A delegation of Commonwealth ministers will arrive in the Maldives on Friday February 17 to “ascertain the facts surrounding the transfer of power last week in the South Asian state.”
The Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) decided to send the mission “as soon as possible” following an extraordinary meeting held on February 12 concerning the spiralling political tension in the Maldives.
“This is an important ministerial mission that is to be seen as part of the Commonwealth’s continuing engagement with Maldives,” said Commonwealth Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma. “It should also be viewed in the context of the Commonwealth’s abiding commitment to its fundamental political values.”
The Commonwealth has an increased mandate to involve itself in the internal affairs of its member nations since the last Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Perth, Australia, in October 2011.
According to a statement from the group, the delegation will hold discussions with key interlocutors on circumstances surrounding the resignation of President Mohamed Nasheed on 7 February 2012.
Before it commences its work, it will be briefed by the Commonwealth Secretariat team that has been in the country since February 6, the statement read.
The CMAG statement issued after the February 12 teleconference stressed the importance of adherence by member countries to the Commonwealth’s fundamental political values, “including constitutional democracy, the rule of law and respect for human rights; and in particular, the principle of separation of powers.”
The CMAG ministerial mission will be supported by a Commonwealth Secretariat team led by Amitav Banerji, Director of Political Affairs.
The group will be led by the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Communications of Trinidad and Tobago, the Surujrattan Rambachan.
He will be accompanied by Dr Dipu Moni, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh, and Dennis Richardson AO, Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Australia.
President Dr Mohamed Waheed has previously said he would be open to an independent inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the rapid change of government, which former President Mohamed Nasheed’s Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has alleged was a coup d’état.
Germany was the first country to call for an inquiry last week, urging Dr Waheed’s government to “consolidate its legitimacy”, swiftly followed by the UK.
“I have heard calls for an independent inquiry into the events that preceded my assumption of the presidency. I am open to those suggestions – there is no problem with it. I will be completely impartial in any independent investigation,” Dr Waheed said.
“I don’t know the details, or how it can or should be done. I will consult legal advice as soon as we have an attorney general in place. I am sure we will be able to satisfy the call from Britain and Germany.”
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I as a Citizen of this country, am not requesting for a Election now, I am demanding for an Election.
If this rogue government and it rogue president wants to unify this country that is the only thing he can do to unify this country.
Not only that, those who committed this treason must be brought to Justice as well.
Those men and women in uniform who are in our forces who wear our national emblem with pride, we are not pointing our finger at you.
But we want you to point your fingers at those rogue elements in the forces, men and women who are presently in uniform disgracefully wearing our proud national emblem who took part in the Coup and brought this rogue government to power, they don't deserve to be serving with the honorable ladies and gentlemen of the forces, these rogue element in the forces are parasites and they must be weeded out.
Everyone who took part in this coup has to be charged for treason and each one of them has to be thrown out of there current post disgracefully and they must never ever hold a government job neither a civilian job ever.
As for the business men who paid and bought the Present Rogue Government and dispose the legitimate government we elected through the ballot box they should be declared bankrupt and state must seize there assets.
Maldives must never allow this kind of coup to take place in Maldives ever again.
If people like Whaheedheen, Crown Company or Conrad Saleem, Villa Gasim, Sultan Thasneem, Maumooon and his brother Yamin can buy out legitimate government when ever they are not happy with,
what kind of a future are we talking about for our generations to come.
Mean while the Rogue Government must resign immediately and hold elections as soon as possible
The coup was so obvious and people involved in this was calling for such a coup on live TV. It was a sad day for the country and will take years to heal the wound created by selfish business men.
Dear Aisha and Anthu, I must say, I agree with you all way and I would like to add, Judiciary need to be overhauled as well, this need to be done before an election.
All the Judges must resign.
Can you imagine the Presidential Candidate of Jumhooree Party, MP Rt Hon. Gasim Ibrahim is a member of the Judicial council how on earth can one think in these lines and think every thing is alright in Judiciary.
Aisha and Anthu, Your recommendation will deter lots of rogue elements who have plans to use the Army, Police and Business Persons to win or buy a government rather than via a ballot box.
Leagal Advise to Judas Waheed will be given by Azima Schooru, how impartial can you get??????
