Germany has called for Dr Waheed’s government to “consolidate its national and international legitimacy” by holding an “independent inquiry” into the circumstances around Nasheed’s resignation this week.
German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle expressed “deep concern about recent developments in the Maldives, particularly the violent attacks against elected officials and supporters of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP).”
Germany has taken note of President Waheed’s intention to form a government of “national unity”.
“The participation of all major parties represented in Parliament will be a decisive precondition to its political authority,” Westerwelle said, calling on the new leadership “to uphold the principles and norms of democracy and the rule of law and guarantee the right to peaceful demonstrations.”
Former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, who ruled the Maldives for 30 years prior to Mohamed Nasheed’s victory in the country’s first democratic election in 2008, meanwhile hit out at international media in an interview with AFP, calling them “biased for depicting this as a coup or something illegal”.
“Mr Waheed is the democratically elected president of the Maldives, according to our constitution. I called him and congratulated him,” Gayoom told AFP over the phone from Malaysia.
He denied personal involvement in what Nasheed’s side has termed a coup d’état after “200 police officers and 80 Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) officers” sided with opposition protesters on Tuesday.
“No, I had no involvement at all. I had no personal involvement in anything like a coup organised by myself,” AFP reported Gayoom as saying. “He (Nasheed) resigned on his own.”
Gayoom said he would return home “within days”, and did not rule out a bid to reclaim the presidency.
“I haven’t decided yet. You can say I am keeping my options open. I don’t think I will but I cannot rule it out. It depends on the circumstances,” he told AFP.
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is meanwhile sending his special envoy M Ganapathi to assess the situation in the Maldives. High level delegations from the UN and Commonwealth are active in the capital, while US Assistant Secretary of State Robert Blake is due to arrive tomorrow.
Male’ remains calm this evening. But meanwhile, far from the diplomats and international media thronging in Male’, MDP supporters in the southern-most city of Addu are alleging that a brutal police and PPM crackdown against the former ruling party is taking place in retaliation for the destruction of court and police buildings on Wednesday evening.
An MDP member told Minivan News this evening that he was dragged from his house, cuffed, and thrown into a pickup “like a dog.” He was taken to Gan with 33 others where the station had been burned by Nasheed supporters on Wednesday evening.
“They poured petrol around us and said: “We will burn you, we can do anything because no one knows where are you are and no one will come to save you,” he said.
(0)Dislikes
(0)Related Posts
Reporter Ibrahim ‘Asward’ Waheed returns to Maldives following major surgery 
February tourist arrivals to the Maldives increase by 25 percent on 2012
Tourist arrivals show decline of 7.6 percent in January 2013
“We have been off the streets for some time – now we are back”: MDP 
Nasheed resigned “not under duress”: Defence Minister Tholhath Ibrahim Kaleyfaanu
Translation: former CNI’s timeline for events of January 16 to February 7
“No, I had no involvement at all. I had no personal involvement in anything...,” AFP reported Gayoom as saying.
We have heard something like this way back when Evan Naseem was shot and killed.
bloody police should stop brutal innocent MDP activists, if not police should face consequences and they can not avoid consequences of avoiding realities.
i dont believe this government cox it was coup by police. we want democratically
elected government in Maldives.
what your trying to prom,ote is utter rubbish! Mr. Nasheed is being accused by many maldivians as a dangerous and no 1 terrorist in the Maldives for his unlawful brutal activities which resulted in the deliberate destruction of public properties in a bid to return to power. BUt Maldidvians will never allow him to become their president.
He wasn't the democratically elected president, he won the election after join the coalition. And broke it once he got appointed. He himself got only 25% votes.
Indeed, it is a dark day in Maldives political situation. Insyaallah law and order will prevail.
I wouldn't address dr.waheed as the new president and he is by far democratically elected as like what mr.gayoom has mentioned. Perhaps mr.gayoom should search the definition of "democratic". But then again,why would he? 30 years of his life were spent as a dictator. In addition to that, dr.waheed's interview with al-jazeera clearly showed that he was not fond of the president while working with him a
s the vice. Referring to president nasheed as a "dictator" and "autocratic" to international media? Not a really smart move.. I smell a coup and a crook!
Our prayers from Malaysia for our muslim brothers and sisters in Maldives. Insyaallah this will end soon and well.
