Former President Mohamed Nasheed has met with journalists, think tanks and political and industry leaders during a visit to India to build support for early presidential polls in the Maldives.
Nasheed alleges that he and his party were ousted in a bloodless coup following a police mutiny on February 7.
The Washington Post carried Nasheed’s warning that in the absence of early elections, “Islamic radicals are gaining strength in the Maldives.”
The Adhaalath Party – a former coalition partner of Nasheed’s party – won no parliamentary seats and performed poorly in the presidential elections, “but after the coup, they have three portfolios in the cabinet, they are calling the shots in the military, and they are consolidating their position,” the Washington Post reported Nasheed as saying.
Given his government’s liberal approach to government, Nasheed expressed disappointment at the reaction of powers such as the United States to his ousting.
“We did so much to make the Maldives more liberal,” Nasheed said. “The United States could have held onto their horses for a few minutes and just asked me. To so quickly recognise the status quo, that was very sad and shocking.”
According to the Hindu, Nasheed claimed to have received a seven-page document from military intelligence services a week before the coup, warning of a plot by the former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom to overthrow his government, “However, the officer concerned was promptly replaced [by the Army],” the paper reported.
“When I went to the military’s headquarters [on February 7], it turned out everyone was on leave; there were only about 200 people there. The 200 people there were not willing to defend the elected government; the generals, bar two, were supportive of Mr Gayoom,” Nasheed told the paper.
Nasheed said he had rejected the use of firearms by a group of loyal supporters: “I knew that was going to end either with many deaths or with my being lynched,” he said. “So I agreed to resign.”
Nasheed suggested that the international community could influence the new regime by implementing travel sanctions against senior figures, reported AFP, as “many of them have second homes in Europe.”
During his visit to India, Nasheed called on the Indian private sector to continue to invest in the Maldives, but emphasised that a stable democracy was in the interest of foreign investors.
“We want to be responsible. Even though we have been ousted in a coup, [the MDP] want to encourage businesses to continue to invest in the Maldives,” Nasheed said.
Nasheed will be meeting Indian political leadership, including Indian Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai, on April 23, and potentially Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, according to Indian media reports.
“We want more Indian assistance in bringing democracy back,” Nasheed told the Times of India. ”I think [elections in] August is reasonable. The more time you give the present dictatorship, the more entrenched they will get; and hence early elections are very important. The dictatorial and military regime, backed by Gayoom, should end at the earliest and should be replaced by a government elected by the people,” he said.
(0)Dislikes
(0)Related Posts
EU warns of “appropriate measures” should November 16 election be subverted- “India is the regional superpower and we must be mindful of that”, Nasheed tells Economic Times
- Maldives Decides 2013
- Nasheed’s trial hearing scheduled for April 4
- Setbacks in Maldives have security implications for India: Deccan Herald
- Court bans former President Nasheed from travelling abroad
Why would the first country in the world to recognize the coup government do anything to support early elections? When they say they do, they are just paying lip service to the reactions of more credible countries in the Commonwealth and EU. India is not fit to be the leader of South Asia.
Why yes Mariyam, why don't you tell that to the millions of dollars in free aid that the Indian government extended to the Maldives?
Why don't you tell that to their army which provides the security for Maldivian waters?
Why don't you take the fight to India's long-range nuclear capability by installing your very own home-made stealth bomber in your backyard. For god's sake stop worshiping Nasheed and start talking sense.
So, they were all on leave ? My god, another obvious and astonishing fact revealed to prove this was a prearranged coup. Will the rest of the world please WAKE UP.
There seems to be growing support from the rich for this illegal regime and in the islands, there are a pool of easily cohersed people. You would be a bad dictator if you did not exploit this. Welcome back to the old guard hijacking and packaging the word "democracy"!
Both the worshippers of Nasheed, and the worshippers of Hindustani India must be be garrotted on the spot.
In truth, our own military must be reformed and trained to a better standard.
Their history of ineffectiveness in dealing with traitors, the machinations of the inferior Tamil race – and their contemporary ineffectiveness in crushing the inbred soldier ants of the ‘MalDeviant Democratic Party’ – remain a national disgrace.
Thus, expulsion of weak elements are in order. First the womenfolk, for obvious reasons. Secondly, midgets. Anyone shorter than than their rifle shall prove useless in battle, for God has cursed them. Finally, anyone who proves himself incapable of efficiently disposing of the various permutations of blasphemers who walk within our midst. Compassion must not sway them when dealing with apostates and zionists.
