President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan has warned that some elements of society are trying to “spread terrorism” and threaten national security, as he urged the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) to remain steadfast in fulfilling its responsibility to protect the safety and welfare of public.
According to the President Office website, Dr Waheed made the remarks in his first address to the MNDF, as the country’s new Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.
Speaking on the democratic changes taking place in the country, Dr Waheed noted that along with the efforts to bring modern democratic changes to the country, people’s outlook and behaviour had also changed, the President Office said.
Dr Waheed further said that with the rapid changes taking place, a “dark cloud of unpleasant events” was looming over the country, and added that the Islamic and humane values and principles that the Maldives had followed were now diminishing, according to the office.
“This is a national issue that we have to deeply think about. Disagreements are inevitable, as we try to create a modern democracy. Disagreements are not an issue. However we must all try to prevent animosity, anger and conflict growing out of those disagreements”, Dr Waheed was quoted as saying.
“Stating that there were a few among us who encourage unacceptable behaviours, calling for disruption of law and order, the President said some elements in the society have been trying to spread terrorism that would threaten national security”, the President’s Office reported.
“He, therefore, said that this problem should be addressed at a national level.”
The statement did not articulate who was behind the alleged terrorism. However recently Home Minister Dr Mohamed Jameel had warned of levying terrorism charges against MDP supporters, accusing them of being responsible for the nationwide unrest on February 8, which was sparked after a brutal crack down on MDP’s peaceful march in response to the events of the previous day.
Amid the unrest, police property and other public buildings such as courtrooms across 10 islands in six atolls were torched and vandalised.
The President’s Office said that Dr Waheed contended that at this time of great challenge, the country required the national defence forces to stay steadfast in fulfilling their responsibilities.
The office said that in his speech the President also reminded the MNDF that they a number of very important national responsibilities resting on their shoulders, which included maintaining the sovereignty, security and harmony of the country, as well as, the protection of the safety and welfare of members of the public.
“Praising the military’s commitment, the President also highlighted their many sacrifices over the past years. He said that the MNDF were the frontline of national service and said they deserved credit for their professionalism, capabilities and perseverance,” President Office reported.
Dr Waheed’s praise to the MNDF comes in the face of increased speculation that the country’s security forces combining the MNDF and police assisted the opposition in a bloodless coup to depose Dr Waheed’s predecessor Mohamed Nasheed, from Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) on February 7.
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Waheed thinks that he was elected there?? Why not lot the people speak as the people that lost the last election are running the country????!!!
Ain't President Waheed refering to the MDP public as terrorists? I doubt this. as we have witnessed the brutal force used by the defence force and police to arrest those involved in the 08th february events which went across the nation.They sentenced those involved to 15 years saying they are arrested in the act of terrorising the Nation. Mr. Waheed is trying to turn the MNDF against MDP and i suspect this to a much higher degree.Please beware my beloved MDP friends......
i really dont care who is running the goverment as long there are doing great and no mis management.MDP was not good at all or may be its anni.now its time to build this county together party system not good for Maldives.
Mr Waheed is apparently not afraid to look like a fool in front of the world !!
Who else but himself and his cronies are a threat for the stability of the country ?
who did spread terrorism by beating up elderly pple, women and children on a massive scale ?
Who took power illegaly by a "coup d'etat" ??
Surely he can't think Maldivian pple are so ignorant so as to believe his lies?
A coup is by no way a "democratic change" !!!
Even in North Korea or Burma they havent dared to use such rethoric !!
Mr Waheed certainly set a new standard with his "efforts to bring modern democratic changes"...
What a (sad) joke ..
Dear Dr. Waheed.
Who is the terrorist. The man who uses a mutinying police and a military to come to power. For a while I thought you were just a puppet of Maumoon and cronies. But now from your speeches it is obvious that you are as much a part of them and as evil if not more so. You will do anything to remain president of Maldives and I have no doubt that includes killing people of need be.
Dr. Waheed does not look photogenic at all. but he is cleaner than them all. Just because somebody doesn't look young doesn't mean he is incapable of good.
