This article first appeared on Dhivehisitee. Republished with permission.
Presidential candidate No 1 Gasim Ibrahim, who came third on Saturday’s vote count with 24 per cent, has refused to accept the result and threatened to create mayhem on the streets of Male’ until he is declared winner.
“I will be taking the oath on 11 November,” Gasim declared at a rally held at Maafannu Kunooz, a Jumhooree Party jagaha [hub] in Male’.
And to make that happen, Gasim and his team of agitators will lead the kind of street activities that culminated with the 7 February 2012 coup.
Their strategy goes something like this: a) declare the Elections Commission a corrupt organisation that engineered a 45 percent majority for MDP candidate Mohamed Nasheed through fraud; b) denigrate Nasheed as Laa Dheenee [godless] scum who would erase Islam from the Maldives; c) ‘protest’ on the streets of Male’ until security forces are forced to crack down on them; d) make a free and fair democratic election impossible.
“People have been convicted and punished for stealing a spoon, an egg. But nothing has been done against the man who violated our Constitution,” Sheikh Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed, current Islamic Minister, screamed into the microphone.
‘We have to save our country and citizens from Nasheed’s Laa Dheene philosophy. Under no circumstances must we allow him to become our leader again,’ he said, calling upon the ‘Maldivian Ummah’ to rise up against him. Scores of men and women clapped and shouted ‘Allah Akbar! Allah Akbar!’
One after another the most prominent hate-mongers in the country came on stage – Sheikh Imran Abdulla, the leader of Adhaalath; State Minister of Home Affairs Abdulla Mohamed [Madhanee Ablow]; and Umar Naseer, Commando in Chief of the Coup. Looking on, applauding and cheering the hate and fitna were Gasim-allied dignitaries such as Gayoom’s brother-in-law Ilyas Ibrahim and Abdulla Kamaldeen, and educated people who should know better like Gasim’s running-mate Dr Hassan Saeed.
The speakers threatened Elections Commissioner Fuwad Thowfeek and mocked his wife as a supporter of the MDP. Umar Naseer ended his threats against Thowfeek by saying: “If you want to leave the country, you should do it now.”
Umar Naseer threatened violence, saying neither he nor Gasim or any of their followers will hesitate to spill their blood ‘for God and country.’
Expect similar hate-mongering for the next four nights, after which they will come out on the streets “until the Elections Commission gives in and declares the first round last Saturday null and void, or Gasim the winner.”
I am not sure how many international observers for these elections are still in Male’, or how many of them watched this hatred being spewed out live on Gasim’s VTV. It was all in Dhivehi, but there were many warnings intended for international ears.
“This is an internal matter that no foreigners have any say in. Stay out of it,” several of them, especially Sheikh Shaheem, declared repeatedly.
I hope the observers are, at the very least, taking note of all this and listening to the threat that Umar Naseer put thus: “Mohamed Nasheed will not be able to win these elections, whatever it takes.”
If these threats fall on deaf ears, it will be easy to make the same mistake as last time when the Commission of National Inquiry [CoNI], endorsed by the Commonwealth, ruled that the 23 nights of protests that led to the end of Nasheed’s government were “spontaneous” and “natural”.
There is nothing natural about any of this.
Dr Azra Naseem has a PhD in international relations
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Why did the goverment announce the building of new prison, they better build Psychiatric hospitals on a far away island
For the last two years mdp have been saying the same kinds of things about 'baagees' and mocking the judge selvam like thowfeek.but im sure azra sees no wrong there since it was mdp.
listen u undeucated fools, qasim spent so much money effort and goodwill on the maldivian people that it is not even the least or most bit probable that he coulde have lose this powerful election. most people reject laadheenee nasheed and drugman Yameen, so how only Qasim won only 25% of ballot votes? corruption and MDP tricks are the answers. Qasim for president!
