Viyani Blog

Indonesian president told to slaughter 1,000 sheep to ward off quakes

2005-04-15T13:37:00.000+05:00

JAKARTA, April 13 (AFP) -- Indonesia's president said Tuesday he had been told to slaughter 1,000 sheep to prevent a repeat of the disastrous quakes that have hit his country, but he rejected the advice as superstitious nonsense.

Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said he had been bombarded with telephone text messages, or SMS, saying sacrificial lambs could calm the seismic forces that have claimed thousands of lives.

"I have received many SMSs which say: 'Mr. President, please slaughter 1,000 sheep'," Yudhoyono was quoted as saying by the state news agency Antara.

Yudhoyono urged the public not to believe in superstitions, saying that earthquakes were a natural phenomenon and could be explained scientifically.

Indonesia is a mainly Muslim country but belief in ancient mystic practices is still ingrained in the lives of many citizens.

The magnitude 9.3 earthquake off Indonesia's Sumatra island last December generated a massive tidal wake that killed some 220,000 people in countries around the Indian Ocean, most of them in Indonesia.

Another large tremor on the same Indian Ocean geological faultline killed more than 670 people on the Indonesian island of Nias last month.

Experts have warned that another powerful earthquake is likely to happen in the area.

untitled

2005-04-15T13:26:00.000+05:00

After quite a while away from this, I’m back to bloggin.

Hopefully my schedule will permit me to do some serious bloggin J

Cheers

viyani@gmail.com

Constitution of Maldives - Chapter 1: State, Sovereignty and Citizens

2004-08-21T20:08:00.000+05:00

1. The Maldives shall be a sovereign, independent, democratic republic based on the principles of Islam, and shall be a unitary State, to be known as the Republic of Maldives. In this Constitution, the Republic of Maldives shall hereinafter be referred to as “the Maldives”.

2. The territory of the Maldives shall comprise the land, air space, sea and seabed within the archipelagic baselines of the Maldives drawn in accordance with the law, and shall include the territorial waters, the seabed and air space thereof beyond the said baselines.

3. The State of the Maldives shall, in accordance with this Constitution, be the territory of the Maldives, the citizens of the Maldives and the powers of the State as a composite whole.

4— (1) The powers of the State of the Maldives shall be vested in the citizens. The said powers, for purposes of governing the State, shall comprise the following:

(a) the Executive;

(b) the Legislature; and

(2) In accordance with this Constitution the executive power shall be vested in the President and the Cabinet of Ministers, the legislative power shall be vested in the People’s Majlis and the People’s Special Majlis and the power of administering justice shall be vested in the President and the courts of the Maldives.

5. Persons mentioned herein below shall be citizens of the Maldives:

(a) every person who is a citizen of the Maldives at the commencement of this constitution;

(b) every child born to a citizen of the Maldives; and

6. The Government of the Maldives shall be the authorities exercising the powers of the State in accordance with this Constitution.

7. The religion of the State of the Maldives shall be Islam.

8. The national language of the Maldives shall be Dhivehi.

9. The national day of the Maldives shall be the 1st day of the month of Rabeeu al-Awwal.

10. The capital of the Maldives shall be the island of MaleÂ´.

11. The unit of currency of the Maldives shall be Rufiyaa, which shall be divided into one hundred Laari.

12.— (1) Any person who, by the threat or use of force or in violation of the Constitution, abrogates or attempts to abrogate the Constitution or attempts to undermine the Constitution or conspires to commit any of the said acts shall be guilty of high treason.

(2) Any person who aids and abets or is an accomplice in the commission of any act mentioned in clause (1) of this Article or any person who has knowledge of the commission of such act and has failed to report the same shall also be guilty of high treason.

Constitution of Maldives - Chapter II: Fundamental Rights and Duties of Citizens

2004-08-21T03:25:00.000+05:00

13. Maldivian citizens are equal before and under the law and are entitled to the equal protection of the law.

14.— (1) No Maldivian shall be deprived of citizenship except as may be provided by law.

(2) Any person wishing to renounce the right to Maldivian citizenship may do so as provided by law.

15.— (1)

(a) The right to protection under the law, the guarantee thereof, and treatment in accordance with the law shall be an inalienable right of every Maldivian citizen, irrespective of where he may be, and of every person while in the Maldives.

(b) No person shall be arrested or detained except as provided by law. No person shall be detained for a period exceeding twenty-four hours without being informed of the grounds of arrest or detention.

(c) No act detrimental to the life, liberty, body, name, reputation or property of a person shall be committed except as provided by law.

(d) No person charged with an offence shall be kept in detention for a period exceeding seven days except as provided by law.

(2) Any Maldivian citizen subjected to oppressive treatment shall have the right to appeal against such treatment to the concerned authorities and to the President of the Republic.

16.— (1) Every person shall be presumed innocent until proven guilty.

(2) Every person who is charged with an offence shall have the right to defend himself in accordance with Shari’ah. To this effect, such a person shall be allowed to obtain the assistance of a lawyer whenever such assistance is required.

17.— (1) No law shall authorise the punishment of a person for an act or omission that did not constitute a criminal offence at the time of the act or omission.

(2) No law shall authorise the punishment of a person for an offence by a penalty greater than, or of a kind different from the penalty prescribed by law for that offence at the time that offence was committed.

(3) No person shall be punished for the same offence more than once.

18. Residential dwellings and the premises thereof shall be inviolable. Such dwellings and premises shall not be entered except as provided by law.

19. Persons shall be free to acquire knowledge and to impart knowledge provided that such acquisition and imparting of knowledge does not contravene law.

20. Letters, messages, telephonic conversations and such other means of communication shall be inviolable. Such letters, messages, telephonic conversations and other means of communication shall not be intercepted, read, listened to or divulged except as expressly provided by law.

21. Every Maldivian citizen shall have the right to return to the Maldives irrespective of where he may be and, unless prohibited by law, to leave the Maldives and to travel within the Maldives.

22. Every citizen shall have the right to acquire, hold and dispose of property in accordance with law.

23.— (1) Property of persons shall be inviolable. No person shall be deprived of his property except as provided by law or Shari’ah.

(2) No property of a person shall be compulsorily acquired by the State except in the instances specified in law and except for public benefit and unless fair and just compensation in accordance with law is made for such property.

(3) Property of a person shall not be forfeited in substitution for any offence.

(4) Nothing in this Article shall affect the making of or operation of the following laws:

(a) any law authorising the State to compulsorily acquire or take possession of, without compensation, any property that may be injurious to life or property or health of the people;

(b) any law authorising the State to forfeit property proven in court to have been illegally and wrongfully acquired; and

24. Every citizen shall have the right to practice any occupation provided that such occupation is not prohibited by law.

25. Every citizen shall have the freedom to express his conscience and thoughts orally or in writing or by other means, unless prohibited by law in the interest of protecting the sovereignty of the Maldives, of maintaining public order and of protecting the basic tenets of Islam.

26. Persons shall be free to assemble peaceably and in a manner that does not contravene the law.

27. Persons shall be free to form societies and associations, unless prohibited by law in the interest of the protection of sovereignty of the Maldives and the maintenance of public order.

28. Every Maldivian citizen engaged in employment shall have the right of pension in accordance with law.

29. Loyalty to the State and obedience to the Constitution and to the law of the Maldives shall be the duty of every Maldivian citizen, irrespective of where he may be.

30. It shall be the duty of every Maldivian citizen to protect and uphold the Constitution and the laws of the Maldives and to honour the freedoms and rights of others.

31.— (1) Where any law, regulation or any principle having the force of law is inconsistent with the fundamental rights stipulated in this Chapter, such law, regulation or principle shall, to the extent of such inconsistency, be void.

(2) The fundamental rights stipulated in this Chapter shall not, temporarily or otherwise, be denied save in accordance with this Constitution.

New Chairpersons appointed to head State Companies

2004-08-19T01:10:00.001+05:00

The President today appointed new Chairpersons to head State Companies. The move was designed to separate service providers from regulatory authorities. Under the arrangement, Ministers no longer head or sit on the Board of Directors of State Companies. The new appointments reflect a commitment to infuse Companies with new blood, fresh mindsets and a new vision.

The newly appointed Chairpersons are:

• Mr. Mohamed Saeed as Chairperson of the Maldives Airports Company Limited,
• Mr. Hussain Shihab as Chairperson of the Maldives Ports Authority,
• Mr. Mohamed Umar Maniku as Chairperson of the Island Aviation Services Limited,
• Mr. Hussain Shareef as Chairperson of the State Trading Organisation Public Limited,
• Dr. Musthafa Luthfee as the Chairperson of Dhiraagu Private Limited,
• Dr. Abdul Muhsin Mohamed as the Chairperson of the State Electric Company Limited,
• Dr. Fathin Hameed as the Chairperson of the Maldives Transport and Contracting Company Limited,
• Mr. Abdul Hameed Zakariyya as the Chairperson of the Maldives Industrial Fisheries Company Limited,
• Mr. Mahmood Raazee as the Chairperson of the Maldives National Shipping Limited,
• Mr. Ibrahim Rafeeq as the Chairperson of the Maldives Post Limited,
• Mr. Ahmed Ali Manik as the Chairperson of the Maldives Inflight Catering Private Limited, and,
• Dr. Abdulla Naseer as the Chairperson of the Maldives Water and Sewerage Company Limited.

Source : http://www.presidencymaldives.gov.mv

The Government invites a European Union fact finding mission to visit the Maldives

2004-08-19T01:10:00.000+05:00

Following Friday’s mob violence, the Government has invited a European Union fact finding mission to visit Male’.

The Government’s decision to invite an EU mission was to boost its efforts to implementing the agenda for democratic reform in the country.

The EU Ambassador to the Maldives, Mr. Francisco da Camara Gomes, had praised the President’ reform proposals of 9 June, during his call on the President last June to present his credentials.

The EU is also an important development partner of the Maldives and accounts for a substantial share of tourist arrival into the country.

Source: www.presidencymaldives.gov.mv

Constitution of Maldives - Chapter XIII : Proclamation of Emergency

2004-08-14T03:25:00.000+05:00

Proclamation of Emergency

144. Where the President has determined that the security of the Maldives or part thereof is threatened by war or foreign aggression or civil unrest, the President shall have the right to issue a Proclamation of Emergency.

Powers of the President during a Proclamation of Emergency

145. While the Proclamation of Emergency is in force, the President shall have the power to take and order all measures expedient to protect national security and public order. Such measures may include the suspension from time to time of fundamental rights as deemed appropriate by the President and suspension of laws which in the opinion of the President impede the maintenance of national security and public order.

Duration and revocation of a Proclamation of Emergency

146.—(1) A Proclamation of Emergency shall initially be valid for a period of three months. In the event that the President has determined that such Proclamation of Emergency should be extended for a period exceeding three months, such matter shall be laid before the People’s Majlis prior to the expiration of the three months and the Proclamation of Emergency may be extended, if passed by the People’s Majlis, for a period determined by the Majlis. Where the period of Proclamation of Emergency is not extended as mentioned herein, upon expiration of the said three months such Proclamation of Emergency shall lapse.

(2) The President may revoke the Proclamation of Emergency while it is in force where to the satisfaction of the President there exists no circumstance requiring continuation of the Proclamation of Emergency.

(3) Upon the expiration of the Proclamation of Emergency, and within one month from such date, a written report on the emergency that occurred shall be submitted to the People’s Majlis by the President.

2004-08-14T02:13:00.000+05:00

BBC NEWS | World | South Asia | State of emergency for Maldives: "State of emergency for Maldives

A state of emergency has been declared in the Maldives, after a protest by about 5,000 people for more democracy and the release of political prisoners. Government spokesman Dr Ahmed Shaheed said the emergency was declared on Friday after a rare show of dissent in the one-party nation turned violent. Four police officers were reportedly stabbed and about 50 arrests made. (.. read more..)"

Law and Order Restored Through Emergency Measures (in Male', Maldives)

2004-08-14T02:09:00.000+05:00

The President today declared a State of Emergency to prevent deterioration of law and order.

A mob had gathered in front of the Headquarters of the NSS in the early evening of Thursday. Police worked with restraint for over seventeen hours to peacefully disrupt the mob through dialogue and discussion. The mob comprised various unruly elements of society, and a considerably large number of curious bystanders. The mob made various ad hoc demands, including the release of a number of criminals.

However, tensions escalated this afternoon as the mob turned increasingly violent, stabbing two unarmed policemen, who sustained serious injuries, and subsequently torched a Government building. Having exercised maximum restraint despite these criminal acts, when the mob attempted to charge down the entrance to the Police Headquarters, the Government authorities finally had no alternative but to implement measures to disperse the mob. As a result, the security services worked closely together to disperse the mob quickly and with the use of minimal force. Peace was restored shortly after and about 80 persons are now assisting the security services with their inquiries.

In order to protect the peace and welfare of all citizens, the President has proclaimed a State of Emergency in Male’ and nearby islands, pursuant to powers vested in him by Section 144 of the Constitution.

Source: P.O., Maldives

still loving you...

2004-08-10T00:43:00.000+05:00

I have loved you; even now I may confess,

Some embers of my love their fire retain

but do not let it cause you more distress,

I do not want to sadden you again.

