing this, 3-frame space, i.e.: six to seven feet of space on length at the widest part of the vessel was used to spread machinery.
the result was a reduction in the vessel’s carrying capacity to 1,000 tons.
kirim shipyard started to construct the three vessels together. 
we placed j boater at the yard. 
he was a retired surveyor from lloyds register of london and working at the time for msl. 
msl seconded him for this job at the account of mfc. 
two vessels were completed.
although one had an accident while launching.
the shipyard stated that lloyds class would accept the small dents on its bow as a notation, and not as a recommendation. 
notation meant that during annual surveys, lloyd's register could inspect and demand permanent repairs. 
we refused to accept the vessel like that.
and insisted the shipyard restored the ship to its original pristine condition.
trials were carried out with the two vessels, and also of the refrigeration system.
it was agreed that the final trial of the refrigeration system must be in malé.
where the ambient temperature was about 30 degrees. (in korea it was 3 degrees.)
the second vessel was repaired and completed and proceeded to malé. 
meanwhile, the third vessel had the keel and a small part of the hull completed.
unfortunately, before the contract was completed, kirim went bankrupt. 
daewoo noticed us and asked what was our intention. 
our contention was that kirim’s bankruptcy did not concern us as owners. 
it was a matter between kirim and daewoo to resolve. 
there was a meeting with representatives from the kuwait fund, mfc, boater, as our consultant, and daewoo officials. 
the consultant’s suggestion was to reject the vessel and claim a refund.
during the bankruptcy commotion, daewoo had removed the third vessel to their main shipyard, ocpo.
this was where all their big vessels and tankers were built. 
because of this, i disagreed with the consultant and insisted that daewoo complete the third vessel to our specifications and deliver it to us. 
we settled on three months extension and no penalty.
the kuwait fund approved our decision. 
the third vessel was completed and delivered to malé. 
all of us agreed that the third vessel was the best boat of the three.  
after all, it was built by the ocpo, a major shipyard.
and for them must have been like building a toy. 
the three vessels were still in satisfactory service over 15 years later.
to build the 100 fishing boats that was part of our proposal we constructed a small boatyard at alifushi, an island north of malé.
so that fishermen could adequately service the collector vessels. 
the idea was to design a third generation boat by the time the 100 second generation boats were completed.
we chose alifushi because the atoll (raa) had the best boat-building carpenters. 
in the maldives, when someone wanted a boat built the usual procedure was to invite a team of carpenters to the boat owner’s island. 
the owner would provide food, other necessities and sleeping quarters, plus an agreed sum for the carpenters.
it was our plan to break that feudal system so that boats could be built in a more commercial manner. 
we proposed paying an all-inclusive salary on a daily basis.
however, they refused this proposal.
they wanted to be paid a monthly salary.
and, as a bonus, a sarong and one kg of tobacco and old newspapers for making bidi out of tobacco for every dhoni completed and launched.
so not to disturb their system, we agreed to their proposals.
two batches of dhonis were launched.
and carpenters realised that this system of giving them sarongs and tobacco was not suitable for industrial type of boat building.
finally they agreed to convert the value of these items into rufiyaa and settled for an all-inclusive salary.
luckily we had wajeeh to do this job.
a maldivian who was a fully qualified and trained in australia in naval architecture.
wajeeh was attached to the ministry of transport. 
by making a request to president maumoon and explaining the situation, i managed to get him released for this project.
his biggest problem was getting the carpenters to agree on a daily wage. 
somehow, he managed to solve this diplomatically. 
the 100 boats were built and sold to fishermen on an instalment basis.
the price started at rf80,000.
but  went up to rf100,000.
due to various modifications and price escalations. 
the yard, which was started with very minimum machinery, hand tools and power generators, is still operating under mifco.
it was an enterprise that succeeded, despite difficulties.
and led to job creation and self-employment and a good income for hundreds of maldivians.
the dhonis produced by the yard brought about a revolution in the fishing industry of the maldives.
particularly those who took them on long-term lease purchase benefitted most.
the second generation mark ii dhonis offered better seaworthiness.
and extra space for the crew to move about more comfortably, compared to the traditional dhonis.
chapter 21
improving telecommunications, 1986
i had learned always to be alert and ready for any task during my long association with president nasir. 
i would never know when he was going to call on me with a new and challenging request. 
they were so different in nature and in their approach to a problem.
president maumoon also called when there was a commercial as opposed to a political problem to resolve.  
i have been instrumental in getting cable & wireless involved in the maldives under nasir.
so i shouldn’t have been surprised when maumoon called me in to discuss the renewal of the agreement.
the original agreement, came into operation in 1976 with cable & wireless (c&w).
it was negotiated to pay a royalty plus hire charges for the satellite dish and rental for the building that housed the exchange. 
c&w was contracted on a sole rights basis to operate and develop the island's’ international telecommunications system. 
at that stage, the government earned about us$92,000 from c&w per annum.
by the early 1980s, the construction, trade and services sectors were booming.
primarily because of the knock-on effect from the growth of tourism. 
due to lack of capital, telecommunications development had a lower priority than it deserved. 
sectors such as education, healthcare and fisheries development were high on the list for foreign grants and loan assisted programmes. 
in the early 1980s, our telecommunications services were poor.
it became apparent that this was affecting our overall socio-economic development.
maumoon was aware of the importance of good telecommunications.
perhaps, because he was once involved with the telephone department.
he gave high priority to development and modernisation of telecommunications.  
a supplemental agreement was signed in 1983 with c&w who upgraded the system to a 3,000 line automatic exchange.
as a result of japanese grant aid projects,
a telecommunications centre was built, a digital exchange, the malé cable network and a communications system for ari atoll was established.
amounting to some us$12m for the expense.
gom and c&w were poised to commence negotiations on the terms and conditions of the agreement beyond the 10-year expiry date due in 1986.
maumoon explained to me at our meeting in late 1984 that gom was getting about us$225,000 as annual rental.
made up of the lease amount for the satellite dish and rental on the building, and royalty on telephone calls.  
i was surprised to learn about the amount.
and told that gom should be getting more at that point in time. 
i felt that there must be something wrong somewhere.
he must have expected my reply and sensed my interest in the matter.  
he asked if i would be willing to investigate and negotiate with c&w with the intention of increasing the revenue to gom. 
i agreed.
since the idea of gom not receiving what was due, especially through an agreement i had negotiated, was anathema to me. 
maumoon told me that gom had as director of its telecommunications department a gentleman by the name of riluwan shareef. 
he was a qualified telecom graduate.
and very enthusiastic, wanting to move things forward. 
he was in a fighting mood and ready to take on c&w. 
i must have smiled.
because i told gayoom that i considered those were good qualities in the current situation.
since it seemed that c&w had taken advantage of our weakness.
it was arranged for me to meet riluwan shareef.
whom i did not know. 
he explained to me what he had discovered about the operation of c&w in the maldives. 
arrangements were then made for us to have a meeting with a team from c&w.
ostensibly to discuss various matters resulting out of the 1983 supplemental agreement for the provision of external telecommunication services.
the first meeting was held at what is now the galadari hotel in colombo. 
we suggested colombo for the meeting rather than the maldives.
as it was convenient to both parties and would keep things quiet.
as well as being easier for all concerned to speak their minds. 
the maldives’ delegation consisted of riluwan shareef, hussain shareef and myself. 
the c&w delegation was led by abdul raheem holding, and bill bigden.
the c&w team welcomed us cordially and then abdul raheem holding made an odd remark. 
“welcome back again,” he said to me.
i told him that i had not met any of the c&w team.
and wondered what he meant.
his reply was since he had seen the records, he felt he knew me.
since c&w was a multinational company and, even though he had not been involved in our previous negotiations, he had seen the records.
i asked him what those records said.
i also asked if the records were good or bad.
he replied they were good.
and he said it was recorded that "you are a very hard negotiator.”
i smiled then.
because i understood what he meant. 
i told him that if it was considered that i was a hard negotiator at those meetings in 1976, he was wrong.
in fact, i explained, i was very weak then.
at that time i needed c&w more than c&w needed gom.  
we had very little to offer for an immediate return or success. 
this time, i warned, i would be tough.
because we did not need c&w so much now.
we had several alternatives.
this was a deliberate statement by me.
so that c&w would understand our position as a sovereign state with a solid commercial base. 
we were no longer beginners in the game. 
another concern of mine was to improve the relationship between riluwan shareef and the c&w general manager in malé.  
they had previously had frequent disagreements and confrontations.
and i relied on shareef for his expertise and aptitude, so i needed the negotiations to be cordial.
my first job, therefore, was to remedy the situation and to try to make the two telecommunications experts better disposed towards each other.
even though they were, so to speak, on opposing sides. 
i didn’t want any personal animosity between them to upset or side track the discussions.
since the future prosperity of the maldives was at stake. 
i felt if they were compatible, it would help me achieve my aims for the talks. 
however, i had to be careful in what i did so as not to hurt the ego and feelings of riluwan shareef.
who i believed was our key to a successful telecommunications operation. 
one of the c&w executives at the meeting was young and personable so i used him to engage riluwan.
while i dealt little by little with the general manager. 
we faced some important issues.
which i raised at the beginning.
they are namely:
the worldwide norm was something like one minute or even smaller units for overseas calls?
then why was the c&w system in the maldives continuing with a three-minute minimum charge for an overseas call in the maldives?
why no fax facilities in maldives?
why no international direct dial (idd) facilities?
i pointed out that i knew the satellite dish had provision for all those services, plus receiving and transmitting television. 
the reply of the c&w team made me very angry. 
they had the audacity to say that no one asked for it.
this was reprehensible of them.
i told them outright that they had misused the trust that gom had placed in c&w.  
we had trusted them to expand the service in line with developing technology.
they were the experts in that.
not gom.
by now, i was getting a taste of their tactics.
so i pushed harder, before we even got onto the real purpose of the meeting.
i said that our research showed their tariffs were the highest in the region. 
i placed comparative tariff statements before them covering india, sri lanka, malaysia, thailand and singapore.
that showed how high the charges were in maldives.
no way could a price hike be justified.
regarding my challenge about there being no idd facility, the c&w team said that there was no demand for idd in the maldives.  
i responded by saying that was their answer because they preferred to maintain a minimum three-minute tariff as it gave them a better income.  
i told them they were obviously reluctant to introduce a fax service since that would also be disadvantageous to their earnings.
then, i issued them a challenge.  
i offered them a bet. 
“you place a 100-line auto idd exchange in malé and if the 100 lines are not utilised fully within two months of installation, i will pay the cost!”
i knew it would be about us$25,000.
i also knew that businesses and ordinary telephone users were desperate for an idd service. 
i was on a win-win situation if c&w accepted my proposal. 
it was unorthodox.
but it worked. 
when the exchange was installed, the 100 lines were snapped up within 10 days.
chapter 22:
dhiraagu, 1988
at c&w's meeting the company agreed to form as a joint venture was dhiraagu.
their attitude in this was an example of their cautious stance that i had already heard about where c&w were involved in other island territories. 
c&w directors almost always take an extremely conservative stance. 
the argument was that the maldives did not have a large enough critical mass (or market size) for value added services. 
the c&w team came up with the question of rf15m lying with the finance ministry in a blocked account.
in those days, foreign exchange was controlled by the finance ministry.
it was released depending on the availability of foreign exchange. 
foreign exchange was scarce then. 
c&w wanted the funds due to them to be paid. 
they explained that its non-payment was hindering the expansion of services in the maldives. 
it was a valid point.
and an exploitation of our weakness. 
however, i wasn’t going to let them get away with it. 
i deferred comment on that matter until a later meeting.
the main item on the agenda was a proposal by gom for continued cooperation between gom and c&w. 
i let riluwan shareef present his proposal.
which had two options.
our preferred one was the formation of a joint venture company (jvc). 
even after two days of discussions, c&w was not ready to accept the jvc concept.
it was new to them.
since they were expecting to discuss the extension of their franchise for a further 10 years.
at one stage, there was a deadlock. 
c&w insisted that the current franchise agreement would have to run its course before the formation of a jvc.  
i tried to control the discussion and said.
that the spirit of the negotiations was to be based on goodwill and the long established relationship between gom and c&w.
it was not the same situation as in 1976.
now, gom was prepared to participate as a partner and c&w ought to relent a little bit on this request.
however, the c&w negotiators were adamant that the supplementary agreement had to be observed. 
this was the time for me to withdraw.
since i knew we were not going to get anywhere until c&w re-thought their position. 
i left the meeting.
although shareef knew that i would be available at my home in colombo if needed.
instead the meeting adjourned. 
later we had a second meeting, also in colombo.
and  just as i expected c&w were now prepared to discuss the jvc idea. 
meanwhile, i discussed the matter of the release of funds to c&w with maumoon.
i explained to him.
there was a huge turnover, the amount of funds due to c&w was growing all the time.
that is due to the high tariffs charged by c&w and the big utilisation of the telephone service.
however, we had a great shortage of foreign exchange. 
i felt we should demand a refund of one third of the amount we were supposed to pay them. 
maumoon gave me permission to go ahead.
there was a lot of tough talking at the meetings.  
i told c&w that c&w had earned the sum of rf15m because of their excessive charging.
the amount had grown to so much because it was actually robbed from subscribers. 
i said that, because gom had never queried the operation of c&w.
had not interfered with them in any way.
nor complained about high tariffs but still c&w had done what they liked. 
i knew the hard time that c&w had with the authorities in yemen, and in the uae and bahrain, etc. 
there was nothing like that in the maldives.
i, therefore, asked them to refund at least rf5m.
if they agreed we would arrange repayment of the rf10m by instalments over a period of time, with no interest involved.
linfield, the regional finance manager, “blew his top”.
he said that i was accusing c&w of being dishonest.
he said that they were a multi-national company of great repute. 
their accounts for the past years had been completed and audited so there was no possibility of a refund.  
i pointed out that they still had two to three years unexpired on the franchise agreement. 
we could be paid the rf5m from the forward end, that is from future earnings.
there was an uproar.
and it was left to abdul raheem holding to bring the discussion under control.
we had several meetings discussing the matters that we found so inequitable.
speaking in fairness to the c&w team it could be said like this.
when it was led by abdul raheem holding, we were all able to argue over matters professionally, without letting personal prejudice intervene. 
during the course of several meetings, it was decided,
to reduce tariffs by 16%.
to introduce an idd and a fax service.
to write off and refund to gom, rf5m from the blocked rf15m,
and rf10m to be paid to c&w from foreign exchange by instalments.
to extend the licence by two years.
to discuss the formation of a joint venture company.
maumoon had instructed me to find a way to get a better share of the telecom income for gom. 
during the franchise period, c&w had made all investments, except for the satellite dish. 
in my opinion, we needed this joint venture company between gom and c&w. 
that is in order to get a long-term income for gom.
the big handicap was that gom had very limited financial resources. 
we were not in a position to invest on a one-to-one ratio. 
notwithstanding this important limitation, i commenced negotiations with a jvc as the aim. 
c&w was not happy. 
they liked to operate on a franchise/licence basis and to limit that to overseas telecommunications.
they recognised our growing tourism.
and the potential of business in future .
as i was certain for these reasons they wanted to remain associated with us.  
the ratio of shareholding was discussed. 
c&w insisted they must hold the majority.
if c&w held the majority, then the joint venture company could be classed as a c&w group company. 
they explained this to us.
this would make it easier to raise funds from the international finance market for development.  
we needed a lot of finance to expand the telecommunications facilities, and we were weak in financing.
hence we had no alternative but to agree with their proposal. 
so we agreed to c&w having 60% and gom 40% equity.
a deadline was fixed for the new company to commence operations from the day the existing c&w franchise expired.
we had several meetings exploring the various matters relevant to the jvc.
such as the number of directors and the main points for the memorandum and articles of association of the company (mna). 
c&w lawyers were asked to prepare a draft of the shareholder agreement between gom and c&w. 
c&w had their in-house lawyers in some discussions and, for gom.
i engaged h e p cooray of colombo and shaheen hameed of maldives.
matters were coming to a satisfactory conclusion for both parties, after some 10 meetings in different countries.
suddenly there was a management shake-up in c&w’s head office in london. 
regional managers and other decision-making managers were changed. 
abdul raheem holding who had participated in all our meetings, was side lined.
and he eventually resigned from the company. 
john munday, regional director for the middle east, resident in bahrain, succeeded him in the negotiating team. 
other members of the c&w team whom we had got to know and trust during the negotiations were unchanged.
and peter clark, who was second to holding, was still there.  
we had arranged a meeting to be held in singapore in 1988.
to discuss the shareholding agreement and the mna for the joint venture company.  
john munday attended.
and as soon as we started discussing the shareholders’ agreement, he started to query most of the already agreed conditions.
this was an odd turn of events. 
i got the impression that he intended to prove something to his directors.
that his predecessor, abdul raheem holding, did not make a good deal that was advantageous to c&w. 
we had lawyers from both sides present, and peter clark was there to clarify matters.
but still we were not able to make any headway.
munday’s negotiating and people-to-people skills seemed to be lacking. 
he made a loud remark to the effect that he had wasted his valuable time, two days, by coming to this meeting. 
i was unable to remain silent at that comment.
i stated firmly and calmly that we had been working on this project for almost three years.
and i too had wasted time, more than the two days he was complaining about. 
it seemed obvious to me then that we could not proceed any further.
and i intended to withdraw. 
i closed my files and walked out of the meeting.
for a change, this was not a ploy. 
naturally, my team of riluwan shareef and hussain shareef were surprised and upset.
they got up and followed me out.
obviously anxious about what would happen next. 
i told riluwan shareef that they should both go back to their hotel room and that i would see them there later. 
i went down to the lobby and walked around, analysing what had happened, and why, in my mind.
then, i took the lift back and gave them the following as an explanation of my actions.
i felt that they needed an explanation, at least for their records and follow up if necessary.
it might be beneficial in their future careers too to know it.
this is the gist of what i said to them. 
“the shake-up in c&w london with abdul raheem holding’s resignation must be a serious matter. 
the main board would have discussed our matter.
that is the maldives’ franchise and the expected loss of monopoly and handsome income. 
they needed to replace the head of their team by a person who is hard and has experience in using different tactics.
“this man, john munday, has been in and around the gulf, mostly bahrain, sucking arab blood for 12 years.
he is the right man, according to c&w. 
so, he has to prove to his superiors that he can and will do a better job than abdul raheem holding. 
“one thing he fails to understand is that maldivians have never lived under any direct foreign ruler. 
we do not know how to respect and be obedient to a white man.
that is because the british never lived in the maldives and ruled us. 
we were independent. 
our sultans, prime ministers, presidents, ruled us.
they were maldivians, our own kind.
“as head negotiator for gom, i had to take a chance. 
i did this before, as planned strategy, when we negotiated the raf withdrawal from gan. 
my instinct told me when i heard what he was saying that i should repeat it.
and walk out.
they hold a big stake.
the loss they will incur if talks breakdown is far greater to them than it is to us.
we were stronger than them.
because the telecom installations are on our soil. 
allah guided me at that moment.
and i am sure my action was not wrong.”
i told them to proceed to the meeting. 
if the c&w team were ready to be serious, reasonable, and would complete the deal, i said i would come to talk.
and that i would be in the maldivian government trade centre office and could return at half an hour’s notice.
i knew that the team were booked for their return journey by a british airways flight singapore/london that night. 
i went back to the office and within 15 minutes i had a call from riluwan shareef.
he said that peter clark had met him and explained that john munday was not fully aware of all our negotiations.
he had made a mistake and he wanted to apologise for it.  
clark requested me to come back and continue with the meeting. 
i did return and continued with the talks.
within two hours, we were through and had an agreement reached within our level.
subject to gom’s final approval. 
the jvc, with the trading name of dhiraagu, was incorporated by presidential decree on 1 october 1988.
it was a 51% (c&w) / 49% (gom) venture.
agreed by us so that c&w would have access to funding. 
for the purpose of capitalisation, it was agreed that assets should be valued by acceptable international accountants (like price waterhouse). 
this was provided that gom/c&w were unable to agree on the value by direct negotiation. 
it was decided to check book value and nett life value and use the lower of the two.
cash flow analysis and profitability of new services (if prepared by c&w experts) generally projected a bleak picture. 
their annual business plans always show a marginal profit. 
final accounts show different results of at least 15 to 20 percent profit than their estimate.
this is the situation for every year since dhiraagu came into operation.
they never seemed to appreciate that the maldives, while being small, was no longer backward. 
maldivians want, the best and the latest. 
they will spend to obtain them.
they do not want to be left out.
and they do not want to be cheated.
after long discussions, we agreed on the nett value. 
nec valued the satellite dish at 10% remaining value.
we disagreed about accepting the old telex machines, telephones, vhf sets. 
c&w had a bigger investment.
as it was they who had invested since the franchise agreement. 
the cable network belonging to gom was taken as gom’s asset and valued.
the matter of “goodwill” was discussed last.  
c&w seemed to think we owed them for that! 
i explained that when we engaged c&w to operate the foreign telecommunications system, we used them as contractors.
not as owners. 
my argument was that any goodwill due should be for gom.
not for them. 
they argued against this vehemently. 
however, finally they gave up.
during this period, the japanese government gave aid for the malé underground cable network. 
they also gave aid for an hf link to the new tourist zone in ari atoll.
which included switching equipment.  
the idea was for our telecommunications department to operate the national network and dhiraagu to handle overseas communications. 
the japanese aid was about us$7.5m, per nec invoices.
i felt that running two organisations independently in a small place like the maldives would not be productive in any way. 
it was better for gom to get controlling interest of dhiraagu by purchasing additional equity. 
besides, we were short of cash input, even to subscribe 49% paid up capital.
with this in mind, after discussion with riluwan shareef, i sent a detailed fax to maumoon.
explaining my viewpoint and seeking his approval to inject the japanese aid funds as gom’s capital to dhiraagu.  
by doing that we would get 55% of paid up capital.
and that meant 55% holding power of the company.
maumoon approved this and we proceeded accordingly, owning the majority holding of dhiraagu.
we did have a lot of queries from the japanese government about using their aid money in a joint venture company. 
however, my good friend, fathulla jameel, the foreign minister, managed to convince the japanese that it was good for the country. 
and it was. 
by 1991, maldives had the most advanced telecommunications network in south asia.
and was providing a service far beyond expectation. 
by 2000, every inhabited island in the maldives had telephone connections including public call boxes.
the impact on the growth of business development, including tourism, was phenomenal.
on 3 november 1988, just a month after the incorporation of dhiraagu, the telephone service had a severe test.
malé was invaded by armed mercenaries.
who turned out to be tamils from sri lanka engaged by a maldivian dissident, abdullah luthfee. 
their target was the president. 
luckily, maumoon found refuge in a house near his official residence.
and the invaders were led to believe that he wasn’t in malé.  
however, some people were shot and killed.
and others were taken hostage during the siege of the capital.
maumoon later said: “the telephone was my weapon.”
he had access to an idd line and was able to seek assistance from india and other countries. 
as a result of those contacts, the invasion was repelled with the help of indian troops.  
naturally, i was horrified at the invasion attempt.
which, like the 1983 attempted coup, was the outcome of false information.
the invaders were told they would have popular support.
and were demoralised when they found they didn’t. 
the support was entirely for maumoon.
after the event was over,we analysed what happened, i was proud that the telephone service had played such an important part in saving malé.  
the fighting could have paralysed the telephone service.
but the telephone exchange and the international communications system survived the whole ordeal. 
this demonstrated the quality and reliability of the system that we had put in place. 
as a result of agreeing to our terms for idd and a modern telecommunications system, 
the lives of a lot of maldivians got saved,
i wonder if c&w ever thought about how much they contributed saving our country from invasion?  
chapter 23:
projects 1986 - 1995
in 1986 i was again involved in the construction of a harbour for malé.
in this case the malé commercial harbour. 
it seems fitting here not to detail all the problems this entailed,
but simply to quote the letter which i am proud to have received from president maumoon.
“hon mr ali umar maniku
“i am taking this opportunity to express my gratitude for your role in the construction of the harbour which is opened on 1575 september 1986.
to make loading and unloading of cargo to the island more efficient the construction of a commercial harbour has been a concept for some time.
but it only became a reality with the encouragement given by you to start such a project through a commercial loan.
i realised that the only way to efficiently meet the objectives of this project is to place the implementation under your direct supervision.
“thus the first phase of the malé commercial harbour has been completed.
and has become operational.
hence for the hard work, assistance and advice that i received in connection with this project,
it is most fitting for me to take this opportunity to congratulate and thank you.
“signed: maumoon abdul gayoom,
“president of the republic of maldives
6 october 1986.”
after that major project i was involved in more airline negotiations. 
by 1987 singapore airlines had honoured their exclusive agreement to fly to europe via malé.
instead sia started to operate direct flights singapore/european cities by their new aircraft, the boeing 747 (400).
hence they decided to suspend the service. 
at the time, the average load of passengers to/from the maldives by sia had grown to 250 per flight.
henceforth, passengers to and from malé for the sectors sin/europe/sin were obliged,
to use singapore airlines airbus a310 for the sector sin/mle/sin carrying malé to-and-fro traffic.
this combination made singapore sia’s transfer hub.
which in turn increased utility of changi airport -- an additional winning point. 
the routing was advantageous for sia.
because boeing 747 (400) aircraft could fly sin/europe direct, nonstop in 14 to 16 hours.
there being no change of crew or a need for a stopover, there was considerable saving on fuel and airport charges. 
fuel is expensive in malé.
and much cheaper in singapore/europe.
so this was a very big saving for the airline. 
the aircraft used for sin/mle/sin and regional routes in the normal course would remain laid up in singapore from about 2100hrs – 0500hrs.
sin/mle/sin flights and singapore/karachi-bombay/ middle east were introduced during this period.
this increased the utility time of the airbus a310 greatly.
but passengers had to undergo inconvenience.
because they had to “backtrack” about eight hours awaiting connections under this routing. 
however, it appears that passengers were happy.
as sia provided a “day stopover” offer, an opportunity to rest or shop in singapore was there.
which was a novelty. 
sia continues to operate sin/mle/sin daily flights with good loads. 
in my opinion, had we maintained a good, friendly commercial relationship with sia,
it would have been possible to persuade sia to continue direct flights through malé by themselves or by suitable “code-share” arrangements, etc.
to my knowledge, this was not the case.
and thus no goodwill was built up. 
as an example, we should have given some preference to sia to keep them happy and build up a better relationship and a brighter future,
including a possible joint venture. 
this may have been possible had we played the game properly. 
however, the airline expressed a desire to arrange for in-flight catering facilities at malé international airport (hulhulé).
i was instructed by president maumoon to negotiate a joint venture agreement with sia and to assist the dca, malé.
in concluding this at the best possible terms to the maldives.
catering arrangements for sia flights were handled by the airline’s wholly owned subsidiary, singapore airport terminal services (sats). 
by that date sats had similar joint venture arrangements in several countries. 
at the time, air lanka was operating a joint venture flight kitchen at the colombo international airport in partnership with thai airways.
air lanka also approached dca, malé, with a joint venture proposal for an in-flight kitchen at malé.
we commenced negotiations in singapore. 
representing sats was tan.
who was then ceo of the company, and a lawyer. 
for the maldives there was the dca, malé, and myself with a lawyer engaged from colombo to assist us.
the negotiating was tough and covered many points.
but after two days we reached a conclusion on the following terms:
to form a joint venture company with maldives as 60% and sats as 40% shareholders.
both parties to contribute a token amount towards the capital.
sats to advance all funds needed at a nominal interest.
to construct and equip the facility.
sats to be responsible for building the kitchen using their knowhow, free of cost to the joint venture company.
all other works and supplies to be arranged by tender.
i assisted sats in every possible way to have the project completed at a fast speed.
i must say we had a very good relationship with sats,
and the kitchen was completed and opened on 20 january 1990 and put to use in record time.
the business was satisfactory to all concerned.
all the loans were repaid within three years.
and both parties enjoyed good returns on the venture, which continues to grow.
i understand that the kitchen has been extended and enlarged twice since it was set up.
next i was involved in two contrasting challenging projects. 
the attempted coup and invasion of november 1988 highlighted the insecure nature of theemuge, the name of the presidential palace.
it was a “palace” only in name.
being more of a bungalow.
having been donated to the nation by amir abdul majeed. 
nasir started to use it as his official residence.
extending the backyard into the place.
its where the forerunner of the state trading corporation, ata, was operated. 
the presidential secretariat was also housed there.
nasir later moved to mulee-aage.
and the house, originally called athirimaafannuge, was re-named theemuge. 
when the prime minister was appointed it became the prime minister’s office. 
maumoon used it as his official residence soon after his election as president in 1978.
and mulee-aage became a guesthouse for visiting dignitaries.
it was no surprise to me when i learned that maumoon was considering rebuilding theemuge.
it was necessary not only for his own security.
but also as a symbol of the progress the maldives had made and the country’s position in the world.
maumoon gave speeches at many international meetings, including those of the un, the commonwealth heads of government and saarc.
hence, the maldives was no longer considered a backward country but one that commanded respect internationally.  
the president was not expected to live in a rundown bungalow.
but in a mansion appropriate to his status.
where he could receive visitors with dignity.  
in april 1990, maumoon told me of the need to rebuild theemuge as the presidential palace.
he asked me to find an architect to prepare ideas and preliminary designs. 
i turned at first to hajeedar of kuala lumpur who had been such a success designing the islamic centre.  
however, i eventually chose a new architect, jason low, also from kuala lumpur.
jason low prepared sketches of his suggested designs and these were submitted to maumoon for his approval.  
this architect and his team then prepared the final drawings, structural drawings, the mechanical & electrical drawings.
and also bills of quantity, and the tender documents were prepared by the architect. 
as the main architect, low was the team leader.
and he appointed all the licensed assistants needed for the project. 
tenders were invited from selected contractors. 
mitsui of japan was then operating in the maldives. 
we also approached two other renowned contractors from sri lanka and one from madras.
the tenders were opened and analysed. 
mitsui was the cheapest.
and so mitsui won the contract. 
construction was officially commenced on 8 june 1992.
and completed on 15 january 1994.
mitsui actually completed the structure very quickly.
adding walls, doors, roofing, ceiling and finishes.
the entire construction was contracted for us$7m.
this was a palace.
so it had to be decorated properly. 
mitsui then quoted for the interior and exterior decoration by takashimaya of japan at a cost of us$10 million.
this was too expensive even to consider.
since our budget was severely limited.
i therefore decided to hire four filipinos to prepare the interior design drawings. 
they were young, fully qualified architects and interior designers and renderers. 
some of them were fresh from university.
all of them were very keen and brimming with talent. 
i provided them with books of moorish and modern architecture. 
i told them to study the designs in the books and prepare some designs for us to consider.
a drawing studio with all equipment and a creative ambience was established at the site and work was started. 
first, they produced black and white sketches of their concept.
maumoon studied these sketches.
those that met with his approval were re-worked as coloured drawings. 
the process of designing the whole house with sketches, construction drawings, illustrations and detailed information, took six months. 
through my contacts, we were able to have the furniture manufactured mostly in indonesia. 
the areas to be used by visiting heads of state, etc., were more expensively furnished with italian furniture.  
we managed to keep the total interior design cost within the budget of us$5m.
it was half of what we had been quoted.
we settled mitsui’s final accounts, including extras. 
the extra work came to only us$50,000.
which we achieved by strict control of contractors and regular checking of the completed work.
no extra work was done without proper agreement on costs, etc. 
we had two site engineers always.
they were monitoring the work continuously and measuring and recording properly on a daily basis. 
the job was completed without any major problems and theemuge today is worthy of the name presidential palace.
i must make a special mention of excellent efficient service and help i received from adam naeem, president’s secretary. 
i am sure.
i would not have been able to fulfil my job without his help.
i was honoured to receive a letter from president as follows:
“hon mr ali umar maniku.
“the government decided to construct an appropriate presidential palace in maldives, 
and a project was launched to reconstruct the existing official residence of the president, “theemuge”, as the presidential palace. 
the fast pace of the project and the workmanship of the place is worthy of commending all those who actively participated in the work.
“i believe that you are the main contributor to the success of this project. 
during the last eighteen years since i took up this office, 
each and every assignment that i have entrusted you have been executed with diligence and sincerity in record time.
“the work of selecting the contractors and the supply of materials from abroad and other related works of this project was undertaken by you,
 in a manner that was especially very satisfactory to me.
“i would also like to recall the numerous visits you made to the worksite , and the measures that you suggested to make the work more efficient.
for your dedicated services to the theemuge reconstruction project,
hence i would like to take this opportunity to thank you in the name of the government of the maldives and my own name.
signed: maumoon abdul gayoom
president of the republic of maldives, 
6 october 1996.”
during the 1990s, i was called on to help with the initiation of several government projects in the capital.
by 1990 the population of malé had swelled to more than 50,000.
the disposal of household garbage and also of the garbage from construction sites was a great headache.
there was no more landfilling taking place in malé where the garbage could be dumped as fill for the reclamation of land from the sea.
the government authority tried to burn garbage in heaps.
but this was environmentally hazardous and, anyway, not successful.
i was asked by president gayoom early in 1992 to find a permanent solution to the problem.
incineration was not a viable solution.
due to its cost since organised government garbage disposal had always been a free service to residents. 
they only had to leave their garbage at designated sites on the shore.
and it was used for land reclamation. 
that was no longer an option.
i thought through this matter very carefully.  
i focused my attention on other countries and cities of similar size and circumstance to malé. 
i needed to find out how such places dealt with their garbage. 
i drew up a checklist and hong kong seemed a likely city to investigate.
people there live in housing around the island.
since the central parts are hilly.
and there is  as in malé  a very high population density.
i went to hong kong without any preconceived plan.
i wanted to see what the situation was like on the ground.
and to follow my own instinct as to what should be done.
after i had checked into my hotel and settled down, i took up the telephone book and started to look through the yellow pages.
i wanted to find out if there were suitable consultants available in hong kong, who were used to the particular problem. 
i found an entry for a company called husband & co.  
i knew of them from my time in colombo where they used to have an office. 
they were a firm of british consultants.
and i had met one of their engineers in 1958.
when i was looking into the possibility of an inner harbour being built in malé using british aid. 
that project did not happen as it was found to be expensive and uneconomical at the time.
i telephoned husband & co and made an appointment to meet their resident chief executive at three that afternoon. 
i found their office and waited to be received. 
the executive welcomed me to his office and then we both stared at each other. 
he was the same british engineer i had met in malé 34 years earlier!
naturally, i felt i was being guided to a solution, by such an incredible coincidence. 
i explained to him the problem of garbage disposal in malé and how i wanted to see how it was handled in hong kong. 
he explained that most garbage was used for landfill. 
a very small amount was incinerated.
he drove me to one site so i could see for myself how they processed garbage materials and what they did with it. 
then we came back to his office to talk further. 
he gave me a booklet from his office library. 
the title was invest in garbage for your future.
it was written by an englishman and explained how he had used garbage for landfill on a site in the uk and created an industrial estate on the land. 
the engineer said that he thought a similar type of operation could work in the maldives.
he suggested reclaiming land in a lagoon adjoining a reef, using garbage as the landfill for the project. 
it would be a protective place too.
i was excited.
as i believed i had stumbled on the solution.
i invited him to visit malé to study the situation and prepare a report and proposal. 
the engineer was in malé within a week. 
he collected all statistics and examined all possible sites. 
he also worked out the logistics of the operation. 
at that time, the daily amount of garbage for disposal was about 16 to 20 tons.
gom approved the proposal. 
i requested the engineer to give an outline specification for a suitable vessel to transport the garbage from malé to the filling site. 
he provided the details and then i got a naval architect in singapore to design the vessel. 
the arrangement briefly was as follows.
garbage from malé to be heaped up in a collection site designated by the municipality.
an inducement of a reasonable payment to local contractors to collect from houses, and transport garbage to this site.
garbage to be loaded into 20 ton dump trucks by mechanical equipment.
the vessel to carry about six to eight dump trucks and to proceed to the filling site. 
the vessel has a ramp for the trucks to go up and down in the vessel. 
the trucks to dump the garbage at the filling site and return to the vessel. 
after discharging, the garbage to be properly spread by a small bulldozer and then covered with sea sand to a thickness of about eight to 12 inches.
this to avoid the breeding of flies and for quicker decomposition of material. 
to begin with the garbage was mixed, including plastics. 
later, we had the garbage separated.
environmental protection has been strictly observed. 
all metals, including batteries and pvc items are collected and sold to exporters. 
they ship such material to india for recycling, by small boats plying between malé and south india.  
samples of the outflow water from the island are taken regularly and tested for contamination.
a proper supervised system has been introduced for garbage disposal. 
there are three vessels providing the transport. 
the first was the one built in singapore. 
subsequent vessels were built in colombo dockyard, to the original design, modified slightly according to the experience from the first vessel.
we have been successful in creating a whole new “industrial” island with garbage fill. 
plots on the island have been leased to local importers of such items as cement, sand, aggregates and timber, and to local contractors. 
land was also leased to companies importing fuel in bulk. 
there was a tremendous demand to lease land on this new island.
and the project became profitable.
from a start of 16 to 20 tons a day, this system now handles about 500 tons a day.
thanks to that chance encounter with my old acquaintance in hong kong, 
garbage disposal in malé is now a well managed, profitable service.
having helped to set up the garbage disposal system for malé,
i can truthfully say that i am as proud as i am of having built the presidential palace. 
i regard it as a privilege that in my long career what i have done has been of service to ordinary people as well as to presidents. 
airport insurance- llyod's syndicate
loss of earnings policy
with a brand new airport built and the commencement of operations, there were many administrative matters to be considered. 
one of them was airport insurance.
normally the insured amount for a loss of earnings policy is based on the operating cost of the airport. 
in our case we wanted the insured amount to be higher to include loss of earnings from tourism.
if the airport were to be closed for some unavoidable reasons. 
when we approached the lloyd's syndicate we were told that this was the first time they had come across such a proposal. 
they would have to discuss this cover with the members of the syndicate to see if any underwriter would be willing to write the cover. 
this would take about two weeks. 
syndicate came back and said they had found some interest in the proposal. 
however the clauses of the policy would have to be drafted specifically for this policy they said.
and we would have to pay gbp 5,000 to cover the drafting expenses.
we agreed to that. 
policy was drafted, cover placed and policy issued. 
this was one of the first insurance covers with a different formula for loss of earnings of an airport. 
incidentally the policy also carried loss arising from tsunami, heavy seas, storms etc. 
also i must mention that within a year of opening of the airport, there was bad weather and a section of the runway was washed away. 
repairs were carried out and cost claimed under the insurance policy. 
the underwriters reimbursed the expenses with no arguments. 
i am mentioning this because this was an extraordinary cover.
chapter 24:
msl, 1990s
while an upturn in freight rates and sales at good prices around 1988 had helped msl,
by the early 1990s it had become difficult for msl to make even an operating profit out of malé cargoes.
a major reason was the port delays.
which increased considerably in the 1990s.
in many instances msl had small ships having to wait two months to discharge. 
at the freight rates of the time, we could not absorb those exorbitant delays. 
another impediment was the raising (at the insistence of funding agencies) of port charges by the maldives port authority.
in the private sector, some local traders brought their own small ships and topped up with cargoes from other places.
and bringing cargo at rates that could not be beat by msl also made it unprofitable for msl. 
it is a regular occurrence that whenever a new trade is developed by the efforts of one party, others move in to take advantage. 
this eventually leads to losses for everyone and the opportunists then move out.
and thus leaving the trade vulnerable. 
it is important for the long term security of trade to have a national shipping line to maintain a continuous service.
in fact, most third world countries have opted to follow this policy.
the 1990s also produced stringent technological requirements including iso code (ism) applicable to ships.
additional safety precautions, anti-pollution requirements and efficiency enhancements were made by the competitors.
this meant that unless we invested in more advanced and modern ships economical to operate for the modern trade, 
we would lose out to our competitors.
at the same time, the major shipping companies with vast financial and human resources, operating in liner conferences, 
consolidated their position through mergers and acquisitions. 
the slump had a profound impact on msl. 
the recession turned the tide against ship owners like msl because we had older vessels. 
based on the audits and inspection by a team of consultants from moft with outside support,
it was recommended for msl to sell off old tramp fleet and concentrate on malé carriage. 
of course, we took immediate steps to weather the situation.
and by drastic belt-tightening measures, including the scrapping of older ships, we were able to mitigate our losses. 
the company was able to regain a little of its former success by registering profits from 1987 to 1992.
i have left to the last, the most significant part of the history of msl.
that is the contribution that msl has made over the years to gom. 
to put this into a nutshell, 
if msl had retained the contributions it made to gom since the early 1970s, its position would be that it would have no liabilities of any kind.
and cash in the bank in excess of us$25 million.
and probably more.
i write that with confidence.
because the records show that since the early 1970s, msl paid the government in cash and kind the amount of us$15.9 million.
that is after providing funds required for fleet expansion from the profits of msl. 
had that amount been deposited in a normal bank deposit account and calculated at an average interest rate of 8%,
it would now have accumulated to about us$52 million!
since the 1970s and 1980s were high interest rate decades, i feel an average of 8% is probably on the conservative side.
in simple figures, msl’s position vis-à-vis the government. 
this indicates not only msl’s stellar performance.
but also the service it provided to the country when it was needed.
especially in the period when there was a tremendous shortage of funds for the balance of payments.
the money also went towards building up of infrastructure of islands and, even more important, for the infrastructure of the first tourist resorts. 
the maldives changed from a “diffuse state” struggling for survival through fishing and trading into one of the world’s most sought after place.
it was the success of those resorts that maldives became a profitable, tourist destination. 
tourism grew from the seed planted from msl’s profits.  
at that time the government had very limited budget to maintain consular/trade offices in other countries. 
msl had branch offices or agencies in a few countries outside maldives.
it also had a reasonable liquidity. 
the government used msl to meet expenses connected with official visits, promotions etc. 
naturally medical treatment was also taken care of as a service. 
consular affairs of the government including its funding was taken care of by msl.
until government established consulates or trade offices. 
on the other hand msl became gom’s commercial agent wherever msl had an office. 
this gave msl a certain amount of advantage, especially from foreign governments.
however, by 1995, the actual position of msl was grim.
the company did not have funds even to repay the kuwait and idb loans.
because msl’s funds had been given to the government.
which had used them to kick start the country’s amazing development. 
the ships purchased with loans from the kuwait fund and idb fell drastically in value due to the recession.
and eventually all, except mv asia moon (ex barakath), were sold.
and the sale proceeds paid back to the government. 
the assets that were acquired with loans no longer existed due to events beyond the control of msl.
in 1995, we examined the feasibility of maintaining operations in singapore.
as it had been the base of msl’s operations since 1979.
we found it expedient to continue operating from singapore for the following reasons:
singapore is one of the world’s main shipping ports and a hub for east asia, which is where msl’s ships mainly ply.
singapore has a developed shipbroking and chartering market through which worldwide cargoes are quoted. 
since most of msl’s ships are tramping, proximity to the market is essential for efficient operation.
the repair facilities are excellent and can be controlled by our presence.
we already had a complete operations and management network in singapore.
most imports to the maldives are from the south east asia area and our shipping service to malé can be best controlled from singapore.
the singapore office acts as agent for several government projects and an official network was crucial for this.
at the beginning of the 1990s, while msl was in the process of reducing its fleet due to the poor shipping market.
hence the trade to the maldives was maintained at an average of three to four sailings a month. 
we started containerisation in 1991.
and as this aspect of the trade grew we purchased the container ship mv ummeedh in 1992.
and dedicated it to the singapore/malé run.
freight rates to the maldives had to be kept relatively high: because
no return cargo so the ship has to return empty.
the quantum of cargo available at any given time is relatively small which prevents any attempt at economies of scale.
the voyage to malé is relatively long and the two-way steaming cost has to be borne by a small cargo. 
to make matters worse, exceptionally long discharging times developed due to port delays and slow discharging. 
small ships sometimes took two months to discharge.
as an example of the bad times msl had sailed into here are the figures for 1994 discharge at malé.
the loss is over us$500,000.
the loss caused by these delays in the maldives over the period 1992 to 1994 was about us$1.2 million.
in addition, msl had to pay the storage fees levied by the maldives port authority of rf50 per container per day.
msl also suffered from fierce competition from private shipowners. 
many of them ran their ships without insurance or inspection.
and economised on the running costs in ways that might have endangered safety.
often, they were able to use private labour, at a lower rate than msl wages, when approved labour was not available. 
they could also use ways to get things done if official channels were sluggish or totally blocked to them.⇥
msl, being the national shipping line could not take short cuts or resort to practices such as running the ships without insurance or inspection. 
we only used maldives port authority labour.
and waited in a queue to discharge. 
msl had a good reputation worldwide and maintained its ships well to keep that reputation. 
msl employed good, if expensive, crew.
all msl ships, cargo and crew were properly insured.
and the ships were regularly inspected for seaworthy standards.
msl did attempt to diversify.
in order that the company did not need to rely solely on shipping for its income during difficult times. 
in 1990, msl leased the island of villigilivaru from the government and constructed a resort consisting of 56 rooms with 112 beds.
the cost of construction was us$2.77m.
on completion, the resort was given on a management basis to first one and then another italian entrepreneur.
both of whom did not perform according to the agreement.  
msl had the experience and capacity to build a resort.
but not to manage/operate a resort. 
so the investment, with the approval of government, was sold to a maldivian party at a profit of approximately us$900,000.
it is a source of satisfaction to me, that msl has been able to contribute so much to the development of the maldives.
not only in terms of finance.
it contributed in the betterment of the quality of life for so many maldivians, both directly and indirectly.
also including those who received training through the company’s sponsorship. 
we have strived to see that msl continues to serve the maldives at the required levels consistent with maintaining stability in the trade.
the company would never leave the maldives at the mercy of private shipowners who would not hesitate to abandon the trade if things get bad.
in my 50 years of service to the maldives,
from the pioneering lows of ad hoc ship chartering to the highs of seeing msl ships proudly flying the maldives flag in ports around the world,
and then down to our mini-fleet that still provides a core service to the country, we have made sure that msl always does the job when necessary. 
maldives should still have its own reliable transport system that is capable of keeping the supply line open to fulfill the country’s requirements.
looking back, it was a blessing of sorts that the sri lanka government introduced its policy of protectionism.
although it appalled me at the time , the change that came over was something that happened for good.
obliging us to shift our operations from a country 450 miles away, to singapore which is 2,000 miles away, worked it well for the maldives.
looking at sri lanka today i would not have had it any other way, however delightful the country and its people may be. 
it was a blessing in disguise.
my long tenure at the helm of msl ,
and the methods i employed based on my experience and the situation at the time,
instead of on textbook learning, have naturally attracted attention.
especially from keen young graduates. 
nowadays seniority does not exist.
and the new generations with their theories and technology want to run the show.
i believe that when a man does something with good intentions, there should not be anything wrong. 
that belief has sustained me throughout the ups and downs of the early days.  
chapter 25:
solving problems, 1998 - 2001
i received my second pension on 13 july 1998.
it was the day commemorating completion of my 40 years of service with the government of the maldives.
now of course as i write these words,
it is difficult to believe that more than half a century has passed since i was a boy attached to the office of the maldives representative in colombo.  
it is also strange, looking back, to realise how much of what i have done was possible because,
of what i learned for myself through experience during those early years.  
that knowledge has remained useful to me.
especially when i am called in to help solve problems that have arisen with new projects.
one of these was connected with cable & wireless.
with the establishment of the joint venture company with c&w in 1988, gom became originally a 49% shareholder.
and later this shareholding was increased to the current level of 55% with c&w holding the other 45%.
this was how it was in 2008.
according to the information i have received this has now changed.
at incorporation, the telephone service covered only malé atoll and a few resort islands in the new tourism zone, ari atoll. 
other parts of maldives had no telephone connections.
and gom pressed c&w to study the possibility of extending the service to other parts of maldives. 
gom felt that it was unfair that the company made high profits (mainly from international calls).
while the majority of maldivians did not get the benefit of basic communications.
the first renewal of the operating licence of dhiraagu was coming up in 1998.
the licence was controlled and issued by gom. 
a team was appointed to negotiate this dhiraagu/c&w for the licence renewal which icluded, 
hussain shareef, bandhu saleem and yameen with me as the head of delegation.
meetings were held in marina mandarin hotel in singapore. 
one morning before the commencement of the meeting, i came to the meeting room and found the c&w directors already at the table.
i got a chance to speak my mind. 
i demanded them to extend telephone facilities to the entire maldives with a telephone connection in every inhabited island.
and unless they agreed to it, that i would ensure that the licence would not get extended. 
this was not a threat.
but a reality that we had to face. 
c&w studies showed that extension to the islands would not generate enough revenue to make the national telephone service profitable. 
they did two or three studies with the same results. 
my argument was that malé and nearby islands prospered only after telephone services were made available. 
there is no reason why there will not be a growth by this extension to the atolls. 
to begin with, the company could subsidise the loss. 
surely, it will grow and be a profitable venture in future.
finally, they agreed and promised to have facilities available in all inhabited islands by 1999.
in fact, dhiraagu completed connections to all islands by 1998.
when the work started, the demand from island residents became so great they had to arrange temporary connections by use of v-sat terminals. 
card phone booths were installed and they found queues forming and people waiting patiently for their turn to make a call. 
while revenue from islands may not contribute to the overall profit, there is noticeable economic activity, and improved quality of life in the atolls.
the access to communications, facilitated market information, administrative efficiency, and more efficient medical and educational services. 
at the same time, there was never any need to worry about losses from the operation of the island networks. 
then came the revolution in mobile telephony. 
dhiraagu discussed with c&w as technical consultants to make this service available for maldives. 
as usual, c&w did carry out a feasibility study. 
and, as has been the case a number of times before, c&w’s conclusion was so conservative showing insufficient demand for mobile service.
while it was well-known that globally the fastest growing segment in telecommunications in the mid 1990s was the mobile market.
with the insistence of gom, c&w conceded to opening a mobile service by dhiraagu.
again c&w’s commitment was short sighted.
as they went for an analogue mobile network that was about to become obsolete.
gom was recommending to go with the more widely used gsm technology. 
their experts reported that a gsm system required a minimum of 5,000 lines.
whereas according to the c&w study maldives’ demand will not exceed 700 to 800 lines in the first five years.
we vehemently objected to this analogue system and showed proof that analogue was obsolete. 
plessey (one of their preferred suppliers) was on the verge of bankruptcy. 
our main argument was that, 
with a visiting tourist population of 400,000 ,it made more sense to offer a gsm service where roaming facilities would be used by the visitors.
this would lead to substantial roaming income in addition to a more secure and useful service for local mobile users. 
regardless of our objections, c&w went ahead with the analogue system based on their study results.
the result was as we anticipated right along. 
within three months the system capacity was exhausted and the switch overloaded. 
dhiraagu had a barrage of complaints about circuit unavailability, system malfunctioning and calls being intercepted.
the directors of dhiraagu finally compelled c&w to replace the analogue system with a gsm system. 
the national telephone switch was expanded to accommodate up to 40,000 lines.
the system worked perfectly.
by 2008, there were over 60,000 mobile customers.
with international roaming available to some 20 countries.
in fact, dhiraagu's main profit centre is now from mobile service.
and the largest revenue being generated is from international roaming.
i requested the board to place for reference the accounts pertaining to this plessey/analogue episode. 
after several reminders, dhiraagu, then managed by a c&w appointed ceo, disclosed the accounts.
it showed the cost of plessey equipment and installation was about us$1.6 million.
and that the company made a net profit in excess of us$1.0 million even in this old and failing mobile technology.
in a board meeting i had a heated argument and c&w directors finally agreed that they made a mistake.
and unwillingly admitted that it would have been better to have gone for the gsm system in the first place. 
gsm was eventually introduced in 1999.
maldives’ tourism is still a growing industry with a lot of mileage.
and with the current mobile technology, profit levels can be maintained. 
dhiraagu needs to remain in the lead (even with competitors in the market).
and should have the vision and initiative to stay ahead in terms of current technology and responding to market demand. 
with multi-media services going global, dhiraagu's operation had weaker aspects.
that is, it does not have international connections via fibre optic submarine cable. 
sri lanka (about 500 km from maldives) has at least three different cable terminals.
hence, it would be feasible for maldives to join into the international network via cable through sri lanka. 
a sizeable investment will be required. 
however, the rewards would be definitely worthwhile.
nearly two years after i received my second pension, i was again presented with a sea-going problem. 
in april 2000, the minister for presidential affairs, mohamed hussain, requested me.
to find a german lawyer to handle some legal work in germany.  
i asked him to give me the background to the assignment.
it concerned the german shipyard from which arumaazu had been ordered, on the verge of bankruptcy.
the yacht arumaazu ordered for gom was to be finished by 2000.
constant and constant, is a leading solicitor in london.
michael brewster, a well-known lawyer is my friend.
i obtained the name of their correspondent in germany and passed the details on to hussain for him to take action. 
i thought no more about it.
a few weeks later, hussain called me again. 
he told me the bad news that the yard building the yacht had indeed gone bankrupt.
he told me to personally take charge, to initiate the necessary action.
and that maumoon wants me try to save the situation. 
it was a tall order.
and i wasn’t sure how i could help. 
a few sheets of paper about the project were sent to me. 
when i read them it was apparent that they did not show a clear picture of the full situation.
there was a fax from the german receiver, dr jaffe.
asking for a representative of the maldives to meet him to discuss the matter. 
i was totally unaware of the details of the order.
but i realised that the ministry of finance would have more details.
as that ministry must have been involved in making payments.
i was able to get the full file from the ministry and to make copies.
on 15 may 2000, i was in colombo for a meeting with emirates airlines.
maumoon was in london and he called me in colombo, as he was very worried about the bankruptcy of the yard that was building the yacht. 
he asked me what action we could take since the vessel was required and the major part of the payment had been made. 
i told him that i had only that day received the full file and i still needed to study it.
i said i would send a fax to him care of the high commission of the maldives in london with my comments.
it took me a while to understand the situation.
but after studying the papers, i determined the following:
on the contract price of us$4,891,600 , an advance of us$3,633,300 had been paid, with no security.
normally, such advances are secured by a refund guarantee or bond endorsed by a recognised bank. 
the order had been placed through a yacht broker in dubai.
the vessel was not insured. 
it is customary for a shipyard to insure a craft while under construction. 
there is a special policy available for that.
the yard had produced a work completion certificate from a small-time marine surveyor that claimed 70% of the work was completed.
however, only 30% had really been done.
there were many other failures in the building contract, which i spotted even without a lawyer’s training.
at that date, the vessel was in the custody of the receiver.
and he would have to deal with it following the usual procedures when a vessel was under receivership. 
the shipyard, pr marine, had been declared bankrupt.
and was under the custody of dr jaffe as the court-appointed receiver.
i did a quick calculation.
on the basis that gom purchases the incomplete hull, machinery and equipment from the receiver “as is” and complete the building of the vessel.
my calculations showed the total project value, including advanced payment of us$3,633,300 was going to cost gom about us$7.5m to us$8m.
that is with delivery of the yacht to malé. 
i gave a written opinion dated 19 may 2000.
my advice was to complete and take delivery because:
the advance of us$3,633,300 already paid would otherwise be fully lost.
building of another yacht would now be costlier as well as taking a lot more time.
the yard, pr marine, which had begun building the yacht, was renowned and had a very well-trained set of workmen.
based on my report, president gayoom decided to proceed as i had suggested.
it now became my job to get this yacht built and delivered to malé as soon as possible.
since i had long experience in shipping and shipbuilding i thought it would all be quite easy.
and i was happy to accept the assignment. 
however, as events unfolded, it became very complicated indeed.
i appointed holman fenwick & willan of london as the lawyers for gom to deal with the receiver and the shipyard. 
i also appointed german lawyers, lebuhn & puchta, under christoph horbach, to follow up the matter in germany. 
this was very important because of the language problems.
in germany, the pr marine employees and one of the major shareholders formed their own company, as pr super yachts. 
this company showed interest in completing the yacht for gom. 
it seemed advisable.
since the same workmen the supervision and quality would be maintained.
with decided to do this.
and with the help of our lawyers, we entered into a new agreement with pr super yachts for the work to be done. 
several additional works were concluded and we arrived at a new price of dm4,467,907.
at the same time, we negotiated with the receiver to buy back the hull and attached machineries and equipment. 
we were able to acquire all that for dm1.2m.
the receiver signed the new building contract as well.
so it was a tripartite agreement.
we appointed a firm of naval architects.
to supervise and certify the progress so that disbursements could be made as detailed in the schedule attached to the agreement. 
we insured the yacht “as it was” in the yard with cost escalation added on. 
we also included in the policy, coverage during the inland transport,
and the river trip to the rotterdam anchorage,
and thereafter onboard shipment by mv daniella on 16 august 2001 for discharging at malé, was insured.
we soon realised that there were problems with the new company.
that is pr super yachts, who began to use the money we had paid for other purposes without meeting the yacht construction expenses. 
finally, there was a huge outstanding payment on social security, insurance and labour. 
the company had no money and therefore gave up, retreating to the hands of the receiver. 
by that time 85% of the vessel was completed.
i was appalled by this turn of events and had to do my utmost to resolve the situation. 
we approached the receiver and made direct arrangements to hire and use the facilities of the shipyard. 
we also negotiated with the yard foreman and the labour union to utilise their labour on a weekly salary settlement basis. 
the materials were supplied by us under my direction in the name of the yard.
and taken delivery of on board to fulfil the vat exemptions of germany. 
the naval architect and the german lawyers put in a lot of work.
finally, the yacht was completed on 25 july 2001.
mooring trials and speed trials were carried out. 
we had been successful in getting the manufacturers’ guarantees on machinery transferred to us. 
the vessel was further protected by the creation of a mortgage so that she would not have to face unexpected surprises.
she underwent river trials on a journey of six days through the rhine river locks.
she was loaded on mv daniella on schedule and reached malé on 12 september 2001.
she was safely discharged and delivery was taken by the president’s office.
the final cost of the vessel delivered at malé amounted to us$7,076,010.
and of that us$343,229 was spent on legal fees.
i was satisfied that my original estimate, despite all the unexpected problems, had been close to the eventual cost.  
actually, to satisfy myself i had a valuation of the yacht done by ulrich brunner (construction-approved surveyor).
who valued her at us$7.5m to us$8m.
this reassured me.
as the value exceeded the cost, even covering the legal and other extras caused by the failure of the two companies.
we still have a claim on the shipyard and also on the receiver for the amount of dm1m.
i hope we get the full amount, or at least part of it, in due course. 
our lawyers hold a writ of security on the yard, if the claim is not settled. 
however, this can only be settled if there is something available. 
the mortgage on the vessel was discharged and the title has been registered under the government of maldives, based in germany and malé.
i received tremendous assistance from my good friend, zakir ibrahim of wide ocean services of london. 
i must put on record here that none of this would have been possible without his help.
he liaised almost on a daily basis with the shipyard, and with the lawyers in london and in germany. 
i also wish to thank shuaib shah, practising lawyer in the maldives and adam naeem, presidential secretary.
i have never been involved in recriminations.
i do sometimes wonder.
though, if had i been brought in at the start of some projects, whether there would have been the problems i was later asked to resolve? 
in this case, we managed to achieve a satisfactory conclusion to a very difficult and problematic job.
even if my methods were somewhat unorthodox.
personally supervising the building of a yacht in a german shipyard on a salary basis for the workers!
chapter 26:
up in the air, 2000 - 2008
we were also having trouble in the air, which i was asked to resolve. 
for a country that depends on air transport for the survival of its main industry, tourism, the maldives has a very poor track record. 
it is astonishing that even today we still do not have our own international airline.
the first air maldives began with convair aircraft operated in partnership with a singapore company called tri-9.
then, we had a joint air service with iac of india. 
next there was a joint airline with a palestinian holding company.
about which i have written previously.
apart from the association with iac, these ventures were disastrous. 
iac was not a success but it wasn’t a flop like the other ventures. 
the palestinian venture was the biggest failure of the three.
with a loss to gom of some us$3m.
i was involved in all those ventures to some extent at different stages.
and i remain keenly interested in the provision of a proper, dedicated international airline for the maldives.
in 2000 i was asked to help resolve an airline issue that had begun in 1994.
with the setting up of a joint venture with a malaysian group. 
in this case, malaysian helicopters purchased 49 percent of air maldives’ equity to become joint venture partners.
air maldives was operating internal air services.
with limited flights to sri lanka by dornier and dash aircraft.
air maldives was also the ground handling and general sales agent (gsa) for all foreign airlines serving the maldives. 
air maldives was doing fairly well. 
the company had a training programme for pilots.
and the aircraft were crewed by maldivians. 
income from ground handling and sales resulted in good revenue. 
this revenue in some ways subsidised the expense of operating the aircraft.  
i was told that,
there was approximately us$5m accumulated surplus cash when the joint venture with malaysian helicopters was formed.
alas, this was another disaster.
the new air maldives had a full board of directors.
with four from the maldives and four from malaysia.
but the ceo was from malaysia, and he ran the show. 
he made decisions and committed (executed maybe) them without getting the board’s prior approval. 
an airbus b203 aircraft belonging to malaysian airlines was taken on wet lease for four years at us$4,200 per block hour.
that was something that to my knowledge was never done in this business. 
although malaysian helicopters (mhc) was the joint venture partner, malaysian airlines (mas) handled the technical and commercial operations. 
this leased aircraft operated regionally.
that is for the gulf labour traffic.
operated to colombo.
and weekly flights to kuala lumpur.
mostly for maintenance.
at that stage the joint venture had an operating profit.  
then, it was decided to introduce flights to europe. 
that was the start of the disaster.
the main reason for its complete failure was that there was no proper market research, no planning.
no pre-advertising, and no thought to obtaining support from the market. 
air maldives hired three a310 aircraft from airbus, repainted them.
and modified them with extra fuel tanks and seating, etc. 
all this cost a tidy sum. 
the service from london started inauspiciously.
it could not complete a non-stop run london/maldives and had to refuel in cyprus. 
passengers were not attracted to the new service.
of course, the company very soon ran short of funds. 
the malaysian partners did not come up with additional operating capital to tide over the infancy stage, as had been promised. 
instead, they asked the maldives for various privileges and an input of cash. 
gom was not in a position.
nor willing, to do so. 
the operation came to a halt in february 2000 with huge outstanding liabilities to be settled.
it has been a stalemate ever since.
i was called in for the first time at that late stage to see if anything could be done to change the situation.
i advised the directors that a board meeting should be held as soon as possible and that the state of affairs should be discussed.
then a decision should be made about possible action. 
the chairman told me that the maldivian directors had been asking the malaysian directors for a board meeting for several weeks. 
they did not respond. 
the operations manager was not in malé.
and most of the time he was travelling, either in france, the usa or malaysia.
i told the chairman that there exists an agreement by shareholders.
signed between the ministry of finance and treasury (moft) and mhc, by then known as naluri.
the memorandum and articles of association of the company were based on this agreement. 
hence, the maldives shareholders (moft) should give notice to mhc for a meeting of shareholders. 
i was requested to draft a fax, which i did. 
in two days, there was a reply from mhc stating that due to their busy schedule, the directors could not come to malé.
but requested us to come to malaysia for a meeting to discuss the situation.  
a team consisting of arif hilmy and two other officials of moft was selected.
i was requested to lead them by order of maumoon. 
we met the ceo and also the corporate secretary of naluri and had some hard discussions. 
mhc had been renamed naluri berhad when the chairman of malaysian airlines, had his various businesses restructured. 
naluri’s explanation was short but not sweet. 
they said that the president of the maldives,
had requested malaysia's prime minister, dr mahathir, to assist to start and operate a maldivian international airline. 
dr mahathir had instructed ramli to do the needful.
ramli was the chairman of mas and also of naluri. 
he had instructed mhc/naluri and mas to do what was required. 
thus, the airline was created by naluri buying in 49 percent of air maldives.
the ceo of naluri said that they tried their best but their best was not good enough.
naluri was not in a position to bring in cash. 
in fact, both mas and naluri were under malaysia's central bank jurisdiction due to malaysia’s downward financial trend.
the matter reached stalemate. 
for all intents and purposes the company was bankrupt. 
liabilities exceeded assets by several times.
since all the transactions were assumed to have been carried out following international standards,
practices and principles of accounting and the company formation / registration / operation was within the broad rules of maldives companies act,
my view was that it would have been better for air maldives to declare insolvency. 
this would have saved gom from a financial disaster.
and anyway it was no fault of gom. 
however, i understand that the committee handling this case did not agree to declare bankruptcy of air maldives.
and that the government authorities decided to take legal action against the malaysians.
the malaysians through their nominated company, naluri, were handling the management of the airline.
by a joint venture agreement between malaysia and maldives. 
naluri handled all operations.
including the payment of wages.
and, while the board of directors met as required by law, naluri was responsible.
however, since naluri was already bankrupt, there was nobody to sue.  
airbus proceeded with their claim.
against air maldives to recover unpaid dues on the lease and work connected with the two airbus aircraft leased by air maldives. 
(delivery of the third one had not taken place.) 
airbus took repossession of the two aircraft and claimed dues of some us$17m.
they filed for action in the uk and maldives courts.
gom was paying off the airbus claim in instalments. 
the next episode, and my final account of the many negotiations i have been involved with over the years.
resulted in an outcome that is a great disappointment to me.
after three years of negotiations, just as an agreement i considered vital was about to be concluded, it collapsed.
i am certain this happened due to deliberate sabotage. 
although i can make a fair guess, i do not want to make any comments and so must leave it to the reader to explore the matter. 
i mention the episode here to emphasise that, however good are one’s intentions, sometimes all does not go well.
with air maldives at a standstill it was apparent that the country needed an airline that would operate direct flights between europe and malé. 
the majority of tourists fly from europe.
a good share is made up of medium and premium class passengers.
who stay at top-rate resorts. 
they need a comfortable direct flight, of eight to ten hours maximum duration. 
a flight that stops in the middle east or sri lanka is not their first choice. 
those passengers were then served by charter flights.
that have limited accommodation unsuitable for the high-spending client.
in a few years up to then, the maldives had increased the bed capacity to 84 resorts with over 15,000 beds.
of those resorts at least 35 percent were high quality with superb facilities, including water bungalows that are unique to the maldives.
the government accepted that wealthy tourists bring in more revenue to the country and wished to attract them. 
their presence was beneficial to all parties, tour operators, resort owners as well as to gom.
historically, we experienced good upmarket arrivals when sia operated a premium class service through malé to and from europe. 
the quality of resorts and service has improved amazingly well since those days.
our luxury resorts satisfied the demands of high-spending visitors.
in view of this, the dream of having direct flights by our own international airline remained with us. 
i was directed to try and turn the dream into a reality, notwithstanding the previous failure.  
about that time, emirates airline (ek) took a controlling interest in sri lanka's international airline, then known as air lanka (ul).
it happened under sri lanka’s privatisation policy. 
ek approached gom about a joint venture airline for the maldives. 
this would have been beneficial for ek.
because they could be very flexible with their involvement with ul. 
they knew the potential of the maldives for tourist traffic.
we were in a low moral situation then due to the air maldives fiasco and collapse.
yet ek was interested.
we started negotiations. 
we had four or five meetings and reached agreements on many issues. 
this time, since i was involved at the beginning, all loopholes that led to the collapse of air maldives were taken into consideration. 
we kept president maumoon informed and he consulted the cabinet closely. 
the minutes of each meeting were recorded and discussed. 
the big claim of the airbus company was raised and ek promised to find a way to solve it. 
in fact, they did find a solution.
by bringing in airbus as a shareholder in a new joint venture. 
the shareholding was to be 51% by gom and 49% by ek and airbus.
a meeting was scheduled in dubai on 21 october 2000 with us and representatives from airbus and ek to discuss the shareholders’ agreement.
then something extraordinary and very unfortunate happened.
overnight on 20 october 2000, the ministry of finance & treasury (moft) sent a fax to ek with 19 queries.
and followed this with an e-mail.  
this was unknown to me at the time.
the fax and the e-mail contained many matters that had been discussed and agreed during the five earlier meetings. 
the language of the fax and the approach was neither friendly nor diplomatic.  
the negotiating team of ek were understandably offended by the tone and the questions.
i knew nothing of this and arrived in dubai on schedule for the meeting. 
when i went to my hotel room i received a fax from t c clark of ek copying the offensive fax to me for my information. 
i was astounded that such a fax should have originated from moft.
i understood the meeting had been cancelled. 
i tried to reach clark throughout the day and only succeeded in speaking to him at seven in the evening. 
he was very upset and told me all that transpired behind the scenes with the managing director and chairman of ek. 
he said that they were withdrawing from the discussions since they felt gom was not serious.
he also detailed to me two past instances of negotiations with the maldives that had come to nothing. 
he felt that this was following the same route to frustration. 
i wanted to discuss the contents of the fax and the e-mail so we could resolve all misunderstandings in a face-to-face meeting.
this was not possible.
the understanding by which we had been negotiating with ek was that all communications should be passed through me. 
the comments of the cabinet and also of moft were to be amalgamated,
and given to me so that our negotiation team knew what to discuss at the scheduled meeting.  
prior to dubai visit, i had a meeting with mohamed jaleel, the minister of state for finance and treasury and two other moft officials.
at maumoon’s instructions. 
at this meeting, we agreed that any points or queries about the joint venture agreement should be written down and given to me in colombo.
where i went for two days before going to dubai. 
before i went to colombo and while i was in colombo there was no communication from moft. 
so i believed all was well.  
however, for reasons unknown to me, the procedure i had requested was not followed. 
i was bypassed and the deal that could have cleared our debts and given us a viable international airline of our own collapsed. 
i now feel that the sending of the fax to ek was not necessary at all.
because of that their incurred a lot of loss and damage.
it was really  an organised sabotage by some vested interests.
in these negotiations with ek i had very great help again by solicitor shuaib shah acting as my adviser. 
we had a very good deal in hand until it disappeared as explained above.  
i worked very hard on that project.
and what transpired affected my morale. 
ever since then, the maldives has been trying to set up an airline. 
i was not at all happy about what happened. 
because the procedure agreed at the meeting i had with the minister of finance and his team of finance officials was not followed,
it was clear that this was a deliberate act of sabotage. 
later on i found out that the reason for this was simple personal interest.
i wonder what we maldivians had become.
in spite of all this happening, i continued to follow what president maumoon wanted me to do. 
he asked me not to lose heart by what had happened but to carry out a feasibility study.
i contacted beaumont & son of the uk who were airline solicitors and accustomed to handling projects for the setting up of airlines. 
an agreement was reached with them for a full study of the potential at a reasonable fee. 
the first part of the study was completed and showed a very interesting picture.
under the agreement, beaumont was also to arrange financing to cover the hire of suitable aircraft on a dry lease. 
they were also to set up a professional experienced management team to handle the operation.
a cabinet advisory committee was appointed on the airline matter. 
island aviation, the successor to air maldives and that company was acting as the liaison between beaumont and the cabinet committee.  
major players in the tourist industry were given the chance to study and comment on beaumont’s preliminary report.
and there was a question and answer session for them, which resulted in some valuable suggestions. 
sometime later, i was asked to help in negotiations with sia.
with singapore airlines’ through malé flights - east and west bound –agreed and finalised, 
officials from the civil aviation authority of singapore visited maldives to negotiate bilateral air traffic rights. 
the then dca of singapore mr ng wee hong, who was a very senior civil servant.
and led a delegation to maldives and had negotiations with the dca of maldives. 
i think mr manukufan was acting dca.
i was on a visit to malé then and paid my customary courtesy call on gayoom. 
during our discussions he told me of this ongoing meeting.  
he further told me that there was a misunderstanding between the negotiators. 
he asked me to meet them and sort out the differences and settle them nicely and peacefully. 
