The Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) and police used a salt water cannons to break up a gathering of nearly 100 female supporters of Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) outside President Office on Tuesday afternoon.
The women marched to the President Office around 3:15pm to deliver a set of letters requesting President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan to resign, while the rest of the female demonstrators sat down outside the office holding boards bearing slogans including “Where is my vote?” and “Justice now”.
The women from all ages continued to call for President Waheed’s resignation while the police and MNDF on the scene ordered the women to leave the area.
Video footage circulating over the social media then show that the police aimed a high-pressure salt water cannon at the crowd for at least five minutes, but this did little to deter the women, who were then physically picked up by policewomen. Others were pushed back by policemen armed with shields.
Several eye witnesses alleged to Minivan News that “some policeman groped the female demonstrators, tore their clothes and used foul language” during the removal.
“Two women’s clothes were torn from the shoulders when the policemen tried to grab them. One woman’s veil was taken off and I saw her shouting at the police,” one of the demonstrator told Minivan News over the phone.
Another eye witness reported seeing a woman who was “dragged by her feet” after she refused to leave. “The women tried to shove him off and cover her body because her blouse was torn, but the policeman grabbed her hands,” the source claimed.
Several women were seeing resisting arrest while the policewomen attempted to grab some of the women hosed down by the salt water. Although, the crowds were dispersed from the President Office, the women continued to voice their discontent on the nearby streets until nightfall.
Police media official, Sub-Inspector Ahmed Shiyam, told Minivan News that female protesters forcibly crossed the police cordons and “intimidated the police”.
Police Commissioner Abdulla Riyaz at a press conference yesterday had vowed that police would “become feared by the most dreaded criminals”.
“[The women] forcibly crossed into the area near the President Office after intimidating the police guards at the cordon blocking the area. They were ordered to leave the area repeatedly before the police used force to remove them,” Shiyam said.
Responding to allegations that police used excessive force to subdue the gathering, Shiyam said “If anyone has any complaints they can follow the due process and file a complaint.”
“What we used was water. It is the least brutal force used to disperse a gathering,” he further added.
Speaking to Minivan News today, former Tourism Minister Dr Mariyam Zulfa said that before the protest outside the President Office nearly 500 female MDP supporters went to the Human Rights Commission of the Maldives (HRCM) to file a complaint over the police brutality.
She claimed the commission has so far failed to take any action.
“As we were coming back some went to the President Office to deliver letters to request Waheed resign. So while they did that, we sat down to peacefully protest. However, almost immediately police came and used a high pressure water hose,” said Dr Zulfa, who was also at the sit-down demonstration.
“There is no way to end this brutality,” she said. “The international community has failed to see this day after day. Anywhere else in the world this would be a shameless military coup.”
Meanwhile, later in the evening HRCM had issued a press statement condemning the police for using “excessive force” against the women while controlling today’s demonstration.
The commission also urged the police to to respect the people right to peaceful demonstration and asked them to refrain from any actions that will harm the dignity of women.
Women have been at the front line in MDP’s political movement to bring early elections, since the party’s candidate, former President Mohamed Nasheed was deposed in what the party calls a bloodless coup.
Recently, Amnesty International has also condemned attacks on a group of MDP women supporters in Addu Atoll by the security forces, after obtaining testimonies from victims of a crackdown on demonstrators at a rally during the recent visit to the MDP stronghold by new President.
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Where were these pipes when Maldives was rocked by demonstrations for about 3 years, every other day or so? Where were those when Umar Naseer and thugs climbed on the gate of Maldives National Defence Force? Where were these people when coup leaders destroyed government property and vandalized houses of several MPs, MDP members and ministers? Where were the pipes?
You could see these MNDF personnel and Police sprayed on a***s of women to get some sort of pleasure by watching their wet a***s and b***s!
Is this a forced wet body contest? Kaafaru viyas boduvaru. Gos amilla maimeehaa aa elhibala. Balaaennu
Baaghee Waheed: STOP ABUSING THE MOTHERS,SISTERS AND DAUGHTERS OF THE NATION....SHAME ON YOU!!
oh ok. Dr Zulfa is there? what did they spray on dr. zulfa? water? salt water. dr. zulfa should condemn this. dr. zulfa should alert the international community on this brutal attack. dr. zulfa should call on Amnesty International to condemn the maldives overnment.
