Dozens of Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) supporters, including women, were injured in Addu city last night and the party’s headquarters attacked in a brutal police crackdown on demonstrations against President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan, sources from Addu have claimed.
Police, however, have denied the allegations.
Speaking to Minivan News, several eye witnesses claimed that “police used unjustifiable and brutal force” to suppress MDP members protesting against Dr Waheed while he attended a ceremony at Muhibbuddhin School in Hithadhoo.
According to a source, the streets outside the school were blocked and heavily guarded by police and Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) officers armed with shield and batons, forcing the MDP demonstrators to continue the protest several metres from the school.
“MDP members requested permission to get closer to Muhibbuddin School but were rejected by the police. So they started shouting for Waheed’s resignation near the police barricade,” the source said.
Shiyara Mohamed, a women’s rights activist and wife of Addu City’s Mayor Abdulla Sodig, who also at the demonstrations, observed that it was “mostly women” calling for Waheed’s resignation. They were tear-gassed by the police “without any warning”, she claimed.
“It was just around 100 people and most were women. We were standing near the police barricade and calling for Waheed’s resignation when all of a sudden the Star Force charged from behind us and tear gassed the whole area without any warning,” she claimed.
“Women started screaming and everyone ran away in panic. Many hid inside nearby houses and others were pushed back using batons,” she said.
Another source claimed that “several women who were in the front line were mercilessly beaten with batons and boots,” and subsequently rushed to the hospital with injuries.
Meanwhile, “some youth from the crowd retaliated by throwing anything they could get their hands on,” the source noted, adding that some policemen were also injured in the clashes.
The police allegedly chased several demonstrators back to the MDP Haruge [headquarters] situated just few metres away from the scene, and ransacked the place.
Furthermore, several members inside the Haruge were injured in the attack, the source said.
“They tear gassed Haruge first. Then [police] started vandalising the MDP office. Window glass was shattered with batons; computers and other equipment was smashed against the floor. Chairs were broken. People inside the Haruge were brutally beaten and dragged outside,” a third source from Addu said.
Photos and dramatic footage of the damage to Haruge circulating over the social media show injuries allegedly inflicted by the police during the crackdown, and women being taken to the hospital by ambulance. The MDP Haruge in the capital Male’ was similarly attacked by rogue police during the chaotic events of February 7 which culminated in the resignation of President Mohamed Nasheed.
In one image, a woman is also seen on the ground, with what seems to be an injured hand.
Shiyara,who spoke to Minivan News earlier, said that she was the one who took the injured woman to the hospital.
“Apparently, there was something already wrong with her hand – so when the police dragged her outside Haruge by holding that hand, it was fractured,” Shiyara claimed.
Another image also show injuries to a man’s hand, allegedly injured in a baton strike.
In a press statement released last night, police dismissed the allegations as “lies” and said that the police only stopped the demonstrators who attempted to break into the area blocked by the security forces.
Home Minister Dr Mohamed Jameel Ahmed meanwhile told local media that 11 cases concerning violence incidents in Addu Atoll on February 8 had been forwarded to the Prosecutor General (PG)’s Office.
Dr Jameel blamed former President Mohamed Nasheed for leading the attacks, reported Haveeru, stating that “Nasheed and his traitors” inflicted extensive damage on the country over his three years of rule.
President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan said that anyone who witnessed the damage to police and court buildings first hand would “surely shed tears”.
President Dr. Waheed pledged that he and his government will do everything in their power to bring the criminals behind the Addu incidents to justice.
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I sincerely hope that someone recorded all this, it would be very difficult to turn it around and blame the women and mdp supporters with good evidence, I wonder if waheed will take responsibility for the actions of the mndf.
wot evidence? no need of anything. ur votes have gone with wind was it not without evidence?
since mndf is denying most of this, it will be better if anyone can provide a proper evidence like a video where mndf attacked someone specially near MDP haruge. I havnt seen any pictures of mndf attacking anyone or any place. do anyone have it.. i dont know whether i have to believe this news o not since i havnt seen any proof.
Law and order in Addu City is maintained by a goon called 'Hussein Solih' who is a failed candidate in the City council elections.Why do the Citizens of Addu City allow this? Where is the Mayor they selected??? This is so fuc.... frustrating. I as a personnel of MNDF strongly condemn these acts of terrorism by the soldiers of MNDF....Its not easy to watch ladies beaten by soldiers in such an ugly manner.....it really hurts
Nasheed was the one who sparked all these violence by warning President waheed to not set foot in Addu.Surely he set up all these factions to throw sand,stones bottles etc at the president and his delegation and the police protecting the government delegation.People of Addu knw this very well.What is nasheed preaching?guerrilla warfare???Wat do you call people who attack the police who are maintaining law and order?
Nasheed is using hate as his prime weapon and just like all his other tricks even this has back fired at last!the events in kulhudhufushi today is evidence to that because u cant lead a rebellion without popular support of the masses!