“i leave the decisions to you,” he said.
i called mr manikufaanu.
who happened to be in the meeting at that time.
i told him what the president had said to me. 
he confirmed the situation and asked me to come over.
i went to the meeting and greeted the delegates and told them briefly what president gayoom told me. 
there were small points of contention but not of great importance. 
as sometimes happens small disagreements become bigger when ego settles in.
misunderstandings result in anger. 
another point, singapore is big, advanced.
and was represented by highly qualified and experienced officers.
and we were not comparable to them in experience at least.
i went to the meeting prepared to “give in a little and take a little.” 
in any case, the outstanding points didn’t affect the gist and operation of the understanding. 
so all matters were resolved and the agreement was signed on 12 august 2002, with both parties parting happily.
chapter 27:
final account, 2008
curiously, i was to be involved yet again in an airline matter. 
this concerned both emirates airlines and sri lankan airlines 
(the new name for air lanka following emirates involvement in air lanka management).
i record this now as it is of commercial interest to the tourist trade.
sometime in 2001, one evening while i was in my office in singapore, i had a telephone call from a person i did not expect to hear from.
this call was from chandana de silva, general manager, marketing and communications of sri lankan, who formerly worked with emirates. 
the security situation was uncertain in sri lanka.
tamil tiger separatists were active; there were frequent terrorist attacks.
he introduced himself and told me that the airline sought a big favour from me. 
i had some idea of the background that motivated the call. 
i asked de silva what favour he required so i could see if i could help him. 
he said that he wanted permission from the gom.
permission for sri lankan to fly from malé direct to two major destinations, namely london and tokyo. 
in other words sri lankan wanted “5th freedom rights.”
normally civil aviation authorities do not grant these rights unless it is for “very important” reasons.
for sri lankan (ul) both london and tokyo are two very important destinations. 
due to the terrorist problems ul was finding it difficult to operate direct from colombo to these two destinations.
probably due to security reasons. 
i could understand that the de silva was very anxious and in a hurry. 
he requested me to obtain the permission from president maumoon.
i told him the subject was not within my scope of duty. 
however, i was willing to get involved.
providing i had the assurance that the request for direct flights was not a short term proposal but would be long term.
and that it would be not be only initiated to tide over the airline’s problems because of terrorism from the separatist war. 
i needed at least verbal confirmation from the highest authority of sri lankan that ul would continue direct flights for a reasonable length of time. 
in addition, maldives should have the unarguable sole right to stop the flights at short notice.
if this could be done i would have room to take up this issue with president maumoon.
de silva assured me that it would be done.
i thought about it.  
maldives does not have a long haul airline.
and was unlikely to have one in the near future. 
direct flights to/from london and tokyo would be a boon to the tourist industry. 
i phoned maumoon and explained what happened and i recommended issuing the permission following the airline operation procedures. 
gom should have the absolute right to withdraw the permission at any time at the government’s own pleasure. 
maumoon pointed out the “value” of 5th freedom.
i explained and gave maumoon reasons to exercise our sovereign rights on this occasion. 
i saw how it would benefit maldives in many different ways. 
maumoon agreed, and issued necessary instructions to mot/dca, etc. 
this resulted in sri lankan beginning services malé/london and malé/tokyo on 26 august 2001.
ul has since expanded the services and has kept its unwritten promise by maintaining operations of flights even now in (2010) and still operates:
malé/london/malé
malé/tokyo(narita)/malé
it may seem strange that i was asked to solve problems.
often involving matters beyond my sphere of experience, so often.
i see the conventional approach to a problem, based on textbook knowledge rather than experience.
coupled with the indifference fostered by officials and bureaucrats who have a cushy job and do not wanting to cause waves.
but it can be a restraint on progress.
i have seen it happen so often in my career.
and that’s when i am called in: as a trouble shooter or “mr fix it”.
since such a request comes from the president of my country, i cannot refuse.
but i do feel sad that others have not been able to do what i am asked to do.
especially, when i have to act on instinct instead of university qualifications.  
it seems that the entrepreneurial spirit of my generation who built up the maldives is lacking in the modern, educated younger generation.
i am saddened by this.
ideas and projects get bogged down in committees.
often the person fired with the enthusiasm to turn an idea into reality finds his energy sapped by the rigmarole involved in getting approvals, etc. 
there are other constraints to progress.
such as those people who have a personal interest that they want satisfied before they will act. 
i have always had a personal interest in everything i do.
it is to see the job done to the best of my ability.
and to the satisfaction of the person who asked me to do it. 
so, it was a formidable challenge when president maumoon asked me to take over and put into operation the “hulhumalé project.”  
this scheme for the reclamation of land and the creation of a residential island close to malé which was started on 17 october 1997.
it had been idling for years since then.
although i was apprehensive about the work involved because of the magnitude of the project, i have never declined any instructions.
accordingly, i said i would.
i was provided with the background papers.
and had a meeting with officials of the housing board who were handling the project.
maumoon abdul gayyoom inaugurated the land reclamation project of hulhule and farokolhufushi for the development of hulhumale.
it was on 16th october 1997.
the hulhumale development unit said that it was the biggest, most difficult project of development of an island by land reclamation in maldives.
the island 1.3 km far from male' was planned to be development under two phases.
this is the first concept designed to reclaim hulhumale'.
there are possible changes to this now.
i found that some people built houses and started living there.
later i came to the conclusion that the existing set up could not handle a project of such magnitude on the required “fast track” basis.
i informed the president that my opinion was that the hulhumalé project should be separated from the housing board portfolio.
and brought under the president’s office as an independent, and dedicated, unit. 
the officer in charge would thus report direct to the president’s office.
gayoom agreed and asked me who should be appointed as the officer in charge.
i replied: “the maldivian architect who has qualifications and the most experience in the maldives is my first choice.” 
i had already identified the person.
he is mauroof jameel. 
president maumoon asked me to talk to him to see if he was willing to take on the job. 
he was then attached to the ministry of constructions & public works (mcpw) as the chief architect. 
as part of his duties, he handled the approval of the construction plans of government and private developments.
i called mauroof jameel and we had a meeting. 
i told him of the situation. 
i said: “this job is a serious challenge.
and will involve the use of your full time in the early stages.”
jameel was very frank. 
he explained that he could not devote his full time to a particular project. 
in his government job, his working hours were between 7am and 2pm.
after hours he had a private practice with partners in a company. 
his private practice covered designing, construction and supervision of developments. 
he was successful in that field.
and he earned about us$3,000 per month from the company.
the government salary was very low.
and he would not be able to survive devoting himself exclusively to a government project. 
he was planning to remain in malé only another three years and then seek employment abroad.
because he had a sick child to take care of. 
i told him that i could help him financially to a certain extent. 
gom could consider this as a special assignment. 
he was very interested and was prepared to take on the challenge.
i reported my discussion to president maumoon.
he told me that this was the problem that he had to face every day. 
students were sent abroad for higher studies as government scholars having signed a bond.
which requires them to serve gom for five years after their studies. 
when they returned they found the salary scale very low.
i advised maumoon with these words. 
“this is something that is happening in all developing countries, even in singapore. 
the government needs to recognise the aspirations of those who have returned from abroad and pay them a salary that covers living costs. 
they would then be able to live comfortably and even build up some savings. 
in return, the government could look forward to higher productivity and dedication. 
this would reduce the number of trained maldivians seeking jobs abroad.” 
of course, this was a long-term matter.
and policies have to be agreed.
maumoon accepted the idea of appointing mauroof jameel as officer in charge and a new department was created under the president’s office. 
this was called the “hulhumalé housing and development unit” (hdu).
jameel was instructed to pick his assistants to operate the unit efficiently. 
he achieved this very quickly and there was then a complete, dedicated unit to handle this major task.
my next step was to ascertain just what progress had been made up to then. 
i went through the documents provided by the housing board and noted that they were calling the reef area to be reclaimed as “hulhumalé”. 
the environment impact assessment study was partially carried out.
by binnie black & veatch, with whom i had dealings before. 
the minimum amount of geo-technical work had been done.  
according to the international format of agreement followed by the world bank, asian development bank, and other lending agencies,
tenders had been called for and received.
i went through the documents with growing concern about the pricing. 
i arranged a meeting with the attorney general.
who advised me: “you cannot carry out any commercial negotiation on the price. 
you can only clarify the technical information.”
it was very clear to me that the tenders submitted were over-priced.
this was mostly due to insufficient data being provided for a competitive tender.
a cabinet sub-committee had been set up to consider the tenders. 
this committee had a meeting chaired by maumoon.
i explained my arguments to the committee, : “since you cannot negotiate the price, the only alternative is to cancel the tender completely.” 
the committee agreed to this option.
i then proposed that we hold direct negotiations with the five tenderers individually.
some of the committee members objected to this. 
they argued that there must be proper accountability and transparency, especially as this was such a huge value contract. 
i didn’t take offence to that.
since i have always been open in my dealings. 
however, i stated that their goal could be achieved easily by the president appointing two or three members to the negotiating team.
i added that there should be proper security control at the venue of the meeting.
giving no opportunity for committee members or staff or tenderers to meet.
and discuss anything prior to their turn for presentation. 
furthermore, i said, the meetings could even be videotaped and screened in parliament or elsewhere.
when i said this maumoon laughed and said that he trusted his cabinet members.  
he asked me to go ahead and lead the negotiations. 
i said i would carry this forward.
and requested that he detail the two most senior members of his cabinet to be present at the negotiation meetings with the contractors.
we had meetings at the nasandhura palace hotel in malé. 
two senior ministers, namely umar zahir and abdulla jameel, were present. 
we negotiated with the tenderers one by one and considered all the points. 
finally, we decided on what was the best tender.
it was the offer of the consortium made up of international port engineering & management and dredging international. 
they undertook to provide a soft interest-free loan of 3,598,585 euros from a belgian state authority.
the loan was for 30 years of which 10 years would be as moratorium.
and the full amount to be paid within the remaining 20 years.
i informed the contractors, ipem/di joint venture, that gom had no money to pay up front. 
since the funding was to be from european community export credit, it was the normal procedure for the borrower to pay 15% advance.
gom could not pay that advance. 
i suggested, therefore, that ipem/di, being a large consortium, should themselves arrange an intercompany loan,
and pay the export credit advance. 
i was not surprised when they objected to this.
they argued that the 15% advance was compulsory under ec rules.
i pointed out to them that they had the resources to arrange such funding themselves to enable them to have access to the total loan. 
i said that gom had no control over the disbursement of the export credit funds. 
the bank would pay direct to the contractors according to the terms of the contract.
that is against certified “completion of work” certificates issued by a mutually appointed engineer.
finally, ipem/di agreed to this proposal.
obviously because in the end it would be to their advantage as well as ours.
with that, negotiations were concluded.
however, it took some time for the documentation to be completed between the consortium, the gom and the belgian authorities.
the dredging of coral based material could be difficult at times, if the dredger was not powerful enough. 
thus, i informed the contractors that they should engage a large cutter suction dredger.
the main reason why i insisted on that was because i noted that the geo-tech study done by gom was very minimal. 
the samples of materials had been drawn out of a two-inch core drill.
this was insufficient to give a true picture of the type of material, of its hardness and other values. 
i knew that the contractors would really ‘skin’ us if they came across hard material of grade b or c as defined in the contract. 
they engaged a dredger by the name of amazon. 
it was really a huge dredger.
and i was confident that we would be safe from real danger of overrun costs under contract, if there was a change of materials.
the consortium of ipem/di commenced work on 14 january 2002.
the progress was very good. 
however, when i visited malé in march 2002, mauroof jameel gave me the fright of my life.
he told that the contractors’ representative, stain, had given notice that the dredger was encountering harder materials of grade b & c and above.
i immediately visited jameel’s office and requested a meeting with stain. 
he was asked to bring to the meeting,sample materials they had dredged and which he said appeared to be harder than the coral sand and gravel. 
he came with two cores, each about two feet in length, to substantiate his claim.
to my naked eye, these samples looked more clayish than sand.
i insisted that stain hand over the samples to me.
since i intended to take them to singapore for testing.  
he tried to avoid doing so, but i managed to persuade him to hand them over. 
in the meantime, formal notice was given denying the allegation and consequent claim. 
pending analysis of the samples. 
i carried the samples to singapore in my luggage. 
the samples were handed over to sisir laboratory there for them to carry out tests.
i wanted to establish whether these samples indicated materials harder than coral sand.
the laboratory found that the two cores were insufficient for thorough testing. 
i flew my engineer to malé that same evening with instructions to collect more samples and bring them back for testing. 
this was done.
the test report issued by sisir laboratory proved that the materials were not harder than coral sand.
in fact, the materials were softer, although clayish in nature.
i deduced that the contractors were probably using the wrong type of cutters for this material. 
i was able to establish that i was right when the contractors later obtained the right type of cutters from singapore, and dredging proceeded. 
the dredging was completed well before the due date, and no question of claims arose.
the contract had a fuel price cap-clause.
if the price of fuel exceeded us$370 per m/ton, then the difference in price would be compensated by gom.
this was based on the dredger using gas oil. 
however, the amazon, being a big dredger, used intermediate oil with a viscosity of 180 cst.
there existed a difference of almost us$175 per ton between marine gas oil (mgo) and ifo.
i claimed this difference from the contractors.
after some arguments, we agreed to share the difference equally. 
that was because they had done some extra dredging so we applied a ‘give and take’ attitude for mutual benefit.
the land, consisting of 195 hectares with two metres above sea level, was reclaimed and delivered to hdu in june 2002.
it is now being developed as housing with full infrastructure, and lots have been allocated to malé residents so they can relocate.
while we were negotiating the contract terms with the contractors, 
i arranged for a planning contractor from singapore to prepare a master plan for hulhumalé. 
this was done in singapore.
and we had about four or five meetings between the consultants and hdu officials about housing, services and roadways, etc.
a complete set of drawings and a model were prepared. 
development has proceeded following those guidelines.
i chose consultants from singapore because they were the most competent for what we required. 
singapore being short of land, they are accustomed to making the maximum use of available space. 
the consortium had well-known sub-contractors, well experienced and able to handle all the requirements. 
the consultancy cost us about us$125,000.
my satisfaction at achieving what had been asked of me was tempered by some disappointment. 
since the reclamation was completed ahead of schedule and the contractors had no job to move on to.
and the dredger was going to be lying idle in maldives for about two months. 
i had the desire from the very beginning of my involvement with the project, 
to reclaim the whole area from the present commercial block so that it connected up with hulhulé (the airport) island.
i was able to arrange, for the contractors to carry out a geo-technical survey of the remaining area between the reclaimed land and hulhulé island.
with the help of b saleem, the managing director of the maldives transport and contracting company (mtcc).
this survey was necessary to ensure if sufficient soil was available to dredge and reclaim the area without bringing filling material from elsewhere.
which would have been expensive to bring from elsewhere. 
the contractors confirmed that sufficient dredged material would be available.
the contractors offered to reclaim the remaining area to connect hulhumalé and the airport island.
by that, we would have got a large piece of land that could be used for housing and also for commercial purposes such as a duty-free zone. 
we would also get a very important component of the airport done, that is a second runway. 
my enduring disappointment is the disagreement by government authorities in the dredging of the whole reef to create a complete hulhumalé'. 
the following are the reasons why i say that the government of maldives lost a golden opportunity to get this valuable land at a very cheap cost. 
this would also have fulfilled the most important step of getting reclaimed land for the second runway. 
here i explain the reasons for the above.
second runway.
i knew that there was a report sent by the kuwait fund.
this kuwait fund treated hulhulé airport as a very special project and gave three or four sizeable loans/grants). 
a consultant was appointed by the kuwait fund.
to examine and report all aspects (i.e. maintenance and operation included) of hulhulé airport. 
the consultant issued a report.
and i am sure this was received by gom authorities. 
in this report the consultant summarised hulhulé airport as a fairly well operated unit. 
maldives depends greatly on income from tourism.
and the airport is a gateway for the maldives. 
unfortunately, the safety factor of the airport is limited. 
if the sole runway becomes unusable for any reason the service will cease.
the result will greatly affect the livelihood of maldivians, depending on the extent of delay to re-commission the operation of the airport. 
therefore the building of a second runway was a very serious matter which had to be considered in the list of top priority.
reclamation of the hulhumalé.
as mentioned before, the contractors -- international dredging -- who carried out the first phase of reclaiming hulhumalé used a very big dredger .
this was also a matter i pushed through. 
the dredger completed the job in double quick time.
and was idling for over two months, because there was no contract in hand. 
international dredging was prepared to negotiate a special rate for the dredging.
and also, fortis bank - belgium, was prepared to finance 100% on 10/15 years extent.
if my memory is correct, the first phase export credit loan was us$1.7m repayment per annum for a period of ten years.
if we had embarked on the second phase, i am almost sure we would have got an average repayment rate of us$2.5m per annum.
by this method, hulhumalé would get 70% more land which i am sure was very valuable, even as a diehard commercial investment.
this matter was discussed in the cabinet.
and i was invited for the meeting.
i explained the above facts briefly. 
if i remember well, two members of the cabinet mentioned this is not such an urgent matter and the government debt will increase.
all other members remained silent. 
the reason for disapproval will only be known to those who felt so. 
i know the real reason.
but i will not comment as it will serve no purpose.
because the golden chance is already lost. 
i notice that current tender sales of land in hulhumalé is fetching very high prices.
turning out to be a most lucrative investment, as i expected.
unfortunately, the cabinet committee felt it was not urgently needed and would be a financial burden to the country. 
therefore, it was declined.
to restart the project i assume the mobilisation cost alone would exceed us$200,000.
the area actually reclaimed by ipem/id joint venture was 195 hectares.
it cost gom a total of us$16,768,646.
with repayment due over 10 years.
the annual instalment was about us$2,049,000 inclusive of interest.
this was within the government’s financial ability. 
in the past, when mcpw carried out the reclamation, it cost gom rf35m annually.
the repayment to ipem/id is about rf21m annually for 10 years.
what i had set in operation had not only saved gom millions of rufiyaas each year.
what more to say.
also got the job done.
the majority decision of cabinet committee prevailed and so what could have been “the icing on the cake” - the final part of the job - was delayed. 
this seemed to me to be a short sighted attitude.
and the loss of a golden opportunity for the maldives. 
we lost the position of being able to negotiate a low price for the dredger and, since it was idling, better payment terms. 
i believe we missed the boat. 
before winding up i must thank bandhu saleem, hon umar zahir, mauroof jameel, and his staff for the excellent help. 
i must also thank shuaib shah, solicitor practicing in malé for his sound legal help.
i always did everything in a manner that i believed was correct.
and, of course, kept proper records. 
i have always been open to anyone to ask any question about msl.
i myself insisted on a government enquiry into msl when it became apparent that it was no longer the successful income-earner as earlier.
i assisted in every way and the government was satisfied.
since then msl has further restructured its limited shipping, 
primarily for servicing the maldives, which was always its reason for existing. 
the company had three ships in 2008.
and employed 125 people.
although the fleet has been reduced, i am proud that msl is still keeping open the maritime link to the maldives.
while i was working on this manuscript in 2007, i came to know that the last cabinet appointed by maumoon carried out several reforms.
the finance minister, who was in overall charge of msl, saw that msl was in bad shape. 
he decided to bring about changes. 
his interest was focused on clearing the liabilities of msl. 
it is generally understood that a movable or floating assets are of lesser guaranteed value for lenders.
unlike fixed assets such as land or buildings. 
banks generally are not happy to lend on assets like ships.
the exceptions are those who have a long established good track record. 
if you study the leading individual or family owned shipping businesses,
to name a few, p&o, maersk and most of the british family controlled shipping lines you will note,
that they follow the principle of owning valuable tracks of lands and buildings to counterbalance the value of their ships. 
i followed this principle in msl and with the limited funds available invested in properties in uk, malé and in singapore.
the market value of these properties amounted to us$13.2 million.
in 2008 the finance minister transferred all the landed assets including those in uk and singapore to finance ministry/gom.
at the valuation done by a valuer hired by the ministry. 
while the valuation was done on the basis of replacement costs of land and buildings, 
the final valuation accounted for only the buildings on the grounds that the land belonged to gom. 
however, even with this valuation, the value of the assets was enough to clear all the remaining liabilities to idb and kuwait fund. 
my comment here is that this was not a fair valuation.
msl undertook the construction of these buildings on the understanding that the land would go with the building in perpetuity.
the reasons for msl to venture into these buildings were two fold. 
firstly, there would be capital appreciation of these buildings. 
secondly to maintain a fair proportion of fixed assets like land and building as opposed to ocean going vessels.
in order to ensure that msl would remain bankable in the eyes of the lenders, as i have mentioned earlier.
buildings remain inseparable although ownership remains separate. 
it should also be noted that built up land commands a higher market value than bare land. 
i feel that gom, in arriving at a fair market value when transferring the properties,
should have taken msl’s objectives of owning these properties into consideration.
had the properties been valued or disposed of at actual market value, 
the valuation/proceeds of the sale would have left a small surplus after paying off the soft loans from the idb and the kuwait fund. 
male' water company
during the 1990s i was called on to help with the initiation of several government projects in the capital.
with the progress and prosperity that had come to the maldives, a new approach to the infrastructure of malé had to be implemented. 
more land was being utilised for buildings.
consequently the greenery of malé was disappearing.
the mango trees that were a feature of the capital in the 1940s had either been chopped down.
or died as the ground water turned brackish, too salty for them to survive.
while the maldives enjoys regular monsoons, both south-west and north-east, the rainfall patterns of the world are changing.
and rainfall was no longer predictable or reliable.
whenever there was a heavy downpour, due to the number of vehicles driving on the sandy soil roads, water clogged in the ruts created by traffic. 
coral sand can become dust easily in the sun.
and the wheels of the vehicle's ground the sand to dust. 
when it rained, the water settled at the bottom of uneven ground, instead of draining into the underground water table.
tests carried out by a un agency showed the serious depletion of the water table.
binnie & partners, a uk company, carried out several tests continuously. 
from 1985, ground water could no longer be used for drinking as it had become brackish.
the government took all possible action to counter the worsening situation. 
we built large tanks at certain places in malé where huge roofs as catchment areas and land to build the tanks were available. 
we built about eight tanks that could store 15,000 tons of water.
this collected water was released to the public on a daily quota basis. 
two reverse osmosis water desalination plants were installed as a temporary measure.
just to solve the immediate problem.
if there was a drought for a longer period, providing drinking water became even more of a problem.
i was very much involved in the water tank building project and, later, with the temporary installation of a desalination plant. 
every year from march or april, there would be queues of people with their different containers at the water distributing points around the city. 
the situation was becoming acute when president maumoon asked me to find a permanent solution to the capital’s water problems.
my reply was that we should first study the matter and understand the real problem.
after that take all possible effective steps towards a solution.
the danish aid agency for assisting poor countries (danida) took a great interest in our difficulty. 
they began by supplying two desalination plants. 
they assisted in installing heat exchangers in the powerhouse engines, as a means of creating distilled water. 
this was not successful.
because the powerhouses did not provide constant and sufficient heat.
danida next tested a surface cover for the capital’s roads using a supply of interlocking paving stones. 
these were used as they allowed rainwater to seep through to reach the underground water table successfully.
the result was an increase in naturally stored water as well as in the withdrawal of water from the water table by electric shallow-well pumps. 
while the method of encouraging water to percolate to the water table was only partially successful, demand for this water far exceeded supply.
i thought about the matter and then told the president like this.
that we must get consultants to survey malé and prepare a proper water pipe system to distribute desalinated water throughout the capital. 
we must have this system complete with pumps, etc., and with a bill of quantities (boq).
then we should cost the material and the labour, all with the help of consultants.
i had identified suitable consultants as ecl of colombo. 
i informed the president that this survey would cost about us$10,000, which he approved.
i met fernando of ecl. 
ecl was a consortium of engineers retired from employment in various engineering works of the government of sri lanka. 
ecl did all the field work as subcontractors for the uk firm of binnie & partners. 
i told fernando that i was aware of this.
i explained that i was coming to them direct this time.
as i needed a new study. 
i outlined what i wanted.
a study, design, prepare boq, and cost a suitable desalinated drinking water distribution system for the whole of malé.
i added that this job should be done with malé water & sewerage authority engineers, to use their experience and knowledge. 
i undertook to send two maldives engineers to colombo for two to three weeks.
and to house them there and take care of them while the plumbing design was prepared. 
we agreed a fee of us$8,000 for the survey.
ecl completed the distribution drawings, the boq, and the tender conditions. 
they proposed a water tower supply system.
that was not actually suitable for the maldives. 
i said that we needed a full loaded circulating system at 4-6 bar,
so that all can draw water at any given time. 
the pumps should be series connected. 
they should start automatically when the load builds up.
and shred down when the load reduces. 
the power generation for the desalination plants should also work on a similar basis.
but modified system suitable for the purpose.
ecl followed my instructions and re-did their designs and specifications accordingly.
i managed to get prices for the materials in the boq. 
the total cost of the whole system was within us$12m, all inclusive, including 4 x 2000 tons desalination plants and power generating equipment.
in the meantime, under danida‟s appointment and financed by them, danish consultants carried out a study. 
their proposal was to collect rainwater from the airport runway, store it in tanks on the airport island, and transport it by large barges to malé.
it would then be pumped into tanks and distributed by pipes throughout the capital.
when they came to me with this detailed proposal, i pointed out to them that it wouldn’t work. 
my reasons were that water collected from the runway will be contaminated from petroleum,carbon, and possibly with aircraft toilet discharges. 
that means the water would need treatment, filtration, etc., and this would greatly increase the estimated cost. 
in addition, where would the barges go? 
there was no place in malé harbour to accommodate such large barges.
even if there were berths, the barges would affect cargo work in the port.
the proposal was shelved. 
next a consortium of danish companies involved in water treatment and distribution, at the instigation of danida, approached the government.
coincidentally, two british water authorities put up basic proposals. 
however, their terms were unfavourable for the basic requirements of our proposed venture.
the ministry of health sent me all the papers on the matter.
and the president instructed me “to pursue the offers and decide on the best. 
try and reach a joint venture agreement to solve this problem.”
a team was selected and we negotiated with the danish party.
for setting up desalination production and distribution of pipe borne water in malé by a joint venture company. 
the danish company used the diagrams and details prepared by ecl.
but with danish contractors. 
the job was completed within one year.
and desalinated water was made available throughout the capital.
the credit payments to finance the water supply scheme were arranged through danida/efu and nordic bank. 
malé water & sewerage company limited (mwsc) was established as private limited company on 1 april 1995.
the water supply to dwellings was commenced on 12 march 1996.
the company has operated satisfactorily since then.
was able to earn a profit in the third year. 
most of the loans have been paid. 
mswc now produces 6,000 metric tons of desalinated water a day keeping the malé population satisfied.
especially as the price has remained without increase.
afterword: 
looking back, 2010
i recognise there have been many changes that have taken place during my long years of service to the government of the maldives.
i understand the reason for many of them, but not all. 
sometimes i feel that the new generation think differently to people of my generation. 
during nasir’s term in office, nothing was recorded of his achievements. 
he did not want it. 
yet it was an active period in the history of the country.
during which the population of 80,000 increased to some 110,000 people.
and the income rose from around us$2.5m to about us$130m, by the time he retired.
during maumoon's period in office, the population has grown to over 250,000 and the income to about us$500m.
alas, in 1950 -1960, we had a population of 80 to 100,000,
and the young generation is unaware we earned about us$2.00 - 2.50 million per annum in foreign currency.
this amounted to about us$25.00 to us$30.00 per capita per annum.
the growth from late 1960 certainly was due to hard work and political stability.
all the neighbouring countries had unsettled political condition.
hence their growth was small even though they had plentiful natural resources to develop. 
maldives has now grown to a recognisable level.
however, further growth will be difficult unless proper statutes are in place.
a system for public services must be tailored to suit a small country like maldives whereby accountability and transparency should play an important part.  
i have never had an interest in politics but, of course, i have seen a change in governance in the maldives over the years. 
in nasir’s time, the cabinet may not have been consulted in all matters. 
maumoon had a cabinet and several consultative committees. 
every view was considered before a decision was made. 
sometimes, when a committee is left to make a decision, it cannot make one.
there are so many different influences at work that the members never come to an understanding. 
the level of knowledge might be different among the committee members; 
some might have an islamic viewpoint, 
others might be more independent,
yet others might have a personal grudge and let their feelings cloud their judgement.
when president nasir left the maldives i assumed it was because he was tired of the job, 
and may have felt that he could not maintain the speed of achievements.
at the time he left office, he was the only “strongman” in asia to do so. 
he was a very private person.
and i understand that there are very few photos or details of him in the archives.
president maumoon, by contrast, was a very visible leader.
not a day went by without some report about him on television and in the press. 
the maldives may not have cash.
but the country has assets.
even assets as yet undiscovered and untapped. 
ever since singapore has been independent, that country has retained the services of an international financial adviser.
i think the maldives could benefit from having the services of a foreign professional who understands the international finance market.
potential investors have asked me about our banking laws, and whether we have offshore banking facilities. 
since the us dollar is legal currency in the maldives,
and we have no income tax, we could attract large scale offshore banking and company registration business.
however, we do not have any laws in place for the setting up of such enterprises. 
what is equally lacking in the government is an effective “public administration” system.
i feel that a sound public administration reform to go in parallel with the economic development. 
perhaps if we had, many demands for unpromising reforms or unrealistic changes should not have been there.
a thought should be given to the fact that social development is lost without a proper vision.
i believe that the economic development cannot be sustained unless social development runs in parallel.  
there is corruption in the maldives on a scale far too great for a country of its size. 
this is a phenomenon that was almost unknown at the time nasir left office.
nor was there a fear of drug abuse. 
such problems had no impact on the lives of the people. 
today, these phenomena have grown to epidemic proportions and have an impact on many areas including the lives of people. 
we have become aware that some resorts may have been the conduits for money laundering.
and there was a case in italy recently that mentioned that. 
a viable financial framework, a capital market, a development bank, 
and all the regulations that would encourage genuine investors are needed to be created. 
i have always been a firm believer in a professional bureaucracy to manage a country and see it as a saviour of democracy.
however, it has to be a bureaucracy that works energetically for the nation,
not for self-interest, stifling progress through red tape. 
of course, i am a firm believer in democracy.
but i believe in a democracy that works.
the maldives is not a country that would benefit from a western style of democracy.
not yet it can be so.
the singapore model is more suitable.
the agitation against the status quo in the maldives that began following the tragic incident in 2003,
the mishandling of the unrest at the prison island by guards was part of the growing pains of a young country. 
i was very shocked by the killing of those prisoners.  
and i am saddened by it
above all, maldives needs leadership with integrity.
a quality that is almost absent in the maldives. 
a lot of the young generation have no idea of what integrity is.
and a ‘get rich quick’ mentality prevails. 
related to this is the problem of drugs.
where unscrupulous individuals trying to make quick money feed the drug habit in malé and the islands.   
of course, our country and her people are changing.
and will continue to do so.
in a way, some of the frustration felt, particularly in the private sector, is understandable.
as the state’s system will deter someone serious, who wants to get something done on the ‘fast track’.  
our laws need revision to bring them into line with the 21st century.
if a president no longer makes decrees, then he needs laws instead to guide the bureaucracy. 
i worry about the future of the maldives.
from the development point of view, the future is concentrated in the continued success of tourism. 
but that is a one-horse race.
susceptible to influences over which the maldives has no control. 
i believe that tourism needs a much broader base.
not just boutique-style resorts for wealthy europeans and those who have saved for “a holiday of a lifetime”,but also for a wider tourism,
market as generated by china and japan.
tourism may not remain profitable forever.
as soon as there is a downturn, people will suffer and resent the government.
if something starts to go wrong the government always takes the blame in bad times.
i have always said that the world has got into the maldives.
the maldives has not yet got into the world.
in the maldives we have access through internet and satellite television to all the things of the outside world.
yet we still have a lot to learn of that world.  
just as wealth and benefits have come to the maldives, so have the curses of modern life such as drug addiction.
lack of motivation, disrespect for religion, family and the elderly have arisen. 
a poor man’s child can study up to a levels in the maldives now.
and than go to university on a government bond. 
in reality, it doesnt happen so though.
that young person might prefer to work and contribute money to his family. 
i can understand the resentment of youth when they return to malé from studies abroad and are obliged to serve out the period of their bond.
they see rich people in positions of power and they feel alienated when they return home because they see no way of changing the situation.
the standard of practical education and affordable health care is not as good in the maldives as it should be. 
i know that president maumoon tried to do all he could to improve the standard of living of every maldivian, but a lot remains to be done. 
even though i was involved with government for 50 years,
i had the vision, and a belief in taking risks that the younger, trained but inexperienced, ones do not have. 
however, it is also true that the young often do not get the opportunities i was fortunate to get. 
with the education i had, to get a job,
or promotion, as i did, it would have been almost impossible without the good contacts circumstances put my way.   
very few of the new generation go into the practicality of a matter, investigate it from all angles, study it with dedication. 
for various reasons, they don’t have the dedication.
the commitment to serve the nation that we used to have is no more there.
it is not a question of having wealth.
i was not born wealthy. 
but, perhaps i was.
god gifted me with wealth of simple intellect.
i had curiosity.
and the ability to learn and remember, to keep an open mind, and to trust people.
in my time, i have heard every kind of criticism levelled at me.
although it is not usually to my face.
but behind my back. 
my shoulders are broad.
and i am always willing to listen to constructive comments, even criticism. 
i still thrive on learning from others.
and i respect people.
yes, even young people - with knowledge and ability. 
i know what i have done.
and i have an answer for what i have done. 
anonymous allegations are like water off a duck’s back to me.
since what i have done, i have done with good intention.
i no longer live in the maldives.
i live far in the eastern.
and regard singapore as my home. 
i have property in these regions.
in this account of my 50 years of government service, i have omitted many things.
but i have tried to include events that are relevant to the development of the maldives during that time. 
i have done that because i think it would be unfair not to leave some record.
otherwise maldivians will be forever in the dark about their past. 
even in the enlightened times of today, rumour and gossip have taken the place of recent history. 
i suppose in a way, i have been like a watchdog for my country. 
when things go wrong, i bark. 
i was once asked how i would like to be remembered. 
my instant reply was “as a person who never existed.”
before i conclude this log book, i must express my gratitude former president maumoon and to the incumbent president mohamed nasheed.
i express my gratitude for the certificates of commendation they presented me in official appreciation of my service of 50 years.
i received a letter from the civil service commission dated 1 april 2008 confirming my retirement.
this marked the happy ending for me of my long period of service to my country.
let those who have access to this account decide.
for me, my existence is incidental to what – by the will of allah,
i have been able to achieve for my country, always following my conscience. 
epilogue 
i think that i have done the best i could do in writing my log book about what is now history.
i am sure that other maldivians will have their own impressions of how the maldives was developed from a very primitive island state.
maldivians are very intelligent, courageous and quick thinking.
i do hope and encourage them to explore their own experiences and express their views for the benefit of future generations.
here are some of my thoughts about the maldives that need to be developed further.
there is no island state in the world similar to the maldives. 
there are over 1,192 islands.
out of which 200 are inhabited.
and about 95 uninhabited islands developed or assigned for tourism.
the other islands remain as they were created.
and unutilised. 
how do we make use of these other islands to further enhance the prosperity of the maldives? 
the maldives has not faced any heavy weather conditions such as a major cyclone, except for the 2004 tsunami.
this is because the islands are protected by reefs round each cluster or group of islands. 
is this protection adequate or should we do something to prevent or minimise a possible future natural disaster? 
currently people use a large percentage of imported river sand, aggregate, cement and steel for the construction of dwellings. 
while these are essential for large buildings, single storey houses could be built with machine compressed coral sand and cement blocks. 
this type of wall needs to be plastered with washed coral sand and cement mortar. 
coral sand is produced as a result of wave action on the corals. 
some of the residue is deposited on the beach.
and the balance settles down on the seabed. 
it would be possible to pump this sand out of the sea bed and use it for construction as mentioned above. 
there would be no adverse effects on the environment.
and it would save on the foreign exchange used in importing construction materials. 
this is a thought surely deserving further study.
we maldivians are a homogenous people. 
in physical features we all look the same face, colour of the skin and hair.
we speak the same language. 
there is some difference in the way the language is spoken in the north and south of the maldives. 
but those in the north and the south do understand what each other is saying. 
and we are all of the same religion.
this is a blessing.
as we know how division can fracture multi-racial, multicultural and multilingual countries. 
how best can we use this cohesion that binds us as maldivians as an advantage to further enhance the development of the maldives?
how are you
how are you
fine
fine, thank you
what is your name
my name is
nice to meet you
please
thank you
you're welcome
welcome
yes
no
excuse me
sorry
goodbye
goodbye
do you speak english
help
help
good morning
good evening
good night
good afternoon
i don?t understand
where is the toilet
where
where
why
who
what
there
here
this
that
this one
that one
leave me alone
don?t touch me
i'll call the police
police
stop
thief
i need your help
it's an emergency
i'm lost
i lost my bag
i lost my wallet
i'm sick
i've been injured
i need a doctor
can i use your phone
half
less
more
what time is it
now
later
before
morning
afternoon
evening
night
today
yesterday
tomorrow
this week
last week
next week
sunday
monday
tuesday
wednesday
thursday
friday
saturday
january
february
march
april
may
june
july
august
september
october
november
december
black
white
grey
red
blue
yellow
green
orange
purple
brown
pink
how much is a ticket
how much
one ticket
where does this go
where is the boat
what time are we leaving
how long does it take
i'm a vegetarian
i don?t eat pork
i don?t eat beef
a la carte
breakfast
lunch
tea
supper
chicken
beef
fish
eggs
salad
fresh
fruit
bread
toast
noodles
rice
rice
beans
glass
glass
cup
coffee
water
salt
black pepper
butter
i'm finished
it was delicious
please clear the plates
the check please
the bill please
dictionary
abaft
abandon
abandon
abandoned
abdomen
ability
ability
able
abnormal
abode
abolish
abound
about
about
above
above
above on
abridge
abrupt
abscess
absent
acalypha fallax
acalypha paniculata
accept
accepting allah's will
accompany
account
accurate
ache
acid
act
action
active
actor
actual
adam's children
humankind
add
add
address
address
address
adequate
adhesive
adjective
adjust
admiral
admire
admit
admit
adorn
adrift
adult
adultery
adulthood
adulthood
advance
advantage
adverb
advice
advise
advisor
aerial yam
airplane
affection
affection 
afore
afraid
african
after
afterlife
afternoon
after that
afterwards
again
again
again
against
against
against
age
age
aggregate
aggregate 
aggression
ago
agony
agree
agriculture
aid
aid
aim
aim
air
air plant
airmail
airport
akin
albacore
album
alert
alert
alienated
alive
all
all
all day, all night.
all over
alleviate
allow
ally
ally
almighty
almost
almost 
alm
alone
along
along with
alphabet
already
already happened
also
although
always
amaze
amaze 
ambassador
amber
ambergris
ambition
ambulance
ameliorate
amendment
amiable
amicable
ammunition
among
amorous
amount
amount
amount 
amulet
amuse
amusing
analysis
ancestors
anchor
anchor 
anchor
anchor rope
ancient
ancient
ancient
ancient
and
and
anemometer
angel
anger
angry
angry 
anguish
animal
animal udders
animosity
animosity 
ankle
anklet
announce
annoy
annual
annual convention
annual wake
annually
another
another
answer
answer
ant
ant
antarctic
antique
antiques
anvil
anybody
anything
anything 
apartment
apologise
apparition
appeal
appeal
appear
appease
apple
apply
apply
apply
appoint
approach
approach
approach 
arabian gum
arabian jasmine
architect
arctic
area
area
area
area 
arecanut
arecanut palm
argue
arid
aristocrats
arm
arm
armchair
armour
armpit
army
army
army
aroma
around
around
arrange
arrange
arrange
arrest
arrive
arrive
arrogant
arrogant
arrows
arrows
arse fucking
art
article
article
article
article
artist
artist
artist's house
ascetic
ash
ashamed
ashtray
asian koel
aside
as indicated
ask
ask
asleep
asparagus
ass
ass
ass
assemble
assent
assist
assistance
assistant
associate
association
assume
assure
assure
astern
asthma
asthma weed
astrologer
astrological reading
astrology
astronaut
astronomy
at first
at least
at once
at once
athlete
atlas
atmosphere
atmospheric
atmospheric  pressure
atoll
atoll chief
atoll entrance
atom
attach
attach
attack
attack
attempt
attend
attendance
attention
attitude
attorney general
attractive
attractive
auction
audubon's shearwater
aunt
author
authorise
authority
automobile
automobile horn
autumn
available
avalanche
avenue
average
avoid
awake
awake 
award
aware
aware 
awful
awning
axe
baby
babyhood
back
back
backside
backside 
backward
backward
backward
backward
bad
bad
bad
badge
bag
bag
bag
baggage
baggy trousers
bailing bucket
baitfish
baitfish
bake
baker
bakery
balance
balance
balance 
balance 
ball
ballast
balloon
balloting
balsam
bamboo
ban 
banana
banana 
banana plant
band
bandit
bangle
bangle
bank
banyan tree
banyan tree
baobab tree
bar
barb
barbados aloe
barbaric
barbecued fish
barber
barber shop
barge
bark
bark
barley
barometer
barracuda
barrel
barrier
barrier bar
base military
base of a thing
basic
basin
basis
basket
basket 
basket palm leaf
bastard
bastion
bath
bathe
bathroom
bathroom
bathroom
battery
battle
battle
bay
be
be 
be careful
be quiet
beach
beach
beach 
bead
beak
beam
beans
bear
bear
beard
beast
beast 
beat
beat
beautiful
beautiful
beautiful
beautiful figure
beauty
beauty
beauty
because
because 
because 
become
become 
bed
bed bench
bed bug
bed linen
bed sheet
bedroom
beef
beef wood
beetle
beetroot
before
beg
beggar
begin
beginning
behind
behind 
behold
belfruit
belief
believe
believe not certain
bell
bellows
belong
belong
below
below
below
belt
belt machinery part
belt around waist
bench
bend
bend
beneath
beneficial
benefit
benefit
bengal quince
bengal spiderwort
chinese watermelon
benzoin
beside
beside 
best
betel leaf
betel leaf and arecanut packs
betel leaf vine
betray
between
between 
beverage
beverage 
bicolour parrotfish
bicycle
big
big-eye tuna
bignose unicorn fish
bilimbi
bill
bill
billiards
billow
billygoat's weed
bind
binoculars
bird
bird's eye chilli
bird's best fern
birth
birth
birthday
biscuit
bishop
bishop plant
bit
bite
bite
bitter
bitter gourd
bitter sweet
black
black and white snapper
black coral
black crutch
black damer
black gram
black magic
black mangrove
black mustard
black pepper
black-napped tern
black-saddled coral grouper
blacksmith
black-spotted puffer fish
black-tip reef shark
black-wedged butterfly fish
bladder
blade
blame
blame
blank
blanket
bleed
bless
blind
blind 
bliss
blister
blizzard
block
block
blood
blood sucking
bloom
bloom
bloom 
blotter
blow
blow
blow
blue
blue-barred parrotfish
bluefin trevally
blue gum eucalyptus
blue-lashed butterfly fish
blue puller fish
blue sapphire
blue-spotted cornet fish
blue sprat
blue-streak cleaner wrasse
bluefin tuna
blunder
blunt
board
board
board
boast
boat
boat 
boatshed
boatswain
bobbin
body
body human
body shroud
boil
boil
boil
bolt
bomb
bone
boobs
breasts
book
book store
boom
bootes
bore
bored
born
borrow
both
both
bother
bottle
bottle gourd
bottom
bottom
bougainvillea
bow
bowl
box
boy
bra
brace
bracelet
braid
brain
branch
branch
brass
bravery
bray
brazier
bread
bread
bread pudding
breadfruit
breadth
break
break
break 
breaker wave
breakfast
breakwater
breast
breast 
brown 
breath
breathe
breeze
bribe
brick
brick 
bride
groom
bridge
bridled tern
brief
brief 
bright
bright 
bring
broad
broad-barred firefish
bronze bolts
bronze pins
broom
brothel
brother older
brother younger
brother-in-law
brown
brown mustard
brown noddy
brown-winged tern
brush
brush
brush hair
brutal
bubble
bubbles
bucket
bud flower
bud leaf
buddhist temple
buffalo
build
build boat
build house
building
bulb
bull
bullet
bullet
bullion
bulwark
bun
bunch
bundle
bundle 
bungalow
bungalow
buoy
burglar
burmese rosewood
burn
burn
burp
burst
bury
bury in a grave
bush
bushy area
bushy area at edge of an island
business
business
business meeting
busy
but
but
butter
butterfly
butterfly pea
buttons
buy
by and by
by word of mouth
cab
cabbage
cabin
cabinet
cabinet political
cable
cadge
caf?
cage
cake
calamity
calculate
call
calm
calm
camel
camp
camp
camp
camp
camphor
can
can
canal
cancel
candle
candy
cane
cane grass
cannibalism
cannon
cap hat
cape gooseberry
cape gooseberry
capital city
capital money
captain
captain
captain of a vessel
capture
car
caraway
card
cardamom
cardboard
cardinal climber
cardinal fish
cards playing
care
care
care
careful
carefully
careless
cargo boat
cargo sailing ship
cargo ship
caring
carom
carpenter
carpenter's mallet
carpenter's quarters and tool shed
carpentry
carpet
carrot
carry
carrying
cart
case
cash
cash
cashew nut
cassava
cassia tree
castle
castle
castor oil plant
cat
cat scent
catapult
catarrh root
catastrophe
catch
cathedral
cattle
cauliflower
caulking
cause
cave
cease
ceiling
cement
cemetery
census
centipede
center
centre
centre
century
century
cereal
ceremonial food
certainly⇥
certainly
chain
chain
chain
chain of love vine
chain stitch
chair
chairman
challenge
chamomile
chance
chance
chandelier
change
change
change balance after payment
change clothes
change money
channel through reef
chants
chapter
character
charge
charge
charge battery
charge electrical
charming
chase
chase away
cheap
cheat
check
cheek
cheerful
cheers of a crowd
cheese
chef
chemical
cheque
chess
chest
chest upper torso
chew
chickpea
chicken
chicken young
chief
chief justice
child 
childhood
childish
children
chill
chilli
chimney
chin
china root
chinese trumpetfish
chinese watermelon
chisel
chocolate tree
choice
choose
chop
christian
christianity
church
cigar
cigarette
cinema
cinnamon
circle
circumcise
circumcision
circumstance
circus
citizen
city
civil
civilisation
civilised
civil strife
clan
clan
clap
class
class school
claw
clay
clean
clean
clean 
cleaners
clear
clearing nut tree
cleat
cleat
cleave
clerk
clever
clever
clever 
clew cringle
climate
climb
clock
close
closed
cloth
cloth bag round
clothes
cloud
cloudy
cloudy
clove
clown
clown triggerfish
clue
co-operation
coast
coal
cobweb
cock
cock
cock's comb
cockroach
coconut immature
coconut malformed
coconut mature
coconut scraped
coconut semi-mature
coconut young
coconut flesh
coconut husk
coconut palm
coconut scraper
coconut shell
coco-de-mer
coffee
coffee senna
coffee tree
coffin
coin
coin worth four laari
coinage
coincidence
coir rope
cold
common cold
coleus
collar
collect
collect
collide
colour
colour
column
comb
comb
combine
come
comet
comfort
comfort
comfortable
command
command
commander army
commence
commentaries
commerce
committee
common
common millet
common tern
community
company business
compare
compass
compassion
compensate
compensation
compete
competitive
competitor
complain
complete
complete
completely
complex
conceal
conceive
concern
concerning
conclude
condition
conduct
cone
confection made with coconut and sugar and wrapped in dry leaf
conference
confuse
connect
conscience
conscious
consciousness
consensus
consent
consequence
consider
consist
consonant
constant
constellation
constitution
constitutional conventions
construct
contaminated
continent
continue
continuing
contradiction
control
control
convection current
convenient
conversation
cook
cook
cool
cool
copper
copper leaf
copy
copy
coral
coral hibiscus
coral hind
coral plant
coral rock
coral wood
cord
cordia plum
coriander
cork
corkwood
corky passion vine
corn
corn on feet
corner
corner
cornet
coronation proclamation
corpse
correct
correct
correct
correction
corrosive
cost
cost
costume
costus root
cot
cotton
cotton plant
cotton wood
cotton wool
cough
council
count
count
counter-currents
country
country
country mint
countryside
couple
courage
course
court
courtesy
courtesy
cousin
cover
cover
cow
coward
cowpeas
cowry
crab
crab plover
crab's eye vine
crane bird
crane machine
crawl
crazy
cream
create
credit
credit
creeper
crepe jasmine
crepe myrtle
crescent
crescent-shaped place
cress
crested cock's comb
crew
crew of royal odis
crime
cringle
crop
crop
cross
cross
crossboards
crossroads
crow
crowd
crow foot grass
crown
cruel
crush
crush
cry
cube
cuckoo
cucumber
culture
cum
cumin seed
cunt
cup
cure
cure
curious
curl
curl
currency
currents
curry
curry leaf tree
curse
curse
curse
curtain
curtain
curve
curve
cushion
custard apple
custom
custom of giving presents
cut
cute
cuttlefish
cyclone
cylinder
dagger
daily
daily
daisy
daisy parrotfish
damage
damage
damp
dance
dancer
dancer
dancing inside an effigy of a big fish
danger
dangerous
dangerous when wet
dare
daring
dark
dark-banded fusilier
dark band of stormy cloud
date
dates
datura
daub
daub 
daughter
dawn
dawn prayer
day
daytime
dead
deaf
dear
dear 
death
death robe
debt
decade
decapitate
decay
deceit
deceive
decide
decide
decision
deck
declare
decorate
decoration on food for feast
decrease
deep
deer
defeat
defeat
defective
defective 
defense minister
defend
definite
definite
definite
delay
delay
delegate
delicate
delicious
delight
delight
delightful
deliver
delphinus
demand
demand 
demoiselle
demon living underground on dry land
demons
den
dent
dentist
deny
deodar
depart
depart
depend
depose
depth
descendant of muhammad the holy
describe
desert
desert
deserve
desire
desk
despair
destiny
destroy
detail
dethrone
develop
develop film
devil  satan
devil's cotton
dew
dew
dew
dew point
dharma
diamond
diamond
diamond
diamond pink
diarrhoea
dick
dickhead
dictionary
die
die
diet
difference
different
difficult
difficulty
dig
digest
dignity
diligent
dill seed
dim
dining room
dinner
direct
direction
direction 
direction sea current is coming from
director
dirt
dirt 
dirty
dirty 
disappear
discover
discuss
discussion
discussion
disease
disgusting
dish
dishonest
dishonesty
disobey
display
display
dismiss
dissolve into a solution
distance
distance of 48 miles
distancing yourself from something
distant
distribute
district
diverse
divide
divine
divine will
divine will
divorce
divorce
do
doctor
doctor
dog
dog 
dogtooth tuna
doll
dollar
dolphin
dolphin fish
dome
dongle
donkey
door
doormat
dot
double
doublebar goatfish
doubt
dove
dowelling
down
downstairs
downward
dozen
drag
drag 
dragon's blood
dragonfly
drain
drain
drama
draw game
draw picture
drawers
drawing of gridlines
dream
dream
dress
dress
dressing table
dribble
drink
drink piss
drinking coconut
drinking water container on dhoani
drive
driver
drop
drop
drought
drought
drown
drugs
drugs 
drum
drumhouse
drumming
drumstick bean
drunk
dry
dry dock
dry dock
dry land
duck
dull
dumb
dump crab
dusky batfish
dusky parrotfish
dust
dust
dustbin
duster
duty
duty customs taxes for imports and exports
dwarf
dwarf sago palm
dye
dynasty
dynasty 
each
eager
eagle
ear
earring
early
early 
early evening
early morning
earn
earth 
earth 
earthenware water pot
earthquake
earthworms
ease
easily
east
eastern cattle egret
eastern entrance to male' harbour
eastern grey heron
eastern little tuna
eastward
easy
eat
eaves
ebony tree
eclipse
economy
edge
edge 
edible
editor
educate
educated
educated religious
education
eel
effect
effect
effeminate
egg
egg plant
eight
eighteen
eighth
eighty 
elbow 
elder
elect
election
electric
electrician
electricity
element
element 
element 
elementary
elementary
elephant
elephant 
elephant creeper
elevate
eleven
eligible
embark
embassy
emblem
embroidery
emotion
emperor angelfish
employee
empty
enclosure
encourage
end
end
enema
enemy
enemy
energy
engine
engineer
english
enjoy
enlarge
enmity
enough
enough 
enter
entire
entrance
envelope
environment
environment 
epidemic
equal
equal
equator
erase
eraser
erotic
error
escalate
escalation
escalator
escalator
escape
escape
essential
establish
eternal
eternal 
even
even
evening
evening lily
event
event 
ever
ever 
everybody
everyday
everything
everywhere
evidence
evidence 
evil
evil spirits living in the sea who stalk maldive ships
exact
exaggerate
examination
examine
example
excavate
excellent
excellent
except
exception
exchange
exchange 
excite
exclaim
exclamation expressing intense pain
ouch
excuse
excuse
excuse me
executioner
exercise
exercise
exercise 
exhaust 
exhibition
exile
exist
exist 
existing
exit
exit
expand
expand
expectation
expenditure
expense
expensive
experience
explain
explosives
export
expose
expose 
exposure
express
express
expression
extend
extra
eye
eyebrow
eyelashes
fabric
face
face
fact
factory
fade
fail
faint
faint 
fair
fair
fair
falcon
fall
fallopian tube
false
false berry
false jalap
false moorish idol fish
familiar
familiar 
family
famous
fan
fan
fan of peacock feathers
far
far
fare
farm
farm
farmer
fart
fashion
fast
fast
fast
fast
fasten
fasten
fat
fat 
fate
father
fault
favour
favour
favourite
favourite
fear
fear 
feast
feather
fee
feeble
feed
feed milk to babies
feel
feelings
fellow
female
female flesh-eating spirit
fence
fence 
fennel
fenugreek
fern
fertilisation
fertilise plants
festival
fever
few
field
field
fifteen
fifth
fiftieth
fifty
fig
fig tree
fight
fight
figure
figure
figure
filing teeth
fill
film
film
fin
final
find
fine
fine
finger
finger millet
finish
finish 
fins
fire
fire
fire 
fireman
fireworks
first
first
first plank to next keel
fish
fish
fish dried hard
fish dried soft
fish and egg balls
fish balls
fish cake
fish filled flat bread
fish poison tree
fish rolls
fish samosa
fish soup
fisherman
fisherman's cone shaped hat
fishing boat
fishing boat
fishing boat
fishing captain
fishing line
fishing line
fishing rod
fit
fit
five
five-armed starfish
five-leafed chaste tree
five-leafed yam
fix
fix
flag
flame
flame of the forest
flame of the wood
flat
flat bean
flavour
flea 
fleabane
flesh human
flesh-footed shearwater
flight
fling
float
float
flog
flood
floor 
floor 
flora 
flotsam
flounder
flour
flow
flower
flower vase
flu
fluid
flute
fly
fly
fly
flyingfish
foam
fog
foil
fold
fold 
folks
food
food
food
food bag
fool
fool
fool 
foolish
foot
footwear
for
forbid
forbidden
force
force
force
forecast
forecastle
forefinger
forehead
foreign
foreign
foreign 
foreign minister
foreman
forest
forest
forestay
forever
forget
forget 
forgive
fork
forked path
form
formal
fort
fort 
fortnight
fortnight 
fortress
fortunate
fortunate
fortune
forty
forty-eight
forward
foundation
foundation 
four
four o'clock flower
fourteen
fourth
fox
fragile
fragrant aloe wood
frame
frame
frame basic structure of a thing
frangipani
frankincense tree
free
free
freedom
freeze
freeze
french marigold
frequently
fresh
friday
fried fish
fried round sweet cake
friend
friend 
friends
friendship
frigate bird
frigate mackerel
frigate tuna
frighten
frighten 
frog
from
from
from 
front
fruit
fruitbat
fry
full
fun
funeral
funeral 
funny
funny 
fur
fur coat
furniture
future
future
gaff
gain
gain
gale
gallant
gamble
gamboge tree
game
gang
jail
jail
gap
garb
garb
garbage
garden
garden
garden balsam
garden croton
garfish
garland
garland flower
garlic
gas
gate
gather
gather 
gather 
gauge
gauge suitability of timber
gecko
gem
general military
generally
generations of people
generous
genetic
genie
genie malevolent and smelly
gentle
gentleman
germinate
get
get 
get 
get fucked
get fucked
get in
get off
get ready
get up
ghost
ghost 
giant clam
giant hop bush
giant jinni
giddiness
giddy
gift
gift tribute
giggle
gill
ginger
ginger beer
giraffe
girl
girl
give
gizzard
glacier
glad
glance
gland
glare
glass
glass
glide
globe
glory bower
gloss 
glossary 
gloves
glow
glue
glue
go
go
goat
goat's foot creeper
goatfish
goblet
god
god
goddess
gold
gold pure
gold coin
gold coin
gold coin
gold coin sovereign
goldsmith
gold covered thread
golden dewdrop
golden flower emblem of royal headscarf
golden girl
golden shower tree
gong beating for official reason
good
good luck
goodbye
goodbye 
goose
gooseneck
gorilla
gossip
gossip
govern
government
government announcement
government service training certificate
grab
graceful shark
gracile lizard fish
grade
grade
gradual
grain
grammar
grand
grand 
grandchild grandfather's
grandchild grandmother's
grandfather
grandmother
grape
grape vine
grapefruit
grass
grateful
grave
grave 
grave site
gravy
gravy
greaseproof paper
great
great crested tern
great frigate bird
great great grandfather
great king
great morinda
great white shark
greater eid festival
greed
greedy
green
green chilli
green peas
green precious stone
green shank
green turtle
greeting
grey
grey hair
grey stork
grief
grieve
grill
grind
grind
grind 
grindstone
grip with arms and legs
ground
ground orchid
group of people
grouper fish
grow
guard
guard
guardian male related to the father
guava
guess
guess 
guest
guide
guide
guinea grass
gulf
gull-billed tern
gum
gum around the roots of teeth
gun
gunwales
habit
hair
hairdresser
half
half section
half-arm span
hall
hallucinate
halt
halyard
hammer
hammerhead shark
hand
handbag
handcuff
handicraft
handkerchief
handle
handle 
handle of fish-tooth knife
handsome
handsome
hang
hang kill oneself by hanging
hang out
happen
happiness
happy
harbour
hard
hard
hard 
hardpan
hare
harm
harm
harvest
harvest
hat
hate
hate
hawksbill turtle
hay
hay root
he
head
head cabbage
headache
head cloth
head crewman
headmen
heal
health
health 
health minister
healthy
healthy 
heap
heap
hear
heart
heart-leafed moon seed
heat
heat
heaven
heavy
heavy 
heavybeak parrotfish
hedgehog
heed
heel
height
height 
helicopter
hell
hello
help
help
helpful
hen
henbane
henna
here
hermit crab
hero
hesitate
hesitate 
hibiscus
hiccup
hide
hide
high
high official and nobles of the realm
hill
himalayan cedar
hindus
hinge
hip
hippopotamus
hire
his royal highness
historian
history
hit
hive
hog plum
hold of a ship
hold
hole
hole dug by animal or insect
holiday
holy
home
home minister
homeland
honest
honey
honey bee
honour
honour
honour
honour
hook
hook
hooray
hope
hope
horizon
horn
horse
horse mackerel
hose
hospital
host
hostel
hostility
hot
hot spicy
hotel
hour
house
house
house block
how
how
how many
how much
however
huge
human
human
humanity
humankind
humour
humphead wrasse
humpnose big-eye bream
hundred
hundred 
hundredth
hundred weight
hunger
hunger 
hungry
hungry 
hunt
hunt
hurry
hurt
hurt 
husband
husband 
husk
hut
hymen
hymn
hypocrisy
i
i
i
ice
ice cream
idea
ideal
ideal 
idiot
idol
if
ignore
ignorant
ill
ill feelings
illness
imaginary
imagination
imagine
immediately
immediately 
impatient
import
import duty
importance
important
impossible
impossible
impossible
impotency
impression
improve
improve
improve
improvement
improvement 
in
in
in anyway
in a similar manner or way
in time
inactive
inappropriate
incense
incense burner
inch
include
income 
increase
independence day
independent
india
indian anchovy
indian arrow root
indian coral tree
indian gooseberry
indian hemp
indian madder
indian nettle
indian sarsaparilla
indian shot plant
indian spinach
indicate
indicate
indigo plant
individual
individual
individual 
industry
infant
infidel
inflammable
inflammable gas
inflammable liquid
inflammable material
inflorescence
influence
influence
influenza
inform
information
inherit
injury
injury 
ink
in-laws
inn
innocent
innocent 
inquire
insane
insect
inside
insist
in some way
instance
instance 
instant
instruction
instrument
intellect
intelligent
intending to
intend
intention
interest
interest
bank interest
interested
international
interpreter
interrupt
interrupt 
introduce
introduction
invent
invention
invention 
inventory of document of storage house
investigate
investigation
invitation
invite
involved with
iris eye
iris flower
iron
iron
iron wood
irregular
irregular
irreverence
island
island 
island with no vegetation
island chief 
ispaghula plant
it
italian millet
itch
ivory
ivory plant
jack
jack fruit
jack in the box
jackal
jackbean
jackbean
jacket
jade
jade 
jaggery
jam
japanese cherry tree
jar
jar
jasmine
jasmine
jasmine
java apple
java galangal
java pepper
java plum
java tea
jaw
jealous
jeans
jeer
jelly
jellyfish
jellyfish
jerk
jetty
jew
jewel
jewellery
jib boom
jib sail
job
join
join 
joke
joke
joke
journal
journalist
journalist 
journey
journey
joy
judge
judge
jug
juice
juice
juicy
jump
jump 
jungle
jungle
junior
junior
jupiter
just
just
just now
just now
justice
justice
justice
kale
keel
keel blocks
keelson
keep
keep
kerosene
kettle
kettle
key
keys
khus khus grass
kick
kick
kidney
kill
kind
kind
kind
kindness
king
king 
kingdom
kingfisher
kinsman
kiosk
kiss
kiss
kitchen
kite
kitten
knee
kneel
knife
knife
knight
knit
knob
knock
knot
knot
know
knowledge
knowledge
kurchi
laboratory
labour
labour
shoe lace
lack
lack
lacquer
ladder
ladder
lady
lady
lagoon
lagoon
lake
lake
lamb
lamb meat
lame
lame
lament
lamp
lamp round made of brass with seven wicks
lance
land
land
landmass
land rented out by government
land edge of an island eroded by tide
lane
lane
language
lantana
large
large
last
last
last
last night
late
late
late afternoon
lateen sail
lately
later
later generations
laugh
laughter
launching ramp
law
lawyer
lay
lazy
lead
lead
lead element
leader
leader
leader
leaders
leadership
leaf
leafy bit of fronds
leap
leap
learn
learned
learned islamic man
leather
leatherback turtle
holiday leave
leave
leave
lee
left
left-hand
leg
legal
legitimacy
lemon
lemon grass
lend
length
length
lentil
less
lesser crested tern
lesser frigate bird
lesser golden plover
lesser noddy
lesson
lesson
letter
letter alphabet
letter box
lettuce tree
level
level
lewdness
liberty
library
lick
lid
lid
lie
lie
lie
life
lifeboat
life-breath
life plant
lift
lift
light
light
electric light
electric light tube
lighthouse
lightning
lightning
thunderbolt
like
like
like
like
lima pole bean
lime
lime chewed with betel and arecanut
lime made from coral and wood
lime berry
limit
limit
line
line of people or things
lined surgeonfish
linen
lining material dressmaking
lining material dressmaking
link
link
lion
lip
liquid
liquor
liquor foreign
liquorice
list
list
listen
literature
little
little
little finger
little tuna
little yellow bittern
live
liver
lizard
load
load
load ship
loan
lobster
local
lock
lock
log
log
log
log
log
logarithm
loggerhead turtle
lonely
long
long ago
long nose butterfly fish
long pepper
look
look
look after
loom
loose
loss
lose
lot
lot
lottery
loud
louse
love
love
love
love 
love in a mist
love lies bleeding
love lies bleeding
love vine
lovely
lovely
lover
lover of a married woman
loving
low
luck
luggage
lukewarm
lunch
lungs
lying down
machete
mad
madness
madness
magazine
magic
magic
magistrate
magnet
mail
main
main gaff top sail
mainsheet
maintenance
maize
major
major military
make
make apparent
make bold
make romance bloom
make water flow
mako shark
malabar plant
malabar nut tree
yellowtail clownfish
maldive baseball
maldive cricket
maldive little heron
maldive pond heron
maldive water hen
male' palace jetty area historic
male
male
malevolent
mallet
mallet used by toddymen
man
manage
manage
mandarin
tangerine
mango
mangosteen
mangrove
mangrove
mangrove
manner
manufacture
many
many
map
map
march
march
march played by royal band when monarch in procession
margin
marigold
marijuana
mark
mark
market
market
marking nut tree
markings
marks
marlin
marriage
married
marry
martyrs
marvel
marvel
marvellous
mask
masked bannerfish
mason
mast
mast mount
mast seat
master
master
master carpenter
mastic
mat
mat made of pandanus leave
mat sedge
match
match
 match box
material
material
maths
matter
matter
mattress
mature
mature
maximum
me
me
meadow
meal
mean
meaning
measles
measure
measure
measure
meat
mechanic
medicine
medicine man
meet
meet
meet
meeting
meeting
meeting room
melon
melt⇥
melt
member
memorised
memory
mention
merchant
mercury
mere
merry
message
metal
metal stake
meteor
meteorite
meteorology
method
mexican sunflower
midday
middle
middle age
middle east
middle east and asia
middle finger
middle husband
middle of north-east monsoon
midnight
midwife
mile
military
military
milk
milk
milk bush
milk fish
mill
mill
millennium
millet fields
mime
mind
mind
mind
mine
mineral
minister
minister
ministry
minor
minor
minute
mirror
miss 
mist
mistake
mix
mix
mix
mizzen sail
moat
moat tortoise
mock
model
model
moderate
moderate
modern
molucca bean
moment
moment
moment
moment of death
monday
money
money cowries
monk
monkey
monkfish
month
month
monthly
monument
moon
moonlight
moorhen
mooring pole
mooring spike
moorish idol fish
mop
mop
more
more
morning
morning glory
morning glory
moses in the cradle
mosque
mosque spirit
mosquito
mosquito net
mosquito plant
moss rose
most
most
moth
mother
motherfucker
mother's brother's son
mother's cunt
motion
motor
mount lily
mountain
mouse
moustache
mouth
move
movement
movie
moving to one side
much
mud
mud
mud guard
mud guard
mug
mugwort
mulberry
mullet
multiply
mung bean
murder
murder
muscle
museum
mushroom
music
musician
must mallow
musket
moslems from malabar
mustard
mutton
ms
my
my
mythical one-horned beast
mythical spirit female
nail
nail
finger nail
naked
namnam
name
name
nape
napkin
narcissus
narrate
narrow
nation
nation-wide
natural
nature
naughty
nausea
nausea
nautilus
navel
navigator
navigator's assistant
near
near
neat
necessary
neck
necklace
necklace of beads
necklace wide
need
need
needle
sewing needle
neem tree
negative
neglect
negro
neighbor
nest
nest
net
net
net
net headline
neutral
new
new year's day
news
news agent
newspaper
next
next to
nice
nickname
night
night before
night blindness
night jasmine
nine
nineteen
ninety
ninth
no
no
noble
noblemen
nod
noise
noisy
non -flammable compressed gas
noon
norfolk island pine
normal
normal sand piper
north
north-east
north-east monsoon
north-eastern wind
northward
nose
not
not
note
note
notice
notice
notice
notice
nought
noun
novel
now
nude
nude
number
number
even numbers
odd numbers
nurse
nurse
nut fruit
nuts of the tropical almond
nut used with bolt
nut grass
nutmeg
oak
oar
oar pole
oar blade
oarlock rope
oarlock wooden
oat
oath
obedient
obey
object
object
object
objective
observatory
observe
observe
obstacle
obtain
obtain
obtain
obvious
ocean
occasion
occasionally
occasionally
occupation
occupation
occupy
occupy
occur
occur
ocean
octopus
octopus design
odd
odd
odour
offal
offer
offer
office
official
offspring
often
often
oh my god
oil
oil
okra
old aged 
old aged
old
old age
oleander
olive
olive ridley
olive tree
omelette
on above
once
once more
one
onion
on-going
on-going
only
open
open
operate machinery
operate medical
operation medical
operculum
opinion
opinion
opinion
opium poppy
opportunity
oppose
opposite
optic nerve
or
orange
orange
orange colour
orange-lined triggerfish
orchard
order
order
order arrange
ordinary
organic peroxide
organisation
organise
organise
orient
oriental sweetlips fish
original
ostrich
other
other
ouch
ounce
our
out
outside 
outstanding
outstanding
oval
ovary
oven
over there
overcast
ow
owe
owl
own
ox
oxidising agent
oyster
pack
padlock
page
pain
pain
pain
pain
paint
paint
painted spurge
painted sweetlips fish
pair
palace
palace built underground
palace tower
palanquin
pale
palm
palm tree
palm frond
palm sap
palm syrup
palmyra palm
pan-baked food
pandanus
pandanus
pandanus flowers
panther
pants hanging just below knees and worn by men
papaya
paper
paprika
parachute
parcel
pardon
pardon
parents
park
park
parrel used to adjust yard height on mast
parrot
parrotfish
part
part
part
participate
participate
particular
partition
partition
partner
party
pass a point of reference
pass after compliance check
pass bills and laws in parliament
pass in an examination or permit
pass in an examination
passenger
passionfruit
past
past
past
past
past
past
past
past tense
paternal
path
patience
patient
patient
patient
pause
pause
pause
pavement
paw
pay
pay
peace
peacock
peacock flower
peacock hind fish
peak
peanuts
pear
pearl
pearl millet
peas
peasants
pedal
peel
pelican
pellitory root
pen
penal
pencil
peon office attendant
peon of the court
people
people
people who later have the same official positions
pepper
peppermint
peppers
perfect
perform
perfume
perfume
perfume
perfume
perhaps
period
period
period historical time
period of time
periodically
periwinkle
permanently
permission
permission to marry
permit
permit
perpetually
persist
person
person who praises himself or herself
personal
personal
personality
perspire
pharmacy
philosophy
photograph
phrase
physical education
piano
pick
pick
pickles
picnic
picture
picture
piece
pierce
pig
pig weed
pigeon
pigeon pea
pile
pile
pill
pillar
pillow
pillow case
pimple
pin
pin
pinch
pineapple
pink
pink roses
pious
pipal tree
pipe
pipe used for smoking
pirate
piss
pistachio nut
pistol
pity
pity
place
place
place
place
place of the day of judgement
plain
plait
plan
plan
plan
plane
aeroplane
plane carpentry tool
planet
plank
planks of a ship
plant
plant
plantain
plate
platform
platform
platter used for communal eating
play
play
play drama
play music
play tug-of-war game
playground
playground
plea
plead
pleasant
pleasant
pleasant
please
please
pleasure
pleasure
plenty
plough
pluck
plumber
plumb line
plywood
plywood
pocket
pocket
poem
poet
poetic
poetry
poetry ancient dhivehi style
pot pata
point
point
point
poison
poison
poison
poison gas
poisonous
pole
pole propelling small seacraft
pole and sling used to carry heavy loads
pole bucket
policeman
policemen
policy
polite
political
politics
pomegranate
pomelo
pond
pond apple
pool 
poor
poppy seed
popular
population
porcupine
pork
port
porter
portugal
portuguese
position
position in society or employment
possess
possession
possibility
post
post
postman
postpone
pot round for water
pot cylindrical
pot earthenware cooking vessel
pot metal cooking vessel
potato
pound
pour
pour
pour
powder
powder
powderblue surgeonfish
power
practical
practice
practice
praise
praise
prawn
pray
pray
prayer
prayer
prayer late evening
prayer to the ocean
preach
precipitation
prefer
pregnant
premier
preparation
prepare
present
present
present bring forward
presently
preserve
preserve
president
press
pressure
pressure
pressure
pretty
pretty
prevent
prevent
price
price
prickly chaff flower
pride
pride
priest
priest
priest
prime minister
prime minister
prince
prince
prince
prince
principal
principal
principal
principle
print
print
pringle
prison
prison
prisoner
private
privilege
privilege
prize
probable
probably
problem
problem
proboscis
procedure
produce
produce tax
product
production
profit
profit
program
program
progress
prohibit
prohibited in islam
promise
promise oath
pronoun
propeller tree
propitiate an ocean deity with a blood sacrifice
proposal
proposal idea
propose
prosperity
protect
protect
protection
protest
protest
proud
proud
proud
proud
prove
prove
proverb
public
public
public notice
public safety
public works
publish
puffing and grunting under heavy load
pull
pulley
pulse
pummelo
pump
pump
pump air
pumpkin
punish
punished
punishment
punishment book
pupil
pupil
pupil eye
pupil eye
purchase
pure
pure
pure
purging croton
purple
purple wreath
purpose
purse
purslane
push
pussy tail
put
put
put food somewhere to cool
put in
put off
put out
putty
putty
puzzle
quadrangle
quadrants
quadruple
quake
quality
quantity
quantity
quarantine
quarrel
quarrel
quarry
quarter
quash
quash
quay
queen
queen of the night
question
question
quick
quickly
quiet
quiet
quietly
quietly
quietly
quilt
quince
quite
rabbit
race
race competition
race human division
rack
radiant
radio
radioactive
radish
raft
rafter
rag
rage
railing
railroad
rain
rain
rain during northeast monsoon
rain guage
rain shower
rain tree
rainbow
rainbow runner
raincoat
rainy
raise
raise
raise
raisins
rake
ramadan
rambutan
rampe
rancid
rank
rapid
rare
rare
rare
rarely
rarely
rat
rattan cane
rattle
rattle
raw
ray
razor blade
reach
reach
reach arrive
read
ready
real
real
realise
realise
reality
really!
