The ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) yesterday held a mass protest against corruption and to bring justice to the country.
The protest started yesterday afternoon at 4:00pm near the social centre on the western side of the capital. More than 7000 people participated, holding banners expressing their views, wearing yellow T-shirts and waving yellow flags in the party’s colour.
Some wore T-shirts with the phrase ”I need some cash”, in reference to leaked audio tapes of Independent MP Mohamed ‘Kutti’ Nasheed requesting money from Jumhoree Party (JP) MP Gasim Ibrahim. A ‘donations’ box satirising the MP for Kulhudhuffushi was also spotted.
MDP Chairperson Maryia Didi and parliamentary group leader ‘Reeko’ Moosa Manik walked with protesters through the streets of Male’ calling to for the constitution to be upheld and corruption eliminated, and demanded the arrest of Gasim and People’s Alliance party leader MP Abdulla Yameen.
The protesters came to a halt near the tsunami monument where Moosa Manik and Mariya Didi addressed the crowd.
”We will not quit until we hit the end of this,” said Mariya. ”Even if [the culprit] is a judge, an MP or a rich merchant, we will not hesitate or step back. We will do anything we should [to stop corruption].”
Moosa Manik meanwhile warned that government might as well open a “court of people” if the judiciary failed to take action against people who involved in corruption and bribery.
”We might have to open a court of the people and summon the people faced with allegations of corruption,” he said. “If we have to do this, we will not stop before delivering a verdict on them,” said Moosa. ”I am very clearly saying that the Supreme Court ruling to release Yameen and Gasim was unconstitutional.”
After Moosa’s speech the crowed dispersed, after being invited to attend MDP’s rally at the artificial beach later that evening.
MDP rally turns riot
President Mohamed Nasheed and MP Moosa Manik addressed the gathered MDP supporters at the rally that evening. Rough estimates put the crowd numbers at 10,000.
”Anyone can buy votes in parliament by giving one million rufiya in advance, and then later two million, total three million. I also can buy roze that way,” said Nasheed, alluding to the mysterious person ‘Rose’ hinted at in the leaked tapes.
”But I will never buy votes, even if it was the last thing I had to do,” Nasheed claimed.
The President said that if parliament’s decisions were dependent on money, the laws of the land would end up in such a way as to only benefit the rich people of the nation.
President Nasheed said he would not hesitate to “step outside of the chart” to preserve democratic governance in the Maldives.
“Believe this, I will not keep from action for my own protection. I will not stay in hiding to maintain my rule. I say repeatedly I will face danger. I will not back down in the face of any harm that might befall me. My life has given me a number of experiences. I will make use of it in the right way,” he said.
Later security official whispered in Nasheed, and the President was escorted away.
Moosa Manik, in his speech to the gathering, ordered the president to take necessary actions against those who have involved themselves in corruption.
”In the constitution, it very clearly it states that the cabinet requires parliament’s consent,” he said. ”Parliament’s consent does not that MP’s should take a votes over the cabinet.”
During Moosa’s speech, a group of people passing by stopped and attacked MDP supporter. A group of around 50 MDP supporters ran towards the group, but were able to escape.
MDP activists gather near Yameen’s house
Following the attack, a group of MDP supporters headed toward Yameen’s house. The crowd ran across the main road Majeedee Magu and tried to forcibly enter the MP’s house.
As the crowd arrived at the businessman’s residence, a police squad was deploying in front of it to protect him. The crowed tried to enter Yameen’s house but police raised their batons and threatened the protesters, causing them to become angry.
Members in the crowd warned the police not to hit anybody with their weapons, and angrily demanded police make way for them to enter Yameen’s house.
When police refused, the crowd threw stones and water bottles at Yameen’s house. After a while, a second group of people positioned on nearby buildings began showering police and the MDP activists with pavement blocks, injuring many.
MDP activists spread out
After the rally came to a halt, MDP activists divided into groups and gathered at different points across the city. One group gathered near the house of PA deputy leader and MP Ahmed Nazim, who was recently charged for attempted assault on political figures, threatening independent commissions and corruption.
Another group gathered near Gasim’s house, a second near the Speaker of the Parliament’s house and opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) MP Abdulla Shahid, a third near the home of Chief Judge of the High Court Abdul Gany a fourth group near the the home of the Chief Judge of Criminal Court Abdulla Mohamed, who recently denied police an arrest warrant for Yameen and Gasim.
MDP supporters also hoisted MDP’s flag in the DRP head office located near artificial beach, and threw stones at the windows.
MNDF and Police control the riot
After police were unable to control the more violent MDP activists, the Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF) was deployed in riot gear, with shields and long batons.
Meanwhile, groups of MDP activists came into conflict with people supporting the opposition leaders, exchanging barrages of thrown bottles, pavement blocks and stones.
In one heated encounter police ordered journalists to leave the area and Minivan News was unable to determine exactly what happened afterwards. Some reports claimed that MNDF and police beat the gathered protesters with their batons.
Aftermath
Police Sub-Inspector Ahmed Shiyam said that nine police officers were injured in the night’s violence, with one in a serious condition. Six civilians were also injured during the riot, he said.
Police used pepper spray near Yameen’s house and tear gas numerous times in different areas in an effort to disperse the crowed.
