The resignation of former President Mohamed Nasheed on February 7, 2012 was the result of “planning, propaganda and a lot of work”, interim deputy leader of the government-aligned Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) Umar Naseer has claimed.
Introducing candidates from “Team Umar” at a rally last week ahead of the PPM’s first congress this weekend, Naseer urged supporters to vote for members of his team as they had “produced results” through street activism against the formerly ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) administration.
“A lot of people told us that Mohamed Nasheed’s government cannot be toppled from the street. I said while contesting for DRP’s [Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party’s] deputy leader that I was coming to this post to topple Mohamed Nasheed’s government from the street. We have proven and shown that,” he said.
“You should not think that February 7 happened automatically,” he continued. “It did not happen like that. It was the result of planning, propaganda and a lot of work by some people. It did not happen automatically.”
While former President Nasheed insists that he was forced to resign “under duress” following a police mutiny and loss of command and control over the military, a Commonwealth-backed Commission of National Inquiry (CNI) found that the transfer of power to then-Vice President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik was constitutional.
Speaking at last week’s rally, Umar Naseer said members of his team led protests for 22 consecutive nights and played an important role in backing up mutinying police officers in the early hours of February 7.
In an interview with Australian journalist Mark Davis for the SBS Dateline television programme in February 2012, Naseer claimed he was at a “command center” on the night of February 6 directing protests by the then-opposition.
“On the protesters’ side, we were informing and educating the police and army through our speeches and television programs,” Naseer said.
Asked by Davis if the opposition had made any other inducements, such as promises that they and their families would be “looked after” if they switched sides, Naseer said “there were.”
He added that the former president could have been beaten by a mob if he had emerged from the military headquarters without agreeing to resign.
At the first PPM rally following the controversial transfer of presidential power, Umar Naseer said he told former President Nasheed to resign “or else you might lose your life.”
Naseer claimed that the former president’s choices were to either resign peacefully or “resign after bloodshed.”
“While the operation [protest] was going on that night, I was at the commanding center. I was talking to Nasheed’s close aides. I told them to surrender; otherwise [he] might lose life. I told them that repeatedly. But, firstly, they responded arrogantly saying they do not have to surrender [because] such a circumstance has arrived,” Umar claimed.
But around 8:30am the next morning, Umar claimed that Nasheed called him saying that he wanted to resign. Nasheed said that he would not participate in any political activities hereafter, Umar added.
“Nasheed called and said that he is prepared to resign. He requested arrangements to be made for him and his family to leave for somewhere else. I told him that it will be arranged and to prepare for resignation,” Umar claimed.
Following media coverage of those remarks, Umar however released a statement claiming he did not imply that President Nasheed’s life was threatened by police and Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF).
During the unrest, Umar said that he spoke to Former Defence Minister Tholhath Ibrahim Kaleyfaanu and told him that their lives were in danger because of the large number of protesters in Republic Square.
“I said his life could be in danger because of the large number of people gathered there [Republican Square] and it seemed that police, MNDF did not have the capacity to control the crowd – not even us,” Umar said.
“We feared from our hearts that if the civilians [protesters] had entered the MNDF headquarters by using any means, Nashed, Tholhath and MNDF and police inside the building [at the time] would have been at danger.”
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i should probably take my shovel back from Umar before he digs himself too deep
Well, the first person to be arrested after MDP takes over should be Umar Nasir.
Threatening the president, military, police or simple citizens by use of 'death' is a crime according to the laws governing every country in the world.
Lying to the public for the sake of getting votes is a stupid and kiddish move Umar Naseer has and is using particularly for the uneducated islanders who are always mis-informed.
The truth is gradually coming out as people start to speak. Everyone who has ears and eyes knows there was a coup, what we didnt know (now we are getting to know) are the culprits who were behind it. They will be punished by law when the time comes, just a few months a head.
President Nasheed never caller Umar Naseer but I am sure after November elections, he would call him either to admit his role in the coup to the public and beg for forgiveness/reconciliation or face the wrath of jail life.
dhonejamm Umair is alwayss bosting. verry boast man he is. All the timees he thinkSW he is doign annie toppele. but Dhonjamm is all boatsting.
This guy is pure evil.
The first the face the gallows should be Backbone Breaker Umar
Interrogation successful. Umar Naseer sang like a canary.
The real plan is yet to reveal among the official Maldivian political domain. You Let me briefly hint .
Umar Naseer an Tholhath are personnel friends. Even 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 and bumping Thasmeen. Dr.Waheed took appropriate forethought and kept Umar naseer totally under his control and away from such interventions. MNDF and police inteligence has been withing 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 and couldn't even hendle all his debts.
Minivan and it's same old boring stories!
This guy is such a classic. I guess he's so sure that he won't be arrested that he just goes around admitting everything he did to topple the government. Hope MDP will get a chance to throw him behind bars....with this ladder of course 😉
umar, do you have any children? plx tell me you dont. :/ for our future.
A fool who do not know he is a fool is the worst of it's kind!
And this guy does not know he is of this kind!
Poor Umar Naseer!
Truly sang like a canary..lolz.
we know the coup. we know the people.. we know the propaganda, we are waiting,, for the right time...like you waited umar.
you are the last politician this country needs.
face like a raccoon
Thais f*****g thing is a bloody lost to this nation just wait and see how he get thrown from Gayoom.like how he got thrown in to Prison by Ambaree Abdulla Sattar.
While he was on high rank Police Post,he was thrown on to prison during the 30 years regime.
The prisoners stone at him wen he was in the cell even they could not keep him in prison because of the stone rain to his prison cell by the prisoners
Are you reading this CONI? Are you reading this EU, US, INDIA, UNITED NATIONS?
What more evidence do you need to proove it was a coup???
Nasheed should have been removed from the power even prior 7th FEb.
He should have been removed when lock the supreme court ?
Oh Umar, who needs investigators when we have you, who sings like a canary at the slightest provocation. 😀
is this man a total jackass