Hopeless and tonguetied, yet, I loved you dearly

With pangs the jealous and the timid know;

So tenderly I loved you- so sincerely;

I pray God grant another love you so

Maldives - Legends and Folklore

2004-08-05T15:10:00.000+05:00

REDIN

According to tradition, the islands of the country were named by a legendary people known as Redhin. They were said to have inhabited the archipelago some time in the past. There is scant information regarding these people, except for references made to them in oral traditions and folklore. One thing is however certain, the archipelago was in the past inhabited by various peoples, about whom nothing is known today.

The Redhin were said to be large, fair haired and light skinned people who had long noses. They were said to be skilled masons, who built temples and shrines. They were also astronomers, able to foretell events by observing the heavens. The Redhin were master mariners, competent in both sailing and rowing. They worshipped the sun and fire. They were known to be a peaceful people, who shunned contact with others who inhabited the islands. They were known to get violent when they performed their devotional rituals, in which both men and women participated. Architecture attributed to these ancient seafarers is evident in ruins scattered all over the archipelago.

KOIMALA KALOA (LEGEND OF HABITATION)

Once upon a time a Prince of Royal Birth named Koimala, and his wife the daughter of the King of Serendib, set sail on a voyage on two ships. The Royal Couple traveled on one ship while their retainers traveled on the other. The ships traveled the high seas for many days. Nearing the Maldives they were becalmed in the North Maalhos Madulu Atoll, in the North of the archipelago. Wanting to rest and provision they disembarked on the island Rasgetheemu and commanded their retainers to occupy the other island lying nearby, Angolhitheemu.

The inhabitants of the nearby islands learning of Koimala’s royal lineage, invited him remain and proclaimed him their king. One day while the prince was supervising the construction of a royal bath he saw a white bird flying overhead. The next day also he was supervising the royal baths when he saw a similar bird fly overhead. This went on for some days. On the seventh day he decided to follow the bird. Koimala traveled by boat while the bird flew overhead. After a journey of many days several islands were sighted. The bird alighted on a large tree on the island of Dhoonidhu, lying near Male’. The bird however, did not remain in Dhoonidhu for long. It once again flew away. Koimala followed it in his boat. This time the bird alighted on a tree growing on Male’. At the time Male was being used by the people of Giravaru Island, lying nearby, as a fishing village. Therefore Koimala asked their permission for him to settle down in Male’, which they willingly gave. Koimala and his spouse, the daughter of the king of Serendib, settled down in Male’ and sent their ships to Serendib to fetch more lion people.

RANNAMAARI (LEGEND OF CONVERSION)

The Traditional Version

The popular version of the episode attributes the exorcism and the subsequent Conversion of the islands to Yousuf Shamsuddin-al Tabrezi*, (popularly known as Thabreyzgefanu), and relates how he dispelled the evil demon by the powers of the Holy Qur’an. Nevertheless, this account deviates somewhat from Ibn Battuta’s' version.

It is said that an evil spirit came to the island every month demanding the sacrifice of a virgin. Every month a virgin was chosen and taken to a small ‘temple’ located on the north eastern shore of Male’, where she was left alone. When the people came to the temple in the morning, they found the girl dead. One day there arrived in Male', a man most pious named Yousuf Shamsuddin-al Tabrezi*, (popularly known as Thabreyzgefanu). He stayed in the house of a poor couple in Male'. The month following his arrival, he came home from a walk one day to find the poor couple weeping and wailing. When he heard about their plight, he volunteered to take the girls place in the temple that night.

Yousuf awaited the evil demon in the idol temple. He sat there reciting the Holy Qur’an. Around midnight he beheld something that looked like a ship, far out in the Eastern horizon. Slowly it loomed larger. However, as it came within hearing distance of the Qur’an recital, it turned back, plunged in to the sea and disappeared. At dawn, when the king and the islanders came they were astonished to find the learned man engaged in the recital of the Holy Qur’an.

The king questioned him about his mysterious performance and Thabreyzgefanu explained that he was saved by the powers of the most Gracious and Holy Qur’an, and called upon the king to embrace Islam, so that the island maybe freed from the wrath of the demon. The king replied; ‘I shall embrace your religion if on the next full moon night the demon fails to appear’

On the night of the next full moon, the lot fell on the king's daughter. This night too, Thabreyzgefanu went with the princess to the idol temple. When the demon failed to appear, he called upon the princess to embrace Islam, which she did at once. Next morning when the king, his courtiers and the islanders arrived, Thabreyzgefaanu once again called upon the king to embrace Islam. To this the king replied; ‘If you show me the demon I shall do as you ask’.

Thabreyzgefaanu instructed the king to order the islanders to deposit all the fish parts on a particular spot on the Northern shore of the island. This being done, the learned man and the king awaited the demon on Rahdhebai Magu.

As they waited, they beheld a small figure emerge from the sea and advance north along the road. It came and stopped at a large boulder on the middle of the road. [This boulder is said to mark the middle of the island.] The learned man and the king observed the child from the shadows. The boy looked around, making sure that he was not observed, started growing. It grew until its face could no longer be seen from the ground. Then the elongated figure bent towards the point on the northern shore, where the offal had been collected. It devoured the whole heap, shrank back to its original size and started to walk away.

Now, Thabreyzgefaanu was no ordinary mortal. He had a powerful jinni at his command, which he now summoned. Accompanied by the king, the learned man stepped out of concealment and barred the demon’s retreat at the Rahdhebai Magu / Majeedhee Magu junction. Thabreyzgefaanu commanded the demon to shrink. It shrank. Thabreyzgefaanu made it shrink until it was the size of a small worm, whereupon, he wiped out a small bottle from his pocket and commanded the demon to enter it. Afraid of the jinni the demon meekly entered the bottle. Then as Thabreyzgefaanu started to seal it the demon spoke, ‘this kingdom belongs to me; therefore, I come to my throne once every month. Today you have vanquished me expelled me, but if the day comes that you no longer holds the kingdom, you should inform me, so that I may once again come to claim my birthright.’ In reply the learned man clapped a rhythmic beat on his buttocks and said, “as long as I hold the kingdom this rhythmic beat would be heard at every sunset. If, you do not hear this beat for three consecutive days, you may return to claim your throne”. Saying this he sealed the bottle and dropped in to the sea. The king embraced Islam and had messengers sent to all the outlying islands bearing the message.

Ibn Battuta’s Version

"... and others related to me that the people of these islands used to be idolaters and there appeared to them every month an evil spirit, one of the jinni who came from the direction of the sea, He resembled a ship full of lamps. The custom of the native, as soon as they perceived him, was to take a virgin to adorn her and take her to the budhukhana, that is to say an idol temple, which was built on the seashore and had a window by which she was visible. They left her there during the nigh and returned in the morning, at which time there were wont to find the young girl dishonored and dead. Every month they drew lots and he upon whom the lot fell gave up his daughter. At length arrived among them a Maghribin Berber called Abu'l-Barakat, who knew by heart the Glorious Qur’an. He was lodged in the house of an old woman in the island of Mahal (Male'). One day he visited his hostess and found that she had assembled her relatives and that the women were weeping as at a funeral. He questioned them upon the subject of their affliction, but they could not make him understand the cause, until an interpreter, who chanced to come in informed him that the lot had fallen upon the old woman and that she had an only daughter, who was now about to be slain by the evil jinni.

Abu'l-Barakat said to the woman: ‘I will go tonight in your daughters stead'. At the time, he was beardless. So on the night following, after he had completed his ablutions, he was conducted to the idol temple. On arrival there he sat himself to recite the Qur’an. Presently through the window, beholding the demon to approach, he continued his recitations. The jinni, as soon as he came within hearing of the Qur’an, plunged in the sea and disappeared; and so it was that, when the dawn was come, the Maghribin was still occupied in reciting the Qur’an. When the old woman, her relatives and the people of the island, according to their custom, came to take away the girl and burn the corpse, they found the stranger reciting the Qur’an. They conducted him to their king by name Shaniviraza, whom they informed of his adventure.

The king was astonished; and the Maghribin both proposed hi to embrace the true faith, and inspired him with a desire for it. Than said 'Shaniviraza' at him:' Remain with us until next month, and if you do again as you have now done and escape the evil jinni, I will be converted'.

Therefore, the stranger remained with the idolaters, and God disposed the heart of the king to receive the true faith. He became Musalman before the end of the month, as well as his wives, children and courtiers. At the beginning of the following month, the Maghribin was conducted to the idol temple; but the jinni came not, and the Berber recited the Qur’an until the morning, when the Sultan and his subjects arrived and found him so employed. Than they broke the idols and razed the temple to the ground. The people of the island embraced Islam, and sent messengers to the other islands, whose inhabitants were also converted".

The Maldives - an introduction

2004-08-05T14:56:00.000+05:00

The Republic of Maldives or Dhivehi Rajje’, (the land of the Dhivehi people) is an island nation located in the Indian Ocean. Its closest neighbors are India and Sri Lanka. The Laccadives lie to the North and the Chagos Group to the South.

The 26 coralline atolls that form the Maldives archipelago are situated on top of a volcanic ridge 960 kilometers in length, which runs from north to south. The only break in this natural barrier occurs only towards the south, where the One an Half Degree Channel and the Equatorial Channel allow safe passage through the archipelago. Almost all the atolls are enclosed by a coral reef which is considered to be some of the most abundant in marine life and beautiful in the whole world.

The approximately 1190 islands that make up the Maldives are small and low lying with the highest barely three meters above mean sea level. Although some larger atolls are approximately fifty kilometers long and thirty kilometers wide no individual island is longer than eight kilometers. There are no rivers or mountains in the Maldives.

The climate is warm and humid with the temperature ranging between 24Â°C and 33Â°C throughout the year. The relatively high humidity is tempered by the constant sea breeze which helps to keep the air moving. There are two monsoons in the Maldives; Iruvai, the northeast monsoon and Hulhangu, the southwest monsoon. The northeast monsoon lasts roughly from November to April and the climate is generally dry. The southwest monsoon lasts roughly from May to October with rough seas, heavy winds and showers.

The tropical vegetation comprises coconut palms, breadfruit trees, dense tropical scrub and shrubs. The soil is sandy and highly alkaline, and a deficiency in nitrogen, potash, and iron severely limits agricultural potential. Therefore only ten percent of the land is cultivated, mostly with taro, bananas, coconuts, and other fruit.

The first known language spoken in the country was called ‘Ellu’, which is an archaic form of Singhalese spoken in Sri Lanka. The language used in the Maldives today, is called Dhivehi. Spoken only in the Maldives, Dhivehi belongs to the Indo-European family of languages. It has numerous loanwords from Tamil, Malayalam, Singhalese, Arabic, Urdu, Hindi, Portuguese and English.

Â Although there are dialect differences between the atolls, more pronounced in the four southernmost atolls, Dhivehi is spoken throughout the country. The traditional script, Thaana, is written from right to left. This locally invented script contains twenty-four letters. English is used widely in commerce and increasingly as the medium of instruction in schools.

The written history of the Maldives begins with the country’s Buddhist monarch embracing Islam in 1153 AD. It is however, believed that the Maldives archipelago was originally settled by fishermen from neighboring India and Ceylon (Sri Lanka), shipwrecked sailors, and other ancient travelers in the Indian Ocean. According to legend, a prince from Serendib (identified as Sri Lanka), named Koimala Kaloa, and his bride were becalmed in the Maldives and stayed on to rule the country.

Although the country managed to preserve her independence for the most part of her long history, lying at the crossroads of the ancient sea trade routes, the Maldives was influenced by sailors and travellers from countries on the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean. Mopla pirates from the Malabar Coast incessantly harassed the country. In the 16th century, the Portuguese subjugated and ruled the islands for 15 years (1558-73), before being forced to flee by Muhammad Thakurufaanu Al-A’zam.

The Maldives was a British protectorate from 1887 to 1965. Following independence from Britain in 1965, the sultanate continued till November 11, 1968, when it was abolished and replaced by a republic.

2004-08-05T14:29:00.000+05:00

viyani at gmail dot com

memories

2004-08-05T14:19:00.000+05:00

so many memories, so many time
as you can see, i can't stop thinking about you
you make me smile,

you make me happy,
but the day you hurt me,

i thought I was dreaming,
but when i realize it was true ,
i couldn't stop thinking about you

but today all the memories are gone
i've finally got over you, but the only thing i miss
was your smiles, hats the only last memories i have of you

but i really want still have a relationship,
a relationship that we can be friends
so i can see you smile again,
and the memories will so long come back again

Do you Remember?

2004-08-05T14:18:00.001+05:00

Do you remember the endless nights,
The endless nights spent talking,
Talking about the past,
Talking about the future,
So badly we wanted our dreams,
Our dreams to come to life,
How we didn't want to lose,
Lose each other,
Whom my worst nightmare came true,
When I lost you,
I was lost, lost forever,
In an endless sea of shadows,
That now shall forever hide my soul,
My soul from the world.

please tell me you feel the same

2004-08-05T14:18:00.000+05:00

I Softly whisper,"I love you” in your ear,
and you say it back but I don't know
how you really feel deep in your heart.