We will surely put en end to this coup regime. If you think logically there would be a dead people on voters list because no one know when he/she will be dead. If someone dies just after publishing the final voters list, no one has any rights whatsoever to change it. In this case there will be dead people in voters list. How can a dead morgue will walk on the streets and stay in voting Que without making the very next person scared lol
Hey umm...guys.
This election was rigged because there is evidence of vote rigging by Gasim's statements.
FACT: Think about it! Why would he say it was rigged if it was not? come on people!
FACT: Fuad Thaufeeq's wife's cousin's brother-in-law's illegitimate daughter's pen friend's BFF is a known MDP supporter!
FACT: Everybidy knows Anni is laadheenee so vote rigging is in his nacher!
How can you deny FACTS?>! GOD!
Fighting for a human right, personal or otherwise is not a problem, I believe!
Protesting and peacefully demonstrating against such a claim is
a requirement, I believe!
But threatening with violence is the most immature, insane and worst thing a leader (especially) can do!
Poor Rich Gasim is totally gone crazy! Lol!
What you can expect from some people who believe black magic can influence quantum reality. These are the morons who deep inside believed that their prayer was heard and caused the fall of Anni government. There is no way that they can get along with the reality that there never was any prayer heard , these morons are psychopaths and will never understand that what happens is the consequence of some actions. These kind of psychopaths are dangerous, they believe their god has listened to them but evil doers have changed the course god has set for them and it is the duty of believers to fight against it. If the situation is not corrected by sane people you can have dire consequence.
There few things Mullahs should know:
1 -You can’t change the world and nature. Today every human being is connect trough quantum reality every single person on the face 0f earth can read the mind of every single person on the planet and as a result you have a cocktail of thoughts floating in cyber space influencing every human being on the globe and you can’t do anything about it.
2- No president of Maldives will be able to eradicate Islam by himself in Maldives because there is no platform for him to exercise such radical move. This will come naturally because of the nature how the world is connected and there will be people who will question about their faith because of this Cyber brain.
3-Your ideology of Extremism will not work in Maldives, and this is already proved through ballot box and you have to digest it. Once critical thinking and modern education get foot in the Maldives there will be less and less people who will buy your 07th century mantra. In ten years time people will laugh at the psychopath Ilyass type, even now I wonder why in 21st century you have anyone who listen to that crazy person, he believes or pretends to deceive people that he is chosen one by his God to spread God’s words.
4- Don’t think that 95,000 people are just a joke out of 200,000. And don’t think that the education is just learning your 07th century world. Probably your mind is so corrupted that you don’t realize that even those who voted against MDP are not extremists like you. These people are simply who are against globalization , pro nationalism and xenophobic who have fear that MDP is trying to import western culture but they will never support your 07th century Bedouin culture of violence and killing to force down on others their way of life.
Just why can't they get it into their thick skulls that the majority of Maldivians don't want any of their hate mongering or them anywhere near the presidency of the country!
i think the problem with some people is that they underestimate there stupidity
10 resort islands to complete but no money. Also owes millions to banks.
When a heavily debt ridden guy bets on an election as a survival strategy and looses, one should expect fireworks.
This drama is about financial debt.
Not defeat in an election.
A mega business has everything to loose by destabilizing the Maldives, UNLESS he is severe financial debt and election is the way out.
Think about it. This is all about DEBT.
The poor guy got everything to loose.
Simple facts
1. Sold fun island just to fund his campaign.
2. Use villa foundation as a cover to provide lavish gift to island communities.
3. Used most of service charges collect on all his resorts.
4. Most of the assets are now close to be classified as non-performing assets ( otherwise known as good for scarp)
5. Loans\borrowing have reach a limit that it would bring down the whole finical system of the country if he defaults his loan.
I don't see anyother other way for him. It either win the election and become the most corrupt person in history of this country or go bankrupt. Who would think thasmeen would go bankrupt.
Qasim's choice: Bankruptcy or Coup no 2.
