Since this case emerged in November 2009, panic and fear continue to gloom over the residents of this island as they believed that he had sex with more than one girl. On 6th November 2009 a senior island official told me on the phone that they’re unaware of exactly how many he had sex with.

“I saw his statement where he admitted to have sex with his girl friend and several others. His girl friend is being tested for HIV and we haven’t got the results yet” on 6th November 2009, a senior official told me on the phone.

According to reports he was found positive for HIV six years ago, soon after his trip to Bangkok. Later he was sent to his native island and he lived there a “normal” life.

Fear and anger mounted as more facts emerged from his statement to Maldives police. In the statement Moosa, who is in critical condition admitted that he had sex with ‘more’ than one girl.

“This is disturbing news that is expected to break the silence of the people. It is indeed a very sad thing. We don’t know how much this would cost us” a senior island official told me.

Negligence or deliberate spread!

As the islanders fear, no one could exactly say how many people from the island could have been infected with HIV virus as it is possible for them to have “sexual contacts” with those that are not infected. Even though Moosa was sent to his island when he was found positive for HIV five years ago, health officials failed to inform the island office and they did not monitor him. When I asked if the ministry of health informed the concerned government bodies at the island, senior official of the island replied,

“The ministry of health or any government body has not informed us of it in anyway. We got to know through rumors and self observation” he said.

The permanent secretary at the Ministry of Health and Family Dr. Sheena Moosa said to a local news paper that they reported a ‘suspected case’ to Maldives police service. It could not be verified that she was referring to this particular case.

Even though the question remains whether this was a case of negligence or deliberate spread of AIDS, a survey report revealed in November 2008, by Maldives Department of Health in conjunction with UNICEF and the World Health Organization, said that the Maldives is “highly vulnerable” to an HIV/AIDS epidemics and that the government [previous government] failed to “acknowledge” the HIV/AIDS threat in the Maldives. The survey states that the country is characterized by “high risk and vulnerability and low prevalence.” In the report it is stated that out of a total of 1791 high-risk participants; an estimated 0.5% of the total population, one was found to be HIV positive, indicating prevalence may be higher than previously indicated. According to the survey report unprotected sex is common in the Maldives. And it also showed three quarters of men having sex with men also had sex with women, while 44 percent of them from the capital city, Male’, sell sex and 49 percent buy sex.

This just could have been the tip of the iceberg. With incidence such as these, the anticipated prevalence of this dreadful disease now may be unfathomable without much needed research. The number of unreported cases could be enormous, since thousands of Maldivians frequently visit the neighboring countries where prevalence and incidence of HIV infections is amongst the worlds highest. The previous government might have failed to anticipate this threat; however the incumbent government needs to take strong and concrete actions to tackle the situation. If the spread of the infection is as much as those of the neighboring countries, it would not take an environmental calamity to destroy the Maldives, since the disease would have already taken its toll upon our lives.

On a separate occasion, nine other Maldivians were arrested on March 2009 in Waziristan, the religiously conservative mountain region of northwest Pakistan. This further tarnished the Maldivian image as the news made headlines across the region.

Such are the cases that have been reported in the media, and one such case circulates yet again. One of the accomplices of the sultan park bombing; Moosa Inas, had escaped custody after he was brought to see a doctor. The escape was pre-planned and carried out well by gang members. Inas and some of the gang members were then later arrested.

Religious extremism has been on the rise, no-one can beg to differ. The problem arises when they use Islam as a shield for the evil things that they do, things that are not allowed in the religion. Sultan Park case is one such example. Islam does not allow the killing of the innocent, and even in battle Islam shows much mercy. I do not understand how the extremists misinterpret Islam so much as to do jihad totally outside its bases. And I do not understand why they have to lie to their wives and family that they are going to study, but instead they go and take up arms, and most of the time, against fellow Muslims, such is the waristan case where they fought for Taliban against Pakistan army. All over the world Muslim leaders and religious scholars speak out against terrorism, and yet, why do these extremists who claim to follow Islam is totally contradicting it. They are just giving a bad name.

