Foreign Media should “check the facts” with Nasheed coverage: Dr Hassan Saeed

Writing for Haveeru today, Dr Hassan Saeed, Special Advisor to President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan, has criticised some foreign journalists for failing “to check the facts” when it comes to reporting the claims of former President Mohamed Nasheed.

Many newspapers in the USA and UK rightly pride themselves on their record of investigative journalism.

That is why it is disappointing that Mr Nasheed seems able to get away with feeding journalists so many fantasies, distortions, half truths and – there is no other word for it – lies during his recent visit and charm offensive to the US. They wouldn’t let their own politicians off so lightly!

I’m just going to look at one interview to the UK newspaper The Guardian that appeared this week- but this sad example is not unique.

On the 19th March, Male saw unprecedented scenes of violence, vandalism and arson with eight law enforcement officers injured. Demonstrators, led by the MDP, attacked the local TV station VTV studio, with rocks and iron bars causing damage amounting to approximately 1.5 million Rufiyaa to the building and equipment. The Auction Shop area in Male, with an area about 5000 sq ft. was torched and razed to the ground.

What’s Mr Nasheed’s take on this? Well, talking The Guardian, Mr Nasheed refers with a ‘rueful grin’ to a ‘scuffle’ and then adds (with a truly bizarre reference to the disturbances at this time) “I must say … I think some very good music has come out of this.” I can only imagine how this remark feels to the injured and those whose property was destroyed.

Mr. Nasheed then paints a picture which has at its centre the explicit claim that he had to resign or the generals “would resort to using arms”. We in the Maldives all know that Mr Nasheed has now acknowledged that a previous claim that he was forced to resign “at gunpoint” was fantasy. So why repeat it?

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3 thoughts on “Foreign Media should “check the facts” with Nasheed coverage: Dr Hassan Saeed”

  1. Why would the new government want the carbon-neutral plan? We all know how it is planned. It is very transparent and right in front of the media. Only thing is that the new government doesn't believe in climate change. The tourism minister said just recently that it is a bogus story that Nasheed made up to scare off investors and tourists. Come on, man? Can you reach a lower a point to diss a person?

    Friends of Maldives asked not to visit the resorts owned by those who funded the coup. I think Mr. Nasheed and FoM has every right to express their opinion (under article 27 at least, as Dr. Hassan would say). It is not a boycott of the Maldives, but an advisory to know who funded the coup and derailed democracy in the Maldives. Please be able to know the differences in details with your PhD.

    Mr. Nasheed was forced out of presidency, under threat, as confessed by your colleagues such as Umar Naseer. Police and the miliatary were both mutinying and Umar was giving out life threats from the commanding centre. What does these add up to? "Gun point" refers to being under threat, my comrade.

    And all these come from a hate monger who published a book of all (there is no word for it) lies against Mr. Nasheed. And currently an advisor to the coup president, and active participant in bringing the coup.

    Indeed journalists shall do a background check on these retards.

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  2. Dr hassan saeedu u are not man enough to stand up for democracy.i thought u will be the president of maldives one day.now i don't think even u are wife will vote for u.nasheed work heard to bring democracy to Maldives he was jailed so many times.but u came with a PhD and joined dictator gayoom and left him when the election was coming near and joined nasheed and than left him.I asked all the intentional journalists check weather Dr hassan is a man or woman because real man don't behave like that

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