I hope that you’re telling the truth when you say that you love me.
Please tell me you feel the same?

Everyday when I come home I'm very anxious to see your face.
Before I go to bed at night I hope to see your face or feel your touch.

Please tell me you feel the same.

It would be very hard to live me life with out you in it.
I can't imagine living my life that way with you not in it
If you left me right now there would be am empty place in my heart
where you face would be.
Please tell me you feel the same?

Afterbelievers

2004-08-05T14:17:00.001+05:00

Love is like your shadow, stop trying to chase after it,
because it'll run away from you.
Learn hard to walk away from it
than it'll come after you.

Once

2004-08-05T14:17:00.000+05:00

I thought I fell in love once,

but how I quickly came to see.
True Love is overrated,

not meant for one like me.
I left myself open,

entrenched and blinded by love's design.
Engulfed by its passion,

utterly lost in space in time.
Knowing the end was inevitable,

still I made this dubious choice.
And felt a pain immeasurable,

when I listened to my heart's voice.
What is love but a feeling,

a word often used in jest.
An ephemeral emotion,

not worth the time to develop and invest.
A captivating story,

ending only where it starts.
An all-too predictable cycle,

this game of broken hearts.
Though yielding temporary happiness,

it ends in bitter grief.
The absence of all hope and faith,

of comfort and relief.

memories

2004-08-05T14:12:00.001+05:00

so many memories, so many time
as you can see, i can't stop thinking about you
you make me smile,

you make me happy,
but the day you hurt me,

Within Me

2004-08-05T14:12:00.000+05:00

My broken heart cries as I wish you were still near,
all my wishes and dreams replaced with fear.
Fear that I’ll never get you back,
trying to substitute the feelings we both lack.
I know in my heart, it's all true
and that's why I am left here truly blue.
Blue because I know the love I felt
and got in return is gone forever.. forever to burn.
Although we have both moved on, I still feel the pain,
the pain that will always remain...within me.

Kinky alien sex !!

2004-08-04T23:56:00.000+05:00

Aliens take samples of semen and ovule from human abductees for their genetic experiments

When the science of ufology appeared, the phenomenon of UFO was associated with green aliens from the deep black space, studying planet Earth with scientific or military purposes. At the end of the 20th century, ufologists started talking about the intention of extraterrestrial beings to obtain the human genetic material.

On October 16th 1957 a 23-year-old Brazilian farmer Antonio Vilas Boas was working on his field, when the engine of his tractor suddenly stopped. In just several minutes the farmer saw a "flying disk" above his head. The spacecraft landed on the field, and Antonio saw three humanoids stepping out. The aliens were approaching the young man. Antonio panicked, he had no idea about the aliens' intention. So made up his mind to fight. The aliens were stronger in number, they dragged the terrified man into their spaceship. They took the farmer's clothes off, tied him up to a metal table and conducted a meticulous medical examination. They apparently found their captive healthy, injected him an unknown substance and left the room. In quite a long time, Antonio recollects, the door opened and he saw a beautiful naked blond. The girl turned the young man on - the farmer was making love to the extraterrestrial female for several hours without saying a word. In one of his interviews to reporters Antonio said: "When she was walking away, she turn around, pointed at her stomach, smiled and pointed up to the sky."

After such a remarkable encounter, Antonio started craving for knowledge. A year later he entered the department of law of the local university, successfully graduated from it and became a brilliant lawyer.

It became known in the 1950s, aliens often visited Earth with matrimonial purposes. Well-known American contactee Howard Menger was one of the few humans, who had a chance to meet an alien female. The 'woman's' name was Marla. She said she was born 500 years ago in the Constellation of Leo. Menger fell deeply in love with the woman from space. He divorced his wife and married Marla. The latter obtained the American citizenship and preferred the comfort of Menger's house to intergalactic flights.

Elizabeth Klarer was one of the first women, who allegedly had a love affair with an extraterrestrial man. In 1956 she fell in love with a 'man' named Akon. The alien took her to his home planet Metok. He seduced the woman there and Elizabeth delivered a boy. After that the alien did not need the woman anymore and he sent her back to Earth. Elizabeth Klarer died in solitude in 1994 in South Africa. She strongly believed her son Ayling remained somewhere in Alpha Centauri.

There are a lot of other examples of intimate relations between terrestrial and extraterrestrial beings. Several years ago the Harward medical school proposed professor John Mack to explore the phenomenon of sexual contacts with aliens. The experienced psychologist was initially rather sceptic about his research, although he came to unbelievable conclusions. The professor studied and analyzed a lot of stories about abductions. He concluded aliens conduct genetic experiments on people. Aliens examine human beings in special labs, take samples of semen from men and samples of ovules from women. Sometimes they put a fertilized ovule in the uterus, and the woman bears the child during the first weeks of its development. Then they take the embryo out and continue maintaining its life. Professor Mack said, aliens showed hybrid babies to their mothers at times. One woman was abducted repeatedly two years after the first abduction. Humanoids showed the abductee her son playing in a special room. The boy did not look like a normal child, but the woman could not help taking care of him. Aliens welcomed the maternal instinct and let the woman stay with her baby for several months.

Modern science does not have any convincing evidence to prove sexual contacts with aliens. Nevertheless, such contacts have been happening for several ages already. Descriptions of them can be found in numerous tales, where people are abducted by fairies, dwarfs, sea monsters, in legends about demonic creatures succubus and incubus and so on and so forth. Nowadays some women say they had been subjected to sexual violence by extraterrestrial beings. A 19-year-old Californian girl gave birth to a blue-skinned and web-footed baby. The girl said she had been gang-raped by web-footed aliens. She claimed nobody believed her story and she had to keep the extraterrestrial child to prove her rightfulness.

Why kiss with shut eyes?

2004-08-04T23:52:00.000+05:00

Why do people close their eyes when they kiss? One scientist from Singapore who had been determined to answer the question, finally proposed his hypothesis on such account on Saturday. Apparently, people behave the way they do due to three reasons.

First of all, people shut their eyelids when kissing in order to avoid getting overwhelmed emotionally. Secondly, they do so in order to avoid seeing amorphous facial features of their partner up close.

"The answer depends how one approaches this issue," says professor Min from the National institute of education, reports Straits Times. "The entire process of kissing triggers sensory overload," notes he. "Shutting our eyes, helps us reduce the emotional load."

There is also another viewpoint in regards to the issue. In the course of a kiss, you get to see blur, non 3D facial features; this can be quite repulsive," says the professor. That is why we instinctively prefer to have our eyes shut while kissing, reports MIGnews.com.

The third reason, which isn't characteristic of everyone, is modesty. "Some assume that people tend to close their eyes while kissing to put their partner at ease, so that he/she will not feel uncomfortable.”

Maldives or "Madives" !!

2004-08-04T22:06:00.000+05:00

I am surprised to find how webmasters ( most probably maldivians) duno how to spell the name of our beloved country, or are they just too slack correct their mistakes.

Google Search Results for “Madives”

Results 1 - 10 of about 546 for madives. (0.11 seconds)

Did you mean: maldives

images of the Madives - Travel-Images.com
images of the Maldives, Travel-Images.com. images of the Maldives. Maldives / Maldivas - Male / MLE: on the water-front (photo by B ...
www.travel-images.com/maldives.html - 8k - Cached - Similar pages

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… list goes on

'Atomic Kitten' hires The Maldives to get married!

2004-08-02T21:56:00.000+05:00

Former Atomic Kitten Jenny Frost has set a date and hired an entire island in the Maldives to say 'I Do' to her DJ boyfriend Dom Thrupp.

According to The Mirror, Jenny plans to spend a whopping 200,000 pounds on her lavish wedding ceremony that will take place in the coming winter.

"It makes me want to cry with happiness when I think about my wedding, I'm so excited," said Jenny.

A close friend of the singer revealed, "Jenny has always wanted to get married on a tropical island. And she feels her big day wouldn't be complete without her close friends and family around her."

Therefore, the couple's 70 guests, including ex-bandmates Natasha Hamilton and Liz McClarnon, will be flown to the Maldives.

"It's pretty pricey and she didn't want anyone to be out of pocket so Jenny's offered to pay all the air fares. Her close family will even be treated to business class tickets. To get to the island from the main airport on Male you have to travel by seaplane. It's a minimum of 120 pounds per person return, so she'll be looking at around 8,500 pounds," added Jenny's pal.

"Hiring the entire island in peak season is going to set Jen back a fortune. It'll cost 100 pounds minimum. And that's before you factor in the catering and the booze. As the island is so remote, everything has to be imported. That really pushes the price up. A bottle of champagne can set you back 100 pounds," the report quoted a source as saying.

"She's getting ideas from stylists at her favourite label Dolce and Gabbana. She doesn't know whether to go high fashion or traditional," added the source. (ANI)

source

2004-08-01T17:21:00.000+05:00

" ...in the water-scarce Maldives, consumers in the capital of Male' pay the equivalent of $5 per cubic meter for desalinated piped water."

Report of the Observer Group of Eminent persons (OGEP)

2004-08-01T10:47:00.000+05:00

Elections to the People’s Special Majlis of the Republic of Maldives

28 May 2004

CHAPTER ONE

Introduction

The Commissioner of Elections of the Republic of Maldives invited one person each from six South Asian countries, which are fellow members of SAARC, to act as Observers for the Elections to the People’s Special Majlis to be held on Friday 28^th May 2004. These persons drawn from Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka arrived in MalÃ© by 27 May 2004 in response to this invitation. The Group was designated by the hosts as “The Observer Group of Eminent Persons” (OGEP). The names and short bio-data of the Observers are given in Annexure I.

The invitation sent to the Observers set out their Terms of Reference as follows.

“The Observer Group of Eminent Persons (OGEP) shall observe all aspects of the organization and conduct of the People’s Special Majlis Election, including the campaign and polling arrangements, the casting of votes, the closure of voting, the counting of ballots and the declaration of the results, in order to ascertain whether the election has been free and fair and in accordance with the relevant laws and regulations of the Maldives. Before its departure, the OGEP shall submit to the Commissioner of Elections a report on the election, containing such conclusions and recommendations as it might wish to make.”

The Observers were invited in their individual capacity and not as representatives of their governments. The Group unanimously elected Lyonpo Dawa Tsering as its Chairman.

This was the fifth time in the seventy five years of elections in the Maldives when foreign observers were invited to observe elections in this country. The first time such an Observer Group from South Asian countries came to Maldives for this purpose was in 1994, when the 14^th General Elections of the Citizen’s Majlis was held in December that year.

Upon arrival the Observers met the Commissioner of Elections who presented them with the Terms of Reference and briefed them on all other arrangements made to ensure a free and fair conduct of elections as well as acquainted them with the laws and regulations related to the conduct of the Elections to the People’s Special Majlis.

Geographical Location, Population and brief History

The Maldives have 1190 islands which are visible points of a great submarine ridge extending into the Indian Ocean. The archipelago extends from 7 degrees North to just beyond the equator. These islands are formed into 24 natural Atolls and are divided into 20 Atolls as administrative units of the Republic. MalÃ© as the capital of the Republic is a distinct administrative unit. Out of 1190 islands only 199 are inhabited. There are also 87 “tourist resort” islands. 90% of the inhabited islands have a population of less than 1000. Only four islands have a population of more than 4000. The capital MalÃ© has the largest population which is more than 74,000 at present.

The country’s total population is 270,101 (2000 Census) with an average growth rate of 1.9%. The entire population of Maldives is Muslim (Sunni). The religion of the state is Islam.

The literacy rate is 98%. The major economic activities of the country are tourism and fisheries.

Maldives has a rich history. Islam was officially declared the state religion in 1153. During the 800 years that passed since the people embraced Islam all the powers of the state were vested in the monarchy of the country. In 1558 Maldives were conquered by the Portuguese in their quest for supremacy of the sea. After 15 years of the Portuguese occupation, the Maldives was liberated by one of the Sultans.

The Dutch who held neighbouring Sri Lanka surveyed the islands of the Maldives in 1671 but never tried to invade. As British influence spread throughout the Indian Ocean the Sultans of Maldives maintained cordial relations with the British allowing them to survey the islands in 1834. The Sultans of Maldives while acknowledging the influence of the British over the Indian Ocean kept the British at bay. The Statehood of the Maldives was recognized and the British had no power to interfere with the Maldives internal affairs although they did control its external affairs and regarded the Maldives as a Protectorate until it attained independence in 1965.

CHAPTER TWO

Procedure for the Elections to the People’s Special Majlis

According to Article 94 of the Constitution of the Republic of Maldives, the power to make or amend the Constitution is vested in a People’s Special Majlis that is constituted under the direction of the President of the Republic.

The present Constitution of the country has been in force since 1 January 1998.Â

During the Presidential Address at the State Opening of the People’s Majlis for the year 2004 on 26th February, His Excellency Mr. Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, President of the Republic of Maldives, said that he has decided to convene the People’s Special Majlis in order to further consolidate democratic governance of the country and the fundamental rights of the people.

Later, he briefed the Cabinet on the work he was carrying out in formulating the Constitutional amendments that he plans to submit to the People’s Special Majlis.Â The President pointed out that the proposed amendments will widen avenues for greater participation of the people, enhance checks and balances, increase decentralization, reinforce democratic institutions, strengthen the judiciary, and sustain peace, social harmony and national productivity.