Waheed do you seriously think you can hoodwink us.
Not interested in an inquiry, we know what it is, its a damn coup and we want an election we are demanding and election, please note we are not requesting.
The intelligent agencies of the world may not know what took place on the 7 february 2012 morning in Maldives, but we know it was very well planned coup. Its a coup and we want an election.
Why can't Judas Waheed swallow that?
This Coup was planned such a way it will not take part during the first three years of the legal government, so that coup plotter don't have to go for an election within six months.
Now that it is after three years, Judas Waheed can stay in that Filthy illegitimate seat for two years without going for an election.
Isn't that cunning, the coup didn't happen over night it was well planned.
Why do you think Philanthropist Waheedheen was caressing and serenading Two Two Zahir in Bados Island resort for the last three years.
Yes we believe you when you say you can remember only 10 minutes worth of events.
Waheedheen is a Thug. Philanthropist my butt.
Dr Waheed consulting the Attorney General Azima Shukoor ( lawyer for Gayoom and his family and associates) ) for details on how to conduct the inquiry? What a laugh!! Azima Shukoor’s advice would be sooooooooo impartial. One doesn't need a Ph.D to see the connections between Dr Waheed and Gayoom.
what most overlook is the tentacles that has spread to every angle of the governance in the 30 year regime and they still have the control over these areas where the judiciary is one tentacle.
over a period of two and a half years things cant flip it takes time to introduce legitimacy and democracy to these areas and is a timely process in this young democratic nation.
unfortunately the DRP has taken advantage of there control and influences built over a 30 year regime and has used this to overthrow the democratic government.
there can be many faces, dictatorship can come with the democratic mask and will or can be overlooked by the international community.
MDP can be wrong and many may not like them but there is a democratic due process to change power and what happened in Maldives should never happen.
even from day one the MDP government didnt have any control over this legal system and I strongly think that the interdependency of the legal system is at question.
there is politics rooted in to it and the effort to change this has led to utter chaos an the process of changing it was also not democratically done. so all this was asked for in my opinion
Let the white boys come and go.. They wont find anything but the turth, which is Anni was a dictator and he worked beyond the constitution and rule of law in this country. Even if commonwealth removes us from their body, it wont matter much. Commonwealth is not an organisation which carries a lot of weight in the international platform. Its just a name just like SAARC, where they love boosting the greatness of their queen only. Yuck.
Justice will be done if an independent and unbiased investigation is held and a universally declared!
If there was a coup of whatsoever, let the peoples of Maldives be told.
Let the people who took over transfer control of the state to the parliament and go to polls as stipulated in the constitution!
The root cause of this chaos and injustice to the nation to my belief is hatred and greed which I detest.
I believe in the ISLAM, which is PEACE, and the ISLAM Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was ordained to preach!
I believe in Qur'an which is the Constitution for the believers!
I believe the motto of our parliament.
I would like to ask where are the many Sheikhs who preached ISLAM, JIHAD and JUSTICE to fuel this uprising?
Where are you?
Where are the shreaking tails that were held so high when you were trying to pump up muscle as fuel?
Sheikhs Imran, Ilyas, Shaheem - It is beyond doubt that you have been instrumental to what we have seen in the Male'. I have seen with my own eyes. I was awake and in my true senses and under no influence.
I love JUSTICE, I love PEACE and harmony! Now:
Can you please tell me what JUSTICE is?
What JIHAD is?
And also what GREED is?
You need not tell me about ISLAM! Because:
Your ISLAM is not PEACE.
Your ISLAM is hatred and violence.
Your belief is to attain your goal at what ever cost. Even if it is a blood bath of the innocent.
Your furious preachings has caused havoc in this country.
Your furious preachings has destroyed the very fabric of the institution who vowed to protect and defend this this nation.
You preach that on day of JUDGEMENT, everyone is answerable for his/her action not to anyone but Allah The Almighty!
What would you say?
What could you say?
Election, why? these idiots are guilty of treason. They should be thrown into jail with the corrupt judges as well.
I am embarrassed to be a Maldivian until this obvoius coup is anulled and declared a crime. Just look at the evidence on social media since 7th feb. Umar Nasser was bragging about how he intimidated Nasheed by threatening his life!!
