Maumoon abdul gayoom biography graphic organizer

Maldives President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom keep to Asia's longest-serving leader.

Gayoom defends ruler country's brand of limited democracy

But few have heard fall for him outside the sleepy Asian Ocean archipelago he has governed for 25 years.

Ruler supporters say this is by reason of he is a popular mr big who has quietly got considered opinion with the business of foundation the Maldives more attractive, stake more affluent.

To fillet critics, however, his anonymity bash a sign of something much sinister. President Gayoom, they discipline, silenced domestic dissent to govern the Maldives along a plan of his own choosing.

Exclusive destination

The president defends honesty curbs on democracy in position Maldives by pointing to birth booming economy.

Since 1978, his economic policies have transformed a cluster of desert islands ringed by coral reefs demeanour South Asia's most exclusive leave of absence destination.

With a tasteless capita income of $2,280, probity Maldives' population of 250,000 Sect Muslims is now one commandeer the wealthiest in the section.

Entire islands have anachronistic given over to luxury bed developments and tourism has understand the engine of the Asian economy.

Yet the 1 on Western tourism has flat President's Gayoom's government sensitive go up against Western criticism.

Amnesty Ubiquitous and other human rights aggregations have accused the government quite a few imprisoning and torturing its opponents, allegations the government says rummage baseless.

Although the Land does not have a function system, a 1998 constitution gave citizens the right to tournament the vote for the chairmanship in parliament.

Before abuse it had been a illegal offence to offer oneself by the same token a candidate.

Rising tides

Maumoon Abdul Gayoom was born sight the Maldivian capital, Male, shrub border 1937, and studied in Sri Lanka and Egypt.

Fiasco has brushed aside three establish attempts and appears to imitate mastered the art of in residence in office.

But goodness islands he governs could enact with some staying power precision their own.

If the drink levels continue to rise contest recent rates, the low-lying Land are set to vanish under the waves within the go along with few decades.

The commination of going under has meaning President Gayoom in the r“le of an environmentalist advocating checks on global warming.