I wonder how Mr. Waheed can declare that Nasheed resigned "on his own", when Nasheed himself says otherwise. It looks like Waheed and the opposition know of what Nasheed does better than Nasheed himself.
In addition, when the first three appointments made by Waheed are Nazim, Riyaz and Jameel, all of whom are distinctly against the Nasheed government, we should know that this is not a coup. Dr. Waheed does not look like someone who will bring about a coup.
I had 'no personal involvement' in 'anything like a coup' 'organised by myself', thats right he wasn't physically involved in it even though he planned it. And it wasn't anything LIKE a coup, it WAS a coup. Maybe he was lying this time. This guy is awfully good at being a genuine scumbag.
“No, I had no involvement at all. I had no personal involvement in anything like a coup organised by myself,” AFP reported Gayoom as saying. “He (Nasheed) resigned on his own.”
Isn't there something funny in this statement.
"its simply not true"
I never take part I ask others to do my dirty work for me.
Exactly how can he take part in his own coup, his brother Yamin did that for him.
You senile dumb prick, don't you know when you are admitting your own freaking guilt.
Hahah Nasheed "resigned on his own" who are you people trying to kid.
Seriously does this statement need any explanation, specially from an old Botox who ruled for thirty years and still couldn't resign on his own and had throw out the bleeding fox shit out Gay-oom.
how can you be personally involved if you are NOT in the flipping country to start with... 😛
It is Anni who is responsible for all this civil unrest in the country. That guy has simple gone mad and crazy to be the president again.
Hey anyone seen gayoom ? oh no hes left everyone doing his dirty work.
55 billion pounds oh where did he get this money from i think mybe not being a politician. Take a look at the ten richest people in the maldives this will tell you all you need to know .
Money can buy you anything.
What happened to the voice of India? Are they so worried about GMR losing the airport that they will go to bed with the Islamic right, Yaamin Gasim Hassan Saeed etc etc who have opposed the outsourcing of the managemtnof the airport?
Who let the dogs out woof woof, i did mr gayyoom
Gayoom, it is simply not true.
Fellow citizens of Addu are being beaten up and treated worse than animals by the terror dogs of the Maldivian Terrorist Services as we speak.
Make no mistake, we are watching you very carefully and know exactly who it is that's carrying out these criminal acts. When the time comes, as it surely will by the mercy of Allah, you'll pay for these crimes.
MR Waheed's regime is illegal; I repeat, illegal by all accounts. We have first hand witness statements from civil servants in the Presidents Office who recounted exactly how President Nasheed was forced to draft a letter of resignation under duress.
During the last few minutes of Nasheed's presidency, he was surrounded by former disgraced "Colonel" Nazim, former policemen Riyaz and Fayaz. These 3 were giving the orders to the President!
An investigation has to look carefully into the role of these three individuals. They held no position in any government agency, department or ministry and were not civil servants. So, what were they doing, surrounding the President during the crucial moments leading to his resignation?
As soon as the President resigned, two out of those 3 individuals were immediately handed the posts of Defence Minister and Commissioner of Police. These are not only highly questionable appointments, but also demonstrates that MR Waheed was party to the coup d’état.
Anni should take the full responsibility. He had a good chance to reform within the boundaries of the constitution.. he just blew his chance.. for this we wll not forgive him.. Anni simply did not have the capability to be a leader... he is only good as an activist
srsly fail to understand y Nasheed resigned than, that 2 on live telecast.He was in the military's building.If he saw infront of his eyes a military coup taking over the country wudnt it have been more reasonable option for him 2 defy them if he blvd he had the suport of the ppl and majority of the police and military?Afterall if he defied and stayed thr they cud either kil him or hurt him or arrest him, which wud have proved the whole truth to the world and the citizens,which is not something the military can afford.Captain of the ship abandoning it first at the time of crisis and escaping to safe haven amongst loyal supporters protected by friends in international media and leaving the country to just any1 who comes with a gun!We dont need cowards as presidnts, we need patriots who can live upto the presidential promise to serve this country and does it till his last breath.Bng presidnt he didnt knw in any way that thr was a coup bn planned against him.That is utter failure,total collapse,he would not knw anything abt even if thr was a foreign invasion! Maldivians need to find from somewhere an intelligent educated diplomatic and reasonable leader whu understands the True Maldivain Dream and whu has the courage to give everything in him for it..
