The UK and EU have both issued statements praising the conduct of Saturday’s presidential election, describing them as “transparent and competitive”.
EU High Representative Catherine Ashton “congratulates the people of the Maldives on the first round of voting in their presidential elections, which international observers have recognised as inclusive and competitive,” read a statement issued by the EU’s representation in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
“The very high level of voter participation demonstrates the commitment of Maldivians to the democratic process. Campaigning was peaceful and the elections were well run,” the statement added.
The UK’s Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), Alistair Burt, also praised the conduct of the election.
“Election observers, both domestic and international, have broadly agreed that the election was transparent and competitive. The UK’s election observers were also pleased to see that proceedings ran smoothly, and that the atmosphere was one of excitement and anticipation,” Burt stated.
“The exceptionally high turnout – estimated to be around 88 percent – demonstrates a significant public enthusiasm and support for democracy in Maldives. I hope political parties will honour this democratic engagement by working together in order to further consolidate democratic institutions in Maldives,” he stated.
“I hope that the second round of elections on 28 September, and the transition to post-electoral politics, will also be free, fair and credible,” Burt concluded.
The US and India have also previously issued statements on the polls, particularly noting the peaceful voting throughout the day and preparedness of the Elections Commission.
Local NGO Transparency Maldives – which ran the most comprehensive observation operation on the day – also announced prior to the release of the provisional results that none of the incidents reported on election day would have a “material impact on the outcome of the election”.
At the same time, the High Court has accepted a case submitted by the Jumhoree Party (JP) contesting the election results and seeking the release of voters’ lists and ballot box sheets by the Elections Commission.
The party’s candidate, Gasim Ibrahim, came third in Saturday’s vote with 24 per cent, narrowly missing a place in the run-off on September 28. He has refused to accept the election result.
“I will be taking the oath [of office] on 11 November,” Gasim declared at a recent rally held at Maafannu Kunooz.
“I am saying I believe I was in first place. Different result reports on different media shows there were many, immense issues,” he told a subsequent press conference.
The High Court yesterday rejected the party’s first submission of the case.
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"At the same time, the High Court has accepted a case submitted by the Jumhoree Party (JP)..."
Is there a surprise here? It will be very interesting to see how the discredited Maldivian judiciary behaves here.
"I will be taking the oath [of office] on 11 November...”
The sun will rise from the west on 11th November in that case. Ah, but he didn't specify they year! So, that could be 11th November 2018, 2023, or possibly 2028? Hope Gasim looks after himself, so he can enjoy his Presidency in good health after such a long wait.
UK EU will praise if anything happen in their favor in the world, they always have double standard.
The results did not tally with the predictions computed by those who paid to buy votes. Many those who took bribes in return for votes betrayed. So here is the sequence of actions Gasim will orchestrate in coming days in run upto 28th round 2 voting day
(1) With the help of the god fathers of judiciary, such as Chandhanee Imma, Gasim will influence the courts to accept his case. (this has already happened)
(2) Court will review the case and state they have found inconsistencies and request elections commission to disclose information in its defence.
(3) Since there is not enough time to conclude a thorough investigation before 28th, court will be pressured by the god fathers to issue a temporary injunction and to postpone the election date until a verdict.
(4) This verdict will be celebrated by JP, its aligned coalition and PPM will jump onto this band wagon in mass rallies on the streets.
(5) An infuriated MDP will lash back with larger rallies across Male' demanding a vote on 28th September. Thus, creating extreme tensions across the nation.
(6) JP, allies and PPM will further provoke MDP with hate campaigns and blame claiming MDP rigged and cheated in the electoral process using Fuad, his MDP supporting wife.
(7) International pressures will be made on incumbent president Waheed to mediate domestic situation, and then suddenly tensions heats up to a new level.
(7) How that happens is isolated violence breaking out in parts of Male' and other islands. A very gruesome murder will be orchestrated, most likely a stabbing. This will be blamed on MDP activists and supporters.
(8) Fear spreads across the nation, and Special Operations police starts taking control.
