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It took nearly a week, but international NGOs and human rights organizations are starting to condemn the crackdown in Maldives. I’m rather surprised that they even know about it, given that Reuters gave up after its two token pieces toeing the government line.

Reporter Without Borders jumps on top and tackles the regime for its brutal destruction of press freedoms in the past few weeks, including the closure of the only opposition newspaper and the arrest of several journalists. Article 19, an NGO that promotes global freedom of expression, has written a letter of condemnation. The Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative is also condemning the crackdown as two steps backwards. And the Asian Centre for Human Rights, which the government had just been pimping its reforms to, has even called for international intervention against Gayoom.

Because of all the criticism, President Gayoom is trying to appease the international community by releasing a single prisoner, although hundreds are in prison.

Besides all of this, the big news is that opposition MDP chairman Nasheed, who was arrested arbitrarily and became the figure that launched the recent protests (video: here), has gone on a hunger strike.

Male’ – Confirmed reports say that MDP Chairman Mr. Mohamed Nasheed, who was arrested by Gayoom’s security forces on 12th August 2005 for staging a public demonstration (calling for the release of prisoners on conscience) is currently on a hunger strike. “It has now been 36 hours since he started the strike” said a prison guard. He demands the immediate release of all those detained in the aftermath of his arrests and other prisoners of conscience, according to his associates. Some reports are saying that other detainees have now joined him on this hunger strike.

This could be the propelling point for continued mass resistance toward the regime. We have seen how Akbar Ganji’s hunger strike in Iran has made him an international icon. Even though hundreds of people have been detained, heading off the protests that erupted several days ago, the real tremblor may be yet to come.