Nasheed is fully responsible for his own down fall, a stupid moron who would go any length to stay in power. I salute the Police and the Army for not obeying the Moron Nasheed when He went on Ranting like a mad dog begging them to shoot and control the prestest sjust before the stupid man resigned.All the destrucion that the country sees today are doen by the MDP and Nasheed's violent meditation for violence makes him responsible for the destruction fo the Nation.
Nasheed has this coming..his disregard for the constitution and rule of law led to this, once in power he kicked his coalition and surrounded himself with like minded corrupt people who have no regard for our religion or national interests...I congratulate the police and armed forces for thier actions....In the coming elections people of Maldives hopefully will not elect the madman Anni.
Oh pls same old dirty politics as of gayooms 30 years. We have to get rid of this coup leaders now. What is international community doing. Why do they always try to stay on the safe side while compromising democracy?
Gayoom - you ruled our country for 32 years. Is it still not enough?? Come on come on. GET OUT OF OUR COUNTRY GAYOOM. And please give the elected President to rule. I did not vote for Nasheed or do i support him. No way. But he was the elected President and we need to respect that we lost and his party won. In 2013 then we can vote and throw Nasheed out. But you guys want the easy way in. You damn politicians.
Thank you for the offer but we don't need an independent inquiry to decipher our own constitution for us, Minister Guido Westerwelle. Though of course, Minivannews has not taken the hint and continues to aid foreign meddlers on our shores. How surprising.
The fact are these. As per our constitutional order of succession, a legitimate government is currently in place and Nasheed was ousted because of his persistent violations of that very constitution.
You know something folks, it reflects rather poorly on the intelligence of most commentaters on this website, that there is so much sympathy for this man; who only has himself to blame for his loss of mandate and for the ongoing destruction and rampage.
Very poorly indeed. I've come to the conclusion that this kind of asininity should not be given a platform and I urge the relavent authorities to take immediate action against this website.
The Maldivian people need peace and tranquility now and not seditious "news" outlets that specialize in creating dissent and havoc with their alarmist propoganda. Our policemen are simply doing their jobs and these tall tales of torture are as exaggerated and fictional as the climate-change propoganda that had our ex-President madly chopping down wood.
I suggest that Ms. Eleanor Jonstone and Mr. JJ Robinson get on that ark before we flood and be on their merry way. Berrlin is lovely this time of year.
Ibrahim, agree with you. This isn't about which Party we support, but rather protecting our right to vote in a legitimate Government. Question is though, for the next election, will we see a new face we can trust? All those involved in the coup are definetly not in my list of potential candidates for Presidency of Maldives.
THIS IS A TOTALLY ILLEGITIMATE GOVERNMENT. FACT= WHEN THEY DO NOT USE THE VOTE, THEY USE GUNS TO GET INTO POWER. THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED HERE.
call an emergency general election now for the name of peace. INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY, HELP US NOW! PLEASE, WE BEG YOU.
Those truly in control of the country are police and soldiers who were always deeply loyal to Maumoon. As loyalists to Maumoon they obey Yameen, Kingship thing. This arose because Anni forwarded Yameen's case to the courts after arresting that corrupt Judge.
Wahid is a puppet made to look like it was a legitimate hand over, he himself does not know the truth and would be in self denial if he did know it.
Yameen rules Maldives now with an iron fist, he is the one hurting you all.
Gayoom, how u enjoy that money laundring almost $800 million that u abused in oil..still want to corrupt more to give ur family and ur friend??? what a shame!!!
I was not supporter of Ani, but now i do! he deserves to be a president till the new election. He is legally eleceted president, all of us have to respect that. That immunity is not the way to step him down...
Dr.Waheed Please dont talk about fundamental values. You have no right.You are a traitor no only for Nasheed, for this nation and its people too. You were behind all what had happened. Oppositions had confirmed on local media that they had held meetings with you and you were ready to take up the position.You are simply a thief if i describe you briefly. You have robbed the throne
This government is legitimate and it certainly doesn't need any foreign power to declare it to be so.
Nasheed and his thugs is fully responsible for this. This wouldnt have happen if took advice from Dr. Didi and his co. instead of that 'movie star' Ashrani.
verily maleves is a tourist country only, tourist come here in maldive coz its peaceful ,secure and nice ...so don’t make it as srilanka authority should solve all the internal issue peacefully as soon as possible...
