Frustrated with the outcome of his meeting with the Communications Authority of Maldives, Naseem contemplated a hunger strike against the high prices Dhiraagu charges for internet. However, realizing how futile it would be to carry out a hunger strike when most people in the country are abstaining from having food during the day, Naseem abandoned this idea. Instead, he decided to send an urgent appeal to all Maldivian bloggers through this blog. This is what Naseem has to say:
"Friends. Bloggers. Countrymen and countrywomen. Lend me your ears.
We have defeated an evil dictatorship only last year. But our struggle did not end at that point. We have to rise against the corporate giants like Dhiraagu, ROL and Careless & Worthless, excuse me, Cable & Wireless. For they are sucking our blood and committing daylight robbery. Never before in the history of Maldives has so few robbed so many in such huge proportions.
I call upon all Maldivian bloggers, to get up and stand up for your rights. I am fully aware most of you blog while sitting down near your computers. However, this is no time to sit. This is no time to be idle. This is the time to stand up. For good humans are judged not from the quizzes they complete on facebook but by the strength of their resolve.
I ask all bloggers to join me in my campaign to hold the internet service providers accountable."
Highly motivated by this speech, Naseem plans to pay a courtesy call on the Honorable Mahmood Razi, the Minister of Civil Aviation and Communication, on Sunday and have a talk on the status of internet in the Maldives.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Minutes of meeting with Communications Authority of Maldives
On Sunday Naseem went to Communications Authority of Maldives (CAM) to complain about the high internet charges of Dhiraagu and the poor service the ISP offers to businesses in Maldives. Naseem met with two gentlemen from CAM, whose names have been withheld following their request. Naseem put a tape recorder on the table, sat back in the executive chair in the meeting room and inhaled a deep breath.
CAM: Now how can we help you?
Naseem: Are you the regulatory authority for communications in the Maldives?
CAM: In fact, we are.
Naseem: Could you enlighten me on what types of regulatory work you have done in the past few decades er... years?
CAM: We give licenses to mobile phone companies. We determine the type of frequencies that should be issued to broadcasting companies. We issue licenses to Internet Service Providers. It is also our mandate to ensure microwave ovens do not emit frequencies that disrupt the communications of the whole country.
Naseem: It looks like you have been very busy over the past decades. To cut a long story short, I am here to complain about one particular company in the Maldives, an ISP. I am deeply distraught over their high internet charges and poor service.
CAM: We have an uneasy feeling you are talking about Dhiraagu. Complaints about Dhiraagu is not something new to us. Look at that filing cabinet over there. There are volumes of complaints filed there about Dhiraagu.
Naseem: So what has your esteemed authority done about those complaints?
CAM: We have done practically nothing but ignore those complaints. Even though we are the regulatory authority Dhiraagu is more powerful than us. All our decisions to reform Dhiraagu were overridden by high government officials In the previous government.
Naseem: Are you talking about officials like Fathulla Jameel who received a huge commission aka bribe out of Cable & Wireless' deals with the government of Maldives?
CAM: We wouldn't be so foolish to mention names. Especially when defamation cases amounting to millions of rufiya can be filed in Maldivian courts these days.
Naseem: How do I know if you also didn't receive a cut of the commission to buy your silence concerning Dhiraagu.
CAM: You will never know. That's how it works.
Naseem: Now that the government has changed and with a presidential commission being formed to probe the corruption of the past government, don't you think you have more space to regulate Dhiraagu?
CAM: Are you so foolish to believe that any government, whether democratic or dictatorial, will cut its own revenue stream? Do you know how much Dhiraagu contributes to the government revenue?
Naseem: I prefer not to know. All I know is ordinary Maldivians are suffering. We are paying high prices for Dhiraagu services. Isn't this a rather unfair way of taxation?
CAM: This is how the system works.
Naseem: What is this rumour about a deal with Cable & Wireless?
CAM: It is confidential. We are not allowed to talk about it.