rear
rear
reason
reason for doing something
reason
receive
recent
recently
recently
recognise
recognise
recognise
recommend
record
record
recover
recover
rectangle
red
red cross
red lionfish
red mullet
red oxide compound
red precious stone
red snapper
red snapper
redtail butterflyfish
red-toothed triggerfish
reduce
reduce
reed
reef
reef submerged deep in lagoon
reef flounder
reef side of dhoani
reform
refresh
refrigerator
regency council
region
region
regret
regret
regret
regular
reign
rein
reindeer
reject
related
related
relative
relative
relative humidity
relatives
relaxation
release
reliability 
reliable
relief
relief
religion
religious doctrine
religious hymns to god
rely
remain
remember
remind
remnant
remora fish
remove
remove
rent
rent
repair
repeat
repeat
repent
reply
reply
report
report
reporter
represent
reprimand
republic
republic day
request
request
require
rescue
resolution
resolution to do something
respect
respect
responsibility
responsible
rest
rest
rest
rest
result
return
reveal
reveal
reward
reward
rhinoceros
rhythm
rib
ribbed luffa
ribbon
ribs of dhoani
rice cooked
rice raw
rice sweet sticky
rice gruel
rich
rich people
ride
ridged pepper
right correct
right-hand
righteous
ring
ring phone someone
ring-hook
ripe
ripe
ripples
rise
rise
rise of the sun moon stars
river
road 
roast
rob
robber
robe
rock
rock
rogue
roll
roll
romantic
roof
room
rooster
root
rope
rope
rose
rose apple
rose of jericho plant
roseate tern
rot
rotten
rotten
rough
round
row
row
row
rowboat
royal
royal
royal
royal
royal
royal
royal angelfish
royal bathroom
royal cleric
royal commodore
royal father
royal presence
royal regiments
royal seal
royal umbrella
royal umbrella
rub
rubber
rubber plant
rudder
rudder fish
rug
ruin
ruin
rule
rule
rule a line
ruler
rumour
run
rungs
rural
rush
rush
rushgrass
rust
rust
sabre squirrel fish
sack
sack
sacred
sacred basil
sad
sad
sad
sad
saddle
safe
safety
saffron
sago
sail
sail
sailfin tang fish
sailfish
sailing ship
saint
salad
salad
salaitree
salary
sale
salep orchid
saliva
salt
salt and chilli paste
same
same
sample
sanctity
sand
sand
sand plover
sand spit
sandal 
sandal wood
sandbank
sandbar
sandpaper
sandwich
sandworm
sane
sapodilla plum
sappan wood
sarong
sash
satellite
satin wood tree
satisfy
satisfy
satisfy
saturday
saucer
saunder's little tern
savage
save 
saw
saw
sawfish
say 
saying
scab
scabies
scad fish
scald
scale
scale used by jewellers
scale used for heavy loads
scale used in shops
scalloped hammerhead
scar
scarce
scarce
scarce
scare
scare
scarf
scarf
scarf traditional
scatter
scene
scheme
scholars
school
school
schooner
scientific
scissors
scold
scold
scoop
scorpion
scratch
scrawled butterflyfish
scream
screw
screw pine
screw pine
scrub
scum
sea 
sea
sea bream
sea coconut
sea current
sea goldie fish
sea hibiscus
sea horse
sea lemon
sea lettuce
sea purslane
sea side of dhoani
sea trumpet
sea vetch tree
seagull
seal
seal
seal
seal
seal
search
seashore lily
season
seat
seat
seat for public use as bench
second
secret
secretary
section
security guard
security guard
see
see
seed
seek
seize
seldom
select
self
selfish
selfish
sell
semi-ripe
send
sender
sense
sensibility
sensitive plant
sentence
sentence
sentence structure
separate
separate
seperate
separately
separately
seperately
serious
serious
serpent
servant
servant
servant of royalty
serve
service
sesame
sesbanis
set
set
set
settle
settle
seven
seventeen
seventh
seventy
seventy-two
sew
sewerage pipe
sewing machine
sex
sextant
shade
shadow
shadowfin soldierfish
shake
shallow
shalwar
shame
shape
shape
shape
shape
share
share
shareholder
shark
shark fishing
sharp
sharpen
shave
she
she
shed
sheen
sheep
sheet covering coffin
sheet
sheet metal
shelf
shell
shell
shell
shelter
shepherd
shield
shine
shine
shine
shine
ship
ship
ship
shirt
shit
shock
shock
shoe
shoot goal
shoot with a gun
shop
shop
shopkeeper
shore
shore
shore
short
shorts
shorts
shoulder
shoulder
shout
shout
show
show
shower
shower
shower
shower
shrew
shrimp
shrink
shut
shy
sick
sickle pod
sickness
side
side of the face
sidestay rope on boat
sidewalk
sieve
sign
sign
sign
signature
signal
signal
signal for help
silence
silence
silent
silk
silly
silver
silver belly fish
silver bush
silver covered thread
silver thread
silvertip shark
silvery fish
similar
similar
simple
sin
sin
since
sincere
sincere
sinful
sing
singer
single
single
single unmarried
singlet
sink
sink
sink boat at sea
sister older
sister younger
sister-in-law
sit
situation
six
sixbar wrasse
sixteen
sixth
sixty
size
skeleton
skid
skilful
skilful
skill
skin
skin
skipjack tuna
skipjack tuna
skirt
skirt
skull
sky
skyscraper
slander
slate
slave
slave woman
sledge
sleep
sleep
sleepy
slender grouper
slice
slice
slightly
slim
slip
sloop
sloop
slope
slow
slow stupid
small
small caltops
small deck
small fishing boat
smallpox
smash
smear
smear
smell
smell
smell
smell
smelly
smile
smile
smile
smithery
smoke
smoke
smoke
smoke
smooth
smooth cucumber
snack dried
snack savoury
snack sweet
snacks
snail
snake
snake maldive
snake gourd
snatch
sneeze
sneeze
snob
snore
snow
snow
so
soak
soap
soap
soapnut tree
sob
social
society
socks
soft
soft
softwood tree
soil
soil
solder
soldierfish
solicitor
solid
solidarity
some
somehow
somehow
some more
someone
somebody
something
sometimes
somewhere
son
song
song
soon
soot
sooty tern
sorcery
sorcery
sorcerers
sorghum
sorrow
sorry
sort
soul
soul
soul
sound
sound
soup
sour
sour orange
sour orange
soursop
south
southern cross
south-west monsoon
southward
sow
space
space
space
span
spare
spark
sparrow
speak
spearfish
special
specimen
spectacles
speech
speech
speed
speed
speed
spell
spend
spend
sperm
sperm
sphere
spice
spider
spider flower
spill
spinach
spine
spiny dogfish
spiny lobster
spirit
spirit of a dead ancestor
spit
spoil
spoil
spoil
spoilt
spoilt
sponge gourd
spontaneously combustible
spoon
sport
spotted eagle ray
spotted unicorn fish
sprain
sprain
sprat
spray
spread
spreading hog weed
spring
spring water
sprinkle
sprinkled 
spy
square
square ground
squeeze
squeeze
squeeze
squid
squint
squirrel
srilanka
stab
stable for horses
stage
stain
stair
stale
stamp
stamp
stand
stand
star
star goose berry
starch
stare
stare
stare
starfruit
stars
start
starve
state
station
statue
stay
stay
stay upper class form
steady
steal
steam
steel
steer
steering wheel
stempost
step
step
staircase step
step-father
step-mother
steps
staircase steps
stern
sternpost
stethoscope
stick
stick
stick dance
sticky
still
still
still
stilt
sting
stingray
stingy
stink
stir
stomach
stone
stone
stone apple
stone grinder
stools
stop
stopper
store
store
store
store
storm
storm
stormy seas
story
stove
straight
straight
straighten and stretch the body
strange
stranger
stranger
strangers
strategy
stray from the right path islam
streaker
stream
street
street
street corners
strength
strength
strict
strike
strike
strike
string
strings metal wire
strong
strong
strong winds of early north-east monsoon
stubborn
stubborn
student
study
study
stuff
stuff
stupid
stupid
style
style
style
subject
subjective
submarine
subtract
succeed
success
successful
such
suck
suck
suck cunt
suck dick
sudden
sugar
sugar apple
sugar cane
suggest
suit
suit
suitcase
sultan
sultan
sultan's office and palace
sultan's palace area
sum
sum
summer
sun
sun hemp
sunday
sunflower
sunglasses
sunlight
sunshine
super
super
superb lily
superb lily
supper
supply
supply
support
support
support 
support
suppose
sure
sure
surface
surface become visible or known
surface of water
surplus
surplus
surprise
surprise
surprise
surround
swallow
swan
swear
sweat
sweat
sweep
sweet
sweet acacia
sweet basil
sweet lime
sweet potato
sweet sedge
sweet violet
sweetcorn
sweets
swell
swell sea
swim
swimming pool
swing
swing
sword
sword bean
sword fern
sword fish
sympathy
synoptic
synthetic
syrian rue
syrup
system
system
t-shirt
table
tablet
tablet
tacca lily
tack
tadpole
tail
tail grape
tailor
take
taking responsibility for
talk
tall
tamarind
tambourine drum
tangerine
tangjong tree
tangket plant
tanker
tap
tap
tapioca
taro
taro
tassel
tassel flower
tassel plant
taste
taste
taste
tasty
tawny nurse shark
tax
tax
tax
tax collector
tax collecting boat
taxi
tea
tea leaves
teach
teach
teacher
teacher
teacher
teacher female
teacher male
teak
team
tear
tear
technology
teenage
teeth
telephone
television
tell
temper
temperature
temple
ten
ten thousand
tentacles
tenth
tenth plank on keel of ship
tepid
term
term
terminate
terminate
terminology
termites
tern
territory
terror
test
test
test
textile
texture
than
thank
thanks
thankyou
that
that is
because
thatch
thatch
theatre
theatre
theft
their
them
then
there
there
therefore
thermometer
thermometer
thermos
these
they
thick
thick
thief
thigh
thin
thin
thing
things
think
think
think
thinker
third
1/3
third
3rd
third finger
thirsty
thirteen
thirty
thirty-six
this
this person
thorn
thorough
thousand
thread
thread things onto a string
threaten
three
three hours
thresher shark
thrice
thrice
thrifty
throat
throat
throne
throne
through
throw
throw away
thumb
thunder
thunder
thursday
thyme-leafed gratiola
thymol
tiara
ticket
tickle
tide
tidy
tidy
tie
tie
tiger
tight
tighten
tilapia
tile
tile
tiller
timber
time
time
time allocation
time off
timid
tin 
tin large
tin small
tin metal
tiny
tip
tip
tire
tire
tired
title
title
to
tobacco
today
toddy
toddy sweet
toddy man's implements
toe
together
toilet
to life
tomato
tomb
tomb
tomorrow
ton
tone
tongs
tongs
tongue
tonight
too
too many
too much
too much
tool
tool
tooth
tooth brush
tooth brush tree
toothfairy
top
top toy
top gallant sail
topic
tornado
tortoise
toss
total
touch
tough
tour
tourist
tow
toward
towel
tower
town-crier
town wall
toy
tracing paper
tracing paper
tractor
trade
trade
trade
trading boat
trading cargo boat
tradition
tragacanth
tragic
trailing eclipta
train
train
train of a gown
traitor
tram
translate
translation
translucent
transparency
trap
trap
trap
trash
travel
traveller's palm
trawling line
tray
tray
treacle
treacle
treasure
treasurer
treasury
treat
treat medical
tree
tree ant
tree bark fibre
trevally
triangle
tribe
tribe
tribute
trick
trick
trickery
tridax daisy
trip
trip
triple
tropical
tropical almond
tropic of cancer
tropic of capricorn
trouble
trouble
trouble
trouble
trouble
trousers
truck
true
trumpet
trunk
trunk
trust
truth
try
tub
tube
tuberculosis
tuesday
tug
tulip
tulip tree
tulip tree
tuna
tuna fish ball
tuna section
tune
tunnel
turban
turban
turkey
turmeric
turn
turn
turnstone
turtle
tusk
twelve
twenty
twenty-four
twice
twins
twins
twist
two
two-lined monocle bream
two regiments
type
type kind
type kind
type of diamond
typhoon
typical
ugly
umbrella
uncle
unconscious
unconscious
under
under-secretary
underpants
understand
understand
understand
undress
unfair
unique
foot
27 inches
300 kg
48 kg
unite
unite
unity
university
unkind
unkind
unknowingly
unload
untidy
untidy
untie
until
until
unusual
up
up to that time
up land cotton tree
upside down
urge
urge
urgent
urinate
urinate
urine 
urine
use
use
useful
useless
useless
usual
usually
utensils
vacant 
vacation
valentinni's sharpnose pufferfish
valid
valley
valuable
value
value
variety
various
various
vase with a long neck
vast
vegetable
vehicle
veil
veil
vein
velvet
velvet leaf
venom
venom
venus
veranda
verb
verse
vertical
vervain
very
very
very dry
vicinity
video machine
view
view
view
village
village
vine
vinegar
vinegar
violet
violet flower
visit
visiting state minister
vital
vital third planks on keel of ship
voice
voice
volcano
vomit
vomit
vote
vote
vow
vow
voyage
voyage
wag
wage
wage
wahoo fish
waist
waist chain
waist cord for pants
waistcloth
wait
wait
wait
waiter
wake
wake of a dead person
wake of moving ships
wake of rudder or fish
walk
walk
wall
wall
wallet
walnut
wanker
want
want
waqf
war
warship sail-powered
warship modern
ward
ward
wardrobe
warehouse
warm
warn
warning
warp
wart
wash
wash body
was dead human body
washing machine
washing powder
wasp
wasp 
waste
waste
waste
wasteful
watch
watch
water
water
water cold
water hot
water buffalo
water hyacinth
water spinach
water spout
water lily
watermelon
wave
wave
wax
wax apple
wax gourd
wax mallow
way
way
we
we
weak
weak
wealth
wealth
wealthy people
weapon
wear
wearing seven perfumes
weather
weave
weavers of cloth
web
wed
wedding
wedge
wedge-tailed shearwater
wednesday
weed
week
weekly
weep
weep
weigh
weight
weights attached to fish nets
welcome
welcome
weld
well
well
west
westward
wet
whale
whale shark
what
wheat
wheel
when
where
whetstone
which
while
while
whimbrel
whip
whip
whip
whirl
whirlwind
whiskers
whisper
whisper
whistle
whistle
white
white ants
white-breasted swamp hen
white cherry
white jasmine
white tip reef shark
white scarf
white spotted grouper
white-tailed tropic bird
white tern
white-tipped shark
white tip soldier fish
white water lily
who
whole
whole
whom
whose
why
wick
wicked
wicked
wide
widow
width
wife
wife
wild
wild
wild passion fruit
wild screw pine
wild yam
will
willing
win
win
win
wind
wind
wind instrument
window
windvane
wine
wings
winter
wipe
wire
wisdom
wise
wise
wish
wish
with
wither
without
witness
woe is me
wolf
woman
womb
womb
wonder
wonder
wonderful
wonderful
wood
wood
wood apple
wooden bench
wooden gate
wooden pegs
wooden bed
wooden slippers
wool
word
work
work
worker
workshop
world
worm
worry
worship
wound
wound
wound
woven coconut palm fronds
wrap
wrasse
wrasse
wrath
wrath
wreck
wreck ship
wrestle
wrinkle
wrist
wrist watch
write
writer
write a list
writing pad
wrong
wrong
yacht
yam
yam
yam
yam shoot
yard
yard
yardlong bean
yawn
year
yeast
yell
yellow
yellowback fusilier
yellow boxfish
yellow-edged lyretail fish
yellow elder
yellowface angelfish
yellowfin tuna
yellow oleander
yellow plum
yellowtail clownfish
yellow thistle
yellow white heron
yes
yes
yes
yesterday
yet
yet
yoghurt
yoghurt
yolk
you
you
young
young
young girl
younger brother or sister
your
your
youth
youthful
zeal
zebra shark
zephyr flower
zero
zero tax
zig zag plant
zigzag
zinnia
zip
zodiac
zone
zoo
i have been thinking about fucking me all day.
i know what you want but i am going to make you beg for it.
get down there and lick my pussy.
tell me how good that pussy tastes.
tell me how hard i have made your cock.
keep going, make me cum with your tongue.
get behind me and fuck my pussy till i cum.
give me that cum, i want to taste it.
my pussy is so wet, fill me up with that cock.
do whatever you want and just make me cum.
fuck me harder so my tits bounce good.
fuck that cunt until i tell you to stop.
lick that pussy till i fucking cum on your face.
fill my cunt with your cum.
i wish we cud have sex all day long.
having you bent over with my dick inside you makes me feel so good.
you are always thinking dirty thoughts girl.
you are such a devil, you horny thing.
i want to pull your panties off and eat you right here.
i know you are thirsty for my strong cock.
you will do what i tell you naughty girl.
who is your master?
obey your master and beg for his cock.
obey your mistress u slave, now beg for my pussy.
get down on your knees and put that tongue of yours to work.
i have never been fucked like that before.
hearing you moan and shout when you cum is so satisfying.
i have been a bad girl and deserve spanking.
i will make you cry with pleasure.
i can see your bulge in your pants.
the feeling of your cock getting hard in my hands is so kinky.
tonight i want to watch you jerk yourself off.
i think about you when i am masturbating.
just feeling your eyes on me makes me so wet.
you bring out the devil in me.
hearing you moan with pleasure turns me on so much.
make me your bitch.
suck my breasts.
tell me when you are close to cum.
this pussy is yours, whenever you want it.
shut the fuck up and take your clothes off.
bite me.
bend me over and spank me.
pull my hair fuck me harder.
sex with you is like a drug.
don’t ever stop fucking me.
i want you to tie me up and have your way with me.
i don’t think i could ever get bored of having sex with you.
fuck me harder and deeper.
i am cumming.
i am dripping wet.
i am about to explode.
fuck me, fuck me.
i just want to rip your clothes off right now.
you know, i am not wearing panties.
i just want you to know i am dripping wet.
let's see how long it takes you to get hard.
why aren't you here right now, i am so fucking horny.
my panties are soaked, get home quick.
what do you want me to wear in bed tonight?
do you want to try anal with me?
i want you fuck me in the ass.
i am masturbating while talking to you.
i miss your dick.
lie down and shut up.
get naked and get into bed.
on your knees, bitch.
beg me.
i am touching myself right now.
i am not wearing my underwear.
i woke up this morning wet.
show me where you want me to bite you.
squeeze my boobs harder and kiss me.
i know you want my pussy.
i don’t mind you calling me bitch.
it turns me on when you call me bitch.
grab my ass.
you really know how to make a girl wet.
you make me feel so slippery between my thighs.
don’t wear any clothes when you go to bed.
you are not allowed to wear any clothes when you go to bed.
obey me, sleep naked, that’s an order.
im feeling horny.
you are sexy.
you are sexy.
you are sexy.
do you feel horny?
when did you fuck last?
when did you make love last?
how often do you make love?
how often do you fuck?
do you like fucking to be rough?
do you want me to suck your cock?
pull your cock out.
come i will give u a good blow job.
come i will put your cock all the way down my throat.
i love your cock.
i love your dick.
i love your erection.
you look so cute with that erection.
you look so horny.
your erection is so kinky.
i want to bite your nipples.
i want to lick your ass.
i want to lick your earlobes.
i want to kiss your neck.
i want to put my tongue into your mouth.
bite my lips hard.
suck on my lips.
suck on my tongue.
kiss me on my face.
i want to kiss you all over your body.
you have a hot body.
you have a curvy body.
you are so kinky.
do you want to be fucked by two men?
have you ever fucked with two men?
do you like lesbians?
i am a lesbian.
i love being a lesbian.
i am a bi.
i love being bi.
fuck me in both holes.
you are irresistibly sexy.
i want to be on top of you.
i want to rub my body against yours.
lick the honey off my boobs.
put your finger in my ass.
put your finger in my pussy.
finger me please.
find my g-spot.
slip your finger in my cunt.
my cunt is waiting for you.
my cock is yearning for your pussy.
your cock is so big.
your cock is so long.
spank me with your kinky cock.
spank my ass with your hands.
spank my boobs.
stop looking at me and start licking my pussy.
show me how much you love my pussy.
repeat after me, i love your pussy.
repeat after me, mistress may i eat your pussy.
i want to eat your pussy.
come eat my pussy.
do u like my pussy?
do u like my cock?
do you want me to fuck you harder?
do you want me to put this cock in?
the way you grab my neck is so kinky.
you turn me on with your magical touch.
you turn me on so much with your kinkiness.
you are the only person who can keep up with me in sex.
let the boobs rub on the cock.
i want to watch a lesbian show.
lesbian play is so erotic.
you feel so good on top of me.
just hearing you breath in my ears sends shivers down my spine.
fuck faster!
i want to taste you.
keep doing that.
this is fucking good, don’t stop.
you're making me too turned on.
you know it turns me on when you look at me like that.
i love kissing you.
you look so sexy right now.
i love pleasing you.
the sound of your horny moans drives me crazy.
it feels so good being inside you.
stand right there and let me undress you.
i love it when you use your tongue like that.
i love how your hot mouth feels on me.
you taste so good.
i could spend hours between your legs, licking, sucking and tasting you.
what are you wearing now?
i am watching porn.
i am looking for sex toys online.
i had a naughty dream last night.
suck my juices.
when is the last time you jerked it?
tonight i am going to make you my sex slave.
i am going to make you scream my name tonight.
tonight is going to be about pleasure and pain.
i want to hear you breathing in my ear when i make you cum.
tonight you are not allowed to cum until i say so.
your cock is going to pulse with complete pleasure tonight.
i was thinking about you in the shower this morning.
let's get naked together.
your hot ass makes me horny every time i see you.
your hot kisses set my skin on fire.
want to take a shower with me?
if i was there, what would you do to me?
i want your cock in my mouth right now!
want to play?
want to play with my boobs?
want to play with my nipples?
want to bite my nipples?
suck and pull on my nipples.
want to play with my tits?
show me your tits.
rub the oil on my boobs.
rub the oil on my ass.
show me how horny you are.
spank on my face with that sexy cock.
i can't wait to take your clothes off.
i want you to cum on my face.
fuck me hard and fast.
im going to get your dick dripping wet and slippery.
suck my dick.
do what you are told and do it well.
get on your knees and beg for it.
i know you have been thinking about fucking me all day.
i know what you want but i am going to make you beg for it.
get down there and lick my pussy.
tell me how good that pussy tastes.
tell me how hard i have made your cock.
keep going, make me cum with your tongue.
get behind me and fuck my pussy till i cum.
give me that cum, i want to taste it.
my pussy is so wet, fill me up with that cock.
do whatever you want and just make me cum.
fuck me harder so my tits bounce good.
fuck that cunt until i tell you to stop.
lick that pussy till i fucking cum on your face.
fill my cunt with your cum.
i wish we cud have sex all day long.
having you bent over with my dick inside you makes me feel so good.
you are always thinking dirty thoughts girl.
you are such a devil, you horny thing.
i want to pull your panties off and eat you right here.
i know you are thirsty for my strong cock.
you will do what i tell you naughty girl.
who is your master?
obey your master and beg for his cock.
obey your mistress u slave, now beg for my pussy.
get down on your knees and put that tongue of yours to work.
i have never been fucked like that before.
hearing you moan and shout when you cum is so satisfying.
i have been a bad girl and deserve spanking.
i will make you cry with pleasure.
i can see your bulge in your pants.
the feeling of your cock getting hard in my hands is so kinky.
tonight i want to watch you jerk yourself off.
i think about you when i am masturbating.
just feeling your eyes on me makes me so wet.
you bring out the devil in me.
hearing you moan with pleasure turns me on so much.
make me your bitch.
suck my breasts.
tell me when you are close to cum.
this pussy is yours, whenever you want it.
shut the fuck up and take your clothes off.
bite me.
bend me over and spank me.
pull my hair fuck me harder.
sex with you is like a drug.
don’t ever stop fucking me.
i want you to tie me up and have your way with me.
i don’t think i could ever get bored of having sex with you.
fuck me harder and deeper.
i am cumming.
i am dripping wet.
i am about to explode.
fuck me, fuck me.
i just want to rip your clothes off right now.
you know, i am not wearing panties.
i just want you to know i am dripping wet.
let's see how long it takes you to get hard.
why aren't you here right now, i am so fucking horny.
my panties are soaked, get home quick.
what do you want me to wear in bed tonight?
do you want to try anal with me?
i want you fuck me in the ass.
i am masturbating while talking to you.
i miss your dick.
lie down and shut up.
get naked and get into bed.
on your knees, bitch.
beg me.
i am touching myself right now.
i am not wearing my underwear.
i woke up this morning wet.
show me where you want me to bite you.
squeeze my boobs harder and kiss me.
i know you want my pussy.
i don’t mind you calling me bitch.
it turns me on when you call me bitch.
grab my ass.
you really know how to make a girl wet.
you make me feel so slippery between my thighs.
don’t wear any clothes when you go to bed.
you are not allowed to wear any clothes when you go to bed.
obey me, sleep naked, that’s an order.
i was awake still when the clock struck twelve at midnight.
i was thinking and it struck two.
i would be lying so when it dawns too.
the cricket was trying to play some music. 
my eyes aren't dry of tears.
haleem was lying beside.
he is my husband.
dead asleep.
at the back was seven year old mahin.
the youngest from our three children.
would the kids blame me?
is the real problem me?
i started hearing the sound of rain.
reminded me of sweet memories.
i met haleem first on a rainy night.
it rained the night we got married too.
how very loving husband haleem was?
there was a time when he could not sleep if i wasn't there beside him.
there was a time he could not eat even.
he would not want to go anywhere without me.
even on an office trip abroad he would go only if it is a must.
even if he goes, he would make calls several times a day. 
we would keep chatting like two lovers.
how happy were those time?
i closed the book when my mind started wandering into those pages of life.
i wondered.
i have to save the marriage.
i can't a second person like haleem.
did i go too careless?
as haleem accuses did i forget about haleem after my pregnancy with mahin?
it struck four at dawn.
i took the phone.
noted down things haleem had said at different times.
i thought.
i will change everything.
it is not too late.
i will get my husband.
the old love will still be there.
our tiny small family will not break.
kids will grow up while we still live in the same house.
with love from both of us.
i make tea for haleem in the morning.
i stay awake at night mostly, make the morning tea and i sleep.
tea would be ready when haleem wakes up to go office.
i would be sleeping.
lately it has been so always.
i make meals ready sharp on time at all times.
but i end up spending most of my time with kids stuff.
it is not easy to look after three kids.
sometimes i am my kid's teacher.
sometimes kid's close friend.
or a cook.
sometimes a maid.
or a tailor.
once in a while have to become a judge.
or become a doctor too.
at all times i am my kid's mother.
i get careless about my personal things not without a reason.
i used to care for my hair but later there is no time for it.
since i had to quit my job and stay at home, i try ventilated, easy dresses as much as possible.
when i was in a relationship with haleem, music was a priority over food.
i was fluent with the english and hindi songs released then.
i liked watching movies.
i read stories.
i send messages with poetic verses of love.
haleem too had same interests.
that is the reason why liked each other.
our common interests was many.
later all the my attention was drawn to  our children.
when given a hard thought, i admit.
i have changed.
haleem too has changed.
haleem too gave his attention to the kids more than i did.
difference is, he doesn't agree about it. 
all the blame would be on me.
that is when fights start.
marriage is made to reduce loneliness.
to find someone who would care.
to build a family.
to live happily.
if none of that happens, marriage is useless.
at some point i started realizing it.
i started hearing the opinions of friends.
i held to the thread of marriage which was slipping from my hands.
i made a new start.
after ages, i joined haleem with morning tea.
was not easy.
still had sleep.
didn't know what the result would be.
anyhow, someone , at some point had to take the initiative, so i did.
"oh! where did the sun rise from today?"
haleem said when he saw me sitting at the tea table.
i can have tea alone.
"i know" trying to smile, i said.
"in old times also we used to.."
"don't talk about the old time now! please!"
he spoke with the bored tone he used lately.
"you dont like me now right?"
i also could not speak soft.
"if u hear my voice even.."
"don't we usually fight in the noon"
haleem jumped up and said.
"i want to go to office in the morning in a better mood.
why don't you go and rest."
it had been days since i could not say anything that would anger him.
even if the words are trimmed or wrapped in ribbon.
or embroidered and embellished.
but i was accused as the one who starts quarrels.
i was the one who gets accused as stubborn too.
haleem did not have tea before he went to office that day.
he hates my voice.
it is as if he doesn't even want to make eye contact with me.
i wondered.
is it too because of me?
are my friends true?
did i forget the responsibilities of a wife?
lost in the thoughts i walked into the room and found haleem's phone on the charger.
it was ringing even then.
on the screen appeared zarana's photo.
her name.
it was suspicious.
can't zarana even wait until u go to office?
don't get so suspicious!
that is your problem, i told to myself.
that is an office mate.
a man's wife.
if you can't trust your husband so much, how can u live?
i used to complain earlier.
stopped it after that day.
i rearrange the house.
i changed my perception, the way i talked and the way i sat.
changed the shampoo and perfume.
tried to spend more time with haleem than with kids.
i even thought of changing my facial appearance to save my marriage.
in the last two or three weeks of the marriage i did so many tests which had no hope of a good outcome.
i had patience.
got aid from a religious scholar.
seek help from an advisor.
coloured my hair to show off to haleem.
wore dresses tailored to beautiful designs.
especially was attentive to put on makeup.
sent daily love messages to haleem.
searched for beautiful love songs and shared them on his facebook page.
i don't remember the last time i did such a thing.
actually i didn't enjoy doing such things.
my age has passed.
i stay awake until haleem comes home at night.
no matter how tired or sleep i was.
i stay up talking to him until he falls asleep.
haleem's list of things that i didn't do for him included those things.
did so much of hard work to save all those years of marriage.
for the children.
for me.
but alas, all went in vain.
i could not get a place in husband's heart for me.
none of the arrows i released in the dark reached its target.
haleem did not change.
did he get bored?
or did he find a new lover?
i don't know if i would ever get the answer for those two questions.
at last i got divorced.
i let him go where ever he wanted to.
i don't know what is in the hearts of the children.
none of the kids blamed me openly.
did not complain either.
marrying haleem was the best decision i made in my life.
because i got children whom i loved as much as my soul.
getting a divorce from haleem was the second best decision i made in my life.
i no more had to live in another person's shell.
no more had to do things i did not like.
the flicker of marriage can be saved with both hands.
by the married couple.
it is too big to be achieved by one person alone.
finished.
how do you love?
how do u know when you are in love?
i could not get the answer for that question which resided in my heart since i was twelve.
the most handsome man i saw was a hollywood filmstar.
it was not until late i came to know his name.
i was assuming.
that was love.
the desire to see.
the desire to meet.
the desire to talk.
feeling happy when you see.
i had to change that thinking.
i can't love a person who doesn't know that i exist.
all the boy's i met in school days were my friends.
can't name the connection else wise.
i grew up to a big girl before i came across any man who could play with my heart.
i thought for myself i was a daring girl.
laughing loud is a trick i use to show that i am daring.
the truth is something else.
i am a cowardice woman , one who don't open up my feelings.
i pretend that i don't worry.
whatever the problem is at home.
every married couple would argue.
my parents too got angry at things and argue.
i pretend that i don't care about those things.
but i listen to the stuff they say.
i think deeply.
sitting all alone in the room.
i was waiting for the day i cud leave home by marrying.
the second person i liked most was hashimbe'.
a brother of my mom.
a father of three children.
what to do though?
it was not how i wanted it to be.
hashimbe' is a very kind man.
he doesn't differentiate us from his kids.
which better person is there to love other than him.
i have never told anyone about it.
it's not a crime as long as i don't reveal my heart.
i didn't water the 
i put it at rest considering it was a funny thing felt by my crazy heart.
my own sister was the exact opposite of me.
gets angry very easily.
might be happy one minute and sad in the next minute.
it was not in her nature to hide things.
no matter the what the consequences were and what others might comment about it.
sister says whatever she wants at whoever it is.
sometimes my brain goes blank.
because my sister's actions creates big problems.
at other times i wonder.
if only i too had the same character.
if only i too was daring.
how painful it is to bury everything in the mind.
nobody sees me crying.
if sister starts crying she won't stop.
would start vomiting after a while.
hence  by then has to be taken to hospital.
so much time gets wasted in it.
doctor always requests not to make sister sad.
advices to keep sister happy.
mother and father recklessly try to follow it, however such days keep coming.
it was a very rainy day.
it was long since i finished office but the rained hadn't stopped.
could not get a taxi.
i bought an umbrella from a nearby shop.
i couldn't take even about twenty steps, the umbrella broke.
if my hair gets wet i'll catch a cold.
sinus was a major problem.
i rushed in to the shop.
i saw areen first from that shop.
he was there too to seek shelter from rain.
it was difficult to stay in the same place with nothing to do.
specially with a handsome man of same age standing by.
i wished.
i wished the rain would never stop.
i tried not to look at areen.
i pretended that i was looking at the dresses in the shop.
twice our eyes made contact.
areen smiled once.
i felt like water was poured on my heart.
it was the first it happened.
i didn't know to smile even.
later i regretted it.
was wishing if he would look at me once more.
i even went near him trying to make it look like i didnt do it on purpose.
just to see if he would look once more.
i couldn't get the chance and the rain stopped.
we both parted ways after that.
i saw areen for the second time while i was at the balcony to watch the floats.
it was third floor of home.
areen was holding a camera.
mother and sister were also with me.
i was watching areen.
it was night time.
there was so much traffic on the road, who would look up?
i switched on the lights on balcony.
sister complained about it.
i made a lot of excuses.
pretended that it was to keep the mosquitoes away.
pretended that there were some ants on the floor.
i couldn't win even by making an excuse that a cockroach might come.
sister went and switched the lights off.
but then i looked to see that areen's camera was directed in our way.
i wondered.
may be he is taking a picture of me.
i smiled.
i drew a smile on my face and kept it for quite long.
"hey, why is that person take pictures of us?" sister complained.
"i hate this! could have been a handsome guy to do such.
i won't even stay here.
can't even stay at the balcony. mother, you also come inside."
"the most beautiful floats hasn't arrived yet, my child!" mother said it kindly.
" i dont care!" sister's tone was nothing else but stern.
" get in now!"
sister went inside.
mother went after her to console her.
i knew i had drawn areen's attention that night.
he focused the camera on me every now and then even when i was watching.
i didn't want to lose sight of him.
i took my phone out and typed my number.
i held the phone so he could see the number.
i assumed.
areen would realise my intention.
areen looked at the camera.
took out his phone.
but he didn't call me.
mother called and ultimately i too had to go inside.
the next also i didn't receive any calls from areen.
nor any messages.
i finally gave in thinking my plan did not work.
i realised what happened when i looked up from where areen was standing.
areen could not have seen my phone.
the place where i was standing was blocked by the leaves of some trees.
it put me off so much and upset my mood the whole day.
mother noticed it.
she asked questioned.
mother suspected on the fact that the reason could be because she and father had argued that day too.
i told her what happened.
mother started laughing.
"is that such a big deal?" mother said.
"what is meant to happen will happen."
what is not meant to happen will not."
i was moody at that time.
i did not even believe what mother said.
but mother spoke true.
what is bound to happen will somehow happen.
on my trip to hulhumale with sister, i happened to sit next to areen.
but sister talked to areen more than i did.
suddenly sister liked areen very much.
areen was with us on the trip.
no.
with sister.
i was a statue there.
a useless person.
it could either be that areen could not read the signs i gave him.
or it could be that areen changed his mind later.
the horizon of love that was so beautiful suddenly got blocked by gloomy dark clouds.
in the flick of a second.
tonight is sister's wedding celebrations night.
the whole house was filled with happiness.
my life was filled with silence.
as my sister was holding areen's hand, i could not still understand how he slipped off mine.
it was me who saw areen first.
it was me who loved him first.
mother was aware of everything.
mother just didn't want to say anything against sister.
because it would become a big fuss.
and besides, i can't force him to love me.
i wondered.
why does it happen so?
why doesn't the person who loves get it?
why isn't there anything that could be done about it?
in future days ahead areen would be living right in front of my eyes.
close to me.
very close to me.
but i would be living far.
very far.
the end.
it was a heavily raining day.
it was afternoon time.
mansoor was holding the rope tightly.
mansoor did not want to put down ramziyya's coffin into the pit.
someone who was standing near, patted softly on mansoor's shoulders.
he loosened his grip on the rope then only.
mansoor could not bear the parting of the mother of his three sons.
mansoor was not ready for such a thing at all, by the sudden departure of ramziyya without any illness.
people thought mansoor would remarry quite soon.
mansoor did not want to find a step mother.
he took the responsibility of the children and settled at that.
it was heavy.
and difficult too.
several time he tripped.
mansoor sacrificed his personal happiness and worked for the children.
he did not let them stay hungry.
did not let them feel the lack of a mother.
opened their eyes to the world and made them aware.
by keeping them in male' under trusted people's guardian.
brightened their hearts with the light of higher education.
mansoor stayed at the island.
actively engaged in fishing activities.
earning to meet the needs of children in male'.
days turned into years with such routine.
mansoor has three children.
the eldest was anwar.
next was haneef.
the youngest was naseer.
all the children were married to male' citizens who had houses and were living a good life.
they were not aware that mansoor has become old and is unable to do work as in the past.
every day the sun would rise and set while the children were busy working to earn.
not even once a week did they check on their father.
mansoor "did not want to disturb" the children.
he was ignored the discomforts that he was feeling in his body.
one day he tripped and fell down.
he could not be treated in the island.
mansoor was brought to male'.
while he was admitted in the hospital, none of the children considered it easy to stay with him.
the reason was clear.
they did not have time as they had to earn for a living.
it was three weeks and mansoor started noticing unhappiness on the children's faces.
it was as if his heart shattered to pieces.
yet, mansoor did  not complain.
made only one request.
"my dear children, take me to catch a fish please!" mansoor kindly requested.
"it has been so long since i went fishing".
"oh father, you too would know that you can't go fishing now."
anwar gave a short answer.
it might be that one might like to sing karaoke songs.
there are people who love to go snorkeling.
fishing was what mansoor loved to do most.
but it was not important for the children.
they could not realise the desperate urge in their father's request.
similar to a lot of other parents, mansoor too had a wish in his heart.
that is not be a burden to the children.
he wished his soul to be taken by allah before that happened.
but it did not happen so.
mansoor had to stay in hospital for one and a half months.
sometimes all alone.
he hears the children complain of having to stay up at night beside him.
he pretends not to hear them.
his eyes go tearful.
he hides the tears.
most discussions were done faraway so mansoor could not hear.
"today father is told to be discharged", naseer was worried about it.
"i want to keep him in the hospital.
but then again have to stay up at night.
useless money has to be spent.
regarding taking home issue, at which house to keep?
nobody wanted to be the person to raise hands first.
each one was waiting to hear what the other had to say.
"it is very difficult to keep him in my home," anwar explained his status.
"i always have to be at office.
how can my wife look after father?"
"i can keep father" haneef sounded as if he was ready to do it.
"but even though we have a house in male', it is so small."
"i have a room in my apartment" naseer said.
"can keep there.
but for me too it won't be easy.
but i will try and see if i can do it."
it wasn't easy for mansoor to walk about because of his illness.
he would always lie down on the bed.
mansoor is not aware whether he is passing motion or urine.
it was a curable illness.
if a little amount was spent on it.
but none of the children wanted to bear the cost.
naseer took all the responsibility of mansoor.
he was the poorest.
naseer did not see his father.
he saw the five thousand rufiyaa income that suddenly was an addition.
since naseer looked after father, the rest of kids had no objection in him taking the money.
naseer refused to spend the money on father's surgery.
because it would reduce the amount for his pocket.
the expense on his father wasn't much.
he was fed with general food cooked at home.
did not have to buy clothes.
naseer was content with it.
with a bit of difficulty.
he had to come home to change his father's diapers.
had to bathe his father.
naseer had to help in feeding him.
naseer was very patient for the money.
however, as the first month passed and the second month started, naseer was impatient.
naseer could not do it even if he got five thousand rufiyaa and even if he was helping his own father.
the three siblings gathered and discussed about what could be done about father.
still naseer was ready to take the responsibility of looking after father.
only if father could be changed to some other place.
they sent their father back to island on the first boat that was available.
in the island their father was kept at zubeyda's house.
she is naseer's aunt.
zubeyda was single.
her children lived in male'.
zubeyda cooked for their father.
a man who lives in a near house was appointed to feed him.
things like bathing was done by a foreigner.
naseer was able to manage it at a low cost.
he was able to save three thousand rufiyaa.
zubeyda was aware of everything.
she didn't like it that way.
but hesitated to say so.
she then found an excuse.
suddenly zubeyda had to go male'.
to see her children.
zubeyda never came back from male'.
did not even answer naseer's calls.
naseer concluded that his father can survive even without his aunt's help.
his two brother too agreed so.
they did not realize how lonely their father would be and how much he would be wishing to see them.
a neighbour was appointed for cooking.
their father did not say even "uff".
no complaints at all.
he would spend the whole day on the mat of a weaved bed.
a stone wall was all he could see around.
on one of the walls was a window with a mesh.
mansoor would get up with all his effort and come to look from the window.
the sea visible faraway.
the beautiful breezes from the ocean burst out his memories from the past.
the sea was the cure of mansoor's heart.
fishing was what mansoor had done to earn.
the food of the soul.
mansoor used to go to the beach to catch fish ever since he was unable to go fishing on boat.
the interest to go fishing did not diminish even if he had to lie on the bed ill.
though he did not have the strength, could not hold the fishing line, he still wanted to sit at the beach to feel the waves.
nobody was willing to do it for him.
this afternoon mansoor was found by some returning fishermen.
mansoor's corpse was floating and drifting in the sea.
no external injuries were visible.
but had his heart been observed.
could not have found a single place that wasn't bruised.
the corpse was kept on the beach before being taken to the cemetery.
mansoor's sons were in male'.
according to anwar he could not travel because he was having a flu.
it wasn't sure if any of the children would come for his funeral.
every child was a business man.
they had no time to come pay respect to their dead father.
but mansoor had all his time devoted for his children.
sent the children to well known schools.
the days he had strength to stand was spent in working to brighten the children's future.
what was the use?
people kept saying.
what kind of a father is mansoor?
he had no conditions on the love he gave to his children?
the father had no hopes on the children?
or was mansoor a rare example of being thankful to what he had?
maya who was taking pictures on the beach was waiting for the sunrise.
tiny waves kept kissing maya's feet in their respect.
i was watching.
behind the window curtains.
the chirping of the parrot added to sounds of waves and nightingale.
the changing colors of the horizon were preparing to welcome the king of day light.
i quickly washed my face.
i wrapped a sarong over the shorts i wore to sleep.
actually it was not a sarong.
it was a feyli that i got as a gift from the resort.
i went out of the room.
when in male' i go for jogging daily at dawn.
soon as i came back to the resort, there was a break to the routine.
we came to the resort on behalf of our office to participate in a meeting.
it was a two day trip.
remaining was also two days.
i slowly walked and stood behind maya.
"i should go to the sea!" i said.
astonised, maya looked at me.
first at my face.
and then at my body.
whoever who looks at me would notice the interest i had in exercising.
i didn't give maya the opportunity earlier.
maya took pictures of me by her phone.
"faizan must be excited when he sees the photos"
i said in an amusing tone.
"shall i click a cool picture for you?"
maya took few photos of me and returned the camera.
i did the shooting.
clicked pictures of both of us too.
it was the day maya would be giving her speech at the gathering.
we discussed about the speech.
we walked while talking and it led us to the beach.
there were tourists too.
two of them took pictures with us.
"nice couple!" one of them said so too.
me and faizan are very close friends.
because of that our wives are also close friends.
while faizan's wife works at my office, my wife rania works at his.
it wasn’t a coincidence.
that was the way we wanted it to be.
because we knew what our office were like.
however, we don’t support the idea of a married couple working in the same office.
i don’t have a kid.
won't even think about it unless after an year.
faizan and maya has to children.
however, maya doesn’t look like a mother of two.
spending time together gives way to talk about personal stuff that weren’t shared before.
we all are humans.
everybody has their weaknesses.
disliking and annoying characteristics.
maya talked a lot of stuff.
the talk about the rough seas and problems in marriage.
it wasn’t a new story.
difference was she went into details of some stories.
i suggested her the best solutions to overcome the obstacles in her marriage.
not because i was an expert.
because i knew faizan way before maya knew him.
maya and faizan used to listen to my advice even when they were in a relationship.
the four days spent at the resort wrote a new chapter of friendship between me and maya.
we didn’t go deeper than friendship.
we four met more often after coming to male'.
the calls we made each other increased.
i was very alert.
we are humans before we became friends.
humans are very suspicious.
it was midnight.
it was 2 am when the call woke me up.
i heard maya's voice already when i answered the call.
maya was crying.
faizan was saying something.
it was so soft and wasn’t clear.
"naseem! could you please come over?"
i hear faizan say.
"very urgent".
my first decision was not to go.
to avoid getting so deep into other people's personal life.
on a second thought i stood up.
when i reached faizan's place, faizan was waiting outside for me.
faizan did not answer when i inquired, instead took me to his room.
maya was lying on her stomach in her night wear and crying.
a cloth was tied to the fan.
"what is this bed sheet that is attached to the fan?"
i questioned.
"what can i say?"
faizan said so while he untied the cloth from the fan.
"says i don’t love her!
says will commit suicide.
are these things people should do?"
i scratched my head.
took a deep breath and sat on the bed.
"how can you both survive a marriage like this?"
i said softly.
"cant", maya who was lying down said angrily.
"you only see what i do when it is done.
faizan's thing is to ride with girls on his cycle in the name of being busy at office.
if it comes to going somewhere with me he is busy!
no one can stay married to such a man".
"why does maya listen to whatever people say?"
faizan pleaded.
"i was in office".
one was making accusations angrily.
the other one tried to convince sadly.
the problem wasn’t solved.
rania woke up and she called.
i told her what had happened.
luckily rania understood.
faizan grabbed my phone while i was talking.
said sorry for making me come at such a late hour.
it wasn’t important either.
the problem was solved after sunrise.
maya listened to what i had to say though she gave a deaf ear to faizan.
"it would have been way better if i had married naseem".
she said unhesitant.
i didn’t know what faizan would think.
i didn’t talk about it anymore.
putting off the flamed four walls i stood up.
"faizan lets go tea," i said.
"i am dying of hunger"!
faizan and me headed to the hotel.
instead of going on two bikes, i climbed behind on faizan's bike.
i took the advantage of the moment.
"tell me honestly!" i had to ask that question.
"what did you think when maya said she could have married me instead?"
faizan was silent for a moment.
it wasn’t an easy topic even if we were two friends.
"i recalled something mom said,"
i heard faizan say.
"mom says maya does things differently now when naseem comes home.
if we have any plans to go somewhere, maya would say about taking naseem along.
i recalled those stuff.
may be maya likes you right."
"don’t know right!"
i could not agree.
" i certainly respect maya because she is faizan's wife.
probably she is taking the wrong meaning.
but, i would never invade a friend's home from his roof.
i know how i am.
there might be very manner less, dishonest friends too.
what is important is not the signs.
but the situation.
faizan went to malaysia with rania on a five-day short course.
it was two months back.
faizan was aware that rania had a disagreement with me the day she left.
faizan tried to take the advantage of the situation in malaysia.
gave signals to rania.
very faint and very distant ones.
and he kept doing it even later on.
that is faizan's true colours.
previously i wasn’t aware of it.
i was lucky rania could not read the signals.
rania was not aware of close deceiving friends.
rania did not doubt about the intentions of faizan.
if she did, she would not have told me about the "signals" given by faizan on that trip.
i played the same game faizan played.
maya received my deliberate signals.
from distant.
and very faint.
i trapped maya on purpose.
to give a signal to faizan.
i had no kids at all.
faizan had two kids.
if slipped, faizan was the one who was going to get hurt more.
things happened as i predicted.
faizan realized.
but faizan wasn’t aware that about anything that i knew.
i neither told him to fix anything.
what time do you get up in the morning? 
i get up at 6.30.
i get up at 5.15.
what do you have in the morning? 
coffee or tea? 
normally, i have tea in the morning. 
which newspaper do you read? 
i read the times. 
do you have time to read the paper in the morning? 
yes. 
i have. 
no.
i have a very busy schedule in the morning. 
i just go through the headlines. 
what do you have for your breakfast? 
when do you leave for office? 
i leave at 9.15.
how do you go to office? 
i go by train. 
i go by bus. 
i go by scooter. 
i go by cycle. 
when do you return home? 
i return home at 6.30.
when do you go to bed? 
i go to bed at 10.30.
did he come?  
when did he come? 
how did he come? 
why did he come here? 
with whom did he come?
he came here last week. 
he came here yesterday. 
where did he come? 
he came here. 
he came to my office. 
he came by bus. 
he came by car. 
why did he come? 
he came to meet my father. 
he came to my office to ask for money. 
he came along with his wife. 
he came here alone.
when did he come?
will they come here? 
when will they come? 
are they coming here tomorrow? 
what are you going to do? 
when are you completing the work? 
when are you going to get married? 
are you going with them? 
when are you going to vacate the house? 
how long are you going to stay there? 
what are you going to do next? 
how will you manage? 
how are you going to manage? 
when is the manager returning?
will it rain today? 
when are you leaving for madurai? 
they are giving the bonus next week. 
i am leaving for male' tomorrow night. 
they are vacating the house next month. 
next week my cousin is coming from mumbai. 
my friend is getting married next month. 
i am leaving for bangalore tonight.
and i will be back after 10 days.
you just wait there.
i will come and pick you up. 
i will take you there one day. 
i think it will rain today. 
i hope they will win. 
i don't think they will come. 
hereafter i won't go with them. 
nobody will believe that. 
they will not listen to me.
i like reading books. 
i like getting wet in the rain. 
i like walking in the morning sun. 
i like listening to music. 
i like travelling by train. 
i like playing cricket. 
i like watching t.v. 
i like people who are frank. 
i like people who speak the truth. 
i like people who work hard. 
i don't like travelling by crowded buses. 
i don't like waiting in queues. 
i don't like watching the t.v. serials. 
i don't like sitting idle. 
i don't like you going there. 
i have a scooter. 
i have some books. 
i have two brothers. 
i have three sisters and a brother. 
i have a lot of friends here. 
i have office tomorrow. 
i have college today. 
i have a meeting today. 
we have a function at home tomorrow. 
we have some guests at home. 
i have a car. 
he has a car. 
she has a car. 
she has two children. 
he has office today. 
he has a friend in mumbai. 
i have no time. 
i don't have time. 
he has no time. 
he doesn't have time. 
i have no office today. 
they have no school tomorrow. 
i have no problem. 
i have no objection. 
do you have a spare ticket? 
do you have any extra tickets? 
do you have a one rupee coin? 
dad, do you have office tomorrow? 
do you have school today? 
does she have any problem? 
do you have a pen? 
don't you have a pen? 
don't you have school today? 
don't you have change? 
do you have any doubt? 
could i park my scooter here? 
could i use your phone? 
it is very hot inside. 
can i open the windows? 
may i have a word with you?
can i go home early today?
i have some guests at home. 
can i leave my bag here? 
by all means. 
yes. 
certainly. 
no problem. 
i don't mind. 
i don't mind it at all. 
i am sorry. 
can we go to the practice now? 
ask him to come tomorrow. 
ask him to wait for sometime. 
ask him to bring the book. 
ask her to finish the home work. 
ask her to shut up. 
ask him to bring his father tomorrow. 
ask brother to go to the bank. 
ask him to bring the files. 
ask him to wait till i come. 
ask your friend to meet me tomorrow. 
ask him not to go there. 
ask them not to wait for me. 
ask that man not to shout. 
ask the children not to get wet in the rain. 
ask my mother not to worry about me.
i didn't ask you to go there. 
i didn't ask them to come here. 
i don't know why they have come. 
i didn't ask you to spend all the money. 
i didn’t ask you to wait for me. 
did i ask you to go there? 
did i ask you to resign the job? 
did i ask you to keep the door open? 
did i ask them to wait? 
i asked you to come yesterday, but you didn't come. 
i asked you not to go there.
did you listen to me? 
i asked you several times not to believe them.
but you didn't listen to me. 
have i ever asked you to work on sundays? 
wait for sometime. 
my friend ravi has a scooter. 
i will ask him to drop you. 
i will ask them to wait. 
i will ask him to meet you tomorrow at 5 o'clock.
i will ask him to call you up 
i will ask her to cook today. 
i will ask him to get you something to eat. 
i will ask him to reserve two tickets. 
shall i ask them to come tomorrow? 
shall i ask him to call you up? 
shall i ask them to wait? 
he  is on leave today. 
shall i ask her to go to the bank? 
shall i send the email? 
if you had called me, i would have come there. 
if you had told me, i would have waited for you. 
if he had asked me, i would have given it to him. 
if i had been awake, i would have caught the thief. 
they came all the way to invite you. 
you should have attended the wedding. 
you should have told me yesterday. 
you should have replied to his letter. 
i should have joined this course last year. 
whatever it may be, you should not have beaten him. 
i should not have wasted my time. 
you should not have talked like that. 
it was my mistake. 
i should not have invited them to the party. 
does the school work this saturday? 
could i meet the class teacher? 
i would like to meet the class teacher. 
when will the school be over today? 
when does the vacation start? 
how has he performed in the exams? 
when do you reopen the school? 
when is the last day for paying the fees? 
when is the sports day? 
where is it going to be held? 
do you have a school bus? 
is he coming regularly? 
is he regular to the classes?
doctor, i have a severe headache. 
i have a bad cold. 
i have a sense of giddiness. 
there is a numb feeling in the leg. 
i feel feverish. 
i have a burning sensation in the eyes. 
i have a bitter taste in the mouth. 
i don't have a good appetite. 
i have a very bad earache. 
my throat is a bit dry. 
doctor, my weight has picked up again. 
should i take these tablets before the meal or after the meal? 
how long should i take this medicine? 
doctor, what is the problem with me? 
what exactly is the disease? 
is it serious? 
what should be my diet? 
how long should i take rest? 
can i take rice?
can i travel? 
when can i get the medical report? 
when can i collect the x-ray? 
can i go to work next week? 
how much should i pay?
what is your name? 
could you tell us something about yourself? 
i am a graduate in commerce. 
have you any previous experience? 
i have no experience. 
you have no experience at all. 
but i am a fast learner.
i pickup very fast.
 can you suggest a nice gift for a two year old female child? 
how much does it cost? 
how much is it? 
what is the difference between these two? 
where can i collect the material? 
here is the bill. 
is there nobody here at this counter?
i have been waiting for half an hour. 
i would like to meet the manager. 
i have a complaint to make. 
sorry i am late. 
i apologise.
i apologise for talking to you like that. 
i can't come on sunday. 
i am sorry it is wrong number. 
i could not return the book yesterday. 
it doesn't matter, but don't make it a habit. 
i forgot to post the letter. 
no problem. 
you can post it tomorrow. 
i have broken the cup. 
it sometimes happens like that. 
sorry, i have disturbed you. 
no, not at all. 
this is all entirely my fault. 
can you complete the work in two days? 
i may go to delhi tomorrow. 
it might rain today. 
you had better consult your father. 
you had better carry something with you to eat. 
you may feel hungry on the way. 
you should rather have milk than coffee. 
i would rather go hungry than eat this food. 
i must return this book today. 
you must not come in with your shoes on. 
you should read a lot. 
you should take care of your health. 
you ought to wear a helmet while travelling. 
the police ought to control the traffic. 
a few.                                                                                       
a little.
a long time ago.
a one way ticket.
a round trip ticket.
about 300 kilometers.
across from the post office.
all day.
am i pronouncing it correctly?
and you?
anything else?
are they coming this evening?
are they same?
are you afraid?
are you allergic to anything?
are you maldivian?
are you busy?
are you comfortable?
are you coming this evening?
are you free tonight?
are you going to attend their wedding?
are you going to help her?
are you going to walk?
are you here alone?
are you hungry?
are you married?
are you okay?
are you ready?
are you sick?
are you sure?
are you waiting for someone?
are you working today?
are you working tomorrow?
are your children with you?
as soon as possible.
at what time did it happen?
at what time?
be careful driving.
be careful.
be quiet.
behind the bank.
bring me my shirt please.
business is good.
business is bad.
call me.
call the police.
can i access the internet here?
can i borrow some money?
can i bring my friend?
can i have a glass of water please?
can i have a receipt please?
can i have the bill please?
can i help you?
can i make an appointment?
can i see your passport please?
can i take a message?
can i try it on?
can i use your phone?
can it be cheaper?
can we have a menu please.
can we have some more bread please?
can we sit over there?
can i call you back later?
can you call me back later?
can you carry this for me?
can you do a favour for me?
can you fix this?
can you give me an example?
can you help me?
can you hold this for me?
can you please say that again?
can you recommend a good restaurant?
can you repeat that please?
can you show me?
can you speak louder please?
can you swim?
can you throw that away for me?
can you translate this for me?
certainly!
cheers!
come here.
did it rain yesterday?
did you come with your family?
did you get my email?
did you send me flowers?
did you take your medicine?
did you like maldives?
do you accept u.s. dollars?
do you believe that?
do you feel better?
do you have a boyfriend?
do you have a girlfriend?
do you have a pencil?
do you have a problem?
do you have a swimming pool?
do you have an appointment?
do you have another one?
do you have any children?
do you have any coffee?
do you have any money?
do you have any vacancies?
do you have anything cheaper?
do you have enough money?
do you have the number for a taxi?
do you have this in size 11?
do you hear that?
do you know her?
do you know him?
do you know how much it costs?
do you know how to cook?
do you know what this means?
do you know what this says?
do you know where i can get a taxi?
do you know where my glasses are?
do you know where she is?
do you like it here?
do you like the book?
do you like to watch tv?
do you like your boss?
do you like your co-workers?
do you need anything else?
do you need anything?
do you play any sports?
do you sell medicine?
do you smoke?
do you speak english?
do you study english?
do you take credit cards?
do you think it'll rain today?
do you think it's going to rain tomorrow?
do you think it's possible?
do you understand?
do you want me to come and pick you up?
do you want to come with me?
do you want to go to the movies?
does anyone here speak english?
does he like the school?
don't do that.
don't worry.
every week.
every day i get up at 6 am.
everyone knows it.
everything is ready.
excellent.
excuse me, what did you say?
excuse me.
expiration date.
fill it up please.
follow me.
for how many nights?
forget it.
from here to there.
from time to time.
give me a call.
give me the pen.
go straight ahead.
good afternoon.
good evening sir.
good idea.
good luck.
good morning.
great.
happy birthday.
have a good trip.
have they met her yet?
have you arrived?
have you been waiting long?
have you done this before?
have you eaten at that restaurant?
have you eaten yet?
have you finished studying?
have you seen this movie?
he always does that for me.
he broke the window.
he doesn't look like a nurse.
he has a nice car.
he likes it very much.
he likes juice but he doesn't like milk.
he needs some new clothes.
he never gives me anything.
he said this is a nice place.
he said you like to watch movies.
he thinks we don't want to go.
he'll be back in 20 minutes.
help!
here is your salad.
here it is.
here you are.
here's my number.
here's your order.
he's a very good student.
he's an engineer.
he's coming soon.
he's faster than me.
he's in the kitchen.
he's not in right now.
he's right.
he's very annoying.
he's very famous.
he's very hard working.
We were in a relationship since school days.
Love relationships lasts upon how much you know each other.
Nahid always wanted to be a doctor.
He became a doctor indeed.
I did my masters in creative advising.
Both of us studied in Malaysia.
We found the time to meet up even when we were studying.
Our age and heights were almost the same.
We owned houses in Male'.
We like open mindedness.
I found that I could not get a better person than Nahid.
I never saw a person as wise and kind as him.
We returned to Male' after completing our studies and started working.
Both of us took government jobs.
We had the chance for better well paid alternative jobs.
We weren’t looking only for money.
But happiness too.