The President said that the proposals were being formulated on the basis of the aspirations outlined in the Maldives Vision 2020 and on the views communicated by the people during the intensive discussions on national reform that he undertook with people of all walks of life in recent months, as well as the proposals submitted to him in response to his call to the people last year to submit to him their ideas and suggestions on expediting national progress and reform.

Ministers recalled the scope and scale of constitutional reform that had been implemented at the President’s initiative over the last 25 years, and noted that significant measures had already been implemented by the President in recent months in order to strengthen respect for human rights and civil liberties and modernize the criminal justice system and the penal system.

Maldives Vision 2020 was declared in July 1999, and the paper on strategies to attain Vision 2020 was published in October 2002, after intensive nationwide consultations.

According to the Constitution, the People’s Special Majlis shall consist of:

members of the Cabinet of Ministers;

members of the People’s Majlis;

members elected from Male' and the Atolls in accordance with law.Â Members elected from each constituency shall be equal in number to the members elected to the People’s Majlis from each constituency; and

eight members appointed by the President.

The qualifications for membership of the People’s Special Majlis are the same qualifications required for membership of the People’s Majlis as stipulated under the Constitution.Â In this regard, a person shall be qualified if he –

is a Muslim;

is a citizen of the Republic of Maldives;

has attained twenty-five years of age;

is of sound mind;

is capable of reading and writing Arabic and Dhivehi script and numerals;

has not, during the past five years, been convicted of an offence for which a hadd is prescribed in Islam or of criminal breach of trust; and

is not a citizen of a foreign country.

On 11 March 2004, the Commissioner of Elections made a public notification inviting applications to become candidates in the elections of members of the People’s Special Majlis.Â On 28 April 2004, the Commissioner had announced the names of the candidates in the elections of the People’s Special Majlis. A total of 126 applications were filed, of which three had withdrawn their candidatures.

The two persons who had applied to become candidates in the North Nilandhe Atoll were declared elected uncontested as the number of candidates meets the number of members required to be elected from that constituency.

CHAPTER THREE

Observations of the OGEP

The Observers were able to see polling of votes in Male' at most of the polling stations. In the Atolls the Observers were able to watch polling in a large number of polling stations as listed in Annexure II.

All polling stations opened punctually at the appointed time. Many of the polling stations remained open even beyond the closing time to enable the voters who had assembled inside the designated area to cast their vote.

The polls were conducted in a peaceful, orderly and transparent manner. Voters both male and female waited patiently in the same queue for their turn to vote.

The name of each voter was carefully checked with the Voters List provided to each polling station by the Commissioner of Elections.

No police or security personnel were visible in and around the polling stations.

Meticulous arrangements were made by the Commissioner of Elections for counting the votes.

The voters behaved in a dignified manner as befitting the solemnity of the occasion and they waited patiently to cast their vote.

Based on their observations the Observers were of the unanimous view that the election was transparently free and fair and held in accordance with the relevant laws and regulations. The Observers were fully satisfied with the credibility of the election process.

Acknowledgements

Many government institutions and officials extended valuable support to the performance of our mission.

In particular, we wish to record our appreciation to the Commissioner of Elections for the excellent arrangements made for the Observer Group to observe the polling. Arrangements made for our travel to the Atoll headquarters and to the islands in which the polling stations were located. We were able to observe whatever aspects of the election process we wished and visit whatever locations we desired.

All government officials whom we met, Atoll Chiefs, Island Chiefs and our Liaison Officers, Protocol and Secretarial Staff extended to us their full co-operation and assistance so that we were able to accomplish our task effectively.

The polls were conducted in a peaceful and orderly manner. The voters treated it as a solemn occasion and men and women waited patiently to cast their vote.

The election staff were experienced and well trained. They performed their duties efficiently and rendered all help and assistance to the voters.

The secrecy of the ballot was maintained. There were no incidents of malpractice which came to the notice of the Observers.

We express to the Commissioner of Elections our thanks for the hospitality so graciously extended to us.

Above all, we would like to record our grateful thanks to the people of the Maldives for the friendly and warm manner in which they welcomed us to their beautiful country. We take this opportunity to wish them success in the laudable task of further promoting democracy in the Maldives.

Signatures:

Dr. Mohammed Farashuddin (Bangladesh)

Lyonpo Dawa Tsering (Bhutan)

Mr. Salman Haidar (India)

Mr. Y.K. Silwal (Nepal)

Mr. Niaz A. Naik (Pakistan)

Mr. Dixon Nilaweera (Sri Lanka)

POETIC LICENCE: Good news for the Flat Earth Society, but bad news for the Maldives

2004-08-01T01:28:00.000+05:00

Scientists say something strange has been going on for the past four years. Earth’s gravity field has suddenly shifted gears and begun getting flatter, reversing a course of centuries during which the planet and its gravity field grew rounder each year. The scientists who noticed the change and reported it in Friday’s issue of the journal Science suspect Earth itself may be flattening out, with the oceans rising near the equator, but they aren’t sure.

Could it be, then, that the London-based Flat Earth Society will end up having the last laugh, telling us: “See! We always said that the Earth was flat.”

A country that is not likely to be laughing at this latest piece of news, however, is the island nation of Maldives. The highest point in the Maldives is only five feet above sea level, so it wouldn’t take much for the 1, 800 tiny coral atolls and sandbanks that form the miniscule South Asian nation to vanish below the sea.

If that were to happen, where would the Maldivians go? America wouldn’t take them, having become absolutely paranoid, post-September 11, about more immigration to the United States. Neither would Australia, given the recent brouhaha down under about refugees from Afghanistan trying to make it to Australia in leaky vessels. Australia sent one lot of refugees off to the South Pacific island nation of Nauru to cool their heels while the government debated whether to allow them entry into Australia.

Sri Lanka, which is only 800 miles from the Maldives, might agree to take some of them. But how many Maldivians would want to go to Sri Lanka given the civil war that has been raging in that country for years between Tamil separatist rebels in the Jaffna peninsula to the north and the beleaguered government in Colombo?

What about India, then? Again, unlikely. The only time India has ever shown any interest in its tiny neighbour was when New Delhi sent a bunch of Indian army commandos to the Maldives in the 1980s.

Bangladesh could be a possible candidate if it weren’t for the fact that most of that country itself is only a few feet above sea level and would probably disappear under the water if the oceans were to rise. As it is, much of Bangladesh is under water much of the time anyway, with torrential monsoon rains and periodic tidal waves submerging large tracts of the country.

Which leaves Pakistan. We have so many refugees and illegal immigrants living in this country, including several million Afghan refugees and an estimated one million Bengalis, that a couple of hundred thousand Maldivians also turning up here wouldn’t make much difference. The entire population of 250,000 could be accommodated in one corner of Karachi’s Gulshan-e-Iqbal neighbourhood with room to spare.

The Maldives were first inhabited around the 5th century BC by settlers from southern India and Sri Lanka. Legend has it that an itinerant Muslim scholar converted the islanders to Islam in 1153 AD. From 1558 to 1573 the islands were ruled by the Portuguese. In the 17th century government was by a sultanate, protected by the Dutch rulers of Sri Lanka (Ceylon). After the British took Ceylon in 1796 the Maldives became a British protectorate (formally so in 1887). Although the Maldive Islands were declared a republic in 1953, in the same year the country reverted to a sultanate. Full independence from Britain came in 1965, with the sultanate being replaced by a new republic in 1968.

Given this British connection, would the British government be prepared to allow the Maldivians to settle in the UK in the event of the South Asian nation disappearing under the sea? Again, it’s unlikely.

Only about 20 islands have Maldivian populations of more than 1,000. The nation’s economy depends heavily on tourism, with foreign tourists (350,000 in the year 2000) being channelled towards some 86 specially developed resorts. Despite its miniscule size, the Maldives is by far the most prosperous country in the South Asian region, with a GDP per head that, at over $ 1,000 a year, is twice that of India or Pakistan, and nearly 20 per cent more than Sri Lanka’s.

The long-term question, however, is the continued existence of the islands. A few years ago, Maldivian President Gayoom warned the developed world that global warming, by melting the ice-caps, would literally submerge the republic. Now, the country also has this business of the oceans rising near the equator as a result of the Earth flattening to worry about.

“Sometime around 1998, something began to make the Earth’s gravity field flatter,” says Christopher Cox of the US’s Raytheon Information Technology and Scientific Services. “The result is it looks as if post-glacial rebound has reversed itself.” It’s not a change anyone could notice; it’s only revealed by sensitive satellite measurements. The shift, however, is significant. “Whatever it is, it’s big,” Cox says.

(Original story here)

different look !

2004-07-30T22:36:00.000+05:00

I decided to change the template ! hope this looks a bit better !

2004-07-30T00:52:00.000+05:00

This criminal code drafting thingy has become really become something to talk about in some of the blogs i have read so far. I wonder whats the big deal anyways ! is it cos maldives doesn't tolerate other religions ! well baby that aint gonna change .. atleast not a for a while ... and that "while" may be a "very long while".

Maldives: Paradise soon to be lost

2004-07-29T20:12:00.000+05:00

By Nick Bryant
BBC correspondent in Maldives

Story from BBC NEWS

To visit the Maldives is to witness the slow death of a nation.

For as well as being blessed with sun-kissed paradise islands and pale, white sands, this tourist haven is cursed with mounting evidence of an environmental catastrophe.

To the naked eye, the signs of climate change are almost imperceptible, but government scientists fear the sea level is rising up to 0.9cm a year.

Since 80% of its 1,200 islands are no more than 1m above sea level, within 100 years the Maldives could become uninhabitable.

The country's 360,000 citizens would be forced to evacuate.

The Maldives' survival as a sovereign nation is truly at stake.

No wonder it was the first country to sign up to the Kyoto Protocol, which sets targets for cuts in industrialised countries' greenhouse gas emissions.

No wonder that Male, the capital, is surrounded by a 3m-high (9.8ft) wall, which took 14 years to construct at a cost of $63m. Unable to foot the bill themselves, the government happily accepted aid from Japan, which paid for 99% of the cost.

But the wall offers protection for just one of the Maldives' 200 inhabited islands - and then only against tidal surges rather than the rising sea level, the longer-term threat.

In Kandholhudhoo, a densely-populated island in the north of the Maldives, 60% of residents have volunteered to evacuate over the next 15 years - those remaining behind will eventually be compelled to do the same.

Tidal surges flood their homes every fortnight, and recently hammered a 3m (9.8ft) hole in their concrete flood defences.

The country's fishermen no longer use the "Nakiy", a centuries-old weather guide based on stellar constellations which climate change has made all but irrelevant.

The weather here is becoming more volatile and less predictable. The alignment of the stars no longer offers much guidance.

Mitigation

The Maldives government is trying to alleviate the worst effects of climate change.

It is encouraging forestation to prevent beach erosion and is backing a plan to clean litter and debris from the country's coral reefs - a natural barrier against tidal surges which changes to the fragile eco-system have placed in peril.

Environmental science is taught in every school, and given the same importance as writing and arithmetic. All new resorts are subject to a rigorous environmental impact study and developers are allowed to build on only 20% of the islands.

But the efforts are aimed at mitigation rather than prevention.

Moral pressure

As policy-makers in Male are depressingly aware, their ultimate fate lies in the hands of politicians in Delhi, Beijing, Moscow and Washington.

In June, the President of the Maldives, Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, wrote to the US President George W Bush, in a rather optimistic attempt to persuade him to ratify the Kyoto Protocol. So far he is yet to receive a response.

This minnow of a nation faces a mammoth task - to persuade members of the US government, whether officials in the Bush administration or lawmakers on Capitol Hill, to make long-term decisions from a global perspective, rather than short-term choices based on national self-interest.

The Maldives can exert moral pressure and press its strong scientific case. But not much more.

So come here fast, before it disappears. This is a paradise faced with extinction.

drafting criminal code for Maldives

2004-07-29T13:40:00.000+05:00

The comments posted on littlegreenfootball.com, about “drafting criminal code for Maldives”.. interesting to read !

2004-07-29T02:09:00.000+05:00

Haveeru Daily Online - English: "Information Ministry starts amending regulations regarding newspapers, magazines

Wednesday, 28 July 2004

MALE, July 28 (HNS) -- The Ministry of Information, Arts and Culture has started to revise the current regulations regarding newspapers and magazines.

Information Minister Ibrahim Maniku told Haveeru Daily that the ministry decided to amend the regulations because the current regulations were devised long ago.

However, Maniku said that it was difficult to say when amending the regulations can be completed.

He said that freedom of press must be within a frontier and no journalists should go beyond the border.

Maniku further said that it has been seven months since the ministry commenced the work on amending the regulations.

The ministry is also discussing with the concerned authorities about the amendments to be brought to regulations.

Maniku said that they will meet the editors of the newspapers and magazines to obtain their opinions with regard to the regulations that are being amended.

Recently, Attorney General Dr Hassan Saeed said that they have proposed some alterations to be brought to the regulations.

Saeed said that they are formulating a law regarding newspapers and magazines.

