Two officers each from the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) and Maldives Police Service joined the ongoing Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) demonstration last night after resigning in protest of the security forces’ role in the change of government on February 7.
The four ex-officers – Staff Sergeant Shafraz Naeem and Fire and Rescue Lance Corporal Mohamed Imram from MNDF, along with Staff Sergeants Imran Abdulla and Mohamed Niyaz from the police – were introduced to the cheering crowd shortly after midnight by former Housing Minister Mohamed Aslam as “honourable and patriotic sons of the Maldives.”
The four officers were “not alone” in their decision, said Aslam, insisting that a number of officers in the police and army were “of independent thought.”
Speaking after Aslam, former Defence Minister Ameen Faisal urged protesters to stop harassing and taunting security personnel with chants of’ “Money, money, yes sir!” as “only a few officers” participated in the police mutiny demanding President Mohamed Nasheed’s resignation in the early hours of February 7.
Former Youth Minister Hassan Latheef meanwhile suggested changing the slogan to “Money, money, no sir!” in recognition of the officers who resigned.
President Nasheed and members of his cabinet took to the stage to shake the ex-officers’ hands while the crowd saluted them.
The army has since issued a statement contending the two officers had not resigned and were absent without leave (AWOL). According to MNDF, the pair also had a history of disciplinary problems and administrative action had been taken against them.
Day three
Meanwhile the MDP’s mass protest demanding a date for an early presidential election entered its third consecutive day today, with more boatloads of supporters continuing to arrive in Male’.
Protesters from Thaa Madifushi swam ashore after 4:00pm today claiming they were not allowed to dock at the harbour while a large vessel from Haa Dhaal Kulhudufushi arrived this morning.
Addressing the gathering after midnight on the first day, President Nasheed urged supporters to “not do anything apart from expressing merriment.”
A number of protesters spent the night at the tsunami memorial area while the protest resumed the next day with a carnival atmosphere. Volunteers cooked rice with sausages while a children’s evening was arranged in the late afternoon.
On the second night, bodu beru (traditional Maldivian music) groups and local musicians entertained the crowd with improvised songs taunting the police. Among the performers were Sameeu, Fasy, Shiuz and musicians associated with the Dinba family.
Police have meanwhile told local media that the institution would not attempt to obstruct the gathering as long as it remained peaceful.
Speaking for a few minutes after 5pm today, President Nasheed said what was at stake was the freedom of future generations.
“One of the main reasons we can’t stay home indifferent is because we are very much assured in our hearts that there would be nothing more important for us to do than this after giving up our future,” he said.
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masyaAllah, my support with you all.....
may justice will come....
Allah with us...
A message from The Maldivian Idiot who elected a cartoon like Nasheed whose confession that he derives inspiration from the English satirical comic author Tom Sharp, to undermine a society and ridicule opponents and propogate a cult of polarized political satire to preach his lunatic craze for power..a farwell song...
'It's something unpredictable,
but in the end its right,
I hope you had the time of your life!'
MDP must have bought the officers. I am sure of that.
MNDF also was infiltrated by MDP (specially blackmailed and bribed as was MP Alhan, MP Ali Waheed, MP Abdul Raheem) This is a fact!! Dictator Nasheed will never ever win the presidency (god willing)!! Why? because he doesn't seem to believe in god as he openly allows and does whats prohibited in a logical clean life style.
Praise be to Allah. I hope and urge man more police officers and MNDF to joining the MDP and get a legitimate government in place. Waheed's government is illegitimate. Actually Gayoom is the President. Waheed is nothing but a puppy dog of Gayoom.
MDP could get only two officers? When the other dudes protested a few hundred joined them. 🙁 When MDP was in power they paid Balak, alhan etc switched sides
@maldivian idiot: We are having the time of our life and better still for our future generatons dont worry. keke
Yasir & marie will receive what they deserve (god wiling)
MDP is the most powerful political party in the Maldives .The majority members are very young, creative, energetic ,educated and they know how to socialize with others accept dictators and terror organizations. It’s a people’s party.
More people keep joining MDP on daily basis. Numbers are growing.
Everyone should understand that PPM is not a party working for the common people. They are simply trying grip the power. Nothing else is on their road map.
Just from my personal experience on January 17th I was amazed to see the crowd gathered in support for the party “MDP”.I met lots of my friends who does not belongs to any party and they all said to me that they are ready to sacrifice for MDP.Coz it’s a party working with a plan and we all see the green light. They have done a lot for the country just within very short three years. That anyone who looks around Maldives can see it.
The fact is all other parties knew that there is no way to stop MDP and they all came to an agreement for a short term benefit, just for themselves. They have forgotten about the country and its people. They brought down MDP government by force or by a coup.
They thought they can grip all the powers and scare members of MDP, but it was the opposite MDP is becoming stronger and powerful than ever before.
The oppositions are trying to block the media from all the activities and movement of MDP. They are trying hard and doing whatever possible to do so. But Maldivians are aware of it and still MDP is shining bright, they are sending the message across the Maldives and even to the international community. MDP is political party connected to the world. The other parties and their activists are just working and talking within their party members. They have no ideas or intellectuals to open for world.