We wanted to find time to share our happiness as well as sorrows.
There was great relation between two families.
We travel on vacations together.
Abroad as well as to local resorts.
We go to movies together.
To restaurants as well.
We spent sofa times at both homes.
We enjoyed and had fun independently.
I feel secure when Nahid is with me.
We part ways sometimes at midnight.
Or at dawn.
We did not have same likes in everything.
And that is not a problem either.
There was one common like between us.
Our first priority was us.
We find time also for us.
Job comes after that only.
It has been years since we were together but the families did not encourage us to get married.
It was up to us.
Nahid's father is a rich man.
My mother fills one of the most powerful posts in the government.
It was our choice to get married.
There was no compulsion at all.
First two months of marriage was very happy.
We spent a lot of time together at home after office hours.
I live in Nahid's home.
There were servants assigned for everything at his home.
Cooking, sweeping, toilet cleaning, and shopping was done by foreigners.
I had the choice to cook anything I wanted in my own kitchen.
Meals were put up in a separate dining room.
Me and Nahid would spend time lying on bed doing nothing for hours.
Didn’t get bored.
We didn’t run out of topics to talk.
It was a day of the third month.
Nahid did not return after his duty at hospital.
I called him after half an hour had passed.
Didn’t answer.
Didn’t reply to the message either.
I was thinking.
Should I be worried?
Should I make a big fuss out of it because he is late just for one day?
The man who comes home usually at evening five came at eleven that night.
He didn’t mention as to why he was late even.
I was surprised by that.
I was wondering to ask or not about it when he questioned me.
"Jiya!" Nahid called me while watching TV.
I looked at him.
"Are you okay?"
I nodded.
But I wasn’t "okay".
Why should I lie?
"No!" I said.
"You okay Nahid?"
"You have reached so late today."
" When I called…"
"Yes!" he said in a very cool manner.
"Hereafter I can only come home after jobs at two other clinics."
" I am going to rest."
"Very tired."
I couldn’t believe what he said.
Why should he go to two other clinics?
He made such a decision and did not even tell me about it.
Why so?
Was the money earned not enough?
Did he get bored of me?
He wouldn’t go for a haircut even without letting me know.
Would wear a new shirt even.
Then why would he take such a big decision?
Nahid came home around twelve on the second night.
I don’t want to bombard my husband with questions the moment he comes home.
But what can I do if there wasn’t any other chance?
"What has suddenly happened?" I asked.
"We can survive even if u don’t get this busy.
I am also filling a job.
I can't avoid this talk.
Two sudden jobs and that too not mentioned at all.."
" Isn't it such a simple thing," Nahid said sitting on the sofa.
"There is nothing for me to do at home.
If Jiya requests I will free up time for you!
Okay!
I know Jiya would understand.
Why not Jiya too start something.
Let's find an extra job!
"Or isn’t there something you could do staying at home?"
Nahid changed for sure.
He forgot previous talks.
We decided to keep job as our second priority.
First was to find time for us.
We found time for us even when were in a relationship.
It didn’t have to change because of marriage.
Since we were together when far apart, and now I didn’t have to be left alone living in the same house.
I talked about it a lot.
I tried to understand the bad change that came to our lives.
But I could not accept it.
Nahid believed that things can't be the same as it was earlier after marriage.
"If u find me boring you ought to tell me," I told.
" No need for excuses.
No need to fill two other jobs.
If Nahid wants divorce.."
"You don’t need to go that far yet," Nahid interrupted.
" I am a doctor.
To help as many patients as I can is my responsibility.
What is the relation between that and divorce?
As previously said, things can't be same as it was when we were young.
Married life can't be same as that of a relationship.
Old life can't be same as teenage life.
This is called common sense.
When do we try for a kid?"
I don’t know what would happen when we get a kid.
May be Nahid might spend more time at home.
Or maybe the child might become a headache for Nahid.
The absence of a child is the other problem of a long marriage.
We have to answer our friends questions.
We have to respect the hopes of our parents.
We are compelled to get a kid even if we don’t want to.
But as far as I can see we weren’t ready yet.
I haven’t learned Nahid either as I expected.
I found excuses and dragged it until the third year of marriage.
I waited for the Nahid I loved to return.
That day didn’t come.
I got tired.
The wait changed to tears in my eyes.
Life is not a destination.
It is the name of a long journey.
We have to face calm and rough seas.
But can't avoid the sea out of fear.
We have to get married.
We have to get a kid.
Not because we want it.
To keep the picture good.
I got pregnant.
Nahid was very happy.
Family and friends congratulated me.
To be happy or sad, this I didn’t know.
I forced a smile and stayed.
The ringing in my heart was scary.
We got a girl.
I too wanted a girl.
Can't say what will happen.
But I threw away the mask I wore.
Didn’t have to seek showing off due to the immense happiness achieved.
Flowers bloomed every time the child smiled.
Calmness and happiness filled my heart.
Nahid's life didn’t change at all.
The man who leaves in the morning comes back at night.
At least he did not have time to hold the child.
I didn’t bother.
There was nothing that could be done either.
The child punished Nahid.
By making the lap of her father a totally strange place.
The child starts to cry in that lap.
Nahid didn’t bother about it.
He knew the reason.
"Don’t you feel sad Nahid?" I said to him to see if his ways would change.
"She doesn’t know her father."
Nahid's face changed in response to what I said to him.
It was as if he got a sudden shock.
" This.." Nahid said pointing his fingers.
" This is her father."
Nahid went and left the room.
For me, what I said to Nahid and how he reacted didn’t match.
It was a deeply buried, tightly kept secret.
It is easy to remove a shaking tooth.
It is easy to make someone cry at the time of hurt.
Something like that happened to me.
I was very lonely.
Left out.
That’s the reason I was an easy prey.
Since seventeen Leeza was my girlfriend.
It felt like it was just seven seconds when it really had been seven years to our love.
Wanted to see her.
Wanted to talk to her.
We separate before our talks actually ended.
We didn’t know to tell what was argument or boredom.
Friends say.
He is playing a rough play behind the scenes.
I didn’t believe them.
One night as I was about to go to bed, a friend called.
Requested to check on Leeza's face book page and ended the call.
I was shocked to see her account.
Leeza's previous display picture was one we had taken together.
Next was also such a picture.
Difference was there was a man instead of me with her.
I called Leeza immediately.
She didn’t answer.
It had never happened.
Leeza always would answer my call.
I stoop up that night and kept sending her text messages.
She didn’t reply to a single message.
I was deeply hurt.
It was as if a part of me was missing.
I went to Leeza's house.
Everyone at her place were friends with me.
We had humorous and fun times.
But that day, everyone had a strange look on their faces.
They found it difficult to meet eyes.
I stayed in surprise when Leeza's mother came.
She was one who I considered as a mother too.
"You should forget about her my child," mother said in a disturbed voice.
"She is crazy about a person from yesterday.
Says want to get married.
She will get in the trap this time."
I couldn’t get all the answers from what mom said.
I got the answers from Leeza's younger sister.
Leeza fell in love with another man.
But why?
What was my fault?
I wanted to meet Leeza for once.
Leeza didn’t appear.
People say.
Men don’t cry.
I cried.
The picture would have been better if had locked myself in my room and cried.
I was at Leeza's house.
Couldn't hold back the tears.
Everyone comforted me except Leeza who pretended not to be aware.
I closed the page there.
I went home.
I did not have the courage to attend office.
Lost appetite.
Only one question lingered in my heart as I was lying all alone on bed.
What is the reason?
I would get the answer for that question unless Leeza spoke.
I don’t know how my friends came to know about it.
People called and comforted me.
Some friends did it in a different way.
"What did you get for being loyal?" my closest friend asked.
"You cared too much.
Way too kind and over.
over nice.
I told you even then that you would be hurt if something happens.
But you would immediately say Leeza is like this and Leeza is like that.
Leeza my foot.
You quit talking to all female friends even to score high with Leeza.
That’s a mistake."
I had nothing to say back.
He spoke the truth.
I wanted to prove to Leeza that she could get no man better than me.
That I would do anything and accept every way she wanted.
I got nothing in return except loneliness and solitude.
It was as if my life came to a halt.
I tried to hide from people.
It was early evening.
I was lying on the bed.
It wasn’t a life, I knew.
I knew I could forget about Leeza lying like that.
A message received on my phone drew my attention.
"Hello!" said the message via face book messenger.
I checked the account owner.
She was a fair and very beautiful girl.
A young girl with straight hair and blue eyes.
Looked like a Chinese girl.
Name was Nakita.
She had a lot of photos on FB.
At least two photos were updated every day.
Her friends list included Maldivians too.
The question was why did Nakita want to talk to me?
The time was right.
I was lonely.
I answered Nakita.
Our conversation started from there.
Nakita is a beautician from Bangkok.
Makeup, Haircuts , Manicure and pedicure were services rendered on her job.
I told her about my job too.
Nakita complimented on the beauty of Maldives.
Nakita hopes that she could come to Maldives some day.
It interested me to talk to someone who didn’t know anything about me.
Nakita didn’t ask about Leeza.
She didn’t ask personal stuff about me.
Soon we became friends.
After a few days Nakita's story changed.
She got bored with her job and wanted to change field of work.
That is massaging.
Nakita did a course on it.
But she couldn’t get a good job from her country.
She needed my help.
I wanted to help too.
I called up some friends and tried to see if there was an opportunity in Male' for her.
Each place demanded to know her qualifications.
Many showed interest since Nakita knew various skills.
It occupied me and I started to get over Leeza gradually.
The indirect benefit was that.
After a few days again Nakita's story changed.
Nakita misses me too much.
She wanted to meet me.
she wasn’t aware but she fell in love with me.
She started complimenting me for helping out a stranger.
Every time we chat, I get pictures of Nakita.
She checks on me every now and then.
Wishes me "goodnight" before sleeping.
I see "good morning" greetings when I wake up.
I asked to send certificates of her qualifications.
Nakita wants to know about me.
She invited me to Bangkok.
The only expense I had to bear was that of tickets.
Accommodation, food and site seeing was all free.
I could stay at Nakita's house.
Could travel in her own car.
It was a golden opportunity.
There was no need to go for a second thought.
"I will take you to a very beautiful girl for a massage."
Nakita wrote.
My fingers that were speedily chatting came to a sudden halt.
I rewinded back on time.
I recalled the conversations with Nakita.
She knows how to massage.
She loves me.
What was the trap I was entering into?
It was almost two o'clock Male' time.
It would be four in the morning in Bangkok.
I requested for a picture of Nakita.
She sent it immediately.
She was lying on bed in a night gown.
The photo deserved complimenting.
For the beauty and charm.
But how do I know if it was really her that was chatting with me?
I requested for a video chat.
She showed the excuse of a slow internet speed and it didn’t happen.
The video gets disconnected with a glimpse of the room.
I wanted to talk.
That too wasn’t possible.
 It kept getting disconnected.
Or was it deliberately disconnected?
I requested for another photograph.
Again she sent a photo.
A barely covered dress than the previous.
But the dress was different.
Nakita requested for such a photo of mine too.
My suspicion was slowly clear and sure.
It was a man chatting with me.
Otherwise would have voice talked.
The person saves the pictures from someone else's FB page.
 That’s why he could not send two different photos in the same dress.
If I had sent such photos, I would have got trapped in a deceiving setup.
I took a deep breath.
I plaited a beautiful chain of sweet words and blocked her name.
I escaped but a lot of Maldivians got trapped in it.
They lost money to scam.
They were bankrupted and revealed.
This is based on a true story.
It was seven thirty at night.
Usually the roads of Male' would be abandoned at that time.
Most shops would be closed.
But the west side of Chandanee Magu appeared as if the sun had risen.
The cars and lorries were jammed because of the huge crowd of people.
There was nothing but the sound of honks and yelling.
Still, people were entering the road.
The people who came recently wasn’t aware of what was happening.
The people who came earlier headed to Ramziyya's house.
Police were blocking the door of that house.
Ramziyya was inside the house compound.
She looked older even though she was only twenty five.
Her husband Hamid stood close beside her.
Two policemen were there too.
Hamid was holding Ramziyya's shoulder in a comforting way.
"Are you sure it wasn’t a human?" the police inquired.
"It could be a man covering his face."
"No!" Ramziyya tiredly repeated her answer.
"How many times have I told you that I saw a Jinn.
The feet weren’t touching the ground.
Eyes were lit up.
It tried to attack my child.
When I tried to stopped it.."
"Only one person?" the policeman said.
" I mean only one Jinn?"
Ramziyya cried out of terror.
She was shivering.
It was as if she could see it in front of her eyes.
Hamid refused to allow any more questions to his wife.
Hamid knew that even if the police could not believe, his wife wouldn’t lie.
"Ramziyya, please go and rest," Hamid requested.
"I will attend to their inquiries."
Ramziyya was scared to go inside alone.
Hamid went in with her.
The police waited.
The police had come to the house because Hamid called them.
Already they knew there wasn’t much they could do to help.
But as a friend there was something they wanted to tell Hamid so they stayed.
Ultimately they had to talk over the phone since Hamid did not come out.
"We will wait here until the crowd diminishes," Muhusin said.
" I shall give you an idea.
Bring a person who knows to read such things.
There are these people who does permitted black magic. What are they called?
People who read Rugya.
I too have a number.
I'll send it.
It was a Saturday.
The ideal weather for a picnic.
I was in the ferry to villingili with my family.
Eavesdropping on mother and grandmother's conversation.
Grandmother wanted to ensure that we brought along cotton buds and lotion.
It was my habit to clean ears after shower.
If I come back home from the sun, I would be applying lotion.
Grandmother has often seen it.
Loving a person is always caring for the person you love.
Treating them with a good heart.
To think about them as much as you think about yourself.
Or was it the best way?
My attention was on my phone.
The last photo that I had uploaded on instagram had got many likes.
I upload two photos daily.
The main purpose of the trip too was that.
I was a girl of twenty.
With a free mind.
I live in my own world.
I heard a man laugh.
The voice was heard from behind.
There were boys in the seats behind me.
I didn’t look back.
I don’t think I'd like them.
My conditions were many.
We reached villingili.
I made a glance at the boys when they started to get off.
I saw then from behind.
There didn’t appear as I expected.
They were decent.
The haircut was modern.
Didn’t look like a woman from behind.
The jeans was at the waist.
A picture you seldom see.
Only one of them matched to the expected specification of tallness.
Could not see his face.
I stepped onto villingili and found that my phone was dead.
I got agitated.
I would die if my phone went broken.
To me, my mobile was important than food.
I showed it to father.
My father is a mobile seller.
He repaired mobiles too.
While father checked for a signal in the phone, my heart beat was racing.
There would be important photos and messages in the mobile.
Usually played songs and stories I read too would on mobile phone.
I can't live without my phone.
My father looked at me and shook his head.
"No!" I said in despair.
"Do something please!
Do something."
Father even tried to go and bring a mobile from Male'.
However the stuff on my phone won't be on that one.
"Let it be!" I said.
All the happiness of the trip was deprived.
Didn’t feel like doing anything.
I was like a deflated balloon.
I was thinking about only one thing.
Can I save the data on my phone?
Would I have to hand over the phone to some place to do that?
There would be so many photos of mine on the phone.
I got up and started walking.
Not that I had any where to go.
I was walking on the shoreline when suddenly someone surfaced from the sea.
I got startled and screamed.
Fell backwards.
The man too got taken aback.
It was the first time my eyes met with Hannan's.
He was the man I saw from the ferry.
The moment I saw Hannan's face, I ticked all the boxes on my list.
I gave him my heart.
Hannan had no clue.
I held the hand he put forward and stood up.
Hannan said sorry.
I was ready to give my heart even if he requested.
Though it was the first time we met, it felt like we knew each other like friends.
It happened to me because of the deep interest.
I don’t know the reason why it happened to Hannan.
By the time we came back to Male' our friendship had grown a lot.
It was love at first sight.
I gave my number to Hannan.
Hannan gave his number to me too.
I checked my phone before taking it to repair in Male'.
The phone worked perfectly.
It didn’t need repairing.
What a coincidence it was?
The reason that lead to encounter with Hannan was the malfunctioning phone.
I considered it good luck.
Following days we had a lot of conversations over the phone.
I was very satisfied.
We talked about life too.
I didn’t have a boyfriend and found out that Hannan had a girlfriend.
The lucky girl's name is Nayasheen.
My heart softly cried when I found out about it.
Hannan couldn’t hear the cries though.
" So far it has been planned to get married in three months," Hannan sounded excited.
" you should get introduced to Ninni.
You are my special friend right."
I wanted to say.
No.
I didn’t have the guts to meet Nayasheen.
I didn’t want to see the scene of Hannan beside her either.
But I agreed to meet her.
How so poor are we humans?
How many times are there when you really can't say what is really in your heart?
Hannan was close enough to hear me even if I whispered.
I took a step aside.
For friendship.
Even though I couldn't get love, I didn’t want him out of my sight.
I concealed my love to everyone.
Because there was no one who could help me.
But, I couldn’t get rid of the thoughts.
I tried to be what I was earlier.
It was a difficult thing to do.
You heart feels relived when you share with people.
I had to bury all my feelings deep down my heart, seal it and throw the key away.
I am a selfish person.
But I couldn’t wish his love any bad luck.
The fights they had were not because of me.
But I suggest how to solve the problems.
Not because I want that.
For the value of friendship.
But I didn’t want Hannan to ask for forgiveness every time.
"Ninni doesn’t know how to appreciate," that’s what I said.
Lovers don’t speak with their tongues.
Words are not important if you have your eyes and heart.
He was alert.
Intelligent.
That was the problem.
"do you love me?" Hannan asked.
I tried to pretend I didn’t hear the question.
Hannan repeated the question.
Two times.
Three times.
Four times.
I was tongue tied.
I lowered my eyes.
Very few people hear what is unsaid in your heart.
My lover was such a person.
Who wouldn’t cry out of joy?
We were at a restaurant.
I wiped off the first tear that dropped.
The second tear dropped.
I was about to wipe when Hannan held my hand.
He repeated the question for the fifth time.
I couldn’t say anything.
But I held his hand tight.
Hannan and Nayasheen's love was stamped to an end.
With full consent.
Both of them wanted it that way.
I got Hannan.
Felt like I owned the whole world.
Never came to my life such happy days.
The looks and characteristics that I looked for in a lover were both present in Hannan.
The love didn’t last even for two weeks.
"Ninni has come back!" Hannan did not hide anything.
"I want to give her one more chance."
Hannan saw what was in my heart from my eyes.
I saw something from Hannan's eyes too.
Hannan can't stay away from Nayasheen.
If I try make him stay forcefully that would be a waste.
The key of love is the trust you give.
Not a strong force.
I let him go.
Closed my eyes because it was too hard to see him go.
Every time I go to villingili, it reminds me of him.
I feel like crying when I see the beach and sea.
But I have no complains.
I wish my lover happiness and joy.
Where ever he is, to be in good health.
Loving is being kind to the person you love always.
Treat them with a sincere heart.
To care for him as much as you care for yourself.
Getting the love back or not from him is totally another thing.
Sofia felt like hungry.
Felt like sleepy too.
Suddenly picked up the mobile.
Counted the likes Sofia received for the photo uploaded on face book.
It was any amount near to the number of recent likes.
She had to think about something else .
She thought.
Was Sofia ugly than before?
Did friends hate Sofia?
She immediately deleted the photo.
Called Haleem.
He was Sofia's sixth boyfriend.
Haleem answered the call.
It added another ring to the chain of worries.
Where was Haleem?
Could he have gone somewhere else saying he was going to bed?
She jumped up.
Entered the room.
Was dripping wet.
Looked in the mirror.
Looks like eyebrows had grown thick.
Now she had to shape her eyebrows.
Suddenly her eyes caught the paint container.
It had been three days since the paint had been brought to paint the walls.
Paint roll was nearby.
Newspapers were there too.
Her mind changed suddenly.
She stopped shaping her eyebrows and started spreading the newspapers on the floor.
Started painting.
Actually Sofia didn’t have to do it by herself.
She only had to tell father and it would have been done.
It hadn’t been more than a month since the room was painted last.
But if she feels like doing something, Sofia can't wait longer.
She went to office without breakfast.
The Air Con at office wasn’t working.
Sofia had a headache because of lack of sleep.
One of the friends pointed out that part of the eyebrows weren’t done fully.
It was all because of Haleem.
If he had answered the call Sofia wouldn’t have done her eyebrows.
Wouldn’t have painted.
Wouldn’t have stood awake even.
What does Haleem think of himself?
He can do anything he wants to Sofia?
Or did he get bored because Sofia was a bit chubby.
Suddenly her eyes filled with tears.
No one would love Sofia.
The next moment she hated Haleem.
She picked up the phone and dialed Haleem.
"Good morning darling!" Haleem answered immediately.
"let's go for a coffee!"
" Where were you last night?" Sofia angrily asked.
" you neither answered my call nor call back today even!
Besides I am a very ugly person
Boring person.
Why should you call?
I am the one who is crazy.."
" Hold on, Calm down!" Haleem said kindly.
Is it a moody day?
I was sleeping.
I called several times in the morning.
The call didn’t pass through.
Indicated a network error.
When I tried to call in the morning..
"don’t ever call me again,"
Sofia said strictly.
"Get lost!"
Sofia disconnected the call.
Haleem didn’t call back.
It wasn’t the first time they had such an disagreement.
Sofia angrily removed the sim card from her phone and broke it.
Deleted all the photos of Haleem on face book.
Closed the face book account.
But she couldn’t wait long.
She called Haleem from office phone.
"Hey let's go for coffee," Sofia said in a funny mood.
"my phone's SIM broke off.
Come to pick me up okay!"
Haleem disconnected the call.
And then didn’t even answer the calls anymore.
Haleem was tired of the same game played over and over again.
Haleem knew.
She would humiliate him in front of others at the coffee.
How many times has it happened too?
Given advice enough.
Haleem lost patience.
Sofia bought a new SIM card.
She sent long messages yelling at Haleem until she came home from office.
She re-activated the face book account.
Humiliated Haleem on public mode.
Instead of stopping it, her friends encouraged her.
Sofia came home with the SIM card and found that her mother was cleaning the room by the maids.
They were removing the paint on the floor and mopping it.
Sofia's anger doubled.
"I told you not to play with the stuff in room."
Sofia yelled at the top of her voice.
Sofia didn’t listen to what her mom was saying.
She sent every one away and locked the door.
She stayed in the room and didn’t eat anything for hours.
She cried because Haleem broke up with her.
She said sorry and sent messages.
Haleem didn’t reply.
The following day Sofia didn’t attend office.
Didn’t take any food by evening either.
Finally she collapsed.
She was taken to hospital.
Doctor diagnosed Sofia to be having a psychological problem.
She could be treated by a counselor.
Sofia's parents also understood that it was the solution.
Twice a week Sofia had to be brought to hospital for counseling therapy.
The first day it took a lot of convincing to bring Sofia.
A boy was walking out of the place when Sofia reached.
That’s how she met Hamdhaan.
Sofia noticed him the first day itself.
Because he had all the appealing characteristic.
The height.
The dress code.
His hair style and his gaze too got Sofia interested.
Ever since Sofia likes to come to hospital.
Her mom doubted about it.
Why did the change come to Sofia?
What was the secret behind it?
Sofia was waiting to talk to Hamdhaan when she got a call from him.
Hamdhaan didn’t mention how he got her number.
Next Sofia's mother saw Hamdhaan at their home.
Mother didn’t like Hamdhaan.
However since childhood Sofia goes ahead with what she wants.
Parent's consent didn’t matter.
"What's wrong with Hamdhaan?"
Sofia wanted the answer for that question.
" He has very cunning looks."
That was all her mother was worried about.
Sofia refused to believe.
She didn’t accept it as a reason.
To Sofia Hamdhaan was a rare catch.
Sofia thinks so for every person at first.
Sofia trusted Hamdhaan more than herself.
She didn’t appear to be able to breathe even without him.
It hadn’t been even ten days since they met.
Stupid fights came up too.
Yelled at Hamdhaan thrice in one month.
At the sight of parents even.
Sofia believes that she can yell at her lover.
And that is not a big issue.
Sofia's 26th birthday dawned to an unforgettable gift.
Hamdhaan fled with all the money in her account.
Sofia guess there would be about fifty thousand rufiyaa in the account.
And that was not all.
Sofia's phone and bag which has the cards too was lost.
The loss of money wasn’t Sofia's concern.
Because that was easiest thing to get.
Sofia was surprised about the reason why men didn’t love Sofia.
They break up after a few days together.
Everyone says Sofia is pretty.
Sofia spends on her lovers.
Sofia trusts people the moment she meets them.
Though she gets mad one second, she loves in the next too.
Though she gets bored one second, she feels sad in the next too.
Similarly one second she would yell and in the next she would caress too.
Sofia could not realize that was the problem.
Sofia got drowned deep in her thoughts and kept thinking.
Sofia was lying at the bottom of the water filled bath tub.
She was holding her breathe.
Sofia said to herself.
Why doesn’t anyone understand Sofia?
What was wrong?
Why doesn’t I get married?
People tried to find the answer for that question.
Is it that no one loved me?
No.
Is it that I didn’t come across a woman I liked?
No.
Is it that she didn’t accept when I proposed?
No.
Then what is the reason behind it?
That question directed at me ties my tongue.
I hesitate to reveal the secret.
Some people think I am unlucky.
What I believe now is, some things don’t happen for the good behind it.
The sweet and bitter incident occurred to me several years back.
The bridge was 300 feet long.
I guess the width would be around 15 feet.
Those were carefree days of life.
My youthful days.
I didn’t know what love is.
All I knew was , I wanted to see kanbulo.
Always wanted to be at her sight.
Alirasgefaanu bridge was far from my home.
Close to my heart.
Kanbulo's home was in that area.
She would come and linger around that area.
On that bridge.
In that sea.
On that reef.
On that beach.
All day long I try to grab Kanbulo's attention.
No matter what I had to do.
In the old days, fireworks were played on the beach facing the great wall of alirasgefanu memorial.
Kanbulo didn’t hear the sound.
The waves breaking on the bridge sweeps away sand under it.
How many journeys have I taken with life on the line?
Alirasgefaanu memorial is looked after by my father.
Father would pick up the money.
He hands them over to the concerned authorities.
Father would keep the money at home until it reached certain amount.
I went in the mosque, lifted my hands and prayed.
There was no change.
Actually it was a hole made due to deep digging.
It was an area with strong currents.
Kids would jump from the bridge to the trench.
Some kids found it fun.
I did it to show off to Kanbulo who would stay at a distant watching.
I ended up swallowing salt water several times.
My body got bruised at places.
Other than that nothing happened.
I spent most of my time out of home.
For one particular purpose.
I would go home at day time only when I get hungry.
At those times I found that my parents were silent.
What were they trying to hide?
I questioned.
No one admitted that something had happened.
But I witnessed that the relationship between my father and mother was weak.
Because the lagoon was beautiful and big.
A lot of birds would come on low tide days.
I keep watching them.
Kids would be busy catching the birds.
They would set up traps and chase the birds towards the traps.
They catch birds cleverly.
However kanbulo didn’t get caught in my trap.
Some kids would be along the shore line catching crabs.
You would hear the screams too when the crab bites in the process.
They would collect tiny white crabs in bottles.
I go to the sea.
Hoping that Kanbulo will ask for a fish.
Hoping that kanbulo will come to see the fish.
So I cud gift her a fish.
But none as such happened.
I can never forget the beautiful environmental scene.
Once, kanbulo bought some fish from me.
It looked like turtle meat.
I feel the pain only when I reach home.
Mother advices me a lot.
She strictly warns me not to climb the area.
Mother doesn’t understand.
I don’t know how to make her understand.
Male' is a garden full of trees.
It was morning time.
Suddenly I saw that mother has come with Kanbulo.
Mother took Kanbulo inside.
After a while father came home.
Did father and them knew what was in my heart?
First I thought so.
I heard some chattering.
Next saw mother come out.
She walked fast and sat down in the joali near me.
Father came out with his head down.
"My child please go out for a while," father requested.
"Why is that?" mother said angrily.
" Do you still want to hide it?"
It was my luck that I didn’t propose to Kanbulo.
The love was hidden in my heart.
Every time I see her my heart would cry.
Because of how things happened.
The fascinating thing about this love is that, no one except me was aware of it.
There was nothing to be ashamed of.
Kanbulo was father's daughter that he had conceived in a secret marriage.
My feet and hands went cold the moment I found out about it.
But I couldn’t fall in love with another person after that.
Didn’t have the courage to share this story with anyone either.
What happened was not something that was supposed to happen.
However I was saved from a bigger trouble.
You could find a strong love.
But you can't find love by force.
I accept that.
I was nine years old when I first saw Nuzha.
I didn’t know what love was.
All I know is I liked talking to Nuzha.
I wanted to see her.
Time runs so fast when I spend time at school to play and have fun with her.
I always think of Nuzha.
But she is not a friend.
I cheat on all my friends.
Not only boys.
Including girls too.
Except Nuzha.
Later I realized that there was a special corner in my heart for Nuzha.
I realized that I was in love with Nuzha when I was thirteen years old.
I guess Nuzha too felt it by then.
The shyness that comes along with age did exist between us too.
None of us had the courage to say it.
But couldn’t lock it.
Time and tide waits for no one.
I found a girl who loved me and got married.
Nuzha got married too.
Both of us were loyal to our life partners.
We accepted that it was our fate.
But I didn’t forget about Nuzha.
I wanted to see her.
There goes a saying.
You don’t forget your first love.
May be that was what happened to me.
For sure Nuzha forgot about me.
We were living in the same wards of Male' but she pretended not to see me.
Even two strangers would be friends than us.
Wouldn't lower the gaze in the fear of seeing the other.
Years passed and I became the father of three, yet Nuzha stayed the same.
Her body didn’t change much by giving birth to one child.
Or probably the eyes that love are blind to the flaws.
My interest to meet Nuzha didn’t go away.
My successful life was the obstacle for me.
I became wealthy.
My business expanded.
I got a politically powerful post.
 My voice hollered from podiums and TVs.
I had to keep limits in my life because of the popularity.
I had to show people a particular character.
Not all dreams come true.
And not all you wish for can be achieved.
Some hopes have to be buried with age.
Nuzha was a hope I couldn’t bury.
A song I wasn’t bored of singing.
An image I wasn’t bored of watching.
I was hoping for a miracle.
I wanted to lie down on her lap and say only two sentences.
"I couldn’t erase your name from my heart," I wanted to say it weakly.
"I still love you very much!"
I also would have the guts to say it.
I decided to achieve it in my dream.
I often see Nuzha in my dreams.
It feels so real I hesitate to say it to her.
If I knew even once that it wasn’t a dream.
My wife knows all my secrets.
Except about Nuzha.
Only my very closest friend knows about it.
Hindhaam.
Hindhaam introduced "Lucid dreams" to me.
You learn to differentiate between dreams and reality when you learn it.
U can control your dreams.
U can do anything you want in your dreams.
You could travel from dream to reality and from reality to dreams.
You acquire it after several days of hard work.
To start with, I have to note down the dream as soon as I wake up.
I have to remember the dream.
Few conditions should be present to prove it as a dream.
Hindhaam taught me those things too.
" In your dream you have read some written alphabets.
Or you have to stare at the hands of a clock repeatedly," my master taught me.
" The alphabets you see will either be blurred or not in order.
Every time you stare at the clock, the time read would be different.
If its two o'clock at one time, the next time it might be eight o'clock.
You could breathe even if you hold your nose.
Most important is to look at your feet and fingers.
Fingers might be deformed or missing.
Or it might be more.
Hindhaam told me all about it after experiencing it himself.
It was hundred percent successful.
Hence I also started to learn it.
Guard of Honour
Paul Hansford
The burden I bear is more heavy than lead.
The physical weight is a thing I share.
But the loss that I feel will not leave my head.
Why did you have to die?
Why is death so unfair?
I am close to you now. Yes.
Yes touching my hair.
The flag with its lions of gold and of red,
That wraps round your coffin.
I know you are there.
The burden I bear is more heavy than lead.
My comrades move with me in slow, solemn tread.
Our eyes are fixed in an unseeing stare.
Our shoulders support you in your oaken bed.
The physical weight is a thing that I share.
As I feel the world watching,
I try not to care.
My deepest emotions are best left unsaid.
Let others show grief like a garment they wear.
But the loss that I feel will not leave my head.
The flowers they leave like a carpet are spread.
In the books of remembrance they have written, somewhere
A star is extinguished" because you are dead.
Why did you have to die?
Why is death so unfair?
The tears that we weep will soon grow more rare,
The rawness of grief turn to memory instead.
But deep in our hearts you will always be there,
And I ask, 
will I ever be able to shed the burden I bear?
Umair said, showing the camera control unit.
All preparations have been made to leave with family to Singapore tomorrow.
The cameras would be useless too since the house will be vacant for a week.
Me and Umair used to work in the same office.
Umair was a business man even then.
Later he quit office.
“Only two of us will know that the cameras are useless,” I told him.
The thief won’t know.
The sight of cameras alone would serve the purpose.
You should deal with it after the trip.
Umair liked my idea very much.
By the time I left the house, the devil had conquered my brain.
“You should come tonight to watch the match.”
I wrote in the message I sent to Umair before I got on the motorcycle.
“Okay!” Umair replied without delay.
Umair knew me well.
We support Manchester.
That was the reason our friendship developed stronger.
Umair comes to my place on and off.
Sometimes I too go to Umair’s apartment to watch the match.
The place was a palace.
Umair, his wife and two kids lived there.
In addition to the three rooms, they had a gym and a cinema as well.
It was the ninth floor of the house.
Tenth floor was an open terrace.
There was a swimming pool and a barbeque area on that floor.
I doubted several times about what I was upto.
I am not a pious man.
I made hay while the sun shine.
After that I got married.
Brought some changes to life.
My wife is Fazeela.
I am the father of an eight-year-old son.
My son and wife are the two people I love most.
Our life went smooth even after marriage.
Until we got a child.
After that we got exposed to rough seas.
There came so many moments I felt like my life was on the line.
Fazeela got too lazy.
She acted like she didn’t have time for any other thing other than looking after the child.
The result was Fazeela falling back on her duties of a wife.
Ironing my clothes on my own was became an obligation on me.
The morning breakfast wasn’t prepared even thrice a week.
Fazeela couldn’t find time to go out with me.
Nobody knew that our relationship was brittle.
But the problems got worse.
The purpose of marriage got spoilt.
I don’t want to break the marriage.
 I was sitting on the sofa worrying when Umair came in.
He turned on the TV.
The match had commenced.
“Why haven’t you turned on the TV?” Umair asked while taking a seat.
“I was just waiting,” I said.
“I thought you will come on time.”
“I was going to come.”
“It wasn’t half past nine when I left home,” Umair said checking his watch.
It took fifteen minutes for me to reach.
Have all the people in Male’ left their homes at the same time?
I haven’t even had dinner yet.
I was hoping for such a moment.
My route would have been a bit long if Umair hadn’t said it.
“Let’s eat a pizza,” I said while getting up.
It will take ages to get it delivered.
I’ll go and get it.
I paused for a while at the door.
I pretended that I realized something suddenly.
“Hey! My motorcycle is not working!” I said.
Umair threw his motorcycle key to me.
Things happened as I predicted.
But faster than I expected.
I got down the stairs and looked at the key bunch.
There were two other keys other than that of the motorcycle.
I headed to a key duplicating place first.
Most places were closed since it was night time.
I was barely successful.
I made I made duplicates of Umair’s two keys.
And I got a pizza and came home.
All I did was chatting with Rose on Viber while the match went on.
If Umair looked at me, I pretended that I was talking to some one about office issues.
And I say something related to that.
It was almost one at midnight when I went to bed after the match.
“When can we meet next?” Rose asked.
I answered Rose’s questions while on bed too.
Fazeela was snoring.
“Very soon,” I told her.
“With a surprise.”
“I want to stay on chat till sunrise,” Rose impatiently said.
Can’t have all that we want, right!
I am going to sleep.
Goodnight!
I didn’t wish her “Goodnight”.
I didn’t want to end it.
But Rose slept.
I got no answers for my questions anymore.
Then I met Rose in my dreams.
It wasn’t a romantic dream.
A funny dream.
I was on a bed of roses.
I didn’t know how I reached there.
As I lay there, a net dropped on top of my body.
I stood up in shock and got caught in the net.
When Rose came there, I couldn’t move a limb.
Rose didn’t make any effort to rescue me.
But I couldn’t forget what we did.
I woke up and lay there thinking about it for long.
I had just one complaint.
How I wish I didn’t wake up.
Umair sent a message while boarding his flight.
"It would have been great if handed over the apartment keys too," Umair's message read.
So that you could repair the cameras by the time I come back.
Nothing can be done now though.
Im boarding the plane now.
Shall I bring a hard disk this time too.
"Sounds good."
I wrote in reply.
I was receiving pictures of Rose every single hour.
I always keep waiting to see the next one.
Rose knows how to capture pictures in order to grab a man's attention.
She is a daring, talented girl.
Rose kept playing with my heart like a talented guitarist would play with the strings.
She kept changing the tunes to her likes.
"Are you free tonight?" I wrote to her in the message.
My fingers were dancing to the tunes Rose played.
I had no power over it.
Instead of replying with a message, Rose placed a call.
"What happened?" 
Rose's voice made my eyelids go heavy with lust.
"I will call at ten," that’s wasn’t something I wanted to say.
But I couldn’t keep myself from saying it.
"Be ready!"
I got ready in advance.
I put the stuff I got into the laptop bag.
I kept the laptop at office.
I was in front of the mirror in my room when it struck eight at night.
I wasn’t done by nine even.
I usually don’t stay in front of the mirror for too long.
I doubted that Fazeela was suspicious.
Or was I the one having self doubts.
Since our relationship had gone weak, Fazeela did not ask any questions.
And that’s the reason why I wanted to give extra details.
"Probably I will be able to come home tomorrow morning," I told Fazeela before she asked.
"There is so much to be done."
Fazeela didn’t reply.
She looked at me in an odd way.
I didn’t know what was in her heart.
But I didn’t feel that Fazeela bought the story I made.
I left my home and went to Umair's place.
I parked my motorcycle near another house.
I secured the bag on my shoulder and started walking with my head down.
The door of that house stays open until eleven o'clock.
Most floors are occupied by people who have rented the places.
Umair's two brothers are mostly abroad.
I knew all that.
I didn’t have to be scared of being seen.
I was hesitant about only one thing.
Because the keys might not match.
There could be a working camera without my knowledge too.
I slunk as much as possible.
I used a cap with a long bill to cover my face.
Umair's apartment door opened with the first key I tried.
I darted and locked the door from inside.
A dim light was put on.
The light wasn’t visible from outside because of the thick curtain.
I didn’t put on any extra lights.
I turned on the ACs of sitting room as well as that of Umair's room.
I placed the candles that I brought at different places.
Filled the place with the smell of lavender.
I dialed Rose exactly at ten.
I gave her directions of the house and its location.
After that I observed the place.
The atmosphere was perfectly setup for such a meeting.
Only one thing was missing.
Music.
I had special songs on my phone.
I laid myself on the sofa while "played" the first song.
I closed my eyes.
At that moment it sounded like faint thundering from afar.
I wanted it to rain.
I wished Rose would come a bit wet by rain.
It was after two or three minutes of raining I heard a soft knock on the door.
I stood up with sweet hope.
I looked through the peephole to check who was at the door.
The person had hands on the peephole.
I assured myself it was Rose and opened the door.
That moment my whole body went cold.
That same darkness and loneliness.
But it didn’t have the livelihood of that night.
That joyous character wasn’t there.
The phone started vibrating from somewhere on the bed.
There were so many things I wanted to complain about.
I didn’t say a thing and disconnected the call to not let Ayaz hear my voice.
Love is a strange thing.
You can’t love a person other than yourself.
Previously I wanted to help Ayaz see the straight path.
Because I would be happy to see him walk on that path.
And then I wanted to hurt Ayaz.
Because I would be happy to see him struggle with the heartache.
Ayaz called again.
He sent messages to my phone.
I ignored.
Or I wanted to keep it ignored.
But still my heart started to ache.
The questions started popping up.
Why is Ayaz calling?
Where was he for like two years?
First love can’t be forgotten easily.
No matter how ever much you want to.
My husband is a very intelligent man.
I can’t think about anything without him knowing.
He proved it the first time itself.
I kept staring at the wall thinking about what to do next.
However, I escaped that day by hiding the truth.
It was a day Ziyadha visited home after a long time.
We both met at the rehab.
She is also a counselor.
Shiham also was home when Ziyadha visited.
Ziyadha waited till Shiham left.
I gathered it by Ziyadha’s behavior.
As soon as Shiham left, Ziyadha took her phone out and dialed some numbers.
She handed the phone to me.
I kept looking at it.
“Hold it!” Ziyadha requested.
“Talk!”
“Who have you called?” I asked.
I also have a phone.
I showed my phone to Ziyadha.
Ziyadha didn’t look at it.
“Then why is it that you don’t answer the phone?” Ziyadha asked worried.
“Ayaa said he has been calling you and…”
“Ziyadha!” I asked her surprised.
You know I have a husband right?
You know you are not doing something right, isn’t it?
Its not allowed to get involved with the patient’s personal life isn’t it.
Ziyadha jumped up and walked away.
She went up to the door and again came back.
“You are the best person to talk about it,” Ziyadha said disconnecting the call.
How great would it have been if you both realized that a bit earlier.
I am not asking you to call Ayaa and do sweet talk.
“Then what are you saying?” I asked.
“Then what are you saying?”
Ziyadha wanted to say so many things.
It was like as if she didn’t want to talk about all that.
“I am asking you to save him,” Ziyadha requested.
Don’t let him become an addict again.
You will know how good he is if you call him even for once.
That how nice he is.
I kept thinking long after Ziyadha left too.
I couldn’t see anything Ayaz did out of goodness.
Not long after Ayaz started calling.
I kept staring at the phone for a while.
The call ended and there came a message.
“I know you were staring at the phone,” Ayaz’s text read.
Just one call.
Only for once.
Call duration, five minutes.
After that you will never receive a call from me.
I didn’t call back Ayaz.
That day Leela got into an accident.
Leela is the younger sibling that Shiham loved most.
Leela’s condition was critical.
Shiham and I was at hospital for long.
Doctors were taking care of Leela when she died.
That day I saw Shiham cry for the first time.
“Please stop crying!” I tried to console him.
“We all will die.”
Shiham told me about what made him cry only after coming home.
The real reason was not her death.
But it was before that.
“Everyone will die,” Shiham said with his head down.
I was the only person beside Leela when she took her last breath.
Leela said that she wanted to tell me how much she loves me before she dies.
That she loves me very very much.
Then she took the shahadath and passed away.
Only very few people get to confess their love.
I don’t know why Ayaz came to my mind immediately when Shiham said so.
It was out of my control.
I had lost interest in that name.
I wanted to forget that name.
Alas, the power to forget or remember things was out of human control.
Ayaz’s thoughts kept playing with my mind throughout the whole day.
I thought to myself.
I should give a call.
What harm would it do with just one phone call?
I could refrain myself from being trapped, whatever Ayaz talks about.
I could just avoid myself believing in his stories.
I am not something that a person can use when he wants and throw away when he wants.
First I will listen to what Ayaz got to say.
I won’t say anything back.
I will let Ayaz say all he wants to and just disconnect the call when he is done.
Though I give a bored look on my face, Ayaz’s memories in my heart are many.
The days spent at the rehab.
Dark nights and moonlit nights.
Playing guitar is a special talent Ayaz possessed.
Ayaz played beautiful tunes on a rainy night at the veranda.
Everyone was there.
But Ayaz expressed the voice of his heart by the tunes.
Bitter truth is I couldn’t forget Ayaz’s love.
Ayaz would call everyday two or three times.
But his calls stopped just as I started looking forward to his calls.
The wait was long and started losing my patience.
But still I didn’t call him.
Every time my phone rang, I wanted it to be Ayaz’s call.
He called just as I was pressing the numbers to dial him.
“I am listening,” I said in a harsh voice.
“You have exactly five minutes! Start!”
“So angry…” I interrupted Ayaz from that point.
“You want to start or you want the call to be disconnected and your number blocked!”
I warned him against my wish.
Ayaz told the story.
Things had happened the way I thought it would.
When Ayaz returned from the rehab, his friends were ready to welcome him.
I had to leave in that critical moment.
Soon Ayaz was lured by his friends.
There was no one to remind him of the things I had told him.
It was those days that Ayaz could not be reached via phone.
When Ayaz realized what he had done, he was back at where he started it.
He was into drugs.
Addicted to it.
Ayaz couldn’t gather the strength to come to me at that condition.
Ayaz again went to rehab.
To hide from his friends.
To learn the lessons that he forgot.
He had to fight a strong battle to get rid of the habits.
He figured out the good friends and let the bad ones go.
He started learning work skills.
For me.
For my love.
Ayaz didn’t come to Male’ after he was able to stand up for himself.
He went to the resort.
He worked and earned.
He became a person that I would be proud of.
He called me only after all that.
“Do I have a fault?” Ayaz asked.
“My monthly salary is now fifteen thousand.”
I was in tears.
I knew I would burst out and cry if opened my mouth to say something.
The person I loved most is waving at me from far.
My first love is again smiling at me.
My husband was very good to me.
He had no faults.
I have a kid.
I am standing at the junction of two roads, not knowing which way to go.
This is written based on a true story.
I was a singer since school days.
I sang very well and won golden achievements too.
I became one of the most popular female vocalists in Maldives.
Tennis was the sport I loved to play most.
I earned a place in the National team too.
There was no type of dress that I hesitated to wear.
My parents were such who gave freedom to their children.
They didn’t force anything on us.
They held on to moderate values and taught the children too the same thing.
Since school days Uneyz ruled my heart.
I won that love too.
I got all the happiness that a girl of my age would need.
But my heart wasn’t content.
I wasn’t happy.
I felt that something was missing.
Felt like something wasn’t complete.
I couldn’t figure out what it was.
I did several things to make myself happy.
I went on trips frequently with friends.
Went to movies.
Travelled abroad too.
It was fun.
Didn’t how how the time run.
But when I lie to sleep at night, an empty space remains in my heart.
Why doesn’t it get filled?
To find the answer for that question, I accessed the internet on my mobile.
I searched through different websites.
What was my problem?
I did things I was supposed to make myself happy according to those websites.
I introduced extra things into my life.
I started keeping a diary.
I learned to cook.
I went snorkeling.
I learned to draw.
There was no difference in the results.
I consulted a psychiatrist.
He gave a lot of ideas too.
I got a bit of relief when I followed his advice.
But didn’t get a permanent solution.
I went to a counselor.
I told the person in detail what was happening with me.
“Do you recite Quran?”
The counselor asked a question that none other had asked.
“To some extent,” I told.
I got it installed on my phone too.
Actually I can’t find the time for it.
The counselor looked at my fingers.
He looked at the designs of my nail polish.
“Everyone finds time to do things they want to do,” he said showing the phone.
Install this application.
The English translation of Quran is also there in it.
Read it for the sake of me!
Just for fifteen minutes is also okay.
I came home and started on it.
After the first page I felt like reading the second page.
The more I read the more I got interested.
After reciting like fifty pages, I got a relief in my heart.
But I didn’t feel like stopping.
The whole day I had my eyes fixed on the phone.
I finished reading it all at midnight.
I finished and I lay wondering.
I said to myself.
How am I behaving?
How many days have I wasted?
Though I got anything I wanted, there was nothing that I could take with me.
I have to change the path that I have been following.
I had no choice but make big changes.
I wore the veil on the day I graduated.
I stuffed all the old dresses in a box and towed it under the bed.
I made the past go away.
I stopped singing.
Without any force from anyone.
I stopped playing tennis at tournaments.
I didn’t want to play the game with several people watching.
Most friends gave me a cool welcome to my sudden change of behavior.
My parents didn’t have any objections.
They weren’t angry either.
But I didn’t see them bloom out of joy either.
“My child you had already been selected for the national team,” mother reminded me.
You should not lose the opportunity.
Why don’t you play this time and then stop!
I know that playing a sport wasn’t haram in Islam religion.
My concern are the things related to it.
The things that have to be faced while being engaged in it.
How it obstructs the prayer times.
How I have to listen to gossips and stay listening to them.
That includes me among those who eat the rotten flesh of their people.
“Mother!” I kindly said with lots of love.
Mother you always say that we would know what we want to do with our lives.
I don’t want to sing or play tennis.
Mother, do you want to force me to do those things?
Mother smiled.
Mother respected my decision just like all other previous times.
I felt as if my heart spilled out of joy when mother stroked my back so lovingly.
A sense of unhappiness developed in Uneyz’s heart.
Uneyz always used to compliment my features.
My photo would be there on his phone “wallpaper” even.
Uneyz feels happy when his friends get surprised by it.
Uneyz talks about it at times.
Uneyz had the honour of having the prettiest girlfriend among those of his friends.
Hence it wasn’t an easy thing for Uneyz to accept the fact that I started wearing veil.
“Ain’t that so old school?” Uneyz said unhappily.
None at your home wears veil.
Fazee, you have to wear veil only after your mom wears it first.
Your hair cut and coloured hair is also gone to waste.
My heart said.
What will happen if I marry someone who loved only my external features?
I will turn old some day.
Or I might gain weight too.
On such a day I would be left out.
“The one who marries me will see all that beauty,” I said softly.
The wife’s beauty is for the husband.
Not for the stranger men.
“Your talk is also old school now,” Uneyz said bored.
I want my friends to be jealous when they see my girlfriend.
Look at yourself now.
I used to wear very short sleeved, tight dresses.
Some dresses didn’t have a sleeve at all.
I didn’t wear pants.
When all that changed and I wore veil, Uneyz’s family people also found me “old school.”
They started saying it openly.
They laughed at me indirectly.
Instead of stopping them, Uneyz also participated with them.
“Is that a dress or a sack?” Uneyz’s sister said.
You look like a grandmother.
If you must wear veil, you could wear it in a fashionable manner too.
Even veil would suit better at an older age.
“Now go join IS,” Uneyz laughed.
“I am so ashamed to face my friends because they are joking me about this.”
Uneyz thought he could discourage my heart.
My courage got stronger.
Humans face things so that they can learn lessons from them.
To test them.
I opened my mouth to reply to Uneyz yet I let it go.
I don’t have to be like others just because they are like that.
I see that Islam religion encourages to have patience.
To forgive.
Otherwise I could have said something.
My mother has no complains about how I dress or about my veil.
Whichever way I wear the veil, mother doesn’t get bored with me either.
That is love.
Uneyz started making a fuss out of nothing.
Not a day came without us getting into an argument.
About doing a particular thing.
About not doing a particular thing.
My veil was the main problem.
How I dress.
One day Uneyz called urgently.
He was upset even when he called.
I heard Uneyz’s friends laughing and making fun on the background of the call.
“Me or the veil,” Uneyz proposed.
“What do you want to lose?”
“What kind of a choice is that Uneyz,” I said trying not to cry.
“I..”
“Now I have talked about this so many times in so many different ways,”
Uneyz wasn’t ready to listen to what I had to say.
“Veil or me.”
I couldn’t take a decision.
I asked for more time.
Uneyz gave me exactly twenty-four hours.
I met up with a religious scholar.
She is the sister of a friend of mine.
She told me how it is in the religion.
She identified the important things from the useless ones.
She guided me about what to hold on to and what to let go.
I discussed with family members.
I asked for opinions from friends.
I was surprised to hear the same answer from all.
I called up Uneyz.
I love him.
I didn’t want to quit on him.
But I can’t be with him either.
“I have discussed with a lot of people,” I told.
No one agreed to take off the veil.
Even the people who didn’t support initially also doesn’t agree to take it off.
Why don’t you think it over once again?
“Its not me who need to think it over,” Uneyz said angrily.
You are the one who needs to think.
That also tells how much Fazy doesn’t love me.
Okay!
To listen to everyone else!
Don’t call me here after!
Give thanks to whoever who has brainwashed you.
I held the phone to my ears for a while even after Uneyz disconnected the call.
Ringing in my ears were the things Uneyz said.
I couldn’t believe.
The journey ended so suddenly.
I didn’t know if I was supposed to be sad or happy.
Though we had been together in a relationship for long, Uneyz didn’t know me.
Uneyz didn’t even try to get to know me.
Nobody brainwashed me.
I used to wear really short dresses when I was small.
The dress I wore in my youthful days also were sleeveless.
The dresses were just secured on the shoulder.
Why couldn’t Uneyz notice that from my photos?
The changes started appearing when my thinking started changing.
One who thinks about the visible things will see the proof too.
That a god exists.
That there are signs of his power.
I raised the questions in my heart.
I found the answers.
I cleared the entangled vines, cut down the trees and made a clear path.
I wanted to wear veil way before I completed my higher studies.
Uneyz wasn’t aware of that.
Mother didn’t agree to it at that time.
Mother didn’t want me to wear the veil before I figured out what was right or wrong.
Just because I might change my mind later on.
Because for mother, it was better not to wear the veil rather than taking it off after wearing.
I got very lonely by Uneyz’s break up.
But I didn’t make complains about my life.
What I did was make dua.
Asking for strength to face life.
I stopped wearing loose dresses and changed to jubbah.
I didn’t wear black dresses.
I liked darker colours.
My companion was prayers.
I entertain myself by reciting Quran.
There was no one who wasn’t aware about my breakup with Uneyz.
People were surprised by my steadfastness.
I was sure of one thing.
Some solution will come up.
My office mates were mostly girls.
Everyone wore veil.
However, they were fashionable girls.
Religion was too like a fashion.
It wasn’t easy to develop friendship with those friends.
I lived in my own world.
I head to the prayer when its prayer time, even at office hours.
No matter how much a fun talk we are in.
I have an account on Facebook.
But I don’t post any of my photos on it.
My account is not public.
No matter how important the gathering was to be attended at office, I don’t wear tight clothes.
I would not shake hands with men.
No men would flirt with me because they know I hold on to certain values.
For some men I am a bore.
I agree to that.
I had to leave to Japan on a course I got from office.
For two weeks.
The course was held from morning till evening.
The rest was free time.
Visiting places was something I didn’t like to do.
I stay in my room.
I spend more time on the internet than I used to when in Male’.
I was more active on Facebook too.
“Assalam Alaikum!” someone greeted from Facebook messenger.
I didn’t know the person.
I don’t like talking to strangers.
But I thought to myself.
I shall give an answer.
I greeted back and had second thoughts about sending the message.
“You broke up with Uneyz, right?” the next message read.
I knew that it was someone who knew me.
I gave it a good thought and realized that the name was familiar.
I went to his Facebook account page and dug a bit.
It was someone who had been in CHSE.
At the period when I was there too.
“Yes! It has been long since,” I told.
“Who are you?”
“Why did you break up?” he too asked a question.
“No worries if it is a secret!”
I didn’t see any reason why I shouldn’t tell.
Because so many people knew about it.
“He didn’t like it when I wore veil,” I said.
“I became too old school.”
Chatting with strangers was not my character.
But we kept exchanging questions and answers.
The person who chat knew Uneyz.
He told about our school days too.
He told about some incidents that had happened in the class too.
So very correctly.
“This is Zamir,” he told his nickname along with his name as well.
“Zaarey!”
I tried to recall.
Couldn’t remember even a bit.
“You don’t know me right?” he gave more details.
There used to sit at the last row a very obedient boy.
One day I found a book for you from the library.
I gave you an umbrella because of it was raining.
I bought a water bottle for you.
I couldn’t remember anything Zamir mentioned.
I felt a bit ashamed too.
Because I couldn’t remember someone who had done so much for me.
Or could it be made up stories, I thought.
“You are Ainthu, right?”
The person said with much assurance.
“Right?”
“Very distant people call me by that name,” I told.
“My friends wouldn’t call me by that name.”
“Elizabeth!” he wrote with letters spaced afar.
“This is a name given only by friends, right.”
I took part in a drama play during school days.
I was named Elizabeth in my drama role.
After the drama play, some friends used to call me by that name.
Nobody would know those two name unless the person knew me very well.
He proved that he was a friend and then Zamir revealed his aim.
“Please do not get shocked by what I am about to say alright,”
Zamir said, grabbing my attention.
Though Fazy couldn’t notice me, I always notice Fazy.
Even on the first day I saw Fazy, I thought to myself that I would marry Fazy.
A funny person I am, right?
On that note I stopped talking to him that day.
Because it scared me a bit too.
It wasn’t an ordinary thing to talk about marriage on the first encounter.
That wasn’t the style of modern men either.
Though I ended the talk that day, I got interested in talking more.
I kind of impatiently waited till the next day.
He was the one who initiated the chat on the second day too.
“I scared you right?” He questioned.
But that was a serious thing I asked, okay.
I am not a person who asks every woman I come across to marry me.
Fazy, you are in Japan right.
Am I right on that?
It is a two-week trip, right.
I talking being aware of all that.
Problem is Uneyz asked you first to a relationship.
I hesitated.
To be honest, I didn’t hesitate.
I didn’t want to be in a relationship out of marriage.
Zamir said something that I liked a lot.
I couldn’t help but a smile came on my lips.
I felt a sense of serenity.
“I know that Uneyz broke up with you,” I saw Zamir type it.
I also know that you aren’t together with another boy.
I am talking to you having checked on all that.
I am from Male’.
I would like to meet you when Fazy comes back here.
I don’t mean to meet in solitude.
When Fazy approves, I will go with my mom and dad to meet your mom and dad.
What I want is to marry.
Not to just have an affair.
That’s the way I wanted it to be actually.
I didn’t want to meet alone.
But I had doubts in my heart.
Could there be such men in Male’?
Is this a dream?
Is this a deceiving trap?
One who keeps following can find a lot about the other in this modern times.
My information could be given by Uneyz too.
“Have you said it seriously?”
I asked.
“Why?”
The person too asked a question to my question.
“I don’t know,” I said.
Out of nowhere how could I get a person of the style I wanted?
I find it difficult to believe.
Make me believe!
I don’t know what the other person comprehended from what I said.
There was no answer.
He didn’t write anything.
I didn’t say anything else.
I was waiting to see what he was going to write.
A minute passed.
Two minutes passed.
“Hello!” I wrote.
No reply came.
Was I being too hard on him?
Or could he have thought that I got angry?
That is the fear or talking through texts.
You can’t tell the tone from the written letters.
Even if you write with so much love, the reader could read it in a different tone.
I fell asleep waiting for an answer from Zamir.
I woke up to the sound of a message.
I checked the time and noticed that I had been sleeping for two hours.
I opened the message Zamir had sent.
I saw Uneyz.
He started laughing at the top of his voice.
I felt really ashamed.
I felt sad too.
Thinking about how easily I got trapped by his plan.
For what purpose could he have done that?
I had already stepped out of his life.
I wondered why he got himself trapped in between the doors.
Again I fell asleep on that thought.
I didn’t feel like getting in the morning even.
I lay there thinking.
Why couldn’t I realize that it was Uneyz talking to me pretending to be Zamir?
I felt like going through Zamir’s chat log from the beginning.
I opened up the laptop and found that it was on “sleep mode”.
Then I remembered.
My laptop had its setting like that.
The laptop goes to “sleep mode” after an hour of idleness.
Hence how could I get a message from Uneyz after two hours?
I opened the laptop.
Could it have been a dream?
My heart beat faster.
The laptop turned on.
Facebook too was opened.
There weren’t any messages from Uneyz.
It was a scary dream indeed.
The last person who had texted was me.
I cried out of joy.
I thanked Allah several times.
That moment I got a message from Zamir.
“My internet got disconnected last night!” Zamir said.
“Sorry!”
According to Zamir I was a girl whom he has liked since school days.
He hesitated to confess his love.
He kept watching me from far.
He attempted several times.
And then we finished school and he lost me.
My prepaid number had changed several times.
For different reasons.
It seems Zamir’s parents talked to him about marriage.
Zamir told them that he needed more time and closed the talk.
When he met me on Facebook, he informed about it to his mother too.
Zamir had a very good relation with his mom.
As a result, Zamir’s mom was informed about our chats.
Zamir has got the opportunity to go abroad for further studies.
Zamir wants to get married before he leaves.
I informed my parents too.
I discussed about the marriage.
I told my mother about all the things I knew.
Zamir’s age.
Name of the house.
The family.
“Is he slim like a fig like you?”
Mom was kidding.
I didn’t ask for a photo of Zamir.
I don’t want to ask for it either.
“Mother, I don’t know how he looks like,” I told.
Don’t even want to find out.
What did dad say?
Is he okay?
Dad was very convincing.
Zamir came from a well respected family in Male’.
Zamir’s dad was a well known figure in Male’.
But my mom was a bit upset because I was going to marry someone I hadn’t even seen.
“You are marrying someone you don’t even know?” mom asked.
You could not meet but find out about his features.
Mom wanted to know how dad looked like way before mom knew his name.
“Oh mom!” I laughed and said.
This is how I want it.
I don’t want to have an affair with people and go places to meet.
I was in a relationship with a boy during school days too, right.
I used to sit in the sitting room to talk with him too.
His mom and sister too would be there.
That is how it should be, mother!
But mother, you got to do a favour for me.
Why don’t you wear veil?
“Mom too am thinking that the time has come.”
Mom agreed.
Like previous times, this time too mom respected my decisions.
My parents never had forced their children to do things.
Zamir visited the night I came back to Male’ from Japan.
With Zamir’s parents.
My parents were there with me too.
I and Zamir didn’t even shake hands atleast.
We left that too to be done after marriage.
Zamir was not the most handsome person in Maldives.
But he was handsome than I expected.
He was almost the same height as me.
He looks a bit fairer than me.
He had his hair combed back.
He had a nicely trimmed beard.
Zamir’s mom and I had similar dressing style.
I thought it was lucky that my mom had worn veil.
It was Zamir’s dad who asked for the permission for the marriage.
My dad gave him consent.
The wedding date was fixed.
“We don’t want to hold a too colourful ceremony,” Zamir’s dad expressed his view on it.
It is a big waste and a show off.
I too wanted it that way.
My parents too agreed on it.
I saw my dad smiling after they left.
Mom too had a naughty smile.
“What happened?” I asked with a smile.
“Now what are you laughing at?”
“But my child,” dad answered.
You should shake hands.
It’s the first day he visited home!
What would he be thinking?
“That’s what we had agreed upon,” I told.
Dad, he is a very obedient boy.
Do u know?
They have two sitting rooms in their house.
The men cannot enter the area of women.
Such freedom is there?
Mom and dad exchanged looks.
“Can you live with them?” dad asked.
A man only shakes hand with a man.
A woman with a woman…
“That’s how I want it too,” I said immediately.
I can’t live in a place different from such.
Actually it should be that way in our home too.
Dad didn’t have any objections on that.
He neither talked supporting it.
Dad was surprised to see such a big difference in the way of my thinking.
They raised me different when I was small.
I had so many pathways in front of me.
I chose the right path on my own.
It didn’t have much of a role of parents and teachers.
I married and moved to Zamir’s place.
Zamir left to Madina for further studies.
He got the permission to take wife along since he was married.
I quit my job.
We both as a couple first went to an Umra.
After that I went to Madina with Zamir.
I felt a sense of joy when I set my foot on the place.
The valleys and mountains were like as if they were telling me a story.
The heat didn’t produce any sweat.
The roads were clean.
Memorable events in the Islamic history had occurred in the place.
The love I had for the place for immense.
We stayed at a well built apartment.
All my expenses were covered.
I got an allowance too.
When Zamir leaves in the morning, I had nothing left to do.
I decided to learn Arabic.
I couldn’t think of a better thing to do to kill boredom.
Today I think to myself.
How hurt I was the day Uneyz broke up with me?
But, I didn’t lose hope.
I always had the belief that Allah will show a path to the loyal servant.
It took time.
It took patience.
I had to leave Maldives to Japan.
I reached my destiny from that point.
Everything happens for a reason.
You have to be strong.
You have to do all you can to make the situation better.
After that I put my trust in Allah.
I was guided to the straight path in ways I didn’t even imagine.
Now we are in Male’.
I know Arabic as much as I know Dhivehi.
I know the meaning without the aid of a translation.
Zamir had given me the choice to go for work if I wanted.
I was surrounded by happiness.
This is a story based on a true incident.
I live with my daughter Manarath, in Male’.
In Fayaz’s house.
Fayaz is my husband.
My mom’s island people are popular for their black magic.
Mom lives in the island.
I paid a trip to India with Manarath around six months of her age.
She had some swellings on her skin which couldn’t be cured from Male’.
Fayaz couldn’t come because he could not get leave from office.
I stayed in Humeyru’s house who was my own little brother.
I was twenty-eight years old then.
Humeyru was twenty-five years old.
It was Humeyru’s last year of his studies.
He was living alone.
So he was used to the house.
But however soon as I entered the house, a sense of fear developed in my heart.
Not because I had seen anything.
I didn’t talk about it.
The house was big and the yard was spacious.
The walk way in the middle was paved.
All other areas had thick grass.
There was a big durian tree.
Small flowering plants were there too.
The scene of blossomed flowers was beautiful at daytime.
It gave a nice smell.
The fear sets in when night falls.
The house wasn’t a modern one.
The house and the furniture as well were old.
Two special things about the house was, it was located in a Muslim neighborhood.
The rent was low compared to the huge house which had three rooms.
Humeyru left to college early morning.
Manarath and I were alone in the strange house.
I put Manarath to sleep and was busy with the laundry.
Suddenly Manarath started to cry.
The crying was different from the usual.
It sounded like as if she got a sudden shock.
Usually Manarath starts to cry softly when she wakes up.
That day suddenly she started crying really loud.
I ran to the room.
There wasn’t anyone except my child.
I am sure I didn’t see anyone.
Manarath sobbed and cried.
I took her and sang a lullaby but she didn’t stop crying.
Instead of silence her voice got louder.
I tried to feed her but she didn’t want to feed on it either.
She sobbed and cried.
I didn’t know what to do.
I couldn’t call Humeyru while he was at college.
She cried for about twenty minutes and then stopped.
When I checked she had fallen asleep.
It never happened before.
When I kept her on bed, she smiled in her sleep.
I paused for a while thinking and then again went back to wash the clothes.
In no time again she started crying like the last time.
That time too the same thing happened as the previous time.
The second it happened, I didn’t leave Manarath after I kept her on bed.
I stayed laying beside her on the bed.
All the time I was there she didn’t cry.
Soon after I left, she started crying.
The whole day the episodes kept repeating.
When I left to India, Fayaz borrowed a sim card from somewhere for me.
He requested several times to call him if anything comes up.
Fayaz gets worried about things very easily.
Thus I hesitated to call him.
Humeyru came back from college in the evening.
He suggested to play Quran audio.
Things got normal only after that.
Along with that it developed doubts in my heart.
I told what I was hiding before.
“If she stops to the sound of Quran that means…” I said.
“You and your doubts dhontha,” Humeyru said in sarcastic way.
How long have I been living in this house?
I always recite Quran or play its audio.
Not because of any particular reason.
But I do it because it is a good thing to do.
Dontha, you too recite!
But don’t make scary assumptions.
When dhontha leaves, its me who has to live here alone.
I didn’t say anything back, not because I was okay with it.
But rather because it might affect Humeyru’s studies.
I wanted to go back to Male’ as soon as possible.
The problem was Manarath’s medical follow ups got a a bit dragged.
The results of the tests doctor had requested got delayed.
It was the third day since we came to that house.
It was morning.
I prepared tea for Humeyru and after he left for college I also had tea and rested on bed.
All the doors of the house were locked.
Manarath was beside me on the bed.
I fell asleep.
I woke up in a shock.
The clock struck ten in the morning.
I woke up to the sound of the main gate of the house being opened.
The door hinges make squeaking sounds when it is opened slowly.
I heard the door being opened and close too.
Couldn’t hear footsteps though.
Next I saw the room door handle slowly moving.
That moment I felt like I heard Manarath make some sound.
I looked at Manarath.
She was sleeping.
I heard the room door open.
By then all my strength drained from my body.
That usually happens to me.
Even if I was having a dream, by the time I wake up I wouldn’t have any strength.
Sometimes it takes a lot of time to get back to normal.
That day too I had to stay like that for a while.
I could only move the pupil of my eyes.
That wasn’t enough to see the door.
All I know is the person or the thing had entered my room.
After a while Manarath started crying.
I got alarmed and my limbs were in action.
I choked.
My limbs were freezing cold like ice.
I couldn’t refrain from calling Humeyru that day.
“Humeyru, did you come home just now?” I asked.
“Nope!” Humeyru was cool and answered.
“I didn’t go, why?”
“Nothing happened!” I said trying to hide the concern in my voice.
I fell asleep.
The door is locked from inside.
