The Maldivian Democratic Party’s (MDP) ‘Journey of Pledges’ has today reached Nilandhoo in Ghaafu Alif Atoll with no sign of the security forces.
Local media yesterday reported that boats had been sent to return former President Mohamed Nasheed to Male’ to face trial .
Party spokesman Hamed Abdul Ghafoor said that the five boat flotilla had received a warm welcome from the island’s 1000-strong population as well as the Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) dominated council.
“We don’t see the [political] tension here,” said Ghafoor. “Everyone is in high spirits.”
When asked about the reports in local media that the coastguard had been deployed from Male’ yesterday, Ghafoor said that the party had not received any official word from the authorities.
“As far as we had heard, boats left from Male’ at 4:00pm and should have arrived in Villingili by midnight,” he said.
“There were also rumours that a platoon was leaving from Addu but we haven’t heard anything from the police yet,” he added.
Yesterday the police declined to comment and the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) denied that any officials had been sent to retrieve Nasheed.
The day after Nasheed left for the Southern atolls, in contravention of a travel ban, the courts instructed police to produce Nasheed at a rescheduled hearing in the Abdulla Mohamed detention case this coming Sunday.
Security forces made no attempt to prevent Nasheed from leaving Male’ on Monday.
Judicial Administration Department Director Ahmed Maajid told Minivan News yesterday that, despite the order, the former president was “not to be detained”.
In the event of Nasheed being taken back to the capital, Ghafoor was uncertain as to whether the trip, scheduled to visit over 30 islands in 14 days, would continue.
“The trip is very much driven by a charismatic leader. It may fizzle out if the government acted aggressively like that,” said Ghafoor.
“We are not fighters – it would be silly to have a fighting force confront us on the high seas. But you can’t put anything past them,” he continued.
Maldivian law does include provision for trial in absentia if the defendant in a criminal case is not produced by the police.
However, MDP lawyer Hassan Latheef said that this would be very unusual and, to his knowledge, does not have any precedence in Maldivian case law.
Nasheed has requested in writing that his MNDF security detail – provided under the Former President’s Act – not accompany him on the tour.
The MNDF released a statement today detailing this, saying that it could not take any responsibility for harm that might befall the former president whilst not under its protection.
It was also stated that the defence ministry had asked the Majlis for advice on how it should act in such circumstances.
Police Commissioner Abdulla Riyaz has been summoned to the Majlis’ 241 security committee to discuss the protection provided to politicians following the murder of MP Afrasheem Ali on Monday evening.
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Anni Nasheed is a coward crybaby, don't do the crime if you can't do the time, Annis life story!
Maldivious on Thu, 4th Oct 2012 4:26 PM
"Anni Nasheed is a coward crybaby, don’t do the crime if you can’t do the time, Annis life story!"
Oh really? I am no fan of Anni, but I do respect him for the way he did "time" when dictator Gayyoom put him in solitary confinement in a tin hut under the baking tropical sun.
Can you handle that?
Anni sweated and toiled day in and day out, rain or shine.Like a flash of lightning, within mere three years delivered to the people the so called luxuries" unaffordable" to Maldives; terrific social security, mass housing in thousands, transport network, free medical care despite the mushrooming government expenditure fr commissions, Majlis. The same resources, the preceded regime had, were used to turn around the economy and life of the common man. Thus, it is conclusive that the previous regime had criminally denied those amenities to the people. Anni does not have to be punished for revealing the true economic strength of Maldives. Maldives is being liberated in way or the other by every passing day, of course at high political cost. So the judiciary, the courts and some hostile commissions must come to terms with the man, no matter how strained his relations may be with the judiciary. The bully tactics of neither Anni's nor other institutions, serve any purpose other than social upheaval and loss of confidence in the system. affecting life all Maldivians at the end of the day. Everybody's days are numbered, so play fair with a sense of dignity and respect to human rights.
This young man, anni, lived through all the torture inflicted on him by those who wanted to wipe him off the earth.
No hero?
U guys will utter any filth to protect your political masters.
Anni came to power as a brave hero, he left as a coward.. he shouldn't have resigned
Maldivians fate was sealed a few centuries ago. By an extradited man from Morocco.
We do not need a hero. We do not need to use our brains. All the thinking was supposedly done by our master.
We need to pray 5 times, do Hajj every other year, swing knives and swords at neighbours simulating warfare.
Thats is what we are supposed to do. That is what our constitution is based on.
We do not need this Anni. We need to take the country, its white beaches, its coconut palms, its arrogant and ignorant people to the blessed heaven hereafter. Thats all we need.
The same security forces warned the incumbent president that he and his family cannot be guaranteed security under some condition that on February 7 one of the Critical Participant said was a non-negotiable ultimatum reached in consultation with some senior officers of the MNDF.
Now, they say since Nasheed has declined MNDF security in writing they would not be responsible for any harm he may have suffered. It appears then the security forces would provide security to even an incumbent president whenever they want it.
They are not guided by the law.
Why can't Nasheed just face the charges against him.
The trial is going to be public with open media coverage. Nasheed will be represented by a team of lawyers and he will be given the opportunity to rebut the charges against him.
Also the PG will have the burden of proving his liability for the arrest of Criminal Court Chief Justice Abdulla Mohamed.
Why all the drama? Its not like most of us don't already know that Nasheed arrested the judge. He is quoted in several interviews to the foreign press as owning up that he did. He just believes he was justified in doing so.
now we are seen some interruption from people of Maldives to enter some Islands by MDP and this is now something MDP claims are not right.
When MDP was pushing other parties doing tehier campaign when they were in power, it was right and those people were practicing their rights if freedom but when other practice and express their views on MDP and its leader then it becomes unethical ?
what a double standard ? we need to abolish these party system and get a leader elected and let him have his own government and then have parliament as watchdog of the Government .
Bully tactics through the draconian laws. What does a law mean if that is the shield for the wicked and a threat for the victim.
Certain laws and courts are being used to predate on the political opponents with very clear signs that courts are biased against. It is justice that has to be delivered. If the constitution and laws, as it is in Maldives, are indulging in favoritism and corruption it does not take court verdicts to understand that. It is so obvious in the close knit community.
Charges against Anni or charges against some other person should be treated at equal footing. Look at the difference Anni brought to the life of common Maldivian. MOney cannot conceal the truth, even though newspapers and media do not acknowledge it. May be hushed for a while.Mismanaging Maldives and dwindling the public coffers just to fritter away at the whims of a few- neither the young nor elderly will tolerate this. Maldives economy and riches cannot be like spoils of war after an election or capture of power. The unforgivable tactics will sooner or later be exposed as was exposed in the lead up to the first free and fair election. Truth versus mischief - who prevails only time will tell.
All apologists of the old dictatorship keep talking about the rule of law and urgency in delivering "justice". What is the hurry? Why can't they simply deliver summons, at least 11 to President Nasheeds' residence, and if he doesn't happen to be there, tough luck.
After all things change in our volatile political landscape. The police and military are there to interpret "unlawful orders" and order the presidents' resignation, then Nasheed, back in power can receive justice in a more favourable atmosphere.
After all clear precedents have been set.
@ Maldivious
Listen to yourself... Anni was put in a tin hut to burn to death, put in solitary confinemet and fed glass in his food whilst in prison and you say he has no done his time.???. On that basis Gayoom should have spent a thousand years in prison!
You are clearly part ofthe UNELECTED dictatorship.