The opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) has said it will launch successive protests after the Supreme Court issued an injunction of parliament’s endorsing of the reappointed cabinet ministers.
Last night around midnight police used tear gas to subdue a crowd gathering in Republic Square.
“They started at the artificial beach but moved to Republic Square where the police and Maldives National Defense Force headquarters are located,” said police Sub-Inspector Ahmed Shiyam.
“Police used tear gas to force them to leave the area.”
Shiyam noted that there were reports of “minor injuries” in the crowd. Some police were also injured, but none seriously, he said. Reports circulating today suggested one member of the crowd lost teeth during the incident.
“We took several people into police custody until the situation had calmed down. We also stopped a vehicle with sound equipment that was driving down the wrong way down a one-way street, and checked the license of the driver,” Shiyam said.
Parliament was cancelled today after successive points of order. In a dramatic gesture, DRP MPs displayed a tooth and T-shirt stained with blood reportedly belonging to Moosa Fathy, Deputy President of the party’s fishermen’s wing.
DRP MP Ahmed Mahlouf told Minivan News that it was “really saddening to hear the MDP treat it as a joke”.
“Two people were seriously injured – not just this guy, there was a woman who was hit by a tear gas canister,” he said.
Disputes over the endorsing of the reappointed cabinet ministers by parliament, a function the government argues should be “ceremonial”, has led to deadlock in the opposition-majority parliament this week.
The opposition argues that ministers should be approved individually, and is reported to have a list of six ministers it intends to disapprove.
The government claims that parliament must approve cabinet as a whole, as the procedure for no-confidence motions against ministers already exists, and has sought a ruling from the Supreme Court on the matter.
“It has been three months [since the reappointments] and we do not believe these ministers are acting legally,” Mahlouf said. “We want to hasten the process of approving the ministers and are pressuring the government to be faster.”
The DRP would “always respect” the ruling of the Supreme Court “or any court” if it ruled the matter in the government’s favour, he said.
The DRP were planning another protest this evening, Mahlouf added.
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MDP is treating the injuries as a joke as Gayoom's government inflicted similar injuries on MDP activists. Sadly President Nasheed is doing the same thing Gayoom did.
Sadly Anni has turned into a GOLHABO afterall. It is ironic that MDP activists are licking the shoes of GOLHABO today just like DRP activists did earlier.
Maldives is like a seductive woman to me, you get lured in by her beauty, you fall in love with her, head over heels, and then once she's got you where she wants you, Bang, she grabs you and crushes you right where it hurts...
Just a special touch of paradise!
Well there's no one to blame, except the leaders of the protest. To lead the mob to a restricted area is just asking for trouble.
Using people's like that, to defame the police of using force, is just too disgusting and immoral. Can't people just see through their deception?
Today's scene at the majilis, everyone at my house who happened to be watching the telly at the time were just shaking their heads in total embarrassment, even the local fish market is better than that we all agreed.
Perhaps this is because most there are relatively new to politics, maybe they'll mature...but I sure hope that most of the joker MP's won't be re-elected, prolonging this fiasco.
Dragging this country to the gutter while the people who truly are trying hard to better this country are being constantly pushed back, by these cold blooded reptiles.
'Respect"??? I wonder if they even know how the word is spelled! Another protest good and fine, but please don't let the people get hurt. Please don't lead them towards violence and hatred.
@Ben.
Looks like you have first hand experience of getting caught up by a seductive woman.
Man! you are so sexist,
Man, these DRP clowns don't have any brains.
They charge into restricted areas knowing that the police and security forces have no choice but to confront them.
Why? because nobody cares if they keep shouting non stop at their rallies.
DRP == Schmucks
Ben you said it well. So true.
Just like a prostitute
I dont know why they are bringing the blooded t-shirt and a tooth to parliament.
here it goes,a group of drp members were saying some bad things to the president near jetty no1, a teenager from a nearby fishing-dhoni suddenly comes and smacks one of them's face, thts where the tooth fall near jetty no1. so who's to blame the ministers?
good job DRP.. Our support is with you.. Anni shud resign..dhen lalaa
“Two people were seriously injured – not just this guy, there was a woman who was hit by a tear gas canister,” he said.
Sure, sure. Just keep your protesting within the legal boundaries. Ever seen how police in Western countries charge into crowds with riot gear and batons? Ever seen the bruises and injuries inflicted on the annual May day parades around the world?
Looks like the DRP MPs haven't been around anywhere or are deaf and blind.
Was the Constitution was drafted by jokers? Clearly, it's solely the President's responsibility to appoint his Cabinet. If the Parliament has to approve it, "ceremonially" or not, then we have a conflict.
Just amend the Constitution and get rid of these ridiculous articles. How can BOTH the President and Parliament elect a Cabinet? Clearly this is a set whose intersection is NULL. The results are clear as day and night now. We have DEADLOCK. Bunch of clowns, the whole lot of MPs.
DRP promotes terrorism and violence. All what they want to achieve is impose no confidence votes on the ministers and bring down the government.
Now that they have supreme court orders, DRP showed their TRUE colours... THEY WERE, THEY ARE & THEY WILL ALWAYS BE ABOVE THE LAW.
displayed tooth ???..wht am i reading???...
@Kaheenu, I am no sexist. I am sorry for the way this comment came out.
HEP,show us ur strength n resign.....isthiufaaa..
Shame on the Maldivians, we are young children in a primary school. We don't know anything about tolerance.