Naseem: So there is a deal. Are you planning to sell all shares to Cable & Wireless?
CAM: Not us. As you know we are the regulatory authority. We will continue to regulate regardless of who owns the shares. But don't you think it will be a wise move to sell shares to C&W to raise some income for the government? As you know we are experiencing a rather bad economic recession. Besides, the MDP government has pledged privatisation of state-owned enterprises.
Naseem: Don't say it is an MDP government. It is an MDP-Adhaalath Coalition. I am not sure what Dr Abdul Majeed Abdul Bari and his associates think of selling our telecom company to a British company. Is it Haram or Halal? These questions need to be sorted out among the coalition partners before a decision can be made.
CAM: It is not in our mandate to make the decisions. We regulate.
Naseem: I think this is a rather futile conversation. I have this feeling that all decisions have already been made. Who profits from these deals? Who gets a commission? Is it the Special Enjoy? The Cabinet Secretary? The President? Who are the people in President's Office making these decisions?
CAM: We can't answer those questions. We have wives and children to take care of. We need our jobs. Besides our mandate is to regulate.
Naseem: I can see that you enjoy your jobs. Why don't you decrease the temperature in the room to a few more degrees so this room will be colder and even more comfortable?
CAM: If you think this job is easy then you are mistaken. It is not easy to ignore the complaints of citizens like you and play the dirty politics. We also have consciences. What we lack is enough money to support our families.
Naseem: If you receive so much pressure not to regulate Dhiraagu, then why aren't you taking any action about ROL? As you know, ROL also charges high prices and their services are much worse than Dhiraagu.
CAM: You are very naive, aren't you? If we regulate ROL and force ROL to provide better services, all customers will move to ROL. How can Dhiraagu exist in such a scenario? Who will provide revenue for the government? What about the fat commissions?
Naseem: So you gave license to ROL to give the impression that there is free market competition while the whole stage has been set for Dhiraagu?
CAM: More or less that is the story.
Naseem: I think this is a story I will share with newspapers.
CAM: You are more foolish than we thought. Which newspaper in Maldives will run a story against Dhiraagu? Haven't you seen how many programmes they sponsor on TVM and how many full-colour ads they have on the newspapers. No newspaper, radio station, TV channel or news website will ever say anything against Dhiraagu.
Naseem: But Dhiraagu is partly owned by the government. The government should be accountable to the people. The people should start asking questions about how Dhiraagu is run, how Dhiraagu spends money on advertising and how Dhiraagu does unethical business.
CAM: But people don't have a voice. We issue the radio frequency to only the oligarchs in this country. Newspapers will never say anything against Dhiraagu. The people's representatives in the Majlis are too busy taking home their monthly salary. Major political parties will not comment on Dhiraagu.
Naseem: So what is the fate of us?
CAM: Slavery. As before. Now it is almost 1.30 pm. To reduce the government expenditure, we are not permitted to work after office hours. Now if you will excuse us.....
CAM: Now how can we help you?
Naseem: Are you the regulatory authority for communications in the Maldives?
CAM: In fact, we are.
Naseem: Could you enlighten me on what types of regulatory work you have done in the past few decades er... years?
CAM: We give licenses to mobile phone companies. We determine the type of frequencies that should be issued to broadcasting companies. We issue licenses to Internet Service Providers. It is also our mandate to ensure microwave ovens do not emit frequencies that disrupt the communications of the whole country.
Naseem: It looks like you have been very busy over the past decades. To cut a long story short, I am here to complain about one particular company in the Maldives, an ISP. I am deeply distraught over their high internet charges and poor service.
CAM: We have an uneasy feeling you are talking about Dhiraagu. Complaints about Dhiraagu is not something new to us. Look at that filing cabinet over there. There are volumes of complaints filed there about Dhiraagu.
Naseem: So what has your esteemed authority done about those complaints?
