I, in my blissful ignorance, have passed a wrongful judgement over a community of the Maldives: the misunderstood southerners. This moment, sitting in my safe haven, I find myself considerably disturbed over a narration I heard just moments ago.

It is the story of the calamities faced by the people of Addu, Huvadu and Fuah Mulak during the period circa 1960. I was told the tale by one of the descendants of the people removed by two generations. I will try to summarize the tale in the following paragraphs to the effect of conveying the highlights.

The story revolves around the incident of the evacuation of the island of Thinadhoo by the government of Maldives. Some of the people of Thinadhoo at the time were amongst the group of southern merchants who were - often enviably - considered the richest people in the Maldives. The trade conducted was admittedly illegal as the proper channels of trade endorsed by the government of the Maldives at the time were unheeded. Regardless, the business sustained a society.

As the Second World War set in, the merchants found themselves needing government endorsement to avoid being misrepresented as spies by the various factions patroling the waters surrounding the Maldives. The government's refusal to grant the request saw the trade dwindle, the wealth taper away and the society enter the realms of poverty. The impoverished people, doubly crushed by the effects of war, appealed with little avail to the government for help. As per the narrative, these were the events which inspired the people to revolt: their survival depended on it.

The most bitter part of the tale happens here. The part where I listened with horror to the stories of the suffering of a people confronted by the government of Maldives which was determined to strike down the revolution. The regiment of armed forces dispatched by the government persecuted the people of Thinadhoo, killing, raping and pillaging. Despite sounding dramatic, I chose to use the word 'pillaging' as it facilitates best the feelings with which my narrator made his deposition. Apparently, there are witnesses still alive today who have seen people's brains splattering out of their skulls as bullets exited their craniums.

In the end, the people of Thinadhoo were given 24 hours to evacuate the island and find alternate refuge. This ultimatum, along with the preceding brutalization, sent the panic-stricken people into a state of frenzied desperation and people started to flee, leaving the bulk of their worldly possessions. The ones who made a stand were imprisoned in the worst of conditions. These people were shoved into hastily constructed solitary confinements which ill-served the needs of a human being. Plenty of them died and all suffered countless diseases due to not just a mere lack of hygiene but the lack of consideration thereof. From then on various sanctions were imposed on the people of Addu, Huvadu and Fuah Mulak, most notably those on property.

That summarizes the tale that has dawned an awareness I lacked for one half of my life. I now understand that the southerners have indeed been subject to an injustice that have been deeply etched into their very souls - and souls do not just die with a generation.

My perception of the southerners' intrinsically closed-up community led me to believe, for the longest time, that their was a connotation of racism in their dealings with the rest of the Maldivian people. Now I understand that it is just a defense mechanism: one that has been taught over generations, perhaps not intentionally but rather instinctively. I also understand that they will continue to maintain their defensive stance for ages to come as long as we do not accept our failings as a society and apologize for these failings.

You would ask me, why us? My father was a member in the leardership of the armed forces of the Maldives, and it pains me that I was not told the tales of the people with whom I live, laugh and cry. Though he has been deceased for sometime, I am sad to say that I now find myself disappointed for being excluded from one of my biggest social responsibilities: to apologize to the people upon whom he may have wrought injustice. It is for him, myself and all others who would see eye-to-eye with my interpretation of this incident, that I apologize to the people of Addu, Huvadu and Fuah Mulak. Forgive us...

Note: I write this with absolutely no intention of making any political statements, but rather because of a need to exorcise the uneasiness that crept into me upon hearing the plight of the people of Addu, Huvadu and Fuah Mulak. I sincerely felt that it was my duty to make an apology, and that is the sole purpose of this post.

Additionally, if any of you who happen to read this feel that I have not been given the full facts, or that there is more to the tale please do write your comments.

I'd like to see the lot of us bashing each other in a serious tournament of Counterstrike. A CS tournament might actually draw the attention of new blood. It's about time we got back into the fray and see if we've still got what it takes - despite our sagging tummies and numbed wrists - to withstand the onslaught of the young guns out there. Sadly, I see very few newbies rising up to the challenge. Are there any out there? Do any of those fresh minds bother to read these rantings - or could they really be called 'wisdom' now? - of us antdiluvian folk? Will they at least answer the calling of a slug-fest?

What say all ye to a Counterstrike tourney?

