THE HINDU Editorial Vocabulary - September 26, 2018 - Topic 1
The interim results of Sunday’s presidential
election in the Maldives have given the joint opposition candidate, Ibrahim Mohamed Solih a
resounding victory in the direct contest with the incumbent, Abdulla Yameen.
The final results will be published by the election commission by September 30
and the current government will, according to procedure, hand over charge on
November 17. But it is immediately clear that Maldivian voters have ushered in change, with 58% of the voters
choosing Mr. Solih.
Regardless of political affiliation, Maldivians have much
to celebrate with the successful completion of the election. To begin with, the
turnout of 89.2% has disproved pre-election cynicism about the integrity of the
electoral process. Early on, the opposition had suffered a setback when former
President Mohammed Nasheed, who was seen as the
frontrunner, was disqualified from contesting because of a “terrorism
conviction”. Former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom was behind bars on the
charge of attempting a coup in February this year. Just ahead of the elections
too, there had also been many misgivings over the conduct of the election
commission, the courts and security forces, with these worries heightened when
the headquarters of the main opposition party, the Maldivian Democratic Party,
to which Mr. Solih belongs, were raided. Counting procedures were changed at
the last minute, which led to some confusion during Sunday’s polling, and many
foreign journalists, including from India, were denied visas. Fortunately, the
outcome has belied the worst fears about the election, and after meeting with
Mr. Solih, President Yameen conceded defeat and vowed to ensure a smooth
transition.
For New Delhi, the results are especially heartening
as they present a chance to reset ties with Male, which have been on a downward
spiral for several years. This was perceived to be a result of Mr. Yameen’s
close understanding with China, to which the Maldives is now heavily indebted.
Mr. Yameen responded to India’s criticism of the emergency he declared this
year by clamping down on visas to Indian job holders, hundreds of whom await
some movement in the matter after the new government takes over. India can also
now renew talks over the fate of Indian Coast Guard and Air Force personnel
stationed in the Maldives, whose visas have been pending since June. India was
quick to welcome the provisional results and to congratulate, among others, the
Maldivian Democratic Party, and the Jumhooree Party — to which the
Vice-President-elect Faisal Naseem belongs. Going forward, New Delhi must stay
clear of partisan positioning on the internal politics of the Maldives. The
larger agenda must be to partner the Maldives in its stability and development
rather than engaging in a tug of war with China.
Vocabulary
Interim: provisional
or temporary.
Example: An
interim arrangement
Synonyms: provisional, temporary, pro
tem, stopgap, short-term
Incumbent: necessary
for someone as a duty or responsibility.
Example: It
is incumbent on all decent people to concentrate on destroying this evil
Synonyms: necessary
for one to, essential that, required that, imperative that
Usher: show
or guide someone somewhere.
Example: A
waiter ushered me to a table
Synonyms: escort, accompany, take, show, see, lead, conduct, guide
Affiliation: the
state or process of affiliating or being affiliated.
Example: He
had no particular affiliation, no close associates
Synonyms: association
with, connection with/to, alliance with/to, alignment with
Cynicism: an
inclination to believe that people are motivated purely by self-interest;
skepticism.
Example: Public
cynicism about politics
Synonyms: skepticism, doubt, distrust, mistrust, suspicion, disbelief, pessimism
Coup: a
sudden, violent, and illegal seizure of power from a government.
Example: He
was overthrown in an army coup
Synonyms: seizure
of power, coup d'état, putsch, overthrow, takeover
Belied: fail
to give a true notion or impression of something
Example: His
lively alert manner belied his years
Synonyms: contradict, be
at odds with, call into question, show/prove to be false
Transition: the
process or a period of changing from one state or condition to another.
Example: Students
in transition from one program to another
Synonyms: change, passage, move, transformation, conversion, metamorphosis
Perceive: become
aware or conscious of something
Example: His
mouth fell open as he perceived the truth
Synonyms: discern, recognize, become
aware of, see, distinguish, realize
Stability: the
state of being stable.
Example: There
are fears for the political stability of the area
Synonyms: firmness, solidity, steadiness, strength, security, safety
Tug of war: a
contest in which two teams pull at opposite ends of a rope until one drags the
other over a central line.
Example: Choose
from billiards, horseshoes, tag games, hockey, Frisbee, tug of war , jump
ropes, running, or bowling, just to name a few.