(9) Violence continues as we approach 28th september, and this gives reason for conspirators a reason to declare a state of emergency to hold up the temporary injunction on 28th.
(10) Protests will continue on the streets by MDP supporters and will be met by brutal violence by the military and police. Arrests of key people will lead to a shattered MDP by the end of that week.
(11) Soon after 28th passes high court will pass a verdict stating electoral process round 1 had many issues and will ask for a new vote.
(12) By this time, MDP will be in disarray. Key people who have worked in the campaign will be arrested or unable to do any ground work. Paving away a field day for all other parties.
(13) Gasim and Yamin will lead the new election campaign. MDP will still fight on, but will be crippled. Gasim and Yamin will pay their way into securing votes and MDP will be put to a third place.
(14) There will be a fight between Yamin and Gasim in round 2 of the re-election. Both will be shadowed by their patrons Gayoom and Ilyas respectively during this election. But the moment one candidate wins, they will both form a peaceful coalition. Thus reinstating and reuniting both Endherimaage and Kaamineege rule back to Maldives.
@ Ekaloa
EU and UK are different. What you mention is more UK than EU.
For your info UK is a tiny rebel enclave in the EU.
On the 7th Maldives spoke.
It's quiet obvious that President Nasheed has heard the message loud and clear. So we see him responding with admirable vigour. He has a vision for Maldives and its hoped that he presents that vision with all honesty and all clarity & leave it to the electorate to choose. We wish him Good luck.
By comparison his opponent Mr Y too has heard the voice of the electorate and seemingly his team too has heard it and are understandably excited. However we see that unlike President Nasheed he is apparently hindered by the magic numbers. In all appearance Mr Y's vision for Maldives is the antipode of Prez Nasheeds vision. Once again we wish Mr Y presents what his vision for Maldives is in all honesty and clarity. Will mr Y overcome the numbers? Time will tell. Good luck!
So has Mr Q heard the voice of the electorate? It Looks to me as if at this point of time Mr Q sees just one thing. Arguably the leading Philanthropist-Oligarch of the nation seems overwhelmed. We wish him a speedy recovery and listen to the electorate. Good luck.
In Conclusion we have so much to thank Allah & the sons and daughters of our little nation for the incredible changes that we see in Maldives. Isn't it wonderful the aroma of liberty, equality and fraternity?
Isn't it sad that in this day and time that there are jobs for prophets of doom. But then this is real life!
:-))
Peace! 🙂
@Hussain Jaleel on Wed, 11th Sep 2013 7:52 PM
"The results did not tally with the predictions computed by those who paid to buy votes. Many those who took bribes in return for votes betrayed."
I like your forecast (well, "like" in the sense of its accuracy). It's much more accurate than that of the PhDs and "experts" of Gasim's JP.
The PhDs and experts around Gasim need to enroll in furthering their education. After all, the minute one stops learning, one gets left behind the river of knowledge. A PhD from decades ago counts as zero, nada, nil. At least get Gasim to pay for a decent education for these PhDs and experts.
@Ahmed Bin Addu Bin Suvadheeb on Thu, 12th Sep 2013 1:13 AM
I may have got a scene and timing in this story bit off, but nevertheless you can see it going in the general direction. Like moth to a flame see PPM joining the band wagon with JP.
http://www.haveeru.com.mv/dhivehi/news/143512
I think it is great that the case was filed. The more they drag this out the more ridiculous they become.
The judiciary, biased or not can hardly rule in their favour. It would be like pronouncing day as night.
There is absolutely no question about the integrity of the voting process or outcome, because everything happened infront of the public eye.
By their encouraging murmuring PPM is being very short sighted, because they offer MDP opportunities to expose their hypocrisy. PPM love to boast and chest thump their 18 out 21 by-election victories, then the EC was great, but now that they are trounced, "Fraud" Thowfeeq is the worlds greatest villian.
The fact is PPM badly need a united front in their challenge to MDP. They will not have it if Gasim is in his presidential dreamland. Yameen needs to show some leadership in wooing Thasmeen and Gasim to back him immediately, or else the election is over for them. Engineering another coup which is accepted by the international community will be rather difficult now.
