President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan has said he does not want to stay on as President when his term expires on November 11, as uncertainty continues to hang over the possibility of holding an election after police forcibly stopped Saturday’s polls.
“It is not in the best interest of this country if there is no elected president when the current presidential term ends on November 10. I do not want to stay in this position even a day beyond November 11,” Waheed told the press today.
The Supreme Court verdict, which annulled the first round of election held on September 7, also said Waheed’s government should continue past November 11 if there is no president elect. The Jumhooree Party (JP) and Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM) have pledged their support to Waheed staying on, but former President and Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) presidential candidate Mohamed Nasheed has called for Waheed to resign, allowing a transitional government under the Speaker of Parliament to oversee elections.
Waheed was Nasheed’s former deputy and took over power in February 2012 after Nasheed resigned following a police and military mutiny.
The Supreme Court and People’s Majlis must also be involved in deciding an interim arrangement, Waheed said and added that he does not know what to do should the country fail to elect a president.
“It is not me who will decide on an arrangement post November 11. It is not me who will decide that right? There are others who should shoulder the responsibility. I believe the Supreme Court and the People’s Majlis need to think about this,” he said.
The best way forward was to hold first round on November 2 and if necessary hold a second round on November 9, Waheed said. He has called on the Elections Commission and all presidential candidates to continue talks and come to an agreement on dates and solve the disputes over the voter registry.
Holding an election is not the government’s responsibility, but that of the EC, he repeatedly said. However, the government would not support an election in which majority of presidential candidates refused to contest.
Speaking of the police’s halt of Saturday’s election, Waheed said: “The government’s position was that the government could not support an election that all candidates could not participate in, in violation of the Supreme Court guidelines, an election only one candidate was to participate in. So police told the Elections Commission in writing that they would not support an election in violation of Supreme Court guidelines. Stopping support and stopping an election are very different.”
An hour before polls were to open on Saturday, police surrounded the Elections Commission and forcibly prevented it from proceeding with the scheduled election, stating that they would not facilitate an election in which all three presidential candidates refuse to sign the voter registry. Police had previously obstructed run-off elections due to be held on September 28.
EC President Fuwad Thowfeek has condemned police’s obstruction of elections and said the elections process must not be subject to the whim of candidates. Further, failure of PPM and JP to do what they must do does not mean citizen should be deprived of their right to vote, Thowfeek said.
However, Waheed said elections must only proceed on procedures agreed to by all candidates. At present the elections crisis was not a legal matter, but a political matter and hence must be solved through dialogue.
“I believe not everything can be solved legally. This is a political matter. So politicians must speak to each other, give in when they need to, and come to an agreement. When a date is fixed, [an election] can only succeed when all candidates agree and facilitate the process.
“I will say again, it is not in the interest of the Maldives to hold an election in which only one candidate can contest. The entire international community in the past year and half pressured me not to hold an election that President Nasheed cannot contest. Many parties tried to take action against President Nasheed. I am happy today that President Nasheed can contest. Similarly, President Nasheed has to be happy that other candidates can take part. President Nasheed should not take part in an election that other candidates cannot contest in. If he does so, we should question his moral principles,” he said.
“An election by force cannot be held in the Maldives. An election by force will only cause bloodshed. I will not allow that. To anyone. No matter what the international community says, and no matter what political parties say, my utmost responsibility today is Maldivian citizen’s security. So I will not allow that,” he added.
The United Nations, the Commonwealth, the European Union and several foreign governments including the United States, the United Kingdom and India have urged elections to be expedited.
Waheed said although he accepted advice from foreign organizations, it would be him who made the final decision.
“People of our country are not any less capable or less educated than those in other countries, even the Western countries. They cannot come and tell us what to do. We have lived in difficult places. More difficult places than that in which people who are coming to give lessons have lived in. I have lived. I know. The dangers and opportunities in the Maldives. We do things with the advice of others. The Commonwealth’s advice and other governments. But I will make the last decision. People will slander [me]. A lot of foul things have been said about me. There is none worse than me in the international media. But today, I must not consider what people are saying. I have to consider the country’s interests. To carry the country forward without any bloodshed.”
Waheed has appointed Defense Minister Mohamed Nazim as a mediator between political parties to solve the voter registry dispute, but said an agreement had not yet been found despite several attempts.
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Mr Puppet President alias Mohamed Waheed,
By appointing Mohamed Nazeem you have effectively put a full stop to any dialogue being taking place. Being the puppet of Gayyoom and Qasim you cannot talk against anything they do even if they engage in day light robbery.
You should be ashamed of yourself and at least be your own master now and get yourslef released from the likes of Maumoon, Qasim, Abdulla Riyaz and Mohamed Nazim. Show to your children you atleast have some self respect and courage.
A good statement all in all. Heading an unpopular government dominated by fractious political parties is not an easy task.