Nasheed and Gayoom are both parasites of this country which needs to be removed! May Allah Sw remove these two and other cronies linked to these two and clean this country!! Dr.Waheed is also making huge mistakes by acting like Nasheed and making strong statements!! PLEASE BUILD THIS NATION!! I have no hope in Nasheed now same as Gayoom in the past!
I'm very interested to hear a comment about the irreparable damage at the National Museum!
If we should "surely shed tears" by looking at some broken cars and some ugly buildings and cheapest furnitures, what should we do by looking at the destroyed archeological artifacts?!
Mr. Jameel & Co. don't seem to be so interested to find out the miserable perpetrators, destroyers of this country's History.
thats not a hand in that picture its his leg....
Now you are seeing the true colors of police and MNDF. Even there is a President ( as a smoke screen of Military ruling ) Military is ruling the country.
Military ruling will never agree any proof.
waheed got less than 300 votes in 2008 election. How wonderful he became the President of Maldives!Corrupted people don't allow Anni to rule the country.
Does this Judas Waheed and his filth bags know what the hell they have done and are doing to our beloved country?
You may love assets that don't bleed, but Judas Waheed don't you see our brothers and sisters are bleeding literally for the vote they for there freedom and Democracy, what kind of animal are you.
If you think you can rule us like this you are so wrong, we will never ever forget this.
Oh world where are you, what are you doing, can't you see what these animals are doing to our citizens, are you allowing this to happen to our citizens because we don't have gas and oil?
Surly you can't allow this to happen to us just because we are a tiny population of 400,000 people, we are bleeding, our sister and brothers born's are being broken our muscles are being torn apart.
Open you eyes, hear us, we are begging to save us from this calamity.
When will the world learn this is a coup, by the time you learn I am afraid few Maldivians are going to loose there life wouldn't that be too late.
Waheedheen was having dinner with the members of Human Rights Commission while this atrocities were being committed in Addu, beside the swimming pool under that stars.
If these people think we can be silenced by these actions, I think your thinking has back fired already.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2107063/Queen-fears-Mandela-Maldives-Mohamed-Nasheed.html?ito=feeds-newsxml
Dear Malaysians, The real coup leader who planned and carried this coup in Maldives is living in your peaceful land and as I write this he is giving out commands to beat our citizens.
He is Maumoon Abdul Gayoom our former president, he is issuing these disgusting orders and our citizens are bleeding, Please send him to us by deporting him back to Maldives to face sedition, terrorism and treason charges.
Why any adduan support to Waheed or any other political figure is not comprehensible. The only person who will ever look to Addu in a positive way would be Anni. Adduana have to look in to wider spectrum and realize that the rest of Maldives always consider Addu as an evil part of Maldives. So the devil Anni is who can understand the devils of Addu and he is the only person who clearly loves Adduans. The only negative part from Addu to Anni are those of self centered Addu politician who dream to be president of Maldives and those of religious Adalath supporters who have feeling that Anni is anti Islamic. Why Adduan are so worried to be ruled by a moderate person when Addu was better off with infidels in their best time of their history.
Is waheed also a muslim who dose know the people have vote for there rights Allah knows who is right and wrong
this is a game played by MDP activist. MDP activists had stolen police unforms and other items and they are now using them to blame thier action to Police. Anni, need to take this responsibility and you need to stop doing this childish things and be a retired president.
Act like a president not like riot gang master.
@mugabe on Mon, 27th Feb 2012 10:13 PM
"Adduana have to look in to wider spectrum and realize that the rest of Maldives always consider Addu as an evil part of Maldives."
Most sensible people in Addu know this full well. There is a very good reason why Addu is an MDP stronghold. No other political party or politician of any other colour have shown sincerity to Addu. They realise the need for votes and come around begging for them.
It's also not a surprise that people of very low I.Q. like Hussain Solih continue to support PPM. After all, Hussain Solih will be nothing, if not for his love for Yamin. People like Solih do not have the brains to realise that Yamin and ilk see Adduans as worse than vermin!
As a citizen of Maldives who pays these goons in the armed forces "to maintain peace", I am disgusted by these acts of terrorism by the MNDF and Police.
This all happens because of thirsty bearded bastards who use our religion as a tool to bring this coup to Maldives, This was well and per-planned by the cruel old dictator in Malaysia and his loyalist{ specifically Buruma shall be strongly accountable for all these mess, cox he has financed for all these} who knows tomorrow protest wont stuck in his four resorts, i can promisingly say that the majority of all the resorts employees are Southern Citizens, and a huge contribution from Addu. things will get more dirtier i guess if brutality continues, It doesn't mean people are afraid to fight back when traitors hit on their head by batons and pepper spray, Listen.. they still don't wont a civil war,like in syria,in egypt,libya,.. their will be also a day that nothing will be tolerant...
Military Dictatorship Is Already On.Waheed Is The Puppet Of Gayoum & Co!!!!More Blood Will Be Shred If Waheed Is Not Stopped. There Wll Be No Elections; But This Will Be characteristic Feature of The Forseeable Future In Maldives.