We can not live with this NO WAY.
Call it a Guardian coup d'état if u like..but the police force and military consist of very well trained men who have held the intelligence network of this country in their hands for years..any sane maldivian knows that it was majority of them that were revolting that day..How in the world do you expect to individually prosecute all these people??Or do you plan to lock up hundreds of your brothers n sisters for protesting and defying to obey unconstitutional orders?The thing is there is no possible way you can sack them from their positions and let a large section of well trained men with deep insight into the defence mechanism of the country and region leave with a vengeance and walk free on the roads and expect a peaceful government to run and live happily ever after.Rather, such a force if they unite and rebel wil be a force even the world will reckon with,along the lines of Soviet KGB if u may(dats a joke)..An investigation needs to be carried out only to find out the causes of events and if there was a conspiracy to overthrow the democratic government.And even if so only the opposition politicians who orchestrated it and just the few comanding officers who instigated the revolt should be held liable.The common policeman and soldier who were fired up not knowing where things were leading to shud not be taken into account in anyway..and to blame them for having taken bribes when all they were doing was putting their lives at risk and showing their unity and solidarity at a time of crisis, is not helping at all as the growing up youth and kids of the country will lose any ambition in serving the nation proudly as a soldier.All this has to be taken into account by any1 who has an ounce of patriotism in them.I seriously doubt Nasheed's nationality if he gives no thought to such important matters of national security and unity.
what facts, people of Maldives know how this has changed, its because Muhammad Nasheed cannot control his anger emotions probably he is psychologically weak. The Commonwealth should also evaluate his mental status too.After all who cares what Commonwealth or any body says.Nasheed himself pick and choose what he want listen.
Tuesday, 7 February 2012, saw not a smooth transfer of power here in the Maldives from the popularly elected government of Nasheed to the opposition protest leaders who conspired with the then vice president Dr Waheed.
He met the protest leader amid demonstrations and expressed his willingness to take over the government if it was necessary. Soon afterwards, there was a police mutiny and the military alternatively known as MNDF joined the police after a brief clash between them on Tuesday. The forces that were to safeguard the government mutinied and forced the government to resign and the new regime led by Dr Waheed took over swiftly as was expected.
This cannot be called a smooth transfer of power; it’s called a coup overthrowing the government.
it is a coup. we need elections now. but we do not have money. so commonwealth please ask Dr Waheed to recognize publicly that it is a coup and ask to apologize and give power to the Speaker of the parliament (by resigning). Then form a unity government (it is the only plausible way) and hold elections in 2013 as usual. We can override 2 month period like we didn't do anything according to the constitutional dates (eg: parliament elections, local council elections).
This way it is fair for all, peace will come and good for the economy. Salaam.
You all must know that the Maldives was ran as a private/personal business for over 30yrs..Maybe he wasn't ready to hand the business over,so President Nasheed,much like a football club manager who wasn't wanted by the 'owners'was 'dismissed' for not doing as he was told!!!Am I right? The UN and whoever else will not be able to do anything about the situation,,it will take the proud Maldivian people...
commonwealth was a quite common name for me before. I thought it was just a name for a group of countries that share common interests. But when it comes to play, i have never seen such a robust and prompt imitativeness from any other association or organizations on the earth to protect interest of its member states.I call all other organizations to follow it's foot steps to bring about world peace and harmony. Thank god we are a member state of this Association..
DEMOCRACY HAS SPOKEN...BRAVO!!!
Why do we need common wealth to tell us the night is dark and day is bright? The Nasheed government was the only democratically elected government in the history of Maldives. Which was brought down un democratically by violence and disobedience of the people who were supposed to defend democracy in the Maldives. We don’t have to come to conclusion based on Nashhed’s wrong leadership to judge a violent and forceful coup as something legal. Even if Nasheed do something that police believe is unconstitutional, it not for the police to decide and take action. Do this police believe they are immune to follow the rules, and they can go topple the governments any time and beat anyone they want? This barbaric force is still functioning the way they have been modeled for thirty years by that crazy Hitler type Qayoom. The first thing is to teach those ignorant people some discipline.
There are some deranged commentators here I must say. Comparing Commonwealth to SAARC shows just ignorance, nothing more.
