The Commonwealth’s human rights and democracy arm has “expressed concern at developments” in the Maldives following the first round of elections.
The Supreme Court last week suspended the run-off election indefinitely after the third-placed candidate with 24.07 percent, Gasim Ibrahim, demanded the vote be annulled alleging widespread electoral fraud and declared “God Willing, Gasim will be President on November 11″.
The party of second-placed candidate Abdulla Yameen – the Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM) which attained 25.35 percent of the vote behind front-runner Mohamed Nasheed’s 45.45 percent – backed Gasim’s court case. Attorney General Azima Shukoor – formerly Yameen’s lawyer – also intervened against the Elections Commission (EC). A verdict is expected at the next hearing.
The Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) on Friday meanwhile noted that its election observation team had determined the September 7 polls were “a credible electoral process and met the standards for democratic elections to which Maldives has committed itself.”
“Ministers further noted that national and other international observers had concluded that the 7 September election was competently administered, and that the Maldivian people had been free to express their will through the ballot,” CMAG stated.
“In this context, CMAG Ministers expressed concern at developments since the declaration of results of the first round poll, with one unsuccessful party having filed a case with the Supreme Court to annul the first round of the election because of alleged electoral fraud, and the Supreme Court subsequently issuing an injunction to delay the second round of the election until a court ruling is delivered in that case,” the statement read.
“Noting that, under the Constitution of Maldives, a new President is required to be sworn in by 11 November 2013, CMAG Ministers urged all those concerned to ensure that the second round of the election is held at the earliest possible date so that this constitutional requirement is met,” the statement added.
Following CMAG’s meeting in New York on Friday, Canadian Foreign Minister John Baird joined Maldivian pro-democracy demonstrators outside the Australian consulate.
Following the Supreme Court’s indefinite suspension of the election last week, Baird in a statement had warned the delay was “troublesome and can only lead to more instability”, and pushed for the Maldives to be put on CMAG’s formal agenda.
Government responds
The Maldivian Foreign Ministry meanwhile put out a statement noting “media speculation” that the Maldives could be placed on the group’s agenda.
“The current political situation in the Maldives is one in which the Government is upholding constitutional supremacy, and the rule of law. Therefore, questions about placing the Maldives on the formal agenda of the CMAG are nothing more than speculations and have no basis,” the statement read.
Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr Mariyam Shakeela represented the Maldives at the CMAG meeting, “and advocated on the need for reforming the Group in order to make the body a more effective and credible one that can help, not hamper, democracy consolidation in the Commonwealth member countries,” the statement read.
“The Minister also highlighted on the need for the CMAG to take matters in proper context, and not to over-react on delicate situations in member countries,” it added.
Following the meeting, Minister Shakeela “expressed pleasure about the deliberations and noted that as a member of the CMAG, the Maldives believes that the Group’s credibility can only be maintained if careful, considered, and impartial decisions are made on critical issues of importance relating to members of the Commonwealth.”
Deputy Leader of Gasim’s Jumhooree Party, Dr Ibrahim Didi, was meanwhile quoted in Sun Online as calling on CMAG not to “enslave or threaten” the Maldives.
“We are ready to leave the Commonwealth if necessary,” Sun reported Didi as saying.
“Some Maldivians think we will starve if we leave the Commonwealth. But this won’t happen. Some people think it is a big organisation and that if they cut assistance we will starve. The Commonwealth have only given us a few diploma courses,” he stated.
Indian High Commissioner summoned
The Maldivian government has also summoned Indian High Commissioner Rajeev Shahare to express what Sun Online reported was “discontent” over the High Commissioner’s meeting with Elections Commissioner (EC) Fuwad Thowfeek on Friday.
Shahare met with Thowfeek at the EC shortly before the building was surround by police, carrying orders to take over the building and ballot papers should EC staff continue with preparations for holding Saturday’s scheduled election.
Sun reported a Foreign Ministry official as stating that Shahare met with officials at 7:00pm on Friday.
“We had a meeting with the Indian High Commissioner [Friday] night, but we cannot reveal details of the meeting,” Sun quoted the official as saying.
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Proud to say we want a secular nation.!!!
Religion is personal.
Government is national, multicultural, international.
Secular government is the only way forward.
All this stuff started when Anni screwed around with the Judiciary. Now, the system is biting back.
Politicians should have never messed around with the Judiciary - now Maldives is heading towards a banana republic.
Let's take a look:
(1) “We are ready to leave the Commonwealth if necessary,” Sun reported Didi as saying.
Go on then. What's stopping you? You're part of the illegal regime that's in power now.
(2) Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr Mariyam Shakeela represented the Maldives at the CMAG meeting, “and advocated on the need for reforming the Group...
