Chamaeleontidae

[any of a group of primarily arboreal (tree-dwelling) Old World lizards best known for their ability to change body colour. Other characteristics of chameleons include zygodactylous feet (with toes fused into opposed bundles of two and three), acrodont dentition (with the teeth attached to the edge of the jaw), eyes that move independently, and a long, slender projectile tongue. The name has also been applied to the false chameleon, or anole, a New World lizard of the genus Anolis (family Iguanidae). Encyclopaedia Britannica ]

It was never just Maumoon. It was always Them against Us. The Franchised against the Disenfranchised. The Oppressors against the Oppressed. They used every which avenue they could to maintain the status quo.

In the early years of the Qayyoom era, there were three main camps of power brokers: his own family, his in-laws and his Egyptian friends. The early years were smooth for him, as all three camps were collaborating to consolidate power within the ranks, and create a closure for all others. This of course meant that slowly, but steadily the resources in the country and national assets were increasingly controlled by these few people. Along with this, a rapid deterioration of the rule of law was carefully engineered. The net result was the establishment of a system where all opportunities in the country were carefully controlled by these people, and these opportunities were dispensed by patronage.

This paved the way for the creation of a class of people, recruited on the basis of loyalty to the regime, to control key government posts and the business sector. Government officials were given a free hand to dig into the public purse and “create wealth” for themselves and loyalists in the business sector were provided exclusive opportunities, sometimes by restricting the business environment for competitors.

In all of this, for Qayyoom to maintain control for himself, he had to engage in the old Arabic system of divide and rule, and juggle a balancing act between the factions. This resulted in extreme rivalry within the factions, and empire building by the factions. At first, each faction had to demonstrate that they were the key for Qayyoom to hold on to power. Ultimately this has led to the demise of the regime from within the ranks.

With the advancement of the opposition and the gradual weakening of the regime, all these people, the factions, the opportunistic officials and the opportunistic business community initially tried to take power. When they realized that they might go down with the regime, they have now split up and are seemingly jockeying for power now. Suddenly, they all want to protect the “public interest” so badly they can’t even get a good night’s sleep now. But, it is only a matter of time before they realize none of them can make it without Qayyoom. Yameen has realized that now, and he has made his peace with Qayyoom and the DRP.

Time will tell how soon all these “boys” will fuse together in a last bid attempt to salvage what they can, and then it will be Them against Us again, which is what it has always been. The flirting will be over soon. The boys and girls will join hands again.

The ideal running mate for Qasim will be Yameen, won’t it? I can almost see this scene where Ilyas and Hameed are holding up Qayyoom by each armpit, with Qasim and Yameen hand in hand leading the parade with shouts of long live the Zaeem!