Political parties supporting the current government of President Mohamed Waheed Hassan have criticised both former President Mohamed Nasheed and the Indian High Commission after Nasheed sought refuge inside.
Former President Nasheed entered the Indian High Commission on Wednesday ahead of a scheduled court hearing, to which he was to be produced under police detention.
Government aligned parties including the Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP), former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom’s Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) and religious conservative Adhaalath Party (AP) have all claimed accused Nasheed of being “cowardly”.
Leader of the DRP and presidential candidate Ahmed Thasmeen Ali told local newspaper Haveeru he was “disappointed” over former President Nasheed’s decision.
He claimed that the decision by the high commission to provide refuge for Nasheed meant the embassy was meddling in the domestic affairs of the country, and said the issue was too complex for India to resolve.
“When a former President shows up in an embassy and claims he was there for protection, it is not an easy matter to solve. A quick solution should be sought through dialogue,” he said.
Thasmeen claimed that there was no need for Nasheed to seek refuge from the Indian High Commission.
He also contended that no political figure could force the Prosecutor General (PG) to withdraw the charges levied against the former President, and that it was solely at the discretion of the PG to decide the matter.
Nasheed is being tried for his controversial detention of Chief Judge of Criminal Court Abdulla Mohamed during his last days in office.
“Appoint a better high commissioner”, Adhaalath party tells India
In a statement released on Saturday, the Adhaalath Party accused Nasheed of using the Indian diplomatic office as a shield to protect himself from being summoned to court.
“The Adhaalath Party believes that this cowardly act by Nasheed is a huge crime and an attempt to destroy the country’s legal system. Instead of working on proving his innocence, Nasheed is continuously harassing the legal system, defaming security services, showing disobedience and attempting to create chaos,” read the statement.
The party also condemned the Indian High Commission and the Indian government “for assisting a criminal fleeing from trial”.
“Making the Indian High Commission a political camp of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), and [letting Nasheed] hold discussions with MDP activists on the premises and encouraging them to create chaos and unrest among society lowers the respect of Maldivian people towards India,” read the statement.
The Adhaalath Party told the Indian government “to appoint a high commissioner who is professional and capable of mending the deteriorating bilateral relationship between the two countries”.
“The worsening of bilateral ties between the Maldives and India is not at all something which this party wants to happen,” it added.
The Adhaalath Party was a vocal opponent of India’s GMR Group, and its US$511 million concession agreement to develop Ibrahim Nasir International Airport. During on of the party’s rallies, several senior government figures mocked and insulted Indian High Commissioner D M Mulay calling him a “traitor to the Maldives”.
During a PPM press conference held on Thursday, party spokesperson MP Ahmed Mahloof claimed Nasheed was “coward” on the run knowing that his crime would invalidate his candidacy in the presidential election.
Mahloof said Nasheed did not have the patience to remain inside the high commission and that he would come out “very soon”.
“What is actually happening to Nasheed is that after resigning on February 7, 2012, he claims he will the MDP protests even if the police shoot him. But when the protests begin he is nowhere to be seen and is either at his home or on an island. Now we know Nasheed is a big coward,” he said.
He further said that Nasheed should be proving his innocence in court instead of hiding in the Indian High Commission.
Mahlouf said Nasheed’s decision to remain in the high commission until the elections would be costly to his party, as he would not have the opportunity to campaign as much as his rivals.
MDP response
Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) Spokesperson Imthiyaz Fahmy dismissed the remarks made by the government-aligned parties, claiming that their respective leaders were desperate to eliminate Nasheed from the upcoming presidential election.
“Why are they condemning Indian High Commission’s hosting of Nasheed when there are graver issues to be concerned about? Our judiciary is failing. The Commonwealth, the European Union (EU), UN and even the Commission of National Inquiry (CNI) report highlights the flaws within Judiciary. Why are they silent on that?” Fahmy questioned.
He further reiterated that India was observing the situation in the Maldives and were wary of the situation with the judiciary.
Fahmy also condemned the Adhaalath Party’s derogatory remarks towards Indian High Commissioner D M Mulay.
In a statement, the MDP said the party’s comments were “unacceptable” and would “mindlessly” impact the bilateral relationship between the two countries.
“President Nasheed has sought protection from the Indian High Commission after the Prosecutor General levied politically-motivated charges against him which lacked any legal grounds, and is concerned for his security,” the party said.
