This article first appeared on Dhivehi Sitee. Republished with permission.
Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik has fled the Maldives with MVR500,000 (US$34,000) in cash and no dignity. Last night, at around 10:30 pm while opposing candidates and their supporters were busy holding their last campaign rallies ahead of tomorrow’s vote, Waheed hastily got into a speedboat waiting at the jetty straight in front of his Office and beat a retreat.
Dr Manik, was the Vice President in the first democratically elected government of the Maldives but betrayed President Mohamed Nasheed on 7 February 2012 as the facade that portrayed the day’s coup as ‘a legitimate transfer of power’. He ran for President in September this year but managed to garner only 5% of the vote. He remained as ‘President’ for 21 months, the last three days of which were beyond the presidential term he illegally occupied.
He recorded a ‘farewell speech’ aired this morning on all television channels some 12 hours after his departure. He spent his last words on defending his decision to side with the coup-makers – “I was treated very badly as a VP!”; on insisting that the Supreme Court is the final authority on the Constitution – “we have to obey the Supreme Court, no matter what!”; on boasting about how he maintained peace and stability in the Maldives – “I did that under so many difficulties!”; and on praising the security forces for their “defence of the Maldives and our people.”
He sounded bitter, and was determined, even at the last minute, to attack his former President.
While hiding in whatever glorious mansion of Macau that he is in, he told anyone watching Maldivian television that Nasheed had ordered the military to use rubber bullets against the mutinying police on 7 February. Retired Brigadier General Ibrahim Didi appeared on television this afternoon to refute Waheed: “How would he know? He was not there.”
Waheed spent the night of the worst crisis in recent Maldivian history hiding inside the official residence while his wife Ilham dolled herself up for the presidential oath taking ceremony planned for later in the day.
Without Waheed, the coup-makers would not have been able to legitimise their illegal overthrow of the first democratically elected government of the Maldives, of which he was the Vice President. Without Waheed, the traitors would not have been able to hold on to power for 21 months, and without Waheed as a fig leaf, they would not have been able to drain public coffers of all money, renege on international agreements, destroy Maldives’ relations with the international community and allow Adhaalath Party’s Islamists to gain such traction in our socio-political affairs.
“I will have to consider what the atmosphere is like in Maldives,” he told Haveeru yesterday when asked if he plans to return. Waheed has a reputation for fleeing – when things got tough back in the 1990s when he was an MP, he ran off abroad for a job in the United Nations. He has boasted that he provided education for millions of women in Afghanistan when he was posted there after the American invasion. In the lead up to these presidential elections, he was asked on TVM’s RiyaaC programme if he would stay or flee should he lose: “I will stay,” he lied.
Waheed is one of the biggest traitors in the history of the Maldives. He is also one of its biggest cowards.
Dr Azra Naseem has a PhD in International Relations
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Comment: When you’re voteless in the Maldives, resistance is not futile
Cash but no flash!
He won't find his CV so appealing anymore to potential employers. He has rubbed a lot of international key players up the wrong way. Best bet is to head off to China, learn Chinese and start chopping pork.
It is not a woman's place to denigrate a man such as President Waheed, whatever his personal or professional foibles.
Indeed our country produces far too many of these aggressively intellectual women who are not content with the lofty position Islam accords them but would rather dabble in politics.
Let scholars shape our education policy so that this disastrous state of affairs can be rectified. Vote for Yamin.
All the fault is is with MDP for choosing a bad vice President.
However, according to some, he actually did better as a President.
Excellent! Excellent! Excellent!
The plot unfolding in the Maldives is more predictable than that of the TV drama Downton Abbey.
Well said. And hopefully, tomorrow, his filthy little son Jeffrey - who used daddy's coup to get a super promotion from intern to deputy ambassador - will be fired from the post he has usurped in the new york mission.
@Dhivehi Hanguraama
Get a life man! Once you stop dragging religion onto everything, you will see a whole new world.
Goodbye Waheed, please don't come back.
Well said Dr Azra, Traitor Waheed has no space in this country. I am shocked by the view of people like Dhivehi Hanguraama who thinks a woman cannot express her views .. why dont you move to stone age with the traitor waheed too dhivehi hanguraama.
WAHEED
WAHEED would be missed. If not for the jokes.
His memory is worth preserving for national comic relief.
Suggestion: introduce a 'Bar G' string underwear in black leather.
With the 34k Waheed intends to get a penis enlargement and service his 40 virgins.
What a bastard. Total loser. No shame at all.
@ Sensational : Low blow !
Its better to point the finger at the Minister of Finance and Governor of the Monetary Authority. They are responsible for clearing that cash out for Waheed! One day they talk about the lack of reserves and the need for printing more cash despite the fact that printing will de-value the Rufiyaa, and the next day they are giving out 34000 dollars to an illegitimate President so he can quickly leave before things get ugly? By the way, does his running off like this indicate an expectation of things get Really Ugly tomorrow? Did he give any hints of Nazim and Riyaz coming out guns blazing to maintain their power tomorrow?
Dr Naseem, You Are Supreme! Well said.
The worst and most unpopular president on record anywhere in the developed world.
IDIOT!
OK. Waheed wanted government funds. BUT for responsible journalism, you should report facts. In this instance Waheed did not get any money from the government. ASK MMA, Ask Finance. Ask Jihad, ASK Financial Controller Ask Governer
Don't spread blatant lies, already we have enough hatred going around among 350,000. What is said cannot be retrieved. Therefore before speaking and writing check facts. Vassalam!
It's possible that money is heavily involved whenever Waheed's name is mentioned.But strangely enough, USD34,000 is just peanuts for him!
Marhaba Raees waheed.
You are hero and you have managed this country when we are in really deep shit .
You have shown the courage not lick the ass of Nasheed and some foreign countries too.
We need leaders like you to be the leader
Dr Azra, you have expressed my thoughts, but more eloquently.
'Azra Naseem'
Sad someone with a Phd chooses to write so irresponsibly without checking the facts. Maldivians need educated people who holds themselves responsible for what they do and say. This kind of journalism only leads to more hatred amidst kins within a small country. Pls choose to educate through responsible journalism and not spread hate!
Dr Waheed has been a great President. Who chose to work with all parties and tried to build this nation.
500,000MRf in cash? Hah. That will not stop a white-phosphorus coated armor-piercing sabot round fired from a .50 caliber rifle.
you have a PhD in international relations???
God help the other writers on this blog then...
People like dr.azra n should be responsible for what's happening in the country now as you are no different then people who manipulate poor individuals who are not lucky to get proper education. You should check the facts before writing such articles. Anyways hope you hv learnt your lesson. Dr W has done something to the nation. What hv you done dr A?
What country is he going to go hide in ?