Also it is no secret that President Waheed had little control over his government.
Yet the man makes a fair point. Ideally political parties should not be allowed to frustrate legal processes by griping about it. However the political divisions in Maldives will only worsen if an election was held without taking the practical and political consequences into consideration.
The dictator is gone but it is obvious he is still ruling the country.
All his puppets are ensuring no election takes place unless their master maintains absolute power.
The master will decide when to organise the elections, who will participate and most importantly who he wants to win.
With all due respect this current Defense Minister you elude to, who everyone knows is a representative of the old dictatorship and someone seriously implicated in the recent coup,this person cannot be considered an objective mediator. Do we need a bully to deal with his own bullies? Really? Who are you trying to fool?
As for Waheed, he hasn't got a leg to stand on, with his talk of potential bloodshed, and saviour of the nation speak. The sheer hypocrisy of it. He could have saved us some serious mess by saying no to the presidential puppetry that was handed to him on a plate. These, today are the consequences of his actions.
He can blame the international community, he can blame Nasheed,but in the end he must face the call of his conscience and accept responsibility where it is due - and try and make amends instead of continuing on this path of self deceit.
One year in the President's seat,has Madam had her fill? Now time to decide - do you still play to the tune of your increasingly fractious masters with their Supreme Courtships , or do you finally do the decent thing as a human being,i.e. try to save your shredded soul and ensure due diligence and justice where it is due. Do what you can to see good governance at last in your country that is so ready for it on the whole. That, dear so called Mr President is the choice you have to make.To most of us its a no-brainer.
All this talk of blood and danger and we Maldivians and our "Maldivian story for Maldivian eyes only" - are you trying to hint that we are in the grip of a band of thugs - or are you trying to say that we are all involved in this road towards violence? Can't you see that some of us, most of us, want peace and we want change and that the two things come to the same?Do we really have to spell it out to you or did the Ivy League or wherever you went to teach you nothing?
Can you face yourself for the shame you have brought upon our once peaceful land, a country that still has a vision? Answer that one with a clear conscience. At least, just try.
A decision that would allow MDP government to pardon Waheed on crimes related to the coup and derailing the economy. One sensible decision in his short tenure.
The same should apply to Nazim, Riyaz and Azima. A one way ticket to Malaysia would be the best option as they will automatically lose their jobs on Nov.9th and they are still around by Nov.11, then they will definitely be arrested.
As for gayoom, its a matter of time before nature calls!
Alright, so there's a chance that this guy might continue to squat in the President's Office even beyond 11th November.
Now, here's the good news. Apart from MDP/DRP there isn't a credible party that can come to power. Why?
(1) Gasim is a lunatic. He can't see beyond a few days ahead; his mind doesn't stretch that far. All he cares right now is to get on the seat of the President.
(2) Gasim's coalition is a bit like a poor man's version of Noah's Ark. Unlike Noah's Ark, Gasim's ark is full of very unfit characters. So if Gasim ever comes to office, his ark of dogs, cats, pigeons, monkeys and other assorted animals will just revert to their old ways - animals will always be animals. The ark will sink, and there'll be mayhem.
(3) Yameen and Jameel are about as likely to get elected as a pair of baboons to lead a team of Gorillas, i.e. very unlikely.
(4) A Gasim/Yameen coalition would make about as much sense as a half human - half chimp, or a humanzee, i.e. totally ridiculous.
In a small town like Maldives only special interest groups would rule. ALWAYS. Democracy is just a front to woo the naive and the young.
Watch the TED.
http://edition.cnn.com/2013/10/20/opinion/papandreou-ted-democracy/index.html?hpt=hp_c1
Dr. Waheed you will be recorded in the annals of Maldivian history as weak puppet and a traitor. I doubt you could change that now, but if you go along with JP PMM plan and stay in power beyong Nov 11 you would be vilest spineless man ever
What a mess of his own making.
As a tourist and having read the aforementioned - strong words - in reality, this is the way it is.
Now is the time we need strong leadership. Anni is the perfect candidate.
For the country. For the people.
The country is barely moving now. We need to align our priorities and start progressing.
We have literally destroyed this generation with hate and contempt towards each other.
For our children's sake, we better patch up and go with a strong leader and move forward as a nation.
President Waheeds is almost gone, going & will be gone. Diplomat, Democrat & Citizen few leaders in Maldives have been subject to such vilification as this man. He has every right to throw in the towel and agree with his loved ones urging him to say enough is enough. However I suspect that in his breast burns a fierce fire of love for his motherland that had nurtured him for so long and made the man he is – proudly able to hold his own with credit I must say against any contemporary leader on the world stage.
Nay! It’s not my intension to beat the drums of this man. But reading the comments here so negative, so vile, so devoid of objectivity; in the name of decency of my country I thought it my duty to note my appreciation for the great service he did this country. I believe there are many good Maldivians out there who might share my view.