Why is our president his excellency Dr. Mohammed waheedh refraining from holding an election? Cant he not see the widest and longest running protest in the country against him? Arnt those people gathered there in that protest not Maldivians or arnt they humans at all? What happened to the countless millions of votes that elected Mr Nasheedh?? Y Maldives judiciary system consists of illiterate uncivilized people? Why is president condemning the vandalized places in the islands without asking why 1st of all the people went out and did it? Why is the x regime people taking on high posts of maldives when there are far more capable people ready for those posts?
who is a bigger terrorist than who was the commander of chief and self assumed president when 'elements of the Maldives police' brutally attacked civilians and sustained injuries from which they may never recover.. when they chased President Nasheed to an mob armed with steel bars and sticks gathered outside Maumoon ABdul Gayoom's residence Endherimaage?
"... some elements of society are trying to “spread terrorism” and threaten national security ..."
In another story, some elements of society brought down the democratically elected government by an act of terrorism! What we have here is the biggest terrorist in the country, pointing his finger at others. What a buffoon and he thinks he is the President!
The kettle is definitely calling the pot black!
"They have nothing in their whole arsenal that can break the spirit of one irishman who doesn't want to be broken" Bobby Sands
The army and the police combined and all the aresenal they have cannot break our spirit, our jihaadh for justice.
Its a sad day for democracy when people who stand for a fair and just society, are called terrorists.
For three years the government of President Nasheed worked hard to bring justice to our people.
“They have nothing in their whole arsenal that can break the spirit of one irishman who doesn’t want to be broken” Bobby Sands
The army and the police combined and all the aresenal they have cannot break our spirit, our jihaadh for justice.
Its a sad day for democracy when people who stand for a fair and just society, are called terrorists.
Jaleel, if you think mismanagement is an excuse for a coup and if you think this country is going to do better in the hands of an illegal and terrorist government, with the kind of people who are in power right now, then you are sadly mistaken....unless of course you are also a part of this terrorist group and you are benefiting from this coup.
“He, therefore, said that this problem should be addressed at a national level.”
in other words, beating the day lights out of maldivians throughout the nation who oppose his "democratic" rule.
This man is the biggest menace and facilitator of terror this country has faced in recent times. We are indeed unfortunate to have someone like this in such a position of power in this country. The citizens of any country deserve better than this quality of leader.
Once again, the Maldivian people are being attacked from within. This man has no credibility and the terror and uncertainty this man has brought to the Maldivian people surpasses any that we have seen in recent history.
To ensure a peaceful Maldives once again, we have to unite against such unfettered personal greed for power, and the abuse of such power.
His words are blank and empty - meaningless rhetoric to preserve his power. This we must not allow.
This man has already failed the Maldivian people.
Dr. Waheed is so blinded, he cannot see he is making situation more difficult for himself.
The people of Maldives and the world know what happened, and how it happened.
Dr. Waheed should be ashamed to utter the word democracy anywhere!
im sad in this photo Nazim So is not carrying waheedo in his arms. waheedo is a midget.
The attitude towards to Nasheed government by most semi lettered people in the political spectrum was that Nasheed was a danger for the sacred religion of their life. It not the question of democracy, the coup d’état, police and army mutiny is incomprehensible foreign words. Nasheed’s demise was necessary at all cost and it was religious duty to stop Nasheed at any cost. The Chief judge was the bait to catch Anni and was the perfect opportunity to weaken Anni as he himself was side stepping of so called constitution when he felt Islamic fundamentalism was deepening in the Maldivian backward society. Anni has miscalculated the efficiency and discipline of his security forces and was depending on them to proceed with his agenda of modernizing the system of governance. The judiciary was also in the same line as of the rest of opposition and Islamist that Anni is not competent with Islamic tenets and was not a leader to be respected and protected. Anni had no choice other than what he has done, threaten the judiciary and strangle the most corrupted judge and stick to that path till a resolution surfaces out of that conflict. Even if he has released the judge, the outcome would not have facilitated for Anni anything better instead it would have aggravated more political instability and the opposition would find more to tarnish and discredit Anni’s government. Anni’s support base is young and aggressive in this backward society where the expectation of the young and aggressive people is more in line with free democratic values which are seen as un Islamic by the rest of the society. Anni’s democratic system of governance was viewed as Anni was leader of the street and hooligans and this idea was widely believed in the more conservative segment of the society. The fall of Anni was due to Islam and Islam is not competent with democracy it is totally opposite to other. In this ignorant society, both the young aggressive and conservative part of society are dangerous. Young part of society is liberal because they want freedom of immoral and anti social activities. The Islamic part of society is the biggest obstacle for social and economic development. Either side of political denomination is in the power, the social harmony is a far distant to realize. It needs a tolerant educated people which are not there in the Maldives.