So I couldn’t have heard even if you had come and knocked.
I didn’t tell the truth to Humeyru and ended his call.
But I couldn’t lie to my own self.
I didn’t feel good.
I could think of anything because of Manarath’s crying.
I carried her, trying to soothe her with lullabies and stepped out of the room.
The room door wasn’t fully closed.
I was sure I had the door fully closed after entering the room earlier.
The main gate was closed.
It was locked too.
But my suspicion wasn’t wrong.
Though I was successful hiding my fear to Humeyru, I was scared to sleep alone.
I made an excuse saying I get bored and started sleeping in Humeyru’s room with him.
Humeyru sleeps on the mattress on the floor.
After he leaves to college I always keep Quran audio played.
The electricity goes off often.
At such moments I recite Quran.
The neighbours are very friendly.
They give a smile and talk few times when they see me.
Latha lived in the house which was next to ours on the left side.
She was elder than me and very active.
The leaves that fell from the trees were numerous.
Latha cleans the ground twice a day.
Sometimes she cleans the area of our front door too.
In return I give her money sometimes.
She talks in hindi language.
I also know a bit of the language so some days we have fun talking.
“Can I ask something?” latha said in hindi.
“Why do you live in this house?”
“What kind of a question is that?” I said.
“What is the difference of this house from others?”
I had a feeling that Latha was saying not what she actually wanted to say.
Because she paused while she tried to answer.
Because she tried to force a smile.
“None can live in that house for long,” Latha answered.
Sister, you are the only person who has lived the longest in that house.
Specially if a woman and child comes to that house…
Latha’s story was interrupted when her husband called her.
After that I didn’t see Latha.
I don’t know what happened to her.
Next I got the news that Latha had died in an accident.
The night I saw her death news on the paper, I found it difficult to sleep.
Humeyru was in a deep sleep.
But the clock struck two at midnight when I was struggling to sleep.
While I lay there, a woman yelled loudly in my ears.
“Who?” I said with much shock.
“Who who?”
I heard the sound from very near.
But the room was empty.
There was no sound except that of the fan vibrations.
I heard a distant howling of a dog.
Humeyru was sleeping.
Manarath too was in a deep sleep.
I lay there thinking.
Am I the only one who heard that voice?
Did the sound come from inside home?
Or was it a sound in the neighbourhood?
I was thinking and saw Humeyru roll over.
Did he hear too?
I had doubts and I called him.
“Humeyru!” I whispered.
“Are you awake? U heard the sound?”
“Which sound?” Humeyru’s voice didn’t sound worried at all.
I didn’t hear any sound.
What a hot night this is, right?
“No way,” I couldn’t believe and said.
“Put the lights on!”
Humeyru got up.
He put the lights on.
There was no one other than us.
“Did I make a sound?” Humeyru asked.
I did shout in a scary dream that I had.
Dhontha, you also heard my shout, right.
I couldn’t shout in the dream and the voice came out.
Sometimes it happens.
It was a high pitched, closed kind of voice, right?
I felt cool by that.
Humeyru used to talk in sleep when he was very small.
It had been ages since he had stopped it.
My fear went away but still I couldn’t sleep that night.
Not long after Humeyru went to sleep I heard him snore.
I was still awake.
The next day Ramiza came.
She was a relative.
Ramiza got stuck in the road because of a protest and got too late reach the airport.
Ramiza rescheduled the ticket to the following day and came to stay in our house.
Her husband and a child of same age as Manarath was there too.
That day was entertaining.
We visited a carnival held in a nearby area.
We met a diamond seller from there.
We went into his shop to see the diamonds.
Most of the stuff were cheap ones.
There was a fortune teller too.
Ramiza wanted to check on her horoscope.
But the moment he saw me, he made a gesture to me.
I was confused and the man came.
More than me, the man observed Manarath.
He asked to give her for him to carry.
I refused.
He asked for permission to touch her.
I gave that permission.
He rested his hand on Manarath’s back.
He felt some kind of shock.
And with that he quickly left the place.
We didn’t understand the meaning behind the strange actions.
The stuff Ramiza bought could not be put into the luggage.
I opened the luggage again and arranged the stuff in order again.
I was good at it.
I distributed the items nicely into the luggage.
But it was a few minutes past twelve when we were done with that.
We enjoyed funny conversations and it was almost two when we went to sleep.
Ramiza and them slept in the room next to ours.
I fell asleep as soon as I rested on the bed.
It felt like I fell asleep and then woke up.
I woke up to the thought that I heard a sound.
That time I couldn’t tell what kind of sound it was or where it came from.
It was three when I checked the clock.
And then I couldn’t sleep.
There not even a slightest sign of sleepiness.
I started thinking about things because of that.
Again I recalled how the fortune teller acted.
The thought of it made me look at Manarath.
I had goose bumps all over my body.
Manarath had her eyes wide open and was staring at me.
She didn’t even blink.
Manarath never did that previously.
“My child!” I called her kindly.
“What happened?”
Manarath didn’t answer.
I stroked my hands on her body to caress.
At the same time, I felt that someone was standing near the bed.
I felt that the person sat on the bed too.
The impact was obvious on the bed and mattress as well.
I was scared to look.
I felt like I was going to paralyze.
But it didn’t.
The room temperature fell down.
Manarath’s eyes moved from my face.
And she looked as if she was looking at the person sitting on the bed.
I don’t know if there was someone sitting on the bed or not.
I looked at Manarath’s face.
I didn’t move a finger even.
No change came to the vibrations on the bed and mattress.
While I was lying facing towards Manarath, I felt something hairy on my hands.
Manarath started laughing.
And she put her hands forward to me.
My heart was beating so fast like it never did before.
I thought of looking suddenly.
But I couldn’t gather the courage.
After a while Manarath closed her eyes.
The coldness in the room died and the temperature got back to previous.
Still I kept without making a move.
I lay there like that for a long time and then looked back slowly.
The room was empty.
Humeyru was sleeping.
However, all that I felt can’t be a misconception.
I and Humeyru too joined in the drive to airport with Ramiza.
Because Humeyru’s college was closed that day.
Manarath was in Humeyru’s lap.
I kept staring at the distant scenery.
Should I tell all what happened and turn into a person full of doubts?
Should I let whatever to happen to Humeyru’s studies?
Is all that related to my child?
“Humeyru, what kind of a house are you living in?” Ramiza asked suddenly.
“See see!” I said.
Ramiza, you also heard something last night right?
You couldn’t sleep, right?
This Humeyru won’t believe it.
It was not only Ramiza.
Ramiza’s husband also heard a woman shout loudly.
A third evidence was there too.
It won’t be easy to find another house.
However I also didn’t want Humeyru to stay in that house.
“It was not only the voice,” Ramiza told the story.
The light was dim when I slept.
But when I woke up, the room was lit up like daytime.
And it tried to get back to sleep but I couldn’t.
Your house is really haunted.
“Again!” Humeyru said in a sarcastic way.
I have told not to talk about such because I would have to live alone in the house later.
The light has a problem.
May be it is going to lose its fuse.
That sound is a sound that I make in sleep.
Dhontha knows it too well.
Humeyru cleverly hid all the stories.
He had a reason for everything.
I stayed in India for five more days.
At all times except the time in toilet, I keep reciting good stuff.
The house seemed peaceful.
I came back to Male’.
Humeyru came back after the studies way later.
He came with a shock too when he arrived.
“Really I heard the voice that night,” Humeyru kept the secret till he came to Male’.
I deliberately didn’t tell because dhontha would be scared.
The sound came from near the room.
Few times the sound would be heard even before dhontha came to stay.
I just ignore.
What would it do if I paid attention?
It is my luck that I came back safe!
May be it was too quick to say it was lucky.
Things started happening after we came to Male’.
First thing I noticed was the change in position of Manarath while sleeping.
Manarath sleeps on my bed.
My husband wasn’t in town so I didn’t keep Manarath in her cradle.
She found it easy just suddenly.
Manarath would suddenly get up and crawl on her legs but wouldn’t open her eyes.
It didn’t look like something she did on purpose.
Second thing was, Manarath started staring at a corner of the room.
He eyes would be set on that corner even when she feeds.
It was one night of Ramadan in two thousand sixteen.
According to my knowledge the Jinn will be locked up in Ramadan.
But still if I take Manarath out at night, I recite Ayah Kursi.
It was ten thirty.
“Let’s go for a walk please,” sister-in-law requested.
“We all are going.”
Manarath is my child but she rules in everyone’s heart at home.
Everybody loved Manarath.
“That’s the problem,” I said on second thoughts.
“Who would look after my child?”
“Oh cumon” sister-in-law said.
This is Ramadan.
Nothing will happen.
Let’s go!
Dhonbe too wud be there, right.
“Dhonbe just now left to office,” I told her.
“Please call!”
Fayaz couldn’t come.
But since everyone was begging, I agreed.
We went to the stadium area.
The place was lit up.
There were people jogging and exercising as well.
There were people sitting to kill boredom and people who were having fun too.
Though it was ten thirty, the place was still young.
Manarath was one year ten months old by then.
I had a bit of discomfort in my heart.
But I thought to myself.
Why should something happen to Manarath out of all the children?
Immediately as I put Manarath down, she wanted to crawl and run.
She was very happy.
She danced, laughed and had fun.
I keep observing Manarath’s actions.
Though I knew nothing will happen, just incase something might happen.
That is my character.
I didn’t notice anything strange in Manarath when we came home either.
Since I was sleepy I took a shower and went to bed with Manarath.
Manarath wants keep my chest bare while she feeds.
I don’t know the reason, I don’t like it but I do it.
Because she doesn’t feed from me any other way.
I thought I’ll have patience till two months.
Anyway that night as I was drifting into sleep Manarath started laughing.
It was the sound hours of midnight.
There room was all quiet.
At such an hour Manarath’s laugh didn’t ease my ears.
It developed a fear.
I looked at Manarath.
She stares at a corner of the room from the corner of her eyes.
And then suddenly she covered her face with her hands and opened them up and laughed.
It seemed as if she was playing peek-a-boo with a friend.
I couldn’t see anything from the corner that Manarath stares at.
Not even a bright coloured object was there in the corner.
Fayaz was still not home.
So I called him.
Asked him to come.
I didn’t think of waking up anyone else at home.
Fayaz immediately headed home.
Suddenly Manarath stood up.
She started praying on the bed.
Not like how it was supposed to be done actually.
But like how a child of her age would do.
She puts her arms one over the other above navel for Qiyam.
She prostrates too.
She got up from sujood, and paused.
I observed and realized that Manarath had her eyes on her shadow.
For sure it was my child’s shadow that I saw.
It was a faint shadow created by the dim night light.
Again she looked at the corner, clapped her hands and laughed.
Usually Fayaz reaches home in about ten minutes.
That night I felt like as if it took ten hours.
I tried to recite Quran.
I couldn’t remember any particular verse to recite.
I remembered only a small part of Kursi too.
The idea of playing Quran on the phone came to my mind.
I played the first Surah I saw on the phone.
Suddenly Manarath jumped towards me.
As if a monkey jumped towards me.
I almost shouted out loud.
Manarath started crying at the top of her voice.
The instant I stop the Quran, she stops crying.
When I commence it, she starts crying.
I stopped the Quran and hugged my child.
Started talking to her.
Luckily Fayaz came at that moment.
He switched on the lights.
Fayaz talked and tried his best to get the attention of Manarath.
I didn’t see his effort as such before.
She stopped crying after a while.
Then turned towards the corner of the room.
She pointed towards the corner and asked Fayaz to take her to the corner.
Fayaz looked at me.
I nodded my head to refuse.
Again Manarath started crying.
Until dawn we were dealing with it.
Manarath got back to normal when the Fajr prayer call started.
Manarath fell asleep before the prayer call ended.
“Oh what shall I do?” I said.
This should end at some point.
How can we go on like this.
Fayaz, you are going to leave too.
Fayaz didn’t have answers for my questions.
We both didn’t want to do black magic on a child who isn’t even two years old.
“Can cancel the course. I can stay back in Male’,” Fayaz said in a doubtful tone.
“If you are so scared..”
“Am I scared for reason…” I said.
Fayaz, didn’t you see how Manarath behaved?
Alright no problem.
I am full of suspicion.
But what about the thing u saw, Fayaz?
If something drags without being normal, then that’s a problem.
Problems arise when there is a disagreement.
And the disagreement leads to an argument.
I know what happens.
I am the one who stays at home all the time.
I see everything.
“Isn’t that how babies behave?” Fayaz raised the question.
All the people with whom I discussed this said so.
Such things will get back to normal through age.
How can I come home every now and then during office hours?
We have three choices.
To do black magic.
Find a solution on our own.
Ignore the matter.
I am okay with either way from the three choices.
Fayaz is a husband who loves me a lot.
Fayaz loves Manarath a lot too.
Such a kind person wouldn’t want something bad to happen to us.
Fayaz left on the scholarship, and gave a number of a person I could call if needed.
The person called me before I called him.
He started checking on me and giving me suggestions.
He started calling at late hours and asked questions that he wasn’t supposed to ask.
From that point I “blocked” that number.
It was a day we had a party at home.
We all were in the party.
Manarath also wanted to eat short eats when she saw other kids eat them.
I put some sweet rolls on a plate and gave it to her.
Manarath didn’t want to eat the sweet rolls.
“I want gulha!” Manarath said.
I gave a gulha.
And she put her other hand forward.
I put another gulha in to her other hand too.
It was gulha made of flour and of the size which kids could eat.
Manarath didn’t eat the gulha in her left hand.
She ate the gulha in her right hand and asked for another again.
I gave it.
Later when she wanted to eat sweet roll, I had to put one in each hand.
She eats the one in her right hand.
She refuses a bit to give the one in her left hand but finally gives it back.
But she doesn’t eat it.
When she asked for juice, I seated Manarath near the table.
She wanted to keep the chair in front empty.
If someone sits on that chair, she complains.
When I gave her juice, she requested to place an additional juice glass on the table.
It seems as if there was something that we couldn’t see was sitting in the front chair.
I was asked to keep an empty plate also there.
I noticed all that.
Others found it funny.
I thought.
Does Manarath have a “friend”?
Though I had the thought, I didn’t share the thought with any other person.
After a while my child got bored.
She wanted to leave.
When we came back to our place, Manarath brought a small black ball.
Immediately on return she asked for water.
I seated her and gave her water and I sat in the chair in front of her.
Manarath threw the ball past me.
I thought she threw it for fun.
I didn’t think she threw it to a particular person.
I looked back.
The ball landed between the sofa and the curtains.
Manarath didn’t ask to bring it back.
I was sitting with my back to sofa.
I heard a viber messaged being received at that moment.
It was Fayaz on chat.
He sent the picture of the food too he had that day.
I sent a picture from the party.
“Ball!” Manarath pointed past my back and shouted with excitement.
I looked back suddenly.
My limbs went cold.
There was a shadow on the floor.
The ball was resting near the feet of the shadow.
I remained frozen.
“Hello sister!” I heard Manarath say.
I looked at Manarath and then looked back to find that the shadow of the little girl was gone.
The ball remained where it was.
Is it an illusion that I had?
Or was it a shadow that fell from the curtains.
No.
It was a shadow of a little girl who was of the same height as Manarath.
Her hair was cut short.
She was wearing a dress that reached a little above her knees.
“Who was that?” I asked her.
Manarath didn’t bother to answer that question.
Again I repeated the question.
“That’s sister!” Manarath said, playing with the glass of water.
“She is a friend of mine.”
I saw the girl in the form of a shadow.
Manarath proved it.
But there was no way I could prove it to someone else.
I felt nauseated until night even.
I had flashbacks of the moment repeatedly.
At night Afeefa came.
Afeefa was Fayaz’s aunt.
She visits home on and off.
Afeefa claimed that there was nothing in life that she had not experienced.
She has the knowledge starting from drowning, to local medicine information.
She gets along with me well and gives good suggestions.
Afeefa’s only problem was that she couldn’t keep secrets.
Because of that I had kept the incidents that I was experiencing with Manarath from her.
“A friend is in a big problem,” I started the story in another way.
Her daughter’s closes friend is an invisible friend.
She doesn’t disturb or create messes.
But the two kids have got close so much the mother is now going almost crazy.
Do such beings exist as kid’s friends?
“You don’t have to look too far,” Afeefa recalled.
My grandmother also faced such a problem.
Grandmother had a daughter named Sharafiyya.
She looked chubby and very lovable.
Grandmother said that Sharafiyya one day showed her friend.
I was out of words.
Afeefa continued the story.
“Sharafiyya was very young when it started,” Afeefa said.
Sharafiyya wouldn’t breast feed from her mom unless her chest was all bare.
Which means Sharafiyya had company of another child.
While feeding Sharafiyya, she would demand to keep another empty plate.
When it is placed, Sharafiyya would eat easily so grandmother didn’t take it as a big deal.
The visitors who used to come home noticed it.
When asked about it, grandmother says that the child won’t eat without the extra plate.
So she did it to make things easy.
At the age of six, Sharafiyya was seen sitting at corners talking to herself.
Still grandmother didn’t take it as serious issue.
Baby wants to meet mother before leaving.
“Oh please!” I said.
“A muslim Jinn?”
That must be the case.
It never disturbed or caused trouble.
Afeefa said with a lot of interest.
Anf grandmother says, which baby?
Because there wasn’t a baby!
But Sharafiyya says its her sister.
Grandmother was shocked and asked, where?
And then she appeared in front of grandmother.
It is heard that grandmother saw it in its features.
I got goosebumps.
Because the story was similar to Manarath’s story.
“And did they do black magic?” I asked.
“Yeah!” Afeefa laughed and said.
One would do all that was possible when such a big thing happens.
It is said that the Jinn said he participated in doing it while it was done.
I couldn’t believe.
Because I had never done such a sin like the one Afeefa mentioned.
“But he wouldn’t go into the jungle and behave that way.”
I said it the way I could.
“A Jinn could come after you even if you hadn’t done anything,” Afeefa said.
A jinni might want to be friends with a child who is playing.
The friendship could last for a lifetime even.
But grandmother gave birth to two kids.
One was a Jinn.
Probably the Jinn turned Muslim while she was young.
Lucky that she turned to Islam.
She comes to meet on and off.
She came even after the black magic was done.
But wasn’t seen.
Was only heard.
I started realizing what was happening.
The little girl I saw was my child’s friend.
I didn’t tell about it to anyone.
I didn’t want all who loved Manarath to be scared of her.
But after Afeefa told me the stories, I was in continuous shock.
Specially when I am with Manarath, my heart would be racing.
Because the child might appear in front of me.
Lately Manarath tells about everything she does.
Seems like someone of her age next to her listens to what she tells.
I join those talks.
I make it a conversation she has with me.
But Manarath doesn’t answer the questions I pose.
She carries on with her talk.
It was an afternoon.
Manarath was in the room, colouring on a book.
I was ironing.
“You must colour with this,” taking the red colour, Manarath said.
“Apple is very delicious.”
“Shall I give some apple?” I asked.
“Hello sister!” Manarath addressed.
I looked to see that there was no one there except Manarath.
I went close to her.
I checked if there was a picture of a kid in the colouring book.
There was nothing except the fruit on that page.
“Where is sister!” I asked.
“There is sister!” Manarath pointed to an empty space and said.
“There is sister.”
I got very scared by that moment.
Though it was daytime, I couldn’t control the fear to know there was another kid.
I met my mother-in-law the moment I went out of the room.
Manarath is saying she is seeing a sister….a sister in the room.
I was so scared I stuttered.
“She is even pointing at her!”
Mother-in-law came in to the room.
She questioned Manarath.
“Where is your sister, my child?” mother-in-law asked very kindly.
“Not here!” Manarath said.
“Kokko has gone.”
Manarath gave no answer other than that.
Mother-in-law thought I am being suspicious unnecessarily.
So I told her some incidents that happened at home and something Manarath did.
Humans are funny.
They don’t believe things unless they see it with their own eyes.
That time too they concluded that it was just my suspicion.
There after I didn’t ask about “Sister”.
Because she might try to show her to me.
Because she might appear before me.
Manarath never used to speak in whispers.
But she started doing that too.
At time when we both were alone in room, Manarath would suddenly come near my ears.
Close enough to touch her nose on my cheeks.
“Mommy! Mommy!” Manarath would whisper.
“Mommy! Mommy!”
There would be no sign of fear on Manarath’s face.
I listen to what she says with all my ears.
But after Manarath calls my name, what she utters after that wasn’t clear.
He eyes would be fixed on the top ceiling corner of the room.
She would look at that corner and then slowly put her head down.
She would turn her head and land her sight on the window.
Looked like as if something in the corner gets down and moves to climb on the window.
Or jump from the window.
Again she would move her eyes from the window to the ceiling corner.
I tried to convince myself that it was nothing to worry at all.
I believed that nothing more will happen.
One midnight around two thirty I woke up suddenly in shock.
“Manarath!” it sounded as if I heard a small kid.
Manarath was sleeping.
Lately Manarath wouldn’t stay still until I recite Kursi.
She would try to get up and involve herself in doing something.
She reads Shahadhath easily.
What I do is I hug Manarath.
I hold her tight enough so she cant get loose and recite Kursi.
I don’t put my child to bed unless I recite Kursi that way too.
But that night I forgot to recite Kursi.
I too fell asleep trying to put Manarath to sleep.
The voice calling Manarath came from a distance.
Why could I have got shocked to a voice that could have come from so far?
Or could it be my suspicion too?
I was listening very carefully.
Suddenly Manarath woke up.
She started praying in her way.
She prostrated and then sat down on bed.
Started counting slowly.
She took my hand and counted on my fingers in English.
I hid my hand.
From that point Manarath started counting on her own fingers.
She laughed.
That is the beginning of nights of “kokko” visits.
If Manarath does all that, she would sleep only at the call of Fajr prayer.
I started playing Surah Yaseen from my phone.
Previously I used to play Surah Bagarah.
Because some one adviced it would be good.
Another person said some verses of Bagarah surah is recited in rugya too.
To summon the jinn.
Be it phone or computer.
That is true too.
I have experienced that several times.
Like such similar nights, that night too Manarath tried to get off the bed.
When I prevented her from doing it, she stood up on the bed.
She looked up at the corner she usually looked at.
“Carry me!” Manarath clapped her hands and put them forward towards the corner.
“Carry! Carry!”
I was so horrified I couldn’t think of what to do and lay there.
I know.
Manarath wasn’t talking to the wall.
He friend was there.
It wasn’t visible to me.
“Lets sleep soon!”
I said to her trying to hide that I was scared.
“Shall mom tell you a story?”
I told her that but I recited Kursi softly.
Manarath fought to get up.
Every now and then she would look at the corner as if she was being called.
As if responding to the call.
“Yellow!” Manarath said, looking at the corner.
“Yellow!”
I couldn’t understand what Manarath was trying to say because she said separate words.
There wasn’t anything of yellow colour in the room.
“Look at this beautiful circle,” I tried to draw her attention and said.
Is this a circle?
Or a house?
I showed her the bedsheet.
The designs on it.
Manarath didn’t look at them.
She stood up and waited.
“Carry” Manarath looked at me and requested.
“Carry!”
Manarath would ask someone near hear to carry her.
She tells so to people who stand far from her.
I carried Manarath and stood up.
No matter how scared I was, I walked out of the room.
I rang mother-in-law’s room bell.
“Kokko!” I heard Manarath say softly.
I didn’t look back.
Mother-in-law opened the door.
“Kokko’s thing is too much tonight,” I told her.
“Mom please come!”
I went back to my room with mother-in-law.
I turned the light on.
“Where is Kokko?” mother-in-law asked.
And she said more.
“Put that child to bed!”
When I put Manarath on bed, mother-in-law came and muttered something.
So softly I couldn’t hear her.
She blew on Manarath’s face.
Immediately when she started blowing on Manarath’s face, she started rolling her pupils.
Mother-in-law too got a bit scared by then.
“Lets go to mother’s room,” mother-in-law requested.
As soon as we entered mother-in-law’s room, Manarath got back to normal.
We couldn’t understand the meaning behind it.
That night we kept Manarath in mother-in-law’s room.
I called Fayaz at that late hour and discussed with him.
Fayaz didn’t agree to perform black magic.
I neither wanted to do that.
Mother-in-law’s thinking was a bit different.
“We must check what is going on,” mother-in-law was upset.
Now we you know there is a problem with your room.
I too am against doing black magic on Manarath.
But we could bring a person and check what is going on?
We don’t know what is going to happen next, if we go careless on it.
I don’t want to scare you, but what if Manarath goes off with that kokko?
“Please don’t say that mother!” I said to her.
I had heard such similar stories.
A kid was lost from some island and later found from among custard apple trees.
Another kid was lost and never found.
I wish all that were fake stories.
Mother-in-law comforted me when she realized I was scared.
She tried to make me understand as if I was her own child.
When I was very young I was victimized by a sorcery.
I got cured after recitings and baths.
Mother-in-law knows that.
Though we both don’t want it to happen, what’s meant to happen will happen.
Mother-in-law said.
Zubair will be willing to check what is wrong if we request him to.
He doesn’t do black magic.
He does some other thing.
Shall mother check on it?
No choice but we got to check.
I agreed.
I convinced Fayaz too to agree on it.
Luckily Zubair was in Male’.
He easily agreed to come when mother-in-law asked him to.
Mother-in-law gave him all the information needed.
Even a date and time was fixed for Zubair to visit home.
But every time something would come up and the visit would get cancelled.
It went on and the night Zubair was able to come was a very rainy night.
It rained heavily.
The electricity went off twice before he came.
There was no emergency light at home.
We kept candles ready.
Zubair couldn’t find a taxi and by the time he reached it was ten thirty at night.
Manarath was sleeping.
“Shall I talk with both of you here?” Zubair asked.
Mother-in-law attempted to leave from there.
I refused.
I didn’t have anything to hide from mother-in-law.
I don’t think there was anything that I have kept from her either.
“Was there ever an abnormal thing in the child’s belly?” Zubair asked.
I looked at mother-in-law.
Mother-in-law herself answered the question.
“Yes…it was there,” mother-in-law said.
A tumour of around one kilogram.
It was removed by surgery.
It looked like an octopus.
“That is how it will look like,” Zubair said.
And he questioned me.
Did you go near the sea at night when you were pregnant?
Not even night.
Midnight.
I didn’t think that the tellers would be so clever.
I nodded my head meaning to say yes.
At that point mother-in-law wanted to send me away from there.
I refused.
Zubair was clever and I wanted to listen to the stories from Zubair himself.
“Jinns live in the air, on earth and the sea,” Zubair cleared his throat and said.
Tell me the things that happened on your visits near the sea during pregnancy.
Why did you go near the sea so frequent?
I thought to myself.
Why didn’t Zubair know the answer for that question when he knew everything?
I used to go on picnics a lot during pregnancy.
I went to a resort too.
I told him the stories that I had already told mother-in-law.
I can’t remember the name of the island now.
That island is a very unusual island.
The place was built for honeymoon couples.
Half of the toilet wasn’t roofed.
Flower plants were grown there.
The day we went to the island I was in the sea and got out when I saw a manta ray coming.
Fayaz didn’t see the Manta-ray.
Morning breakfast starts at six.
It was six in the morning when I woke up.
I didn’t wake up Fayaz and entered the toilet.
When I went in it was pitch dark.
I thought darkness must be because of heavy rain.
“Why didn’t you wake up your husband?” Zubair asked.
I told the story of what happened.
I called Fayaz while entering the toilet.
“Hey wake up soon,” I said.
“If it starts pouring, don’t know if it would stop.”
I didn’t check if Fayaz got up.
I thought.
Why wasn’t it windy when it was so dark?
Still I never thought to look up in the sky.
That moment I heard the cupboard door close from the room.
“No umbrella right?” I asked.
“I will be right back.”
That’s what I heard Fayaz say.
Which place could Fayaz go at that hour without me?
I heard the door open and close too.
When I checked Fayaz was sleeping.
The room key was on the table.
I couldn’t understand what happened and stood paused when Fayaz opened his eyes.
He looked at the clock when he saw me.
“It is six o’clock!” Fayaz said.
“Why didn’t you wake me up?”
Fayaz got up.
He headed to the toilet.
Suddenly there was the sound of several coconuts falling down.
We both exchanged looks.
I drew the room curtain a bit and looked outside.
There wasn’t any light except for that which came from the bulb.
Fayaz went before me and checked the clock.
It was two thirty in midnight.
The arms of the clock at that time wouldn’t be anything like how it would be at six.
If that is so, how did both of us see the time as six o’clock?
“Oh my god!” I said.
“It is only two thirty yet.”
“
“You have read the time wrong.”
Though Fayaz said that, I knew he checked the time too.
Sometimes when some things happen, we want to assume that it didn’t.
Because there is no choice left to be satisfied.
I also acted the same.
I pretended that I read the time wrong.
None of us were able to sleep that night.
Because we didn’t understand what happened.
We both read the clock correct.
We went to the restaurant in the morning for breakfast.
There were familiar people.
I told them about the incident.
None of them were surprised.
Because the tourists at the resort too made similar complains.
I also found out that one of the visitors who went out after misreading the clock went mad.
Zubair who was keenly listening to my story nodded.
“Lucky that you didn’t go out,” Zubair too said.
Lucky that you didn’t go back to sleep too.
If something like that happens, you shouldn’t go back to sleep that night.
Actually what you saw from the sea wasn’t a Manta-ray.
It was something else that had taken the form of Manta-ray.
Later you went to the sea very frequently, right?
I admitted.
We were in Dhaalu atoll during the seventh month of pregnancy.
We went night fishing almost every night.
Fayaz was crazy about fishing.
The island we stayed had a long jetty.
We take a small chair too when we go there.
Fayaz had a fishing line.
I used the fishing pole.
We stay at the edge of the jetty.
The catch is much more on moonlit nights.
Most nights I catch more fish than Fayaz.
I found it fun.
Enjoyed it.
But Fayaz’s grandmother didn’t like it.
“You shouldn’t go fishing every night when you are so pregnant,” grandmother adviced.
“You get easily possessed by things during your pregnancy.”
Though I forget a few nights, mostly I recite what I am supposed to before going.
While fishing I see different scenes from the sea.
A fish might jump up.
I see huge waves and unknown objects floating in between the waters.
Feels like there is a ray in the sand.
And the ray seems to go with us.
“So many manta-rays tonight, right?” Fayaz said.
I won’t go to the edge of the jetty.
We will sit here.
We sat at a distance of around six feet from the edge of the jetty.
The fishing pole line was thrown into the sea from the side of the jetty.
We could catch a fish from that location and finally Fayaz threw the line from the jetty edge.
Fayaz sat next to me holding the bottle that had the line wound on it.
That night there was an unusual loud noise in the sea.
It sounded as if someone was throwing stones into the sea from far.
Sometimes it sounded as if the size of the stone was getting bigger.
And then suddenly something was caught on Fayaz’s line.
“It’s a strong one!” Fayaz said.
I saw Fayaz do fishing several nights.
That night was different from all other nights.
The line was so stretched, for a moment I thought the fish would break it escape.
The end of the line was in the sea over the edge of the jetty.
“It escaped!” Fayaz was upset.
No! It is there.
No! It is not there.
Fayaz was having double thoughts and he started pulling the line.
It was light on his hands.
But Fayaz believed it wasn’t an empty hook.
Suddenly from the edge of the jetty I saw a coral emerge.
Usually corals look like branches of a tree.
The coral Fayaz “caught” looked spherical with thorns all around.
With no alignment but scattered here and there.
Such a big coral can’t be pulled by Fayaz alone.
And it can’t be pulled onto the jetty with such light force.
It must collide with the jetty before it can be pulled up.
Not even after a second the coral dropped back into the sea.
The sound of it falling was like that of a huge stone.
With that sound it started getting windy.
The beautiful clear sky got cloudy.
The waves got bigger.
We had to finish fishing for that night.
“Lucky that it jumped into the sea,” Zubair said interrupting my story.
“But it would come back for revenge.”
I started telling him.
That night I had a very comfortable sleep.
The next day I couldn’t get up from the bed.
Even if lifted my head off the pillow, it felt like the whole world was spinning in reverse.
Not an inch was there that didn’t pain.
Luckily Fayaz didn’t face any thing of that sort.
I don’t know how I was taken to the health centre.
I would never forget the pain in my head that day.
Doctor check my blood pressure to find that it was seven point five.
It never had gone so low.
I didn’t even have any problem of blood pressure.
I came to Male’ on emergency according to doctor’s advice.
They said from Male’ too that the condition was serious.
I had no blood pressure problems after that even.
But I had an uneasiness in my belly.
It felt like there was something adhering to a certain point of the belly.
The only relief comes with consuming fish.
The discomfort didn’t go away even after child birth.
Things got back to normal only after the stomach surgery.
“All had ended when this issue of kokko has started all over again,”
I said finishing my story.
The electricity went off from the whole house.
We lighted the candles.
Mother went with the other candles to light up the other rooms.
Zubair and I was alone at that moment.
“No one can give answers for all the questions,” Zubair said.
The kokko that visits is a child of a sea creature.
Some mothers don’t want their child to marry someone they don’t approve.
If they marry, they would want to break it up.
And then they start doing stupid things.
You are seeing the result.
Just don’t bother about it.
That kokko will not harm you.
Now also kokko visits on and off.
But it doesn’t disturb.
Manarath and kokko has a deep relationship.
A surprising friendship.
I am learning to accept it now.
This is based on a true story.
It was one of the years in the 70s.
Hamdha was only thirteen years old.
Those days in which you would go to the teacher with white powder on ur face.
No worries at all.
Hamdha didn’t know which tree bared the fruit called love.
Studying, playing and eating was all Hamdha knew.
Suddenly Hamdha’s took her to Male’.
They married her off to Amir.
Amir was thirty-three years of age.
He was a wealthy man.
The parents didn’t notice the difference of twenty years between the couple.
Amir had had several marriages before.
All of them were women from well respected families of Male’.
Every marriage broke off because Amir was deprived from the luck of becoming a father.
When Amir married Hamdha, he was single.
A year from the wedding, Hamdha got pregnant.
She gave birth to a girl.
Name was Manarath.
Amir decided not to divorce Hamdha from that point only.
Hamdha gave birth to three more children after that too.
Amir’s love for Hamdha grew more day by day.
But the truth didn’t change.
Hamdha and Amir’s marriage was a business deal made by Hamdha’s parents.
Hamdha was fourteen when she gave birth to Manarath.
Those days the age of getting married and giving birth was early.
For that matter it wasn’t a problem at all.
But Amir believed that it wasn’t the age in which someone was eligible to raise a kid.
The result was Amir’s mom taking the responsibility of looking after Manarath.
Manarath was taken to mother’s house.
That too was a very common thing those days.
Hamdha had no thought of disagreeing to the move.
On one hand it was Hamdha’s premature thinking.
Silly thinking.
One reason why Hamdha didn’t want to see Manarath was because she had dark skin.
Though Hamdha was so fair, Amir was very dark.
Manarath inherited her dad’s colour.
Manarath grew at Hamdha’s mother-in-law’s house with her.
The house too was of good quality compared to those of that time.
Hamdha gave birth to more children and started to learn to take responsibility slowly.
Manarath was the child that kept fading from Hamdha’s mind.
Hamdha was the mother that Manarath seldom saw.
None of them had much love for each other in their hearts.
There wasn’t a chance to develop it either.
Manarath came back to Hamdha at the age of ten.
Those days there weren’t toilets in each room.
There would be only one toilet which would be used by like six people.
Pooping had to be done by digging holes in the ground.
To clean up you have to go to the well.
But Amir was wealthy enough and hence a special room was built for Manarath.
There was an attached bathroom too.
The toilet was roofed and had high toilet seat.
The well area was paved with cement.
There was area which had coarse soil too.
There was no difference between Amir’s room and Manarath’s room.
But Manarath didn’t see any overflow of a mother’s love.
She saw that her mother further got bored.
From then onwards, mother was not important to Manarath as well.
She loved her father and her siblings.
Father is a businessman.
He travels abroad to neighbouring countries often.
No matter where Manarath stayed, she got the unchanging love of a father.
Grandmother and grandfather were the closest people to Manarath.
Hamdha was a woman who didn’t get a chance to experience love.
She was an unlucky girl who was concentrating on her studies who had to marry early.
Hamdha believed that she lost a period in her life.
Hamdha always sensed the lack of it.
Those were the days when people could stay free in Male’ on their personal trips.
No charges were taken for accommodation and food.
Every house had many people other than the initial inhabitants.
They come and go.
There didn’t come a time when there wasn’t two or three such people in Amir’s house.
Fauzy was one of them.
Fauzy stayed there because of the friendship between his dad and Amir.
Amir and Fauzy were good friends.
Fauzy was of the same age as Hamdha.
Three of them ate at the same table.
Even if Amir was not in Maldives, it remained so.
Amir had requested to treat Fauzy as good as possible.
Things kept going like that.
Fauzy and Hamdha too were very close “friends”.
Both of them ended up using words which had double meanings.
Consciously or unconsciously.
To send a message or by mistake.
Hamdha didn’t make any open gestures of love.
What existed remained in the heart.
Likewise Fauzy too didn’t give any signals of love openly.
But Hamdha hope that Fauzy too would have “something” in his heart.
That was the closest feeling to love which developed in Hamdha’s heart.
An experience of wait, heartache and sweet hopes.
Hamdha shared the secret with none.
At the age of sixteen Manarath gave her heart to Mujuthaba.
Mujuthaba was a school mate.
Manarath liked every characteristic in him.
He was a kind hearted, caring boy.
Mujuthaba lived away from his mother.
Manarath and Mujuthaba had commong thoughts.
Each understood the feelings of the other.
The boy was the biggest happiness Manarath found.
And the scariest thing to Hamdha.
Hamdha didn’t want Manarath to hold hands with such a boy.
From the day Hamdha came to know about it, she started advicing Manarath.
It was then that Hamdha realized the incapability of the lack of mother’s love.
Manarath didn’t respond to any of Hamdha’s advice, requests or warnings.
At that point the case was filed to the highest court.
Hamdha broke the news to Amir’s ears as loud as that of a thunder.
As bright as that of lightening.
Amir didn’t like any characteristics of Mujuthaba.
Because he didn’t come from a rich family.
Because he wasn’t a brilliant boy.
At least Mujuthaba’s age also was considered too young by Amir.
Amir didn’t like the fact that he was a student too.
The eyes of hate saw nothing but flaws.
Characteristics that he hated.
Instead of hiding it, Amir spoke about it very openly.
He refused to allow permission to further continue their relationship.
He tried to make Manarath understand.
But the age of youth is a period where you don’t respond to any other than your heart.
An age where you don’t hear anything except the tunes of your heart.
Amir’s attempt to show a path was like a line drawn in the sea.
Manarath didn’t listen.
Amir didn’t have much time to stay in Male’ to make Manarath understand.
He had to be busy with his business.
Amir cut short the path and gave her a big punishment.
He removed Manarath from the palace like room which was built compared to those days.
He removed her belongings too.
He locked the room.
He commanded Manarath to sleep in the room of the two maids with them.
He commanded everyone at home not to speak to Manarath.
He prohibited all friends from visiting the house.
To show the difference between parent’s love and hate.
To make her realize the difference between happiness and leisure.
Manarath was not allowed to go out of the house too.
They deprived her from the opportunity of going to school.
Amir left with the room key.
Manarath cried a lot.
He eyes never went dry.
There was no one to listen to her or see her condition.
That character of her father was something Manarath hadn’t seen before.
Out of fear, Manarath stopped talking to Mujuthaba.
There was no way to keep in touch either.
She had to shower from the open bathroom.
Luckily there was a low toilet seat.
But Manarath had to learn how to use it.
The bathroom wasn’t roofed and hence taking showers there was another challenge.
Several days she would wait in the bathroom crying instead of showering.
Manarath was thinking.
It couldn’t be any worse.
And it couldn’t hurt more.
But it was her misconception.
Waiting for her was the real fear.
Manarath went to an island, but to her it was a jail.
None of people she knew were there.
There was no way to call a friend too.
Manarath got really lonely.
There was nowhere to go neither anything to do.
The only being that seemed to understand her feelings was the parrot in the cage in that house.
She spent any free time she got with the parrot.
Secretly telling her feelings to it.
It wasn’t a talking parrot.
Manarath already knew that the parrot won’t understand what she said.
However, the parrot sits looking at Manarath.
A lonely human would be in need of a listening ear.
It served the purpose for Manarath.
Manarath didn’t have the knowledge to say anything about Fauzy’s intention.
Things did not happen as Manarath expected.
Fauzy didn’t try to own his rights by force.
He didn’t try to run his commands either.
Manarath wanted to stay as far as possible from Fauzy.
But both of them were connected by an invisible chain.
According to the regulations, Fauzy was Manarath’s husband.
Fauzy owned Manarath’s whole body.
Except for her heart.
Fauzy did not have even a spec of power over that organ.
Manarath’s heart was her own property.
No matter how scared you are, once you drown, the fear is gone.
Such was the case with Manarath.
Living with Fauzy under one roof was not as scary as Manarath predicted it to be.
It was a difficult thing either.
Manarath very well knew the duties and obligations she had over her husband.
But Fauzy left it all to Manarath.
It was upto her to talk.
It was upto her to do something for her husband if she wanted to.
There was no obligation.
No strictness either.
If Manarath doesn’t speak, Fauzy keeps his head down and walks away.
She could stay alone whenever she wanted to have alone time.
Fauzy’s family soon befriended Manarath.
Such were the neighbours too.
The days in the island were better and easier than those she spent in her home.
Manarath started engaging herself in the kitchen by her own choice.
Husna was near the stove.
Husna was Fauzy’s younger sister.
After a while Fauzy’s mother also came.
Manarath noticed that they were looking forward to talk.
That day Manarath learned how to make Karuhakuru and Gabulhimetaa.
For the first time in her life.
Those were Fauzy two favourite sweets.
Manarath too didn’t find it bad.
The only moment Manarath hates was the time spent in the room.
Because a couple had to act like strangers.
Manarath gave it a thought.
Though her parents were alive, they didn’t exist for Manarath.
She couldn’t go to her own home.
She was wedded without her consent.
All had gone to the past.
Things that couldn’t be changed to what it was like before.
Loving Fauzy was impossible for Manarath.
But she could accept him as her husband and live with him.
Because there was no other choice.
Manarath took Fauzy’s hand slowly and with time.
With patience and care.
There were numerous barriers between them.
The barriers were taken off one by one while at the same time it ached her heart.
Manarath realized how much courage she had to put in to do something she didn’t like.
Manarath always kept one thing in her mind.
No one could help you cross the obstacles you face.
That’s something you have to do by yourself.
Then only it will relieve your mind.
Manarath learned to live together.
Though the cut in heart didn’t heal, it faded.
Manarath thought that her life has got back to normal.
Manarath didn’t know that there was a condition.
Manarath wasn’t aware that Fauzy had divorced many people because of the condition.
None of them told her about it.
Manarath was not mature enough to understand such stuff.
Days were crossed on the calendar and passed.
The first year ended and the second started.
Fauzy started having suspicions.
He had the fear that he might have to break up the marriage.
So far Fauzy had married to women of almost same age.
Women who were mature and took responsibility.
They had their eyes on husband’s wealth as much as his love.
They tried to be influential.
Arguments came up.
Manarath was different.
Her thinking was different too.
Fauzy liked her innocent and silent nature a lot.
Fauzy adored her obedience and loyalty.
Fauzy wanted to keep Manarath much more than any other woman.
Only Manarath had the expected qualities of Fauzy’s future child’s mother.
But Fauzy started losing the hope of that dream.
“This is what I talk about everytime,” Fauzy was summoned to his mother.
That’s how it goes too.
The oldest is mother.
The most worried would be mother too.
The earliest to die would be mother too probably.
The importance of a child too can be felt by mother.
Father too is secretly talking about that.
Fauzy didn’t know what to say more.
All he knew was, it was the end of the journey.
Fauzy didn’t see a way to talk about it to Manarath.
Fauzy kept his head down and walked out of his mom’s room back to his.
He lied down on the bed and rested his hand on his forehead.
Should he keep the marriage with Manarath despite of a child?
Or should he start from zero again?
Was it Fauzy’s fate not to have a child?
Several such questions came up.
It was mother who came with the happy news.
Manarath got pregnant with the first child on the second year of marriage.
It was like as if two eids had come simultaneously in the house.
Manarath didn’t know the weight of baring a child.
She didn’t know if she was supposed to happy or sad even.
She was wedded against her consent.
She was pregnant with an unexpected child.
It was extra responsibility.
Extra worries.
Fauzy impatiently counted the days.
He thought of taking her to Male’ for delivery.
He discussed with Manarath.
A good hospital was only in Male’.
Skilled doctors were in Male’.
Fauzy didn’t want to miss anything for the first child.
And furthermore Manarath’s parents were too in Male’.
Did Manarath want to see them?
Manarath asked herself.
“If Manarath tells me that you don’t want to go Male’, I wouldn’t ask about the reason,”
Fauzy said kindly.
“But if something bad happens to child while delivering here, that would be very sad.”
Manarath didn’t want to punish the child for anything she faced.
She didn’t want to become a burden on anyone either.
“Wouldn’t your mother and them find things difficult without me?” Manarath asked.
Sacrificing own life for others was nothing new for Manarath.
Fauzy was of the same age as Manarath’s mother.
One strict command would do it.
It was Fauzy’s kindness that he didn’t treat her so.
For Manarath, it was easier to accept things as it is.
On the other side, Manarath’s palace like room was decorated.
His father invited her to stay there.
Manarath thought about what he could be hoping for.
No matter what you give, you can’t return the lost youth.
You can’t return the broken dreams and lost hopes.
Manarath believed that she got one who weren’t eligible to be parents.
Manarath came back to home.
She met eyes with her parents.
Fauzy was the one who shook hands.
Manarath did not shake hands.
She headed straight to her room.
The walls of the room carried memories of Manarath’s childhood.
Her laughter and fun times.
Each stone of the walls and bricks on the roof echoed Manaraths voice.
The voice of pleads were repeated.
No one listened.
No one had any sympathy.
Manarath wiped her eyes when they started filling up.
Manarath had learned to wipe tears.
She buried all her beautiful dreams.
Manarath looked back to the sound of someone.
Hamdha was at the door.
Manarath’s mother.
“You don’t let others live in peace!” Hamdha said in a low voice.
“You are doing this on purpose.”
Business is something I hate.
The business Madhihu started went bankrupt.
I supported him.
Madhihu was cheated on by the ones he trusted.
Still I succeeded in making Madhihu understand.
Madhihu's lover was stolen by another man.
That left Madhihu even more hopeless.
According to what he had heard, drugs were the cure for sorrow.
Madhihu got into drugs.
He started dealing it.
I tried to save Madhihu from the pit hole.
Madhihu thinks I can't understand his situation.
That I would not know what deceit, sorrow and being unsuccessful was all about.
It can only be felt by being in Madhihu's shoes at least once.
I got into dealing drugs only with the intention to save Madhihu from it.
To make him believe my words.
Just as I fitted myself in his shoes, Madhihu got caught.
He was busted carrying drugs under the motorcycle seat.
"If proven guilty it is going to be a severe punishment this time," I told him.
"You still could follow my advice!"
"Do you want to help me?" Madhihu asked.
"Wait till you get called in!"
I was one who wished well for Madhihu.
A helper.
Madhihu did not understand that.
Again Madhihu chose a bad path.
A rough path with the least hope of happiness.
One night Madhihu called up around twelve thirty.
I was thinking.
What could he be up to at this later hour?
"Come outside," Madhihu requested.
"I told u that I'll call you!"
I has no interest in getting up from sleep to go.
But still I got up.
Didn’t ask any questions though I had many.
When I came out Madhihu was at the driver seat of a taxi.
But he wasn’t a taxi driver.
I got into the car.
The car took off.
"Where are we going?" I asked.
Madhihu did not answer.
Madhihu parked the car near a house and got out.
I too got out.
The house was like a hole.
A house with narrow passage ways and a lot of doors.
Madhihu knocked on a door.
Immediately the door was opened.
I saw a tall, very skinny and black man.
The hair was long.
Moustache and beard were trimmed.
It was as if the man was waiting for us.
He gestured us to enter so we got inside.
He extended a nail to us.
A nail that was a bit long and thick than normal ones.
"But how can we hammer the nail into the road at this hour?" Madhihu asked.
" The traffic…"
"This hour would be the easiest," interrupting Madhihu story he said.
"You can't achieve anything without some amount of effort."
That thing has been prepared with great effort by a blacksmith.
My part is over.
"There is still a lot left to do tonight."
Madhihu started to walk out.
I followed him out too.
"This time you get in the back seat," Madhihu requested so and handed over the nail to me.
The taxi took off.
I was in a confusion.
I felt that there was something written on the nail.
"Who was that?" I asked.
"What are you up to?"
"A sorcerer," Madhihu said coolly.
"When I hammer this nail to the place he asked me to, I won't get caught anymore."
"Neither will I get busted anymore."
"Why?" I asked puzzled.
"I can tell you."
"Believing it or not is none of my business," Madhihu started the story.
What is written on that nail, no matter how small they appear, is an agreement.
Like the jinn will be given something in return for his completed task.
"It could be a drop of blood, some saliva, a hair or a yarn from a dress."
I observed the nail carefully.
What was written on the nail was not clear.
"And the purpose is?" all I did was ask questions.
"The Jinn assigned to this task is very stubborn," Madhihu explained.
I am telling exactly what I have been told.
If we don’t do so and just ask the Jinn to do the task, he would say that it is impossible.
Should I roam around the island to find the person immediately to your request.
Bring something that is directly linked to the person or which has the smell of the person.
I comprehended from Madhihu's stories that the Jinn were on the watch at road junctions.
To claim certain territories was common among humans and animals too.
It was so among the Jinn as well.
The demons invade and claim places like separate houses, neighborhoods, wards and islands.
That is the strongest being in the Jinn.
The Jinn that live in the area would be under the control of the demons.
The sorcerers get help from him.
As long as the nail is there, that will serve its purpose.
It is the demon's responsibility to ensure that the nail stays safe.
He will do his job.
It scared me a bit after hearing the stories.
"How do we secure a nail in the middle of the road?" I asked.
"We have to do it," Madhihu said while he slowed down the taxi.
"Will there be a car jack?"
He stopped the taxi to the junction that the sorcerer told about.
We both got down from it.
My friend adjusted the car jack and lifted the car.
He removed the wheel.
I was on the watch for any passersby.
It was a calm hour.
Suddenly my eyes caught a police car.
"Police Plice!" I whispered.
"Don’t look at that direction again!" Madhihu suggested.
"Don’t worry!"
The car slowed down a bit and then drove away.
There was space on the road.
Madhihu started nailing.
Straight down from the wheel position into the ground.
Suddenly I saw a police motorcycle speeding at us.
"The police is coming!" I whispered.
"They are coming here," Madhihu was almost done with the nailing.
"You don’t say a word to them."
"Pretend that you are helping me."
The police motorcycle stopped.
They didn’t get off the motorcycle.
I didn’t move at all from my position.
"You could have moved it to a side of the road…" the policeman requested.
"I'm almost done here," Madhihu said while he attached the wheel.
It won't take long now.
No vehicles are coming right.
"What to do, this is the result of too many nails on the road?"
I had a feeling that the police were suspicious.
But they went away.
We attached the wheel and then took off.
Feeling the sweet taste of success.
"It was easier than I expected," Madhihu who was happy with himself said.
"As long as the nail stays there, I will be free."
"None of the police who has remained true to his oath can get me busted."
"I don’t think I will be visible either."
"What about the police who aren’t true to their oath?" I asked.
"They can be bribed," Madhihu said accelerating the car gear.
Madhihu remained in his work.
He wasn’t proven guilty.
He wasn’t busted.
He wasn’t arrested either.
It was as if he was invisible to the eyes of the police.
But what could happen later?
How long could Madhihu stay like that?
That’s a question that revolved in my heart.
My heart said.
Sorcery is not a solution.
Not long after I got the answers for my questions.
Soon after an year of the nailing, Madhihu was arrested.
I was thinking.
I must check on the nail Madhihu secured.
When I reached the area, the road was blocked.
The nail wasn’t there.
The middle of the road was dug.
I had my hand on my forehead and lay there listening to the music played by the fan.
The money I earned with hard work was not enough to meet the ends.
I wasn’t educated well.
The maximum I earned from office was merely five thousand rufiyaa.
My pockets go empty by the twenty fifth of the month.
No matter how carefully I spent, nothing was left to save.
I don’t spend on useless stuff.
I don’t own numerous clothes.
My wife and clothes also own few clothes.
I don’t use perfume.
I don’t use quality shampoos.
I carry the most ordinary type of phone.
It has been days since I have been kick starting my motorbike.
The motorbike needed several repairs.
We had Cable TV.
But the subscription was the lowest available.
I have a wife and two kids.
I am unable to fulfill most of demands of kids.
I don’t have my own land property in Male'.
We live in my wife's house.
The place is very small.
I couldn’t build two rooms by the time my kids reached eighteen of age.
Instead I only found two beds.
I keep thinking.
Even though Ziyadha married me with love, she must be regretting it now.
She is not of the complaining type.
An ideal example of a patient and kind wife.
That’s the reason why she doesn’t talk about such things.
Suddenly the Asr prayer call grabbed my attention.
I wiped away the tears from eyes and stood up.
"Bring some rice and vegetables on your way back," Ziyadha who was sweeping said to me.
"I was scared to turn the washing machine on because of a weird sound it made."
"It would be great if you could get a brush to wash clothes."
I nodded my head.
The washing machine was old.
There was no place complain even if it was broken.
But why does it have to happen at the most undesirable of times?
The dress Ziyadha was wearing was very old.
If only I could buy just one dress for her.
"Why are you waiting?" Ziyadha asked me why I was staring at her.
"Nothing!" I said.
"I already know your answer to the question I am about to ask."
"With that in my I am asking."
"Are you happy that you got married to me?"
"If u already know the answer, why do u ask?" Ziyadha said with a big smile.
It was fortunate that I got a wife like Ziyadha.
I walked ahead.
I stepped out of the house and checked my wallet.
I had eighteen rufiyaa.
Some coins were there too.
It comes handy ultimately knowing it is there.
There were five days left in the month.
Those are always the five days that I worry most.
"Oh Allah.." I said to myself.
"Please show me a way!"
I exhaled a deep breath and started walking.
I entered the mosque nearby and started my ablution.
Someone tapped on my shoulder from behind.
I looked back to find Mufeedh standing there.
He was a middle aged man who had difficulty in speech.
He let me know by his actions that he was hungry.
Actually a language is not needed.
I could read from his eyes too that he was hungry.
"Panchaas!" Mufeedh said in his language.
"Hungry!"
I was wishing and praying god to show me a way for a better wealth.
Things happened the exact opposite.
Looked like Mufeedh needed fifty rufiyaa for his tea.
I desperate to give that amount.
But if I give that amount, what am I going to do?
What a tribulation it was?
"Panchaas!" Mufeedh again repeated.
"Tea…tea.."
I ignored.
Carried on with my ablution.
Mufeedh didn’t go away.
I completed my ablution and entered the mosque.
I looked and back saw Mufeedh still looking at me.
He was sad.
Looked hopeless.
I couldn’t bear to see it more.
I didn’t have a separate note of fifty.
I had seven rufiyaa.
Or one hundred rufiyaa.
The money was extremely important to me.
I thought to myself.
I have to keep enough for myself before giving something to another.
I swallowed hard and trusting Allah, handed him one hundred rufiyaa out of my pocket.
Mufeedh looked at me surprised.
He couldn’t believe it.
"Are you mocking at me?" Mufeedh said.
"Are you kidding me?"
"No kidding,"  I put the hundred rufiyaa into Mufeedh's pocket.
"It's all yours! Keep the rest to have tea later! Pray and go have tea!"
I articulated my lips in such a way to speak so that Mufeedh will understand better.
I walked into the mosque.
Again I looked back.
Mufeedh was crying out of happiness.
I forced a smile at him.
I was empty handed.
I knew I had to go home empty handed.
I felt the vibrations of a call when I stood for prayer.
I checked the phone when I got out of the mosque.
It was Zuhury who had called.
I called back.
"Friend, something bad has happened," worried much, Zuhury said.
Two orders have reached simultaneously and the warehouse is full.
Is there a warehouse available?
I have called all the people I know.
The rest of the stuff can be cleared from customs only after we get a place.
"Need a warehouse urgently!"
"Who could I call?" I said.
"Will check on it though."
"Please try a big hard to get this done!" Zuhury insisted.
"I will give you a good treat."
Zuhury hung up the call after informing me about the size, expected price and other details.
Even if a smaller space at a higher price was available, still Zuhury wants it.
I gave it a thought.
I called up the most appropriate two people I knew regarding such a issue.
I failed.
I walked out of the mosque, putting back my phone into the pocket.
That was the moment Rushdy came and parked his motorbike.
He was coming towards the mosque.
I already knew Rushdy had a warehouse leased.
Rushdy shook hands with me when he saw me.
"Hey! Those people have quit on the warehouse," Rushdy said.
"Isn't there anyone looking for a warehouse?"
I asked the size and price of the warehouse.
The place was spacious than the size Zuhury mentioned .
But the price was lower than what Zuhury expected.
Rushdy had a condition too.
I will give you a good treat if you find one willing to pay three months advance cash money.
Rushdy was in dire need of money.
"I will give you an unexpectedly big gift."
"Do give this a try!"
Rushdy entered the mosque.
I called Zuhury immediately.
I gave him the good news.
Zuhury wanted the warehouse that instant itself.
"Let's meet at WestPark with the agreement!" Zuhury said in excitement.
"How soon could it be ready?"
"But he said he wants advance money of three months," I told about the condition too.
"Says he wants immediate cash."
It was not an issue at all for Zuhury.
The benefit of the deal was bigger for Zuhury because it was spacious at a much cheaper rate.
Zuhury considered it as a double profit deal since he found the warehouse so fast.
The fact that the warehouse was located on an easy road was a plus point.
"Three months?" Zuhury said in a sarcastic way.
"I would have given even if it was asked for one year."
You have done a great deed for me.
I had run out of choice.
"You have saved such a big amount of money for me."
My part was bringing both of them to the same table.
I didn’t cheat any one.
I went to WestPark with Rushdy upon Zuhury's request.
The agreement was signed at the table.
Zuhury gave me thirty thousand rufiyaa.
Rushdy gave me ten thousand rufiyaa.
I put the money in my pocket and the first thing I did was to go to the mosque.
And I thanked Allah.
With tears of joy.
I couldn’t stop for a long time.
That night I went home with an amount of money that I never earned in my life.
Each time you spend someone, it might not come back multiplied by a thousand times.
But you will get the reward.
You might end up facing more difficulties at the time of a difficult situation.
There will be a reason behind it.
Put your trust in Allah.
He will show you a path.
I am one out of the lakhs of people who have experienced it.
Know this.
This world is full of tests.
This is a true story.
A night that heavily rained in Male'.
Some shops were closed before ten o'clock.
Most taxis were parked.
Each and everyone tried to go home as soon as possible.
There was no sign of end to the windless pouring rain.
Ahusan was waiting to go out.
Finally he gave up.
He slowly walked to the door and locked it at the top.
He pressed the Apollo lock and secured the door.
Ahusan, his wife and their child lived in the house.
Their two year old daughter's name was Sana.
Wife's name was Nahida.
It had been an year since the small family lived in that house.
The house was ready to be demolished any time.
The house was small and so was the rent.
Stairs didn’t have to be climbed.
It was a big relief for Ahusan and Nahida who had knee pain.
The night was a blessing for them who were finding it difficult to sleep because of the heat.
Drowning into deep sleep.
Such happened with Ahusan's family too.
But, the rain stopped in the middle of the night.
Way before dawn the flooded roads dried up.
Sana woke up to the loud boom noise of a motorbike.
Sana would wake up several nights.
Sana would cross the board easily which would be put up to prevent her.
The only thing that prevents Sana from going out of the house is the lock at the top of the door.
That night too Sana felt like going out.
She had a small doll in her hands.
The lock was loose that night.
Sana opened the door and stepped outside.
The road was empty.
Sana wanted to go the toy shop.
Sana went out of the house and started walking.
In her black pajamas.
On bare foot.
Sana didn’t know how to be scared.
Suddenly Sana's eyes caught a cat.
"Cat! Cat!" Sana called out of excitement.
Sana ran after the cat.
The cat ran faster than Sana.
Sana reached a main street and stopped.
Sana lost the trail of the cat.
Sana stood there not knowing which way to go.
And she started to walk on the pavement.
Very few motorbikes and cars passed.
No one spotted Sana.
Because the color of her dress was dark.
Sana stopped in front of some shops.
She observes and then again starts walking.
Further away from home.
No one woke up.
Sana's tiny play doll was lying near the door.
A man deprived of sleep was sitting on the pavement and he spotted Sana.
First he thought it was his imagination.
How could such a small child be on the road at such a late hour?
He stood up when he was sure of his doubt.
He started walking towards Sana.
His heart started racing when he noticed that the child had no guardian.
Sana saw the man.
She didn’t pay much attention.
The man stopped.
Sana walked towards the man.
And the man blocked her way when she tried to pass him from the right side.
He blocked the left side when she attempted to go.
"Little child where are you going?" the man asked very kindly.
" To the toy shop!" Sana answered him.
" Is that so? Where is the toy shop?" the man looked around both ways and bent down to her.
" Naana don’t know," the innocent child replied.
" Do you know toy shop, brother?"
" Of course!" the man said while he took her hands.
" Let's go I will show you the toy."
The man held Sana's hand and led her trying to hide her as much as possible.
To prevent any other person from seeing it.
Sana did not show any signs of dispute.
Sana had no clue how deceiving the world is, and that there could be animals in human form.
Sana was very excited.
To avoid the lighted up main street, the man turned into an abandoned dark street.
And he carried Sana.
The street had two houses that were under construction.
The Fajr prayer was being called when Ahusan woke up.
Ahusan quickly got ready and went out.
He went to open the door and noticed that the Apollo lock was released.
Ahusan notices it some of the nights.
Ahusan wants to discuss about it with Nahida.
He doesn’t remember about it at day time.
Ahusan came back from the mosque and slept.
"Ahusan! Ahusan!" Ahusan heard Nahida's screams.
Ahusan woke up out of shock.
It was almost six in the morning.
" Where is Sana?" Nahida asked.
"Sana!" Ahusan said in a sleepy voice.
"Where is Sana?"
Nahida shook Ahusan very hard and he woke up.
"Sana is not in her bed," Nahida wailed.
"Where is Sana?"
Ahusan jumped up.
He ran to check Sana's room.
Their child wasn’t there.
They searched the whole house.
She was nowhere.
It was Nahida who found the doll lying near the door.
And that assured that Sana had gone out of the house.
Ahusan went out.
He searched the streets and districts of the neighborhood.
Nahida knocked on the neighborhood houses.
Only some doors were opened.
Sana did not come to any of those houses.
It was way past seven when the police were informed.
Within a few minutes a police cycle and car came.
They asked a lot of questions.
They gathered information.
Ahusan and Nahida answered their questions.
Sometimes the couple said the same thing.
Other times they blamed each other.
Blaming Ahusan for not paying enough attention to the child.
Likewise blaming Nahida for falling behind her responsibility of taking proper care of child.
They never thought that their child might be lost in such a way.
The police communicated with the other units via talky.
They described the features of Sana and the color of the dress she was wearing.
Ahusan and Nahida called their friends and informed of the news.
There was no success.
When the shops opened, the police checked for CCTV footage recordings.
The cameras worked properly only one place out of three that were checked.
Some camera recordings showed Sana.
Walking all alone.
The moment she came on to the main street was also recorded.
Recordings also showed her standing in front of some shops.
Only one camera had the recording of Sana going with another person.
It was hard to identify the gender of the person due to the low video quality and poor light.
The only things recorded was the moment they crossed the camera.
Afternoon passed.
And the sun set.
The news was all over the nation.
Sana's picture was publicized.
But there was no one who had seen Sana.
And there was no one who could identify the person next to Sana.
Sana's parents couldn’t sleep.
They stood awake till morning.
The sad truth is they remained asleep for too long.
They couldn’t wake up when they had their chances.
The police thoroughly checked the houses of neighborhood.
They checked the lagoons and sea as well.
Sana was not found.
The incident of Sana's missing occurred not because of just one reason.
It was chained up with many small reasons.
The door lock was broken.
Even if it was locked sometimes it would go loose.
That is a dangerous red signal.
It had been days since Ahusan was thinking to replace the lock.
Carelessness left it undone.
Since Sana had not gone out like that before, it wasn’t expected to happen.
Sana's door room remains unlocked.
A cross board was attached to prevent her from going out.
But no one had checked if she might be able to cross over the board.
Ahusan had not checked on Sana on his way to Fajr prayer.
Nahida usually checks.
That night Nahida could not wake up from sleep.
Ahusan realized that the lock was loose when he opened the door.
Since the lock was used to get loose by itself, it was not considered as a big deal.
The Apollo lock was released.
Ahusan did think why it was as such.
His eyes didn’t catch the small doll.
Ahusan could not check if Sana was in her bed even after coming from the mosque.
The incident has happened.
Each one pointed their finger to the other person.
There was no one to take the blame.
No one admitted own fault.
What was left was crying.
Shedding tears.
There was no good that would come out of it.
Ahusan saw the red signal pretty early.
He took it carelessly.
Mulho Mufeeda's house was a different house.
The house was nice.
Was well built and huge.
The house was a diamond compared to community level.
When the couple lived in the house, Mufeedha's husband got her anything she wished for.
The more she got, the more was Mufeedha's greed.
Her demands also kept increasing.
The colors were very nice.
But Mufeedha forgot about what her husband had said.
Wasting was a habit in her bones.
She forgot the responsibility of a mother after bearing a child, the way she forgot that of a wife.
Mufeedha was soaring.
Mufeedha didn’t realize then that there could come a day she might lose what she had.
At last that day came.
There was no way to get rid of the unlucky blanket that covered her.
Mufeedha's marriage was over.
Mufeedha had the kids with her and had no idea of the whereabouts of the father of the kids.
Financial scarcity was faced.
The fishing dhoani Mufeedha had inherited from her father was the most popular 'Nala' dhoani.
It was the only source of income.
Two years from the time Mufeedha owned the dhoani, the catch started declining.
Mufeedha started believing in black magic since then.
After a few days the dhoani got wrecked and damaged.
Things got difficult and Mufeedha got poor.
Years passed by.
Mufeedha couldn’t rise from the pitfall.
She couldn’t get hold of a good sorcerer for a some good ranting.
She had to do really hard work to bring up her daughter.
All alone.
HoweverMufeedha never gave up.
Mufeedha's daughter Seema played an important role in it.
Seema is a friendly girl who gets along with people easily.
She has attractive qualities and is an obedient girl.
People get lost in her big eyes and deep pupil.
Seema had a magical voice that turned hearts soft.
Seema did not fall back on fulfilling any favors from her mother.
Mufeedha believed that her hard work in bringing up the child had paid off.
Mufeedha got lucky during the atoll football tournament season.
Seema was thirteen years then.
By the time Wafir noticed Mufeedha, she too was victimized by cupids arrows.
Her heart gave into the signals from Wafir.
Though Wafir played for the island team, he was brought from another island.
He was the eldest and simplest player in the team.
He didn’t make a foul.
Even if he loses a game he doesn’t hold any grudges on the opposite team.
Wafir scores “Man of the match” in every game he plays.
It was maturity.
That was Mufeedha’s view.
Mufeedha couldn’t find a word to express his kindness.
Even if Seema’s father hadn’t given a divorce, he wouldn’t have been so kind.
Like Wafir’s own child.
Mufeedha doesn’t want to stay in a relationship for long.
Wafir’s thinking was different.
Wafir wants to treat her with double happiness of what she received in her first marriage.
“I want to open a café in this island.”
“To the standard level of Male’.”
“After that we will get married.”
Wafir’s stories were like a music to Mufeedha.
She wanted to listen repeatedly.
“The day is getting closer now,” Wafir said kindly.
“I want Mufeedha’s courage and support.”
Darkness falls to the island.
Citizens of the island found the night no different than any other night.
Everyone of the island inhabited by around three hundred people were sound asleep.
Children were in their own dreamy world.
Having happy and fun times.
But it was a very different night for Seema.
The tears didn’t dry.
There was no relief to the pain.
“Oh child how are you behaving!” Mufeedha opened her eyes wide and said.
“Oh child do you want nice dresses and toys like other kids have?”
“Do you want nice shoes and makeup accessories?”
Seema who was almost bursting into tears nodded.
Seema wanted all that.
“But mother..” Seema sobbed.
“It hurts a lot!”