CAM: We have done practically nothing but ignore those complaints. Even though we are the regulatory authority Dhiraagu is more powerful than us. All our decisions to reform Dhiraagu were overridden by high government officials In the previous government.
Naseem: Are you talking about officials like Fathulla Jameel who received a huge commission aka bribe out of Cable & Wireless' deals with the government of Maldives?
CAM: We wouldn't be so foolish to mention names. Especially when defamation cases amounting to millions of rufiya can be filed in Maldivian courts these days.
Naseem: How do I know if you also didn't receive a cut of the commission to buy your silence concerning Dhiraagu.
CAM: You will never know. That's how it works.
Naseem: Now that the government has changed and with a presidential commission being formed to probe the corruption of the past government, don't you think you have more space to regulate Dhiraagu?
CAM: Are you so foolish to believe that any government, whether democratic or dictatorial, will cut its own revenue stream? Do you know how much Dhiraagu contributes to the government revenue?
Naseem: I prefer not to know. All I know is ordinary Maldivians are suffering. We are paying high prices for Dhiraagu services. Isn't this a rather unfair way of taxation?
CAM: This is how the system works.
Naseem: What is this rumour about a deal with Cable & Wireless?
CAM: It is confidential. We are not allowed to talk about it.
Naseem: So there is a deal. Are you planning to sell all shares to Cable & Wireless?
CAM: Not us. As you know we are the regulatory authority. We will continue to regulate regardless of who owns the shares. But don't you think it will be a wise move to sell shares to C&W to raise some income for the government? As you know we are experiencing a rather bad economic recession. Besides, the MDP government has pledged privatisation of state-owned enterprises.
Naseem: Don't say it is an MDP government. It is an MDP-Adhaalath Coalition. I am not sure what Dr Abdul Majeed Abdul Bari and his associates think of selling our telecom company to a British company. Is it Haram or Halal? These questions need to be sorted out among the coalition partners before a decision can be made.
CAM: It is not in our mandate to make the decisions. We regulate.
Naseem: I think this is a rather futile conversation. I have this feeling that all decisions have already been made. Who profits from these deals? Who gets a commission? Is it the Special Enjoy? The Cabinet Secretary? The President? Who are the people in President's Office making these decisions?
CAM: We can't answer those questions. We have wives and children to take care of. We need our jobs. Besides our mandate is to regulate.
Naseem: I can see that you enjoy your jobs. Why don't you decrease the temperature in the room to a few more degrees so this room will be colder and even more comfortable?
CAM: If you think this job is easy then you are mistaken. It is not easy to ignore the complaints of citizens like you and play the dirty politics. We also have consciences. What we lack is enough money to support our families.
Naseem: If you receive so much pressure not to regulate Dhiraagu, then why aren't you taking any action about ROL? As you know, ROL also charges high prices and their services are much worse than Dhiraagu.
CAM: You are very naive, aren't you? If we regulate ROL and force ROL to provide better services, all customers will move to ROL. How can Dhiraagu exist in such a scenario? Who will provide revenue for the government? What about the fat commissions?
Naseem: So you gave license to ROL to give the impression that there is free market competition while the whole stage has been set for Dhiraagu?
CAM: More or less that is the story.
Naseem: I think this is a story I will share with newspapers.
CAM: You are more foolish than we thought. Which newspaper in Maldives will run a story against Dhiraagu? Haven't you seen how many programmes they sponsor on TVM and how many full-colour ads they have on the newspapers. No newspaper, radio station, TV channel or news website will ever say anything against Dhiraagu.
Naseem: But Dhiraagu is partly owned by the government. The government should be accountable to the people. The people should start asking questions about how Dhiraagu is run, how Dhiraagu spends money on advertising and how Dhiraagu does unethical business.
CAM: But people don't have a voice. We issue the radio frequency to only the oligarchs in this country. Newspapers will never say anything against Dhiraagu. The people's representatives in the Majlis are too busy taking home their monthly salary. Major political parties will not comment on Dhiraagu.
