The UK’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) Minister for South Asia, Alistair Burt, has called on all parties in the Maldives “to work together to strengthen the country’s institutions and economy.”
Burt’s comments follow the Minister’s recent visit to the Maldives, during which he met with President Mohamed Waheed, Foreign Minister Dr Abdul Samad Abdulla, and politicial leaders including former President Mohamed Nasheed.
“Many changes have taken place in Maldives since my last visit in 2011 and the UK has been following developments with great interest and concern,” Burt said.
“It is now time for all parties in Maldives to focus on the future, rather than the past, and to work together to strengthen the country’s institutions and economy.
The UK remained keen to support Maldives in its democratic transition, Burt said.
“It is important that the historic gains made in the last few years are consolidated to ensure a truly democratic future. To this end, in my meeting with President Waheed on Saturday, I emphasised the importance of moving swiftly towards free, fair and inclusive elections later this year. I also stressed the importance of all parties being able to participate with the candidate of their choice. I was encouraged to learn that the date for these elections has now been confirmed for 7 September 2013,” he added.
Burt also urged the government and other parties to work towards institutional reform “and to fully investigate all allegations of police brutality, as recommended in the CoNI report.”
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How can Maldives have a free and fair election,even now the present regime is working hard to put President Naseed in to Prison with out his its better not have the election
Burt's call for the presidential election scheduled for 7 September this year to be free, fair and inclusive of all parties willing to run in the election means that the coup-led regime should refrain from pursuing any action that would effectively prevent and bar president Nasheed whose government was toppled in the 7Feb12 coup by the Maldives security services. The present regime was set up swiftly without establishing whether or not the resignation by Nasheed was voluntary or forced as it was claimed as the reason that the Vice President took over as president.
This was the excuse as the only way that would justify a takeover by the VP, and was the reason emphasised by the report of the Commission of National Inquiry set up by the president ushered in to power as a result of the coup which was the Commission's subject of inquiry.
Now UK should be labeled as traitor to this nation since they have accepted Dr. waheed as a president.
Anyone against Nasheed view should be a traitor and we all need to pray to Nasheed and obey his orders always.