“You get hurt by injections too right.”
“You get hurt when you apply medicine to a cut finger too,” Mufeedha tried to convince the child.
“Its simply not a big deal.”
You are my brave child aren’t you.
Right? Or do you want to be a timid girl, my child?”
Gathering much courage Seema bit her lips and refused.
Nothing was important than mother’s consent to Seema.
There was no one Seema loved more than her mom.
“If that is so, try to sleep alright!” Mufeedhastroked her head and said.
Seema closed her eyes trying to sleep.
Mufeedha left that room and entered her own room.
Wafer was resting with his hand on his forehead.
Lost in a deep thought.
Wafer had a grave look on his face.
“I don’t think this should be done,” Wafir said looking up at the ceiling.
“I don’t want money.”
Mufeedha came and sat on the bed.
“You have to lose something to gain something,” Mufeedha courageously said.
“I am sure it will be successful.”
“How long does it take?”
“Can’t really say,” Wafir replied.
But this is a proven thing.
It is assured to bring prosperity.
You don’t have to do anything more.
You will achieve a sudden richness.
A person might gift you thousands of money to fulfill a vow he has made.
You might even get an ambergris.
You should for a walk on the beach at dawn.
“But Seema..”
Mufeedha understood Wafir’s concern.
Wafir loves Seema very much.
Mufeedha understood how such a “father” would not want hurt a child.
“I am the one giving you permission, right,” Mufeedha said.
“Continue it!”
It wasn’t Mufeedha that Wafir’s eyes caught.
It was Seema.
The naïveness of the innocent child.
That’s the truth.
Wafir chose the best pathway to invade Mufeedha’s brain who lacked awareness.
Wafir was well aware of Mufeedha’s character, her thinking and how her marriage ended.
Mufeedha was a pre-planned chased bird.
Wafir was a child abuser.
He was an abuser who attacked little children sexually.
It wasn’t the first time Wafir took advantage of the weakness of single mothers.
He uses various techniques at different times.
It was only Wafir who knew the outcome of his “black magic.”
It was Seema who had to pay the price.
Not every week nor once a month.
Seema was forced to experience the scary dream every single night.
Seems had patience.
Only for mother’s sake.
But strength drained out of Seema’s body.
The eyes she closed never opened again.
Mufeedha did all she can to avoid taking her to the health center.
Seema did not gain consciousness.
It was then she ran out of choices.
It was then that things got busted too.
By then an extra heartbeat had commenced inside Seema’s body.
Mufeedha as well as Wafir was arrested.
How low could a human stoop for the greed of money?
How far can a mother bear to see a child get hurt?
The headlines of different newspapers brought up different questions.
Most people who commented called out to give the worst legal punishment to such people.
There were many who couldn’t believe that such a thing could really happen.
Actually Seems is just one child out of such innocent kids.
I was at office.
The workload was heavy.
Didn’t feel like doing anything.
It was morning time.
I have been sitting since two hours.
I left home unhappy.
On the way to office I got into a dispute with a police officer for going against a one way road.
Had a disagreement with the duty officer upon entering office.
Didn’t have the routine coffee I used to have every day morning.
Everything that happened pissed me off.
I didn’t want to make a move from a chair.
Got a viber message while I was there.
I took phone from the pocket.
“Good morning!”
There was a message from an unknown number.
I get several similar messages like them.
I don’t reply.
I changed my mind because of my situation at that moment.
Name of the sender grabbed my attention.
The name was Rose.
Who wouldn’t fall for that name?
“Morning!” I also wrote in English.
“But it’s a boring morning”.
Let’s do something!
Your boredom will pass! Said the next message Rose sent.
I thought to myself.
Who could it be?
Could it be a friend playing fool with me?
Or who could “Rose” be assuming me as in her chat?
Thinking it would be best to ignore, I put my phone back to my pocket.
I got a message again.
“Got scared?” Rose asked.
I didn’t want to be a coward.
“Who do you think you are chatting with?” I asked.
Rose said my name.
She knows my office, my post and my driving license number too.
I was forced to give it a thought.
I really thought it must be a friend fooling me.
I kept my phone on the table.
I received a message again.
Rose sent me a photo.
I was waiting.
It took time to load the photo.
Photo loaded while I was thinking what Rose had sent me.
The girl smiling at me in the photo was not an ordinary one.
I couldn’t believe what I saw.
She was flawless.
Silky straight hair.
Light brown eyes.
Her face was glowing.
Was wearing a nice lipstick which I couldn’t resist to stop looking at her lips.
I assumed she is a teenager.
Or younger than that.
I wondered if she’s the one who is chatting with me.
But anyone could send anyone’s photo.
“Who’s photo is that?” I couldn’t help but ask that question.
“Am I ugly?” Rose also asked a question.
Continuously she sent three photos.
One photo looks like a complaining face.
Other picture had a sleepy face.
Third photo had a shy face.
Rose was in a simple room.
There was a clock at the background of one photo.
The time on the clock was same as present time of the day.
That’s how I made sure that she was the girl chatting with me.
“Very lovely” I said. 
“How old?”
“Nineteen,” Rose replied without hesitation.
“Let’s go for a coffee! I am still feeling sleepy.”
I received a call from Majudhy at the same moment.
He is the head of department.
If he calls he will hand me over some tasks for sure.
Anyway I answered his call.
“Can u come here!” Majudhy ordered.
I switched off my “phone data” against my wish.
My heart tempted to call Rose.
Wanted to set a time for a coffee date.
I was not such a person by nature.
Rose is just too beautiful.
She played with my heart.
However I headed to go to Majudhy.
I work in the IT department.
“Can Dhivehi be typed from all PCs?” Majudhy asked.
“Should be able to,” I told him.
“But there are some problems in two systems.”
“Just make it sure!” saying that Majudhy stood up.
Please check if the antivirus is updated and whether the keyboard keys work properly.
There was so much chaos in today’s meeting!
Everything in this office gets messed up because of IT department.
How perfect?
I want a report in two days no matter if you have to stay awake.
I gave tasks to different people and sat at the table.
Couldn’t avoid checking my phone.
I went online and checked viber.
There were three messages from Rose.
Complaining about not going for coffee.
“Let's go!” I invited.
We chose a coffee shop that had minimal customers at that hour.
Rose was wearing the same dress in the photo she sent to me.
It was a nice green colored shirt.
A black colored jeans.
She was wearing high heels.
She walked in those shoes as if she was trying to flaunt her talents.
I didn’t know the name of the perfume Rose was wearing.
All I know is my boredom ended there and my brain got refreshed.
We ordered a "continental breakfast".
Same stuff was there in both plates.
Two slices of bread, an omelet and a sausage.
There was fresh juice.
We ordered coffee too.
Rose wanted to eat from my plate.
She sipped from my coffee cup too.
She left a lip print on the cup.
Uncontrollably I looked at the print.
Rose gave a naughty smile and pushed the plate close to me.
It was like as if she said.
Would you dare to drink coffee from this cup?
I too drank coffee from that cup without hesitation.
I felt the "mint" flavor of her lipstick.
Most of the time Rose kept giving me a naughty look.
It was like as if she wanted to say something.
"How did you know my name.." saying that I changed my topic.
"Why are you so interested in me?"
"Because I like you!" Rose answered straight away.
I found it difficult to say something.
I had to clear my throat.
How could such a beautiful girl like me?
"Reason?" I asked.
"Why did we order coffee instead of tea?" Rose smiled and asked.
Why did we come here rather than going somewhere else?
Why does evening feel better than afternoon?
There must be a reason.
One wouldn’t like without a reason.
But one might not be able to say it immediately.
Suddenly Rose's attention was drawn to the TV.
Conversation was interrupted.
I watched and saw the house of a very popular Hollywood man on TV.
His room.
It looked like the most expensive room in a five star hotel.
"My dream room," Rose exhaled a deep breath and said.
"What if I get to sleep for just one night even?"
She talked about a lot of stuff.
She definitely liked something in my personality.
Rose didn’t tell her real name.
Even I too didn’t ask.
She stole my heart with her beauty and fragility.
After two hours we left.
Memories of Rose didn’t stop picking on my heart when it came to the evening even.
I didn’t know how many times I kept looking at her photos.
The whole day we were connected on Viber.
I couldn’t put away the phone when I entered Umair's place even.
I have never behaved like that before.
I realized that Umair was watching me only after a while.
"Oh!"I exclaimed.
I put my phone back to the pocket.
I have started a big task at office.
Sorry. What is it?
"There is no power in the CCTV cameras."
That’s the way it is.
But finding a lover is something you have to do on your own.
My sister has a husband.
There is three hours left for commencement of younger sister's wedding reception.
Finding a lover is not hard for them.
Sister's marriage is on the verge of breaking.
Sister knows who to marry next too.
I was single.
Didn’t come across any one interesting.
Can't count the number of relationships I had.
Every time I hope that he is going to be the last person.
With the intention of giving the key to my heart and making him my husband.
At some point I my sharp eyes spot the flaws of the person.
When I spot it, I say to myself.
That’s not a problem.
Again I spot another flaw.
I convince my heart not to worry about it either.
But the flaws keep increasing and ultimately I can't bear it anymore and break it off.
My conditions are not many.
As long as the person looks good, and doesn’t smoke, that’s enough for me.
It is ok if he has a strong built body even if his face isn’t too handsome.
If he promises to quit smoking after marriage, that do would do fine.
However, there is one condition I don’t let go of.
The person has to be of Leo Horoscope.
I am a Gemini.
Only a Leo can keep me happy.
The book says so.
I have never met a man of Leo horoscope.
That is the problem.
What if I don’t meet a "Leo" even when I get old?
That’s the fear.
Once in a while mother would talk about the importance of marriage.
But mother doesn’t say that she is concerned about me not getting married.
Probably mother thinks I wouldn’t understand the point she is trying to make.
I know.
Mother gets scared.
Mother is having doubts about me.
How I wish I could reveal the truth?
I am a woman with complete senses.
I don’t have a "different" thinking.
I just don’t come across a person that I like.
Various thoughts ran in my mind while I was doing my makeup to attend the reception.
I went to Dharubaaruge with mother.
I saw the people coming in as couples and thought.
Are they all married to the people they love?
The one that they wanted most?
Or do they just get married to anyone just to start a life?
Should I also marry someone I don’t love just to make others happy?
A message was retrieved to the phone in my hand.
I looked at the phone.
"Let's meet shall we!" Arif's message read.
"We have talked enough without seeing each other already!"
I met Arif on face book.
It has been eight months since we became friends.
That’s quite a long period as far as I am considered.
Usually I get bored sooner.
Arif is a great entertainer.
He never runs out of words.
The problem is only one.
Arif is not a Leo.
Would Arif be eligible to fill the job of my husband?
"Let's!" I wrote back.
"Text me when you fix a place!"
I shook hands with my younger sister.
I also wished to become a wife when I saw the couple.
More than before.
The wait for the perfect man has dragged too long.
It was much difficult than I thought it would be.
How I wish I would like Arif?
I wanted it to end in some way somehow.
It was next day.
I went to "Citron" restaurant.
The restaurant which was near the sea in Male' Carnival area was an awesome place.
The breezes from the sea and the waves breaking on the dam brings happiness to you’re heart.
Kids playing in the park next to the place brings childhood memories.
The different colours of sea, lagoon and ocean lights up your brain.
There were no empty seats at the ground floor of the restaurant.
Luckily Arif had invited to meet him on the first floor of that place.
According to how he appeared on face book, Arif is a handsome man.
He works at a gym.
He was almost the same age as me.
According to the photos I saw, he appeared to have a strong built body.
I climbed from the stairs.
I took the last step up and looked around.
Arif waved at me.
I smiled and walked towards Arif.
I sat on the chair Arif pulled out for me.
For the first time we met eyes.
Arif was handsome.
His body shape showed off from the tight t-shirt he was wearing.
Looked like the perfect work of a talented carpenter.
Didn’t smell of cigarettes.
Second condition was fulfilled.
"What shall we order?" I heard Arif's voice for the first time.
Arif's voice wasn’t as heavy as I expected.
Words were clear.
I ticked it.
In my point of view, a list was in front of me.
I had the pen.
I can tick however I want to.
Arif tried to read my face.
I made him fail.
I looked around far.
To my right, Funadhoo was in the view.
It was the time of sunset and had its signs on the sky.
I thought.
Another day of life is coming to an end.
How good would it be if the sun set with sweet hopes?
"I was invited to a coffee," I said in an amusing tone.
"So it’s a coffee I want."
Arif gave the order.
Most of the time I kept thinking.
Is it Arif who would come into my life?
According to face book Arif was a Scorpio.
He wouldn’t be a bad person.
Love and anger would be almost the same.
He would be loving.
Will get angry easily.
Would have a sense of good humour like me.
But the style of thinking would be shallow.
Will be hasty in making decisions.
A lot of problems would arise living with a Gemini.
It is so clear yet should I close my eyes to that?
"What are you thinking of?" Arif asked.
"I'm not thinking anything," I lied.
"Do you believe in horoscopes?"
"Horoscope is not important." Arif said.
"What's important is the heart."
"What you believe."
A person who doesn’t understand horoscopes would say that.
If Arif believed in horoscopes, I would have said.
Leo is the perfect one for a Gemini.
Appreciating things, being caring and determination exists in a Leo.
Arif's horoscope didn’t have the attracting power.
But the power of magic was strong.
He won the hearts of sister and younger sister before the second encounter.
My sister encouraged me to marry Arif.
I requested for time to think about it but she didn’t listen.
The subject of marriage hit the ears of my parents.
He convinced them.
I thought.
I'll let it be.
If others can live a life being married to a person they don’t love, I too can do it.
We set the clock ahead of time to avoid getting late to places.
But it does no good as long as it is in your mind.
Similar thing happened to me too.
However much I tried to live together, I knew it wouldn’t work out.
We started having disagreements in the first week.
Arif's thinking is too narrow.
I was ready to face that yet I couldn’t bear it.
Every day dawned with a new problem.
Arif was good to everyone at home.
His good qualities were many.
I couldn’t see anything good in Arif.
I couldn’t seek happiness from that marriage.
I tried to be strong till the emerging of depression signs and then quit.
My sister's marriage was saved.
My marriage broke off.
It was a disgrace to the whole family.
I lied on my bed looking at my divorce certificate.
I knew long before that it would happen.
Arif is not a Leo.
The whole problem was that.
Scorpio and Gemini are two horoscopes that are hard to work out.
I suddenly got up.
I quickly opened the cupboard and looked at the marriage certificate.
There was no difference.
I froze.
It was as if I became a statue.
Why didn’t I look carefully before?
Was it because I believed too well?
Was it because my eyes were seeking only faults that I didn’t see anything else?
The sentence Arif said still lingered in my ears.
Horoscope is not what is important.
But ones heart.
What you believe.
Arif is actually a Leo.
I am a volleyball player.
A business man.
I am a successful person in both fields.
I am tall, with straight hair and own a heavy voice.
I am a hardworking man with several features that girls fall for.
I made Hidaya my life partner.
She is the one I loved most.
I first wanted a boy.
Next I wanted a girl.
It turned out so too.
Everything I wanted got fulfilled.
I got all the happiness I wished for.
I was only twenty three when I got a spot on the list of most popular business men.
I knew.
Not everyone in my family was that lucky.
However it's not a fault that my lucky star shined in the sky.
It was the night of the National Volleyball match.
The moment I was sure our team would win.
I shot the ball and landed hurting my leg.
It wasn’t abnormal.
Even the most talented players also might get hurt in the leg.
I stepped down from the match.
My team won the trophy.
I had to leave the team.
I had to see the team losing, being unable to compensate for my absence.
Match after match.
It was a difficult thing to watch.
I took all the treatments available from Maldives.
It didn’t heal completely.
I went abroad too.
I was able to cope with the daily life.
But the pain comes back as soon as I start playing.
At last I gave up playing.
Volley is my heart.
I played volley to overcome the stressing moments of life.
I met Hidaya first on the mission to teach volley to her office people.
I found it difficult staying away from a game that was so connected to my life.
No matter how much I wanted to get rid of thoughts, I couldn’t.
I lost appetite.
I lost the interest in business.
I handed over the shop to the manager and stepped aside.
If it profits, then it is.
Even if it doesn’t, I don’t care.
The bond between each other in my family was strong.
It appeared to be so.
If something happens to one, all others will be there to help.
As I wrapped the blanket of despair around me, they pulled it off.
They took me out of my imprisoned room.
Against my wish.
It was at that point the flickering dying flame sparked back.
I was a bit okay and went to the shop to see that the business was in bad shape.
The stock was insufficient, and too many confusions.
The attempt to straighten the business was unsuccessful, having to battle with the hurt leg.
I couldn’t pay the loan and fell deeply in debt.
I was impatient.
Somehow I wanted to save my business.
It was in front of my eyes.
I thought.
How will I feed my kids and wife if I go bankrupt?
Just was I was about to go insane, a friend gave me an idea.
"I can give you an idea," Naushad extended a helping hand.
"I give the guarantee that your leg pain will away if you do this."
Business too would spruce up.
"What you have to do is go to Lanka."
I bought a ticket and left to Lanka that day.
With high hopes.
I reached Lanka, left my luggage at the hotel and headed to where Naushad had directed.
Twice I was lost.
I didn’t realize it was the time to change my mind.
Every time I had to call Naushad to find my way out.
Naushad was very familiar to the roads.
The longer the journey, the narrower and abandoned the streets appeared.
The civilized region was not in vision and I doubted the destination I was heading.
I was thinking of going back when u saw a place like a hut.
It had all the characteristics that Naushad had described.
Not a sign of human was anywhere nearby.
I stopped my car at the front door of the house.
I walked out of the car and knocked on the door of the house.
I knocked twice and the door was opened.
A strong built, black man was there in front of me.
He was short.
He was wearing a white sarong and a banyan.
"Dhulip?" I spoke in dhivehi language as Naushad had directed me to.
"I have been sent my Naushad."
Dhulip invited me to come in.
I sat in the chair he showed me.
Dhulip also sat down.
He closed his eyes.
And started swaying sideways.
I observed very carefully.
Dhulip started murmuring.
As if he was talking to someone.
Sometimes he nodded his head as if he was saying no.
The moment I opened my mouth to say something, Dhulip showed gestured not to.
I thought.
Was Dhulip able to see even if he had his eyes closed?
Is he so talented?
"It is nothing but simple," Dhulip with his eyes still closed, said in dhivehi language.
"I will heal your leg."
I will save your business as well.
"But you have to bring what I ask for."
I was astounded.
How did Dhulip know all that?
Did Naushad tell him?
"I don’t care what I have to pay for it," I just said it out without thinking much.
"Please heal my leg and save my business! Please."
"No problem," Dhulip said happily.
"This is a deal."
"Do you have raw eggs for sale in your shop?"
I nodded.
Dhulip requested to bring a raw egg from my shop.
I thought even then.
Wasn’t there eggs available in Lanka?
"Your family has done lots of stuff against you," Dhulip said.
"It is not important to find out who did it."
Just come with the egg.
"Don’t bring along any one with you!"
On my way to the hotel I called Jamaal.
Jamaal is my sibling.
Jamaal insisted several times not to do it, but I didn’t listen to him.
The next day Jamaal came with an egg.
I could take my younger brother to Dhulip, so I went alone.
I hesitated a bit.
Because I didn’t know what was going to be done.
He put the egg immediately into a white cloth.
He took the egg.
And broke the egg in front of my eyes.
It was sand that poured out of the egg.
I was shocked.
I realized at that moment why he made me bring the egg.
To assure me that he wasn’t cheating about the egg.
In that instant the pain in my leg stopped.
I had no choice but believe that Dhulip was a clever man.
"Does your leg hurt now?" Dhulip asked me.
I shook my leg in different ways but couldn’t feel any pain.
"It won't," Dhulip said firmly.
"Your business too would get back to normal."
I had to pay Dhulip fifty thousand Lanka rupees.
I came back to Male'.
My business started to get better.
It got much better than it was earlier even.
But Hidaya suddenly left home.
She didn’t mention any thing as such and didn’t mention a reason either.
She was already at my mother-in-law's house when she called me.
" I am not going back to home."
That’s all what Hidaya said.
Hidaya didn’t answer my calls.
She didn’t meet me even if I went to her place to see her.
Finally I had to divorce her.
My marriage broke off.
Business was better for a few days only.
After that again it went bad in shape.
Next I heard about Hidaya leaving to Lanka.
"That is why I told you, don’t do black magic, don’t do it," Jamaal said in a sympathetic tone.
"What deal did you make brother?"
"Did you make an agreement with Dhulip to give your family in return of his favour?"
"Now I wouldn’t do such an agreement," I thought and said.
"But I did say that I don’t care what ever I had to pay for it."
"Isn't it almost the same thing you have said."
Jamaal said.
When it ended my business didn’t get good.
I lost my family too.
I didn’t know earlier that agreements with sorcerers were that easily done.
What Dhulip showed me was make-believe.
Black magic is also make-believe.
It was too late by the time I realized.
This is a true story.
Friendship is a strange bond.
Sometimes you want to show you friend the right path.
Other times, to make your friend happy, you participate in everything he does.
Maadhih is my closest friend.
We grew up in the same area.
Our houses were located on the same street.
I extended my help through right and wrong, rain and shine.
I shared happiness and sorrow.
But Maadhih couldn’t achieve the things I did in life.
I wanted to join an office where I could earn a monthly salary.
Maadhih wanted to become a business man.
We were in a relationship since school days.
Love relationships lasts upon how much you know each other.
Nahid always wanted to be a doctor.
He became a doctor indeed.
I did my masters in creative advising.
Both of us studied in Malaysia.
We found the time to meet up even when we were studying.
Our age and heights were almost the same.
We owned houses in Male'.
We like open mindedness.
I found that I could not get a better person than Nahid.
I never saw a person as wise and kind as him.
We returned to Male' after completing our studies and started working.
Both of us took government jobs.
We had the chance for better well paid alternative jobs.
We weren’t looking only for money.
But happiness too.
We wanted to find time to share our happiness as well as sorrows.
There was great relation between two families.
We travel on vacations together.
Abroad as well as to local resorts.
We go to movies together.
To restaurants as well.
We spent sofa times at both homes.
We enjoyed and had fun independently.
I feel secure when Nahid is with me.
We part ways sometimes at midnight.
Or at dawn.
We did not have same likes in everything.
And that is not a problem either.
There was one common like between us.
Our first priority was us.
We find time also for us.
Job comes after that only.
It has been years since we were together but the families did not encourage us to get married.
It was up to us.
Nahid's father is a rich man.
My mother fills one of the most powerful posts in the government.
It was our choice to get married.
There was no compulsion at all.
First two months of marriage was very happy.
We spent a lot of time together at home after office hours.
I live in Nahid's home.
There were servants assigned for everything at his home.
Cooking, sweeping, toilet cleaning, and shopping was done by foreigners.
I had the choice to cook anything I wanted in my own kitchen.
Meals were put up in a separate dining room.
Me and Nahid would spend time lying on bed doing nothing for hours.
Didn’t get bored.
We didn’t run out of topics to talk.
It was a day of the third month.
Nahid did not return after his duty at hospital.
I called him after half an hour had passed.
Didn’t answer.
Didn’t reply to the message either.
I was thinking.
Should I be worried?
Should I make a big fuss out of it because he is late just for one day?
The man who comes home usually at evening five came at eleven that night.
He didn’t mention as to why he was late even.
I was surprised by that.
I was wondering to ask or not about it when he questioned me.
"Jiya!" Nahid called me while watching TV.
I looked at him.
"Are you okay?"
I nodded.
But I wasn’t "okay".
Why should I lie?
"No!" I said.
"You okay Nahid?"
"You have reached so late today."
" When I called…"
"Yes!" he said in a very cool manner.
"Hereafter I can only come home after jobs at two other clinics."
" I am going to rest."
"Very tired."
I couldn’t believe what he said.
Why should he go to two other clinics?
He made such a decision and did not even tell me about it.
Why so?
Was the money earned not enough?
Did he get bored of me?
He wouldn’t go for a haircut even without letting me know.
Would wear a new shirt even.
Then why would he take such a big decision?
Nahid came home around twelve on the second night.
I don’t want to bombard my husband with questions the moment he comes home.
But what can I do if there wasn’t any other chance?
"What has suddenly happened?" I asked.
"We can survive even if u don’t get this busy.
I am also filling a job.
I can't avoid this talk.
Two sudden jobs and that too not mentioned at all.."
" Isn't it such a simple thing," Nahid said sitting on the sofa.
"There is nothing for me to do at home.
If Jiya requests I will free up time for you!
Okay!
I know Jiya would understand.
Why not Jiya too start something.
Let's find an extra job!
"Or isn’t there something you could do staying at home?"
Nahid changed for sure.
He forgot previous talks.
We decided to keep job as our second priority.
First was to find time for us.
We found time for us even when were in a relationship.
It didn’t have to change because of marriage.
Since we closer back then, and now I didn’t have to be left alone living in the same house.
I talked about it a lot.
I tried to understand the bad change that came to our lives.
But I could not accept it.
Nahid believed that things can't be the same as it was earlier after marriage.
"If you find me boring you ought to tell me," I told.
" No need for excuses.
No need to fill two other jobs.
If Nahid wants divorce.."
"You don’t need to go that far yet," Nahid interrupted.
" I am a doctor.
To help as many patients as I can is my responsibility.
What is the relation between that and divorce?
As previously said, things can't be same as it was when we were young.
Married life can't be same as that of a relationship.
Old life can't be same as teenage life.
This is called common sense.
When do we try for a kid?"
I don’t know what would happen when we get a kid.
May be Nahid might spend more time at home.
Or maybe the child might become a headache for Nahid.
The absence of a child is the other problem of a long marriage.
We have to answer our friends questions.
We have to respect the hopes of our parents.
We are compelled to get a kid even if we don’t want to.
But as far as I can see we weren’t ready yet.
I haven’t learned Nahid either as I expected.
I found excuses and dragged it until the third year of marriage.
I waited for the Nahid I loved to return.
That day didn’t come.
I got tired.
The wait changed to tears in my eyes.
Life is not a destination.
It is the name of a long journey.
We have to face calm and rough seas.
But can't avoid the sea out of fear.
We have to get married.
We have to get a kid.
Not because we want it.
To keep the picture good.
I got pregnant.
Nahid was very happy.
Family and friends congratulated me.
To be happy or sad, this I didn’t know.
I forced a smile and stayed.
The ringing in my heart was scary.
We got a girl.
I too wanted a girl.
Can't say what will happen.
But I threw away the mask I wore.
Didn’t have to seek showing off due to the immense happiness achieved.
Flowers bloomed every time the child smiled.
Calmness and happiness filled my heart.
Nahid's life didn’t change at all.
The man who leaves in the morning comes back at night.
At least he did not have time to hold the child.
I didn’t bother.
There was nothing that could be done either.
The child punished Nahid.
By making the lap of her father a totally strange place.
The child starts to cry in that lap.
Nahid didn’t bother about it.
He knew the reason.
"Don’t you feel sad Nahid?" I said to him to see if his ways would change.
"She doesn’t know her father."
Nahid's face changed in response to what I said to him.
It was as if he got a sudden shock.
" This.." Nahid said pointing his fingers.
" This is her father."
Nahid went and left the room.
For me, what I said to Nahid and how he reacted didn’t match.
It was a deeply buried, tightly kept secret.
It is easy to remove a shaking tooth.
It is easy to make someone cry at the time of hurt.
Something like that happened to me.
I was very lonely.
Left out.
That’s the reason I was an easy prey.
Since seventeen Leeza was my girlfriend.
It felt like it was just seven seconds when it really had been seven years to our love.
Wanted to see her.
Wanted to talk to her.
We separate before our talks actually ended.
We didn’t know to tell what was argument or boredom.
Friends say.
He is playing a rough play behind the scenes.
I didn’t believe them.
One night as I was about to go to bed, a friend called.
Requested to check on Leeza's face book page and ended the call.
I was shocked to see her account.
Leeza's previous display picture was one we had taken together.
Next was also such a picture.
Difference was there was a man instead of me with her.
I called Leeza immediately.
She didn’t answer.
It had never happened.
Leeza always would answer my call.
I stoop up that night and kept sending her text messages.
She didn’t reply to a single message.
I was deeply hurt.
It was as if a part of me was missing.
I went to Leeza's house.
Everyone at her place were friends with me.
We had humorous and fun times.
But that day, everyone had a strange look on their faces.
They found it difficult to meet eyes.
I stayed in surprise when Leeza's mother came.
She was one who I considered as a mother too.
"You should forget about her my child," mother said in a disturbed voice.
"She is crazy about a person from yesterday.
Says want to get married.
She will get in the trap this time."
I couldn’t get all the answers from what mom said.
I got the answers from Leeza's younger sister.
Leeza fell in love with another man.
But why?
What was my fault?
I wanted to meet Leeza for once.
Leeza didn’t appear.
People say.
Men don’t cry.
I cried.
The picture would have been better if had locked myself in my room and cried.
I was at Leeza's house.
Couldn't hold back the tears.
Everyone comforted me except Leeza who pretended not to be aware.
I closed the page there.
I went home.
I did not have the courage to attend office.
Lost appetite.
Only one question lingered in my heart as I was lying all alone on bed.
What is the reason?
I would get the answer for that question unless Leeza spoke.
I don’t know how my friends came to know about it.
People called and comforted me.
Some friends did it in a different way.
"What did you get for being loyal?" my closest friend asked.
"You cared too much.
Way too kind and over.
over nice.
I told you even then that you would be hurt if something happens.
But you would immediately say Leeza is like this and Leeza is like that.
Leeza my foot.
You quit talking to all female friends even to score high with Leeza.
That’s a mistake."
I had nothing to say back.
He spoke the truth.
I wanted to prove to Leeza that she could get no man better than me.
That I would do anything and accept every way she wanted.
I got nothing in return except loneliness and solitude.
It was as if my life came to a halt.
I tried to hide from people.
It was early evening.
I was lying on the bed.
It wasn’t a life, I knew.
I knew I could forget about Leeza lying like that.
A message received on my phone drew my attention.
"Hello!" said the message via face book messenger.
I checked the account owner.
She was a fair and very beautiful girl.
A young girl with straight hair and blue eyes.
Looked like a Chinese girl.
Name was Nakita.
She had a lot of photos on FB.
At least two photos were updated every day.
Her friends list included Maldivians too.
The question was why did Nakita want to talk to me?
The time was right.
I was lonely.
I answered Nakita.
Our conversation started from there.
Nakita is a beautician from Bangkok.
Makeup, Haircuts , Manicure and pedicure were services rendered on her job.
I told her about my job too.
Nakita complimented on the beauty of Maldives.
Nakita hopes that she could come to Maldives some day.
It interested me to talk to someone who didn’t know anything about me.
Nakita didn’t ask about Leeza.
She didn’t ask personal stuff about me.
Soon we became friends.
After a few days Nakita's story changed.
She got bored with her job and wanted to change field of work.
That is massaging.
Nakita did a course on it.
But she couldn’t get a good job from her country.
She needed my help.
I wanted to help too.
I called up some friends and tried to see if there was an opportunity in Male' for her.
Each place demanded to know her qualifications.
Many showed interest since Nakita knew various skills.
It occupied me and I started to get over Leeza gradually.
The indirect benefit was that.
After a few days again Nakita's story changed.
Nakita misses me too much.
She wanted to meet me.
she wasn’t aware but she fell in love with me.
She started complimenting me for helping out a stranger.
Every time we chat, I get pictures of Nakita.
She checks on me every now and then.
Wishes me "goodnight" before sleeping.
I see "good morning" greetings when I wake up.
I asked to send certificates of her qualifications.
Nakita wants to know about me.
She invited me to Bangkok.
The only expense I had to bear was that of tickets.
Accommodation, food and site seeing was all free.
I could stay at Nakita's house.
Could travel in her own car.
It was a golden opportunity.
There was no need to go for a second thought.
"I will take you to a very beautiful girl for a massage."
Nakita wrote.
My fingers that were speedily chatting came to a sudden halt.
I rewinded back on time.
I recalled the conversations with Nakita.
She knows how to massage.
She loves me.
What was the trap I was entering into?
It was almost two o'clock Male' time.
It would be four in the morning in Bangkok.
I requested for a picture of Nakita.
She sent it immediately.
She was lying on bed in a night gown.
The photo deserved complimenting.
For the beauty and charm.
But how do I know if it was really her that was chatting with me?
I requested for a video chat.
She showed the excuse of a slow internet speed and it didn’t happen.
The video gets disconnected with a glimpse of the room.
I wanted to talk.
That too wasn’t possible.
 It kept getting disconnected.
Or was it deliberately disconnected?
I requested for another photograph.
Again she sent a photo.
A barely covered dress than the previous.
But the dress was different.
Nakita requested for such a photo of mine too.
My suspicion was slowly clear and sure.
It was a man chatting with me.
Otherwise would have voice talked.
The person saves the pictures from someone else's FB page.
 That’s why he could not send two different photos in the same dress.
If I had sent such photos, I would have got trapped in a deceiving setup.
I took a deep breath.
I plaited a beautiful chain of sweet words and blocked her name.
I escaped but a lot of Maldivians got trapped in it.
They lost money to scam.
They were bankrupted and revealed.
This is based on a true story.
It was seven thirty at night.
Usually the roads of Male' would be abandoned at that time.
Most shops would be closed.
But the west side of Chandanee Magu appeared as if the sun had risen.
The cars and lorries were jammed because of the huge crowd of people.
There was nothing but the sound of honks and yelling.
Still, people were entering the road.
The people who came recently wasn’t aware of what was happening.
The people who came earlier headed to Ramziyya's house.
Police were blocking the door of that house.
Ramziyya was inside the house compound.
She looked older even though she was only twenty five.
Her husband Hamid stood close beside her.
Two policemen were there too.
Hamid was holding Ramziyya's shoulder in a comforting way.
"Are you sure it wasn’t a human?" the police inquired.
"It could be a man covering his face."
"No!" Ramziyya tiredly repeated her answer.
"How many times have I told you that I saw a Jinn.
The feet weren’t touching the ground.
Eyes were lit up.
It tried to attack my child.
When I tried to stopped it.."
"Only one person?" the policeman said.
" I mean only one Jinn?"
Ramziyya cried out of terror.
She was shivering.
It was as if she could see it in front of her eyes.
Hamid refused to allow any more questions to his wife.
Hamid knew that even if the police could not believe, his wife wouldn’t lie.
"Ramziyya, please go and rest," Hamid requested.
"I will attend to their inquiries."
Ramziyya was scared to go inside alone.
Hamid went in with her.
The police waited.
The police had come to the house because Hamid called them.
Already they knew there wasn’t much they could do to help.
But as a friend there was something they wanted to tell Hamid so they stayed.
Ultimately they had to talk over the phone since Hamid did not come out.
"We will wait here until the crowd diminishes," Muhusin said.
" I shall give you an idea.
Bring a person who knows to read such things.
There are these people who does permitted black magic. What are they called?
People who read Rugya.
I too have a number.
I'll send it.
It was a Saturday.
The ideal weather for a picnic.
I was in the ferry to villingili with my family.
Eavesdropping on mother and grandmother's conversation.
Grandmother wanted to ensure that we brought along cotton buds and lotion.
It was my habit to clean ears after shower.
If I come back home from the sun, I would be applying lotion.
Grandmother has often seen it.
Loving a person is always caring for the person you love.
Treating them with a good heart.
To think about them as much as you think about yourself.
Or was it the best way?
My attention was on my phone.
The last photo that I had uploaded on instagram had got many likes.
I upload two photos daily.
The main purpose of the trip too was that.
I was a girl of twenty.
With a free mind.
I live in my own world.
I heard a man laugh.
The voice was heard from behind.
There were boys in the seats behind me.
I didn’t look back.
I don’t think I'd like them.
My conditions were many.
We reached villingili.
I made a glance at the boys when they started to get off.
I saw then from behind.
There didn’t appear as I expected.
They were decent.
The haircut was modern.
Didn’t look like a woman from behind.
The jeans was at the waist.
A picture you seldom see.
Only one of them matched to the expected specification of tallness.
Could not see his face.
I stepped onto villingili and found that my phone was dead.
I got agitated.
I would die if my phone went broken.
To me, my mobile was important than food.
I showed it to father.
My father is a mobile seller.
He repaired mobiles too.
While father checked for a signal in the phone, my heart beat was racing.
There would be important photos and messages in the mobile.
Usually played songs and stories I read too would on mobile phone.
I can't live without my phone.
My father looked at me and shook his head.
"No!" I said in despair.
"Do something please!
Do something."
Father even tried to go and bring a mobile from Male'.
However the stuff on my phone won't be on that one.
"Let it be!" I said.
All the happiness of the trip was deprived.
Didn’t feel like doing anything.
I was like a deflated balloon.
I was thinking about only one thing.
Can I save the data on my phone?
Would I have to hand over the phone to some place to do that?
There would be so many photos of mine on the phone.
I got up and started walking.
Not that I had any where to go.
I was walking on the shoreline when suddenly someone surfaced from the sea.
I got startled and screamed.
Fell backwards.
The man too got taken aback.
It was the first time my eyes met with Hannan's.
He was the man I saw from the ferry.
The moment I saw Hannan's face, I ticked all the boxes on my list.
I gave him my heart.
Hannan had no clue.
I held the hand he put forward and stood up.
Hannan said sorry.
I was ready to give my heart even if he requested.
Though it was the first time we met, it felt like we knew each other like friends.
It happened to me because of the deep interest.
I don’t know the reason why it happened to Hannan.
By the time we came back to Male' our friendship had grown a lot.
It was love at first sight.
I gave my number to Hannan.
Hannan gave his number to me too.
I checked my phone before taking it to repair in Male'.
The phone worked perfectly.
It didn’t need repairing.
What a coincidence it was?
The reason that lead to encounter with Hannan was the malfunctioning phone.
I considered it good luck.
Following days we had a lot of conversations over the phone.
I was very satisfied.
We talked about life too.
I didn’t have a boyfriend and found out that Hannan had a girlfriend.
The lucky girl's name is Nayasheen.
My heart softly cried when I found out about it.
Hannan couldn’t hear the cries though.
" So far it has been planned to get married in three months," Hannan sounded excited.
" you should get introduced to Ninni.
You are my special friend right."
I wanted to say.
No.
I didn’t have the guts to meet Nayasheen.
I didn’t want to see the scene of Hannan beside her either.
But I agreed to meet her.
How so poor are we humans?
How many times are there when you really can't say what is really in your heart?
Hannan was close enough to hear me even if I whispered.
I took a step aside.
For friendship.
Even though I couldn't get love, I didn’t want him out of my sight.
I concealed my love to everyone.
Because there was no one who could help me.
But, I couldn’t get rid of the thoughts.
I tried to be what I was earlier.
It was a difficult thing to do.
You heart feels relived when you share with people.
I had to bury all my feelings deep down my heart, seal it and throw the key away.
I am a selfish person.
But I couldn’t wish his love any bad luck.
The fights they had were not because of me.
But I suggest how to solve the problems.
Not because I want that.
For the value of friendship.
But I didn’t want Hannan to ask for forgiveness every time.
"Ninni doesn’t know how to appreciate," that’s what I said.
Lovers don’t speak with their tongues.
Words are not important if you have your eyes and heart.
He was alert.
Intelligent.
That was the problem.
"do you love me?" Hannan asked.
I tried to pretend I didn’t hear the question.
Hannan repeated the question.
Two times.
Three times.
Four times.
I was tongue tied.
I lowered my eyes.
Very few people hear what is unsaid in your heart.
My lover was such a person.
Who wouldn’t cry out of joy?
We were at a restaurant.
I wiped off the first tear that dropped.
The second tear dropped.
I was about to wipe when Hannan held my hand.
He repeated the question for the fifth time.
I couldn’t say anything.
But I held his hand tight.
Hannan and Nayasheen's love was stamped to an end.
With full consent.
Both of them wanted it that way.
I got Hannan.
Felt like I owned the whole world.
Never came to my life such happy days.
The looks and characteristics that I looked for in a lover were both present in Hannan.
The love didn’t last even for two weeks.
"Ninni has come back!" Hannan did not hide anything.
"I want to give her one more chance."
Hannan saw what was in my heart from my eyes.
I saw something from Hannan's eyes too.
Hannan can't stay away from Nayasheen.
If I try make him stay forcefully that would be a waste.
The key of love is the trust you give.
Not a strong force.
I let him go.
Closed my eyes because it was too hard to see him go.
Every time I go to villingili, it reminds me of him.
I feel like crying when I see the beach and sea.
But I have no complains.
I wish my lover happiness and joy.
Where ever he is, to be in good health.
Loving is being kind to the person you love always.
Treat them with a sincere heart.
To care for him as much as you care for yourself.
Getting the love back or not from him is totally another thing.
Sofia felt like hungry.
Felt like sleepy too.
Suddenly picked up the mobile.
Counted the likes Sofia received for the photo uploaded on face book.
It was any amount near to the number of recent likes.
She had to think about something else .
She thought.
Was Sofia ugly than before?
Did friends hate Sofia?
She immediately deleted the photo.
Called Haleem.
He was Sofia's sixth boyfriend.
Haleem answered the call.
It added another ring to the chain of worries.
Where was Haleem?
Could he have gone somewhere else saying he was going to bed?
She jumped up.
Entered the room.
Was dripping wet.
Looked in the mirror.
Looks like eyebrows had grown thick.
Now she had to shape her eyebrows.
Suddenly her eyes caught the paint container.
It had been three days since the paint had been brought to paint the walls.
Paint roll was nearby.
Newspapers were there too.
Her mind changed suddenly.
She stopped shaping her eyebrows and started spreading the newspapers on the floor.
Started painting.
Actually Sofia didn’t have to do it by herself.
She only had to tell father and it would have been done.
It hadn’t been more than a month since the room was painted last.
But if she feels like doing something, Sofia can't wait longer.
She went to office without breakfast.
The Air Con at office wasn’t working.
Sofia had a headache because of lack of sleep.
One of the friends pointed out that part of the eyebrows weren’t done fully.
It was all because of Haleem.
If he had answered the call Sofia wouldn’t have done her eyebrows.
Wouldn’t have painted.
Wouldn’t have stood awake even.
What does Haleem think of himself?
He can do anything he wants to Sofia?
Or did he get bored because Sofia was a bit chubby.
Suddenly her eyes filled with tears.
No one would love Sofia.
The next moment she hated Haleem.
She picked up the phone and dialed Haleem.
"Good morning darling!" Haleem answered immediately.
"let's go for a coffee!"
" Where were you last night?" Sofia angrily asked.
" you neither answered my call nor call back today even!
Besides I am a very ugly person
Boring person.
Why should you call?
I am the one who is crazy.."
" Hold on, Calm down!" Haleem said kindly.
Is it a moody day?
I was sleeping.
I called several times in the morning.
The call didn’t pass through.
Indicated a network error.
When I tried to call in the morning..
"don’t ever call me again,"
Sofia said strictly.
"Get lost!"
Sofia disconnected the call.
Haleem didn’t call back.
It wasn’t the first time they had such an disagreement.
Sofia angrily removed the sim card from her phone and broke it.
Deleted all the photos of Haleem on face book.
Closed the face book account.
But she couldn’t wait long.
She called Haleem from office phone.
"Hey let's go for coffee," Sofia said in a funny mood.
"my phone's SIM broke off.
Come to pick me up okay!"
Haleem disconnected the call.
And then didn’t even answer the calls anymore.
Haleem was tired of the same game played over and over again.
Haleem knew.
She would humiliate him in front of others at the coffee.
How many times has it happened too?
Given advice enough.
Haleem lost patience.
Sofia bought a new SIM card.
She sent long messages yelling at Haleem until she came home from office.
She re-activated the face book account.
Humiliated Haleem on public mode.
Instead of stopping it, her friends encouraged her.
Sofia came home with the SIM card and found that her room was being cleaned by the maids.
They were removing the paint on the floor and mopping it.
Sofia's anger doubled.
"I told you not to play with the stuff in room."
Sofia yelled at the top of her voice.
Sofia didn’t listen to what her mom was saying.
She sent every one away and locked the door.
She stayed in the room and didn’t eat anything for hours.
She cried because Haleem broke up with her.
She said sorry and sent messages.
Haleem didn’t reply.
The following day Sofia didn’t attend office.
Didn’t take any food by evening either.
Finally she collapsed.
She was taken to hospital.
Doctor diagnosed Sofia to be having a psychological problem.
She could be treated by a counselor.
Sofia's parents also understood that it was the solution.
Twice a week Sofia had to be brought to hospital for counseling therapy.
The first day it took a lot of convincing to bring Sofia.
A boy was walking out of the place when Sofia reached.
That’s how she met Hamdhaan.
Sofia noticed him the first day itself.
Because he had all the appealing characteristic.
The height.
The dress code.
His hair style and his gaze too got Sofia interested.
Ever since Sofia likes to come to hospital.
Her mom doubted about it.
Why did the change come to Sofia?
What was the secret behind it?
Sofia was waiting to talk to Hamdhaan when she got a call from him.
Hamdhaan didn’t mention how he got her number.
Next Sofia's mother saw Hamdhaan at their home.
Mother didn’t like Hamdhaan.
However since childhood Sofia goes ahead with what she wants.
Parent's consent didn’t matter.
"What's wrong with Hamdhaan?"
Sofia wanted the answer for that question.
" He has very cunning looks."
That was all her mother was worried about.
Sofia refused to believe.
She didn’t accept it as a reason.
To Sofia Hamdhaan was a rare catch.
Sofia thinks so for every person at first.
Sofia trusted Hamdhaan more than herself.
She didn’t appear to be able to breathe even without him.
It hadn’t been even ten days since they met.
Stupid fights came up too.
Yelled at Hamdhaan thrice in one month.
At the sight of parents even.
Sofia believes that she can yell at her lover.
And that is not a big issue.
Sofia's 26th birthday dawned to an unforgettable gift.
Hamdhaan fled with all the money in her account.
Sofia guess there would be about fifty thousand rufiyaa in the account.
And that was not all.
Sofia's phone and bag which has the cards too was lost.
The loss of money wasn’t Sofia's concern.
Because that was easiest thing to get.
Sofia was surprised about the reason why men didn’t love Sofia.
They break up after a few days together.
Everyone says Sofia is pretty.
Sofia spends on her lovers.
Sofia trusts people the moment she meets them.
Though she gets mad one second, she loves in the next too.
Though she gets bored one second, she feels sad in the next too.
Similarly one second she would yell and in the next she would caress too.
Sofia could not realize that was the problem.
Sofia got drowned deep in her thoughts and kept thinking.
Sofia was lying at the bottom of the water filled bath tub.
She was holding her breathe.
Sofia said to herself.
Why doesn’t anyone understand Sofia?
What was wrong?
Why doesn’t I get married?
People tried to find the answer for that question.
Is it that no one loved me?
No.
Is it that I didn’t come across a woman I liked?
No.
Is it that she didn’t accept when I proposed?
No.
Then what is the reason behind it?
That question directed at me ties my tongue.
I hesitate to reveal the secret.
Some people think I am unlucky.
What I believe now is, some things don’t happen for the good behind it.
The sweet and bitter incident occurred to me several years back.
The bridge was 300 feet long.
I guess the width would be around 15 feet.
Those were carefree days of life.
My youthful days.
I didn’t know what love is.
All I knew was , I wanted to see kanbulo.
Always wanted to be at her sight.
Alirasgefaanu bridge was far from my home.
Close to my heart.
Kanbulo's home was in that area.
She would come and linger around that area.
On that bridge.
In that sea.
On that reef.
On that beach.
All day long I try to grab Kanbulo's attention.
No matter what I had to do.
In the old days, fireworks were played near the great wall of alirasgefanu memorial.
Kanbulo didn’t hear the sound.
The waves breaking on the bridge sweeps away sand under it.
How many journeys have I taken with life on the line?
Alirasgefaanu memorial is looked after by my father.
Father would pick up the money.
He hands them over to the concerned authorities.
Father would keep the money at home until it reached certain amount.
I went in the mosque, lifted my hands and prayed.
There was no change.
Actually it was a hole made due to deep digging.
It was an area with strong currents.
Kids would jump from the bridge to the trench.
Some kids found it fun.
I did it to show off to Kanbulo who would stay at a distant watching.
I ended up swallowing salt water several times.
My body got bruised at places.
Other than that nothing happened.
I spent most of my time out of home.
For one particular purpose.
I would go home at day time only when I get hungry.
At those times I found that my parents were silent.
What were they trying to hide?
I questioned.
No one admitted that something had happened.
But I witnessed that the relationship between my father and mother was weak.
Because the lagoon was beautiful and big.
A lot of birds would come on low tide days.
I keep watching them.
Kids would be busy catching the birds.
They would set up traps and chase the birds towards the traps.
They catch birds cleverly.
However kanbulo didn’t get caught in my trap.
Some kids would be along the shore line catching crabs.
You would hear the screams too when the crab bites in the process.
They would collect tiny white crabs in bottles.
I go to the sea.
Hoping that Kanbulo will ask for a fish.
Hoping that kanbulo will come to see the fish.
So I cud gift her a fish.
But none as such happened.
I can never forget the beautiful environmental scene.
Once, kanbulo bought some fish from me.
It looked like turtle meat.
I feel the pain only when I reach home.
Mother advices me a lot.
She strictly warns me not to climb the area.
Mother doesn’t understand.
I don’t know how to make her understand.
Male' is a garden full of trees.
It was morning time.
Suddenly I saw that mother has come with Kanbulo.
Mother took Kanbulo inside.
After a while father came home.
Did father and them knew what was in my heart?
First I thought so.
I heard some chattering.
Next saw mother come out.
She walked fast and sat down in the joali near me.
Father came out with his head down.
"My child please go out for a while," father requested.
"Why is that?" mother said angrily.
" Do you still want to hide it?"
It was my luck that I didn’t propose to Kanbulo.
The love was hidden in my heart.
Every time I see her my heart would cry.
Because of how things happened.
The fascinating thing about this love is that, no one except me was aware of it.
There was nothing to be ashamed of.
Kanbulo was father's daughter that he had conceived in a secret marriage.
My feet and hands went cold the moment I found out about it.
But I couldn’t fall in love with another person after that.
Didn’t have the courage to share this story with anyone either.
What happened was not something that was supposed to happen.
However I was saved from a bigger trouble.
You could find a strong love.
But you can't find love by force.
I accept that.
I was nine years old when I first saw Nuzha.
I didn’t know what love was.
All I know is I liked talking to Nuzha.
I wanted to see her.
Time runs so fast when I spend time at school to play and have fun with her.
I always think of Nuzha.
But she is not a friend.
I cheat on all my friends.
Not only boys.
Including girls too.
Except Nuzha.
Later I realized that there was a special corner in my heart for Nuzha.
I realized that I was in love with Nuzha when I was thirteen years old.
I guess Nuzha too felt it by then.
The shyness that comes along with age did exist between us too.
None of us had the courage to say it.
But couldn’t lock it.
Time and tide waits for no one.
I found a girl who loved me and got married.
Nuzha got married too.
Both of us were loyal to our life partners.
We accepted that it was our fate.
But I didn’t forget about Nuzha.
I wanted to see her.
There goes a saying.
You don’t forget your first love.
May be that was what happened to me.
For sure Nuzha forgot about me.
We were living in the same wards of Male' but she pretended not to see me.
Even two strangers would be friends than us.
Wouldn't lower the gaze in the fear of seeing the other.
Years passed and I became the father of three, yet Nuzha stayed the same.
Her body didn’t change much by giving birth to one child.
Or probably the eyes that love are blind to the flaws.
My interest to meet Nuzha didn’t go away.
My successful life was the obstacle for me.
I became wealthy.
My business expanded.
I got a politically powerful post.
 My voice hollered from podiums and TVs.
I had to keep limits in my life because of the popularity.
I had to show people a particular character.
Not all dreams come true.
And not all you wish for can be achieved.
Some hopes have to be buried with age.
Nuzha was a hope I couldn’t bury.
A song I wasn’t bored of singing.
An image I wasn’t bored of watching.
I was hoping for a miracle.
I wanted to lie down on her lap and say only two sentences.
"I couldn’t erase your name from my heart," I wanted to say it weakly.
"I still love you very much!"
I also would have the guts to say it.
I decided to achieve it in my dream.
I often see Nuzha in my dreams.
It feels so real I hesitate to say it to her.
If I knew even once that it wasn’t a dream.
My wife knows all my secrets.
Except about Nuzha.
Only my very closest friend knows about it.
Hindhaam.
Hindhaam introduced "Lucid dreams" to me.
You learn to differentiate between dreams and reality when you learn it.
U can control your dreams.
U can do anything you want in your dreams.
You could travel from dream to reality and from reality to dreams.
You acquire it after several days of hard work.
To start with, I have to note down the dream as soon as I wake up.
I have to remember the dream.
Few conditions should be present to prove it as a dream.
Hindhaam taught me those things too.
" In your dream you have read some written alphabets.
Or you have to stare at the hands of a clock repeatedly," my master taught me.
" The alphabets you see will either be blurred or not in order.
Every time you stare at the clock, the time read would be different.
If its two o'clock at one time, the next time it might be eight o'clock.
You could breathe even if you hold your nose.
Most important is to look at your feet and fingers.
Fingers might be deformed or missing.
Or it might be more.
Hindhaam told me all about it after experiencing it himself.
It was hundred percent successful.
Hence I also started to learn it.
"Hi!" Rose said shyly.
The water drops on Rose's wet hair was glistening under the light.
My heart was crying to seek shelter under her long eyelashes.
My heart refused to look anywhere else.
Rose got disturbed.
She felt shy.
Biting her lips she looked down.
The rain was honored to touch her body.
She had a black handbag on her shoulders.
She was wearing short skirt.
But it wasn’t odd.
The black shoes were pointed and had high heels.
I gazed from top to bottom and then met eyes with her.
"May I come in?" Rose asked.
I stepped aside to make way for Rose.
Rose removed her shoes.
She pretended that it was unavoidable to enter without brushing against my body.
Was it a gesture with a meaning?
Was it flirty misunderstanding?
"That’s the toilet, right?" she said making a gesture towards the toilet.
Before I could give an answer she made a move.
She went into the toilet.
I kept Rose's shoes inside.
Closed the door and locked it.
A while passed.
Rose didn’t come out of the toilet.
One who enters that toilet wouldn’t want to come out.
Because of its charm and huge space.
There was a room which was lead from the toilet.
Actually that’s a wardrobe.
It holds folded towels and things like bathrobes too.
It also holds branded perfumes and deodorants too.
“Rose!” I called out to her when she got too late.
Rose immediately came out to my call.
She was wearing a Victoria Secret bathrobe.
“Would it be okay?” Rose asked.
“My dress isn’t dry, that’s why.”
“Nice dresses are for beautiful girls,” I smiled and said.
“Coffee?”
“Very hot please,” Rose said sitting on the sofa and crossing her legs one over the other.
“Got Lavazza?”
I wondered if Rose was a model.
Rose had good knowledge of how such girls stand, walk and sit.
She got the style.
“You can’t mention a type I don’t have,” I said starting to make the coffee.
“Do you like this place?”
“Rose, didn’t you say that you would love to live in a place like this.”
“This is an awesome place,” looking around the place Rose said.
I have never been in such a beautiful and comfortable place.
Are you a very rich man?
How many girls have you invited to this place?
I laughed.
I brought the coffee I made and gave it to Rose.
I also sat down on the sofa.
But a bit distant.
Rose walked towards me and sat down right next to me.
She took a sip of coffee.
The way one would sip from a hot cup of coffee.
“You are the only girl I invited here,” I told her.
“So sweet!” Rose happily said.
“Would you like a surprise?”
I didn’t know what to say and Rose stood up.
She kept her coffee cup on the table nearby.
She put her hand towards me.
I took her hand and got up.
Rose took me to the bedroom.
She made me sit on the bed.
“Lie down and make your self comfortable on the bed!” Rose said.
I laid myself on bed.
My heart was nothing different than a wild bird locked in a cage.
“Now close your eyes!” Rose caringly said.
“What are you going to do?” I asked.
Trust me! Trust me and close your eyes!
I am giving a surprise that you will never forget.
Rose said so while taking out a piece of cloth out of her wear.
“Here! Cover your eyes with this!”
“You came a lot prepared right?”
I said while tying the strip of cloth.
“Now keep a pillow on your face!”
Rose said lovingly.
“Don’t cheat!”
“Oh what a surprise is this!” I said and put the pillow on my face.
“The pillow is on! Next?”
“Now relax!” Rose requested.
“Just a brief moment.”
I lay there thinking about what was going to happen next.
Suddenly I felt the prick of a needle on my body.
I still lay like that.
I felt my body go numb.
I took the pillow off my face.
And I untied the strip of cloth off my eyes too.
Rose was looking at me with a big smile.
She had an injection in her hands.
“What have you done?” I said while fighting the drowsiness I felt.
“What injection..”
I saw Rose giving me a naughty grin while I drowned into a deep sleep.
“Relax..” Rose kept saying repeatedly.
“Go to sleep!”
I woke up suddenly.
I didn’t feel like even a second had passed.
I still felt sleepy.
I was tied.
To the extent to which I couldn’t even move a limb.
Rose was wearing the dress she was in when she came to the apartment.
She had back to me and was talking to someone on the phone.
I realized that moment that something was fishy.
“What is this?” I said disappointed.
Rose turned around and looked at me.
She still had a caring look on her face.
“I am telling you I will call you in a while!” Rose snapped.
“I will give! Tonight! I can only do something when I could hang up this call eh.”
Rose ended the call and changed her mood.
She smiled.
“Hello!” Rose waved at me and said.
“Did you sleep well?”
“Untie me!” I tried to free my hands and commanded her.
“Untie me right now!”
“Why?” Rose said in a surprised manner.
“You don’t want the surprise?”
Rose couldn’t understand how serious I was.
Or either she didn’t want to understand.
Rose talked what she wanted.
“I told a nurse friend to reduce the dose a bit!” Rose looked at her watch and said.
You have woken up after an hour.
This is what I get when I ask for a favour from a friend.
So much time passed.
Keep your eyes wide open.
Rose started clicking photos.
I stayed there because there was nothing I could do.
I could even move a bit.
I thought about the saying.
You don’t the see the trap you are falling in to.
Trapping men in women’s fists for money was something that was going on in Male’.
I read about it from the newspapers.
I never thought I might have to experience it.
I thought I was attentive than that.
“Now have to post it on fb,” Rose said playing with her phone.
“Will tag you okay.”
“How much money do you want?” I had no choice so I said that.
“Don’t post it on fb. How much should I give?”
“Smart boy!” Rose said putting her phone away.
“But not that smart right?”
If you were smart enough, you would not have invited a girl of your daughter’s age and do all this?
How dirty is this!
People would laugh at you.
How old are you?
Answering that question wasn’t important for me.
“Hello!” Rose said a bit louder.
“Old man!”
How old are you?
Shall I post the picture on fb?
“Thirty-eight.”
I spoke but looked else where.
“Lies!” Rose said showing my Identity card.
Forty-eight.
Forty-eight
Are you ashamed to tell your age?
I thought only us felt shy to tell the age.
How funny?
Don’t you feel ashamed, a man of your age to approach a girl of my age and try to lure me.
There was so much I wanted to say.
At first I decided not to say anything as such.
When I do that, Rose thinks that she is driving me out of words.
Hence, I changed my thinking.
I showed her that I was fearless.
“Who talked first?” I asked her.
Who said first that we should do something?
So that the boredom will pass?
I don’t remember me saying that.
Rose lifted the phone.
She held it at me.
She started to record video.
Slowly she came near me.
There was nothing I could do to hide my face from being exposed.
I was tied with a very strong nylon rope.
I struggled to free my hands.
Rose sat on the bed.
She moved the phone far enough to get both of us on it.
I don’t want both of us to be seen together.
“Ready?” Rose said.
Rose slapped really hard on my face.
I couldn’t understand what advantage she was planning to take by recording that scene.
When she captured the moment she wanted, she stopped the camera and stood up.
“See, that’s how you men think,” Rose said in a harsh tone.
“When I say lets do something, does it mean inviting me like this?”
Can’t chat on the phone?
Can’t meet at ordinary places where people meet?
What I said was let’s have a coffee.
I didn’t ask to take advantage.
“Advantage?” I couldn’t wait to say something back at her.
What advantage would I take?
I don’t know who Rose is.
I still don’t know the real name even.
But Rose followed me and found out my name, office, my post and license number too.
Prove me wrong.
“It doesn’t need following,” Rose looked at me bored and said.
“The stuff was on fb for everybody to see.”
“You only saw it because you checked,” I said.
“But I didn’t check your fb page, Rose.”
“If I am such a person you are accusing me to be, I would have, right?”
Rose didn’t give much attention to what I was saying.
She was playing with the phone.
I was wondering whether she was uploading the scenes she recorded.
There was no way to stop it.
No way to check it either.
“What the shit?” Rose said still looking at the phone.
“You wouldn’t agree even if you did check.”
“First of all why should you share so much personal information so openly?”
“Tell me!”
“That is my freedom.”
I said softly.
“That’s a trap!” Rose said in a harsh tone.
“You think you are Brad Pitt.”
Rose was right.
I did all that with that intention.
But I didn’t admit it.
“Innocent girls like you?” I said in a sarcastic tone.
If you call it innocent, what would you call a crime?
Alright, I invited.
Okay! I am trapped here against my will.
No wonder this is a crime.
Untie me!
You sent me pictures and victimized me.
Don’t try to act too decent.
Was I the one who ate from my plate at the breakfast or you?
Alright.
Why did you sip on my coffee cup?
“It was a test,” Rose was very alert.
The answer was at the tip of her tongue.
Couldn’t you ask for another plate from the waiter?
If your intention was good, you would have asked for one.
What did you want to prove by sipping on the cup?
To prove that you were cool.
To give me hints.
Shame on you!
I am of your daughter’s age.
Aren’t you ashamed?
The argument heated up slowly.
Rose had the power.
But I couldn’t help talking back at her.
“You are the best to talk about shame,” I said to her.
“Shame on you! Who said that you like me?”
“Was it me who said that too?”
“Alright.”
“You are pretending that this is your place but who’s place is this actually?”
Rose asked the question I was expecting.
“Don’t tell its mine.”
“I know who you are.”
“I know your address too.”
“Did I ever tell you even once that this place is mine?” I asked.
This is a friend’s place.
He handed over the place to me before he left.
Is it clear?
Now why don’t you tell what you really want.
How much money do you want?
Rose didn’t answer my question.
She showed me my phone.
“It’s a bad thing not to have a lock password on your phone,” Rose said.
Especially a person who thinks you are too smart must not do a stupid thing like this.
But I know why you don’t have lock password.
To fool your wife. Right! Right! Right!
So that your wife will think, what a faithful man you are.
All fake.
All you men are fake people.
I thought to myself.
I should have put a lock code.
Rose dug my phone for a while.
Then she showed the me the last conversation I had with Umair on Viber.
“Chats logs aren’t deleted too!” Rose said mockingly.
This is Umair’s apartment right?
It could have been so great if I had given my apartment keys?
Why has he asked so?
Think!
You are cheating on your friends too.
I knew way from the start that you weren’t a gentleman.
Rose got a call.
Rose looked worried when she looked at the phone.
“I am trying!” Rose angrily said immediately after she had the phone to her ears.
“Calm down! I am going right now.”
She disconnected the call and immediately took my wallet from the table.
She took out my cash card from it.
“Pin number?” Rose requested.
“Fast fast”
“If you don’t give the money tonight I will be dead.”
It wasn’t an easy thing to do for me.
Hence I didn’t answer.
“I have so cool photos and videos that Umair might like to watch,” Rose said taking my phone.
“What’s Umair’s number?”
I got a call at that moment.
I knew it was Fazeela by the ring tone.
Rose showed me the phone screen with a mocking smile on her face.
“My love?” Rose started laughing.
And said.
“My foot! You have saved wife as My Love and you have come here with me.”
“You are so fake! Shall I tell you a secret?”
“Your wife is making me do this.”
“Now she is calling to make sure.”
“She is going to come here.”
Suddenly I recalled the look Fazeela gave when I stood near the mirror to get ready.
Even then I thought there was something behind the look.
I went brain dead.
As if I froze.
The ringing ended.
Rose started laughing.
About the success she achieved.
“Just kidding!” Rose said.
I was happy.
Was angry too.
Was ashamed I fell into Rose’s trap.
Rose laughed as much as she wanted and repeated the question.
“Pin number!” Rose demanded.
“Quick!”
I had no choice.
I told the pin number.
Rose dashed out immediately.
I tried again to save myself.
Continuous struggling loses the knot a bit.
But it was not enough to save myself.
A lot of things was on my mind.
My stupidity.
My deceitfulness.
I wondered about how the game was going to end.
I thought about how busted and blamed I was going to be.
Rose came after an hour.
The rain had stopped by then.
Rose got a call the moment she entered.
“Wait at the door!” Rose said.
“I am coming down!”
After answering on the phone, Rose looked at me.
She had a cunning look on her face.
I could draw more than one meaning from it.
“Do you want a surprise?” Rose said in a naughty tone.
“Stay put! I will be right back.”
I thought to myself.
Did she bring Fazeela?
Or did Rose want to upset me?
That’s the style of such girls.
And I thought next.
What a shameful situation I will be in if Fazeela comes?
I have to give in my ways.
“Rose!” I begged her.
Please untie me!
How much money do you want?
I’ll give any amount you ask for.
Rose showed me the cash card.
To show that she had the power.
“I will take the money even if you don’t give,” Rose said rudely.
“Stay put obediently!”
“I love surprises!”
Rose went out.
I heard the door close.
I struggled with all my strength.
To see if my hands would untie.
My move loosened the knot a bit.
“Keep trying!” I said to myself.
My hands hurt.
It felt as if my wrists was about to dislocate every time I tried to free them.
Never mind I thought.
If my hands get free, I could get out from the window even.
But I could free my hands.
My hands were tied to the bed post too tightly.
I stopped to the sound of a phone ringing.
That was a sound coming from phone.
I wondered why Rose left her phone.
It rang for long and stopped.
There was no sign of Rose.
She didn’t come back.
I gave myself in to god and lay there.
I promised myself not to repeat it ever in my life if I escape without being exposed.
I also decided to confess about it to Fazeela someday and ask for forgiveness.
I heard my phone ring.
I didn’t know what was happening.
About twenty minutes passed.
No one came to the apartment.
An hour passed.
I started again to free my hands from the knot.
Instead of trying with harder pulls with stronger force, I started wriggling smaller pulls more frequently.
I can’t tell how much time I spent in trying.
The knotted started to loosen up slowly.
By the time I got some hope of an escape it was dawn.
I wanted to get out of there before the hustle bustle on the roads.
By then my hands felt like it has gone all numb.
I started pulling my hands with all my body strength.
As if my heart said.
If my rescue is destined, this time it will happen.
In a short while I pulled my hands free.
It was the moment I felt the sweetness of freedom.
I rested for a while before untying the other hand.
My right hand wrist was a bit swollen.
My skin had worn off at places on the hand.
I released the other hand free.
When I came out to the master bedroom, my phone and Rose’s phone lay there on the sofa.
Rose’s handbag, my bunch of keys and wallet was also there.
I opened the wallet.
The cash card wasn’t there.
I called the bank to “block” my card.
They didn’t answer the call.
Then I got another idea.
I disconnected the call and searched through Rose’s hand bag.
My cash card was there in it.
I thought about what to do next.
Where could have Rose gone?
Why didn’t she come back?
I thought to myself.
Probably she got enough money so she left?
If so, why could have she left her hand bag?
My right hand hurt, however I started to re-arrange the place like it was before.
I checked the toilet.
I arranged it to the way I thought it must have been before.
I found a bag and put Rose’s hand bag into it.
I didn’t leave even a spec of a bit there.
I switched off Rose’s phone and put it in my pocket.
I checked the whole apartment two or three times.
I checked if I had left anything there.
I thought to myself.
Probably I will make a bad mistake.
“Make sure make sure!”
I talked to myself.
When I was sure I hadn’t left anything there, I went out of the place.
I heard someone come up the stairs.
I went inside again.
I came out after I heard the person enter wherever he did and close the door.
I locked the door and started walking with my head down.
I went down the stairs with quick steps.
Suddenly I stopped.
I gave a good thought.
I walked back to the way I came.
Again I entered the apartment.
I doubted right.
Rose’s shoes were there inside.
It wasn’t there before.
I wondered if Rose went on barefoot to hurry.
No matter what the shoes can’t be kept there.
I put it also into the bag.
I stepped out, locked the door and started walking down the stairs.
I have walked up and down the stairs previously several times.