Of course, suitably healthy and strong infants must be bred to meet long term logistical challenges inherent to this project. Virtuous, well disciplined women will be required.
Insha’Allah, if we implement my proposed security doctrine, we will have nothing to fear from foreign imperialists. Friendly relations with India for security purposes is unnecessary.
They are heretics; worshippers of false, Oogah-Boogah Gods; doomed to earthly destruction and eventually, hellfire. Alhamdulillaaah!
- Edited for syntax mistakes. I am a great scholar and hereby declare a fatwa ordering Minivannews to solely publish this, revised, version of my original comment. -
Well said tsk tsk....India is waiting and watching the developments in Male. Indian Govt knows the bigger gameplan and is letting Democracy mature in the immature Maldivian politics. Will step in only when REALLY required. Couple of million dollars in financial aid...no sweat really.
Anni is the only true leader in the Maldives who has set his goals to bring Maldives to International club of democracy. He is not deviating from his policy to get a short term political advantage to be the president. He is clear in his message that his aim to make Maldives a free democratic people will not hinder by the fear of losing an election. The backward Maldivian should now realize that his unchanged rhetoric about Islamic extremism and moderate view on Islamic ideology is evidence that he is not interested to get in to power like his opponents. For us this is shows his courage to stand against all odds that he faces in an ignorant backward society where majority is hard-line Islam lovers. He is clear that even if he wins an election with Islamic ticket will not do any good for him and it will not be possible to make Maldives an economically viable and democratic country.
tsk tsk, just because India is big and powerful it doesn't mean that the wrong they do is right. Why don't you think about that instead of making everything about MDP and Nasheed. Whether you can accept it or not, what happened on the 7th was a coup, (thanks to evidence from Umar Sir and Nazim Sir, and of course Dr Saeed's admission of a unique sort of coup!) and it was wrong of India to recognize the coup government without calling for investigations. Why do you think they started calling for early elections later on?! Better keep yourself informed before talking nonsense 🙂
President Nasheed said 'i will go to hell an back to bring democracy' I would like to know if democracy comes from hell.
I think something is cooking-up. Because Imposter Waheedo is not showing his face. Waheed hasn't visited abroad as THE PRESIDENT OF MALDIVE ?.....President NASHEED IS MORE POPULAR AS EVER; IN THE INTERNATIONAL FIELD. GAYOUM'S APPEARANCE IN SRI LANKA DOESN'T SHOW MUCH EFFECT. AFTER-ALL HE'S RETIRED!/GONE!
All what India wants right now is the best for Maldives,there are a lot of issues Island country is facing right now,democracy and climate change being the most pertinent ones.
@ Ayatollah Dhivehi Hangyourself
You ignorance and arrogance leaves me speechless sometimes!!
'In truth, our own military must be reformed and trained to a better standard'.....what bloody military are you talking about?.....a few hundred men and a few primitive patrol boats?.....I guess it will take the Indian Navy less than five minutes to finish you off.
And as for the 'inferior tamil race'.....have you had a look at yourselves in the mirror recently?.....I mean all 3,00,000 of you dumbass Maldivians.....it will take you primitive islanders centuries to attain the level of culture and sophistication of the tamils. The tamils have a rich and ancient culture.....something that you arab aping morons will never comprehend. Our oogah boogah gods have given us the fastest growing economy in the world.....I hope your allah will as charitable when the sea levels inevitably rise!!
I wish the Indian government would not invest my taxes on any more infrastructural projects in the Maldives. I don't see any other country, including China, falling over themselves to invest in your bankrupt country.
And finally DH, I hope you are not married. Any woman who has the misfortune to get between the sheets with you is to be pitied.
Nasheed resigned to save the people of Maldives from a massacre.
But the colonialist occupiers reneged on their word and began attacking the Maldivian people anyway.
We would crush the effeminate Indians swiftly. This has been true for centuries. We would have been conquered centuries ago were this not the case.
Furthermore, our GDP per capita is higher at $6900 compared to your $3500; and our economy has grown at a rate of 12% compared to your measly 8%.
We have done all this without your assistance.
In truth, you Indians are far poorer than us. The streets of New Delhi are filled with mendicants whose boots are worth less than the rotten banana they sold to some fool to purchase them.
It is evident whom God favours, in both intellect and fortune.
The Indians were a great civilization under the Mughals. Embrace Islam, and you shall become great again. Alhamdulillaah!