The former Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) chiefs have claimed that former President Mohamed Nasheed had no choice but to resign on February 7, 2012, following a police and military mutiny.
The allegations were made public after meeting minutes of Parliament’s Executive Oversight committee were published in the parliament’s website.
The committee is currently conducting an inquiry into the controversial transfer of power that took place. It has so far interviewed senior military officers, police officers and senior officials of both the current and former government.
Among the interviewees were former Chief of Defence Force (retired) Major General Moosa Ali Jaleel, former Commissioner of Police Ahmed Faseeh, and former MNDF Male’ Area Commander (retired) Brigadier General Ibrahim Mohamed Didi.
Others interviewed included former intelligence heads of the MNDF and police: Brigadier General Ahmed Nilam and Superintendent Mohamed ‘MC’ Hameed.
On February 7 2012, a continuous 22 day protest led by then opposition politicians, religious scholars and later joined by mutinying military and police officers, led to the sudden resignation of President Nasheed. The protests were fueled following Nasheed’s controversial detention of Chief Judge of Criminal Court Abdulla Mohamed.
The ousted President subsequently alleged he was forced out of office in a coup d’état. However, this claim was challenged in report by the Commonwealth-backed Commission of National Inquiry (CNI), which found the transfer of power legitimate and constitutional.
“No other way for Nasheed” – former Chief of Defence Force Moosa Ali Jaleel
Chief of Defense Force Moosa Ali Jaleel told the committee that the circumstances leading up to the resignation of former President gave rise to the fact that resignation was obtained by “illegal coercion”.
“I fully believe that President [Nasheed] resigned under duress,” he said.
Jaleel refused to describe the transfer of power as coup, stating that this should be decided by the court. However, he claimed that the transfer of power only took place because it involved assistance from the military.
“What I am saying is that the military was there when about 15,000 protesters gathered during protests of August 12-13 2004, but the government did not topple. There was a armed attack by the Tamil Tigers on November 3, 1988, and the government did not topple. But on February 7, 2012, during a protest of 2500, the government was toppled. I am referring to the statistics,” he said.
He added that the circumstances and the violent environment around the MNDF headquarters meant that “there was no other way for President Nasheed [than to resign].”
“The control of the MNDF Headquarters was not with the president, but it was exactly the way the Defense Minister wanted,” he alleged.
Jaleel added that no president could be sure of his safety when those officers who were supposed to look after his security began to call for his resignation. He would know his power no longer exists and his command no longer followed, added Jaleel.
“It is a coup” – former military intelligence head Ahmed Nilam
Former MNDF intelligence chief Brigadier General Ahmed Nilam echoed Jaleel’s remarks. Asked whether the toppling of Nasheed was a coup or a revolution, he claimed it was a coup.
“Academically speaking, the events on February 7 fulfilled all the essentials of a coup. It involved all the features of a coup that are widely accepted around the world. Some of the elements take place before the toppling of a president. Others take place spontaneously,” he said.
Nilam said he studied the events after the incident took place, which fitted an academic’s definition of a coup. However, Nilam also highlighted that it was up to a court to legally determine whether it had been a coup or not.
Asked if he had given the same details to the CNI, Nilam said he did given the same statement to the commission but it had not been reflected in its result.
He also reiterated that had not for the military assistance in the toppling of the government, there would have been no coup and Nasheed would not have been forced to resign.
“Police officers disobeyed their orders” – former Commissioner of Police
In his statement to the committee, Commissioner of Police Ahmed Faseeh alleged that police officers who gathered in Republican Square on February 7 had disobeyed orders and their actions were grossly inconsistent with the Police Act, as well as professional standards established within the police.
Recalling the events, Faseeh said that he had done everything he could to control the situation but said there came a point where the officers had openly mutinied and disobeyed his orders.
“The actions of the police officers that night were unlawful. I am not a lawyer, so I can’t go into the details. But a lot of unlawful activities were carried out by the police,” he claimed.
However, Faseeh said that he did not know whether Nasheed had resigned under duress because he had not been present with him in the MNDF headquarters.
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In Moosa Ali Jaleel's statement that:
“The control of the MNDF Headquarters was not with the president, but it was exactly the way the Defense Minister wanted,”
Is the defense minister in question the current one, ie, Col. Nazim or is he the then defense minister? Could someone please clarify...
Proof, this was a prearranged coup!
It was a coup and we all know it. Some just didn't want to know it. They still don't. The question is what does one do about it. Carry on with the denial? Layer upon layer? Keep covering up forever? Or face the truth and carry on seeking it? Its simply a no brainer. This (coup dare we say it) was definitely a step back on the (inevitable) path to democracy. Whatever they may now say or do, one day the tide will turn again. It always does, when the collective will is greater than the resistance of the self seeking minority. Minority it still is.
Heh heh nobody really cares for anybody anymore.What happened to the days when people had respect for 1 an other!?