When Ex president Maumoon was in power and MDP [Maldivian Democratic Party] was the opposition, its members embattled and abused TVM newscasters covering MDP gatherings and protests. Then, those incidents were strongly criticized by DRP [ Dhhivehi Rayyithunge Party] and its members. They defended the two institutions heavily through press releases and news conference. But now the tide has changed, the same party targets the TVM & VOM.

On the evening of 21st July 2009, Television Maldives and Voice of Maldives was barred from the news conference, held at Alivaage [residence of the former president] by the former President and opposition leader Maumoon Abdul Gayoom after returning from police headquarters for questioning relating to a refusal to summon himself to presidential commission, established by the President to investigate corruption and miss use of power during the last administration.

As the TVM news team tried to get into the residence, DRP officials stopped them entering and shouted,

“VOM is not allowed, TVM and VOM is not allowed”

Both the institutions were excluded from the news conference while some of the private media houses broadcasted it LIVE.

Regardless of other incidents, last night TVM and VOM broadcasted events live, using 3G Technologies as it unfolded near the residence of the former president and Police headquarters, regarding his arrest.

I saw the former president Maumoon coming out of his residence and getting into the heavily guarded car…….President Maumoon and his team at Police Headquarters and his return to his residence after questioning. The heavy protest near his residence, police using the tear gas to disperse the crowd…..and also injured police officer and his statement….I saw all these pictures LIVE on TVM. Then why did the DRP expelled TVM and ill-treated the TVM news team?

Much the same as some autocratic countries, Maldivian media is used as proxies in the battle between rival political groups, in the process sowing divisiveness rather than consensus, hate speech instead of sober debate, and suspicion rather than social trust. In these cases, the media contribute to public cynicism and democratic decay.

Maldivian media can play a positive role in democracy only if there is an enabling environment that allows them to do so. They need the requisite skills for the kind of in-depth reporting that a new democracy requires.
So let the Maldivian media be able to assert their role in buttressing and deepening the young democracy in Maldives!!

I found myself wandering through one of these slums in Chennai; the Nochikupum. The first thing that caught my attention is their dilapidated and infirm housing structures facing chaotic warren of narrow alleys. These poorly ventilated houses also lack proper sanitation mechanisms and adequate lighting. The environment is unhygienic with open sewers running through the alleys. The accumulating garbage is an additional heath hazard.

I talked to one of the residents; Mr. Ramachandaram. He has been living in the slums of Chennai for the past few years with his wife and 4 children; of them the eldest attends the 11th grade. Like many others, Mr. Ramachandram was once a farmer, who moved into the city in search of a job and to provide better education for his children. Yet still, he finds himself unemployed and renting a house in the slums. Every day he makes tea and coffee which he sells it in the streets to earn a living. The money he makes is mostly spent on rent, food and education with almost nothing left to save. His children often help him out after classes and on weekends. They even sell sweets.

Mr. Ramachandaram’s family is just one among many who are forced to live in such low overcrowded conditions. It is estimated that Chennai hosts more than a million slum dwellers according to the figures of 2001 provisional census. It is estimated that 67% of the households in slums live in one-room tenements. This type of cramped arrangement has its natural impact on health and hygiene. It facilitates the spread of numerous diseases accounting for a high mortality rate among slum dwellers. Inadequate supply of water and electricity are among other concerns.

It is also noteworthy to state that 40% of the houses in slums are rented, indicting the presence of slumlords. Crime is also a concern due to lack of policing services. Gang related violence is quite common in these overcrowded parts of the city.

The life of the slum is cruelly hard. The poverty stricken communities who live in the slum do so, because they have no option otherwise. The conditions are deteriorating with every passing day as poverty, joblessness and lack of order accounts for the root of all social evils.