Minister of Foreign Affairs Ahmed Naseem has called on Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh to accept and implement the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) terms and leave office.
‘’The Minister was speaking against a backdrop of escalating violence and human rights abuses in Yemen following President Saleh’s refusal to cede power as per a transitional plan tabled by the GCC,’’ said the Foreign Ministry.
‘’Over thirty people have been killed in recent fighting fueled by frustration over the protracted issue of reform in Yemen. Protesters see Saleh as the key obstacle blocking real change in Yemen.’’
The ministry also said that on May 25 President Saleh had clarified that he would not leave office.
“The Maldives calls on President Saleh to stop reneging on earlier promises, to listen to the will of the people, and to put the country of Yemen above his own personal interests,” said Naseem.
“Because of his actions, President Saleh is directly responsible for the current situation, including the political impasse and the deteriorating human rights and humanitarian situation.”
“The Maldives urged President Saleh to follow through on his commitments to peacefully transfer power, and for the parties concerned to reach a consensus, leading to the early stabilisation of the situation. For that to happen, President Saleh must sign the GCC agreement and step down” the Foreign Ministry’s statement said.
The Ministry added that the Maldives stands ‘’firmly beside all those in Yemen who are calling for greater freedom and the full enjoyment of their human rights.’’
Naseem is currently in Bangladesh on an official trip, where he signed a memorandum of understating ‘’concerning placement of manpower’’ with the Bangladeshi Government.
The ministry said the MoU would help to protect the rights of Bangladeshi labors working in the Maldives.
The Immigration Department predicts that the number of expatriates working in the Maldives will reach 100,000 in June – a third of the country’s population.
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Maldives being a small country cant really do much of a difference when it comes to foreign relations. Especially when governments of the past and governments of today still keep sucking up to the West in return for economic packages. Why else would governments around the world stay silent against dictators like Mubarak, Ben Ali, Bahrain and Saudi monarchs just out of fear that these corrupt regimes are all supported and funded by US administration for the past few decades. In the case of Egypt, the US kept their mouth shut hoping for Mubarak to somehow survive and only once they figured out that keeping silent would do more damage do American image.. only then did the US government started speaking in favour of Mubarak to step down. It was only Al Jazeera that was reporting the deaths of innocent protesters in Tunisia, Egypt, Bahrain and elsewhere, while American media kept a low keys on these significant events. In the end US and its allies had no choice with Yemens President too now since it cant be seen as keeping silent against President Saleh as he butchers his people. In the case of Lybia the US government intervened as they saw a chance to control Lybia's natural resources through Nato, while Russia objected as it saw western intervention as a threat to Russian interest in Lybia. So its all politics. The same is for Syrian government which has an anti-American led government. So America was quick to jump up and call for freedom in Syria for the Syrian people while at the same time American allied dictator in Bahrain was killings hundreds and imprisoning thousands of women, men and children. Why keep your mouth shut about Bahrain and talk big against your enemy Syria only? Disgusting American politics which has no moral value and never did. Only thing they were good at was giving a false image to a section of the world's population who had no education in US or Western foreign policy and imperialism. That is one thing we can give them credit for, but the Muslim youths are turning against the US and its allies.. the tide is turning. Every Empire has its fall, be it from a natural disaster or something else. Even western history has proven this point, if one has studied it.
So Maldives as a country should not start to only talk against dictators who America does not mind us talking about. Why have we not publicly condemned the silence by western countries on the oppression being carried out daily in Bahrain against all the pro-democracy activists in Bahrain? Playing politics when people are suffering itself is a crime in one way or another. Silence was the same crime while people were being tortured in Maldives before. Why do the same when you come to power? Be strong and honest so you can earn the respect of the people now and in the future.
Muad MZ, "Be strong and honest.." R u serious? Honesty and kerafa naseem? u must be joking, bro!
hehe yamen president bunee mihaaru maldives bunee ma vara ves biru gain fiyo
Muad MZ... you are so jealous of US and their way of life... why not migrate there and enjoy the perks and the pricks... ha?