The UN and other development partners have “watched with concern as short term political interests [in the Maldives] have threatened to put the nation’s long-term interests at risk,” said UN Resident Coordinator Andrew Cox at today’s celebration of UN Day.
“The Executive and the Parliament have faced off on avoidable issues, and contributed to rising tensions. Political parties have opposed each other and blocked key legislation as a matter of principle, even if there is no substantive disagreement,” Cox stated.
“The judiciary, already in need of strengthening, has faltered. It has been disrupted by political pressure, inflicting lasting damage on its independence and reputation. Equally, the constitution and separation of powers have come under tremendous strain.”
Tensions between the emergent three arms of government, each testing their limits, were preventing the Maldivian people “from savouring the fruits of this hard-won democracy.”
The only way forward from such political instability, Cox said, was dialogue: “Debate, dialogue and exchange of ideas are key features of a democratic society.”
Quoting former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, Cox said that “What matters is that all peoples accept the need to listen; to compromise; to take each other’s views into account. What matters is that they come together, not at cross purposes but with a common purpose: to shape their common destiny.”
The UN would assist in ensuring the country’s first local council elections were conducted freely and fairly, Cox said.
“In addition to this crucial event, the UN is committed to support the establishment of an enabling environment for effective decentralisation. We hope that this will make services and political power more accessible, accountable, and transparent to the people.”
Vice President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan, UN staff and assorted high commissioners attended the event this afternoon at the UN building, to mark the 65th anniversary of the UN.
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UN has no mandate to interfere internal politics of other countries.By the way where is this UN, when Israel and US unilaterally bomb cities like Baghdad and Westbank kill innocent people.
Ekaloa,
Comments like yours are depressing for more than one reason.
First, for the cringe-inducing and utterly pointless tedium of having to listen to the garbage about Palestinians and Israelis in an article that has absolutely nothing to do with either.
Secondly, the off-putting, but typically Maldivian, habit of dismissing any criticism (especially constructive ones) with snide, arrogant remarks that does no one any good.
Yes, I totally agree with Ekaloa on Mon, 25th Oct 2010 1:15 AM and other comments like him.
Where is this UN when I was tourturing a country for 30 long years?
The ecology of Maldives politics is maintained by the powerful tourism lobby. The 80 percent of GDP of Maldives comes 2 0r 3 resort companies which holds the puppet strings to everything. Parties are secondary sub-systems used to legitimize stuff with the help of nice UN words like democracy, empowerment.
we can handle ourselves...our law is above everything..thts islamic law....
Ekaloa: you bemoan UN interference/comments on Maldives' politics. Just like the Israelis who bemoan UN interference/comments on their politics: "Where is the UN when 150 rockets are landing in a terrorist campaign to murder Israelis? Nowhere because the UN is Muslim dominated! Global terror has a global political backing--the Muslim dominated UN..."
Ekaloa: you bemoan UN interference/comments on Maldives' politics. Just like the Israelis who bemoan UN interference/comments on their politics: "Where is the UN when 150 rockets are landing in a terrorist campaign to murder Israelis? Nowhere because the UN is Muslim dominated! Global terror has a global political backing--the Muslim dominated UN..."
Responding to Ekaloa on Mon, 25th Oct 2010 1:15 Am
typical maldivian response... focus on another coutry or people when they have a problem of thier own...deflecting the responbsibility...
As for why UN...UN has every right to intervene in Maldivian affiars especially...given the amount of money UN gives to the Maldives...if you dont want them to inerfere in Maldives affairs stop taking thier money and remove yourself from UN...
As for bringing about the big evils...stop it it...its just too funny...trying to play emotional politics by using Israel and USA...sorry could have fooled maldivians in the past not any more...they know and can find information and make rational judgements .."ie like Israel and USA anre important development partners for Maldives"...
The Resident coordinator is right. Bi-partizan politics in Parliament and arrogance on the side of Government has resulted in key legislation being held up. This has developed animosity towards the parliament and mistrust of the Government.
Ekaloa: Well spoken .. just like Myanmar, North Korea, China, Israel, Russia and the US (others)
Oh well, not a group I would want to be in.
My friend Ekaloa,
I think Ekaloa has difficulty in understanding what is expressed here by the UN Resident Coordinator Mr Cox. Even if Ekaloa doesn't like what the UN is doing, Ekaloa must learn to understand what one says and must agree with even if Ekalo hates someone. But Ekaloa can do it only if Ekaloa learn to understand things or look at things with the intention of understanding the reality of things. I perhaps think Ekaloa would understand it if a man wearing a Jubbaa expressed it. If it's so, Ekaloa has lost the quality of equality that was brought by our Prophet Muhammad, peace be on him..I pray Allah SWT gives all of us the ability to understand the truth, Ameen
This country is hijacked by 5 (Qasim, champa, thasmeen, universal, sun) business man who do not want to pay taxes and return to autocracy by hook or crook to get the best deals outof governmetn without competion. when UN going to help us to break that.
I wonder why it is that political parties across all political spectrums are forgetting the long-term interests of the nation?
Is it because some parties have a fundamental issue with multi-party democracy?
And, more importantly, does the nation as a whole, understand what it is that we mean when we say we are a 'democratic' nation?
If we cannot agree to a common understanding of what we mean by being a democratic nation, I wonder if we can all work towards a common goal??
Maldivians should learn to stay with issues rather than dismissing it because of who said it. It is always worth exploring it to see what can be done.
Responsibility always stream down to the people to make the executive powers responsible. For most Maldivians, their own egos stand in the way to become a better Maldivian. And ignorance behind this sort of reaction such as Ekaloa.
This is not about UN. This is about Maldivians.
And a simple e.g for the dumb heads... If we have a problem, it will be a problem regardless who pointed it out.
The Parliament is now in limbo because of utterly bad decisions made by this government. President got his cabinet resigned in an hour, and now he is struggling to save his face.
And this is President's own doing. And he is to blame for delays in parliament because of his unwanted stunts.
The problem goes even further. Its not just political parties taking stands on principles. If we take a look at how these parties came to form, we will find almost all of these parties formed through, by and via corruption. The true basis of power and governance lies in these parties and their registers. If we want to do tremendous good to the country, let that good be to abolish all these phoney parties and form them anew. Then only will we have a reliable political landscape which is representative of the beliefs of the people.
UN conventions are all fine, if only they weren't administered by a United army of sNobs.
they bring projects and money on the basis that all CUSTOM and natural distribution of WEALTH is bypassed in the name of nation building DEVELOPMENT .
if the political parties talked like this, as in how we are commenting to this article itself, Maldives would be in much better shape!
TALK, debate, dialoue!. compromise.. !!
its not about the parties its about the people.. for godsake!
If the country has untouchable individuals hidden and out in the open.ie;inside the parliament & the government.
Neither U.N no anything else below the sky can do anything to prevent or stop what is prevailing like a plague over this nation.
Sad as it may seem.
When Deputy Speaker and the Chair of the Financial Committee and National Defence Committee are at the top of The Corrupt under investigation,
and they investigate the police, and discuss judges salaries in between Court hearings,
and the Speaker speaks around it, where goes the people?
Peep Peep.
Here comes the ice cream van.