Imagine the implications of the Maldives being thrown out of the Commonwealth! Do you know how much bilateral aid flows into this country, because we are part of the Commonwealth?
Moreover, once an organisation such as Commonwealth takes action, other major international bodies will follow suit. It will have a domino effect.
Ignore the calls from the international community at your peril. You can laugh now, but you'll surely cry tomorrow.
Election before 2013.The one and only exception.It was 100% coup.
Every damn soldier and every policemen who took part in the coup must be sacked disgracefully plus make sure that they never ever serve in our forces or never wear our proud emblem, never work in a Government Position and never serve in the civil service.
We the citizens can look after our country without those shame full soldiers and Police persons who took part in the coup.
If they are very well train they would not behave like thugs.
And as for People like Kibi Maumoon, Kaminee Yamin, Sultan Thasneem, Bruma Gasim and Crown Company Saleem, Bandos Waheedheen and those who paid to purchase those filth in the army and police they should be declared bankrupt and their ill gotten assets should be confiscated as one of the commenter mentioned, this would certainly deter any future so called philanthropist.
Its pointless going for an election if we can't overhaul the Judiciary too. Every Judge in the country must resign and has to be re-elected after checking there qualification. This filth "Criminal Court Chief Judge" hardly knows how to read and write.
Like someone mentioned earlier we are not pointing at all the Soldier or at all the Police personnel or at all the Judges. We are pointing our fingers at the national filth that needs to be disgraced and vaporized.
Judas Waheed and Bandos Waheedheen thinks they can park their butt in those well respect seat of Vice Presidency and Presidency of Maldives with help of few business Person they better think again.
Judas Waheed and Bados Waheedheen we are not request we are bleeding demanding that you hold elections right away.
We call upon Malaysia to deport Former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom Immiediatly to Maldives to face charges of Sedition, Treason and Terrorism please don't allow him to have a second home in your Country.
I don't see that mouth F@rt tsk tsk here, Is he the defence Minister now.
To me this is ore important than early elections. I cannot believe we can have a free and fair election before the traitors are brought to justice especially when there are elements fro police and army involved.
WE NEED ELECTIONS AND WE WANT ELECTIONS:THIS GOVERNMENT IS A JOKE AND BIG SHAME FOR MALDIVES!!!
@Ahmed bin Addu bin Suvadheeb. Don't underestimate SAARC. It is India who has loaned 200 Million dollars and not your majesty queeen that you worship. Maldives does not get much aid from UK - the place is halfway through going bankrupt anyway.
What happened was 2 coups in one. A police coup and a political coup, which left MDP cornered.
Thus it is worse (ie, more embarrassing) than a coup since there is no other political party to condemn it or take sides with MDP.
Nasheed had resigned right fully and have explained that he foresee that holding on the power will drag the country and its people to a major disaster.
Nasheed had broken the laws and our constitutions many times and he was sworn to protect and abide by the law.
Nasheed does not have the rights to break the laws and he himself can not be above the law.
The fall of Nasheed regime is understandable and it had happened correctly and this was the result of his stub on attitude and his arrogance.
Bye bye anni and go try to rule Keneryge and not our nation.
@Yorkshire Pudding on Thu, 16th Feb 2012 10:17 PM
"Maldives does not get much aid from UK..."
You must be under the impression that Commonwealth = UK. It certainly is not. Can you declare that Maldives does not "get much aid" from Australia, Cananda, New Zealand, India etc.
"It is India who has loaned 200 Million dollars and not your majesty queeen that you worship. "
Are you forgetting that India is also a member of the Commonwealth? SAARC is a meaningless and aimless organisation that only wastes huge amounts of money for their annual gatherings. Look at the amount of money wasted in Addu just last year.
@mode on Thu, 16th Feb 2012 10:56 PM
"The fall of Nasheed regime is understandable and it had happened correctly..."
(1) With your powers of reasoning and deduction and deep insight into the events of 6th/7th February 2012, would you care to explain why armed police joined by soldiers and civilians stormed the state broadcaster hours before "Nasheed had resigned right full"?
(2) What was the involvement of Waheed's own family members in the above incident?
(3) What was the role of the three ex-military and ex-Police men in "handling" negotiations on behalf of the revolting Police on 6th February?
