The Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) passed a resolution on Sunday (September 29), calling for the establishment of a people’s government headed by the party’s presidential candidate and former president Mohamed Nasheed, if no elected president is sworn in by the end of the current presidential term on November 11.
The resolution comes after the Maldives Police Services forcibly brought run-off preparations to a halt on Friday following a Supreme Court order to delay the second round of presidential elections in an ongoing case filed by third placed Jumhooree Party (JP) to annul the vote.
The MDP emerged as the front-runner with 45.45 percent of the vote in the first round of polls and was set to run against the Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM), which won 25.35 percent in a second round on September 29.
The resolution, passed with unanimous approval of 78 members, says the party will continue its presidential campaign activities, will actively participate in peaceful political activity to get the right to vote, and is to establish a people’s government if a president is not sworn in by November 11.
“If no elected President is sworn in as per the constitution on 11 November 2013, then the MDP by virtue of the mandate given to them by the first round of the Presidential elections held on 7 September 2013, will work to establish a people’s Government headed by the MDP’s Presidential candidate, President Mohamed Nasheed,” the resolution read.
The party is to hold discussions with all state institutions and the international community to seek their support for the people’s government.
Further, the party has called for civil disobedience and will begin mass protests calling for the establishment of a people’s government, and will carry out political activity in Male’ and the atolls.
According to the resolution, MDP’s campaign offices and atolls will be reactivated and campaign officials are to travel across the country to continue with presidential campaign. Door-to-door activities are to restart.
The PPM’s legal advisor Mohamed Waheed Ibrahim yesterday said that the Supreme Court should decide who to hand the presidency to should presidential elections fail to take place by November 11.
Meanwhile, the Jumhooree Party has criticised the MDP’s resolution as “extremist and harmful” and says the MDP wants to “create strife and plunge the country into a behavioural war by bringing people from the atolls into Malé.”
In a statement released on Sunday, the party said it wants a speedy verdict in the Supreme Court case and said “the Jumhooree Coalition will obey any Supreme Court verdict that calls for a revote and ensures first round’s fraud is not repeated.”
The Maldives’ first round of polling has received praise from international and domestic observers, whilst the Supreme Court’s decision to delay polls has been met with global and domestic concern.
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Maldives police had exercised within the constitution and EC tried to have an illegal election.
Nasheed had rigged over 15,000 votes in the first round and we do not want this to get repeated here ever.
International community must intervene the EC and get the actual voters list and then investigate the under age voters and Bagladheshi who had voted in the first round.
Once this is done, they need to ensure to have credible list and then start the election and not before.
MDP will never agree to give the voters list to international community in the presence of all parties and they will do what ever possible to stop giving the list to the international community .
what if there is election for round 2 before nov. 11 and the result is 45.45% for mr. nasheed and 54.55% for mr. yameen. will MDP accept it?
It's alarming to read of death threats made to Elections Commission Chair Fuwad Thowfeek and his staff, but even worse, the possibility that harm could come to Anni by some paid-for thugs and assassins.
Though there may be some very rich and influential men terrified of losing their power and wealth if the MDP candidate became President who might attempt this, they should fear the people's wrath should they dare to choose this path.
and what!!!call for civil disobedience. is this the solution for a greedy of power?
If MDP wins the coming election, there will be no peace as long as he is in power. Candidly, the only solution is to elect a President that is bold and brutal. He will govern the country with Iron Fist and stabilize the chaos situation. You know who is capable of doing that!
let the supreme court withall the seven judgeds give thier verdict as soon as posible since the EC said there was was no irregularities in the polls of sept7 . they av done thier invistigation and found nothing like under aged or minor voting. so let the supreme court with all the seven jugdes giv the verdict today.
Vote Rigging?
What about the force-fed, arabic religion on to everyones throat??
What about the murders?
What about the countless theft, bounced checks?
What about the drug-money?
What about the nation-wide corruptions?
Please MDP is not the only ones who step out of bounds...
The motto is, 'who can get away with it'.
What is a "people's government" at law?
How is one established?
Does it involve the use of force?
What would happen to the Constitution given the fact that such a government does not come into being through its provisions?
Does the support of 45 percent of the electorate validate a forcible takeover of power?
What would happen to the remaining portion of the electorate who does not support such a government?
Will the people's government be followed by a "people's Parliament" consisting of unelected representatives as well?
Will we reconstitute the "people's court" that passed summary judgments for executions and be-headings at Raalhugandu?
Will we enforce "people's law" where right and wrong and moral values are dictated by political affiliations and beliefs?
Will we then depend on "people's tourism" where only local currency will circulate in the industry until the country goes bankrupt?
@George,
your comment sounds harsh - but I have to agree with you.
..."the Jumhooree Coalition will obey any Supreme Court verdict that calls for a revote..."
Unbelievable. Do you mean to tell me that Gasim has still not figured out that that the forces which lead Gasim to believe he may still become the President were lying to him? Can't he see, by now, that they were manipulating him to create the stir against the elections commission, that stir used to make the court order against elections look credible and gain momentum among the people?
Resistance as non violent civil disobedience, should the people choose it, I agree with.
A choice of violence will damage the moral standing and credibility of the democratic movement amongst too many of its own followers.
Of course, a few will not keep to this principle in the pain of their rage. Also, the PPM forces will send their own forces in to commit violence to make the movement look like a violent movement which cares for nothing but power even at the expense of the suffering of the people.
But, MDP must strive to adhere to the higher moral principles in this struggle.
The greatest power for resistance endurance should be the capacity to absorb pain, not the capacity to inflict it upon others through violence.
Only by showing that you are willing to suffer for the people's freedom yourself, do you make yourself look like a truly worthy, truly democratic, truly caring, servant style nation first leader in the eyes of the people.
The stupidest rigged election ever....MDP rigged the election to only win 45%...why not rigged the election to win 51%...why on earth rigged n election to go for second round..
Plan A - civil disobedience – get international attention if not
Plan B – start a revolution and establish the People’s Republic of Maldives.
Not bad at all, when Maldives lose face with its western friends by resembling the People’s Republic of China.