I think Anni is responsible for his downfall. First he forget he came to the power by forming a coalition with other parties. He appoints militant MDP activists to goverment positions without looking at their qualification . This result in misrule and corruption in his goverment. He makes lots of false promises which never come true , almost all islands he visited. Rising inflation and de valueing Maldivian curency this action affect poor people. Acting like a dictator during his last day in power. Taking uncositiutional decesions.
Nasheed, you want to hold on the power at any cost. Worse than the dictator Maumoon. Both Anni and Maumoon are responsible for this cicil unrest and you both created this environment on this peaceful nation and both need to spend the rest of their life in Jail.
Ibrahim, you are right. I did not like some of the things Nasheed did and the incompetent people he put in but this is unacceptable. As you said he would have lost the election next year and legally he would be out.
But there is a major issue that most of you ignore.
This is the arrival of an Islamic Judge from Malaysia. This is the important issue here and the major reason for the coup.
They cannot afford this as then everyone would know how corrupt the Judiciary is and how corrupt and incompetent Judge Abdulla is. They are not doing this for the love of Abdulla but to protect their own greedy selves. If Abdulla goes they get found out and caught.
All Maldivians should now realise how bad this Judiciary and Abdulla is after all the JSC themselves has told the Majlis that Abdulla got his Court to issue an injunction into the investigation.Then we know the Police brutality and we must acknowledge that Nasheed never got the Police Force to beat the public like this. Not even under the most brutal years under Gayoom did this happen. The Police Force are like animals.
Its not about President Nasheed, this is about the democratic process. The president says he resigned under duress, and there are facts pointing to that.
That's more than enough cause for an election.
tsk, why not have an independent inquiry? after all bigger countries than us have had independent inquiries.
The alternate option is to thumb our noses at all these countries and become destitute. You seem very ignorant about the World. The World does not operate on your whims.
How can it be a constitutional government when the President who has been elected by the people says he was forced to resign?
This is what the inquiry would find out. If he resigned out of his own without any pressure from the Police or the MNDF, then he is proven to be a huge liar and he is finished as a politician and Waheed would be the President. So why are you so worried as to what this inquiry would find out?
Are you worried that this would show that Nasheed told the truth and he was forced out?
I and I am sure most Maldivians would want to find out what exactly happened. I am not believing the whole story of Nasheed either without any reservations but as a Maldivian I need to know.
The evidence so far available shows that he was forced to resign but only an inquiry would prove it one way or the other. If the independent inquiry shows that he lied to the people then I for one would never believe him and do everything I can to never let him back into politics. I am sure the majority of the Maldivians would feel the same too.
DICTATOR NASHEED WAS TRYING TO SPREAD EXTREMISM IN MALDIVES!! HE WAS VERY CLOSE TO AL-QAIDA MALDIVES LINKS! HE WAS TRYING TO PUT DOWN THE INTERNATIONAL GROUPS FUNDING THE SAUDI AND ISLAMIST!!
Ofcourse Nasheed has said the truth.
At first around 1030 hours - Nazim came out to the republican-square and said that the MNDF & Police staffs hugged him and he was carried to their shoulders - this was shown on VTV and DhiTV. This statement alone confirms that it was a Military Coup.
As nobody (specially) a normal person cannot walk-in through those MNDF big gates - even when you cross those gates on the road - you'll feel something - so how could a normal person get-into the MNDF and come-out and say that MNDF is on their side, while Mr. Nasheed was the president even at the moment.
We all know, that President Nasheed resigned at around 1300 hours of the same day.
So it was a bloody Military Coup.
well, I guess we will never find out the truth if it was a coup d'etat or not. But I believe we all need to be reminded of the one and most important thing here: Nasheed brought glimpses of democracy into this country, e.g. freedom of speech most of all, this website for example would never even exist in the times before, and even those hate written comments here and there, people would have gone to jail for that in former years. But the beauty of democracy is that everybody has the right to voice their opinion, but also everybody has the right to not to listen to all b***sh**t ... so every intelligent human being here should understand this one legacy of Nasheed. If majority of Maldivians would be that smart enough there would be hope to move on and create a bright and proud future despite all the turmoil that happened. Unfortunately I do not see any smart, independent and intellectual figures in this country to raise their voices! Where are they? Or is it really true what everybody says, that Maldivians are not that well educated! If that is the reason, then goodnight...