Political amnesia and shameless shape shifting

People frequently remark that fate eventually drags every hidden truth into plain view. As the Maldivian proverb wisely puts it, "anyone giving out sugar suddenly becomes an uncle." The truth of this sentiment is presently playing out before our eyes in endless, glaring ways.

What we are witnessing offers a profound moral lesson for future generations, not to mention a rich, endless reservoir of material fit for a comprehensive doctoral study.

The subject here is the regime of former President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom. There is hardly any requirement for me to spend pages spelling out what transpired under that government; a lone publication on the social platform 'X' authored by Saud Hussain, the former representative for the Villingili constituency in the People’s Majlis, captures the essence of that period completely.

To repeat Saud’s exact remarks:

"Hearing President Yameen speak about the Prosecutor General makes me wonder: Have some of those who governed the Maldives in recent history forgotten how they ruled? Or do they speak so recklessly because they believe the citizens are fools? The remarks made in various forums by the individual who governed the Maldives from 2013 to 2018 suggest as if he never held power in this country. Yameen’s administration was the most brutal, corrupt, and autocratic in Maldivian history! He operated a 'shadow state,' using the Prosecutor General to file unjust charges against anyone who disagreed with him, framing and imprisoning numerous political figures. It is a lesson for those who reflect!"

Throughout Yameen's tenure in office, common citizens raised these exact same grievances. The public chanted them in street demonstrations and even penned songs to capture the grim reality of the era. Back then, however, such accusations were flatly brushed aside by the loyalists of the PPM, particularly the very figures sitting at the helm of party leadership who now sit comfortably in the highest ranks of the governing PNC.

During those days, in the estimation of the very champions who worshipped him, Yameen walked entirely above suspicion or blame. They branded him as immaculate and spotless, a deeply "pious and ascetic" statesman, an "unrivaled and just ruler," and the singular "architect of national development." They insisted his record was entirely "spotless, never touching a single Laari of the people’s money," and lauded him for running a "humble and transparent" regime. In short, they painted him as an unprecedented, "sincere and exemplary leader, the likes of whom the Maldives had never seen."

To prove their loyalty, these figures pledged to sacrifice every possession and breath for Yameen, offering up their fortunes and their very lives. They insisted they would cheerfully shoulder any agony on his behalf, even going so far as to offer to do his hard prison time for him.

Eventually, the guard rotated and the administration fell. Yameen lost his grip on governance. Emerging straight out of Yameen’s own circle of confidants, another individual, Muizzu, rose straight to the nation's presidency. It was through Muizzu that these selfsame loyalists salvaged their own grip on power. Like flipping a switch, Yameen was recast overnight into the archvillain. Their chorus abruptly altered its pitch, and worshipful flattery gave way to scathing condemnation. Stripping away their earlier pretense, they stepped forward to validate that everything the opposition had historically claimed was pure, unadulterated reality, even volunteering fresh, formerly buried particulars armed with receipts, detailing corrupt operations in which they themselves had personally taken part.

There is no point in me lingering on those intricate specifics. Let us simply close on the public statements made by Abdul Raheem Abdulla, the very man who once swore he would forfeit all sleep until he had successfully delivered a second term in office for President Yameen.

To cite his published post on 'X' word for word:

"When a person loses all sense of shame, they are capable of saying anything. Is there anyone in this country who does not know that world-class records for corruption were set under his leadership, or that he kept the Anti-Corruption Commission in a 'coma' during that time? It is truly astonishing! Are there not enough people questioning how the palace named 'G. Dhoovehi' was built, or the 18-story five-star hotel currently being constructed under the same name in Henveiru? Surely, the members of the MDP have not forgotten the dollars in fixed deposits and investment accounts in Singapore and Dubai. Have you forgotten how the citizens, overwhelmed and enraged, removed you from power? Did you not restructure the Supreme Court bench as you pleased during your presidency? Did you not remove the roof tiles of the Supreme Court to arrest its Chief Justice and other senior judges? Did they not go to jail? Did you not pass laws so that Members of Parliament would lose their seats if they switched parties? Did you not paralyze all independent institutions? Did you not arrest every political leader in the country at the time? Did you not dismiss Vice Presidents? Did you not dismiss the Chief Justice? Because you think there is no one left to speak of these things today, has 'President Yameen' suddenly become as pure as camphor? Is that why you keep repeating 'I am President Yameen' even in your sleep!"

Nothing more needs to be stated. This is the sheer, double-faced nature of our reality, a textbook demonstration of how loyalties change color overnight.

These are unvarnished scenes loaded with hard warnings for the generations yet to come.

It represents the breathtaking gulf between how they spoke yesterday and how they speak today, and an observer has no choice but to break into cynical laughter at the hollow accusations they are now hurling across the room at each other.