But the stairs appeared too long that day.
While I stepped down I kept praying to leave the place without being seen by anyone.
I reached outside.
I still kept my head down.
I still had the shock of being able to escape in an unexpected way.
I put the bag into the front basket and started my journey.
Thanking non-stop.
The pain in my right wrists got worse.
I could make whatever lies when I reach home.
There were stuff I had to get rid of before that.
There were few people on the road.
I headed to the artificial beach.
I put each pair of the shoe separately to two dustbins far apart at that place.
Next what was left was Rose’s hand bag.
I carried the hand bag and was riding on Ameenee Magu when I heard emergency sirens.
My limbs went cold.
A police jeep dashed ahead from behind.
I grinned a bit.
I thought to myself.
Why would the police stop me?
I didn’t commit such a crime.
Again I heard the emergency siren.
It was the ambulance this time.
I threw Rose’s hand bag into a parked pickup.
It had garbage that was ready to be taken for dispose.
I checked my account from the ATM.
Ten thousand rufiyaa was missing.
As soon as I reached home I went into the toilet.
I felt the wrists pain was better.
I took a shower and did a prayer of two rak’ats.
I did it with the intention of being thankful.
I forgot to pray Fajr.
I laid myself on bed and fell asleep in no time.
I woke up in shock to the sound of real loud knocking on the door.
It was noon when I opened my eyes.
Such hard banging on the door must be by the police I doubted.
I lay there thinking.
I heard the door being opened.
I couldn’t hear Fazeela talking to anyone.
I heard the door close.
Fazeela entered the room.
I pretended that I was sleeping.
I thought Fazeela will come and wake me up.
But she didn’t.
“Who knocked on the door?” I asked her with a sleepy voice.
“Who knocked on the door?” Fazeela said in a cool voice.
“I don’t know. Do you want eat or have tea?”
I got convinced that I heard the sound of knocking in a dream.
I couldn’t remember the beginning of the dream.
In the last part of the dream when the door was knocked, I was sleeping in the dream too.
It was what confused me.
“I’ll eat!” I told.
The whole day I noticed only one thing.
Fazeela’s unusual stare.
Or could it be a misunderstanding?
Though the swelling was down in my wrist, there were bruises.
It didn’t occur that Fazeela noticed it.
Hence I didn’t talk about that.
I went to office and when I got the time, I switched on Rose’s phone.
There were pictures of me taken by Rose where I was lying unconscious.
The photos weren’t uploaded or sent to any websites or person.
The reason was just one.
It raised questions again.
Where was Rose?
Suddenly a messaged was received.
“Finally you had to turn on the phone,” the message read.
I turned the phone off immediately.
And then I thought to myself.
It could be a message for Rose.
She could be getting so many similar messages?
Who would know that the phone was with me?
When more people started coming to our section, I put the phone in the drawer.
I pretended that I was reading some news on the computer to show them that I was cool.
“A young girl has been murdered!”
The first headline that caught my eyes was that.
According to the news the girl’s name was Shahida.
The police found her early morning.
I thought.
That must be the secret behind the emergency sirens that I heard.
She was on bare foot.
The police were investigating the case.
I got scared.
I felt a sense of happiness too.
I don’t know why I felt sad.
Actually there shouldn’t be any care in my heart for Rose.
I had a heartache.
For Rose’s beauty.
How many opportunities did she have?
How many men would be happy and ready to marry such girls?
How easy would it have been for her to find a good blessed life?
She didn’t deserve such a useless death.
However, a beautiful flower could have a bad smell.
You could get pricked by a colorful flower too.
Surely I learned a valuable lesson.
No matter how much hard work is needed.
I started seeing results within a month.
The problem was something else.
The moment I realize it is a dream, I get too thrilled out of joy.
And then I wake up.
I have to avoid waking up when I already know it’s a dream.
It took days to control it.
Nevertheless I acquired it too.
I want to seek comfort from a dream.
I believe it wasn’t a sin.
I believe it isn’t crazy either.
If it was madness, then climbing a mountain on your foot too would be madness.
To swim across an ocean and to run for twenty four hours too would be crazy.
Different like to do different things.
I finally knew how to control dreams and I got ready to achieve my goal.
I was lying on the bed as the dream started.
I opened the book that lying near.
It looked blurred.
I looked at the clock.
Twice the clock showed two readings.
Some of the numbers were missing from the clock.
Some fingers were missing.
I knew it was a dream but I didn’t get upbeat.
I learned how to control my body.
I thought.
I got the world all to myself.
I can do whatever I want.
No shame, crimes or sins.
But the satisfaction would not change.
I saw Easa when I went out on the road.
He is the president of the party I hate most.
We wouldn’t admit that we see each other even if we stumble and fall.
But, when he saw me he initiated a hand shake.
I found it peaceful instead of getting angry.
I didn’t walk.
I flew to Nuzha's home.
The sky was green.
Male' was abnormally filled with trees.
I landed at Nuzha's house.
Nuzha was sitting in a joali in the house compound.
The house had its old looks.
Nuzha too appeared younger.
Sometimes it felt as if there were other people in the house too.
I went and grabbed Nuzha's hand.
" I love Nuzha so much," I said with no shyness at all.
"So long it has been since I wanted to say this!"
Instead of answering, Nuzha remained like a statue.
For sure she wasn’t happy.
She was astonished.
I thought.
May be she couldn’t believe me.
I held her close to my chest.
Nuzha shuddered and moved away.
That wasn’t how I hoped it to happen.
Nuzha tried to pull her hand away from mine.
I quickly released her hand.
Doesn’t Nuzha love me?
Was it my misunderstanding?
I walked away to leave.
I stopped suddenly.
My heart whispered.
Was Nuzha's approval important in a dream?
What I wanted most was to win Nuzha's love with her approval.
If not, somehow in another way.
I flew back and pushed myself in front of Nuzha.
Like a high jump of a lion.
I grabbed Nuzha's hand.
"Say that you love me!" I commanded her.
I thought it was a dream.
I could see the ocean on both sides.
Waves taking big leaps.
The stars respected the moon.
The clouds in the brightly lit sky kept waving at us.
It was a wonderful night.
In a teal colored dress for the wedding.
She was my first wife.
So beautiful that even the moon would hide behind the clouds when it sees her.
We didn’t have any complaints or anything to talk about.
It was our own decision to love each other.
It was our wedding night.
When the party was over, we went to Hulhumale'.
To the apartment that we had rented.
"Hey love bird!" Haleem who was driving the car flirted.
"Slept?"
Haleem was my closest friend.
He gives company in my sadness and happiness as well.
He is a rich business man.
The car was Haleem's too.
"Right Noora! Don’t you think so?"
Noora smiled.
Felt as if hundreds of flowers bloomed.
I loved Noora for her beauty.
Will my love change with the trending time?
Looks doesn’t last the same always.
The question always nagged my heart.
"What are you looking at?" Noora said softly.
"Why did you marry me Noora?" at last I asked her.
How did I get chosen out of the crowd?
I really want to ask this question.
I am not from Male'.
I don’t have a house in Male' either.
"Can't you love just for no reason?"
Noora gave a very short answer.
I thought about how lucky I was.
Few people could get a wife like Noora.
We didn’t talk much during that short journey.
The car stopped in front of the building of the rented apartment.
It was a nice place.
The apartment was so nice too.
The rent wasn’t low.
Both our salaries sums up to eighteen thousand rufiyaa.
I do extra work too.
When we were lovers, I used to give stunning gifts to Noora.
I take her to posh restaurants.
I spent money to show how much I love Noora.
It was money I had earned on my own.
It is not a sin to buy happiness from that money for someone I love.
I did my calculations before marriage.
The numbers proved that we could live without any difficult after marriage.
We trusted that.
Noora is an active girl.
Noora knows housekeeping and delicious cooking.
Soon a new guest will arrive at our house.
I wanted to save as much possible.
For our child.
Both the families weren’t wealthy.
No one would come to help even if a sudden sickness falls or expense comes up.
I thought about all those things.
At the end of each month we saved a considerable amount of money.
I made sure everything needed for the household was there.
Noora did not need to even mention about the toiletries and clothes.
It was the first birthday of Noora, since our marriage.
Noora was pregnant.
One month pregnant.
We went to a restaurant to celebrate her birthday.
I gave her a bouquet too.
But, I felt Noora wasn’t too happy with it.
"Looks like you are very moody tonight!" I said when I was sure of it.
"No!" Noora exclaimed. 
"Why should I be moody?"
I don’t know why she delayed what she wanted to say.
But Noora couldn’t sleep that night.
I knew Noora couldn’t sleep unless she tells me about it.
I repeated asked the question.
"Do you love me?" Noora asked.
"Don’t you know the answer for that question unless I say it?"
I sat on the bed with my legs in the easy pose.
"Why did you need to ask that question?"
"Nothing!" Noora said unsurely.
"You used to give cool birthday presents.
Dhontha's husband gave an i-phone this time.
See how much he loves Dhontha!"
I understood what happened.
But I was surprised by Noora's narrow thinking.
Noora couldn’t see a thousand things I did for her.
Hence, she shouldn’t weigh the only thing I couldn’t do for her.
I had money.
It was an easy task to buy a phone and gift her.
But Noora had the latest Samsung phone that I got for her last year.
The phone wasn’t broken.
On the other hand we were pregnant for our child.
"I too love you a lot," I told her.
" You know that, Noora.
But purchasing a new phone when you already have one would be such a waste."
Noora couldn’t accept that.
She turned her back.
" But dhontha's husband.."
Noora said up to that.
" Alright we are done with this talk," I cut short the conversation.
"Try to sleep!"
May be I got angry too easily.
But I thought.
Could she compare me with the richest brother-in-law in the family?
I felt a sleep without a word.
The problem was still there when we woke up in the morning.
Noora's four sister too were married.
To people who had houses in Male'.
All except Dhontha were poor.
Their living space was also very small.
But Noora always visit's Dhontha's place.
Noora sees the expensive gifts her Dhontha's husband gets for her.
Noora hoped for such gifts.
Next I Noora brought an i-pad.
Dhontha bought a new one and gave Noora the old one.
By then an unknown strangeness created between us.
Noora's complains piled up.
I knew time was running out.
I loved Noora a lot.
I couldn’t think of a way to save our marriage.
Haleem advised me in that situation.
It was an evening one day.
Noora had taken a shower and got ready.
I took her on my cycle.
Noora asked about where we were going.
I didn’t reply.
First we went to Noora's second sister's house.
Though it was a Male' house, the place was like hole.
The heat was extreme.
The cable TV was suspended.
The tiles were cracked off from places on the floor.
Then we went to the third sister's place.
That place was very small too.
We walked into the talk of high electricity bills.
TV was broken.
And old AC was there in the room.
I took her to the fourth sister's place as well that night.
There room was partitioned.
On one side the children slept.
Hence the room for the couple was tiny.
Guests had to sit on the bed itself.
Only one window was there.
No air circulated.
The wardrobe did not have one of the doors at all.
Noora wanted to own expensive stuff as her friends did.
Can't get rid of those habits at once too.
But, all Noora's complains stopped.
She realized.
Happiness comes when you appreciate rather than complain about what you don’t have .
Love is fragile covering with a strong affection.
Similar to coverings in clothes, love to has its conditions.
Sometimes it is a hope.
Or it could be a dream too.
If the lining of clothes tears off, it will affect the clothing.
Love changes.
My marriage was saved.
I was lucky.
Not everyone would be that lucky.
The only boy I had was Amir.
He was the guardian of the four sisters.
How many prayers and offerings did my wife Azeeza make in the hope of a boy child?
How many vows did she make and how many fasts did she observe?
Azeeza passed away not long after she gave birth to the child.
She asked to give a good upbringing to all the children.
Specially she asked not to let the boy go astray.
Probably it was the initial problem.
I gave special attention to Amir which wasn’t given to other children.
Reasons were many.
The elder daughters were responsible children.
I didn’t have to worry about it.
But Amir was not like that.
Studying was what he hated most.
I had to be strict to make him pray.
Though I didn’t physically harm him, I had to be loud with him.
Amir loved to waste time with a neighborhood gang.
He failed and was dismissed from grade seven.
He started smoking way before he was eighteen.
If I had been lenient on him, people would have said that's the result of treating him so.
I was strict and they said it was the reason.
I tried to teach him some skills when his education failed.
Got jobs from several places for him.
Everything went to waste.
Amir was more interested in theft and gang fights.
He got into drugs.
Afternoon was midnight was Amir.
And midnight was afternoon.
He lost shape and fell noticeably weak.
The expensive stuff in the house started disappearing.
Amir used his brains in the wrong way.
He was good at hiding stuff to police.
I always wished he had used the skills on something else.
No matter how he behaved, Amir was my child.
Who could resist to see his child as a prisoner in jail?
I advised the child to abroad and seek therapy.
Alas, every advice given was nonsense to Amir.
Ultimately I got tired.
I wanted to straighten no matter it required punishing him.
I revealed all his secrets.
I revealed the hiding places of drugs and exposed the robbed stuff.
In the hope of just one thing.
To brighten my child's future.
Amir threatened to kill me, the day police arrested and took him away.
Never in my life I was hurt as much as that day.
If we were blessed with a son, we wouldn’t have had to see this.
Some things don’t happen for the good, I thought.
I closed my eyes patiently.
I prayed in my heart.
Second problem might have been that.
Ever since my child got imprisoned, I saw Azeeza in my dreams.
She pleaded and cried to save Amir out of jail.
I cried with her too.
But I wanted him to be punished.
I waited for June thirteenth.
That was the day Amir was going to be released.
I can never forget that day.
I knew it was Amir who was released.
Looks were very different.
He looked good and hair was decently cut too.
He didn’t look pale like he used to.
He smiled at me.
I couldn’t remember a day Amir smiled in the past.
I thanked god.
I assumed.
Everything is under control now.
My worries has come to an end.
But it was a beginning.
Amir came home in the afternoon.
I was a bit lenient on him rather than being strict in old ways.
When he came home in the evening he looked as if he was on drugs.
He preferred to be alone.
He loved kids.
He tried to eat well.
Did not argue with me.
Did not steal.
Slept early at night.
Did not talk filth.
I was surprised to see so many new changes in him.
He doesn’t have a single penny to spend.
How could he buy drugs?
Will his friends give it free all the time?
I tried to find answers for such questions.
I was at a café.
Visham was next to me.
He was an office mate.
Farhad was with us too.
He was Visham's friend.
One I hadn’t seen before.
"Does he love kids a lot?"Farhad's question was directed at Visham.
"Did he go out of Male'?"
Visham looked at me.
As if he wanted me to answer.
I nodded to both questions by Farhad.
"Sleeps early," Farhad started describing Amir's behavior.
" He wouldn’t talk much or argue.
Would prefer to stay alone mostly.
People might think he is on drugs.
But the real reason is something else.
He is possessed by a Jinn.
The incident must have happened from the island he travelled to.
I gave that information.
I noticed more stuff when I observed Amir, keeping in mind what Farhad had said.
Amir sits alone, and talks to himself.
He pulls an extra chair whenever he sits to take meals.
It appeared as if there was someone with him always.
You only realize it when you think hard.
No matter where I took him on my cycle, he would want to take the route of the new cemetery.
Farhad suddenly had to leave so he left.
Didn’t meet him after that.
Visham did not have Farhad's number.
Farhad was the only one who knew what was wrong with Amir.
Farhad would know the cure too.
But, there was no way to find him.
He does it for friends because of the interest he has on such things.
Amir wants to be alone at all meal times.
He couldn’t explain why.
Amir looks at the chair in front of him.
Soft murmurs something.
It couldn’t be noticed until someone observed really hard.
He would talk to himself even when he takes shower.
He would buy sweets even if I give only five rufiyaa to him.
And he would distribute it to the kids.
If no kids are at home at the time, he would give them to neighboring kids.
Even if Amir faces the TV while watching it, his eyes would be focused elsewhere.
I tried to find out the truth by talking to him.
He would do nothing but keep smiling.
It feels as if he doesn’t want me to know he is looking.
I don’t know what Amir sees from there.
Jinn possess normal people too.
There was no reason why it wouldn’t possess a person on drugs.
No human could cure Amir.
Why should I be worried for getting assistance from elsewhere.
Amir would get up sometimes at midnight.
He would walk all round home.
But doesn’t go out.
Some days when I wake up and check on Amir, he won't be found in his bed.
He would be on the sofa of master bedroom.
Might be on the floor too.
He doesn’t know how he ends up in these places.
Others think that Amir has started drugs again.
He has gone "psycho".
But my heart didn’t want to believe that.
Amir had changed.
I liked the change.
But it wasn’t the same Amir who lived with us before.
This is based on a true story.
It was in the late 70s.
Roads of Male' were peaceful and empty.
Elongating the shadows, the sun was ready to set.
Zahir was standing near the well.
He put the pail into the well and paused for a while.
The frowns appearing on his forehead proved that he was lost in deep thoughts of the past.
Latheefa was showered near the well by Zahir.
She was carried, put on bed, dressed and hair combed by Zahir.
Zahir cooked her favorite food too.
Three sons and three daughters lived in the house.
He did not leave any duties for them to be done for Latheefa.
Zahir loved Latheefa unconditionally.
Until the last breath.
A visiting doctor at hospital said that Latheefa had cancer.
There was no cure.
There wasn’t much time left either.
Latheefa passed away in less than a week of the news.
It was not only Latheefa's body that got buried.
Zahir's reason to live and happiness too was buried.
The voice that brought happiness to his heart had stopped.
He released a deep breath and emptied the pail into the watering can.
 He stopped at the jasmine tree with it.
Latheefa had planted the tree.
The tree was huge and had numerous flowers.
Bloomed flowers and buds.
The atmosphere was filled with the scent of jasmine flowers.
Zahir started watering the plant.
He tried to be strong but tears rolled down from his eyes.
He remembered something Latheefa had said.
This tree would remind you of me on a day I am no more.
Latheefa had said.
Every corner of the house reminded Zahir of Latheefa's memories.
The bed.
The chair Latheefa used to sit.
The platform she used to sit on and recite Quran.
The swing she used to sit on to cut the breadfruit.
Sometimes Zahir felt as if he saw Latheefa.
Felt like she is calling him.
Felt like he could hear her laughter.
Zahir was dying to see her but she was not in sight.
He knew that he can't see her anymore.
Zahir moved out from the house leaving it to children.
He couldn’t bear it anymore.
Zahir had many friends.
Each and every friend had big houses.
With ample space.
There were vacant rooms too at Hameed's place.
Zahir wanted to move to one of those rooms.
It had been days since Hameed was requesting him to.
When Zahir moved, he brought along with him his clothes and Latheefa's cupboard.
Nothing much was in the luggage.
The cupboard was full.
Every Friday after fajr prayers Zahir visits the cemetery.
He waters the jasmine shoot he had planted there.
He cleaned Latheefa's grave area.
He spends sometimes near the cupboard in the evening.
He would replace the jasmine flowers with fresh ones.
He takes Latheefa's dresses and keeps it on his lap and strokes it.
It was as if the hem of the dress saved and kept the tears which fell upon it.
Zahir moved out because he couldn’t bear the memories of Latheefa.
But he couldn’t remain without recalling her memories.
Even if he rarely smiles at friends, happiness became a strange thing for Zahir.
Zahir visits his children.
He checks on his children.
He pays the expenses.
He took the kids to doctor and bought them medicine if required.
The resemblance of their mother on their faces.
The children saw how their father bared the absence of their mother.
The children tried to save the flickering flame of their father's life.
" We are here to look after father," the children discussed with Zahir.
" What would people say about us when you live in another house?"
Zahir listened to what his children had to say.
He agreed.
But Zahir wanted to go back to Latheefa.
" Oh my children don’t worry about father," Zahir kindly told them.
My children, you get on with your lives.
Father has no complaints from you.
I, your father, has done everything I wanted in my life.
This is how I just wanted to spend the rest of my life."
" But what if something happens to you, father?"
Haadhy, the eldest son questioned.
"If such a day comes, come and help me my children," Zahir said in reply.
"Take wherever you want to and treat me.
But for now, let your father be."
The children had no choice but to give in to Zahir's request.
Zahir knew why children worried about their parents when they get old.
Zahir saw the challenges of the last days of human life.
From his wife.
From his friends.
From his relatives and strangers.
Your mother taught me a lot of things.
She never gave me a chance to complain about anything.
I have no jealousy in my heart for anyone.
I have no hidden grudges.
Zahir was sitting on the bed when Hameed came home to sleep.
After a while he gets up.
And again he sits.
He would lift up the pillow.
Hameed watched it for a while.
"What did you lose my dear?" Hameed asked.
Zahir took a deep breath and asked.
"Do you have jasmine flowers!"
" No I don’t have," Hameed said, showing his bare hands.
" I hate the smell of it.
I feel nauseated by the smell of it if someone brings it."
The next Zahir experienced a bit of breathing difficulty when he got up for fajr prayer.
Instead of going to the mosque, Zahir performed prayers at home.
Then he wanted to lie down on bed.
His eyes felt lethargic unlike before.
The eyelashes felt heavy.
And Zahir didn’t know where the sudden smell of jasmine came from.
The stronger the smell, the more he fell into a sleep.
Haadhy came immediately when heard the news of Zahir's death.
For Haadhy it appeared as if his father was sleeping soundly.
Haadhy stood thinking for a while.
How did his father survive so happily with the few he had.
And then he recalled what his father had said.
"Everything happens for a reason," Zahir had said.
 "Father lived with that thinking.
Hence, there was nothing to be angry about.
Nothing to complain about either.
Just live happily and die, that’s it.
Mother would be waiting for me.
Don’t ever let the jasmine tree shrivel."
Zahir smiled, wiping his tears off and nodded.
He hoped he would follow values of his father.
The flowers never ran out.
Anyone who requested for flowers got them for free.
The smell became a memory of a lot of people.
I wanted to become a rich man.
There is not value if the pocket had no money.
If you can't buy coffee for your friends, you are useless.
My friends humiliated me.
Girls didn’t notice me.
Honesty and activeness was not important.
What is important is the dress you wear.
The shoes you wear.
The cool phone you own.
If it's an old model of phone, people felt ashamed to call.
If the cycle isn’t shining, its rear seat would be empty.
I had to live my life like others wanted.
A salary of six thousand wasn’t enough.
I wasn’t capable of a higher job post.
Shabana was the rhythm of my heart.
She was a beautiful girl.
She grabs the eyes of men on the road.
I ride a wave cycle.
Been a few since a piece of my license plate was broken.
Being several months since my cycle seat was torn.
One mirror of the cycle was missing.
The cycle had lost it's shine at some places too.
Every month I hope to repair those things.
But the money gets over before I am able to do it.
I borrow money from people.
I owe so much to people by the time I get next salary.
I could have earned a penny more only if I had the qualification.
I wasted my school days by having fun.
I came to Male' from island hoping for a good job.
Would there be any one silly than me?
Who would give a good job for an uneducated person?
Days went by and I wasn’t wealthy.
Shabana couldn’t understand.
I hide to Shabana the real reason why I don’t order meals when we go to restaurants.
I cover it up with a clever lie.
Shabana insisted to marry.
I couldn’t think of an excuse.
I married Shabana.
Rented a room and moved to that place.
We paid the rent on time since both of us were working.
But we had to be careful on expenses.
I made up another lie to stop eating at the restaurants.
I pretended that I didn’t have time to go for rides because of work.
Avoiding rides avoided the need to go to restaurant.
Shabana complained.
I gave her false hope that things would get better in future.
But I knew things couldn’t change without enough money.
I did family planning really well.
I decided not to get us pregnant before I had a better job.
And then wife got pregnant.
The water reached my nose from the neck.
Shabana had to quit job because of excessive vomiting.
Friends refused to lend money since I wasn’t able to pay them back.
My brain went bonkers.
One day I went with a friend who wanted to purchase a phone.
I stared at the nice phones there, wishing for them so badly.
I wanted that too.
"How many inches TV you are looking for?" I heard a man ask.
The voice sounded familiar so I looked back.
It was Munsir smiling at me.
Munsir was already working at the same office when I joined.
A person almost like me.
A friend who wanted to be rich yet couldn’t achieve his dreams.
I friendship grew because of our common thinking.
Munsir quit the job in a few days.
But the Munsir I saw from the shop had changed.
The shirt and perfume he was wearing told me another story.
Munsir is a millionaire.
I stood lost for words and then he showed me the latest i-phone out of his pocket.
"My dream!" Munsir said.
"How did you reach this level?" I asked.
"Don’t ask about that," Munsir's answer was short.
"Do you want to reach that level?
You just have to say yes and that’s all.
Leave the rest to me!
Just one full month.
You don’t have to spend even a penny.
You will profit in thousands."
I couldn’t believe.
I instantly agreed.
Munsir met me again that night.
There were two other men with Munsir.
I didn’t know them.
But all of them had the latest phones and watches.
They had credit cards and five hundred dollar notes.
They were into dollar business.
The methods were easy.
They were intelligent.
I didn’t want to think twice.
I agreed happily.
"It is important that you remain in your job," Munsir convinced me.
"You will get more contact if you stay in your job."
Munsir clearly explained what was expected of me.
I had to collect money in advance from the dollar buyers.
They sell it ten cents cheaper than the bank rate.
When they receive the money, it is divided into three accounts.
Each group works separately.
Different people go to different countries.
We had to go to Lanka.
The cash is withdrawn from Lanka ATMs and the Lankan rupees are multiplied by gambling.
Dollars are bought for that money.
"A hundred percent guarantee theory it is," Munsir knocked on the table and said.
"Zero risk!"
"But what if we lose in gambling?" I asked.
"The first thing," Munsir said by indicating one with his finger.
"Trust! You have to trust me.
Second thing.
We now know how the casino is run.
We have our people there.
We got good connection with them.
You could try and see!"
I joined the dollar business.
I collected money from people.
First payment from two people.
Maldivian money equivalent to three hundred dollars from each person.
We went to Lanka.
Munsir was familiar to the place.
It was my first time.
I observed carefully.
I lost once.
All the other times I won.
The profit was huge.
I came Male' by the promised date and handed over the dollars to them.
I visited Lanka, had great food, had lots of fun and still had four thousand rufiyaa in my saving.
It wasn’t even two days since I came to Male', I was ready to leave to Lanka again.
I was impatient.
Since I kept my word, more people gave money in advance on the second time.
I took bigger amounts.
I saved eight thousand rufiyaa that trip.
The dollar business grew rapidly.
I took money in twenty and twenty five thousands.
I learned the tactics of gambling.
I made myself comfortable on the first step.
Munsir handed a glass on beer to me.
I looked sideways and sipped a bit.
I climbed the second step.
The Russian girls were there.
They gave service like no other.
Why should I worry?
Soon I was able to pay my debts.
I rented an apartment.
By the time I got a child, I had wings.
I got my wings in the air started flying soaring high.
Shabana didn’t ask me how I earned.
Even when I get for her whatever she asked for.
The more I earned, the more greedy I got for money.
I deposited money in lakhs the next trip.
We lived like kings in Lanka.
I headed above the clouds.
Suddenly my wing broke off.
All the gambling money got over and I fell down real hard from top.
I sold some expensive belongings.
It didn’t compensate.
Let alone dollars, the Maldivian currency also got over.
There was enough to pay back even one person.
I came Male' empty handed.
The people who trusted me didn’t confront me with any questions.
They were too sure they would receive the dollars by the agreed time.
The day came.
The day passed.
The first person questioned.
I gave an excuse.
The second person questioned.
I lied.
One week passed.
People got suspicious.
I took a leave from job.
And then came a scary phone call.
"I should get back the twenty thousand I gave by tonight."
Hamid's tone was harsh.
Not only that call.
I knew I would receive several such calls.
People had given me huge amounts.
Hamid was the one who had given the least amount.
"You will receive the dollars this week," I lied.
Even now it's there.
But taking time to convert them to high-value notes.
You will get an additional discount too.
"May be what I said isn’t clear," Hamid was very angry.
"I am saying that I should get back the twenty thousand rufiyaa by tonight.
I am not talking about dollars now.
I know what mischief you guys got into.
Remember! I will call you tonight at nine o'clock.
I will not be responsible for what they do."
Hamid disconnected the call and didn’t give me a chance to say anything more.
I had only around six hundred rufiyaa in my account.
There was no one who would lend me twenty thousand rufiyaa.
Only few hours were remaining.
I went to two people begging for money.
None of them admitted that they had money.
I didn’t have much of a choice.
I had to wake up from the beautiful dream too soon.
I didn’t have anything in possession that would gain me a considerable amount of money.
Shabana would not agree to move from that nice apartment.
If I go against her will she would create chaos.
The problem above all was to find twenty thousand rufiyaa for Hamid.
I failed.
"I need a four month installment payback," I requested.
" I actually what has happened is.."
" Two weeks," it wasn’t important for Hamid to listen to what I wanted to say.
"Today is day one.
I will call after thirteen days."
The other people who had given me money started calling.
I didn’t answer to some of them.
I covered up every call that in answered with a lie.
I lied to Shabana too.
I made it look like the rent was raised too high and moved to a single room.
The room wasn’t new.
It needed repairing that was necessary.
But nothing could be done.
I tried to be patient.
I called Hamid before the end of thirteen days.
I pleaded.
Hamid agreed on one condition.
That is, to go to ATM with Hamid on the day of Salary and give the whole salary money to him.
I agreed.
I had to hide from a lot of people.
Everyone realized that there was something wrong.
And then came the thirtieth of the month.
I decided to buy some stuff which were really necessary to buy.
If I give all the money to Hamid, I won't be able to survive.
But Hamid was at the office door when I came out.
Immediately I had to get on his cycle.
He took me to the ATM.
He took all my salary.
I called Munsir.
All of them lived wealthily.
None of them had sad or worried faces.
It would be so.
Only people like get trapped.
The ones who takes money from people.
"Actually I am the one who lost," I complained.
"Everybody is running after me.
But I am not the one who used the money.
Why don’t you give some amount monthly please."
"It wasn’t me either," Munsir also tried to escape.
Didn’t I give you the time we had profit.
You don’t get when u lose it."
"But didn’t you say that this wouldn’t happen."
I reminded him.
I knew it was useless talking.
But I had nowhere else to go.
"This is business," said Munsir.
You will lose if you don’t know to play the game well too.
You still have a way out.
Borrow money from someone and let's go for a round.
I disconnected the call.
I didn’t want to fall deeper into the trap that I was already in.
I was near my office.
Suddenly to motorbikes stopped.
Navaaz was on one cycle.
I took one lakh rufiyaa from him.
"Climb!" he commanded.
I didn’t know the people on the second cycle.
Their intentions were clear by their looks alone.
I was on duty.
Yet I climbed on the cycle.
None of them spoke on the way.
Their looks were merciless.
I was taken to carnival area on Navaaz's cycle.
They entered the place where they were fewest people.
After everybody took seats at the table, one of them pulled out a knife.
And cut the knife into the table.
"If you don’t return one lakh rufiyaa today, you will be gone."
The first thing itself was the threat.
I looked at Navaaz.
His face read.
I have nothing to say.
His face was cold as a rock.
I know.
One lakh is a huge amount.
However I didn’t have a single penny of it.
"I want…" I could say that much only.
"You both have talked a lot, isn’t it," the person nearest to me said.
You lie, create confusion and doesn’t even answer calls.
There is nothing to talk with Navaaz now.
What we want is one lakh rufiyaa.
I never begged from a person as much as I did from Navaaz.
There was no other way.
Navaaz agreed.
There after I had to go to take salary with Navaaz on his cycle.
Part of it had to be paid to Hamid as well.
I started doing extra work after office.
I could hardly compensate for the family expenses from that money.
My friends knew the truth.
They say I should threaten Munsir.
I hesitated to do so.
My friends say that I am a coward.
Munsir took full advantage of it.
It was true.
I pretended I wasn’t scared when I went to fight with Munsir.
"You have to be equally responsible for it," I gathered the courage to face Munsir.
All participated in doing this.
The loss too should be equally divided.
Or else we will meet further in the police station.
I have evidence.
Munsir gave a weird look for a while.
He took his phone.
"This kind of evidence?"Munsir showed his phone screen to me.
Munsir had my pictures on his phone a lot.
Pictures of me drinking.
Pictures of me with Russian girls.
Pictures of gambling.
Munsir had videos too.
"I have been in this business for ages," Munsir had sarcasm in his tone.
This is a one way road.
Then I could live peacefully.
You too could live.
"I'll see to that!" I pretended to be brave and said that.
I only tried to show I had the guts.
The result was bitter.
Shabana was at the laptop when I came home.
All the pictures and videos Munsir had was on the laptop screen.
I was lost for words.
Shabana wept tears one after the other.
I heard her weep even after I gave my back to her.
I committed all the crimes.
Shabana was the one who got hurt.
She didn’t deserve such a punishment.
The game isn’t over yet.
This is based on a true story.
When you get into an accident, you think.
If only I hadn’t travelled on that road.
When your heart breaks, you think.
If only I didn’t give my heart away.
What else can you call life rather than consequences of decisions you make.
I said no.
I tried to justify the consequences.
My weakness was love.
I wasn’t happy that day too.
Nobody knows how hurt I am today.
I observed from a distance as everyone had fun at the beach.
But Hana was mine.
My brother would not love her as much as I did.
Hey all come eat!
I heard mother call.
We came to Nolhivaranfaru on our holiday.
The homeland of my wife Sudha.
The trip was organized by mother.
I gave a lot of excuses.
I didn’t want to go out of the house.
Sudha didn’t give up.
She thinks I need a vacation.
To relax my mind.
To forget what had happened.
But that wasn’t possible.
You can't forget the memories by travelling away from Male'.
The memories of our beloved son Nahid.
His death was sudden.
He was only seven.
Doctors couldn’t figure out the cause.
He wasn’t sick at all.
Wasn’t injured either.
He fainted while he was playing.
He was already dead when taken to hospital.
I imprisoned myself at home due to the great loss.
Sudha lost appetite.
Couldn’t sleep either.
I neither be of help to her nor could manage myself either.
It was then we started receiving the care of sister-in-law.
She was good to Sudha.
I got a share from every meal cooked for brother.
We receive lots of gifts from Sudha's home land.
 Sudha's parents kept requesting to come to the island.
That was the reason behind the trip to Nolhivaranfaru.
Brother was of a different character.
His happiness always comes first.
His thing is playing football even when we lived in the island.
Going fishing.
His wife and kid would be left alone.
I try to live in my own world.
Sudha had many relatives.
Always some people would come to invite us in the evening.
Some days we get invited for tea from two houses even.
Sudha is very talks a lot.
Soon she was back to normal.
That was the aim of relatives.
I feel lethargic.
I go out when people start to talk too much.
For one other reason too.
Sister-in-law and her child would follow me too.
Her child was of the same age as mine.
Difference is she is a girl.
They had similar personalities.
We had a close relationship.
Did she miss the love of a father because brother was too busy?
She listens to me more than brother at cranky times.
Do you know what she said today even?
That she doesn’t want to go back home.
We were on the beach making sandcastles.
It was evening.
It was best for me not to stay there.
But I didn’t feel like leaving either.
"Is it only she who doesn’t want to back to Male'?" I asked.
"What about her mom?"
Sister-in-law gave it a thought.
She stroke her hands on her daughters forehead.
I knew her personality.
She doesn’t talk of impossible things.
She doesn’t complain.
She was strong.
"I don’t mind any place," sister-in-law smiled and said.
"As long as I get what I want.
My husband is a very busy man.
But you are a free person.
My daughter wouldn’t miss a father.
Can I ask something?
People say there is a rock for every fish.
Where is my rock?"
Brother loved the one he wants.
Married too by the same rule.
They couldn’t conceive a child.
Yet they didn’t want to get separated.
It was a happy day.
Everybody hoped that the love would strengthen.
It didn’t happen.
The weather changed.
Had to face a long rainy season.
Nevertheless brother went fishing.
It wasn’t favorable weather for fishing.
None had doubts on it.
Brother comes empty handed from fishing.
I got suspicious.
I spied on brother.
His fishing had nothing to do with the ocean.
I couldn’t understand.
"I am so stupid."
I told Sudha at bedtime.
Sudha couldn’t understand what I said.
She wanted details.
"What else can I say," I told her.
"He married the one he wanted most.
Finally he got a kid too.
After all that, did he know to have an affair with a person from my wife's island?
I can't really understand, I must be stupid."
We talked about it late into the night.
It was raining even then.
Sudha didn’t reply to any of my talks.
She turned to the other side.
"I don’t see those kinds of things," Sudha said.
"They are grown up adults.
She is a relative of mine.
I thought I wouldn’t let anyone come to know of it from me.
Now you know it.
"Don’t get into the matter, Sudha!"
I said immediately.
It started a fight between us by that.
We never got into arguments.
Sudha thought I was trying to hide brothers secret and protecting him as a younger brother.
I tried to make her understand but failed.
I thought.
It would have been better if hadn’t brought up the subject.
Again I said something I wasn’t supposed to say.
"If they get separated what will happen to the child?" I asked.
Sudha believes that it is not my concern to think about the child.
I didn’t talk in opposition.
Though I could.
I couldn’t think of what to say.
I lied down on bed and closed my eyes.
Not because I was sleepy suddenly.
I recalled that day again.
Life is a consequence of your decisions.
I was faced with a difficult decision to make.
I refused but ultimately agreed.
For parents.
It was a big family secret.
Only three people knew about it.
Brother, mother and father.
The following day was rainy too.
It was a windy day.
The seas were extremely rough too.
But the tides at home changed immensely.
Sudha didn’t give up on the mission to expose brother.
I begged her.
I advised her to mind her own business.
Sudha was no less than a lawyer.
That’s what would happen too.
She was at her own home.
At her parents.
I couldn’t expose the truth either.
Sudha exploded the bomb when everyone was at the table for breakfast.
It was as if I heard it explode too.
Brother divorced sister-in-law and immediately left the house.
I wasn’t shocked.
I would have been shocked if it didn’t happen so.
Sister-in-law took her daughter.
Brother made arrangements for the second marriage.
Brother wasn’t hurt by the absence of the child.
I know the feeling.
Brother was infertile.
Brother didn’t like any of the sperm donors abroad.
He liked me.
Hana is mine.
But even now I wish.
If I only I didn’t do it.
"Mom!" softly Nadiya whispered.
His eyes were green.
===============================================
I've already seen it.
I've been here for two days.
I've heard Maldives is a beautiful place.
I've never done that.
I've never seen that before.
I've seen it.
I've worked there for five years.
Just a little.
Just a moment.
Let me check.
Let me think about it.
Let's go have a look.
Let's go.
Let's meet in front of the hotel.
Let's practice English.
Let's share.
Male of Female?
Maybe.
More than 200 miles.
More than that.
My birthday is May 2nd.
My car isn’t working.
My car was hit by another car.
My cell phone doesn’t have good reception.
My cell phone doesn’t work.
My daughter is here.
My father has been there.
My father is a lawyer.
My friend is American.
My grandmother passed away last year.
My house is close to the bank.
My luggage is missing.
My son.
My stomach hurts.
My throat is sore.
My watch has been stolen.
Near the bank.
Never mind.
Next time.
Nice to meet you.
No problem.
No, I'm Maldivian.
No, thank you.
No, this is the first time.
No.
Nobody is helping us.
Nobody is there right now.
Nonsense.
Not recently.
Not yet.
Nothing else.
Now or later?
Of course.
Okay.
On the left.
On the right.
On the second floor.
One like that.
One ticket to Hulhumale' please.
One way or round trip?
Open the door.
Open window.
Outside the hotel.
Over here.
Over there.
Pick up your clothes.
Please call me.
Please come in.
Please count this for me.
Please fill out this form.
Please sit down.
Please speak English.
Please speak more slowly.
Please speak slower.
Please take me to the airport.
Please take me to this address.
Please take off your shoes.
Please tell her I called.
Please tell me.
Please wait for me.
Please write down.
Really?
Right there.
Right here.
Right now.
See you later.
See you tomorrow.
See you tonight.
She wants to know when you're coming.
She's an expert.
She's going with me tomorrow.
She's older than me.
She's pretty.
Should I wait?
Someone does that for me.
Someone is coming.
Sorry to bother you.
Sometimes I go to sleep at 11pm.
Sorry, I didn’t hear clearly.
Sorry, I don’t have a pencil.
Sorry, I think I have the wrong number.
Sorry, we don’t accept credit cards.
Sorry, we don’t have any vacancies.
Sorry, we don’t have any.
Sorry, we only accept cash.
Start the car.
Stop.
I am doing business.
I am looking for a job.
I am a housewife.
I am a father.
She is my mother.
He is my elder brother.
This is my younger brother.
She is my elder sister.
She is my younger sister.
He is my grandfather.
She is my grandmother.
He is my neighbor.
He is my classmate.
He is my colleague.
How are you?
How is life?
How are things?
How is your married life?
Fine.
I am fine.
Fantastic.
Fit as a fiddle.
What about you?
I am fine and you?
How about you?
How is your father?
How is your mother?
How is your brother?
How is your sister?
He is fine.
Oh, well.
He is doing fine.
How is everybody?
How is everybody at home?
Everybody is fine.
All are fine.
May I know your name?
Your name please?
Your good name please?
What's your name?
I am Mohamed.
What are you?
What do you do?
Where do you work?
Where are you working?
I am working in Google.
I am working as a Advertising Agent.
What is your father?
What is he?
Where does he work?
He is working as a doctor.
Where do you live?
Where are you living?
Where is your residence?
I live in London.
I am residing at London.
Where are you from?
Which is your native town?
You belong to which place?
Where does he live?
He lives at Paris in France.
They live in at Paris in France.
What is you educational qualification?
What is your qualification?
How far have you studied?
I am an Engineer.
I am a graduate in Engineering.
Could you tell us something about your family?
Ours is a large family.
Ours is a small family.
Ours is an orthodox family.
Ours is a modern, liberal family.
There are eight members in our family.
There are four members in our family.
We are six people at home.
I have two brothers and a sister.
We are two brothers and a sister at home.
I have three brothers and two sisters.
What type of person are you?
I am frank.
I am bold.
I am rather shy.
I am friendly.
I am reserved by nature.
I am very strict.
I am outspoken.
I am always positive.
My father is very honest.
My brother is very adamant.
My sister is very innocent.
My mother is very affectionate.
My friend is very reliable.
You belong to which place?
Which is your home town?
I belong to New York.
How many hours drive?
It's about 8 hour journey by road.
How is the weather like?
The weather is hot.
The weather is rather hot.
Take a chance.
Take it outside.
Take this medicine.
Tell him that I need to talk to him.
Tell me.
Thank you miss.
Thank you sir.
Thank you very much.
Thank you.
Thanks for everything.
Thanks for your help.
That car is similar to my car.
That car over there is mine.
That looks great.
That looks old.
That smells bad.
That restaurant is not expensive.
That way.
That’s a good school.
That’s alright.
That’s enough.
That’s fair.
That’s her book.
That’s it.
That’s not enough.
That’s not fair.
That’s not right.
That’s right.
That’s too bad.
That’s too expensive.
That’s too late.
That’s too many.
That’s too much.
That’s wrong.
The accident happened at the intersection.
The big one or the small one?
The book is behind the table.
The book is in front of the table.
The book is near the table.
The book is on the table.
The book is on top of the table.
The book is under the table.
The books are expensive.
The car is fixed.
The cars are American.
The food was delicious.
The roads are slippery.
The TV is broken.
The whole day.
There are many people here.
There are some apples in the refrigerator.
There are some books on the table.
There has been a car accident.
They arrived yesterday.
They'll be right back.
They're planning to come next year.
There's plenty of time.
How is the new house?
The new house is very convenient.
The house is spacious.
The house is big.
The house is beautiful.
The house is lovely.
When are you moving to the new house?
Are you letting out your house?
How about water?
There is no water problem at all.
There is plenty of water.
There is scarcity of water.
There is a well but the water is brackish.
The water is hard.
The water is soft.
I feel happy.
I feel shy.
I feel hungry.
I feel thirsty.
I feel sleepy.
I feel tired.
I feel giddy.
I feel guilty.
I feel feverish.
I feel powerful.
I don’t feel like eating anything.
I don’t feel like talking to anybody.
I don’t feel like going out.
I don’t feel like watching TV.
I don’t feel like walking fast.
Attend to the phone.
Arrange the books in order.
Bolt the door.
Bring them here.
Bear in mind.
Call them in.
Okay, come to the point.
Do the home work.
Eat slowly.
Forget the past.
Give it to them.
Hide it up somewhere.
Keep your word.
Listen to me.
Lock the door.
Mind your tongue.
Mind your business.
Mind the steps.
Make a note of it.
Meet me tomorrow.
Get up.
Wake him up.
Get dressed quickly.
Switch off the TV.
Keep the change.
Remind me.
Return it safely.
Reduce the volume.
Remember the date.
Put on your shirt.
Send him out.
Meet them in person.
Note the address.
Pay the bill.
Show him around the city.
Throw it out.
Take them with you.
Take these tablets for three days.
Read them aloud.
Don’t disturb me.
Don’t talk about that.
Don’t waste my time.
Don’t go there.
Don’t ask me anything.
Don’t talk to me.
Don’t cry.
Don’t make noise.
Don’t quarrel with him.
Don’t eat too much.
Don’t beat around the bush.
Don’t move.
Don’t make me angry.
Don’t beat him.
Don’t tell lies.
Don’t rush me.
Don’t confuse me.
Don’t get angry.
Don’t keep the door open.
Don’t spend all the money.
Don’t think that you are clever.
Are you ready?
Are you free now?
Are you angry with me?
Are you afraid of them?
Are you tired?
Are you married?
Are you employed?
Are you interested in that?
Are you awake?
Are you aware of that?
Are you not well?
Are they your relatives?
Are they from abroad?
Are the shops open?
Are you satisfied now?
Are you joking?
What is your aim in life?
What is you hobby?
What date is today?
What station is it?
What is your sister's name?
What is his name?
What is your opinion?
What are you?
What is the name of that girl?
What do you think of him?
What do you do on Sundays?
What do you want?
What did you say?
What did he ask you?
What did you buy?
What do you do?
What did you do?
What will you do?
What are you doing?
What have you decided?
Where are you coming from?
Where are you now?
Where are my books?
Where do you live?
Where did you meet him?
Where is he working now?
Where have you kept the book?
Where are you buying the vegetables?
Where do you buy the vegetables?
Where is your brother now?
When is your birthday?
When is the next train?
When are you going to Delhi?
When did you return from Maldives?
When did you meet him last?
When did you join this course?
When will they come?
When are you completing the computer course?
Who is he?
Who is that man standing over there?
Who are you?
Who are you to command me?
Who said?
Who told you?
Who switched off the light?
Who asked you?
Who called you?
Who told you that I was not well?
Who do you suspect?
With whom did you come?
Whom did you come with?
Which is your home town?
Which is your bag?
Which one do you want?
Which colour do you want?
Which bus goes to Hulhumale'?
Whose book is this?
Whose mistake is it?
Whose handwriting is this?
Why is he dull?
Why is the train late?
Why are you late?
Why are you laughing?
Why are you shouting like this?
Why are you getting angry unnecessarily?
Why are you staring at me?
Why are you asking me?
Why are you telling me all this?
Why do you always wear blue shirts?
Why do you worry?
Why did you beat him?
Why did you resign the job?
Then, why did you call me?
Why did you go there?
Then, why did you ask me to come?
Why did you spend all the money?
Why did you behave like that?
Why didn’t you apply for the job?
Why didn’t you inform me?
Is he binding a book?
Is he bringing a file?
Is he buying fruits?
Is he giving the book?
Is he learning English?
Is he paying the fee?
Is he running?
Is she calling you?
Is she writing a letter?
Is she cutting a tree?
Is she reading a novel?
Is she calling your sister?
Is the bus coming?
Is it raining?
Is the machine working?
Is he taking your cell phone?
Is your mother preparing food?
How is the movie?
How is it?
How do you manage?
How do you know that?
How do you find the course?
How do I know that?
How often do you go there?
How did you reach there?
How did you get there?
How did they escape?
How did you locate the house?
How did you convince them?
How many rooms are there in that house?
How many brothers do you have?
How much is it?
How long will you wait?
How far the bank from here?
Thanks a lot.
Thank you very much.
You have been a great help.
I will never forget your timely help.
It was nice of you to arrange everything at a short notice.
I don’t know how to thank you.
I really don’t know how to express my thanks to you.
I am very grateful to you.
I don’t find words to express my thanks to you.
Thank you for reminding me.
Thanks for calling.
That’s OK.
That’s alright.
No problem.
Don’t mention it.
You are welcome.
How dare you talk to me like that?
Were you out of your mind to do such a thing?
Stop telling me what to do and mind your business.
Are you trying to make a fool of me?
I have come to the end of my patience.
Don’t try my patience.
What the hell do you want?
You are always complaining about something.
What the devil are you doing there?
Do you think you are very smart?
Do you think I am not aware of it?
Behave yourself, otherwise I will neck you out.
How are you concerned with my affairs?
Get out of my sight.
Go to hell.
Get lost.
Don’t lose your temper.
Keep cool.
Keep yourself cool.
Don’t worry.
Everything will go off well.
Stop worrying.
Everything will be alright.
It was nobody's fault.
Why do you worry?
There is nothing to be nervous about.
Everybody makes mistakes sometimes you know.
Forget it.
Anyone can make a mistake.
I am sure it was not your fault and everybody knows it.
Nothing like that will happen again.
Why fear when I am here?
Why fear as long as I am with you?
I too have the same problem.
Tears don’t solve any problem.
There is always a solution to any problem.
Through thick and thin I will stand by you.
Rain or shine, I will stand by you.
Whatever is destined to happen, will happen.
Life is not suffering all the time.
Nothing can be achieved by feeling depressed like this.
That’s the way it is.
But finding a lover is something you have to do on your own.
My sister has a husband.
There is three hours left for commencement of younger sister's wedding reception.
Finding a lover is not hard for them.
Sister's marriage is on the verge of breaking.
Sister knows who to marry next too.
I was single.
Didn’t come across any one interesting.
Can't count the number of relationships I had.
Every time I hope that he is going to be the last person.
With the intention of giving the key to my heart and making him my husband.
At some point I my sharp eyes spot the flaws of the person.
When I spot it, I say to myself.
That’s not a problem.
Again I spot another flaw.
I convince my heart not to worry about it either.
But the flaws keep increasing and ultimately I can't bear it anymore and break it off.
My conditions are not many.
As long as the person looks good, and doesn’t smoke, that’s enough for me.
It is ok if he has a strong built body even if his face isn’t too handsome.
If he promises to quit smoking after marriage, that do would do fine.
However, there is one condition I don’t let go of.
The person has to be of Leo Horoscope.
I am a Gemini.
Only a Leo can keep me happy.
The book says so.
I have never met a man of Leo horoscope.
That is the problem.
What if I don’t meet a "Leo" even when I get old?
That’s the fear.
Once in a while mother would talk about the importance of marriage.
But mother doesn’t say that she is concerned about me not getting married.
Probably mother thinks I wouldn’t understand the point she is trying to make.
I know.
Mother gets scared.
Mother is having doubts about me.
How I wish I could reveal the truth?
I am a woman with complete senses.
I don’t have a "different" thinking.
I just don’t come across a person that I like.
Different kinds of thoughts ran in my mind while I was doing my makeup to attend the reception.
I went to Dharubaaruge with mother.
I saw the people coming in as couples and thought.
Are they all married to the people they love?
The one that they wanted most?
Or do they just get married to anyone just to start a life?
Should I also marry someone I don’t love just to make others happy?
A message was retrieved to the phone in my hand.
I looked at the phone.
"Let's meet shall we!" Arif's message read.
"We have talked enough without seeing each other already!"
I met Arif on face book.
It has been eight months since we became friends.
That’s quite a long period as far as I am considered.
Usually I get bored sooner.
Arif is a great entertainer.
He never runs out of words.
The problem is only one.
Arif is not a Leo.
Would Arif be eligible to fill the job of my husband?
"Let's!" I wrote back.
"Text me when you fix a place!"
I shook hands with my younger sister.
I also wished to become a wife when I saw the couple.
More than before.
The wait for the perfect man has dragged too long.
It was much difficult than I thought it would be.
How I wish I would like Arif?
I wanted it to end in some way somehow.
It was next day.
I went to "Citron" restaurant.
The restaurant which was near the sea in Male' Carnival area was an awesome place.
The breezes from the sea and the waves breaking on the dam brings happiness to you’re the heart.
Kids playing in the park next to the place brings childhood memories.
The different colours of sea, lagoon and ocean lights up your brain.
There were no empty seats at the ground floor of the restaurant.
Luckily Arif had invited to meet him on the first floor of that place.
According to how he appeared on face book, Arif is a handsome man.
He works at a gym.
He was almost the same age as me.
According to the photos I saw, he appeared to have a strong built body.
I climbed from the stairs.
I took the last step up and looked around.
Arif waved at me.
I smiled and walked towards Arif.
I sat on the chair Arif pulled out for me.
For the first time we met eyes.
Arif was handsome.
His body shape showed off from the tight t-shirt he was wearing.
Looked like the perfect work of a talented carpenter.
Didn’t smell of cigarettes.
Second condition was fulfilled.
"What shall we order?" I heard Arif's voice for the first time.
Arif's voice wasn’t as heavy as I expected.
Words were clear.
I ticked it.
In my point of view, a list was in front of me.
I had the pen.
I can tick however I want to.
Arif tried to read my face.
I made him fail.
I looked around far.
To my right, Funadhoo was in the view.
It was the time of sunset and had its signs on the sky.
I thought.
Another day of life is coming to an end.
How good would it be if the sun set with sweet hopes?
"I was invited to a coffee," I said in an amusing tone.
"So it’s a coffee I want."
Arif gave the order.
Most of the time I kept thinking.
Is it Arif who would come into my life?
According to face book Arif was a Scorpio.
He wouldn’t be a bad person.
Love and anger would be almost the same.
He would be loving.
Will get angry easily.
Would have a sense of good humour like me.
But the style of thinking would be shallow.
Will be hasty in making decisions.
A lot of problems would arise living with a Gemini.
It is so clear yet should I close my eyes to that?
"What are you thinking of?" Arif asked.
"I'm not thinking anything," I lied.
"Do you believe in horoscopes?"
"Horoscope is not important." Arif said.
"What's important is the heart."
"What you believe."
A person who doesn’t understand horoscopes would say that.
If Arif believed in horoscopes, I would have said.
Leo is the perfect one for a Gemini.
Appreciating things, being caring and determination exists in a Leo.
Arif's horoscope didn’t have the attracting power.
But the power of magic was strong.
He won the hearts of sister and younger sister before the second encounter.
My sister encouraged me to marry Arif.
I requested for time to think about it but she didn’t listen.
The subject of marriage hit the ears of my parents.
He convinced them.
I thought.
I'll let it be.
If others can live a life being married to a person they don’t love, I too can do it.
We set the clock ahead of time to avoid getting late to places.
But it does no good as long as it is in your mind.
Similar thing happened to me too.
However much I tried to live together, I knew it wouldn’t work out.
We started having disagreements in the first week.
Arif's thinking is too narrow.
I was ready to face that yet I couldn’t bear it.
Every day dawned with a new problem.
Arif was good to everyone at home.
His good qualities were many.
I couldn’t see anything good in Arif.
I couldn’t seek happiness from that marriage.
I tried to be strong till the emerging of depression signs and then quit.
My sister's marriage was saved.
My marriage broke off.
It was a disgrace to the whole family.
I lied on my bed looking at my divorce certificate.
I knew long before that it would happen.
Arif is not a Leo.
The whole problem was that.
Scorpio and Gemini are two horoscopes that are hard to work out.
I suddenly got up.
I quickly opened the cupboard and looked at the marriage certificate.
There was no difference.
I froze.
It was as if I became a statue.
Why didn’t I look carefully before?
Was it because I believed too well?
Was it because my eyes were seeking only faults that I didn’t see anything else?
The sentence Arif said still lingered in my ears.
Horoscope is not what is important.
But ones heart.
What you believe.
Arif is actually a Leo.
I am a volleyball player.
A business man.
I am a successful person in both fields.
I am tall, with straight hair and own a heavy voice.
I am a hardworking man with several features that girls fall for.
I made Hidaya my life partner.
She is the one I loved most.
I first wanted a boy.
Next I wanted a girl.
It turned out so too.
Everything I wanted got fulfilled.
I got all the happiness I wished for.
I was only twenty three when I got a spot on the list of most popular business men.
I knew.
Not everyone in my family was that lucky.
However it's not a fault that my lucky star shined in the sky.
It was the night of the National Volleyball match.
The moment I was sure our team would win.
I shot the ball and landed hurting my leg.
It wasn’t abnormal.
Even the most talented players also might get hurt in the leg.
I stepped down from the match.
My team won the trophy.
I had to leave the team.
I had to see the team losing, being unable to compensate for my absence.
Match after match.
It was a difficult thing to watch.
I took all the treatments available from Maldives.
It didn’t heal completely.
I went abroad too.
I was able to cope with the daily life.
But the pain comes back as soon as I start playing.
At last I gave up playing.
Volley is my heart.
I played volley to overcome the stressing moments of life.
I met Hidaya first on the mission to teach volley to her office people.
I found it difficult staying away from a game that was so connected to my life.
No matter how much I wanted to get rid of thoughts, I couldn’t.
I lost appetite.
I lost the interest in business.
I handed over the shop to the manager and stepped aside.
If it profits, then it is.
Even if it doesn’t, I don’t care.
The bond between each other in my family was strong.
It appeared to be so.
If something happens to one, all others will be there to help.
As I wrapped the blanket of despair around me, they pulled it off.
They took me out of my imprisoned room.
Against my wish.
It was at that point the flickering dying flame sparked back.
I was a bit okay and went to the shop to see that the business was in bad shape.
The stock was insufficient, and too many confusions.
The attempt to straighten the business was unsuccessful, having to battle with the hurt leg.
I couldn’t pay the loan and fell deeply in debt.
I was impatient.
Somehow I wanted to save my business.
It was in front of my eyes.
I thought.
How will I feed my kids and wife if I go bankrupt?
Just was I was about to go insane, a friend gave me an idea.
"I can give you an idea," Naushad extended a helping hand.
"I give the guarantee that your leg pain will away if you do this."
Business too would spruce up.
"What you have to do is go to Lanka."
I bought a ticket and left to Lanka that day.
With high hopes.
I reached Lanka, left my luggage at the hotel and started the journey to where Naushad had directed.
Twice I was lost.
I didn’t realize it was the time to change my mind.
Every time I had to call Naushad to find my way out.
Naushad was very familiar to the roads.
The longer the journey, the narrower and abandoned the streets appeared.
The civilized region was not in vision and I doubted the destination I was heading.
I was thinking of going back when u saw a place like a hut.
It had all the characteristics that Naushad had described.
Not a sign of human was anywhere nearby.
I stopped my car at the front door of the house.
I walked out of the car and knocked on the door of the house.
I knocked twice and the door was opened.
A strong built, black man was there in front of me.
He was short.
He was wearing a white sarong and a banyan.
"Dhulip?" I spoke in dhivehi language as Naushad had directed me to.
"I have been sent my Naushad."
Dhulip invited me to come in.
I sat in the chair he showed me.
Dhulip also sat down.
He closed his eyes.
And started swaying sideways.
I observed very carefully.
Dhulip started murmuring.
As if he was talking to someone.
Sometimes he nodded his head as if he was saying no.
The moment I opened my mouth to say something, Dhulip showed by his hand and asked not to.
I thought.
Was Dhulip able to see even if he had his eyes closed?
Is he so talented?
"It is nothing but simple," Dhulip with his eyes still closed, said in dhivehi language.
"I will heal your leg."
I will save your business as well.
"But you have to bring what I ask for."
I was astounded.
How did Dhulip know all that?
Did Naushad tell him?
"I don’t care what I have to pay for it," I just said it out without thinking much.
"Please heal my leg and save my business! Please."
"No problem," Dhulip said happily.
"This is a deal."
"Do you have raw eggs for sale in your shop?"
I nodded.
Dhulip requested to bring a raw egg from my shop.
I thought even then.
Wasn’t there eggs available in Lanka?
"Your family has done lots of stuff against you," Dhulip said.
"It is not important to find out who did it."
Just come with the egg.
"Don’t bring along any one with you!"
On my way to the hotel I called Jamaal.
Jamaal is my sibling.
Jamaal insisted several times not to do it, but I didn’t listen to him.
The next day Jamaal came with an egg.
I could take my younger brother to Dhulip, so I went alone.
I hesitated a bit.
Because I didn’t know what was going to be done.
He put the egg immediately into a white cloth.
He took the egg.
And broke the egg in front of my eyes.
It was sand that poured out of the egg.
I was shocked.
I realized at that moment why he made me bring the egg.
To assure me that he wasn’t cheating about the egg.
In that instant the pain in my leg stopped.
I had no choice but believe that Dhulip was a clever man.
"Does your leg hurt now?" Dhulip asked me.
I shook my leg in different ways but couldn’t feel any pain.
"It won't," Dhulip said firmly.
"Your business too would get back to normal."
I had to pay Dhulip fifty thousand Lanka rupees.
I came back to Male'.
My business started to get better.
It got much better than it was earlier even.
But Hidaya suddenly left home.
She didn’t mention any thing as such and didn’t mention a reason either.
She was already at my mother-in-law's house when she called me.
" I am not going back to home."
That’s all what Hidaya said.
Hidaya didn’t answer my calls.
She didn’t meet me even if I went to her place to see her.
Finally I had to divorce her.
My marriage broke off.
Business was better for a few days only.
After that again it went bad in shape.
Next I heard about Hidaya leaving to Lanka.
"That is why I told you, don’t do black magic, don’t do it," Jamaal said in a sympathetic tone.
"What deal did you make brother?"
"Did you make an agreement with Dhulip to give your family in return of his favour?"
"Now I wouldn’t do such an agreement," I thought and said.
"But I did say that I don’t care what ever I had to pay for it."
"Isn't it almost the same thing you have said."
Jamaal said.
When it ended my business didn’t get good.
I lost my family too.
I didn’t know earlier that agreements with sorcerers were that easily done.
What Dhulip showed me was make-believe.
Black magic is also make-believe.
It was too late by the time I realized.
This is a true story.
Friendship is a strange bond.
Sometimes you want to show you friend the right path.
Other times, to make your friend happy, you participate in everything he does.
Maadhih is my closest friend.
We grew up in the same area.
Our houses were located on the same street.
I extended my help through right and wrong, rain and shine.
I shared happiness and sorrow.
But Maadhih couldn’t achieve the things I did in life.
I wanted to join an office where I could earn a monthly salary.
Maadhih wanted to become a business man.
His family is coming tomorrow.
His room is very small.
His son.
How about Saturday?
How are you paying?
How are you?
How are your parents?
How do I get there?
How do I use this?
How do you know?
How do you say it in English?
How do you spell it?
How does it taste?
How far is it?
How is she?
How long are you going to stay?
How long does it take by car?
How long have you been here?
How long have you lived here?
How long have you worked here?
How long is it?
How long is the flight?
How long will it take?
How long will you be staying?
How many children do you have?
How many hours a week do you work?
How many languages do you speak?
How many people do you have in your family?
How many people?
How many?
How much altogether?
How much are these earrings?
How much do I owe you?
How much does it cost per day?
How much does this cost?
How much is it?
How much is that?
How much is this?
How much money do you have?
How much money do you make?
How much will it cost?
How much would you like?
How old are you?
How tall are you?
How was the movie?
How was the trip?
How's business?
How's the weather?
How's work going?
Hurry!
I agree.
I ate already.
I believe you.
I bought a shirt yesterday.
I came with my family.
I can swim.
I can't hear you clearly.
I can't hear you.
I don’t care.
I don’t feel well.
I don’t have a girlfriend.
I don’t have any money.
I don’t have time right now.
I don’t know how to use it.
I don’t know.
I don’t like him.
I don’t like it.
I don’t mind.
I don’t speak English very well.
I don’t speak very well.
I don’t think so.
I don’t understand what you are saying.
I don’t understand.
I don’t want it.
I don’t want that.
I don’t want to bother you.
I feel good.
I forget.
I get off of work at 6.
I give up.
I got in an accident.
I have a cold.
I have a headache.
I have a lot of things to do.
I have a question I want to ask you.
I have a reservation.
I have money.
I have one in my car.
I have pain in my arm.
I have three children, two girls and one boy.
I have to go to the post office.
I have to wash my clothes.
I have two sisters.
I haven’t finished eating.
I haven’t had lunch yet.
I know.
I like her.
I like it.
I like Italian food.
I like Maldivian food.
I like to watch TV.
I live is in island.
I lost my watch.
I love you.
I made a mistake.
I made this cake.
I need a doctor.
I need another key.
I need some tissues.
I need this to get there by tomorrow.
I need to change clothes.
I need to go home.
I need to go now.
I need to practice my English.
I only have 5 dollars.
I only want a snack.
I remember.
I speak a little English.
I speak two languages.
I still have a lot of things to buy.
I still have a lot to do.
I still have to brush my teeth and take a shower.
I still haven’t decided.
I think I need to see a doctor.
I think it tastes good.
I think it's very good.
I think so.
I think those shoes are very good looking.
I think you have too many clothes.
I thought he said something else.
I thought the clothes were cheaper.
I trust you.
I understand now.
I understand.
I usually drink coffee at breakfast.
I want to buy something.
I want to contact our embassy.
I want to give you a gift.
I want to send this package to the United States.
I want to show you something.
I was about to leave the restaurant.
I was going to the library.
I was in the library.
I went to the supermarket.
I wish I had one.
I'd like a map of the city.
I'd like a non-smoking room.
I'd like a room with two beds please.
I'd like a single room.
I'd like a room.
I'd like a table near the window.
I'd like some water too, please.
I'd like the number for the hotel please.
I'd like to buy a bottle of water, please.
I'd like to buy a phone card, please.
I'd like to buy something.
I'd like to call the United States.
I'd like to exchange this for dollars.
I'd like to go home.
I'd like to go for a walk.
I'd like to go shopping.
I’d like to go to the store.
I'd like to make a phone call.
I'd like to make a reservation.
I'd like to rent a car.
I'd like to send a fax.
I'd like to use the internet.
If you like it I can buy more.
If you need my help, please let me know.
I'll be right back.
I'll call back later.
I'll call you on  Friday.
I'll call you when I leave.
I'll come back later.
I'll give u a call.
I'll have a cup of tea please.
I'll have a glass of water please.
I'll have the same thing.
I'll pay for dinner.
I'll pay for the tickets.
I'll pay.
I'll take it.
I'll take that one also.
I'll take you to the bus stop.
I'll talk to you soon.
I'll teach you.
I'll tell him you called.
I'm 26 years old.
I'm 32.
I'm a beginner.
I'm a size 8.
I'm a teacher.
I'm bored.
I'm cleaning my room.
I'm cold.
I'm coming right now.
I'm coming to pick you up.
I'm fine, and you?
I'm full.
I'm getting ready to go out.
I'm going home in four days.
I'm going to Maldives next year.
I'm going to bed.
I'm going to go have dinner.
I'm going to leave.
I'm good, and you?
I'm good.
I'm happy.
I'm here on business.
I'm hungry.
I'm just kidding.
I'm just looking.
I'm leaving tomorrow.
I'm looking for the post office.
I'm lost.
I'm married.
I'm not afraid.
I'm not busy.
I'm not going.
I'm not married.
I'm not ready yet.
I'm not sure.
I'm ok.
I'm ready.
I'm self-employed.
I'm sick.
I'm single.
I'm sorry, we're sold out.
I'm sorry.
I'm thirsty.
I'm tired.
I'm very busy.
I don’t have time now.
I'm very well, thank you.
I'm waiting for you.
I'm worried too.
In 30 minutes.
Is anyone else coming?
Is everything ok?
Is it close?
Is it cold outside?
Is it far from here?
Is it hot?
Is it nearby?
Is it possible?
Is it raining?
Is it ready?
Is it supposed to rain tomorrow?
Is that enough?
Is that ok?
Is the bank far?
Is there a movie theater nearby?
Is there a nightclub in town?
Is there a restaurant in the hotel?
Is there a store near here?
Is there air conditioning in the room?
Is there an English speaking guide?
Is there any mail for me?
Is there anything cheaper?
Is this a safe area?
Is this pen yours?
Is this book yours?
Is your father home?
Is your house like this one?
Is your son here?
Isn't it?
It depends on the weather.
It hurts here.
It rained very hard today.
It will arrive shortly.
It takes 2 hours by car.
Its 11:30pm.
It'll be cold this evening.
It's 17 dollars.
It's 8:45.
It's quarter to 7.
It's August.
It's delicious!
It's far from here.