Some people living in the areas police sprayed by tear gas and pepper spray have complained to the police, claiming their children suffered breathing difficulties due to the use of the toxic chemicals.
A short statement from the MNDF reveals that the national security council decided after an “emergency meeting” last night to offer protection for MPs.
“The Honourable MP for Mulaku Abdullah Yamin Abdul Gayoom is now under MNDF protection,” it read. Minivan News understands that Yameen is being held at the Presidential Retreat on Aarah.
Opposition response
At a press conference this afternoon, DRP Leader Ahmed Thasmeen Ali laid the blame for last night’s unrest squarely on the shoulders of the government and supporters of the ruling MDP.
“We believe that this was created by supporters of the government,” he said, adding that senior officials had appeared on state media in the past week in a bid to “create unrest.”
The majority leader of parliament expressed concern that the situation has reached “the point where the army is arresting people.”
He added that citizens were in “a state of terror” as there was no rule of law in the country, warning that further escalations could lead to open conflict.
Following last night’s events, said Thasmeen, the opposition members no longer believed in the country’s safety and security.
“Things are now reaching the point where we have to mobilise our supporters for protection and security,” he said. “None of us want unrest. But if we do not believe that the rule of law exists in the country, if everyone does not get the safety and security they deserve, we have to do it even if it means mobilising our supporters.”
The MP for Kendhoo said the DRP was considering taking measures in parliament in response to the actions of the security forces, which he called “unlawful.”
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We are now in Aneh Dhivehi Rajje where each individual has full right to take law in to their hand.
Now this is like popping champagne bottles
!
thasneem should reopen National Cinema in his house. we can have a popcorn stand outside for the pudgy parliamentarian to dine with Roze, the cashless Nasheed, gaseous Gasim and meanie Yamin with the talented vocals.
Oh come on, be honest, at MDP standards last night was a fairly quiet night. If the need be MDP can even come out with fire bombs.
Isn't MDP the ruling party in Maldives?
Well, its clear that the judiciary and the legislative bodies is in the hands of (pockets of???) the Gang of Four. It is the Gang of Four that has no respect for rule of law, not our President. Each one of these men held high level positions in the DRP before creating the clones of the DRP (JP, PA, DQP), to con our people. Does the Gang of Four honestly believe that we swallow all the rubbish they put forth?
Disgusting and scary. MPD walked through the streets calling for the murder of Yameen and some judges. Never thought MDP will fall to such a low.
And this has to happen while I'm away from town.
I hate you for hogging all the fun.
MDP it is only crime,blood and provocation for Maldives nation. that is all what MDP give for Maldives.it is like Fascism.Very sad that using trust of Maldives peoples during election, MDP at present time doing absolutely different things that promise before during election.Bloody hell this is real name of MDP political behavior.
more than 10,000 people participated..this is the 1st time such an event has taken place with so many people involved....shows MDP has the peoples support!!
all this trouble because some people(thasneem,gasim,yameen) still cant accept that the maumoon regime(and the regime that they used to take peoples money) has fallen!
Disgusting is it hameed?
Last night when opposition thugs started hurling stones and tried to attack our president Nasheed, then it is not disgusting.
But guess what, it's people like you who are disgusting.
Wathan Edhey Gothah MDP has failed. Let's celebrate this low inhuman act by MDP.. Sula Shiraz? Anyone?
When MDP activists gathered outside Jangiyaa Nazim's place, stones, rocks, and everything else heavy that is imaginable fell from all the top floors and injured several MDP members. Jangiyaa Nazim has his "hoara Waheed" and other gangsters who are ready to do anything for money and drugs. We have seem people gathered for several nights, outside Dr. Musthafa Luthufy's residence. But no protestor was attacked by thugs or ever beaten by gangsters or suffered at the hand of stone throwers. Now we all know who owns the gangsters and who gives them money to terrorize our nation -- the Good Old JANGIYAA NAZIM & RAAGONDI RAAJAA YAAMIN!!!
jangiya and raagondi raajaa
where was all this hoopla when alhan fahmee was bought for the vote on shaheed.. allegedely he also received " cash"... this i9s like the book animal farm by george orwell... never expected to see this after the beloved democracy father anni came to power
"mohamed nasheed" are you ok? were you in a coma all these days? Alhan was sacked from DRP. And you know, Shaheed was never questioned before trying a vote of no confidence. When they hear a rumour, they are supposed to verify it with the concerned minister. If they are not satisfied, they could summon any minister to the relevant committees of the "esteemed" Majlis and find out what really happened. If these things proved that the minister abused power or acted against his oath then the opposititon or even ruling party or any member of the Majlis may go for a vote of no confidence. Alhan was the only person who wanted to go through the documents and decide. Also think about people like Riyaz Rasheed and the other memeber of DQP who supposedly indicated he would vote against Shaheed. You also know that Kutti Nasheed and Muttalib too did not vote against Dr. Shaheed. All those people who try everything imaginable against Shaheed were also bought by MDP? Give me a break. If you have a brain weighing even an atom, you would know,all the charges against Dr Shaheed were unfounded and baseless.
ablho... u too must be in a coma... otherwise i cant see how you agree with all the things going around you. is this what everyone voted for.. people voted for a change.. not a change of face.. even now i wouldnt like the past government to come to power. but this is not what i voted for. but i do hope that at some point i wake up from this bad dream called " aneh dhivehi raaje "