Former SAARC Secretary General Dhiyana Saeed – also a former Attorney General – has called on parliament to enact a law to dissolve political parties.
Her comments have been widely reported in local media and were reiterated in a statement from the Jumhoree Party (JP), of which she is a member.
According to International Convent on Civil and Political Rights, there was opportunity to narrow the role of political parties, Saeed reportedly stated, during a recent address on Gaafaru island accompanying President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan.
Saeed claimed the Council of Europe had guidelines on the prohibition and dissolution of political parties, and that there were situations in which a political party could be dissolved.
Parliament currently does not have the authority to dissolve a political party, the JP noted. However Saeed suggested that the law should be drafted in such a way that a court of law, preferably the Supreme Court, could declare that the party was in situation where it has to be dissolved.
Speaking to Minivan News, Saeed said that the new law needed to specify in which situations a political party could be dissolved, suggesting that using violence and unrest as a method to achieve the goal of the party was one such reason.
”I can allege that MDP is using violence and unrest as a method to achieve their goals, the events of arson and vandalism and the attack on police officers are more like organised crimes,” she claimed. ”If anyone looks at the video footage they can see who did it and which color bands they were wearing on their head.”
She said if such a law was enacted, MDP could take the current government to court and that if they could prove that the government changed following a police and military coup, then the MDP could ask the court to dissolve the party in government.
Her comments come following criticism aimed by the government at the behavior of the ousted Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), which it has accused of violent protests and in several instances, terrorism.
The MDP last week condemned acts of violence against police, “recognising that there is a high level of public animosity towards police officers with regards to their involvement in the February 7 coup, overthrowing the first democratically elected Government in the Maldives, and their subsequent brutal crackdown on unarmed civilians. However, MDP strongly urges all members of the public to express themselves through peaceful protest.”
Saeed did not refer to the MDP specifically, but did claim to Haveeru that MDP members had broken into her house one evening and tried to attack her, before fleeing when they saw the police.
Saeed was formerly an MDP member but she resigned following comments in protest over former President Mohamed Nasheed’s detention of Chief Judge of the Criminal Court, Abdulla Mohamed, the culmination of a long-running judicial crisis.
The government’s rejection of court orders to release the judge could “only be solved by the people”, said Saeed at the time on VTV, a channel owned by JP MP and leader Gasim Ibrahim, but added this should be through the parliament “and not by coming out on the roads”.
Nasheed’s government expressed outrage over Saeed’s television appearance, arguing that her position as SAARC Secretary General demanded her political impartiality in the internal affairs of all SAARC nations – including her own.
Saeed subsequently resigned from the prestigious SAARC post – becoming not only the first female and youngest person to head SAARC, but also holding the shortest term.
“I am first and foremost a Maldivian citizen. It is my right [to comment] on whatever happens in my country, and I will not give away that right. As a lawyer I am also a member of the Maldivian bar,” she told Minivan News at the time.
“[The Chief Judge’s detention] is a violation of individual human rights, a violation of the independence of the judiciary, and the violation of the constitution,” she stated.
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Am very sad to see you quitting every job you have been given – be it AG or SAARC SG – i think your decisions & good judgemnt have been clouded by some undesirable influences..
Lets just dissolve all political parties, and go back to having a Gayoom as the eternal leader of our people till end of time.
Maldives probably do not deserve a democracy as we find it too hard a concept to grasp, or may be we don't understand what it exactly is. Maybe we need to go back to school and get PhD's in social sciences.
This woman is talking proscription: The elimination en masse of political rivals.
The first thing which should be dissolved is this woman's mouth....... Its becoming too big for the little woman..
This coming from someone who wanted to go to the ICC regarding the detention of Chief Judge Abdullah Mohamed. Hah!
This is what happens when the mouth leads the brain and not the other way around. There's not a cat in hell's chance of such a law being enacted in this country, for the simple reason that it will be a fundamental violation of the Maldivian Constitution.
Criminal acts carried out by those wearing the colour of a political party does not incriminate the party! Political parties are not guardians of their members and as citizens of the country, they are all bound by the laws of the land. If they break the law, they have to face justice on an equal footing to every single citizen regardless of their political colour.