I think we need to give more money then everything will be ok.
Officers ranked sergeant will get 50000rf n above.we can request world bank to raise a loan of usd 32000000 just to pay our corrupted military n police force.
We are good at blaming each others. who led this situation today. Mohamed Nasheed and always he is right attitude and disregard to constitution. How nasheed and his goons undermined our democratic constitution saying they fathers of democracy. For all the Maldivians, our constitution is new hope for modern democracy but it ended in all chaos.
Somewhere along the line, the stones thrown at the police and MNDF outside Sharafuddin School, the injured Policemen before use of tear gas and batons seem to be missing from the report.
When civilians cause public and private property damage, these cases are forwarded to PG overnight. What about the damages and violence caused by Police and MNDF? Do they have a license to go around damaging public and private property and beating and killing civilians just because they are against an illegitimate government?
What a shame that the Human Rights Commission members were enjoying themselves in Bandos while all this POlice brutality was going on. Why do we need a Human Rights Commission that is useless generally and especially at a time when they should be intervening and playing a vital role in ensuring human rights are protected, they are accepting bribes from the nominated VP?! Waheedheen is a fake who pretended to be interested in transparency and democracy, and today we see his real colours!
We hate Isralies cox they fight & hurt people.
We hate coup government cox they fight and hurt our people. Some foolish Maldivian still support for coup, cox they were paid by Qasim.
As India is the largest democracy in the Indian Ocean, we the people of Maldives beg from India to help us having the people of Maldives elected President...
Look at Dr Waheed's administration!!!! beating unarmed people with batons & using tear gas & pepper spray while women of this country are watching TV at public areas.......men & women are scared to move around for fear of the security forces as many are beaten even at their homes & workplaces....security forces are supporting those who are in favor of the coup government......now Maldives is exactly a Security Force State (Police & MNDF joining hand to hand) It's just to let Dr Waheed remain as President even if the majority of people do not want him as their President...Is this Democracy?????????? Pls help us..........don't watch & wait until many people are killed by the Security forces....If no solution comes up by March 1, the situation shall be quite different and may be that will be too late a friendly country come and help the Maldives, many people believe
What you expect from police, when you hit them, ice cream.Police are doing their job professionally, you dont need warrant to dismantlement of terrorism.
Fake, good acting gals!
nasheed has no right to say waheed cant come to addu. neither does the mayor sobey. just cos v stay home and dont go on protestin against nasheed doesnt mean there is any less people against nasheed. he is and will always be trouble. such a stubborn man. i dont care about maumoon or waheed. i just dont want nasheed to come back to power. he never cared about others except for mdp people. shattered so many peoples hopes (those of whom who voted for a change in 2008). well u had ur chance man, too bad u failed. i amd just a 22 year old girl concerned about peace in my home island. stop burning and thrashing our own buildings and stop fighting with each other. no politician is gonna suffer its us who are gonna loose everything. anni u r responsible for all this. this is not ur birth place for u to ban waheed from comin here. neither was u or ur parents born here. anni...u shouldnt have come here to create all this chaos. i can say it cos its my home!
It Not Muhibbudeen School..It was at Shamshudeen School..Get the right Info first..
and Also its not the hand injured in the photo..Its the Leg..how dumb can the writer be??
well, I really cant understand... the beautifully deceitful, President Nasheed and his close followers. Please all nice people of MDP, be ware and save yourselves from the mad hypocrites (the 6).. join the unity Nations coalition. Save MDP from the 6 hypocrites..
May Allah Save MDP from the weakest 6 hypocrites withing the party, and make MDP glorious, aameen.
if you still believe in pres Nasheed more than GOD, you are doomed. you will be getting hurt more. please MDP and all people, try to understand and think the nicely quoted lies that he and his 6 follower, and understand what he is trying to do to the party.. He will ruin MDP,
@whatever
You are too young to get involved in this kind of stuff....We grown ups know who is Maumoon,Waheed,Anni,Dr.Hassan...so just stay out of this and waste your time on 'Kasouti'
Oh Allah, the most gracious and merciful. Bless our Nationt for a prosperous and peaceful Nation, and protect our nation from all evil, and disrupt the hypocrites of Maldives.aameen.
how dumb could you be simba?? its not shamsudheen ..its sharafudheen..lol..n ppl also call it muhibbudhin school.koz the name changed only this year..:)
n btw..the photographer will nw what he/she took ...by the look of it it seems its an arm.:P
And to you @mode
For your kind information, I live in the same barracks with those who vandalised MDP haruge and brutalised the general public...Do you want me to post their Service number, name and rank too?
@Simple, if you know the names it is your sworn duty to disclose them.
Addu needs help ... Wheres Havaru Thinadhoo & Fuvahmulak. Hail .... Suvaadheeb !!!!
@ML
National security comes first
@ rationale...what? hail suvadheeb??