I was actually there and lets get the truth out. The Police did not use the full force of the water cannons. They used it mostly as a spray and to drench the women.
There was no such brutal beating at all but there was a lot of intimidation by the Police but pushing and shoving the people.
why cannot all Maldivians accept an open and transparent inquiry?
Is there something to hide by both parties? Does the MDP want to rule at any cost? Even by destroying the Maldives? Why cannot they ask for an inquiry instead of creating all these troubles in Maldives? If an inquiry founds out that this was a military coup,then all of us would be on the street demanding the reinstatement of Anni.
But this is not the right way. two wrongs do not make it right.
this police force is going be like the Dreaded Gastapo.People Wake Up now before it is too late
Nazi party are now the ruling party!!! They took power with the gun and they rule with force!
Wake up. Its a Police State!
Baaghee Waheed is a puppet. He only has control over his wife and torpy. Maumoon should bear the responsibility. I wonder when will Allah relieve Maldives of Maumoon’s vabba and take him to grave to hopefully join Abu Jahl & co.
Agree with jameel.
two wrongs do not make it right.
u got it right..
one dictator Gayoom and one Baaghee Waheed will not set this soil right..
throw them all .. to the sharks..
Great theories here!In today's world all presidents, PM's world over are facing demosntrations by the opposition from France to russia to australia india etc etc the leaders have been humiliated by opposition protesters sometimes running for their lives and are saved only by riot police coming and using force!Are all these police states???Policemen first of all have a duty to maintain and uphold law.What do they do when some people come to overthrow the government of the day and demostrate to get what is not in the constitution(early elections it seems) and create havock?? There is a parliament to do that.They can create their circus there..if MDP has any sense politicaly they wil be demanding only for an investigation to prove it is a military coup!
I believe this is the saddest day Maldives have ever seen. Most respected sector of a population of a country are the women and today their dignity has been stolen and drowned.
I will never forgive the Police nor the Army for what they have done to our women today.
Now only answer is election and its time Bagee Waheed step down and handed the power to the speaker of the Majlis and got the hell out of our lives.
We don't need your filthy unity government.
I say we have to go for civil disobedience.
...the MNDF who sprayed water on these innocent women, wore a gold wedding ring. Probably just got married..
Hey mr.mndf, assume onethe women was your new blooming sexy wife. how would u feel a year later when the doctor tell you that your wife cannot conceive because of abnormalities related to power of water used on her stomach, chest and head? or to those mndf personely who batoned innocent women!
...shame on the security forces who still have blood on their hands and exercising what gayoom taught them...ruthless, humanless people..
....one day, we would revolt with anything including our lives and thats when you will feel the same pain you are inflicting to many today. You may win today, but we do not forget,your pictures and videos will always be there and whether you would be 100yrs old, we would come for you....
We are yet to hear a statement from Aneesa Ahmed, president of advocacy organisation - Hope for Women.
It is such a shame that a woman blinded by her party colour, who chose not to see what the police and armed forces did to the peaceful women protesters today is receiving the US woman of courage award.
Have you heard of the saying "there's none so blind as those who will not see"?
Yes you were there but you refused to see what was happening. Either of course you were one of those brutal men who held the horse pipe.
Independent inquiry with Ismail Shafeeu? My foot.
hey cameraman, nobody wants to see your thumb. I'm sure it's beautiful but you could have filmed what was important.
I think MDP does these things to create headlines. Now they are sending these women with fully covered hijabs on to the streets to represent their policies of violence and hatred. Those women should have been at home cleaning their house and feeding their children instead of behaving like uncivilized bunches for the tyrant Nasheed. I cannot believe Nasheed can get so low and now use women as his shield. The police didn't use any hard force at all on them. MN and Jew Jew Simpson is trying to exaggerate and spread lies. I was there and I say it all. Instead those women were using harsh and unacceptable langauge against the police. The police did the right thing by dispersing them. This country is in a mess since Nasheed came to Maldives in 2008. He should never have been allowed to enter in this country. The man knows nothing but to creat havoc and bring violence, terror and fear on our streets. May God send him to hell soon. Amen.
"Those women should have been at home cleaning their house and feeding their children instead of behaving like uncivilized bunches..."