Corporations have - and rightfully too - one purpose in the entire duration of their existence: be consistently successful. Since most corporations are money-making ventures - and their capitalists unendearing scrooges - as long as they are successful at making more and more money, their appetites remain quenched. Between the pits of their commercial bowels and their highly appealing customer fronts - undoubtedly the symbolic lips ready to gobble down royalties - hang in balance the fates of all types of employees - benevolent ones, evil ones, well-meaning ones, scheming ones, and so on.

Corporations have generally become aware of the fact that today their motives can no longer be hidden behind a fable of corporate propaganda, but are rather transparent to the components driving their businesses. This is a fact that Maldivian businesses should take into account: gradually the Maldivian community is going to realize what corporate responsibility really means. I for one am hell-bent on generating this awareness as rapidly as I as an individual can - starting with the big hunchos in our corporate world at the moment!

Note: this post is meant to convey to a certain CFO the precarious position he has lodged himself into by sacking one of his employees in the recent days!

Any institution which oppresses growth of their human resources is unjust. Oppression is often too subtle to define and takes up the form of racial slurs, intellectual degradation and favoritism. Two things enable opression: 1. the lack of a framework of guidelines enforced by a higher power and 2. the greed of institutions which blinds them to the needs of their human resources.

Combating oppression need not be left to the powers who govern institutions, but can also be waged by individuals of the institutions themselves. When one of Maldives' mobile service providers refused to accept the capabilities of its Maldivian staff, to the point of laying off some against jurisprudence, I decided to ensure that I made the message clear to them by quitting the firm. I would rather be a Maldivian who respects my fellow people and reveres our strengths than a coward who tolerates oppression for a (measly) remuneration.

Those of you who would like to know how to handle matters of oppression please refer to the following sample letter:

Dear Sir,

Last Thursday night, [this institution] terminated two employees, Mr. A and Mr. B, citing transgressions against the company. These two employees were also threatened in the presence (albeit out of earshot) of two police officers. This was brought to my attention only after the events transpired, despite the fact that the aforementioned employees were directly answerable to me.

I have had a dialogue with the [concerned authorities], who has no recollection of a case involving employees of [this institution] in a criminal act of the sort.

What is sad about this incident is that [this institution] enforced its punishment on individuals working under me without disclosing to me the necessary proof. As soon as the surviving members of my team eventually learned about this they have confessed to me their fears of future calamities that may await them. They have made clear in no uncertain terms their newfound lack of faith in their employer. This is an incident which demands retribution if my employees' confidence in [this instituion] is to be restored.

Having said that, I feel I cannot continue to work under [my superior] given the prejudices he holds against the Maldivian staff in my team and this brash act of laying off individuals without concrete reasons. I believe I have given this company ample notice of my desire to resign and subsequently I have also been given the opportunity, by [my superior], to walk out whenever I felt that any hindrances were preventing me from performing up to par with the company's expectations. This incident has spawned such hindrances and hence I will not be returning to the company starting 17th July 2005. If by any chance [this institution] wishes my return I want two things to happen: [my superior] to step down and Mr. A and Mr. B to be offered an apology by the company.

I hope that [this institution] will set aside its prejudices and pride to consider the reciprocities of this incident. In the balance hangs its integrity, public acceptance and benevolence towards the Maldives and its people.

Your's sincerely,

Why vampires are superior to human beings:

1. they feed off others' (social, financial, metabolic, etc) efforts
2. almost all of them are anonymous except for the really notorious ones: Dracula and Lestat to name some.
3. they live forever which negates all fear of the supernatural resulting in the lack of belief in God which ultimately leads to complete recklessness: all evil abound
4. biomorphic, yet utter revulsion of all living things: immensely increases the capacity to enact inhumane acts
5. highly contageous given a most effortless mode of infection

Are you teetering on the edge of the realm of vampires, dear reader?

Conflicts continue when views differ and views continue to differ for a number of reasons: 1. there still are arguable opposites to a viewpoint, 2. an unknown aggravator is warming the pot.

The Maldivian people, the Maldivian economists, the Maldivian government and the political activists (aka. the 'better halves' of the government) are all parts of an equation of arguable differences. Given the lack of an aggravator, arguments will reach various culminations based on the differences in opinions only. That is to say, the argument does not stray from the issue at hand.

When the aggravator comes into the picture, the argument often diverts from the case in question and wanders into the realms of hatred, despise, jealousy, wrath, etc. These other emotions are what is consuming the arguments between the social, economic or political entities (be it governmental or non-governmental). Aggravators in our midst - and from beyond - are constantly applying heat to conflicts which would otherwise take rational exchanges for resolution. Weed out these moles and you will find your conflicts more manageable.