First they came for Sun Travel Siyam. They arrested him while he was in Kudafari, his native island, on a campaign visit. The trial was swift. They dug a pit in front of the mosque Siyam had built on the island. The orange-coloured mosque. As the setting sun’s rays fell on the minaret of the mosque, the inhabitants of Kudafari threw a thousand small stones at Siyam, who was already half-buried in the pit. As blood oozed from his head, the last sounds Siyam heard were the muezzin’s call for prayer, echoing from the minaret of the mosque he had built. As he was buried in a shower of stones, Siyam’s last thoughts were how he had empowered them, through his media outlets, through his Sun.mv newspaper, SunFM Radio and his TV channel.
Then they came for Champa Afeef. He was arrested at the airport, while trying to flee on a private jet to Norway. The trial was swift. He was tied to a steel pole at the airport. As the knife’s blade fell on his head, the last sound he heard was a TMA seaplane taking off. His last thoughts were how DhiTV and DhiFM had empowered them.
Then they came for Crown Nazeer. He was arrested while trying to board a dhoni to Eydhafushi, disguised as a farmer. The trial was swift. They tied him to the mast of the big flag in Jumhooree Maidhan. After the Friday prayers thousands gathered to watch as an MNDF Sergeant leveled an AK-47 to Nazeer’s head. The last sounds he heard were thousands of people chanting “Kill, Kill!” as a flock of birds escaped the square in terror.
Then they came for Waheed Deen. He was arrested at Bandos while trying to board a speedboat to Kuda Bandos, disguised as an Indian trader. The trial was swift. The former Vice President’s body was buried in Bandos Island Resort in a similar manner the first President of the Republic, Mohamed Amin Didi, was buried in Vihamanafushi, present-day Kurumuba Village. The ceremony was discrete, and not a single staff of Bandos was allowed to be present.
Then they came for Qasim. He was arrested at Paradise Island. The trial was swift. He sobbed as he recalled the millions he had spent to empower them. He told the judge about the fishing boat he gave to Sheikh I and his contribution to the studies of Sheikh S in Malaysia. The judge listened sympathetically but passed the sentence as he had been instructed. The judge wanted a different kind of paradise than the resort island he was at that moment. Qasim’s last thoughts were that he would never be able to take the young girl from Goma Group as his fourth wife.
The next week, President of the Republic, Sheikh S, appeared on National Television and made some important announcements. Sun Travel Siyam’s media conglomerate was to be nationalized. Liquor was banned from all tourist resorts in Maldives. “We are moving towards the final frontier of implementing Sharia in Maldives,” Sheikh S announced triumphantly, as thousands of Maldivians watched him on HD TV sets.
919 