Dhiyana Saeed has failed time and time again to fulfil every national responsibility she has been given so far. I wonder why.
Talk about embracing dictatorship! This person does not represent the spirit of many of those courageous Maldivian women out there.By this latest remark she has lost any credibility she may have had.Also beginning to doubt her educational credentials.Education clearly has not helped open her mind and has therefore failed her.
It goes without saying that if we are talking about dissolving any political parties on the grounds of causing violence, unrest and vandalism, surely we should look at those parties (including hers) and their behaviour in the days leading up to the coup and the coup itself? Guess who would be first in line to go.ie .only those who are extremely foolish would buy D.S's words.. unfortunately we have to apply the foolish label thrice over to those currently clinging onto (enforced) power.
I do disrespect Dhiyana Saeed, a self conceited woman not competent in her profession and of course acting too big for her boots. Cya lady.
This lady may have imbalance of FSH level causing lot of irregular hormonal changes. She has to wait to get in to politics till her menopause.
she quit MDP in time to join the coup organizers in the hope of rich skimmings.
Insha Allah MDP will stay strong and together in spite of this and other such attempts to cause conflict.
coming from such a fickle person, this is just the sort of thing she would say, to protect herself and her 'investments'
The moment she sat on the Republic Square 'helipad', I thought ... another victim of the regime. Feel sorry for having exited an exception of career kickstart - just for money‼ Shame.
This woman has been Brain-Washed in Gayoum Electrics!
Dhiyana, you are a true maldivian and we are proud of you. You spoke the truth at the right time on the right place. May God bless you always.
She changes her loyalty based on where she can acquire her wealth and power next - like her husband! How convenient to kill democracy in this current environment.
She is not capable to do anything, this is the reason why she always resigns. If I realise that I am not capable of handling my duty, then I will immediately resign and always try to show some excuses.
oh man! shez hot. cunning and evil, but hot.
She is the biggest political prostititue
It is people like Dhiyana Saeed who take back years of achievement by Maldivian women to be equal partners in development of the country. It is the brave women who voice their thoughts against a mutiny by the police and MNDF that give us any hope. And of course Dunya Maumoon will side with the Diyaanaa Saeeds of this Country to empower women.
Dhiyana cannot speak proper English. Go to Google and see her speak in the "muzaahira". One cannot make out a word of what she says!!! Mivaruge meehaku mi an'ga hulhuvanee!!! Even when she speaks in Addu dialect she mixes with Male' dialect.
She cannot speak her own island's dailect. She is a JOKER!!!!
And, in a muzaahira like that why is TRYING to speak in broken English. She brought shame on all educated Maldivian women!!!!
Dhiyana Saeed doing what she does best: giving Maldivian women a bad name.
Madam DHiyana has achieved her ambition as soon as the democratic Government was thrown out by a coupe much supported and assisted by Dr. Waheed come n Go. The case against her husband Lolly Jabir has been postponed indefinitely by the court.
She is same as her hubby, just waiting some "nice" pictures to appear to come parallel with her husband "The infamous Lolly Jabir"
Oh... you'll soon see pictures of myself with lolly... hang on to your seats! :p
Mary Nashia, You have phrased it very well. Can't help disagreeing with you. Well done baby.
My god Dhiyana: we should dissolve your party first hehhee.... whatever you do suppporters of MDP's beleives will remain. All you, the husband of yours, maumoon and yameen do is think about yourselves and your wealth. You ppl do not think about the people of Maldives
She will have no stability and will keep jumping till the last day. A women of such ego can't survive in politics.
Coup coup No wonder why she is married to a lolly.
lets dissolve this lady like a lolly.
Lollys will not accept this "yana" amongst themselves!
A shameless woman who have lost everything she could have been.
This is excellent news. If the MDP is dissolved, all legal barriers to providing them with the means of self-defense will be removed, as they will go from political party to the people, fighting for their rights.
Good Education should enable you to sanity of thought and speech and levelheadedness and not emotional outbursts. Inflated egos deprives you of sanity of thought. Hope Dhiyana Saeed and people like her will be more realistic. (Is there any treatment to get rid of of acidity in the brain?) Or else you will jump out of an airplane thinking that you can fly on your own.