Criticism
Nasir was criticized for his authoritarian methods against opponents. Most notably he was criticized for his iron-fisted methods in handling an insurrection by the people of Thinadhoo, Addu and Huvadu Atolls, who formed a breakaway government – United Suvadives Republic – with closer ties to the British, for a brief period of time. He initiated use of the Latin alphabet. This has been criticized by former president Gayoom's supporters, claiming that it affected the Maldivian alphabet, Thaana. However, today it is widely accepted that Nasir did this to make Maldivians aware of the telegraph and to make them aware of the alphabet which was of later benefit to Maldivians. Today it is the Latin alphabet which is used widely in mobile phones and e-mails in Maldives. Almost all Maldivians are now able to read this alphabet.
Nasir was widely criticized during Gayoom's regime. Especially during the first days of Gayoom's Presidency. There were massive rallies in almost all the big islands of Maldives with indecent cartoons of Nasir organized by Gayoom's government. There were cartoons of Nasir on the roads and on newspapers too. Insulting anti-Nasir songs were recorded and distributed by the government. These songs were even played on national radio. Offensive words were used for Nasir in these songs. These songs and cartoons were used in the rallies.
It is said until Nasir left Malé Gayoom praised Nasir and talked in favour of him (As in his first speech after being sworn in as president). But after Nasir left Malé everything changed. After he left Malé, mass demonstrations were held against him, labeling him traitor, calling for his death. He was tried in absentia and sentenced. 16 May 1980 was the day Gayoom himself led a massive demonstration against Nasir and his 'crowd' in which Gayoom spoke to a crowd of between 15,000 and 20,000 (the population of Malé was then about 35,000) in which he discussed his views about how Nasir came to power, how he had been one of the leaders in the overthrow of first president Mohamed Ameen in 1953 and how he had allegedly mishandled government money. However, the allegations against Nasir were never proven. Later Gayoom pardoned him in July 1990, but never granted permission for him to return to Maldives. This point turned out to be proven according to an interview given by Kuvaa Mohamed Maniku, a close associate of Nasir to TVM on 23 November 2008. Maniku said he met President Nasir at Bangkok Airport in 1990 after Nasir had been pardoned by the Government and Nasir had told Maniku he had sent a letter to President Gayoom requesting permission to return to Maldives and to live anywhere in the country approved by President Gayoom. According to Maniku, late President Nasir had told him, that he had not received a reply from Gayoom.
Read more about this topic: Ibrahim Nasir
Famous quotes containing the word criticism:
“Nothing would improve newspaper criticism so much as the knowledge that it was to be read by men too hardy to acquiesce in the authoritative statement of the reviewer.”
—Richard Holt Hutton (1826–1897)
“The aim of all commentary on art now should be to make works of art—and, by analogy, our own experience—more, rather than less, real to us. The function of criticism should be to show how it is what it is, even that it is what it is, rather than to show what it means.”
—Susan Sontag (b. 1933)
“I, with other Americans, have perhaps unduly resented the stream of criticism of American life ... more particularly have I resented the sneers at Main Street. For I have known that in the cottages that lay behind the street rested the strength of our national character.”
—Herbert Hoover (1874–1964)