The Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) has released a statement dismissing the claims of former President Mohamed Nasheed that they could not access the armory because he did not grant them the permission to do so, during the events of February 7.
Former President Nasheed, in a rally held on the island of Dhidhdhoo in Haa Alif Atoll, claimed that a lot of senior MNDF officials repeatedly asked his permission to access of the armory but he had denied all such requests because he did not want to resort to bloodshed and violence, and had no desire to shoot his own people.
Nasheed during the rally questioned the armed forces: “Twelve days ago, people were not shot [by the military] because I did not let them open the armory. I wonder on what basis are the [MNDF] coming out with live arms now?”
MNDF officers were deployed with firearms to protect President Dr Mohamed Waheed during his recent visit to Addu City.
Nasheed continued, saying “Listen when I say this. Don’t come out with live arms in front of the people. What you are trying to do is something that could ruin generations to come.”
The MNDF said in its statement that they had decided that the situation of February 7 did not require the use of the armory, and that they had not seen the necessity to resort to the use of weapons to crack down on the anti-government protesters.
The MNDF statement also said that regulations regarding access to the armory did not require the approval or authorisation from the Commander in Chief (President) or the Chief of Defence.
The statement read: “In the situation that took place on 7 February 2012, MNDF decided that there wasn’t a circumstance where the requirement of live arms was a necessity.”
“As per the regulation of access to the armory, there is no requirement to obtain an authorisation from either the Commander in Chief of the armed forces or the Chief of Defence force when the need to access the armory arises. Also, there aren’t any stipulations in the regulation which requires informing the President every time the armory is accessed or opened.”
“Despite the full knowledge of these regulations, the remark made by former President Mohamed Nasheed regarding access to armory is a false and untrue statement,” the MNDF said.
The Maldives Defence Force Act (Act no.1/2008) states in Article 9, clause (d) that Commander in Chief has the power to exercise any legal power or authority vested in the Minister of Defence, Chief of Defence or any other Senior Defence Force official.
Speaking to Minivan News, former Defence Minister Tholhath Ibrahim Kaleyfaanu said “According to the Maldives Defence Force Act, the President, as Commander in Chief of the Defence Forces, has the authority by law to exercise any power vested to any senior official of the Defence Force or the Minister.”
“Especially when peace and order of the society is in question, the president has the authority by law to authorise or reject any such request access to armory. I think the officers had not understood this when they released such a statement,” Tholhath said.
The MNDF’s spokesperson had not responded at time of press.
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Nasheed is a person who doesn't know how to tell a truth. He has always been a big fat liar.
Great. A politicized military.
Congratulations, India. You now have two Pakistans in the neighborhood.
India, you are responsible for this s--t in your own backyard. You must now clean it up before it infect you!
Subhaan'Allah! This display of masculine boldness by our noble armed forces is a great and felicitous occasion - our nation is not solely comprised of pansy boys and their idiot women after all! I congratulate them for seizing the initiative against the zionist opressor and their diabolical puppets.
The enemies of Allah must be trembling in fear, cowering in their homes, overcome with meekness and sorrow and not wont to try anything foolish, lest our brave soldiers garrot them on the spot! Truly the wisdom of God knows no bounds! O'Glorious days!
W.... activated on Ventilator...Pink Doctor... Blue Nurse...Green Bed.....Oxygen from...V. Gas. .....and the Defense Para Medicals ready for conducting surgery and W..... is kicking and smiling fit. Keep it up....!Every..has its day!
Subhaan’Allah! This display of masculine boldness by our noble armed forces is a great and felicitous occasion – our nation is not solely comprised of pansy boys and their idiot women after all! I congratulate them for seizing the initiative against the zionist opressor and their diabolical puppets. Truly the wisdom of God knows no bounds! O’Glorious days!
Nasheed is no liar. He is not programmed that way.
They clearly helped themselves - the old regime is back in town and we are all going to suffer (unless of course you have a huge tax bill and pending court case - then you will be saved by the new regime).
Nasheed is a habitual liar. When he lies he does not care if he is later found out. A liar for the moment.