@yasir. wake up this is the 21st century. Now who's uncivilised I wonder!
The dreaded criminals are apparently women armed with letters and civilians hands bound with cable ties. Yeah very dangerous criminals indeed PC Riyaz. I sincerely wish you would go fly a kite.
Hey Maldivian idiot
I think u are truly an idiot....We had a government and the President was Mr.Mohamed Nasheed.....Where was you and the police when this goverment was there??? I dont know where you were......But the police were there on the roads and attacking our most supreme MNDF Head Quarters!!! You may be an idiot, that may not mean you are blind as well!!!
Gone through the whole things of this gathering and the tool police used is shameful specially for women protesters in today's Muslim world. Perhaps they've been hunger to see women naked.I was wondering that the silence of religious scholars of Adhaalath party perhaps were mouthful today getting the positions from the none elected government or the way police brutally tortured the women is the recompense that the Adhaalath Party wanted for all women come out of home.
Why are these women allowed out of their homes? Where were their guardians, husbands and fathers? The Ayatullah Khomeini, may his name ever be praised, would have rounded up them up, and garrotted them on the spot!
It is shameful that our women have degenerated to the point of childishly rebelling against the role that our creator himself has ordained for them; that is, as homemakers, bearers and nurterers of children.
Our harlots will look for any reason to defy modesty. That they would seize even the opportunity to be drenched in water, as a method of "Protest", supposedly, is unsurprising given the eminent unvirtue of our female population.
No more demo-crazy I say! The reign of God must be imposed to bring virtue to our women. To fix their deficiencies, so that they are obedient, docile and feminine; as long as wombs are degenerate, their children will be degenerate also.
@Yasir
I never thought Dr Waheed would stoop so low as to use the religion card to get support from the people. I want to know how his son is called Jefferey if he is a muslim.
“[The women] forcibly crossed into the area near the President Office after intimidating the police guards at the cordon blocking the area. They were ordered to leave the area repeatedly before the police used force to remove them,” - Quote Police
Why did they cross the Police cordon, if not to confront the Police ? If the women deliberately crossed the Police cordon and did not leave the cordon area when requested, and continued to use foul words at the Police, then Police have the right to use all methods available to disperse the gathering.
Also, the women were repeatedly warned before they were sprayed, they were just trying to prove their defiance and stupidity by not obeying the police when the police asked to move back behind the Police cordon...
If i provoke a cop repeatedly for hours daring him to hit me, and jump around the person, and annoy him for hours,shouting abusive language at him and his family, and if he finally loses it and slaps me, I cannot go around screaming "POLICE BRUTALITY, THAT GUY SLAPPED ME !" when i know for a fact that i was asking for it...
@Shahid: Nazi party was democratically elected. Sounds like MDP to me.
@Jameel: Can't agree with you more.
Yasir, yeah you would really like for women to stay at home and tend to just domestic affairs wouldn't you. Well continue to live in the dark ages if you must, but the sooner you wake up to reality, the better it will be for you.
Jameel, why do we need an investigation when people like Umar Naseer, Hassan Saeed and Nazim have admitted that it was a coup, even of a unique kind, that overthrew the Nasheed government on the 7th? But if you really want an investigation, how about coming up with names for the team who will actually be independent in their investigations? Don't see how former cabinet ministers under Maumoon can be independent.
What we see in the Maldives is some poor Maldivians out there with very little understanding and knowledge of the global order are exploited by some of their selfish, power hungry leaders. Police in any country would use the minimum force it compels to use wherever necessary. Sadly, in the Maldives, these gullible Maldivians are deceived and they do not have the instinct to think and explore from their God-given brain. Instead what they choose is to listen to the rhetoric by its spiritual leader, Mohamed Nasheed, who seems to be a complete lunatic, and follow every whim of him.
Dictator Nasheed and his gang (Mariya & Rekko) stop spreading alcohol to Maldivians! You have distroyed MDP and now distroying Maldivians!! Its a real shame. You have distroyed this country the same way as Gayoom did. Mariya and rekko are agents of Gayoom to distroy Nasheed and they have been successful!
Nasheed has become the most dangerouse man on our soil. He is hiding in Kanareege and advocating violence sending woman to frontline hoping police will allow them to demonstrate on restricted zones.
Next he will send children.
Nasheed has gone mad.