To set the record straight let’s remember that Dr Waheed stepped in to take the reins of this country when the sitting President resigned. We were in a point of history when the Democratic reforms we embraced were being trampled with the arbitrary arrest of political opponents of the executive, rampant bribing and buying off MP’s, Gross interference in the judiciary, Brazen disregard for the religio-socio-cultural sensitivities of the electorate & with people like Reeko openly calling on MDP platforms for civil disobedience & citizens courts on the road to sidestep the judiciary. To further inflame a once hopeful electorate state assets were being sold off before their eyes.
This was the state of Maldives in 2008, the conditions so Dior that the people were ripe for revolution. Indeed an increasing reckless President with an incredibly inept set of elite were actually on the verge of scrapping the entire judiciary and declaring a state of emergency when on the 7th of Feb all the frustrations of a muzzled population erupted in a quasi-revolution that brought a President on his knees and his resignation.
All this occurred under the watchful eyes of our neighbour & often our benevolent friend India. They saw the gathering storm and perhaps had known where it would end. The temperature of the day cooled in no small measure to the Constitution and a fast thinking trio of a Speaker, Chief Justice and a much maligned Defence minister. In that juncture if DR Waheed hadn’t the courage to accept the responsibility placed on him we might very well have killed & buried a much hated president. The mood of that day’s crowd was decidedly ugly & it was one man’s calmness and dignity that coaxed a nation from the brink of spontaneous death & Destruction. That man of the hour was President Waheed. So………
Thank-You Mr President, May the angels join us in our prayers for you and your family. Farewell soon for now and many of us hope to see you soon – Insha Allah!
Its a continuation :-)Please scroll down. This is my set English assignment. I'll let you know what grade I got:-)
May I add that it was these unfolding events listed above were closely followed by India our benevolent big-brother that advised the International Community to recognise President Waheeds Govt. Subsequently President Waheed was President of the Maldives and being the Democrat he is, he listened to the voice of the electorate & so had to get rid of the Corrupt GMR and earned the displeasure of India, the eye-piece through which the rest of the world see Maldives.
Even so, the position of India and by extension the world powers are instructive. It’s clear that Maldives is a miniscule country with its 300,000 people striving very hard to make Democracy work.
In just its 5 years history of Democracy, this country has in fact halted in his track - an almost run-away President, saw in place a minority President running a country with tact and diplomacy – against all odds, and embarked on the scheduled vote and finally now has dealt with alleged vote rigging allegedly assisted by the electoral Commission itself. All this has been done without the security forces taking the law into its own hands – within the constitution. This is a remarkable feat for such a baby Democracy.
In my opinion The Established Democracies of the world have to be ashamed of them-selves. They as seasoned Democracies having had DECADES of Democracy to mature didn’t have the sagacity to see that Democracy cannot take root in ANY country on a foundation of trampling the laws of the land, due process & its constitution.
India & the Western Democracies aided and abetted the trampling the rule of law in the country – & they would perhaps say for political expediency. In my opinion it’s the one blemish in an otherwise exemplary record of Dr Waheed that he was unable to demonstrate and instill in the Maldivian Public - by example, the primacy of the law and due legal process. Thus doesn’t it become legitimate to ask of the Western powers & India ……. what they have learned from the DECADES of Democracy? Which they RIGHTFULLY trumpet about – If they cannot figure out for themselves that the Rule of Law is the foundation on which mutual consultation as found in a Democracy is built on.
Indeed, any kid growing up in Maldives would have learnt the primacy of the rule of law in his/her mother’s lap whilst listening to the reign of a Abu Bakr or Umar bin Khattab – May Allah be pleased with them.
I hope from that from all this, Maldivians recognise that Western Democracies do not practice the high BEAUTIFUL standards they subscribe to. They fall far short in their performance in relation to their commendable theory and often are seen to trample rule of law. Their History, Their day to day performance in trouble spots in the globe points to one pointer – that they are masters at trampling justice and encouraging others to trample rule of law – for political reasons; when it suits them. We are seeing this in their meddling in the Maldives. They are blind in one eye!
Gear Democrazy,
It is said that the ruthless cunning very bad people live longer to pay for their crimes before they are condemned to hell fires. Nature may take her time in calling him in.
Dear Jason,
You clearly love him very much, you are most probably one of his three children, a close relative or a friend. This must be very hard for you to read and digest, but instead of defending him please help him own up to his mistakes now, so that we could forgive him one day. At least he will then have some peace in his oldage...
Fraudian slip Waheed calls Anni President Nasheed! Writing is on the wall! Rise up people make it a reality.
Lets go for a "fenna" "nufenna" about whaheed's continuation.
waheed has done an impressive job considering the pressure faced internally and from abroad. unfortunately maldivians are more impressed by people who are corrupt and who want to show their 'nulafaakan'