MDP Founder Returns From Exile

Mohamed Latheef, the founder of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has returned to the Maldives after three years of voluntary exile in Sri Lanka.

“It feels great to be back!” he told Minivan News.

A crowd of MDP supporters gathered at the jetty to welcome the MDP founder back to his country of birth, and a cheer went up as he stepped off the boat and back onto the island of Male’.

Latheef then led a procession of MDP supporters through the city to the MDP headquarters, before returning home to rest. “I tried very hard to keep this welcome thing as calm and quiet as possible,” he said. Still, many MDP supporters came to see him return, waving yellow flags, cheering and calling for the President’s resignation.

But the event was carried off completely peacefully. There was virtually no police presence and no arrests were made.

“We have started a process of change and reform and a lot of people in my party say that if I came back it might have a motivating effect on the reform process,” said Latheef, explaining his motives for returning.

He left the Maldives with other founding members in October 2003 fearing persecution after considerable political unrest. The month before, Evan Naseem, a 19 year-old jailed for drug offences, was beaten to death by prison officers, sparking prison riots and the shooting of 19 inmates, three of which died. That caused anti-government riots on the streets of Male’.

Latheef founded the party the following month in Colombo with Mohamed Nasheed (Anni), Ahmed Mausoom, Ahmed Shafeeg Moosa and others.

Latheef is quoted on the dissident Dhivehi Observer website, blocked in the Maldives, about the possibility of arrest. “It cannot be ruled out and I have received such treatment in the past but I believe the time is ripe for me to work from home for our cause.”

His daughter, Jenny Latheef, was charged with terrorism and sentenced to ten years imprisonment in October 2005. She was then pardoned by President Gayoom on August 16, 2006, but rejected the pardon. She left the country soon after.

The other main founder of the MDP, Anni, returned from exile on 30 March, 2005, and was arrested and placed under house arrest on 12 August, 2005. He was only released after much diplomatic and political pressure on 21 September last year, fourteen months later.

Latheef’s homecoming coincides with a visit by the UK Conservative MP, Gary Streeter, who will discuss the possibility of further cooperation and support from his party in Britain. Streeter will travel with Latheef to his native island of Thinadhoo, Gaafu Dhaalu Atoll, where the British MP will give a speech to party members.

Latheef’s return comes at a critical time for the party, when it is struggling to maintain unity as the split between the parliamentary members and the shadow cabinet group grows. MDP party officials will now be hoping Latheef’s arrival helps to overcome disagreement and assert greater unity and direction on the party.

The MDP originally came into being after discussions in February 2001 among 42 Maldivians about the possibility of an opposition movement, including current Finance Minister, Gasim Ibrahim. He since defected to the government after a short spell in jail, but the movement was officially registered as the first political party of the Second Republic of the Maldives on 26th June, 2005.

Since then the MDP has become the largest opposition party in the Maldives.