Naseem: So what is the fate of us?
CAM: Slavery. As before. Now it is almost 1.30 pm. To reduce the government expenditure, we are not permitted to work after office hours. Now if you will excuse us.....
Friday, September 4, 2009
Naseem's Thai girlfriend get unlimited broadband for $27
Last night I met my friend Naseem and he still talking about internet problems with Dhiraagu. Naseem said his Thai girlfriend lives in Muang Thong Thani. She has very good internet. True Corporation give 2 megabits per second for 890 baht for one month. It is 27 in US dollars. That is unlimited internet for less than 400 rufiyaa. True Corporation also give 8 megabits for businesses. Naseem say Dhiraagu and ROL charge very much from businesses in Maldives. As a result Thailand businesses are growing very fast but Maldives businesses do not grow fast. Naseem now thinking of going to Communications Authority of Maldives to complain.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Naseem can't chat with Thai girlfriend because Dhiraagu down
Last night I met my friend Naseem in front of Seagull Cafe. Now Seagull Cafe closed so we can't enter. Naseem and I cross the street and stand in front of Dhiraagu.
"What a useless building," Naseem said pointing to Dhiraagu.
"Why?" I asked.
"Because they are worst ISP in the world," Naseem said.
Naseem said he having problems with internet for many days now. Dhiraagu problem. Dhiraagu said they are hacked. Dhiraagu said hacker group testing new type of attack called DDOS because Dhiraagu is in third-world country and easier to test attacks.
Naseem very angry because he can't send emails to his shipper in Bangkok to confirm new clothes for his shop. Naseem more angry because he can't chat with his Thai girlfriend in Bangkok.
"What a useless building," Naseem said pointing to Dhiraagu.
"Why?" I asked.
"Because they are worst ISP in the world," Naseem said.
Naseem said he having problems with internet for many days now. Dhiraagu problem. Dhiraagu said they are hacked. Dhiraagu said hacker group testing new type of attack called DDOS because Dhiraagu is in third-world country and easier to test attacks.
Naseem very angry because he can't send emails to his shipper in Bangkok to confirm new clothes for his shop. Naseem more angry because he can't chat with his Thai girlfriend in Bangkok.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Dr Munavvar compiles report for Human Rights Commission
Dr Mohamed Munavvar has compiled a report, Rapid Assessment of the Employment Situation in Maldives, for the Human Rights Commission of the Maldives. The assessment was published on Tuesday. Dr Munavvar also presented a summary of the report and its recommendations to the media when the report was released at HRCM office on Tuesday.
The report in English
The report in Dhivehi
The report in English
The report in Dhivehi
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Revenge is bittersweet for beautiful Rozaina
Rozaina Adam, the beautiful daughter of Mafia boss Don Adam Fulhu, has won Thulusdhoo Dhairaa (constituency). Rozaina first had a chance to sit in Majlis chamber when she was appointed as an Appointed Member by President Gayoom last year. As soon as the new president Nasheed was sworn in he replaced Gayoom's appointees with his own. Saying this was illegal Rozaina challenged this at the court but did not win. To win back her Majlis seat Rozaina contested for Thulusdhoo Dhaaira in the election this time. As a child Rozaina had visited Thulusdhoo several times as her father had owned garment factories there. As the family fortune declined during the last deacde and as they were forced to close down factories, Rozaina's enthusiasm to serve the Thulusdhoo people did not wane. As vengeance against President Nasheed for removing her from Majlis seat, she is also bringing to the Majlis her husband Nashiz, who won Alifushi Dhaaira, Nashiz's brother Thasmeen Ali, who won Kendhoo Dhaaira, and Thasmeen's wife Visaam Ali, who won Maduvvari Dhaaira. Rozaina's father Don Adam Fulhu also contested in the Kaashidhoo Dhaaira but narrowly lost. However, the Don is pleased that the family has won so many seats. Besides the 65,000 rufiya that each Majlis member will receive as monthly salary, winning so many seats will have positive effects on the Don Adam Fulhu family businesses and strengthen their position within the opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party. Rozaina will be sworn in as the most beautiful MP in the Majlis on May 28. Polls taken to determine most beautiful MP show Rozaina ahead of MDP's Eva Abdulla, whose husband Saabe is likely to receive the Best Hacker Award in California this year for his hacking of Elections Commission website and putting a photo of President Nasheed with a pair of devil's horns in the homepage. However Saabe could not access the elections database and thus he could not decrease the number of votes Rozaina received.