Hussain Jaleel
"Once peaceful resistance becomes impossible, violent revolution becomes inevitable."
The MDP will be burnt to ashes; and from that ashes, a new movement of radical paramilitary rebels will be born - cold, merciless and utterly brutal, mimicking Mohamed Thakurufaan's calculating attacks - on SO thugs, PPM supporters and activists; striking in the dead of the night, with all the hatred and bitterness of the fallen.
The war of attrition will continue for months, perhaps for years, until the entire Maumoon gang and their gundaas is executed.
@Maldivian Man on Thu, 12th Sep 2013 2:11 PM
“Once peaceful resistance becomes impossible, violent revolution becomes inevitable.”
The MDP will be burnt to ashes; and from that ashes, a new movement of radical paramilitary rebels will be born – cold, merciless and utterly brutal..."
There's a nice "Lord of the Rings" twist to your prophecy. I think Yameen is quite content to let Gasim make a fool of himself. After all, it's a win-win situation for him:
(1) If Gasim makes some headway through the corrupt judiciary, it will indirectly benefit him anyway.
(2) If Gasim is made to look like the biggest fool in the history of the Maldives, Yameen is betting that JP supporters will flock to his side.
It's a calculated game of risk and reward.
Maldivian Man on Thu, 12th Sep 2013 2:11 PM
Sounds like the beginning of the next chapter.
One way or other 5 things are certain.
1. Dead people cannot resurrect and vote.
2. One person cannot vote more than once.
3. A party with 25% of the electorate ( could be
much higher??) insists that they have evidence for
1 &2.
4. PPM & MDP both parties agree they too have
Reservations and issues as to how the election went on the 7th and offer to intervene in the court case initiated by JP.
5. The computers were conveniently not working for huge tracks of time so much so the results announced was a mess with no two news outlets reporting identical figures and the Election Commisioner unable to give the figures in real time to check the news stations results.
Given these ground realities it's suddenly becoming clear that it's in the interests of the fledgling democracy in Maldives that the complaints raised be addressed in the most transparent way possible.
The fact is that manipulating electoral lists occurs even in stellar democracies like the USA where many black voters in the last 2 elections who would have been for the most part voting democrats was unable to vote.
It's only when such occurrences are recognised and the issues addressed that the voting public would gain confidence in the system. The system evolves for the better even though it might not help the complainant.
The fact is that what we saw on the 7th - the orderly queues, lack of violence - is the tip of the ice berg. What lies beneath it would seem is quiet a lot.
Dr Qassim at the risk of appearing an "idiot" has ... Yes! With his PhD's taken on himself to clear away the cobwebs. This one act whatever it hasn't achieved has made the vote to be held on the 28th that much harder to rig ( i'm not claiming there has been rigging) and hopefully that much harder to contest.
That is so only if the election Commission addresses the concerns raised by all the parties in the most transparent manner possible. If that is achieved even if Gassims tally is reduced it would be edifying for our nascent institutions.
Who can deny the stakes?
what is undeniably at play here are two visions for Maldives?? - Two views diametrically opposed to each other - "To be or not to be a secular Maldives where Islam has only a personal private place in society with no role in public life".
Voila'!
Isn't that the choice? It's obvious that given the game changing nature of the choice the choice needs to be
1. Be put to the Maldivian people in all honesty sans any dressing.
2. The will of the people recorded and counted in all honesty and transparency - transparent enough to see the whole ice-berg; both it's tip and the colossal base.
If honesty and transparency is not done and seen to be done in both 1 & 2 it's not rocket science that there is every risk that history would repeat itself. One who ignores lessons from history is wilfully blinding oneself.
So looks like the oft maligned philanthropist cum oligarch par excellence in Maldives one way or other has read the plot of the unfolding drama much better than the ahemm philosophers and our pundits with deliciously slick pens.
May Allah Bless You.
Ha! Ha! Haaaa :-). (I laugh at my own nativity - of course!!!)
Peace!
Correction "I laugh at my own naivety" not "nativity" .