(4) What power of proection did these 3 men have, that the whole of the Maldivian National Defence Force could not provide to President Nasheed when he announced his resignation?
I await your answers on a postcard.
Nasheed should stay out of politics, he is a very divisive figure. The country would be much better without MDP in power and its crazy followers , MDPs latest salvo is that everybody who opposes MDP is for former President Gayoom.
MDP's grassroots consist of the most uneducated,stupidest and sometimes the criminal segment of the Maldivian society and run by rich corrupt power hungry drunk monsters..MDP is the Maldivian Tea Party who goes against all logic and reasoning, May God save our country from these people.
Oh be reasonable guys or dear thats not fair. Is this dick talking to his wife. Traitor Dr. Waheed has no clue what is fair and reasonable.
The commentor who mentioned the coup leaders Please add Fahkadaa Zahir Hussein and Adubarey Ahmed Abdulla and Uchoo Champa as well to your list with Crown Company Saleem, Kibi Maumoon, Kaminee Yamin, Sultan Tasmeen and Bandos Wahidheen, Drill Gasim, these
are the true coup leaders.
Hello Azima Schoor the great lawyer who wins every case when the Judge is the chief Criminal court Judge Abdulla Gazee. please note the above names and start treason trial right away you will win when Abdulla Gazee reside.
Yes agree, Dear Malaysia, please deport former President of Maldives Maumoon Abdul Gayoom from country.
He has used your beloved soil to plan and carry out a coup in his country.
Wanted in Maldives to face treason charges.
@ Mode
So what you are saying here is that if a President does anything to break a law or acts unconstitutionally we should force him to be removed by the armed forces?
Isn't that unconstitutional? Our constitution clearly says that if a President has to be dismissed he has to be impeached. So what you are saying here doesnt make sense.
We are being told by the opposition that President Nasheed is corrupt, has broken the law and acted unconstitutionally.
We have independent institutions to address these matters ie the Anti-corruption Commission, the Supreme Court,and we have the judiciary and the Parliament.
Why then has the Judiciary and the parliament and the Supreme Court and the ACC not taken action against the President?
If you want to talk about rule of law the biggest issue we should be looking at is the failure of the Judicial services Commission.
Yet which representative of the opposition raised this issue? Not one.
We have three powers in a democracy. the Executive, the parliament, the Judiciary.
Our judiciary has failed.
But we have not heard the opposition say this , not once.
All they have done is point fingers at the Executive.
Did we see one single protest by the opposition against the corrupt judges and the failure of the Judicial services Commission?
No.
All we have seen is protests against the Executive.
If the oppposition was interested in upholding the law they will do that with every single independent institution, with the juduciary and the parliament.
No.
All the oppsoiton was interested in was to topple President Nasheed.
They couldnt do it through the constitutional structure of impeachment. So they did it with a coup.
How does Dr waheed expect reasonable people of the Maldives to accept a government he has brought it by deposing our elected leader to resign under duress? To accept as cabinet ministers people representing the people who did nothing to restore integrity in governance through constitutional reform?
We have three powers in a democracy. the Executive, the parliament, the Judiciary.
Our judiciary has failed.
But we have not heard the opposition say this , not once.
All they have done is point fingers at the Executive.
Did we see one single protest by the opposition against the corrupt judges and the failure of the Judicial services Commission?
No.
All we have seen is protests against the Executive.
If the oppposition was interested in upholding the law they will do that with every single independent institution, with the juduciary and the parliament. Did they do that?
No.
All the oppsoiton was interested in was to topple President Nasheed.
They couldnt do it through the constitutional structure of impeachment. So they did it with a coup.
How does Dr waheed expect reasonable people of the Maldives to accept a government he has brought in by deposing our elected leader to resign under duress?
To accept as cabinet ministers people representing the people who did nothing to restore integrity in governance through constitutional reform?
resigned under durex?
I suggest every one who wants to know the state of the judiciary in the Maldives reads this document
http://wanderinggaia.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/dossier-on-maldivian-judiciary.pdf
President Nasheed was blackmailed, I think into resigning.He should go to Supreme Court to prove he did not resign voluntarily. Fortunately for him the Supreme Court judges are all appointed by him.