The party further contended that the Hulhumale Magistrate Court – which has been hearing the Nasheed trial – was illegitimate was therefore it unlikely that the former president would get a fair hearing.
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This is very true “The Adhaalath Party believes that this cowardly act by Nasheed is a huge crime and an attempt to destroy the country’s legal system. Instead of working on proving his innocence, Nasheed is continuously harassing the legal system, defaming security services, showing disobedience and attempting to create chaos,”
I think these guys even do not know what coward means. What an uneducated bunch are these? In Maldives a very few educated intelligent people are aligned with Nasheed. The civilized world with India is aligned with Nasheed. Does this not prove anything to these bearded 7th century cave dwellers?
cowards are those who geared up with helmets, batons, nerve gas to harm ordinary unarmed people because they want save a victim of these barbarian, Going inside dangerous animals is not bravery it is madness. We have never seen the fishermen police so proactive to curb the crimes and apprehend child abuser, pedophilias like Mullahs, child bride takers of 07th century cavemen.
Nasheed’s demise is demise of democracy in Maldives and India knows it well and hope India has guts to support democracy. This whole exercise of Nasheed’s case comes from anti democratic elements that has heavily infiltrated to the judiciary, for the same reason Nasheed was left without any option other than neutralize this rouge elements from Judiciary when he was in power. Nahseed is a brave man to face a very delicate environment in such a backward society and we the educated people should salute him for his bravery.
soooper Indians failed in their attempt to rule a soverign Maldives by MRG GOONS...now directly challenge to this Island nations ...THIS IS GOING TO BACK FIRE SOON...this sooper India is big in size with smell but has a tiny brain ..someone should tell the south block bald heads about the soverign of a nation ..Maldive never ruled by a foreign power except few years presence of Portugese who were kickout by brave Maldiviens
Indians values? democ-crazy ? he he he ...joking ...
Proves how little these morons know about international diplomacy. pathetic!
there are few brain less maldivians are in the ruling party, they are not civilised to talk about India. The civilised people are in Mr.Nasheed side and they are trying to civilise you people. you brain less ducks are trying to bring the nation to the old stone age era. you people are going to realize very soon by bringing shame to Maldives.
If this is allowed many wanted Indians will go and hide at foreign missions in Delhi....then ?????
Also many countries can offer protection to wanted Indians ..remember Bombay muscleman Dawood Ibrahim openly lived in Dubai many years and now live in Pakistan...this Soooper power India couldn`t touch his hair...
@kurvi You are the dumbest person on this planet who has no knowledge of Maldivian history. Maldivians didn't kick out the Portugese, the Maldives became a British protectorate and it was the British Navy that drove out the Portugese.
Secondly the Maldives have never been able to defend their own borders, they had to seek help from the Indian Government to rescue them from a handfull of Sri Lankans.
And your mother must be so proud to hear your boast about Pakistan supporting the worlds No3 most wanted man by interpol Dawood Ibrahim, just shows what a piece of scum you are to think people like him deserve protection from international law. You should read up on the latest about this man, all those around him are dropping down dead, won't be long before he joins them.
No chance of freedom and fairness from a currupt unelected regime that is the old brutal dictatorship wanting to remove Annie from the world. Our justice system is rotten to the core!!
Don't go wobbly now India. We need your strength to save our young democracy.
马尔代夫没有大脑。他们同样喜欢frongs在井。
very soon India will declare a new President to Maldives...it seems these Delhi South Block jokers making comedy about Diplomacy...
According to an Indian Press editorial today millions of Indian black money moving through Maldives also enter as investment.... over to Maldives authorities..
One should know that,for democracy to work,Judiciary should be independent.
for Maldives to be a progressive country, people should be united and see to it that the country does not go back to stone age era . Rightly said, anti democratic elements has heavily infiltrated to the judiciary too.Do not look to pakistan or china as an example of progressive countries, pakistan is a failed state in all ways, as for china they are not a democratic country, you have to take permission even to sneeze.
What ever fault there it be, India is the largest democratic country in the world, this is the country of many faith and religions,with muslim population much more than many Muslim countries.India is one of the largest economy in the world. and has marked its presence in every field be it science & technology or space exploration.
Hope Maldive youth want to look into the future in progressive way.Education for all should be the motto for a progressive country. All the best
kufvi@ you ass hole what yu sitting there and talking come to india we will show yu your preaent gov was recognised by india then only the whole world recognised other wise it is illigeal you bunch os bearded ass hole go to pakis afghan, somalia saudi the miss you