Saeed earlier said that the press has been traditionally controlled in Maldives and that letting such controls lose all of a sudden may have a negative impact. However, he said that press freedom is important in order to canvass the genuine opinion of the people. "

2004-07-29T02:07:00.000+05:00

Renewable Energy News | Maldives Island Chain Looks to Renewable Energy: "July 28, 2004 [SolarAccess.com] A workshop on designing systems to create renewable energy has concluded in Male, the capital city of the Republic of Maldives. The workshop was conducted as part of the efforts by the Ministry of Communication, Science and Technology in exploring the possibilities of generating renewable energy in the Maldives. Consisting of 1,190 coral islands grouped into 26 atolls in the Indian Ocean, the Maldives are well poised to take advantage of renewable energy systems which prove themselves particularly well-suited to powering remote locations. The workshop was funded by the USAID. Concerned officials from the government authorities and technical personnel participated in the workshop which was held from July 19-22. The first two days were dedicated to the officials and the technical personnel, while the last two days were dedicated to training the technical personnel on designing such systems. The training was conducted by experts from the US National Renewable Energy Laboratories, Iyan Barringold and Aliya Gandhoor. In addition to the participants from the Ministry of Communication, Science and Technology, the Ministry of Atolls Development, Ministry of Home Affairs and Environment, Ministry of Planning and National Development, State Electric Company Limited, Dhivehiraajeyge Gulhun Pvt. Ltd and the UNDP also participated in the workshop. "

2004-07-29T02:00:00.000+05:00

BBC NEWS | Technology | Protest at Maldives net controls: "Telecoms giant Cable & Wireless has been urged to use its influence in the Maldives to help free jailed net users.
The press freedom watchdog, Reporters Without Borders, has written to the company's boss, asking him to put pressure on the Maldives authorities to end abusive internet censorship "

2004-07-29T01:59:00.000+05:00

Nearly a quarter of the members of the Maldives new constitutional assembly have staged a walkout during its first sitting in the the capital, Male.
The unprecedented defiance led to the 24 MPs being surrounded by police, who in turn were surrounded by onlookers.

BBC NEWS | South Asia | MPs walk out of Maldives assembly

University Pennsylvania Professor for Shari'a

2004-07-29T01:12:00.000+05:00

I found this interesting article written by Daniel Pipes .. Â read on !

U Penn Prof for Shari'a
by Daniel Pipes
FrontPage Magazine
July 26, 2004

Today, July 26, 2004, is the day any of you who are students at the University of Pennsylvania Law School must get in your resumÃ© and a grade sheet if you want to participate in the newly-announced seminar on "Islamic Criminal Law: Drafting a Criminal Code for the Maldives."

The law school's registrar, Gloria Watts, sent out a notice informing students of changes in the fall semester's course offerings, as first noted at LittleGreenFootballs.com. One of the them is that Paul H. Robinson, Colin S. Diver Distinguished Professor of Law, cancelled his "Criminal Law Theory Seminar" and replaced it with the three-credit Maldive project. Robinson's course description explains the reasons for the shift in the seminar's topic and its urgency:

The seminar will revolve around a single project: drafting a new criminal code for the Maldives. The work has been requested by the Maldivian government and is sponsored by the United Nations Development Program. Because the Maldives is by constitutional mandate an Islamic nation and, as a matter of law, all citizens are Muslim, the code will be the world's first criminal code of modern format that is based upon the principles of Shari‘a.

After studying the existing Maldivian criminal law statutes and the criminal law principles contained in Shari'a, student teams will propose criminal code provisions and critique the proposals of others.

Selected students will have the opportunity to travel to the Maldives as part of the U.N. mission to coordinate the criminal code drafting work. (The Maldives is a nation of 1200 islands in the Indian Ocean that has for centuries been a transit point between Africa, the Middle East, and Asia and continues to have strong cultural connections to all three.)

Prerequisite: It is desirable but not mandatory that a student has taken or is taking Advanced Criminal Law. Enrollment requires permission of the instructor:

Those students accepted into the course will be notified by July 29.

Who is Paul H. Robinson? The Penn Law School description of him boasts that he is "one of the world's leading scholars on criminal law" and his credentials are certainly impressive. They include his having served as a federal prosecutor, as counsel to the U.S. Senate's Subcommittee on Criminal Laws and Procedures, and having written a dozen books, among which are numbered the standard lawyer's reference book on criminal law defenses, an internationally-known Oxford monograph on criminal law theory, a highly-regarded criminal law treatise, a popular innovative case studies course book, and a ground-breaking empirical study of the conflict between criminal law rules and lay intuitions of justice.

He also has published scholarly articles in nearly every top law review – those of California, Chicago, Columbia, Georgetown , Harvard, Northwestern, Oxford, Stanford, Texas, UCLA, Virginia, and Yale. Finally, he leads "the only two criminal code reform projects in the United States," those in Illinois and Kentucky.

It is easy to see how Professor Robinson would jump at the chance to develop what he calls "the world's first criminal code of modern format that is based upon the principles of Shari‘a." Here is an opportunity for a leading criminal law practitioner to do something completely different – not Anglo-Saxon common law, not Napoleonic Code, but Shari‘a. No wonder he ditched his standard seminar.

And he finds the present Maldivian criminal justice system inadequate, to the point that it systematically fails to do justice and regularly does injustice. He sees the need for wide-ranging reforms, and believes that without dramatic change, the system is likely to deteriorate further. Robinson's preliminary thoughts for reform include such basics as making the judiciary an independent branch of government, limiting the police' right to search, establishing the defendants' right to legal counsel, and ending the present practice of relying primarily on confessions as the basis for establishing criminal liability.

These are worthy objectives, to be sure, but Professor Robinson should stand back from this project and reassess it. This leading scholar, through his work in the Maldives, will render more acceptable Shar‘i provisions about killing apostates from Islam, subjugating women, keeping slaves, and repressing non-Muslims (in this light, note the matter-of-fact comment in the course description that "as a matter of law, all citizens [of the Maldives] are Muslim").

Rather than cleanse and modernize the Shar‘i code, I appeal to Professor Robinson to reject the Maldive commission and take a totally different approach in his seminar, critiquing that code's criminal provisions from a Western point of view. He and his seminar students would then show how this religiously-based legal system contradicts virtually every assumption an American makes, such as the separation of church and state, the abolition of forced servitude, the right not to suffer inhumane punishments, freedom of religion and expression, equality of the sexes, and on and on.

The Shari‘a needs to be rejected as a state law code, not made prettier.

Paul H. Robinson's reply. In response to the above critique, Professor Robinson has written me the following:

You object to my plan to assist the Maldivians in drafting a new criminal code. I think the opportunity ought to be enthusiastically embraced.

The Maldives does not allow the classic barbaric punishments of Shari'a, such as cutting off the hands of thieves or stoning adulterers to death. Indeed, Amnesty International reports that the country de facto abolished the death penalty for all offenses more than a half century ago. (And every one of the reforms you mention—independent judiciary, explicit limitations on police power, defense counsel at all stages, and moving away from the use of confessions—is something that the Maldivians themselves are now doing or committed themselves to do long before I ever showed up on the scene).

Does the country impose criminal liability and punishment that I find objectionable? Yes, which is precisely the reason that drives my interest in helping.

I do criminal code consulting for many countries. A few days ago, one client, China, beheaded a person for embezzlement. (Worse than anything the Maldivians have done.) Should I now refuse to advise them further on what I think a criminal code should look like? Your strategy of willful disengagement seems an odd way of bringing greater justice to the world.

The Maldivians are in the midst great social change. A special parliament called to draft a new constitution met for the first time two days ago; disagreements among the members spilled into demonstrations in the streets. A young and idealistic Attorney General, with much credibility with the people, was recently appointed, after police beatings of prisoners prompted riots. This man and many others in the country have made serious personal sacrifices to advance the cause of justice for Maldivians. He and others like him represent the forces of enlightenment that seek to move the country toward the principles of fairness and justice. When this man asks me to help draft a criminal code for his country, how could I possibly in good conscience refuse?

My views on criminal justice are well known. No one would think that I am inclined to tolerate barbaric punishments, nor would they think that I would renounce my independent judgment and be cowed into silence. (I was the lone dissenter in the promulgation of the United States Sentencing Commission guidelines.) If someone hires me to help draft a criminal code, that in itself tells you something about the person's agenda. If their goal is not fairness and justice, they are only hiring trouble. Why would they?

If the Western world had beat this country into submission through economic boycott and political isolation, we would take their request for Western advice to be a great victory. Why should the request to be shunned simply because some leaders of the country are people of conscience who by their own choice have sought the advice?

My goal is not to make their code "pretty," as you suggest, but rather to make it just. And the evidence to date suggests that this is their goal as well.

I do not know how the Maldivian criminal code project will turn out. Like many criminal code projects, it may go nowhere. I have no power other than the persuasiveness of my advice, which, experience tells, is often limited. But is it an enterprise worth undertaking? I would think it shameful to decline.

Pipes reply: Prof. Robinson's explanation of his project makes our differences clear: I focus on the substance of the Shari‘a and he on the Maldivian means to carry it out.

This item is available on the Campus Watch website, at http://www.campus-watch.org/article/id/1220

Two parties bid extravagant sums for would-be resorts

2004-07-07T14:43:00.000+05:00

MALE, July 7 (Haveeru News Service) -- Two parties bid astronomical sums on Sunday for two islands which are to be developed along with nine other islands into tourist resorts.

Island Dreams Pvt Ltd proposed a staggering US$4.8 billion (about Rf62 billion) for a 10-year period lease for Olhuveli island in Laamu atoll.

Panorama Crest Pvt Ltd proposed US$484.2 million (about Rf6.2 billion) for Lonudhuahutta island in Gaafu Dhaalu atoll.

This is the first time that such sky-rocketing sums have been offered for a resort development project in Maldives.

However, both parties immediately refuted such claims.

When contacted by Haveeru Daily, an official from Island Dreams commented that “even though the Tourism Ministry announced that figure, that (figure) was a mistake.”

The official, who did not want to be named, said that they had actually proposed US$24.4 million for Olhuveli and that, figures in its bidding documents will add up to this figure. However, the official admitted that while the figure was written this way numerically, there was a typing error when the figure was alphabetically spelt out.

“The Tourism Ministry first announced the correct figure. However, the second announcement gave the other (wrong) figure,” the official said.

The bidding documents for Island Dreams were prepared by world renown auditing firm, Earnest & Young.

A Panorama Crest official also said that there was a typing error when the figure was spelt out alphabetically.

Tourism Minister Hassan Sobir said that according to principles, when a cases arises where the numerical figure does not match the figure spelt out alphabetically, the Tourism Ministry can only accept the figure which was spelt out alphabetically.

2004-07-05T22:01:00.000+05:00

BBC NEWS | Health | How memories build during sleep
Evidence is growing that the brain uses sleep time to consolidate memories acquired during the day.

2004-07-05T21:59:00.000+05:00

BBC NEWS | Health | Stress can be good for your body

Cassini probes Titan's mysteries

2004-07-05T21:52:00.000+05:00

NewScientist.com news serviceThe latest images from Cassini are completely reversing scientists' ideas about Saturn's giant moon Titan.

The space probe flew within 340,000 kilometres of Titan on Friday. It has revealed methane clouds and a strangely smeary surface that may include tectonic features and huge impact craters.

Before the flyby, planetary scientists had some low resolution images of Titan. The bright areas shown by the images were thought to be water ice, and the dark areas probably hydrocarbon gunge. But the new images suggest the opposite.

Cassini's VIMS instrument has analysed infrared light from Titan's surface which shows that the bright patches are rich in hydrocarbons and the dark areas are relatively pure ice. It may be that the huge bright region called Xanadu is not a mountain range of ice, as had been suspected, but instead a sticky plain - perhaps even a methane sea.

"The VIMS data have turned the theory on its head," says Elizabeth Turtle of the University of Arizona, a member of the Cassini imaging team.

Cumulus clouds

Meanwhile, the main cameras cut through Titan's orange haze using two filters, one polarising and one to select a particular wavelength of light that can sneak through the smog.

In the images, a field of methane clouds floats fifteen kilometres up, near Titan's south pole. "They are similar to cumulus clouds on Earth," says Kevin Baines of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena.

It is summer in the south of Titan at the moment, which may explain why the clouds are only found there. The faint warmth of the distant Sun may be able to evaporate methane from the surface only where it shines constantly, near the south pole.

Much of the rest of Titan looks fuzzy, even though the resolution of the images is quite sharp. "It may be an atmospheric effect," says Turtle. Or it may be that many surface features simply do not have sharp edges - that Titan is a blurry world.

Giant waves

The pictures are sharp enough to show strong linear features, such as a giant letter H, which probably have a tectonic origin. That means they are created by some process internal to Titan. "But we can't say what it is yet," says Turtle.

There are also round patches, more likely to be impact craters. If so, there is at least one enormous crater more than a thousand kilometres across.

But these images are just a taster. On 26 October, Cassini will make the first of 45 close passes of Titan, flying to within about 1200 kilometres. It will get much finer images, and use its radar to map the surface in 3D. Among other things, scientists are hoping to see lakes or seas of methane, which should be whipped into giant waves by Titan's windy atmosphere.

weird !!