It's going to be hot today.
It's going to snow today.
It's half past 11.
It's here.
It's a quarter past nine.
It's less than 5 dollars.
It's near the supermarket.
It's north of here.
It's not too far.
Its' not very expensive.
It's ok.
It's on 7th street.
It's over there.
It's raining.
It's really hot.
It's shorter than 3 miles.
It's there.
It's too late.
It's very cold today.
It's very important.
Its' very windy.
We were in a relationship since school days.
Love relationships lasts upon how much you know each other.
Nahid always wanted to be a doctor.
He became a doctor indeed.
I did my masters in creative advising.
Both of us studied in Malaysia.
We found the time to meet up even when we were studying.
Our age and heights were almost the same.
We owned houses in Male'.
We like open mindedness.
I found that I could not get a better person than Nahid.
I never saw a person as wise and kind as him.
We returned to Male' after completing our studies and started working.
Both of us took government jobs.
We had the chance for better well paid alternative jobs.
We weren’t looking only for money.
But happiness too.
We wanted to find time to share our happiness as well as sorrows.
There was great relation between two families.
We travel on vacations together.
Abroad as well as to local resorts.
We go to movies together.
To restaurants as well.
We spent sofa times at both homes.
We enjoyed and had fun independently.
I feel secure when Nahid is with me.
We part ways sometimes at midnight.
Or at dawn.
We did not have same likes in everything.
And that is not a problem either.
There was one common like between us.
Our first priority was us.
We find time also for us.
Job comes after that only.
It has been years since we were together but the families did not encourage us to get married.
It was up to us.
Nahid's father is a rich man.
My mother fills one of the most powerful posts in the government.
It was our choice to get married.
There was no compulsion at all.
First two months of marriage was very happy.
We spent a lot of time together at home after office hours.
I live in Nahid's home.
There were servants assigned for everything at his home.
Cooking, sweeping, toilet cleaning, and shopping was done by foreigners.
I had the choice to cook anything I wanted in my own kitchen.
Meals were put up in a separate dining room.
Me and Nahid would spend time lying on bed doing nothing for hours.
Didn’t get bored.
We didn’t run out of topics to talk.
It was a day of the third month.
Nahid did not return after his duty at hospital.
I called him after half an hour had passed.
Didn’t answer.
Didn’t reply to the message either.
I was thinking.
Should I be worried?
Should I make a big fuss out of it because he is late just for one day?
The man who comes home usually at evening five came at eleven that night.
He didn’t mention as to why he was late even.
I was surprised by that.
I was wondering to ask or not about it when he questioned me.
"Jiya!" Nahid called me while watching TV.
I looked at him.
"Are you okay?"
I nodded.
But I wasn’t "okay".
Why should I lie?
"No!" I said.
"You okay Nahid?"
"You have reached so late today."
" When I called…"
"Yes!" he said in a very cool manner.
"Hereafter I can only come home after jobs at two other clinics."
" I am going to rest."
"Very tired."
I couldn’t believe what he said.
Why should he go to two other clinics?
He made such a decision and did not even tell me about it.
Why so?
Was the money earned not enough?
Did he get bored of me?
He wouldn’t go for a haircut even without letting me know.
Would wear a new shirt even.
Then why would he take such a big decision?
Nahid came home around twelve on the second night.
I don’t want to bombard my husband with questions the moment he comes home.
But what can I do if there wasn’t any other chance?
"What has suddenly happened?" I asked.
"We can survive even if u don’t get this busy.
I am also filling a job.
I can't avoid this talk.
Two sudden jobs and that too not mentioned at all.."
" Isn't it such a simple thing," Nahid said sitting on the sofa.
"There is nothing for me to do at home.
If Jiya requests I will free up time for you!
Okay!
I know Jiya would understand.
Why not Jiya too start something.
Let's find an extra job!
"Or isn’t there something you could do staying at home?"
Nahid changed for sure.
He forgot previous talks.
We decided to keep job as our second priority.
First was to find time for us.
We found time for us even when were in a relationship.
It didn’t have to change because of marriage.
Since we were together when far apart, and now I didn’t have to be left alone living in the same house.
I talked about it a lot.
I tried to understand the bad change that came to our lives.
But I could not accept it.
Nahid believed that things can't be the same as it was earlier after marriage.
"If u find me boring you ought to tell me," I told.
" No need for excuses.
No need to fill two other jobs.
If Nahid wants divorce.."
"You don’t need to go that far yet," Nahid interrupted.
" I am a doctor.
To help as many patients as I can is my responsibility.
What is the relation between that and divorce?
As previously said, things can't be same as it was when we were young.
Married life can't be same as that of a relationship.
Old life can't be same as teenage life.
This is called common sense.
When do we try for a kid?"
I don’t know what would happen when we get a kid.
May be Nahid might spend more time at home.
Or maybe the child might become a headache for Nahid.
The absence of a child is the other problem of a long marriage.
We have to answer our friends questions.
We have to respect the hopes of our parents.
We are compelled to get a kid even if we don’t want to.
But as far as I can see we weren’t ready yet.
I haven’t learned Nahid either as I expected.
I found excuses and dragged it until the third year of marriage.
I waited for the Nahid I loved to return.
That day didn’t come.
I got tired.
The wait changed to tears in my eyes.
Life is not a destination.
It is the name of a long journey.
We have to face calm and rough seas.
But can't avoid the sea out of fear.
We have to get married.
We have to get a kid.
Not because we want it.
To keep the picture good.
I got pregnant.
Nahid was very happy.
Family and friends congratulated me.
To be happy or sad, this I didn’t know.
I forced a smile and stayed.
The ringing in my heart was scary.
We got a girl.
I too wanted a girl.
Can't say what will happen.
But I threw away the mask I wore.
Didn’t have to seek showing off due to the immense happiness achieved.
Flowers bloomed every time the child smiled.
Calmness and happiness filled my heart.
Nahid's life didn’t change at all.
The man who leaves in the morning comes back at night.
At least he did not have time to hold the child.
I didn’t bother.
There was nothing that could be done either.
The child punished Nahid.
By making the lap of her father a totally strange place.
The child starts to cry in that lap.
Nahid didn’t bother about it.
He knew the reason.
"Don’t you feel sad Nahid?" I said to him to see if his ways would change.
"She doesn’t know her father."
Nahid's face changed in response to what I said to him.
It was as if he got a sudden shock.
" This.." Nahid said pointing his fingers.
" This is her father."
Nahid went and left the room.
For me, what I said to Nahid and how he reacted didn’t match.
It was a deeply buried, tightly kept secret.
It is easy to remove a shaking tooth.
It is easy to make someone cry at the time of hurt.
Something like that happened to me.
I was very lonely.
Left out.
That’s the reason I was an easy prey.
Since seventeen Leeza was my girlfriend.
It felt like it was just seven seconds when it really had been seven years to our love.
Wanted to see her.
Wanted to talk to her.
We separate before our talks actually ended.
We didn’t know to tell what was argument or boredom.
Friends say.
He is playing a rough play behind the scenes.
I didn’t believe them.
One night as I was about to go to bed, a friend called.
Requested to check on Leeza's face book page and ended the call.
I was shocked to see her account.
Leeza's previous display picture was one we had taken together.
Next was also such a picture.
Difference was there was a man instead of me with her.
I called Leeza immediately.
She didn’t answer.
It had never happened.
Leeza always would answer my call.
I stoop up that night and kept sending her text messages.
She didn’t reply to a single message.
I was deeply hurt.
It was as if a part of me was missing.
I went to Leeza's house.
Everyone at her place were friends with me.
We had humorous and fun times.
But that day, everyone had a strange look on their faces.
They found it difficult to meet eyes.
I stayed in surprise when Leeza's mother came.
She was one who I considered as a mother too.
"You should forget about her my child," mother said in a disturbed voice.
"She is crazy about a person from yesterday.
Says want to get married.
She will get in the trap this time."
I couldn’t get all the answers from what mom said.
I got the answers from Leeza's younger sister.
Leeza fell in love with another man.
But why?
What was my fault?
I wanted to meet Leeza for once.
Leeza didn’t appear.
People say.
Men don’t cry.
I cried.
The picture would have been better if had locked myself in my room and cried.
I was at Leeza's house.
Couldn't hold back the tears.
Everyone comforted me except Leeza who pretended not to be aware.
I closed the page there.
I went home.
I did not have the courage to attend office.
Lost appetite.
Only one question lingered in my heart as I was lying all alone on bed.
What is the reason?
I would get the answer for that question unless Leeza spoke.
I don’t know how my friends came to know about it.
People called and comforted me.
Some friends did it in a different way.
"What did you get for being loyal?" my closest friend asked.
"You cared too much.
Way too kind and over.
over nice.
I told you even then that you would be hurt if something happens.
But you would immediately say Leeza is like this and Leeza is like that.
Leeza my foot.
You quit talking to all female friends even to score high with Leeza.
That’s a mistake."
I had nothing to say back.
He spoke the truth.
I wanted to prove to Leeza that she could get no man better than me.
That I would do anything and accept every way she wanted.
I got nothing in return except loneliness and solitude.
It was as if my life came to a halt.
I tried to hide from people.
It was early evening.
I was lying on the bed.
It wasn’t a life, I knew.
I knew I could forget about Leeza lying like that.
A message received on my phone drew my attention.
"Hello!" said the message via face book messenger.
I checked the account owner.
She was a fair and very beautiful girl.
A young girl with straight hair and blue eyes.
Looked like a Chinese girl.
Name was Nakita.
She had a lot of photos on FB.
At least two photos were updated every day.
Her friends list included Maldivians too.
The question was why did Nakita want to talk to me?
The time was right.
I was lonely.
I answered Nakita.
Our conversation started from there.
Nakita is a beautician from Bangkok.
Makeup, Haircuts , Manicure and pedicure were services rendered on her job.
I told her about my job too.
Nakita complimented on the beauty of Maldives.
Nakita hopes that she could come to Maldives some day.
It interested me to talk to someone who didn’t know anything about me.
Nakita didn’t ask about Leeza.
She didn’t ask personal stuff about me.
Soon we became friends.
After a few days Nakita's story changed.
She got bored with her job and wanted to change field of work.
That is massaging.
Nakita did a course on it.
But she couldn’t get a good job from her country.
She needed my help.
I wanted to help too.
I called up some friends and tried to see if there was an opportunity in Male' for her.
Each place demanded to know her qualifications.
Many showed interest since Nakita knew various skills.
It occupied me and I started to get over Leeza gradually.
The indirect benefit was that.
After a few days again Nakita's story changed.
Nakita misses me too much.
She wanted to meet me.
she wasn’t aware but she fell in love with me.
She started complimenting me for helping out a stranger.
Every time we chat, I get pictures of Nakita.
She checks on me every now and then.
Wishes me "goodnight" before sleeping.
I see "good morning" greetings when I wake up.
I asked to send certificates of her qualifications.
Nakita wants to know about me.
She invited me to Bangkok.
The only expense I had to bear was that of tickets.
Accommodation, food and site seeing was all free.
I could stay at Nakita's house.
Could travel in her own car.
It was a golden opportunity.
There was no need to go for a second thought.
"I will take you to a very beautiful girl for a massage."
Nakita wrote.
My fingers that were speedily chatting came to a sudden halt.
I rewinded back on time.
I recalled the conversations with Nakita.
She knows how to massage.
She loves me.
What was the trap I was entering into?
It was almost two o'clock Male' time.
It would be four in the morning in Bangkok.
I requested for a picture of Nakita.
She sent it immediately.
She was lying on bed in a night gown.
The photo deserved complimenting.
For the beauty and charm.
But how do I know if it was really her that was chatting with me?
I requested for a video chat.
She showed the excuse of a slow internet speed and it didn’t happen.
The video gets disconnected with a glimpse of the room.
I wanted to talk.
That too wasn’t possible.
 It kept getting disconnected.
Or was it deliberately disconnected?
I requested for another photograph.
Again she sent a photo.
A barely covered dress than the previous.
But the dress was different.
Nakita requested for such a photo of mine too.
My suspicion was slowly clear and sure.
It was a man chatting with me.
Otherwise would have voice talked.
The person saves the pictures from someone else's FB page.
 That’s why he could not send two different photos in the same dress.
If I had sent such photos, I would have got trapped in a deceiving setup.
I took a deep breath.
I plaited a beautiful chain of sweet words and blocked her name.
I escaped but a lot of Maldivians got trapped in it.
They lost money to scam.
They were bankrupted and revealed.
This is based on a true story.
It was seven thirty at night.
Usually the roads of Male' would be abandoned at that time.
Most shops would be closed.
But the west side of Chandanee Magu appeared as if the sun had risen.
The cars and lorries were jammed because of the huge crowd of people.
There was nothing but the sound of honks and yelling.
Still, people were entering the road.
The people who came recently wasn’t aware of what was happening.
The people who came earlier headed to Ramziyya's house.
Police were blocking the door of that house.
Ramziyya was inside the house compound.
She looked older even though she was only twenty five.
Her husband Hamid stood close beside her.
Two policemen were there too.
Hamid was holding Ramziyya's shoulder in a comforting way.
"Are you sure it wasn’t a human?" the police inquired.
"It could be a man covering his face."
"No!" Ramziyya tiredly repeated her answer.
"How many times have I told you that I saw a Jinn.
The feet weren’t touching the ground.
Eyes were lit up.
It tried to attack my child.
When I tried to stopped it.."
"Only one person?" the policeman said.
" I mean only one Jinn?"
Ramziyya cried out of terror.
She was shivering.
It was as if she could see it in front of her eyes.
Hamid refused to allow any more questions to his wife.
Hamid knew that even if the police could not believe, his wife wouldn’t lie.
"Ramziyya, please go and rest," Hamid requested.
"I will attend to their inquiries."
Ramziyya was scared to go inside alone.
Hamid went in with her.
The police waited.
The police had come to the house because Hamid called them.
Already they knew there wasn’t much they could do to help.
But as a friend there was something they wanted to tell Hamid so they stayed.
Ultimately they had to talk over the phone since Hamid did not come out.
"We will wait here until the crowd diminishes," Muhusin said.
" I shall give you an idea.
Bring a person who knows to read such things.
There are these people who does permitted black magic. What are they called?
People who read Rugya.
I too have a number.
I'll send it.
It was a Saturday.
The ideal weather for a picnic.
I was in the ferry to villingili with my family.
Eavesdropping on mother and grandmother's conversation.
Grandmother wanted to ensure that we brought along cotton buds and lotion.
It was my habit to clean ears after shower.
If I come back home from the sun, I would be applying lotion.
Grandmother has often seen it.
Loving a person is always caring for the person you love.
Treating them with a good heart.
To think about them as much as you think about yourself.
Or was it the best way?
My attention was on my phone.
The last photo that I had uploaded on instagram had got many likes.
I upload two photos daily.
The main purpose of the trip too was that.
I was a girl of twenty.
With a free mind.
I live in my own world.
I heard a man laugh.
The voice was heard from behind.
There were boys in the seats behind me.
I didn’t look back.
I don’t think I'd like them.
My conditions were many.
We reached villingili.
I made a glance at the boys when they started to get off.
I saw then from behind.
There didn’t appear as I expected.
They were decent.
The haircut was modern.
Didn’t look like a woman from behind.
The jeans was at the waist.
A picture you seldom see.
Only one of them matched to the expected specification of tallness.
Could not see his face.
I stepped onto villingili and found that my phone was dead.
I got agitated.
I would die if my phone went broken.
To me, my mobile was important than food.
I showed it to father.
My father is a mobile seller.
He repaired mobiles too.
While father checked for a signal in the phone, my heart beat was racing.
There would be important photos and messages in the mobile.
Usually played songs and stories I read too would on mobile phone.
I can't live without my phone.
My father looked at me and shook his head.
"No!" I said in despair.
"Do something please!
Do something."
Father even tried to go and bring a mobile from Male'.
However the stuff on my phone won't be on that one.
"Let it be!" I said.
All the happiness of the trip was deprived.
Didn’t feel like doing anything.
I was like a deflated balloon.
I was thinking about only one thing.
Can I save the data on my phone?
Would I have to hand over the phone to some place to do that?
There would be so many photos of mine on the phone.
I got up and started walking.
Not that I had any where to go.
I was walking on the shoreline when suddenly someone surfaced from the sea.
I got startled and screamed.
Fell backwards.
The man too got taken aback.
It was the first time my eyes met with Hannan's.
He was the man I saw from the ferry.
The moment I saw Hannan's face, I ticked all the boxes on my list.
I gave him my heart.
Hannan had no clue.
I held the hand he put forward and stood up.
Hannan said sorry.
I was ready to give my heart even if he requested.
Though it was the first time we met, it felt like we knew each other like friends.
It happened to me because of the deep interest.
I don’t know the reason why it happened to Hannan.
By the time we came back to Male' our friendship had grown a lot.
It was love at first sight.
I gave my number to Hannan.
Hannan gave his number to me too.
I checked my phone before taking it to repair in Male'.
The phone worked perfectly.
It didn’t need repairing.
What a coincidence it was?
The reason that lead to encounter with Hannan was the malfunctioning phone.
I considered it good luck.
Following days we had a lot of conversations over the phone.
I was very satisfied.
We talked about life too.
I didn’t have a boyfriend and found out that Hannan had a girlfriend.
The lucky girl's name is Nayasheen.
My heart softly cried when I found out about it.
Hannan couldn’t hear the cries though.
" So far it has been planned to get married in three months," Hannan sounded excited.
" you should get introduced to Ninni.
You are my special friend right."
I wanted to say.
No.
I didn’t have the guts to meet Nayasheen.
I didn’t want to see the scene of Hannan beside her either.
But I agreed to meet her.
How so poor are we humans?
How many times are there when you really can't say what is really in your heart?
Hannan was close enough to hear me even if I whispered.
I took a step aside.
For friendship.
Even though I couldn't get love, I didn’t want him out of my sight.
I concealed my love to everyone.
Because there was no one who could help me.
But, I couldn’t get rid of the thoughts.
I tried to be what I was earlier.
It was a difficult thing to do.
You heart feels relived when you share with people.
I had to bury all my feelings deep down my heart, seal it and throw the key away.
I am a selfish person.
But I couldn’t wish his love any bad luck.
The fights they had were not because of me.
But I suggest how to solve the problems.
Not because I want that.
For the value of friendship.
But I didn’t want Hannan to ask for forgiveness every time.
"Ninni doesn’t know how to appreciate," that’s what I said.
Lovers don’t speak with their tongues.
Words are not important if you have your eyes and heart.
He was alert.
Intelligent.
That was the problem.
"do you love me?" Hannan asked.
I tried to pretend I didn’t hear the question.
Hannan repeated the question.
Two times.
Three times.
Four times.
I was tongue tied.
I lowered my eyes.
Very few people hear what is unsaid in your heart.
My lover was such a person.
Who wouldn’t cry out of joy?
We were at a restaurant.
I wiped off the first tear that dropped.
The second tear dropped.
I was about to wipe when Hannan held my hand.
He repeated the question for the fifth time.
I couldn’t say anything.
But I held his hand tight.
Hannan and Nayasheen's love was stamped to an end.
With full consent.
Both of them wanted it that way.
I got Hannan.
Felt like I owned the whole world.
Never came to my life such happy days.
The looks and characteristics that I looked for in a lover were both present in Hannan.
The love didn’t last even for two weeks.
"Ninni has come back!" Hannan did not hide anything.
"I want to give her one more chance."
Hannan saw what was in my heart from my eyes.
I saw something from Hannan's eyes too.
Hannan can't stay away from Nayasheen.
If I try make him stay forcefully that would be a waste.
The key of love is the trust you give.
Not a strong force.
I let him go.
Closed my eyes because it was too hard to see him go.
Every time I go to villingili, it reminds me of him.
I feel like crying when I see the beach and sea.
But I have no complains.
I wish my lover happiness and joy.
Where ever he is, to be in good health.
Loving is being kind to the person you love always.
Treat them with a sincere heart.
To care for him as much as you care for yourself.
Getting the love back or not from him is totally another thing.
Sofia felt like hungry.
Felt like sleepy too.
Suddenly picked up the mobile.
Counted the likes Sofia received for the photo uploaded on face book.
It was any amount near to the number of recent likes.
She had to think about something else .
She thought.
Was Sofia ugly than before?
Did friends hate Sofia?
She immediately deleted the photo.
Called Haleem.
He was Sofia's sixth boyfriend.
Haleem answered the call.
It added another ring to the chain of worries.
Where was Haleem?
Could he have gone somewhere else saying he was going to bed?
She jumped up.
Entered the room.
Was dripping wet.
Looked in the mirror.
Looks like eyebrows had grown thick.
Now she had to shape her eyebrows.
Suddenly her eyes caught the paint container.
It had been three days since the paint had been brought to paint the walls.
Paint roll was nearby.
Newspapers were there too.
Her mind changed suddenly.
She stopped shaping her eyebrows and started spreading the newspapers on the floor.
Started painting.
Actually Sofia didn’t have to do it by herself.
She only had to tell father and it would have been done.
It hadn’t been more than a month since the room was painted last.
But if she feels like doing something, Sofia can't wait longer.
She went to office without breakfast.
The Air Con at office wasn’t working.
Sofia had a headache because of lack of sleep.
One of the friends pointed out that part of the eyebrows weren’t done fully.
It was all because of Haleem.
If he had answered the call Sofia wouldn’t have done her eyebrows.
Wouldn’t have painted.
Wouldn’t have stood awake even.
What does Haleem think of himself?
He can do anything he wants to Sofia?
Or did he get bored because Sofia was a bit chubby.
Suddenly her eyes filled with tears.
No one would love Sofia.
The next moment she hated Haleem.
She picked up the phone and dialed Haleem.
"Good morning darling!" Haleem answered immediately.
"let's go for a coffee!"
" Where were you last night?" Sofia angrily asked.
" you neither answered my call nor call back today even!
Besides I am a very ugly person
Boring person.
Why should you call?
I am the one who is crazy.."
" Hold on, Calm down!" Haleem said kindly.
Is it a moody day?
I was sleeping.
I called several times in the morning.
The call didn’t pass through.
Indicated a network error.
When I tried to call in the morning..
"don’t ever call me again,"
Sofia said strictly.
"Get lost!"
Sofia disconnected the call.
Haleem didn’t call back.
It wasn’t the first time they had such an disagreement.
Sofia angrily removed the sim card from her phone and broke it.
Deleted all the photos of Haleem on face book.
Closed the face book account.
But she couldn’t wait long.
She called Haleem from office phone.
"Hey let's go for coffee," Sofia said in a funny mood.
"my phone's SIM broke off.
Come to pick me up okay!"
Haleem disconnected the call.
And then didn’t even answer the calls anymore.
Haleem was tired of the same game played over and over again.
Haleem knew.
She would humiliate him in front of others at the coffee.
How many times has it happened too?
Given advice enough.
Haleem lost patience.
Sofia bought a new SIM card.
She sent long messages yelling at Haleem until she came home from office.
She re-activated the face book account.
Humiliated Haleem on public mode.
Instead of stopping it, her friends encouraged her.
Sofia came home with the SIM card and found that her mother was cleaning the room by the maids.
They were removing the paint on the floor and mopping it.
Sofia's anger doubled.
"I told you not to play with the stuff in room."
Sofia yelled at the top of her voice.
Sofia didn’t listen to what her mom was saying.
She sent every one away and locked the door.
She stayed in the room and didn’t eat anything for hours.
She cried because Haleem broke up with her.
She said sorry and sent messages.
Haleem didn’t reply.
The following day Sofia didn’t attend office.
Didn’t take any food by evening either.
Finally she collapsed.
She was taken to hospital.
Doctor diagnosed Sofia to be having a psychological problem.
She could be treated by a counselor.
Sofia's parents also understood that it was the solution.
Twice a week Sofia had to be brought to hospital for counseling therapy.
The first day it took a lot of convincing to bring Sofia.
A boy was walking out of the place when Sofia reached.
That’s how she met Hamdhaan.
Sofia noticed him the first day itself.
Because he had all the appealing characteristic.
The height.
The dress code.
His hair style and his gaze too got Sofia interested.
Ever since Sofia likes to come to hospital.
Her mom doubted about it.
Why did the change come to Sofia?
What was the secret behind it?
Sofia was waiting to talk to Hamdhaan when she got a call from him.
Hamdhaan didn’t mention how he got her number.
Next Sofia's mother saw Hamdhaan at their home.
Mother didn’t like Hamdhaan.
However since childhood Sofia goes ahead with what she wants.
Parent's consent didn’t matter.
"What's wrong with Hamdhaan?"
Sofia wanted the answer for that question.
" He has very cunning looks."
That was all her mother was worried about.
Sofia refused to believe.
She didn’t accept it as a reason.
To Sofia Hamdhaan was a rare catch.
Sofia thinks so for every person at first.
Sofia trusted Hamdhaan more than herself.
She didn’t appear to be able to breathe even without him.
It hadn’t been even ten days since they met.
Stupid fights came up too.
Yelled at Hamdhaan thrice in one month.
At the sight of parents even.
Sofia believes that she can yell at her lover.
And that is not a big issue.
Sofia's 26th birthday dawned to an unforgettable gift.
Hamdhaan fled with all the money in her account.
Sofia guess there would be about fifty thousand rufiyaa in the account.
And that was not all.
Sofia's phone and bag which has the cards too was lost.
The loss of money wasn’t Sofia's concern.
Because that was easiest thing to get.
Sofia was surprised about the reason why men didn’t love Sofia.
They break up after a few days together.
Everyone says Sofia is pretty.
Sofia spends on her lovers.
Sofia trusts people the moment she meets them.
Though she gets mad one second, she loves in the next too.
Though she gets bored one second, she feels sad in the next too.
Similarly one second she would yell and in the next she would caress too.
Sofia could not realize that was the problem.
Sofia got drowned deep in her thoughts and kept thinking.
Sofia was lying at the bottom of the water filled bath tub.
She was holding her breathe.
Sofia said to herself.
Why doesn’t anyone understand Sofia?
What was wrong?
Why doesn’t I get married?
People tried to find the answer for that question.
Is it that no one loved me?
No.
Is it that I didn’t come across a woman I liked?
No.
Is it that she didn’t accept when I proposed?
No.
Then what is the reason behind it?
That question directed at me ties my tongue.
I hesitate to reveal the secret.
Some people think I am unlucky.
What I believe now is, some things don’t happen for the good behind it.
The sweet and bitter incident occurred to me several years back.
The bridge was 300 feet long.
I guess the width would be around 15 feet.
Those were carefree days of life.
My youthful days.
I didn’t know what love is.
All I knew was , I wanted to see kanbulo.
Always wanted to be at her sight.
Alirasgefaanu bridge was far from my home.
Close to my heart.
Kanbulo's home was in that area.
She would come and linger around that area.
On that bridge.
In that sea.
On that reef.
On that beach.
All day long I try to grab Kanbulo's attention.
No matter what I had to do.
In the old days, fireworks were played on the beach facing the great wall of alirasgefanu memorial.
Kanbulo didn’t hear the sound.
The waves breaking on the bridge sweeps away sand under it.
How many journeys have I taken with life on the line?
Alirasgefaanu memorial is looked after by my father.
Father would pick up the money.
He hands them over to the concerned authorities.
Father would keep the money at home until it reached certain amount.
I went in the mosque, lifted my hands and prayed.
There was no change.
Actually it was a hole made due to deep digging.
It was an area with strong currents.
Kids would jump from the bridge to the trench.
Some kids found it fun.
I did it to show off to Kanbulo who would stay at a distant watching.
I ended up swallowing salt water several times.
My body got bruised at places.
Other than that nothing happened.
I spent most of my time out of home.
For one particular purpose.
I would go home at day time only when I get hungry.
At those times I found that my parents were silent.
What were they trying to hide?
I questioned.
No one admitted that something had happened.
But I witnessed that the relationship between my father and mother was weak.
Because the lagoon was beautiful and big.
A lot of birds would come on low tide days.
I keep watching them.
Kids would be busy catching the birds.
They would set up traps and chase the birds towards the traps.
They catch birds cleverly.
However kanbulo didn’t get caught in my trap.
Some kids would be along the shore line catching crabs.
You would hear the screams too when the crab bites in the process.
They would collect tiny white crabs in bottles.
I go to the sea.
Hoping that Kanbulo will ask for a fish.
Hoping that kanbulo will come to see the fish.
So I cud gift her a fish.
But none as such happened.
I can never forget the beautiful environmental scene.
Once, kanbulo bought some fish from me.
It looked like turtle meat.
I feel the pain only when I reach home.
Mother advices me a lot.
She strictly warns me not to climb the area.
Mother doesn’t understand.
I don’t know how to make her understand.
Male' is a garden full of trees.
It was morning time.
Suddenly I saw that mother has come with Kanbulo.
Mother took Kanbulo inside.
After a while father came home.
Did father and them knew what was in my heart?
First I thought so.
I heard some chattering.
Next saw mother come out.
She walked fast and sat down in the joali near me.
Father came out with his head down.
"My child please go out for a while," father requested.
"Why is that?" mother said angrily.
" Do you still want to hide it?"
It was my luck that I didn’t propose to Kanbulo.
The love was hidden in my heart.
Every time I see her my heart would cry.
Because of how things happened.
The fascinating thing about this love is that, no one except me was aware of it.
There was nothing to be ashamed of.
Kanbulo was father's daughter that he had conceived in a secret marriage.
My feet and hands went cold the moment I found out about it.
But I couldn’t fall in love with another person after that.
Didn’t have the courage to share this story with anyone either.
What happened was not something that was supposed to happen.
However I was saved from a bigger trouble.
You could find a strong love.
But you can't find love by force.
I accept that.
I was nine years old when I first saw Nuzha.
I didn’t know what love was.
All I know is I liked talking to Nuzha.
I wanted to see her.
Time runs so fast when I spend time at school to play and have fun with her.
I always think of Nuzha.
But she is not a friend.
I cheat on all my friends.
Not only boys.
Including girls too.
Except Nuzha.
Later I realized that there was a special corner in my heart for Nuzha.
I realized that I was in love with Nuzha when I was thirteen years old.
I guess Nuzha too felt it by then.
The shyness that comes along with age did exist between us too.
None of us had the courage to say it.
But couldn’t lock it.
Time and tide waits for no one.
I found a girl who loved me and got married.
Nuzha got married too.
Both of us were loyal to our life partners.
We accepted that it was our fate.
But I didn’t forget about Nuzha.
I wanted to see her.
There goes a saying.
You don’t forget your first love.
May be that was what happened to me.
For sure Nuzha forgot about me.
We were living in the same wards of Male' but she pretended not to see me.
Even two strangers would be friends than us.
Wouldn't lower the gaze in the fear of seeing the other.
Years passed and I became the father of three, yet Nuzha stayed the same.
Her body didn’t change much by giving birth to one child.
Or probably the eyes that love are blind to the flaws.
My interest to meet Nuzha didn’t go away.
My successful life was the obstacle for me.
I became wealthy.
My business expanded.
I got a politically powerful post.
 My voice hollered from podiums and TVs.
I had to keep limits in my life because of the popularity.
I had to show people a particular character.
Not all dreams come true.
And not all you wish for can be achieved.
Some hopes have to be buried with age.
Nuzha was a hope I couldn’t bury.
A song I wasn’t bored of singing.
An image I wasn’t bored of watching.
I was hoping for a miracle.
I wanted to lie down on her lap and say only two sentences.
"I couldn’t erase your name from my heart," I wanted to say it weakly.
"I still love you very much!"
I also would have the guts to say it.
I decided to achieve it in my dream.
I often see Nuzha in my dreams.
It feels so real I hesitate to say it to her.
If I knew even once that it wasn’t a dream.
My wife knows all my secrets.
Except about Nuzha.
Only my very closest friend knows about it.
Hindhaam.
Hindhaam introduced "Lucid dreams" to me.
You learn to differentiate between dreams and reality when you learn it.
U can control your dreams.
U can do anything you want in your dreams.
You could travel from dream to reality and from reality to dreams.
You acquire it after several days of hard work.
To start with, I have to note down the dream as soon as I wake up.
I have to remember the dream.
Few conditions should be present to prove it as a dream.
Hindhaam taught me those things too.
" In your dream you have read some written alphabets.
Or you have to stare at the hands of a clock repeatedly," my master taught me.
" The alphabets you see will either be blurred or not in order.
Every time you stare at the clock, the time read would be different.
If its two o'clock at one time, the next time it might be eight o'clock.
You could breathe even if you hold your nose.
Most important is to look at your feet and fingers.
Fingers might be deformed or missing.
Or it might be more.
Hindhaam told me all about it after experiencing it himself.
It was hundred percent successful.
Hence I also started to learn it.
I was awake still when the clock struck twelve at midnight.
I was thinking and it struck two.
I would be lying so when it dawns too.
The cricket was trying to play some music. 
My eyes aren't dry of tears.
Haleem was lying beside.
He is my husband.
Dead asleep.
At the back was seven year old Mahin.
The youngest from our three children.
Would the kids blame me?
Is the real problem me?
I started hearing the sound of rain.
Reminded me of sweet memories.
I met Haleem first on a rainy night.
It rained the night we got married too.
How very loving husband Haleem was?
There was a time when he could not sleep if I wasn't there beside him.
There was a time he could not eat even.
He would not want to go anywhere without me.
Even on an office trip abroad he would go only if it is a must.
Even if he goes, he would make calls several times a day. 
We would keep chatting like two lovers.
How happy were those time?
I closed the book when my mind started wandering into those pages of life.
I wondered.
I have to save the marriage.
I can't a second person like Haleem.
Did I go too careless?
As Haleem accuses did I forget about Haleem after my pregnancy with Mahin?
It struck four at dawn.
I took the phone.
Noted down things Haleem had said at different times.
I thought.
I will change everything.
It is not too late.
I will get my husband.
The old love will still be there.
Our tiny small family will not break.
Kids will grow up while we still live in the same house.
With love from both of us.
I make tea for Haleem in the morning.
I stay awake at night mostly, make the morning tea and I sleep.
Tea would be ready when Haleem wakes up to go office.
I would be sleeping.
Lately it has been so always.
I make meals ready sharp on time at all times.
But I end up spending most of my time with kids stuff.
It is not easy to look after three kids.
Sometimes I am my kid's teacher.
Sometimes kid's close friend.
Or a cook.
Sometimes a maid.
Or a tailor.
Once in a while have to become a judge.
Or become a doctor too.
At all times I am my kid's mother.
I get careless about my personal things not without a reason.
I used to care for my hair but later there is no time for it.
Since I had to quit my job and stay at home, I try ventilated, easy dresses as much as possible.
When I was in a relationship with Haleem, music was a priority over food.
I was fluent with the English and Hindi songs released then.
I liked watching movies.
I read stories.
I send messages with poetic verses of love.
Haleem too had same interests.
That is the reason why liked each other.
Our common interests was many.
Later all the my attention was drawn to  our children.
When given a hard thought, I admit.
I have changed.
Haleem too has changed.
Haleem too gave his attention to the kids more than I did.
Difference is, he doesn't agree about it. 
All the blame would be on me.
That is when fights start.
Marriage is made to reduce loneliness.
To find someone who would care.
To build a family.
To live happily.
If none of that happens, marriage is useless.
At some point I started realizing it.
I started hearing the opinions of friends.
I held to the thread of marriage which was slipping from my hands.
I made a new start.
After ages, I joined Haleem with morning tea.
Was not easy.
Still had sleep.
Didn't know what the result would be.
Anyhow, someone , at some point had to take the initiative, so I did.
"Oh! Where did the sun rise from today?"
Haleem said when he saw me sitting at the tea table.
I can have tea alone.
"I know" trying to smile, I said.
"In old times also we used to.."
"Don't talk about the old time now! Please!"
He spoke with the bored tone he used lately.
"You dont like me now right?"
I also could not speak soft.
"If u hear my voice even.."
"Don't we usually fight in the noon"
Haleem jumped up and said.
"I want to go to office in the morning in a better mood.
Why don't you go and rest."
It had been days since I could not say anything that would anger him.
Even if the words are trimmed or wrapped in ribbon.
Or embroidered and embellished.
But I was accused as the one who starts quarrels.
I was the one who gets accused as stubborn too.
Haleem did not have tea before he went to office that day.
He hates my voice.
It is as if he doesn't even want to make eye contact with me.
I wondered.
Is it too because of me?
Are my friends true?
Did I forget the responsibilities of a wife?
Lost in the thoughts I walked into the room and found Haleem's phone on the charger.
It was ringing even then.
On the screen appeared Zarana's photo.
Her name.
It was suspicious.
Can't Zarana even wait until u go to office?
Don't get so suspicious!
That is your problem, I told to myself.
That is an office mate.
A man's wife.
If you can't trust your husband so much, how can u live?
I used to complain earlier.
Stopped it after that day.
I rearrange the house.
I changed my perception, the way I talked and the way I sat.
Changed the shampoo and perfume.
Tried to spend more time with Haleem than with kids.
I even thought of changing my facial appearance to save my marriage.
In the last two or three weeks of the marriage I did so many tests which had no hope of a good outcome.
I had patience.
Got aid from a religious scholar.
Seek help from an advisor.
Coloured my hair to show off to Haleem.
Wore dresses tailored to beautiful designs.
Especially was attentive to put on makeup.
Sent daily love messages to Haleem.
Searched for beautiful love songs and shared them on his facebook page.
I don't remember the last time I did such a thing.
Actually I didn't enjoy doing such things.
My age has passed.
I stay awake until Haleem comes home at night.
No matter how tired or sleep I was.
I stay up talking to him until he falls asleep.
Haleem's list of things that I didn't do for him included those things.
Did so much of hard work to save all those years of marriage.
For the children.
For me.
But alas, all went in vain.
I could not get a place in husband's heart for me.
None of the arrows I released in the dark reached its target.
Haleem did not change.
Did he get bored?
Or did he find a new lover?
I don't know if I would ever get the answer for those two questions.
At last I got divorced.
I let him go where ever he wanted to.
I don't know what is in the hearts of the children.
None of the kids blamed me openly.
Did not complain either.
Marrying Haleem was the best decision I made in my life.
Because I got children whom I loved as much as my soul.
Getting a divorce from Haleem was the second best decision I made in my life.
I no more had to live in another person's shell.
No more had to do things I did not like.
The flicker of marriage can be saved with both hands.
By the married couple.
It is too big to be achieved by one person alone.
Finished.
How do you love?
How do u know when you are in love?
I could not get the answer for that question which resided in my heart since I was twelve.
The most handsome man I saw was a Hollywood filmstar.
It was not until late I came to know his name.
I was assuming.
That was love.
The desire to see.
The desire to meet.
The desire to talk.
Feeling happy when you see.
I had to change that thinking.
I can't love a person who doesn't know that I exist.
All the boy's I met in school days were my friends.
Can't name the connection else wise.
I grew up to a big girl before I came across any man who could play with my heart.
I thought for myself I was a daring girl.
Laughing loud is a trick I use to show that I am daring.
The truth is something else.
I am a cowardice woman , one who don't open up my feelings.
I pretend that I don't worry.
Whatever the problem is at home.
Every married couple would argue.
My parents too got angry at things and argue.
I pretend that I don't care about those things.
But I listen to the stuff they say.
I think deeply.
Sitting all alone in the room.
I was waiting for the day I cud leave home by marrying.
The second person I liked most was Hashimbe'.
A brother of my mom.
A father of three children.
What to do though?
It was not how I wanted it to be.
Hashimbe' is a very kind man.
He doesn't differentiate us from his kids.
Which better person is there to love other than him.
I have never told anyone about it.
It's not a crime as long as I don't reveal my heart.
I didn't water the 
I put it at rest considering it was a funny thing felt by my crazy heart.
My own sister was the exact opposite of me.
Gets angry very easily.
Might be happy one minute and sad in the next minute.
It was not in her nature to hide things.
No matter the what the consequences were and what others might comment about it.
Sister says whatever she wants at whoever it is.
Sometimes my brain goes blank.
Because my sister's actions creates big problems.
At other times I wonder.
If only I too had the same character.
If only I too was daring.
How painful it is to bury everything in the mind.
Nobody sees me crying.
If sister starts crying she won't stop.
Would start vomiting after a while.
Hence  by then has to be taken to hospital.
So much time gets wasted in it.
Doctor always requests not to make sister sad.
Advices to keep sister happy.
Mother and father recklessly try to follow it, however such days keep coming.
It was a very rainy day.
It was long since I finished office but the rained hadn't stopped.
Could not get a taxi.
I bought an umbrella from a nearby shop.
I couldn't take even about twenty steps, the umbrella broke.
If my hair gets wet i'll catch a cold.
Sinus was a major problem.
I rushed in to the shop.
I saw Areen first from that shop.
He was there too to seek shelter from rain.
It was difficult to stay in the same place with nothing to do.
Specially with a handsome man of same age standing by.
I wished.
I wished the rain would never stop.
I tried not to look at Areen.
I pretended that I was looking at the dresses in the shop.
Twice our eyes made contact.
Areen smiled once.
I felt like water was poured on my heart.
It was the first it happened.
I didn't know to smile even.
Later I regretted it.
Was wishing if he would look at me once more.
I even went near him trying to make it look like I didnt do it on purpose.
Just to see if he would look once more.
I couldn't get the chance and the rain stopped.
We both parted ways after that.
I saw Areen for the second time while I was at the balcony to watch the floats.
It was third floor of home.
Areen was holding a camera.
Mother and sister were also with me.
I was watching Areen.
It was night time.
There was so much traffic on the road, who would look up?
I switched on the lights on balcony.
Sister complained about it.
I made a lot of excuses.
Pretended that it was to keep the mosquitoes away.
Pretended that there were some ants on the floor.
I couldn't win even by making an excuse that a cockroach might come.
Sister went and switched the lights off.
But then I looked to see that Areen's camera was directed in our way.
I wondered.
May be he is taking a picture of me.
I smiled.
I drew a smile on my face and kept it for quite long.
"Hey, why is that person take pictures of us?" sister complained.
"I hate this! Could have been a handsome guy to do such.
I won't even stay here.
Can't even stay at the balcony. Mother, you also come inside."
"The most beautiful floats hasn't arrived yet, my child!" mother said it kindly.
" I dont care!" sister's tone was nothing else but stern.
" Get in now!"
Sister went inside.
Mother went after her to console her.
I knew I had drawn Areen's attention that night.
He focused the camera on me every now and then even when I was watching.
I didn't want to lose sight of him.
I took my phone out and typed my number.
I held the phone so he could see the number.
I assumed.
Areen would realise my intention.
Areen looked at the camera.
Took out his phone.
But he didn't call me.
Mother called and ultimately I too had to go inside.
The next also I didn't receive any calls from Areen.
Nor any messages.
I finally gave in thinking my plan did not work.
I realised what happened when I looked up from where Areen was standing.
Areen could not have seen my phone.
The place where I was standing was blocked by the leaves of some trees.
It put me off so much and upset my mood the whole day.
Mother noticed it.
She asked questioned.
Mother suspected on the fact that the reason could be because she and father had argued that day too.
I told her what happened.
Mother started laughing.
"Is that such a big deal?" mother said.
"What is meant to happen will happen."
What is not meant to happen will not."
I was moody at that time.
I did not even believe what mother said.
But mother spoke true.
What is bound to happen will somehow happen.
On my trip to Hulhumale with sister, I happened to sit next to Areen.
But sister talked to Areen more than I did.
Suddenly sister liked Areen very much.
Areen was with us on the trip.
No.
With sister.
I was a statue there.
A useless person.
It could either be that Areen could not read the signs I gave him.
Or it could be that Areen changed his mind later.
The horizon of love that was so beautiful suddenly got blocked by gloomy dark clouds.
In the flick of a second.
Tonight is sister's wedding celebrations night.
The whole house was filled with happiness.
My life was filled with silence.
As my sister was holding Areen's hand, I could not still understand how he slipped off mine.
It was me who saw Areen first.
It was me who loved him first.
Mother was aware of everything.
Mother just didn't want to say anything against sister.
Because it would become a big fuss.
And besides, I can't force him to love me.
I wondered.
Why does it happen so?
Why doesn't the person who loves get it?
Why isn't there anything that could be done about it?
In future days ahead Areen would be living right in front of my eyes.
Close to me.
Very close to me.
But I would be living far.
Very far.
The end.
It was a heavily raining day.
It was afternoon time.
Mansoor was holding the rope tightly.
Mansoor did not want to put down Ramziyya's coffin into the pit.
Someone who was standing near, patted softly on Mansoor's shoulders.
He loosened his grip on the rope then only.
Mansoor could not bear the parting of the mother of his three sons.
Mansoor was not ready for such a thing at all, by the sudden departure of Ramziyya without any illness.
People thought Mansoor would remarry quite soon.
Mansoor did not want to find a step mother.
He took the responsibility of the children and settled at that.
It was heavy.
And difficult too.
Several time he tripped.
Mansoor sacrificed his personal happiness and worked for the children.
He did not let them stay hungry.
Did not let them feel the lack of a mother.
Opened their eyes to the world and made them aware.
By keeping them in Male' under trusted people's guardian.
Brightened their hearts with the light of higher education.
Mansoor stayed at the island.
Actively engaged in fishing activities.
Earning to meet the needs of children in Male'.
Days turned into years with such routine.
Mansoor has three children.
The eldest was Anwar.
Next was Haneef.
The youngest was Naseer.
All the children were married to Male' citizens who had houses and were living a good life.
They were not aware that Mansoor has become old and is unable to do work as in the past.
Every day the sun would rise and set while the children were busy working to earn.
Not even once a week did they check on their father.
Mansoor "did not want to disturb" the children.
He was ignored the discomforts that he was feeling in his body.
One day he tripped and fell down.
He could not be treated in the island.
Mansoor was brought to Male'.
While he was admitted in the hospital, none of the children considered it easy to stay with him.
The reason was clear.
They did not have time as they had to earn for a living.
It was three weeks and Mansoor started noticing unhappiness on the children's faces.
It was as if his heart shattered to pieces.
Yet, Mansoor did  not complain.
Made only one request.
"My dear children, take me to catch a fish please!" Mansoor kindly requested.
"It has been so long since I went fishing".
"Oh father, you too would know that you can't go fishing now."
Anwar gave a short answer.
It might be that one might like to sing karaoke songs.
There are people who love to go snorkeling.
Fishing was what Mansoor loved to do most.
But it was not important for the children.
They could not realise the desperate urge in their father's request.
Similar to a lot of other parents, Mansoor too had a wish in his heart.
That is not be a burden to the children.
He wished his soul to be taken by Allah before that happened.
But it did not happen so.
Mansoor had to stay in hospital for one and a half months.
Sometimes all alone.
He hears the children complain of having to stay up at night beside him.
He pretends not to hear them.
His eyes go tearful.
He hides the tears.
Most discussions were done faraway so Mansoor could not hear.
"Today father is told to be discharged", Naseer was worried about it.
"I want to keep him in the hospital.
But then again have to stay up at night.
Useless money has to be spent.
Regarding taking home issue, at which house to keep?
Nobody wanted to be the person to raise hands first.
Each one was waiting to hear what the other had to say.
"It is very difficult to keep him in my home," Anwar explained his status.
"I always have to be at office.
How can my wife look after father?"
"I can keep father" Haneef sounded as if he was ready to do it.
"But even though we have a house in Male', it is so small."
"I have a room in my apartment" Naseer said.
"Can keep there.
But for me too it won't be easy.
But I will try and see if I can do it."
It wasn't easy for Mansoor to walk about because of his illness.
He would always lie down on the bed.
Mansoor is not aware whether he is passing motion or urine.
It was a curable illness.
If a little amount was spent on it.
But none of the children wanted to bear the cost.
Naseer took all the responsibility of Mansoor.
He was the poorest.
Naseer did not see his father.
He saw the five thousand rufiyaa income that suddenly was an addition.
Since Naseer looked after father, the rest of kids had no objection in him taking the money.
Naseer refused to spend the money on father's surgery.
Because it would reduce the amount for his pocket.
The expense on his father wasn't much.
He was fed with general food cooked at home.
Did not have to buy clothes.
Naseer was content with it.
With a bit of difficulty.
He had to come home to change his father's diapers.
Had to bathe his father.
Naseer had to help in feeding him.
Naseer was very patient for the money.
However, as the first month passed and the second month started, Naseer was impatient.
Naseer could not do it even if he got five thousand rufiyaa and even if he was helping his own father.
The three siblings gathered and discussed about what could be done about father.
Still Naseer was ready to take the responsibility of looking after father.
Only if father could be changed to some other place.
They sent their father back to island on the first boat that was available.
In the island their father was kept at Zubeyda's house.
She is Naseer's aunt.
Zubeyda was single.
Her children lived in Male'.
Zubeyda cooked for their father.
A man who lives in a near house was appointed to feed him.
Things like bathing was done by a foreigner.
Naseer was able to manage it at a low cost.
He was able to save three thousand rufiyaa.
Zubeyda was aware of everything.
She didn't like it that way.
But hesitated to say so.
She then found an excuse.
Suddenly Zubeyda had to go Male'.
To see her children.
Zubeyda never came back from Male'.
Did not even answer Naseer's calls.
Naseer concluded that his father can survive even without his aunt's help.
His two brother too agreed so.
They did not realize how lonely their father would be and how much he would be wishing to see them.
A neighbour was appointed for cooking.
Their father did not say even "uff".
No complaints at all.
He would spend the whole day on the mat of a weaved bed.
A stone wall was all he could see around.
On one of the walls was a window with a mesh.
Mansoor would get up with all his effort and come to look from the window.
The sea visible faraway.
The beautiful breezes from the ocean burst out his memories from the past.
The sea was the cure of Mansoor's heart.
Fishing was what Mansoor had done to earn.
The food of the soul.
Mansoor used to go to the beach to catch fish ever since he was unable to go fishing on boat.
The interest to go fishing did not diminish even if he had to lie on the bed ill.
Though he did not have the strength, could not hold the fishing line, he still wanted to sit at the beach to feel the waves.
Nobody was willing to do it for him.
This afternoon Mansoor was found by some returning fishermen.
Mansoor's corpse was floating and drifting in the sea.
No external injuries were visible.
But had his heart been observed.
Could not have found a single place that wasn't bruised.
The corpse was kept on the beach before being taken to the cemetery.
Mansoor's sons were in Male'.
According to Anwar he could not travel because he was having a flu.
It wasn't sure if any of the children would come for his funeral.
Every child was a business man.
They had no time to come pay respect to their dead father.
But Mansoor had all his time devoted for his children.
Sent the children to well known schools.
The days he had strength to stand was spent in working to brighten the children's future.
What was the use?
People kept saying.
What kind of a father is Mansoor?
He had no conditions on the love he gave to his children?
The father had no hopes on the children?
Or was Mansoor a rare example of being thankful to what he had?
Maya who was taking pictures on the beach was waiting for the sunrise.
Tiny waves kept kissing Maya's feet in their respect.
I was watching.
Behind the window curtains.
The chirping of the parrot added to sounds of waves and nightingale.
The changing colors of the horizon were preparing to welcome the king of day light.
I quickly washed my face.
I wrapped a sarong over the shorts I wore to sleep.
Actually it was not a sarong.
It was a feyli that I got as a gift from the resort.
I went out of the room.
When in Male' I go for jogging daily at dawn.
Soon as I came back to the resort, there was a break to the routine.
We came to the resort on behalf of our office to participate in a meeting.
It was a two day trip.
Remaining was also two days.
I slowly walked and stood behind Maya.
"I should go to the sea!" I said.
Astonised, Maya looked at me.
First at my face.
And then at my body.
Whoever who looks at me would notice the interest I had in exercising.
I didn't give Maya the opportunity earlier.
Maya took pictures of me by her phone.
"Faizan must be excited when he sees the photos"
I said in an amusing tone.
"shall I click a cool picture for you?"
Maya took few photos of me and returned the camera.
I did the shooting.
Clicked pictures of both of us too.
It was the day Maya would be giving her speech at the gathering.
We discussed about the speech.
We walked while talking and it led us to the beach.
There were tourists too.
Two of them took pictures with us.
"nice couple!" one of them said so too.
Me and Faizan are very close friends.
Because of that our wives are also close friends.
While Faizan's wife works at my office, my wife Rania works at his.
It wasn’t a coincidence.
That was the way we wanted it to be.
Because we knew what our office were like.
However, we don’t support the idea of a married couple working in the same office.
I don’t have a kid.
Won't even think about it unless after an year.
Faizan and Maya has to children.
However, Maya doesn’t look like a mother of two.
Spending time together gives way to talk about personal stuff that weren’t shared before.
We all are humans.
Everybody has their weaknesses.
Disliking and annoying characteristics.
Maya talked a lot of stuff.
The talk about the rough seas and problems in marriage.
It wasn’t a new story.
Difference was she went into details of some stories.
I suggested her the best solutions to overcome the obstacles in her marriage.
Not because I was an expert.
Because I knew Faizan way before Maya knew him.
Maya and Faizan used to listen to my advice even when they were in a relationship.
The four days spent at the resort wrote a new chapter of friendship between me and Maya.
We didn’t go deeper than friendship.
We four met more often after coming to Male'.
The calls we made each other increased.
I was very alert.
We are humans before we became friends.
Humans are very suspicious.
It was midnight.
It was 2 AM when the call woke me up.
I heard Maya's voice already when I answered the call.
Maya was crying.
Faizan was saying something.
It was so soft and wasn’t clear.
"Naseem! Could you please come over?"
I hear Faizan say.
"Very urgent".
My first decision was not to go.
To avoid getting so deep into other people's personal life.
On a second thought I stood up.
When I reached Faizan's place, Faizan was waiting outside for me.
Faizan did not answer when I inquired, instead took me to his room.
Maya was lying on her stomach in her night wear and crying.
A cloth was tied to the fan.
"What is this bed sheet that is attached to the fan?"
I questioned.
"What can I say?"
Faizan said so while he untied the cloth from the fan.
"says I don’t love her!
Says will commit suicide.
Are these things people should do?"
I scratched my head.
Took a deep breath and sat on the bed.
"How can you both survive a marriage like this?"
I said softly.
"cant", Maya who was lying down said angrily.
"You only see what I do when it is done.
Faizan's thing is to ride with girls on his cycle in the name of being busy at office.
If it comes to going somewhere with me he is busy!
No one can stay married to such a man".
"Why does Maya listen to whatever people say?"
Faizan pleaded.
"I was in office".
One was making accusations angrily.
The other one tried to convince sadly.
The problem wasn’t solved.
Rania woke up and she called.
I told her what had happened.
Luckily Rania understood.
Faizan grabbed my phone while I was talking.
Said sorry for making me come at such a late hour.
It wasn’t important either.
The problem was solved after sunrise.
Maya listened to what I had to say though she gave a deaf ear to Faizan.
"It would have been way better if I had married Naseem".
She said unhesitant.
I didn’t know what Faizan would think.
I didn’t talk about it anymore.
Putting off the flamed four walls I stood up.
"Faizan lets go tea," I said.
"I am dying of hunger"!
Faizan and me headed to the hotel.
Instead of going on two bikes, I climbed behind on Faizan's bike.
I took the advantage of the moment.
"Tell me honestly!" I had to ask that question.
"What did you think when Maya said she could have married me instead?"
Faizan was silent for a moment.
It wasn’t an easy topic even if we were two friends.
"I recalled something mom said,"
I heard Faizan say.
"mom says Maya does things differently now when Naseem comes home.
If we have any plans to go somewhere, Maya would say about taking Naseem along.
I recalled those stuff.
May be Maya likes you right."
"Don’t know right!"
I could not agree.
" I certainly respect Maya because she is Faizan's wife.
Probably she is taking the wrong meaning.
But, I would never invade a friend's home from his roof.
I know how I am.
There might be very manner less, dishonest friends too.
What is important is not the signs.
But the situation.
Faizan went to Malaysia with Rania on a five-day short course.
It was two months back.
Faizan was aware that Rania had a disagreement with me the day she left.
Faizan tried to take the advantage of the situation in Malaysia.
Gave signals to Rania.
Very faint and very distant ones.
And he kept doing it even later on.
That is Faizan's true colours.
Previously I wasn’t aware of it.
I was lucky Rania could not read the signals.
Rania was not aware of close deceiving friends.
Rania did not doubt about the intentions of Faizan.
If she did, she would not have told me about the "signals" given by Faizan on that trip.
I played the same game Faizan played.
Maya received my deliberate signals.
From distant.
And very faint.
I trapped Maya on purpose.
To give a signal to Faizan.
I had no kids at all.
Faizan had two kids.
If slipped, Faizan was the one who was going to get hurt more.
Things happened as I predicted.
Faizan realized.
But Faizan wasn’t aware that about anything that I knew.
I neither told him to fix anything.
What time do you get up in the morning? 
I get up at 6.30.
I get up at 5.15.
What do you have in the morning? 
Coffee or tea? 
Normally, I have tea in the morning. 
Which newspaper do you read? 
I read the Times. 
Do you have time to read the paper in the morning? 
Yes. 
I have. 
No.
I have a very busy schedule in the morning. 
I just go through the headlines. 
What do you have for your breakfast? 
When do you leave for office? 
I leave at 9.15.
How do you go to office? 
I go by train. 
I go by bus. 
I go by scooter. 
I go by cycle. 
When do you return home? 
I return home at 6.30.
When do you go to bed? 
I go to bed at 10.30.
Did he come?  
When did he come? 
How did he come? 
Why did he come here? 
With whom did he come?
He came here last week. 
He came here yesterday. 
Where did he come? 
He came here. 
He came to my office. 
He came by bus. 
He came by car. 
Why did he come? 
He came to meet my father. 
He came to my office to ask for money. 
He came along with his wife. 
He came here alone.
When did he come?
Will they come here? 
When will they come? 
Are they coming here tomorrow? 
What are you going to do? 
When are you completing the work? 
When are you going to get married? 
Are you going with them? 
When are you going to vacate the house? 
How long are you going to stay there? 
What are you going to do next? 
How will you manage? 
How are you going to manage? 
When is the manager returning?
Will it rain today? 
When are you leaving for Madurai? 
They are giving the bonus next week. 
I am leaving for Male' tomorrow night. 
They are vacating the house next month. 
Next week my cousin is coming from Mumbai. 
My friend is getting married next month. 
I am leaving for Bangalore tonight.
And I will be back after 10 days.
You just wait there.
I will come and pick you up. 
I will take you there one day. 
I think it will rain today. 
I hope they will win. 
I don't think they will come. 
Hereafter I won't go with them. 
Nobody will believe that. 
They will not listen to me.
I like reading books. 
I like getting wet in the rain. 
I like walking in the morning sun. 
I like listening to music. 
I like travelling by train. 
I like playing cricket. 
I like watching T.V. 
I like people who are frank. 
I like people who speak the truth. 
I like people who work hard. 
I don't like travelling by crowded buses. 
I don't like waiting in queues. 
I don't like watching the T.V. serials. 
I don't like sitting idle. 
I don't like you going there. 
I have a scooter. 
I have some books. 
I have two brothers. 
I have three sisters and a brother. 
I have a lot of friends here. 
I have office tomorrow. 
I have college today. 
I have a meeting today. 
We have a function at home tomorrow. 
We have some guests at home. 
I have a car. 
He has a car. 
She has a car. 
She has two children. 
He has office today. 
He has a friend in Mumbai. 
I have no time. 
I don't have time. 
He has no time. 
He doesn't have time. 
I have no office today. 
They have no school tomorrow. 
I have no problem. 
I have no objection. 
Do you have a spare ticket? 
Do you have any extra tickets? 
Do you have a one rupee coin? 
Dad, do you have office tomorrow? 
Do you have school today? 
Does she have any problem? 
Do you have a pen? 
Don't you have a pen? 
Don't you have school today? 
Don't you have change? 
Do you have any doubt? 
Could I park my scooter here? 
Could I use your phone? 
It is very hot inside. 
Can I open the windows? 
May I have a word with you?
Can I go home early today?
I have some guests at home. 
Can I leave my bag here? 
By all means. 
Yes. 
Certainly. 
No problem. 
I don't mind. 
I don't mind it at all. 
I am sorry. 
Can we go to the practice now? 
Ask him to come tomorrow. 
Ask him to wait for sometime. 
Ask him to bring the book. 
Ask her to finish the home work. 
Ask her to shut up. 
Ask him to bring his father tomorrow. 
Ask brother to go to the bank. 
Ask him to bring the files. 
Ask him to wait till I come. 
Ask your friend to meet me tomorrow. 
Ask him not to go there. 
Ask them not to wait for me. 
Ask that man not to shout. 
Ask the children not to get wet in the rain. 
Ask my mother not to worry about me.
I didn't ask you to go there. 
I didn't ask them to come here. 
I don't know why they have come. 
I didn't ask you to spend all the money. 
I didn’t ask you to wait for me. 
Did I ask you to go there? 
Did I ask you to resign the job? 
Did I ask you to keep the door open? 
Did I ask them to wait? 
I asked you to come yesterday, but you didn't come. 
I asked you not to go there.
Did you listen to me? 
I asked you several times not to believe them.
But you didn't listen to me. 
Have I ever asked you to work on Sundays? 
Wait for sometime. 
My friend Ravi has a scooter. 
I will ask him to drop you. 
I will ask them to wait. 
I will ask him to meet you tomorrow at 5 o'clock.
I will ask him to call you up 
I will ask her to cook today. 
I will ask him to get you something to eat. 
I will ask him to reserve two tickets. 
Shall I ask them to come tomorrow? 
Shall I ask him to call you up? 
Shall I ask them to wait? 
He  is on leave today. 
Shall I ask her to go to the bank? 
Shall I send the email? 
If you had called me, I would have come there. 
If you had told me, I would have waited for you. 
If he had asked me, I would have given it to him. 
If I had been awake, I would have caught the thief. 
They came all the way to invite you. 
You should have attended the wedding. 
You should have told me yesterday. 
You should have replied to his letter. 
I should have joined this course last year. 
Whatever it may be, you should not have beaten him. 
I should not have wasted my time. 
You should not have talked like that. 
It was my mistake. 
I should not have invited them to the party. 
Does the school work this Saturday? 
Could I meet the class teacher? 
I would like to meet the class teacher. 
When will the school be over today? 
When does the vacation start? 
How has he performed in the exams? 
When do you reopen the school? 
When is the last day for paying the fees? 
When is the sports day? 
Where is it going to be held? 
Do you have a school bus? 
Is he coming regularly? 
Is he regular to the classes?
Doctor, I have a severe headache. 
I have a bad cold. 
I have a sense of giddiness. 
There is a numb feeling in the leg. 
I feel feverish. 
I have a burning sensation in the eyes. 
I have a bitter taste in the mouth. 
I don't have a good appetite. 
I have a very bad earache. 
My throat is a bit dry. 
Doctor, my weight has picked up again. 
Should I take these tablets before the meal or after the meal? 
How long should I take this medicine? 
Doctor, what is the problem with me? 
What exactly is the disease? 
Is it serious? 
What should be my diet? 
How long should I take rest? 
Can I take rice?
Can I travel? 
When can I get the medical report? 
When can I collect the X-ray? 
Can I go to work next week? 
How much should I pay?
What is your name? 
Could you tell us something about yourself? 
I am a graduate in commerce. 
Have you any previous experience? 
I have no experience. 
You have no experience at all. 
But I am a fast learner.
I pickup very fast.
 Can you suggest a nice gift for a two year old female child? 
How much does it cost? 
How much is it? 
What is the difference between these two? 
Where can I collect the material? 
Here is the bill. 
Is there nobody here at this counter?
I have been waiting for half an hour. 
I would like to meet the manager. 
I have a complaint to make. 
Sorry I am late. 
I apologise.
I apologise for talking to you like that. 
I can't come on Sunday. 
I am sorry it is wrong number. 
I could not return the book yesterday. 
It doesn't matter, but don't make it a habit. 
I forgot to post the letter. 
No problem. 
You can post it tomorrow. 
I have broken the cup. 
It sometimes happens like that. 
Sorry, I have disturbed you. 
No, not at all. 
This is all entirely my fault. 
Can you complete the work in two days? 
I may go to Delhi tomorrow. 
It might rain today. 
You had better consult your father. 
You had better carry something with you to eat. 
You may feel hungry on the way. 
You should rather have milk than coffee. 
I would rather go hungry than eat this food. 
I must return this book today. 
You must not come in with your shoes on. 
You should read a lot. 
You should take care of your health. 
You ought to wear a helmet while travelling. 
The police ought to control the traffic. 
A few.                                                                                       
A little.
A long time ago.
A one way ticket.
A round trip ticket.
About 300 kilometers.
Across from the post office.
All day.
Am I pronouncing it correctly?
And you?
Anything else?
Are they coming this evening?
Are they same?
Are you afraid?
Are you allergic to anything?
Are you Maldivian?
Are you busy?
Are you comfortable?
Are you coming this evening?
Are you free tonight?
Are you going to attend their wedding?
Are you going to help her?
Are you going to walk?
Are you here alone?
Are you hungry?
Are you married?
Are you okay?
Are you ready?
Are you sick?
Are you sure?
Are you waiting for someone?
Are you working today?
Are you working tomorrow?
Are your children with you?
As soon as possible.
At what time did it happen?
At what time?
Be careful driving.
Be careful.
Be quiet.
Behind the bank.
Bring me my shirt please.
Business is good.
Business is bad.
Call me.
Call the police.
Can I access the internet here?
Can I borrow some money?
Can I bring my friend?
Can I have a glass of water please?
Can I have a receipt please?
Can I have the bill please?
Can I help you?
Can I make an appointment?
Can I see your passport please?
Can I take a message?
Can I try it on?
Can I use your phone?
Can it be cheaper?
Can we have a menu please.
Can we have some more bread please?
Can we sit over there?
Can I call you back later?
Can you call me back later?
Can you carry this for me?
Can you do a favour for me?
Can you fix this?
Can you give me an example?
Can you help me?
Can you hold this for me?
Can you please say that again?
Can you recommend a good restaurant?
Can you repeat that please?
Can you show me?
Can you speak louder please?
Can you swim?
Can you throw that away for me?
Can you translate this for me?
Certainly!
Cheers!
Come here.
Did it rain yesterday?
Did you come with your family?
Did you get my email?
Did you send me flowers?
Did you take your medicine?
Did you like Maldives?
Do you accept U.S. Dollars?
Do you believe that?
Do you feel better?
Do you have a boyfriend?
Do you have a girlfriend?
Do you have a pencil?
Do you have a problem?
Do you have a swimming pool?
Do you have an appointment?
Do you have another one?
Do you have any children?
Do you have any coffee?
Do you have any money?
Do you have any vacancies?
Do you have anything cheaper?
Do you have enough money?
Do you have the number for a taxi?
Do you have this in size 11?
Do you hear that?
Do you know her?
Do you know him?
Do you know how much it costs?
Do you know how to cook?
Do you know what this means?
Do you know what this says?
Do you know where I can get a taxi?
Do you know where my glasses are?
Do you know where she is?
Do you like it here?
Do you like the book?
Do you like to watch TV?
Do you like your boss?
Do you like your co-workers?
Do you need anything else?
Do you need anything?
Do you play any sports?
Do you sell medicine?
Do you smoke?
Do you speak English?
Do you study English?
Do you take credit cards?
Do you think it'll rain today?
Do you think it's going to rain tomorrow?
Do you think it's possible?
Do you understand?
Do you want me to come and pick you up?
Do you want to come with me?
Do you want to go to the movies?
Does anyone here speak English?
Does he like the school?
Don't do that.
Don't worry.
Every week.
Every day I get up at 6 AM.
Everyone knows it.
Everything is ready.
Excellent.
Excuse me, what did you say?
Excuse me.
Expiration date.
Fill it up please.
Follow me.
For how many nights?
Forget it.
From here to there.
From time to time.
Give me a call.
Give me the pen.
Go straight ahead.
Good afternoon.
Good evening sir.
Good idea.
Good Luck.
Good morning.
Great.
Happy Birthday.
Have a good trip.
Have they met her yet?
Have you arrived?
Have you been waiting long?
Have you done this before?
Have you eaten at that restaurant?
Have you eaten yet?
Have you finished studying?
Have you seen this movie?
He always does that for me.
He broke the window.
He doesn't look like a nurse.
He has a nice car.
He likes it very much.
He likes juice but he doesn't like milk.
He needs some new clothes.
He never gives me anything.
He said this is a nice place.
He said you like to watch movies.
He thinks we don't want to go.
He'll be back in 20 minutes.
Help!
Here is your salad.
Here it is.
Here you are.
Here's my number.
Here's your order.
He's a very good student.
He's an Engineer.
He's coming soon.
He's faster than me.
He's in the kitchen.
He's not in right now.
He's right.
He's very annoying.
He's very famous.
He's very hard working.