"Elements of society are trying to spread terrorism"?...
Excuse me, but who is the terrorist here? I am a bit confused.
In the last election the PEOPLE voted for unity government.. MDP didn't know how to rule the country , that why the country is in shit now?
You and Your Family, especially those from your wife's side are spreading terrorism Mr. Baqee Waheed! We will have justice!
This , as a Whole; Is Completely Hilarious! The Opposition IN Alliance with Traitors of the party ; Forcefully Takes Over An ELECTED PRESIDENT's Job Ousting Him by FORCE; AND THEN DICTATES! The PEOPLE WHO SUPPORT DEMOCRACY, SUDDENLY BECOMES THE VILLAINS/TERRORISTS! WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO THE ARMY AND POLICE? IS THIS CORRUPTION : THE ARMY? POLICE/POLITICIANS ACCEPTING BLOOD MONEY TO CARRY ON ATROCITIES AGAINST DEMOCRACY!?ATROCITIES AGAINST ITS OWN DULY ELECTED PRESIDENT? ATROCITITIES AGAINST ITS OWN PEOPLE? ATROCITIES AGAINS ITS OWN BROTHERS AND SISTERS! ATROCITIES AGAINST ITS OWN FATHERS , MOTHERS AND CHILDREN? WHO ON EARTH IS BLINDED WITH THIS GREED AND CORRUPTION.? THOSE INVOLVED WITH THIS CONSPIRACY SHOULD BE PUNISHED ! THEIR ASSETS SHOULD BE FROZEN AND GIVEN TO THE PEOPLE SUFFERING NOW. NO MERCY SHOULD BE SHOWN TO THE PERPITRATORS OF THIS MASSIVE CRIME! THE PRESIDENT SHOULD BE RE-INSTAED IN HIS POST WHERE HE BELONGS.... I'M TALKING OF PRESIDENT NASHEED..... THE WORLD , THE WHOLE WORLD IS LAUGHING AT THESE CHILDISH TACTICTS! WAHEED IS SENDING TROOPS TO OTHER COUNTRIES AND ASKING FOR RE-COGNITION!!!!!IGNITION! MORE LIKELY TO COME HIS WAY! WHAT GIMMICKS ARE THEY PLAYING AT! THE CONSPIRATORS TO THIS COUP MUST BE CAUGHT AND IMPRISSONED/THEIR ASSETS/ALL OF THEM TAKEN FROM THEM ; AS ITS THEIR MONEY AND POWER WHICH IS TALKING IN MALDIVE POLTICS NOW.
Is it possible that if PRESIDENT NASHEED is RE-Elected in a future election ; these TRAITORS WILL STILL CLAIM ITS THEM WAS THE ACTUAL WINNERS!-NO MATTER WHAT THE RESULT TO THEM MIGHT BE! THE PRESIDENT -PRESIDENT NASHEED SHOULD BE RETURNED BACK TO HIS POST NOW! THIS HAS BEEN A NGHT-MARE! WAHEED SHOULD ROT IN HELL!I MEAN JAIL TILL DEATH!GAYOUM AND OTHERS CAN JOIN HIM TOO! THEIR MONEY SHOULD BE GIVEN TO THE MALDIVES PEOPLE! I FEEL STRONGLY ABOUT THIS/ AND I'M NOT MALDIVIAN AT ALL! THE WHOLE WORLD IS LAUGHING AT WAHEED?GAYOUM- THE GREEDY ?CORRUPTIVE LOT!