2004-06-30T00:10:00.000+05:00

You may think it’s weird, but I still miss you,

You may think it’s crazy, but I still love you,

You may think there no point, but I will hang on to these memories.

I don’t think any of this weird because you are the love of my life.

New texting speed record set

2004-06-29T23:49:00.000+05:00

John Aglionby, south-east Asia correspondent
Tuesday June 29, 2004
The Guardian

A Singaporean student appears to have thumbed her way into the Guinness Book of Records after smashing the previous fastest time for text-messaging a 160-character text on a mobile phone.

The Singaporean media reported yesterday that Kimberly Yeo, 23, clocked 43.24 seconds in the final of a competition organised by the city-state's main telephone company, SingTel.

The runner-up in the 125-competitor event on Sunday, Ashley Tan, 18, finished 0.2 seconds behind. Both times are still subject to verification by Guinness.

The previous record, set last year by the Briton James Trusler, was a comparatively ponderous 67 seconds.

All attempts to become the world's fastest texter have to use the following two sentences: "The razor-toothed piranhas of the genera Serrasalmus and Pygocentrus are the most ferocious freshwater fish in the world. In reality they seldom attack a human."

Competitors are not allowed to use spelling aids or a predictive text programme on their phone.

Ms Yeo, a business administration student who sends thousands of messages a month and won £8,000 in cash and other prizes, said she had been extremely nervous before the event.

"There are a lot of people, the contestants and everyone, so it's very pressurising," she told Channel News Asia.

Mr Trusler, 30, who works for a mobile phone company in Fiji, told the Guardian he never thought his record would be eclipsed by such a wide margin. "Of course, I was expecting it to be beaten," he said. "I was thinking low 50s, but when I heard it was in the 40s I was amazed."

The deposed champion - who says the key to fast texting is not to look at the screen - said he would try to reclaim the title.

"I'm returning to the UK in August so that might be the time to try," he said. "But I text faster in the warm, so if I attempt it there it will have to be indoors in a heated room."

Stunned France crash out of Euro 2004

2004-06-26T02:45:00.000+05:00

LISBON (Reuters) - Greece produced the biggest upset in European Championship history when they knocked out holders France with a 1-0 quarter-final victory.

Greece, among the rank outsiders when the tournament started, scored the only goal after 65 minutes when Angelos Haristeas rose unchallenged to power a header past French goalkeeper Fabien Barthez from six metres.

It was the third time in four matches that France had fallen behind but this time there was no way back.

Their dream of becoming the first team to retain the Henri Delaunay trophy is over and Greece will now face the Czech Republic or Denmark in the semi-finals.

Until the goal, the match lacked the passion, vibrancy and drama of Portugal's penalty shootout win over England in the first quarter-final, with the crowd largely anaesthetised by the lethargic play.

France, though, were poorer than Greece throughout. Without the injured Patrick Vieira in midfield, France lacked their driving force with playmaker Zinedine Zidane playing well below his best.

Zidane and Lilian Thuram set a new record for European Championship finals appearances by playing their 14th matches each since 1996, beating the record they had held jointly with seven players.

But Zidane's most notable contribution was picking up a yellow card for a clumsy challenge on Greek defender Traianos Dellas a minute before the break.

There was not much more of note in the opening 45 minutes in which neither team dominated but Greece had the better chances.

They went close to the opening goal after 15 minutes when a Costas Karagounis free kick reached Costas Katsouranis close to goal whose attempted tap-in from close range was blocked by Barthez on the line with the Greeks already raising their arms to celebrate a goal.

The French keeper also tipped over a dipping 30-metre shot from defender Takis Fyssas after 37 minutes.

The French came close to a goal in the 25th minute when defender Bixente Lizarazu crossed to Thierry Henry but the striker's header sailed just wide of Antonis Nikopolidis's right post.

France, who came from behind to beat England and draw with Croatia on their way to winning Group B, just never found their rhythm, while Greece had more zest all over the pitch and were content to defend in numbers.

Henry wasted another golden opportunity in the dying minutes to leave Greece's German coach Otto Rehhagel in ecstasy and still on course to become the first foreign coach to lead a side to victory in this competition.

Jacques Santini's reign as French coach, however, ended in a shock exit few could have predicted.

Designing the state: systems of government

2004-06-26T02:20:00.000+05:00

Male’, Maldives, June 25 -- Below is the full text of the speech by Professor Yash Ghai at the UNDP-assisted Law Society of Maldives lecture on “Systems of Government” held Wednesday at Tajudin School: (source : HNS www.haveeru.com.mv )

INTRODUCTORY REMARKS

Perhaps the most important decision in making a constitution is the system of government. The system of government is fundamental to the design of the state, particularly the structures of state and the allocation of powers among them. It determines the composition and powers of state institutions and the manner of the exercise of these powers. It also regulates the relationship between the organs of state, and between them and the people. Because state power is deployed through the organs of government, access to and control of these organs becomes a critical issue in governance. Politicians in particular take great interest in the system of government, and the issue can also easily become controversial. There is also considerable debate among academics on the theories and relative merits of different systems.

Today there are three or four systems of government. But there are differences even within each principal type, producing a great variety of systems. In one or more countries, each of these systems has worked well. So it is hard to say that one system works better than another. Much depends on the context. The context itself is determined by traditions and history, how society has been governed over long periods of time (and therefore familiarity), the influence of colonial or similar experience, etc. The context is also constituted by a country’s socio-economic situation, ethnic diversities, demographic and even geographical factors. A powerful influence in recent decades has been the global context, in which the paradigm of the modern state is replacing traditional modes of governance. The modern state has its own logic and dynamics (e.g., the concentration of power and force, the consequent need for safeguards, the hardening of state borders, the marketisation of the economy, and new modes of decision making and participation across communities and vast geographical distances, etc), apart from the membership of international and regional organisations and the pressure to conform to global norms.

In this, somewhat abstract paper, I aim to sketch out a number of considerations and models in the hope that they might assist those who have to review or prepare constitutions. Since constitutions are still primarily concerned with the state, the first step might be to identify the responsibilities and tasks of the state.

IDENTIFYING THE TASKS OF THE STATE

In deciding how the powers of the state are to be allocated and exercised, it is useful to identity the most important of these powers:

• In the modern state, one of the most important powers is to make laws. In older societies, law making was not so important: tradition was strong and change slow, and the role of law was to maintain stability. In the modern state, on the other hand, economic development and social change are emphasised, and the role of law is to establish the framework for policies and institutions to promote change and development.
• Laws are made after appropriate policies have been made; policy making and the implementation of policies are key functions of the state;
• Another key function is the management of the economy; the modern economy, whether based on central planning or the market, is infinitely more complex than the pre-colonial. Many factors go into the making and managing of the modern economy—production of goods, the capital and labour necessary to generate production, relations between employers and employees, management of resources and marketing, the provision and guarantees of sound currency, banking and insurance services, transport and other infrastructure, a fair and effective legal system, education and training, relations with other economies and international economic institutions, etc. In a market economy many of these tasks are performed by individuals and companies, but the state has to provide the constitutional, legal and institutional framework for the market to function, and to ensure the proper co-ordination of the various components of the economy;
• A primary responsibility of the state is to ensure law and order, security of its residents, and the defence of the republic against external attacks. It has to ensure the recruitment, training, and discipline of the police and armed forces to assist in these tasks. It has to provide and enforce laws which protect people’s lives, families and property. It must safeguard national resources, not only for the present but increasingly for future generations.
• In a modern state and society there are many disputes about a variety of matters, between: members of a family, manufacturers and consumers, trading partners, employers and employees, citizens and public authorities, landlords and tenants, etc. The satisfactory resolution of these disputes is essential to the security, stability and economic and social development of society. It is the ultimate responsibility of the state to ensure mechanisms and procedures for the resolution of disputes;
• The state has also ultimately the responsibility for ensuring national unity and social cohesion, to fostering a sense of public responsibility and commitment to the public good. Many states do this by ensuring fair distribution of resources across the country and social classes, providing symbols of the unity of the nation, civic education in schools and other institutions, and honest government which is responsive to the needs of all citizens and communities. In multi-ethnic societies, the state should also ensure that all communities are fairly treated, and that they benefit equally from laws and state policies, and even in societies that are relatively homogenous it may be necessary to take positive steps to ensure fairness to all.

ALLOCATING THE TASKS: DIVISION OF RESPONSIBILITIES BETWEEN DIFFERENT LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT

One of the most important decisions about the design of the state is whether the system of government is to be unitary or federal (or some other form of devolution). Both unitary and federal systems can include different systems of government (such as presidential or parliamentary), but the powers of the central authorities, and to some extent their structure, depend on this decision. My discussion is confined to the structure of the national government, under the assumption largely of a unitary state. However, it is important in archipelagic states like the Maldives not to overlook the fact that governmental and community power and authority are exercised in the outreaches of the state, at vast distance from the ‘centre’, and even in unitary states, they should not be completely subordinated to the centre. The state cannot be democratic if its parts are not, nor can national unity be maintained if ‘distant’ communities feel marginalised. The recognition of these communities can be secured not necessarily by devolving power to them but by facilitating their participation in national processes of policy- and law-making. I can think of the constitution of at least one small archipelagic state in the South Pacific under which the national legislature cannot proceed to the final enactment of a legislative bill before giving its various islands an opportunity to debate and comment on the bill.

ALLOCATING THE TASKS: THE DIVISION OF RESPONSIBILITY BETWEEN THE STATE AND CIVIL SOCIETY

Constitutions generally restrict themselves to allocating these tasks among organs of the state. But it is some times useful to think of these tasks as ‘in a state or political community’ rather than ‘of the state’. In this way we can address the question whether all these tasks should be given to the state or whether they can or should be divided between the state and non-state institutions. We know that in a market economy, many tasks—the provision of health, education, production and exchange, for example—are performed by non-state actors. We also know that the values of moral and civic responsibility are promoted by religious, professional and other civic organisations, and that civil society likewise provides educational, health and other services. Civil society provides opportunities for policy making and people’s participation in public affairs, and plays a formal or informal consultative role in law making, as well as in the implementation of laws or policies. A large number of disputes are settled through civil society institutions—and settled satisfactorily, reducing the load on state institutions. In these ways civil society supplements the efforts of the state. At other times it can provide a counter-balance to state institutions and act as a mechanism for lobbying and accountability of public authorities.

We can therefore think of the relationship between state and civil society as in part complementary and in part ‘competitive’—but conducted within, and with joint commitment to, the values and unity of the political community. Many constitutions assume, but do not expressly provide for, this relationship, although specific laws are increasingly recognising the roles of civil society institutions. The question is whether the constitution should have provisions for the role of civil society and if so, what should they be? We should not think of democracy only in statist terms. People’s participation in public affairs throughout the period from one general elections to another is critical to the deepening of democracy.

ALLOCATING POWERS AMONG STATE ORGANS

Unlike traditional political communities, where many of these powers were concentrated in a single body, such as the monarch, chief, or the council of elders, in a modern state they are usually vested in different organs. It is usual to divide the tasks which are identified above into three broad categories: legislative, executive and judiciary (or the making of laws, the execution of laws, and the interpretation and application of laws) and to vest them in three separate institutions—parliament, the executive and courts respectively (the fact that all three functions are described in terms of laws shows how important law is to and in the modern state). However they do not fully capture the complexity of modern society and the tasks that consequently fall on the state. We need to subdivide powers within each of these broad categories to guide us in the design of fair and effective institutions. But let us first examine why the modern state divides powers in these ways and why they are assigned to different organs of state.

The reasons for dividing powers and allocating them to different institutions include:

• to reduce the burden on any one particular institution, and to distribute the work load
• different powers need different expertise: for example, the skills required to make laws are different from those necessary to interpret the law
• the separation of institutions makes it possible to ensure that each institution is qualified for its functions: thus policy making is pre-eminently a political task and so best done by representatives of the people (hence an elected assembly), the implementation of laws and policies require technical and administrative talents for which a qualified ministers and public service is necessary while the interpretation of law and its impartial administration requires education in and practice of the law
• the separation of powers and institutions limits the power of any one institution and reduces the possibility of the dominance of one institution over other institutions and the people,
• the separation of institutions also facilitates ‘checks and balances’, so that each institution can keep a check on the other, and some key decisions may require the participation of more than one institution (e.g., in the US, the president nominates senior officials and judges, but their appointment requires the consent of the Senate),
• in recent history, in order to ensure that certain key state functions which are necessary for a democratic and accountable society are discharged fairly and without a political bias, these functions are given to expert and independent bodies, which are separate from other main organs of the state. A classical example of this is the courts, but now there are independent electoral commissions, public service commissions, auditor-general, attorney-general, anti-corruption authorities, etc

However, it is important that the concern with the separation, limitation and accountability of powers should not undermine the effectiveness of state organs. The model of separation and limitation is based on a concept of the state which performs a strictly small number of tasks, and leaves most decision making to private actors, especially in a private and decentralised economy. Such a concept is not very realistic today, even in the west. State organs needs a sufficiency of powers and effectiveness for many reasons, particularly to:

• promote economic, social and cultural development
• equalise or redistribute economic wealth and opportunities so that every citizen has access to basic need
• manage and co-ordinate the framework of the economy, an urgent task in a globalising economy when the frontiers of all national economies are being dismantled
• protect the environment without jeopardising industrial development
• manage and resolve ethnic and other conflicts
• provide relief during natural and human made disasters

The challenge therefore is to marry the separation and limitation of powers with the effectiveness of state organs. Fortunately, giving wide powers to state institutions need not mean abuse of powers if there are enough safeguards and power is exercised responsibly, transparently and in accordance with legal and administrative procedures. Thus the greater the power of an organ, the greater the need for safeguards and accountability.