Our dear fellow Maldivians please come to sense, creating violence is not going to change anything insted you will only hurt yourself while the mad man will stay unharmed.
Nasheed has a mental disorder and we should let him roam around on his own. let him rot himself.
Nasheed's illness is Antisocial personality disorder
Antisocial personality disorder is a mental health condition in which a person has a long-term pattern of manipulating, exploiting, or violating the rights of others. This behavior is often criminal.
Symptoms
A person with antisocial personality disorder may:
•
Be able to act witty and charming
•
Be good at flattery and manipulating other people’s emotions
•
Break the law repeatedly
•
Disregard the safety of self and others
•
Have problems with substance abuse
•
Lie, steal, and fight often
•
Not show guilt or remorse
•
Often be angry or arrogant
Though women they should not have crossed the boundaries and being a woman doesn't mean she's above the Law. The sad thing is these women are blind to the exploitations of Dictator Nasheed .. his lies and deceitfulness. Wake up women..don't let the Dictator Nasheed use u. he realizes he's loosing so playing his last card by involving women.
Women come to your senses!
Astagfirullahaladzim, now police become so brave to attack women...
We dont want military govt!! police needs to be reformed!! stop police brutality!!!
baghee waheed step down soon!!!
those who support coup govt, have no mind!! too lust for money and power!!!this country is getting down!!no freedom of expression!!no justice!!!
corruptors are free to move here!!!
Commonsense
It is clear that the opposition agrees that President Nasheed lost his Presidency. The big shots are openly saying that President Nasheed lost his presidency or that his government has been overthrown or toppled.
This is plain from what we have witnessed in the media. Why do they say he has lost his Presidency? What are the ways for an incumbent to lose his Presidency. How could a serving president avoid resignation when the armed forces and armed police mutiny and demand resignation of the President. Only mindless poodles would deny that duress and compulsion are not involved in such a resignation. It is peoples’ ballot that bring leaders to power in democracies. Not intervention of armed forces. Why are they so fearful of elections. Because in October 2008 Maldives had the only free and fair election in the history of the Maldives that toppled the brutal regime. Still they fear a free and fair election. Why? Because they are addicted to their ways and they do not tolerate humiliation and exposure and election victories are alien to undeserving dictators under a free and fair election. Just could not wait till the next elections. Thus it is crystal clear that this fledgling democracy is yet to be liberated from the clutches of the old dictator. This is no surprise as it takes years even for political rebuilding after decades of centralized power structure that emerged through patronage and consolidation of power as the sole objective with nothing to deliver as an election manifesto.
Anni symbolizes true peoples’ power . This is sacred to the young Maldivians and all for Islam and nationhood to the coming generations. He is to be given a full term as people’s vote mandated. If not the whole purpose of the constitution and democracy is defeated.
Appearances are deceptive
How would you rate killing of a lawful owner or obtaining a will forcibly in such a way that appears as if it is a legal will. Once the owner reaches safety and security and openly declares that he wrote the will only to save his life. The situation is such that by writing the will he did not stand to gain anything but the apparent heir did gain. What is the motive to write such a will when the owner clearly loses what he most dearly valued. This is about who benefits most by creating the false circumstance. Do you doubt? Some silent lawyers in the Maldives need to go back to lawful school and free themselves of ulterior motives. The greed will never leave integrity intact and there is no end to such a thirst. Where lawyers and learned fail, commonsense prevails. The scheming lot will miserably fail, they are doomed to fail.
This is getting from bad to worse. I am ashamed of my support to MDP in the past. I still support democracy but not this anarchy they are unleashing on Maldives.
To make matters worse now Anni says he cannot remember exactly what happened on the 7th morning. I was shocked beyond belief. How on Earth can he expect any sane person now to believe what he says?
He was the President and re resigned in front of all the news media and now he says he cannot remember exactly what happened?
This is insane.
I personally think Anni needs medical help and he should take a break from politics for sometime.
he has done his part in bringing democracy to Maldives and lets give his due respects and he should let someone else takeover.
His time had come and gone.
"full force was not used" which side were u looking at Jameel?. I was not their but from the video i can see how the women are thrown around buy the force of water.
besides it someones mother or a daughter who is been splashed around and for what raising their voice. Or did they use excessive force on police?
you guys are heavily formatted you can't see the truth or do the right thing.
