The ousted Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has accused the Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM) of “threatening” and “intimidating” police and army officers to prevent them from testifying at the inquiry commission set up to investigate the February 7 transfer of power.
In an interview to DhiTV on June 30, PPM deputy leader Umar Naseer claimed six high-ranking police and military officers loyal to deposed President Mohamed Nasheed were holding secret meetings with other security officers in a bid to persuade their colleagues to tell the commission that the change of government occurred through a coup d’état.
“We know that these things are being done,” said Naseer. “We are very closely following the actions of these people. All I have to say to these people is that the government has changed, within the boundaries of the law. Hence, stay with this government. Otherwise, change your thinking, and leave your current posts. Don’t force us to take action in these matters”.
The six officers named are Chief Superintendent of Police Mohamed Hameed, Superintendent of Police Adnan Anees, Chief Inspector of Police Mohamed Abdul Samad, Lieutenant Colonel Jihad, Lieutenant Colonel Zubair and Colonel Ziyad. DhiTV also broadcast pictures of the six officers.
In a press release on July 3, MDP Spokesperson Hamid Abdul Gafoor said Naseer’s statements were “thinly veiled threats” to “intimidate potential witnesses before the CoNI.”
The Commission of National Inquiry (CoNI) was set up by President Mohamed Waheed Hassan to assess the circumstances surrounding President Mohamed Nasheed’s resignation. Following international concerns over the commission’s impartiality, Waheed reconstituted CoNI in June to include a foreign judge and a member representing Nasheed.
Nasheed’s former Environment Minister Mohamed Aslam and National Security Advisor Ameen Faisal released a report outlining what the MDP government knew of then-opposition’s plan to topple the government by soliciting “about 500 police officers” to protest in Republic Square – a demonstration that was joined by opposition supporters and led to Nasheed’s resignation “under duress” on February 7. The government described the report as a “terrorist act.”
Chief Superintendent Mohamed Hameed was subsequently arrested, while other police officers who had cooperated with the report were rounded up and detained, and their houses searched.
Police initially denied the allegations of a “witch hunt” and issued a statement accusing the media of “circulating baseless and false reports”. However court warrants for the arrest of Hameed and Staff Sergeant Ahmed Naseer were subsequently leaked.
In DhiTV’s report, Naseer said the six officers were plotting to influence CoNI’s report to reflect Ameen and Aslam’s findings.
“[Loyalist elements] of the police and military have been made well aware of these people, who are trying to ensure that the report of the Commission is in favour of Nasheed, by their own actions, during Nasheed’s regime,”Naseer warned.
“All I have to say to these people is that we have been very closely observing your actions,” he repeated.
Following the reconstitution of CoNI, an additional 244 people have registered to testify at the commission. CoNI is expected to complete its report by the end of August.
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A lot of the "testimony" provided to CoNI will be highly politicized, pre-fabricated and well-rehearsed.
There is hope however that the technical expertise on the Commission can separate fact from fiction and filter out the scripted from the sincere.
Out of the 244 respondents a large number is of course expected to be members, activists and affiliates of political parties and interests.
The large majority of the Maldivian people have no vested interest, as it appears, in either defending the Nasheed-regime or promoting the current government.
However a picture of the day's events and the implications of what happened for Western security interests in this region can surely be gleaned from the report.
Did this guy not say on public TV that he arranged and helped to bring about a coup? And now he's saying this is a legit government?
Dude, this guy is so messed up and talking outta his ASS!
This asshole deserves to be lynched!
I would love to see this guy brought to justice!!
Also, dude (Naseer), you make no logical sense that these guys participated in the coup if they were aware of it and did not do anything to stop it. How the hell well they supposed to know that it could actually take place when they altogether underestimated your "intelligence" and your super smart commands from the "command center" that you yourself directed to bring about the COUP?
America had intelligence knowledge about the 9/11 incident before it happened, are you then saying the american government was responsible for the deaths and the terror as well just because they didnt stop it from happening?
Forget the baboon, otherwise known as Umar Naseer. He is a circus act, put there by the Gayyoom family business as a punch bag, although, being a baboon, he, of course, does not realise that.
Has Umar done enough to put himself in prison ... We think so. Such a thug! He has publically admitted that he gave ultimatums and threats in order to make the President resign... It is all on video but yet here webarenin July still unsure????!!!
Umaru Naseeru (sacked ex-military) should be in jail for abusing prisoners during police interrogation, his torcher victim’s need justice.
Family bonding and friendships has been affected by the political differences in this country. Authorization to establish political parties came from the government without asking the public if they wanted political parties. If they asked the people majority would have said NO. Today the average Maldivians are suffering because of the political differences. Democracy brings freedom to only the “elite” not to the common person. We have imported a foreign version of decentralization and launched it in haste, with the then opposition frantically making it so expensive so that the ruling party can be punished by budget constraints. But did the ruling party people get punished or did the common citizen of this country get punished. A lot of people living in male’ find it difficult to walk on the roads because so many live in this tiny space and the roads are filthy. In fact some of the older people are confined to the flat they live, have no place to walk and have a breath of fresh air. The amount of murders have increased so many drug traffickers and users. So many in jails and in rehabs. But our population is only about 350,000. A big foreign Company would have that much staff. Our government the law enforcement amounting to more than 4,000 cannot handle the anti social behaviors of this country. What a joke.
I think we should think of contracting to an international force to bring law and order to this country. Something should be done.Its urgent our youth and children need a better, safe, n healthy environment,.
Keep on blabbering Mr Back Bone and hang yourself with your own rope.
Oh comeon Mulla Gamaaru Umar!This country is not your mothers own property! This is our nation too!If there ever was a coup anywhere in the world, what happened in the Maldives on the 7/2 was nothing but a coup! Your a coup perpetraor and we will make sure you face justice!
Backbone umar the man behind the old dictator mammon. True he has done so much brutish acts during mammon era in the police and now he accepts that he led the operation from Endherimage with a platoon. Another power crazy bastard he is talking s&*t. Who would believe him. The rolling stone of politics from IDP to drp and now in ppm (Balhuruh Party).
This guy got a brain of a South Indian from Kerala. LOL, He thinks and believe he is a famous celebrity in Maldives. What an idiot !
naina, bringing a foreign force; my foot, and let our country become another Afghanistan or Iraq, now also these foreign bodies have achieved what they want, to have civil unrest, to weaken our faith(which was so weak then) in our religion, why are Maldivians so stupid and gamaaru. why are we so hung up on bringing people from other places to solve our own problems, we should tackle this on our own terms and as for Umar i think he's a pretty clever fellow unlike silly Nasheed. keke
Trying to hush the conscience of Maldivians through sheer influence and intimidation is a losing battle, a complete losing game. Bribing once through to success may be possible. but the vice of it boomerangs to oneself and the success is often so short-lived. Then comes the total exposure of perpetrators which money cannot stop. scheming against once political opponents at the stark expense of the public interest will bring nothing but doom to the perpetrators. Maldives should be cleansed of such irritants and traitors. People in general will not sell their conscience for the sake of favours and money but some do, the traitors do everywhere.
Umar Naseer is a single brain-cell organism.