First Anni said that he resigned because MNDF pointed a gun at his head and forced him to resign. Now he's saying that they cudnt open the gun armory because Nasheed didnt give them permission. That contradicts with what Nasheed kept saying earlier, if MNDF had no guns then what did they point at Anni to force him to resign ? Also this statement contradicts the youtube video in which Anni shouts "shoot shoot, use bullets !"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-sARG6sAC74
jump to video position 00:42 and you will hear anni saying "vazan ...." (use bullets). SOme people intrepret this as Anni intending to use rubber bullets on the gathered protestors and police.
Nasheed is ont only a liar but a traitor as well!!
come again? MNDF statement is in complete contrast to what had been said on the matter up to now. once again these people are contradicting themselves! nice! i hope they dig their own graves and just jump in and cover it up. i'd be happy to be a witness to that. seems to be happening anyway and it's been less than a month since they put the puppet on plump seat while the rest of the gang of thugs go about gloating and mouthing off things they had better left unsaid. i do hope umar naseer, hassan saeed, mahuloof, imran and all the rest of them keep on spouting their lies until the whole of the international community disband the maldives and declare it a non-country! perhaps from that point on all the little people getting the scraggly handouts from these people will take a clean breath and realize just how much they are being duped right now. and duped it is, made into simple, simpering fools whom they can buy off for a mere rf100 to give them their support. or, is it only the lowly Bangladeshis getting this amount? i guess maldivians are too greedy to just accept rf100. maybe rf1,000 then.
and by the way, am still waiting for these people to answer one simple question... what was this alleged unlawful command that the thugs were given? i hear they're so high on drugs and drink that they can't form a coherent thought. first thing that'll need to be done when the gov't changes would be to increase drug and alcohol rehab facilities here and then maybe revoke the present policy of a second chance. i think that's the least these people deserve. and as for the actual perpetrators (other than puppet waheed and thug police, mndf) that should be left to t he public to decide i think, these people will milk dry the country within the week and pass it off as corruption cases for investigation, the fall guys ALL being from the democratic government that was rightfully voted in, in 2008. we won't be needing nostradamus-types to predict what will happen next. these power hungry people i hope will end up at each others throats before long.
I totally agree with Tholla sir on this.The President's authority is not required in the day to day cleaning process of armoury and the weapons and ammunitions inside the armoury..Bilaaley or even Ranvikka (if they were there) can grant such a permission.... President's permission should and would be required in a situation when the need to engage a general public exist...Former president Nasheed does'nt recognise such a situation exist or even if he recognised he did'nt order the use of armoury... Hope its clear for the readers now.
Nasheed is No Liar.Those who call him thus are blind to the truth; or fail to accept the truth; blinded by falsehoods they believe as real. Maldives are at a very crucial state of political affairs.There will be many trying to attain power, even in the Military machine itself; there may be some aspiring to have power for them. The military and police of the Maldives should be ashamed of themselves and their recent doings. Its sad , because the whole meaning of having the Police and the Army is to PROTECT people.
MNDF may not need the Commander in Chiefs permission to open the armory. But when the commander in chief commands them not open the armory they are bound to obey him. There are photos of arms being smuggled into the coastguard building early in the morning of 7th, from the coastguard boats. So there were arms available to the mutineers even though the main one was not open.
wake up Maldives this problem created by USA and INDIA with there CIA and RAW intelligence services .no one concern those no point of being two parties and blaming each other best is to be together and save the country and Islam.think twice before you all kill own people just for dollar and power hunger
Our children songs "money money, yes sir" everyday. We Faresmaathoda people want to have early election. If not Coup Waheedh should face the concequencess of what he has done to us. We hate this government and we want democretically elected president. We strongly beleive president Nasheedhs word, and he is a democretic father of this country.
Why dont we make Maldives a Private and limited company?
Saudi,Kuwait,Bahrain,Qatar are private Companies apparently run by Corrupt individuals.
Ironically Husni Mubarak and maumoon stadyed from same book and same university. Both utterly ruined two countries.most of opposition cant digest that a man who was protesting on the road yasterday became the prsident the other day.