I wish you and all well, but their comes a day when all truth will be reviled. that day we cannot say edited video or excessive force.
God bless you salaam bro.
There are rumors that Mariya and Rekko Moosa switching to Gayoom now. It seems Rekko Moosa and Mariya asked for protection of their family and business in exchange for this deal. Mariya and Rekko Moosa has always been opportunitists and always have been corrupt and got rich from maldivian ordinary citizen's money. Also heavy alcoholist! Never like ordinary wine, but best quality wine! Watch out for the breaking news in few weeks!
@Idress and Jameel. Please refer to MDP website to read the many statements of MDP calling for a n investigation into the coup.
All others who beleive the women out there were sent by Nasheed you are underestimating the intelligence, strength, power, capability and capacity of the women who face the police.
WE go out there because
1) we know that this country to moving towards a military state and we do not want that for our childre.
2) We know that the police and MNDF are brutal and we have the courage to face that so that at least some people will learn what this country is facing right now.
3) we know bringing down an elected president is just wrong.
Before you judge these women come and spend some time away from your computers with us.
Most of all we have a great sense of humour.
Most of all we have a great sense of humour.
MDPs decision to ask an international group to investigate power transfer could backfire on MDP. Although MDP came to power on a platform of foreign support, now, with Maumoons accusation that MDP is foreign influenced has gained some ground in Maldivains, this would only provide more ammunitions again MDP.
It is best to investigate locally and use the foreigners to endorse.
Why are people so eager to blame Nasheed? This is bigger than Nasheed or the MDP. I'm out there protesting not for Nasheed. I'm out there protesting for my rights which is slowly being taken away since the coup in 7 February 2012. I didn't vote him in 2008. Nor I'm I MDP. But if he's the only one standing against the atrocities I will sure as hell vote for him this time.
Hello boys!!! Wake up. We women are the people who take care of you and bring you up. Pls give us some credit for actually knowing what we do if nothing else. Some wanted a coup to change the govt instead of waiting for the ballot. Fine. But that does not take away our right to demand what is right. And that is to ask the poeple, ask us what we want through the ballot box.
The era of impunity returns to Maldives
This is so SHAMEFUL to see what's happening in Maldives. Waheed is going to try and linger. Maldivians, March up-to where Waheedo is and CHUCK him out! This rouge govt will never have peace for what they have done! All conspirators will be jaled. and there assets will be frozen for treason.
@Simple and honest
yes man am an idiot to have been crazy to vote for a maniac like Nasheed but you are too too simple and 2 honest for this world that you live in to see the truth in anything...a simpleton cannot understand this complex democracy/anarchy and conspiracies hatched by cunning politicians.and its all people like you who are behind Nasheed believing him to be a savior and prophet while in turth he himslef is a boy of the very people you guys hate!You believe that non of the cases against maumoon and his cronies were never proved when nasheed had full authority to do wateva he wanted because there was no proof or because the judiciary was corrupt??.Grow up man!!even a blind man with a brain should be able to fathom what is happening!..For these politicians nothing is personal,it is all business!
The Maldives is daily displaying to the outside world what a backward and uncivilised country it is. If you are considering a holiday - AVOID THE MALDIVES AT ALL COSTS
@rome
The nazi party pretended to be elected by the people and then ruled with the gun and destroyed their own great country because of a shellfish cartel at the very top.
The MDP was democratically elected and removed by a coup.
Do your homework before you pick an intellectual fight with me!
You are right, the new regime IS THE NAZI PARTY!
Abdulla Riyaz and all at the MNDF and all those who are a part of this traitor government.I will pray a thoiusand times daily so that you will meet a miserable and may you and your whole family never prosper,may the women in your family be treated the same way as these women were treated by your people yesteday!!President Mohamed Nasheed in all his years of Office never treated women with disrespect though daily the PPM and DRp and other party people used to protest on the roads of Male'...
wots this ?are we living in the middle age??.. can someone explainto me why men and women cannot simple protest together ?? side by side...united if sharing the same ideals..
Anni is insane, maybe even retarted, trying to save his own ass by sending in the women.
“What we used was water. It is the least brutal force used to disperse a gathering,” he further added.
mind you, shiyam. it is very brutal when you shoot the water cannon from close range of 05 feet.