CRITERIA FOR ASSESSING SYSTEMS OF GOVERNMENT AND INSTITUTIONS

It is thus clear that there are no simple or clear criteria for assessing the worthiness of systems or institutions, but require the balancing of the following values and goals:

• democracy and representation
• participatory
• accountability
• transparency and honesty
• inclusive and consensual
• stability
• professionalism
• effectiveness

SYSTEMS OF GOVERNMENT

Systems of government are determined by:

• the powers and functions of principal organs of state;
• the structure of these organs; and
• the relationship between them.

The principal organs are the legislature, the executive (which in turn can be divided between the political executive and the public service) and the judiciary. There is wide consensus on the functions, structure and composition of the judiciary, but less so on the other aspects of the systems of government. Here I examine the legislature and the executive. The nature of the executive and the legislature is determined by supporting institutions, like the electoral system, the role of political parties, and the existence and operation of independent institutions. (To give an example, parliamentary systems which have the single member constituency in first past the post electoral system, as in Britain or Canada, which lead to two major parties, can work in strikingly different ways from similarly structured European parliamentary systems which conduct elections on a proportional representation system that produce multiple parties). Now we look briefly at the functions of the legislature and the executive.

THE LEGISLATURE

The functions of a legislature in a representative democracy are:

• to represent the people
• to make laws
• to oversee and hold the executive accountable by:
o passing laws, or amending or rejecting those presented by the government
o parliamentary questions and motions
o the vote of no-confidence (this role is seldom available in presidential systems), and
o exercising the power of the purse by determining budgetary appropriations and ensuring the legality, honesty and efficiency in the use of public revenue
• to provide a forum for debating and resolving national issues.

FUNCTIONS OF THE EXECUTIVE

Functions of the executive include:

• to carry on the work of the government;
• to make and implement policies (policies have to be compatible with the law, but normally there is wide discretion for making policy)
• to prepare and present bills for making laws to the legislature
• to enact subsidiary laws, that is, regulations which are made under the authority of a law
• to facilitate the operation of the economy
• to manage state revenue
• ensure internal and external security
• enforce the law
• conduct foreign relations
• provide services

CATEGORIES OF SYSTEMS

Most modern systems of government in the world can be classified into three categories:

• parliamentary
• presidential
• mixed.

THE PARLIAMENTARY SYSTEM

In a parliamentary system the head of state is separate from the head of government (although in recent years the two posts have been combined in a parliamentary system in a few countries, such as South Africa and Kiribati). The head of state in a parliamentary system is either a monarch as in Britain or a President as in India, the latter normally elected by the legislature. The head of government is the prime minister. The prime minister and the cabinet have to be appointed from among the members of Parliament.

In most parliamentary systems the President appoints the prime minister, but must choose the member of Parliament who has the support of the majority of parliamentarians, which usually means the leader of the majority party or of a coalition of parties which together have the support of the majority. Some times the prime minister is appointed by or on the advice of the speaker of the legislature (as in Sweden), and occasionally the prime minister or ‘parliamentary president’ is directly elected by the legislature (as in Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, and South Africa). The prime minister appoints the members of the cabinet.

The President may also in some circumstances have the power to remove a government, but otherwise his or her role is mainly ceremonial. The real power of government is vested in the cabinet, acting under the prime minister. The cabinet operates on the principle of collective responsibility, which means that decisions on policy must be made by the entire cabinet and defended by all ministers.

The government is at all times responsible to Parliament and must explain and defend its policy to its members. Parliament can at any time remove a government by passing a vote of no confidence. In many parliamentary systems the prime minister can also ask for and secure the dissolution of Parliament (which results in a general election).

PRESIDENTIAL SYSTEM

In the presidential system, the executive power is vested in the president. There is total separation between the executive, that is, the president, and the legislature. The president is elected directly by the people as is the legislature. Neither the president nor any member of his or her cabinet can be a member of the legislature. The life of the president and the legislature are fixed. The president cannot be removed by the legislature on a vote of no confidence (but may be removed for serious misconduct by a formal process known as impeachment) and the president cannot dissolve the legislature. The president appoints his ministers and senior administrators, although their appointment requires the approval of the legislature. Normally all executive functions are vested in the president, and the role of the cabinet is merely to advise the president. The president and the majority of the legislature are not necessarily from the same political party, and the president has far less control over the legislature than is usually the case in a parliamentary system. But, since all laws, including the adoption of the budget, have to be passed by the legislature, the president has to work with the legislature to ensure that the president’s policies and plans can be carried out.

PARLIAMENTARY AND PRESIDENTIAL SYSTEMS COMPARED

We can summarise the major differences between a parliamentary and a presidential system like this:

• in the parliamentary system there is no sharp separation between the composition of executive and the legislature as there is in the presidential system
• there are more checks and balances in presidential system but there is continuing accountability of government to the legislature in the parliamentary system as the prime minister and ministers sit in Parliament, having constantly to defend their policies, and are subject to a vote of no confidence
• ministers have to be members of Parliament in most parliamentary systems (but not in France), but in a presidential system a member of the legislature cannot become a minister unless s/he resigns from Parliament , but apart from this the President has more choice of ministers
• there will usually be a fixed term for both executive and legislature in a presidential system, producing a kind of stability, but system works more smoothly in the parliamentary, unless there is an acute fragmentation of parties, for the government has a majority in the legislature
• in the parliamentary system there is a separate head of state from head of government
• the head of government is elected directly in presidential systems, but appointed or elected by a small electoral college in parliamentary systems
• the head of government in the parliamentary shares responsibility with the rest of the cabinet, but is sole authority in a presidential system
• the principal form of control and accountability in the parliamentary system is political, although, since the constitution is the supreme law of the land, the courts could declare that laws and policies which violate the constitution unconstitutional and void. In presidential systems there may be more use of the law to deal with political issues
• the parliamentary system is in some ways more suited for accommodating diverse interests/groups; for example the position of head of state can be used to recognise minorities (perhaps by rotating the headship among groups which can never hope to control government) and by the distribution of ministries among different groups.
• On the other hand, in a presidential system where the president is not restricted in his choice of ministers, he can distribute portfolios among political and ethnic groups.
• A major contrast between the two systems lie in the way they deal with deadlock between the executive and legislature. The parliamentary system operates on the continuing support for the executive in the legislature. Deadlocks are resolved in one of two (interconnected) ways: dismissal of the executive through a vote of no confidence (when the legislature in command) or the dissolution of the legislature (when the legislature is weak) (although what route will be taken depends on whether the executive can seek the dissolution of the legislature, and fresh elections, in case of a vote of no confidence). In the presidential system, where the president cannot dissolve the legislature nor can the legislature dismiss the executive, there is no easy way to resolve the deadlock (and prevent immobilisation of the politics and administration) —a good president is one who can flatter, cajole or ‘bribe’ the legislature to secure its co-operation.

MIXED SYSTEMS

Some countries have tried to combine the strong and stable government which is often associated with the presidential system with the more democratic and accountable system of the parliamentary system. The best known example of this comes from France, which has been copied in its original form, as in Sri Lanka and many African francophone states, or in a modified form as in Portugal and Finland. The French system was established in 1958 to stabilise the political system which was previously parliamentary when France experienced frequent changes of government. In it, the powers of the executive are divided between the President, who is not responsible or accountable to the legislature, and the prime minister and his or her cabinet, who are responsible to the legislature. The president can dissolve the legislature, but only after consultation with the prime minister and the presiding officers of the National Assembly and the Senate and only once in a year. Parliament controls its own time table, but the president can convene extraordinary meetings.
Most powers of government belong to the prime minister and the Council of Ministers, but the president has important (and somewhat vague) powers to defend the integrity of the republic and to safeguard the constitution. The president is elected directly by universal suffrage. The president appoints the prime minister, but effectively the prime minister has to command majority support in the lower house, the National Assembly. The normal rules of the parliamentary rule apply in relation to the cabinet and the legislature, including the powers of the National Assembly to dismiss the government on a vote of no confidence (there is no such power in relation to the president). When the president and the prime minister come from the same party, the system works largely as a presidential system, and when they come from different parties, they frequently disagree and the system does not work well. Whether it operates more like a presidential or parliamentary system depends on the relative political strength of the president or prime minister, but the bias is towards the parliamentary, for despite the intention to create a strong executive, the powers of the president are regarded as exceptional to deal with acute national crisis, while the normal working of government depends on continued support for it in the legislature.

SYSTEM OF POWER SHARING

In both the presidential and parliamentary systems, all the powers of the executive go to the winning side (‘winner takes all’ systems). The losing party has at best the role of the official opposition, its task being to criticise government policies and activities. Both systems are adversarial, that is to say, that the winning and losing parties are locked into a conflict. Some times these systems are criticised for creating or reinforcing political divisions and excluding one group completely from access to power. It is said that such systems may be acceptable in states which are homogeneous, for it is likely that election victories will periodically swing from one party to another, so that the loser has merely to await its turn. However, in a state where people are divided by ethnicity or religion, the minority communities may be perpetually in the opposition and will therefore become dissatisfied and reject the system. In such situations, ways must be found to include all groups in the legislature and the executive, so that no group is left out. Various electoral systems have been proposed to ensure fair representation of minorities—these are discussed later. The typical way to ensure the inclusion of all groups in the executive is power sharing in the cabinet.

Power sharing is often practised when a civil conflict has ended to manage future relations between the ‘warring’ parties. The first government after the end of apartheid in South Africa, as established in its interim constitution, brought into the cabinet all parties which had at least 20% of the membership in the legislature, so that the ANC led by Mandela, the NP led by de Klerk, and Inkatha Party led by Buthelezi became partners in government. The constitution of Bosnia-Herzegovina, in which there are different major ethnic communities, is based on power sharing in all state institutions, including the judiciary. The current scheme for the restoration of democracy and normality in Burundi is based on power sharing, as is the Good Friday agreement for peace in Northern Ireland. The 1997 Fiji constitution provides for power sharing by all parties which have 10% of parliamentary seats. For obvious reasons, power sharing is easier in a parliamentary system than in the presidential, for in the latter power is vested in one person, ministers being advisory. However, power sharing governments are not easy to operate, and may lead to the loss of the accountability of the executive as all leading parties are part of it. South Africa decided not to continue with power sharing when it adopted the final constitution, and serious difficulties have arisen in its operation in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Northern Ireland, and Fiji. It is therefore being suggested that while power sharing is useful, even necessary sometimes, to consolidate peace after the end of conflict, it should be a transitional rather than a permanent feature of the constitution.

You are still the one !

2004-06-25T18:45:00.000+05:00

I’ll always love you
You will always be the one
No matter what anyone says
No matter how much damage is done

My heart will always pound
A special beat to your name
I know I will love again
But it will never feel the same

I gave you everything I had
Until there was nothing left to give
I'll never get over you
For as long as I live

We have gone our separate ways
Like we have times before
But our souls will stay connected
This I know for sure

Healing Lost Love ... Broken Dreams

2004-06-25T18:32:00.000+05:00

All of the flowers are wilted

All of the dreams are dead

All of tomorrow’s promises keep racing through my head

All the dreams have turned to sorrows

As the old wounds start to bleed

I find I have no new bandages to meet my daily needs

And I reap a bitter harvest

For all the careless seeds I’ve sown

Have turned to weeds and grown

So, when the sun comes up tomorrow and I struggle to meet the day

The soft winds seem to take me and in my heart I start to pray

Then hope and strength come shining

The rose has started to bloom

And Love comes back slowly, slowly

Here in this silent room

I’ll sweep with a new broom of hope

For now, I know I can cope

And, whatever fate brings me

I’ll deal with day by day

For, somehow, I know I can win this

As long as I remember to pray

Portugal beats England

2004-06-25T03:01:00.000+05:00

Portugal 2-2 England (AET)
( Portugal go through 6-5 on penalties)

Portugal reached the semi-finals with a 6-5 penalty shoot-out win over England.

David Beckham fired England's first spot-kick over the bar and Darius Vassell's effort was saved by keeper Ricardo, who scored the winner. Michael Owen had given England an early lead when he made the most of a Costinha error to flick the ball in.

But Portugal hit back through Helder Postiga and Rui Costa's extra-time scorcher before Frank Lampard forced the game to a penalty shoot-out.

It is now the fourth time that England have exited a major tournament on penalties and the defeat came after England had made the dream start to their quarter-final against the host nation.

Not only did England fans commendably respect the Portuguese national anthem, Owen responded to his critics in the most emphatic fashion.

David James launched a massive clearance upfield which Costinha attempted to cut out but contrived to head backwards into the path of Owen.

