February 20, 2015 – Minivan News

Additional reporting by Ismail Humaam Hamid and Mohamed Saif Fathih

The Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) and Jumhooree Party (JP) marched in Malé last night in a bid to rally supporters for a massive demonstration on February 27.

MDP Chairperson Ali Waheed said the February 27 gathering would usher in “a second February 7,” referring to the day former President Mohamed Nasheed resigned in 2012 following a police and army mutiny.

The allied opposition parties claim the ruling Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM) has repeatedly violated the constitution. They have held nightly protests since February 11 calling on President Abdulla Yameen to resign. The PPM has described the protests as an attempt to disrupt the peace and dismissed the opposition’s claims as baseless.

“When a government oversteps its bounds, the public must stand up. We must come out tomorrow night as well. Especially on February 27, the second February 7, everyone must come out onto the streets, with their families, as if it were an Eid,” Waheed told reporters.

Opposition supporters, led by MDP’s Nasheed and JP leader Gasim Ibrahim, set out from Usfasgandu at 8:30 pm, circled the city of Malé and stopped at police barricades in front of the Maldives Monetary Authority building.

Four opposition supporters carrying MDP flags were arrested from the Republican Square after the march ended at 1:00am.

Speaking to reporters last night, Nasheed said Yameen’s administration had lost all legitimacy with the JP’s recent split from the coalition.

“There is no support for President Yameen. We believe Maldives needs fresh elections,” he said.

Gasim told reporters the JP had been forced to the streets to establish justice and end executive influence on independent institutions.

“I believe in a government of the people by the people,” he said.

As the opposition marched, the PPM held a rally at the Alimas Carnival in support of President Yameen and announced two MPs and 15 councilors had defected from the JP to the ruling party.

In the crowd

Businessmen Ali Hussein, 49, said he was protesting to prevent a slide into authoritarianism: “If we do not protest now, Yameen will do whatever he can to stay in power.”

Aishath Ismail, 32, concurred, saying “We have to get rid of the government for the sake of our children.” The opposition rallies represented the real public, she said, alleging a PPM march on Thursday evening had been attended by “paid thugs.”

The PPM’s 400-strong march prior to its evening rally, consisted mostly of young men wearing pink head bands. Some had their faces covered. Tourism Minister Adeeb said MDP labeled young men as thugs, and said only the elderly supported the opposition.

An Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital worker at the opposition rally who wished to remain anonymous said she was a loyal MDP supporter and had no issues working with JP supporters, despite their key role in Nasheed’s ouster in 2012.

“We can stomach it. Yameen’s government has no principles. They are robbing the people, they are all thieves,” she said.

Meanwhile, Latheef, a loyal supporter of Gasim said the “MDP and JP are the same, with similar ideologies, even if they fight from time to time.”

“The whole country is in ruins. How can Yameen rule when he is so frequently out of the country?”

MDP Chairperson Waheed described the turnout as “an encouragement” to all citizens and said 20,000 people would participate in the Feb 27 rally.

President Yameen last night called on Gasim to remember the events of February 7 and end his alliance with the MDP. He also warned Nasheed he would not hesitate to implement a jail sentence, referring to stalled criminal charges over the detention of Criminal Court Judge Abdulla Mohamed in January 2012.

Yameen’s former Defense Minister Mohamed Nazim is currently in police custody on charges of treason and terrorism.

Related to this story

Two JP MPs and 15 councilors defect to PPM

Hundreds march in support of President Yameen

Nasheed defends coalition with former rivals

Opposition street demonstrations head into third consecutive night

Opposition alliance a “waste of time”, says Gayoom

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Two MPs and 15 councillors of former ruling coalition partner Jumhooree Party joined the Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM) at an estimated 2,000-strong rally at the Alimas Carnival tonight.

The PPM announced that Kanditheemu MP Mohamed Hussein and Madaveli Muaz Mohamed Rasheed had defected to the party earlier this week, but could not be present at tonight’s rally since they were both out of the country.

The defections come in the wake of JP’s alliance with opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) against the ruling party’s alleged repeated violations of the constitution.

Speaking to supporters, President Abdulla Yameen called on JP’s remaining 10 MPs to switch parties, claiming they had been elected on a coalition ticket with the majority support from PPM followers.

With the JP’s split from the PPM, “I do not see any legal basis for you to remain with the Jumhooree Party. The majority of your support base is PPM supporters,” he said.

The PPM along with ally Maldivian Development Alliance (MDA) now control 51 seats of the 85-member house. JP and MDP hold 10 and 21 seats, respectively.

President Yameen also appealed to JP Leader Gasim Ibrahim to remember the events of February 7, 2012 in which the JP and PPM allied to oust former President Mohamed Nasheed.

“Gasim Ibrahim, you are our brother, you worked with us in the cabinet, and in various political platforms, and in the People’s Majlis, you were with us on that black February 7. Why don’t you just remind yourself of February 7, 2012? If you only remind yourself of February 7, I do not believe you would do the kind of work you are doing now.”

Yameen also warned Nasheed he would not hesitate to implement a jail sentence, referring to pending charges over the detention of Criminal Court Judge Abdulla Mohamed in January 2012.

“Makes me laugh”

PPM leader and former president of 30 years, Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, said the opposition parties’ alliance in defence of the constitution “makes me laugh.”

“Those who stand up in defence of the constitution must first respect the constitution and uphold its tenets. Otherwise, it is just nonsense. How can those who violate the constitution defend the constitution?” he asked.

Gayoom described the allied parties’ call for the overthrow of President Yameen’s administration through street protests as illegal.

“The constitution does not recognise the overthrowing of a government,” he said.

At tonight’s rally, PPM supporters ridiculed Gasim, broadcasting an animated video in which a crocodile accused the tourism tycoon of failing to pay taxes and rent owed to the government.

Tourism Minister Ahmed Adeeb has previously claimed Gasim owed the state US$100 million, a claim Gasim has subsequently denied.

Earlier this month, Adeeb annulled lease agreements of three uninhibited islands and three lagoons reportedly given to Gasim’s Villa Group under a settlement agreement when Kaadehdhoo Airport and several uninhibited islands were taken from the company and nationalised.

The matter is being contested at the Civil Court.

Gasim’s backing was crucial for Yameen’s narrow presidential win in November 2013. In a re-run of the first round of polling, Yameen won 29 percent, Gasim 23 percent and Nasheed 46.9 percent.

The PPM and JP allied, contested January’s local council elections and March’s parliamentary polls after divvying up the seats between them on a pre-arranged percentages. The coalition fractured with the PPM’s refusal to support Gasim’s bid for Majlis Speakership in May 2013.

Despite declaring a split from the PPM then, the JP continued to support the government’s legislative agenda, backing the controversial Special Economic Zone Act after the government downgraded Gasim’s Villa Group’s International Airport on Maamigili Island and terminated a contract with Villa on managing Kaadedhoo airport.

When JP backed the SEZ bill, the government reversed both decisions.

The allied opposition parties have accused the PPM government of authoritarianism, harassing political rivals and repeatedly violating the constitution by unlawfully dismissing the Auditor General and two Supreme Court judges.

Yameen’s former Defense Minister Mohamed Nazim is currently in police custody on charges of treason and terrorism.

The PPM rally follows a march this evening in which hundreds of young men marched in support of President Yameen.

Supporters of the MDP and JP continued their nightly protests tonight in front of the Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA).

Photo courtesy of @asurumaa