It’s funny to watch and listen oppositions meeting. They are not able deliver any positive messages to the public and all what they do is barking like dogs.
Yellow joker - go to dooms
No one resigned to join MDP.
These were people who have left the armed forces unoffcially long time ago. They were living their lives in 'hiding'.
marie, since you are on the topic of God, how about asking yourself if the police brutality we witnessed on the 8th was Godly? If so will be interesting to see what religion you follow....
My dear MNDF & Police Officers, please remain in the job...your beloved President will soon meet u and those who did 'Money, money sir' and disobeyed the elected President shall no doubt face justice, Insha Allah
May Allah SWT help us in our way towards a proper Judiciary recognized by Islam & the International Community, Ameen
We are confident our people will never ever throw ourselves into the pockets of people like Qasim, Yaameen & their colleagues who silently organized a coup against their own people for the sake of the CHAIR.........working for the CHAIR with patience & in a legal manner is never a problem for the MALDIVIANS
Marie and yasir, how is it possible for everything that a supporter of this baaghee govt says to simply be bullshit? Religion? Really? Have you got no more arguments? You two should hook up get gasim to give you guys some money. I have a feeling you ll be very happy together
When we get the power of the goverment,the peoples power of the maldives , there will be a disaster for Vgunge Sarukaaru.Bodu vagu Yamin,Maumoon Golhaaboa,Boduvagu burumaa,only the.Only this country suffers because of these filthy minded pigs who is stealing our money millions, we must some how will eliminate all these time to come soon, you will see this b4 you.
Joke
Its funny and i laugh to my lungs when the worshipers of dictator nasheed and his girl Mariya is defending them!! Its so funny when what MDP stood for now is reversed and MDP has a "Senior Leader" title for Dictator Nasheed same as DRP had for Gayoom (back then) as "Zaeem". Both Dictator Nasheed and Dictator Gayoom are distroying this country for their personal selfish motives and greedy people around him!! May God save this country!! DO NOTE!! WE THE CITIZENS WILL NOT ACCEPT POLICE BRUTALIITY THEN (GAYOOM TIME), YESTERDAY (NASHEED TIMES) AND NOW OR FUTURE!! BUT NASHEED IS A DICTATOR!!
If Nasheed was a dictator, he would have ordered the guns onto the street to kep his Presidency. Marie and Yasir you are an embarrassment to all Maldivians and guilty. Your time will come.
FINALLY - WHY IS YAAMIN SILENT??????? Because he set this up. He is not stupid and he knows when to be quiet, but he is eveil like the new illegitimate government. MV - try and find him and ask for a quote??
If this was a coup... bravo to the people who did this. Excellent planning and outcome.
If this wasn't a coup... I thank President Nasheed for resigning and only for that. You're actions wrote your fate.
We need peace. This country and it's people are more important than one single party or the president-ship of one person.
We need peace. Let the country live in peace. Let the citizens live in peace. Stop making everyone a politician.
MDP needs to learn some hard lessons from recent events and I don't think they have. Please stop "politicising" the armed forces. That'll only lead to further tears down the road.
The headline is misleading. I am not sure about the police, but there are 3 types of soldiers in MNDF. Commissioned OFFICERS given special authority and privileges by a commission by the President, warrant OFFICERS given authority by a warrant from the defence minister and enlisted soldiers. The 2 soldiers in question are of the rank Staff Sergeant and Lance Corporal which are 2 ranks within the enlisted soldiers. So, to claim that 2 officers from MNDF have joined the MDP protest is very misleading if not outright lying. Also, here's the MNDF rank hierarchy just to give an idea how senior these so called 'officers' are. In ascending order: Private, Lance Corporal, Corporal, Sergeant, Staff Sergeant, Sergeant First Class, First Sergeant, Sergeant Major, Sergeant Major of MNDF, Warrant Officer 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5, Lieutenant, First Lieutenant, Captain, Major, Lieutenant Colonel, Colonel, Brigadier General and Major General
Staff Sergeant Shafraz Naeem was brought in to the service by the then defence minister Ameen Faisal in the rank of Staff Sergeant (it is very unusual for a soldier to join the service at the rank of Staff Sergeant). So it is no surprise that SSGT Shafraz has joined Ameen again.
AM, Staff Sgt Shafraz was in MNDF before when it was NSS. He served from 1993 2003. Resigned from NSS due to unprofessionalism of the institution under the command of General '22' Zahir. When Shafraz resigned in 2003 he was a Lance Corporal, a lower rank than what he should have. He was one of the best trained divers in NSS then. In 2007 he was asked to train the newly formed Special Forces while he was a civilian. And he did it. Why did MNDF ask an ex military civilian to train the SF while there were so many dive instructors in MNDF? Because Shafraz is the best there is. After President Nasheed came to power in 2008, Ameen and then Generals Moosa Ali Jaleel and Farhath Shaheer reinstated Shafraz as a Staff Sergeant in MNDF to train the SF and the whole of MNDF in diving. He was a loyal a true soldier. I had the honour of serving with him and being trained by him during my time in MNDF. And I'm glad that he resigned from what now is a corrupt institution.