The England striker displayed all his predatory instincts, allowing the ball to drop before brilliantly flicking the ball past Ricardo with only three minutes gone.

The goal galvanised Owen, who became the first England player to score in four consecutive international tournaments - beating Geoff Hurst's record in the process.

The swiftness of England's opener meant it was unlikely that the game would settle down and Portugal pressed for the equaliser.

Sven-Goran Eriksson's men made life difficult for themselves by giving away possession regularly, with Paul Scholes and Lampard guilty of failing to make the simple pass.

Luis Figo wriggled past Gary Neville in defence and his cross found Cristiano Ronaldo, who saw his shot blocked by a combination of the superb Ashley Cole and Sol Campbell.

Beckham then failed to cut out a pass to Figo, allowing Deco to feed the ball to Maniche who sent a rasping drive goalwards which James expertly tipped over for a corner.

Campbell almost doubled England's advantage on 20 minutes when he headed a Gary Neville cross just over the bar.

England needed to get a grip on proceedings, but they were dealt a blow when their talisman - Wayne Rooney - was forced off midway through the first half after being struck on the foot.

Rooney's mere presence had preoccupied the Portugal defence to such an extent that they were leaving Owen unmarked.

England's goalscorer twice went close to adding to his tally, first lobbing just over Ricardo and then forcing the goalkeeper into a fine save with a snap shot on the edge of the area.

Vassell replaced Rooney, but it was not England's attack that was giving cause for concern it was their defence.

Time and again they failed to close down Portugal and England were lucky to go into the break with their lead in tact.

Shortly after the interval, Eriksson replaced the ineffective Scholes with Phil Neville to nullify playmaker Deco.

But Portugal continued to pose a threat and Luiz Felipe Scolari brought on the attack-minded Simao in the place of holding midfielder Costinha.

And Simao signalled his intent, whipping in a shot within minutes of entering the fray.

Figo forced an excellent save from James low to his right and won a corner only to be substituted with Postiga coming on in his place.

The Portugal captain sloped off down the tunnel, but Scolari's two substitutions proved inspired as they combined late on to grab the hosts an equaliser.

England's defence failed to clear Simao's initial cross and his second was met by Postiga's head, the ball flying past James.

It was no less than Portugal deserved for the constant second-half pressure.

But back came England and they thought they had won the match with a minute left when Campbell bundled home a Beckham free-kick after the England defender had initially struck the crossbar.

However, referee Urs Meier deemed that John Terry had impeded Ricardo and awarded Portugal a free-kick.

Both teams looked tired going into extra time, and England's defence was called into some desperate last-ditch defending to keep Portugal at bay.

The exemplary Ashley Cole made a brilliant goalline clearance to deny Portugal, but there was nothing England's defence could do about Portugal's second.

Costa fired an inexorable strike that crashed in off the crossbar to leave James with no chance.

But England simply refused to yield to the hosts and Lampard equalised from close range after Terry had headed down Beckham's corner.

The game went to penalties, which once more proved England's downfall, with Beckham and Vassell failing to convert theirs which allowed goalkeeper Ricardo to step forward and score the winning spot-kick to send the Portuguese fans wild.

BONFRERE set to coach South Korea - ESPN - USA

2004-06-23T16:55:00.000+05:00

... year-old was a surprise choice to replace Humberto Coelho, who quit
the World Cup 2002 semi-finalists following a humiliating 0-0 draw with
the Maldives in an ...
<http://soccernet.espn.go.com/headlinenews?id=303837&cc=3888

news !

2004-06-23T16:53:00.000+05:00

A unisex salon in the Maldives : A Filipina ’ s success story
Tarlac News - Tarlac City,Philippines
ADDU ATOLL — On the sleepy island of Feydhoo in Addu Atoll, the southernmost
tip of the Maldives, is the area’s only air-conditioned unisex salon.
..
<http://www.tarlacnews.net/ofwjune18200404.shtml>

HRC begins discussions on introducing human rights education in ...
Haveeru Daily - Male',Maldives
MALE, June 19 (HNS) -- Human Rights Commission of Maldives said Thursday
that it has started discussions with the Education Ministry on formulating
a plan to ...
<http://www.haveeru.com.mv/english/news_show.phtml?id=3471>

ACC Trophy: Kuwait wins over Maldives by 8 wickets
Haveeru Daily - Male',Maldives
KUALA LUMPUR, June 17 -- Kuwait checked into the quarter-finals of the
Asian Cricket Council Trophy tournament when they thrashed Maldives by
eight wickets at ...
<http://www.haveeru.com.mv/english/news_show.phtml?id=3467>

ACC TROPHY: Saudi Arabia beats Maldives by 91 runs
Haveeru Daily - Male',Maldives
KUALA LUMPUR, June 15 -- Maldives continued their losing streak as they
suffered their second defeat Monday at the hands of Saudi Arabia in the
second match ...
<http://www.haveeru.com.mv/english/news_show.phtml?id=3460>

MANDARA to operate Hideaway Spa in the Maldives
World Leisure News - UK
Asian spa operator, Mandara Spa, is to develop and operate a luxury spa
at the new Island Hideaway at Dhonakulhi Maldives, Spa Resort and Marina.
..
<http://www.worldleisurejobs.com/newsdetail.cfm?codeID=8172>

CONSTRUCTION comes to a standstill as Maldives runs out of sand ...
Haveeru Daily - Male',Maldives
MALE, June 15 (HNS) -- Construction projects have come to a halt as Maldives
have run out of stocks of sand and sand aggregate. ...
<http://www.haveeru.com.mv/english/news_show.phtml?id=3457>

MALDIVES parties interested in national carrier venture: CAD
Haveeru Daily - Male',Maldives
.. proposals. The former national carrier Air Maldives, which was a Maldives
government venture with a Malaysian party, went bankrupt.
<http://www.haveeru.com.mv/english/news_show.phtml?id=3469>

FLAWLESS fun in the magical Maldives
Redland Bayside Bulletin - Redland,Queensland,Australia
.. Island surfer Bede Durbidge, pictured here contesting the latest O'Neill
Deep Blue Open surf event off North Male Atoll in the magical Maldives
south-west of ...
<http://redland.yourguide.com.au/detail.asp?class=news&subclass=local&category=general%20news&story_id=314651&m=6&y=2004>

OLD folks home set up in Maldives for first time
Haveeru Daily - Male',Maldives
MALE, June 17 (HNS) – A center to care for the elderly has been set up
in Male, a first in Maldives. The privately run Manfa Center ...
<http://www.haveeru.com.mv/english/news_show.phtml?id=3468>

INDIA coach: The Maldives did it, we can too
Daily Yomiuri - Tokyo,Japan
When the Maldives pulled off the shock of the millennium so far, it wasn't
only then-South Korea coach Humberto Coelho who was served notice that
the gap ...
<http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/newse/20040608wo51.htm>

want gmail ?

2004-06-23T00:18:00.000+05:00

if you are desperate to get a gmail account send me an email to viyani
at gmail dot com.

Memories

2004-06-22T23:30:00.000+05:00

As I look at the light of the stars

It reminds me of your beautiful brown eyes

When you used to be always at my side...

Every time I drive at night and go by your house

It brings memories when we used to be so close.

Memories of you and when I learned everything about love

Memories that I try to reject

But sometimes I end up crying because I can't forget,

All the love you brought and left in my way.

Sometimes I wonder why

All this memories come to my mind

When I thought it was easy to leave you behind.

I was wrong because my broken heart still misses and calls for your hands,

To feel it pump for you.

Now all I have is memories,

Memories that brings emptiness.

Memories of the days we used to talk,

When we used to think we were the only lovers in this crazy world,

When I used to think our love was the more valuable than all the pearls and gold,

When I said our love was brighter than the sun,

When we were louder than love,

When we were two young persons filled with joy.

Memories sealed forever by my side,

Memories I will always keep deep inside.

'Anomalies' in first private spaceflight revealed

2004-06-22T23:27:00.000+05:00

The flight of the first private astronaut was not as perfect as it first appeared – a number of glitches occurred during the flight, some potentially catastrophic.

The revelations were made by Burt Rutan, designer of SpaceShipOne, which on Monday became the world's first privately funded craft to enter space. Until the team fully understands exactly what went wrong during the flight, he said, they will not go ahead with the pair of flights needed to claim the $10 million Ansari X-Prize.

Luckily, the glitches did not prevent a successful flight. But pilot Mike Melvill said that a partial failure of the system controlling the spacecraft's orientation could have been disastrous if it had occurred just slightly earlier in the flight,.

The problem struck at the end of the rocket engine's firing time of about 70 seconds, just as Melvill reached space. "As I came out of the atmosphere I no longer had any attitude control," Melvill told New Scientist and other reporters. "If that had happened earlier, I would never have made it and you all would be looking sad right now."

Although that was the most serious anomaly, it was not the only frightening moment for the 62-year-old test pilot. There was also a loud bang behind him while the rocket engine was firing.

The team believes this was caused by aerodynamic stresses crumpling a composite material fairing around the engine nozzle. However, Dick Rutan, Burt's brother and a famed test pilot himself, said that fairing could have fallen off completely without endangering the craft.

Melvill's first frightening moment on the historic flight came at the very instant he flipped the switch to turn on the hybrid rocket motor. The craft suddenly lurched over 90° to the right, and as soon as he brought it back to level it then rolled 90° to the right.

"I was ready to hit the switch" to turn off the motor and abort the flight, he said, but the craft remained steady and he was able to continue and achieve the 100 kilometre altitude that officially makes him an astronaut. This difficulty appears unrelated to the later failure of attitude control, Melvill said.

Despite Melvill's 25 years of piloting experimental craft, he found even the normal operation of the rocketship alarming, as it travelled faster and higher than any previous privately-built craft.

SpaceShipOne was travelling "faster than an M-16 rifle bullet", Rutan said, about around 2400 km/h (1500 mph) or mach 3.2. As it reentered the atmosphere, falling like a badminton shuttlecock almost straight down, the rushing air sounded like a hurricane, said Melvill.

Coming down is frightening, because of that roaring sound," he said. "You can really hear how that vehicle is being pounded."

Until the exact causes of the anomalies are understood, there will be no X-Prize attempt, Rutan said: "There's no way we would fly again without knowing the cause and being sure we had fixed it."

But despite the problems, the mood among the team remained extremely buoyant about their success. Melvill recounted how, as he became weightless, he opened a bag of M&M chocolates to watch them float around the cabin.

But it was the sublime view that affected him the most. "The sky was jet black, with light blue along the horizon - it was really an awesome sight," he said. "You really do get the feeling that you've touched the face of God."

From : NewScientist.com news service

Always loving you

2004-06-22T02:24:00.000+05:00

In the quietness of the moment
I wonder how you are;
We may be far apart in distance
But from my thoughts you are never far.

I don't know what tomorrow holds
The future I cannot see;
So I will take today for what it is worth
And be glad that you love me.

Tomorrow does not stand apart
a shiny brand new day;
It is the tapestry we weave
Made up of yesterdays.

Thank you for sharing with me
A portion of yourself;
I know you will never be mine
But the part you have given to me
Will never belong to anyone else.

So I will try to live my life
Separated by the two;
Doing the things I am supposed to do
And yet always loving you.

test again

2004-06-22T01:55:00.000+05:00

test

2004-06-19T02:17:00.000+05:00

testing from blogThis !

2004-06-18T21:49:00.000+05:00

i am having trouble posting msg via email ! i have sent out msg from my hotmail account and from my gmail ;) as well . but so far none seem to have reached here ! doh !

Lost in hotmail !

2004-06-17T13:20:00.000+05:00

This week I have sent out many invitations a number of friends of mine to join Gmail, but for reason more than half of them didn’t receive that particular mail. I wonder if hotmail is doing any rogue activity !

wikipedia@gmail.com

2004-06-16T02:03:00.000+05:00

Anyone fancy to have this email address?

2004-06-16T01:11:00.000+05:00

Got Gmail yet ?
i got two invitations left, just in case if anyone is interested :) contact me at viyani(at)gmail(dot)com

cheers

2004-06-05T00:32:00.000+05:00

Missing You
No words I write can ever say,
How much I miss you everyday.
As time goes by the loneliness grows,
How I miss you... nobody knows.
I think of you in silence,
I often speak your name.
But all I have are memories,
And a photo in a frame.
No one knows my sorrow,
No one sees me weep.
But the love I have for you,
Is in my heart and mine to keep.
I never stopped loving you,
I don't think I ever will.
Deep inside my heart,
You are with me still.
Heartaches in this world are many,
But mine is worse than any.
My heart still aches as I whisper low,
"I need you... and miss you so."
The things we feel so deeply,
Are often the hardest things to say.
But I just can't keep quite anymore,
So I'll tell you anyway.
There is a place in my heart,
That no one can fill.
I love you... and I always will.

2004-04-01T00:53:00.000+05:00

i just messed around with the default template.. hopefully it looks a bit better now. may be in the near future i can come up with a better look :)

2004-04-01T00:17:00.000+05:00

Do you want a gmail account ! i got loads of invitation left. email me viyani(at)gmail(dot)com. i will invite you. :)

i think gmail is really cool and u really should have one !