This fat piece of SH*T should worry more about his diet and heart condition. As far as these Mullahs go they should be thrown to the channel in a cage like the rats they are ! End of story, sore losers, deal with it !!!
Breaking News::::: Maldives getting ready for the next Coup before the 28th September elections...
@QasimforPresident
Yes, that's it. Keep alienating the masses.
Eeeeeeexcellent.
Just bring Gayoom back and turn the loud speakers off. Do we really have to listen to all the beardo kooks rant every night for the next 3 weeks and then end up with PPM anyway? It's not worth it, bring back the dictator so everyone can shut up already and go back to smoking a cig and sitting in their jolly. Progress is overrated and not needed here anyway.
"But nothing has been done against the man who violated our Constitution.”
Agree 100% with "Sheikh" Shaheem. That violator continues to sit on the Supreme Court bench, after exposing his ugly naked body, still glistening from the sweat of a prostitute, to the whole world.
The Maldivian Ummah should rise against the likes of Ali Hameed, his defenders Gasim and comrades and fight this Jihad to cleanse our nation of filth and treachery.
There's more than one way to fight this. Umar Naseer isn't the only street fighter in the country!
I don’t know How a guy who puts sign board on his office door, “NO mobile NO shoes” and sits in his office like a tribal leader got 50000 votes. I thought Maldivian are big time cheaters, but some may have had hearts voted either with sympathy and the rest may have been the backers of bearded psychopaths who want Maldives as a launching pad for heaven craft straight to divine magical world of prostitution.
@QasimforPresident
The people of the Republic of Mother*****r Island are looking for a genius like Qasim to become the president of this small country. We kindly request Qasim to join this small young republic and be with us. Moreoever, we have very beautiful women and Qasim will be allowed to have more than 10 or 50.
Gasim was and is weak in character. So all this hate mongering going on in his name is just to use him n his money. Gasim should know he is being taken for a ride. He is loosing all his assets n the poor students who depend on him what happens to them is no ones mind. To be a leader you have to have a good education. He may be good in doing business that is no criteria for a leader. And Yamin he could do well as a leader but so far in his campaign it is Maumoon and Jameel. Yamin is not so visible. Maumoon should not take the lead bit let Yamin take the lead. I have heard even their supporters talking about it. Nasheed should and must be mindful about topics he covers while talking to us. He must know we are ordinary citizens and we will need more explaining . If he becomes the President he is going to be everyones President not only MDP members President. He should go not go on his conquest to do things that affects people like Health cooperations without consulting the doctors and nursing community who have worked so hard for the sector. I feel sad for the Nation a Paradise given by Allah n we don't know how to live peacefully in this Nation.
I strongly blame the Commonwealth and UN and want to say that they are greatly responsible to our present day situation. Such organization exist because they could intervene n bring peace. But in our case they sided with the Coup and endorsed the report without even bothering to hear what the victims were crying out. And now the Coup leaders are openly admitting to the Coup. The outcome has motivated the coup plotters to threaten independent Commissions and they act as the country leader can only take his rightful place if they allow it. I call upon the Commonwealth and the UN to take responsibility and bring peace to this Nation. The ordinary Citizens live in fear n nearly one this of the population are students. Please intervene n correct the mistake you have made. And that Selvam I will never forgive him he was paid handsomely to write a bogus report.
@Naina: Do you remember the League of Nations before WWII?
The UN today is a shining example of the League of Nations before WWII.
Agree with Naina! Hope all the U.N. and Commonwealth observers enjoy their taxpayer funded Maldives holidays. You guys sided with Waheed and the beardo whack jobs before and I can't wait to see what useless reports you come up with next. What a joke these people are; enjoying the high life at Traders, HIH, resorts, etc. and then writing their "expert opinions" about peaceful transfers of power. It would be cheaper and easier for everyone involved to just hand the presidency back over to Gayoom tomorrow and be done with it.