Additional reporting by Lubna in front of Nasandhura Palace Hotel, still recovering from last night's tear gas.
Additional reporting by Lubna in front of Nasandhura Palace Hotel, still recovering from last night's tear gas.
Saturday, May 2, 2009
Candidate Abdul Salam Arif prays five times a day
Today I watched TVM political debate. Noonu Atoll Manadhoo Section debate. Presenter asked question why people should vote for you to candidates. Candidate Abdul Salam Arif said people should vote for him because he prays five times a day.
Candidate Abdul Salam Arif very pious man with beard. He was educated in Malaysia. A Lawyer. He did not attack any other candidate.
Another candidate Ahmed Faisal also very talkative candidate. He was born in Lhohi. But he makes me suspicious. Because he studied in UK, he worked in UK and he said he studied economics. But he worked in Maldives Police Service. What would a police officer do in two years working in UK and why police officer study economics? Ahmed Faisal was TVM presenter with Mariyam Waheeda when presidential election results announced in October. Was Ahmed Faisal put there by secret police to change vote result announced by TVM? I suspicious. When one candidate say Ahmed Faisal try to destroy democracy as police officer Ahmed Faisal become very sad. He say go and ask Assistant Commissioner of Police Abdulla Riyaz as Ahmed Faisal try to do many good things for democracy as police officer.
This makes I more suspicious. Because Abdulla Riyaz is very notorious man. Even now trying to get votes for Ghassan Maumoon in Thimarafushi. Was Ahmed Faisal studying with Ghassan in UK? I become more suspicious now. I think many secret police men supporting Gayoom are candidates.
Today debate MDP candidate Thoriq and DRP candidate Mohamed Hussain Shareef (Mundhu) also very talkative. But very difficult to believe what Mundhu say because he was liar supporting Gayoom. My favourite from debate is Abdul Salam Arif who prays five times a day.
Candidate Abdul Salam Arif very pious man with beard. He was educated in Malaysia. A Lawyer. He did not attack any other candidate.
Another candidate Ahmed Faisal also very talkative candidate. He was born in Lhohi. But he makes me suspicious. Because he studied in UK, he worked in UK and he said he studied economics. But he worked in Maldives Police Service. What would a police officer do in two years working in UK and why police officer study economics? Ahmed Faisal was TVM presenter with Mariyam Waheeda when presidential election results announced in October. Was Ahmed Faisal put there by secret police to change vote result announced by TVM? I suspicious. When one candidate say Ahmed Faisal try to destroy democracy as police officer Ahmed Faisal become very sad. He say go and ask Assistant Commissioner of Police Abdulla Riyaz as Ahmed Faisal try to do many good things for democracy as police officer.
This makes I more suspicious. Because Abdulla Riyaz is very notorious man. Even now trying to get votes for Ghassan Maumoon in Thimarafushi. Was Ahmed Faisal studying with Ghassan in UK? I become more suspicious now. I think many secret police men supporting Gayoom are candidates.
Today debate MDP candidate Thoriq and DRP candidate Mohamed Hussain Shareef (Mundhu) also very talkative. But very difficult to believe what Mundhu say because he was liar supporting Gayoom. My favourite from debate is Abdul Salam Arif who prays five times a day.
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