It is implicit from the statement that control of the MNDF was under the former Defence Minister, Tholhath, whose recent financial and relational proximity with a select group of politicians lead to allegations of him being a coup conspirator. FYI: It is common knowledge amongst the locals that the departing words of Tholhath, prior to Nasheed's resignation, to the army officials were "Be Good and from now in obey the orders of Col.Nazim". A premature hand over of power?? maybe...
@Maldives Reseacher, thanks a ton. Could you please elaborate on Mr.Tholhath's financial and familial ties with said politicians. Cheers!!
This is all planned. They defected with the planning and permission of the entity known as Maumoon. It's a smokescreen, All pictured here are party to the coup. The best way to hide the real coup architects is to showcase them as defectors. When will Maldivians start using their noggins. This is why MDP attracts peasants and the illiterate (therefore foul and loud). My opinion.
It is called spin-coverage, fools.
Still feel like champions; we expose, because we are endless in design.
The understanding should be reached when lions are about, sheep should flee (keke)
_________________________
Moosa Jaleel also mentioned that he was made useless by the Minister and President too.
The system that was in place was in jeopdy when Nasheed took his office and appointed Minister like Amin Faizal and Tholhath took the charge of defense force.
He also mentioned the entire institution was politicized and there were promotion given to officers two there times in a year without even being followed the procedure there for political reasons.
He also mentioned that chain of command was broken by Nasheed and his associates.
He also mentioned that Nasheed should not asked the junior staffs whether he should resign or not ?
Tholhath also mentioned that Nasheed was giving direct orders to armed forces breaking the chain of command and that actually had created confusion within the system too and Jaleel had also mentioned this .
Only the issue here is , part of the report is only here to twist the public opinion on the event.
In reality, this investigation had also proven the in capability of Nasheed and his arrogance and dictatorship which had triggered to the event which made him to resign.
Yes there were pressure from public calling his resignation and he resigned due to pressure from the people.
The is not much sense to discuss all this facts and mutiny. We could see it live on TV. And untill today we see how the bagees rule and screw.
I regret deeply Anni did not open the armory to protect our nation against those traitors. As I see only one way out : another coup, putting all those scumbags in jail and never let them free again.
Power to the people. If no other way, then with arms !
We are not talking about arrogant and dictatorship,it was a coup pr- planed by former dictator, the most dangerous,in Maldives.
First democratically elected President was thrown out.
What Nasheed did was right, now we can pic the heads in blind fold.
I am sure Nasheed will win.
Maldives Researcher
The real plan is yet to reveal among the official Maldivian political domain. You may keep researching. Let me briefly hint you. Umar Naseer an Tholhath are personnel friends. Eveb after their premature forced resignation from the service. They wanted to use Dr. Waheed deputing Umar, They were assuming that he can be thrown out and Umar Naseer can be the President and Tholhath can be the Defense Minister. Coincidentally DRP member Col retd Nazim got the fortune on the otherhand PPM leader Yamin got hold of Nazim's insuring bumping Thasmeen. Dr.Waheed took appropriate forethought and kept Umar naseer totally under his control. MNDF and police inteligence has been withing the Dr. Waheed's dominance too... Gen, Shahid, DCP Hussain Waheed and other loyalist groups are well in total authority. Real persuasions !!!!!!! Umar will be and had been used???? Tholhath is a total failure......
Good Morning.
We dont have to talk much now.
Go for a free and fair election as soon as possible.
The the Nation will be normalized.
Nasheed had promising for election and topping the government last 10 months and nothing happened?
when the time, come, things will unfold and Nasheed is a failure and he will never win any election in Maldives.
Both Nasheed and Gayyoom are dictators and not worth even considering to elect any of them and they both have robbed this country.
Morning you are right
When leaders lack character, the nation is bound to be wobbly.. and you wonder why there is not a coup every day.
Whether it is a coup or not should NOT even be the question. What we need is a decent dictator to make us forget politics by any means necessary.
Nilam..."It involved all the features of a coup that are widely accepted around the world."..."studied the events AFTER the incident took place, which fitted an academic’s definition of a coup."
Can Nilam give an example of a similar incident even one with 50% of similar features and circumstances?? Academically speaking Nilam doesn't know a damn thing about "military intelligence" and is better qualified in doing"postmortems" !!!
And Mohamed Nahee, please get you facts right as there was no involvement of "Tamil Tigers" in the events of 3rd Nov 1988, but a cadre of recruits from PLOTE (controlled by Uma Maheshwaran) mediated by self styled Sri Lankan Tamil Pandith "Mahen" to the request by F.J. and Ibrahim Hussein Zaki, funded by Sikka and others with the assistance from IDSA and elements from the Indian Intelligence for the sole purpose of eliminating Illyas Ibrahim from the Maldivian political scene (DOA)...yes dead or alive.!!!!