This just cracked me up. Would have been good if this came out on April 1st. The Maldives, a tin pot little banana Republic run by an illegal regime is advising the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group to reform itself? Have you guys lost your mind?
(3) “The current political situation in the Maldives is one in which the Government is upholding constitutional supremacy, and the rule of law."
Let's see. A man who has committed the most vile of crimes, and punishable by death under Islamic Sharia is sitting on the Supreme Court bench and "upholding" the "rule of law" by signing verdicts ordering the security forces to use any means necessary to stop the people exercising their democratic right to elect a leader!
The Maldives has reached a point of no return. Irreparable damage has already been done.
My vote to Nasheed will be guaranteed if Nasheed can explain how a person who was staying in Malaysia on 7th Sept. could have casted his vote in Maldives.
If this can be explained to me, I will vote for Nasheed.
Who is Didi to say about leaving Commonwealth. This alone shows their narrow mindedness. Does he know the amount of assistance n aid we get from International organization. Who with a normal brain would accept Supreme Court verdict with a judge who have committed adultery. This is becoming banana republic. Maumoon wants to tell people only him n his family can rule. You don't care for the people you care for the lavish life you can live with your family. Why can't leave this country in peace. Laughing at the common people because they did not get the right to vote. Commonwealth put us in this soup by conveniently accepting CONI report. Now for humanity sake they have to get us out if this.
ok.now you guys can go and stuff yourselves
@facts
I will vote for you if you can explain how you know about somebody who stayed in Malaysia and voted in Maldives?
The moral support that some Maldivians groups are giving to Brtish Commonwealth should hopefully help to liven up the Organisation and perhaps bring Britian closer to restoring the Empire, and restore some loss after loosing India
Good work by our Maldivian lads
Not hardly strong enough. BCP mobilized Baird into action but the current statement is more in the vein of platitudes and posturing rather than clear action.
The Maldivian government appears to be ready to withstand condemnation of this sort. Although I would not hope for stronger action or more recalcitrance from our side. Even the slightest shock to our economy can spell doom.
At least now we can see Nasheed was right to arrest the judge in 2012. All roads in a dictatorship lead to a corrupt Supreme Court just look at every failed African country.
@Patriot on Sun, 29th Sep 2013 2:35 AM.
This is Patriot calling Patriot!
Sorry boy! You are not half as close to even a phony duplicate!
If you would care; I will tell you what happened.
BECOMING a banana republic??? We have been a banana republic forever. Gayoom making sure he gets all the bananas!!!
"Ahmed on Sun, 29th Sep 2013 11:53 AM
At least now we can see Nasheed was right to arrest the judge in 2012. All roads in a dictatorship lead to a corrupt Supreme Court just look at every failed African country."
This was the point when the country went to the dogs.
Baird brained?
Aren't diplomats barred from taking political sides on other nations' domestic affairs, even if they are white n comes from America's backyard?
Perhaps long history of nasty Canadian jokes have forced baird to play big in really small waters.
No time for being insular and navel gaze. We are being hijacked yet again by the same sorry few. We can tell outsiders off for passing comment on our own affairs, but it doesn't mean that they are wrong. They are just telling us what some of us don't want to see. All this talk by the current govt of "reforming" this and that just means tainting them with the same corrupt brush that they are hanging onto. Good luck to them and their self interest.
@facts on Sun, 29th Sep 2013 9:55 AM
"My vote to Nasheed will be guaranteed if Nasheed can explain how a person who was staying in Malaysia on 7th Sept. could have casted his vote in Maldives."
Alright, Mr pea-brain, Kuribee or whatever the f**k you want to be called now. Pray, tell us, which candidate did this "staying in Malaysia" person vote for? If you know that he/she was in Malaysia and voted in the Maldives, then you must also know who they voted for.
What's clear is this: JP has dug up a list of those who defrauded the election process by voting for Gasim! This is how they know all these details. Now, they're trying to frame the EC and MDP! Hassan Saeed can shove his legal dongle up his backside where the sun doesn't shine.
We see that Qayyum, his family and his supporters with a handful of businessmen hijacking a nation and impeding its democratic ambitions. A government that is widely seen to be illegitimate and continuing to use Police, Military and the corrupt judiciary to crush the opposition. Now the fundamental right of voting is stolen. Continuous abuse of power, death threats and uncountable breach of the constitution and protocol.
The international community is releasing statements after statements. PPM, Qasim,Adaalath and the rough government is deaf ear and challenging the international communities authority and legitimacy. Openly spreading xenophobia and religious hatred in intolerance.
How far of a mess does this country have to go before the international community act. Ok, if boycotting tourism is too hash of an action then at least they can impose a travel Ban nf the government officials and those individuals who are involved in foul play.
This shows there is no genuine desire by the international community to help Maldives on its democratic future.