Tag: Maldives Protests

Protesters pepper-sprayed while calling for run-off elections to be held as scheduled

Additional reporting by Mariyath Mohamed, Daniel Bosley, Neil Merrett

The Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) conducted a march around Male’ at 4:00pm after Friday prayers, eventually clashing with police lines at the Salsa Royal intersection on the road to the Supreme Court.

The large column of thousands of demonstrators, including the party’s presidential candidate Mohamed Nasheed and several pick-up trucks with loudspeakers playing party songs, halted at the intersection, waving flags and holding up banners cut to resemble white underpants – a reference to Supreme Court Judge Ali Hameed’s recently leaked sex videos – which has become a motif of the current rallies.

Protesters pushed against the line of police shields and were pepper-sprayed, with those affected – including women – using milk to try and reduce the stinging. Minivan News observed several water bottles thrown into police lines, which bounced off shields and helmets. A video of the protest showed one of the pick-up trucks trying to nudge through police lines.

Several protesters were arrested, including Dhivehi Rayithunge Party (DRP) MP Mohamed ‘Colonel’ Nasheed’, while a Haveeru reporter was taken into custody and released after four hours.

Police were deployed in riot gear and included Special Operations officers. Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) officers were stationed further up the street towards the Supreme Court, while all roads leading to the area were blocked to traffic and pedestrians.

Standing on the back of a pickup truck, MDP MP Imthiyaz Fahmy yelled to the police: “We are rallying to ascertain we, the people, get our constitutional right to vote”.

“Your commissioner Riyaz is unconstitutionally appointed, and all orders from him are unconstitutional. You are not mandated to follow them. Listen to the voice of the people. Let us vote.”

MDP MP Ali Azim yelled: “When we first called for elections, baghees (traitors) said we have a constitution and we would get elections on the date mandated in them. What now? Here’s the mandated date. Where’s our elections?”

“Waheed, Yameen or Gasim, if you have the courage come confront us in an election, we will easily beat you with votes. The truth is you brought a coup d’etat and don’t have the guts to face its consequences,” Azim declared.

“How long can you sit on it and hold off elections? Have it today, tomorrow or in a month, and we will still win. Look at what Waheed got. A measly five percent. A world record for an incumbent president. Five percent is not representative of the state. He should be ashamed to speak on behalf of the people.”

“Please don’t push this country backwards. Give us the rights we are entitled to,” Azim said.

One protester, 25 year-old Ganim Naeem, told Minivan News: “I am not scared. They’ve pepper-sprayed me once today. They can hurt me, but I’m not going home before they agree to let us vote tomorrow.”

A police spokesperson confirmed arrests had been made but was unable to confirm the number or whether pepper spray had been used. One officer was injured, he said.

Seven hours into the protest at 11:00pm approximately 600 protesters remained in the intersection, with many in the front line carrying mirrors they held up to the police officers.

“The Elections Commission has been twisted into calling off the vote by sheer force. The MDP leadership will reconvene and decide what to do. The current protests were not planned – we went on a peaceful march,” said MDP Spokesperson Hamid Abdul Ghafoor.

Around 10:30pm two vans were set ablaze near the Alimas carnival area in Male, which was swiftly brought under control by MNDF firefighters.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Shaviyani Milandhoo MP alleges Dr Waheed carried PPM’s agenda to islands

MP for Shaviyani atoll Milandhoo constituency, Ali Riza, has alleged that President Mohamed Waheed Hassan’s recent trip to eight islands of Shaviyani Atoll was a trip not to meet the people but merely carried the “agenda” of former president Maumoon Abdul Gayyoom’s party Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) for the next presidential elections.

“Waheed, knowingly or unknowingly, is carrying out PPM’s mandate for the next presidential elections,” alleged Riza.

Riza stated that around 200 to 300 hundred police had been deployed in the islands during Waheed’s tour.

“For instance, Feevah in Shaviyani Atoll has a population of around 960 people and were 200 police officers deployed there. Some of them came with Waheed while others had been already sent prior to the visit,” Riza said.

Riza said that police had blocked the protesters while the president was on the islands, claiming they had “caged the protesters” during Waheed’s visit.

Riza also claimed that police had entered one of the houses in Feevah without a court warrant where the protesters had been protesting, and tried to “tape” a protester.

He also said that one of the protesters was hand cuffed when the protests began to heat up, however Dr Waheed’s Press Secretary Massood Imad denied the allegation.

MP Riza questioned why the president during his visit to the atoll did not visit the island of Milandhoo, which is the island with the highest population in the atoll and a stronghold support base of former president Nasheed’s Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP).

“Waheed roamed throughout the atoll but why didn’t he visit Milandhoo, the largest populated island?” questioned Riza.

“It is clear that because he did not visited Milandhoo that this was a political trip to see how much support he has. I think this trip is to get better pictures of him. The pictures that went out to the media during his visit to Addu were not very pleasant so this might be an attempt to show off his popularity,” suggested Riza.

Riza also alleged that Waheed was not actually running the government, and was acting “like a puppet” of former president Maumoon Abdul Gayyoom.

“Waheed is just the face of this government. Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom is running the government the way he wishes,” Riza alleged.

Riza also denied Waheed’s claims that former president Nasheed had done little to fulfil his presidential pledges in the atoll.

“Nasheed during his tenure provided the island of Funadhoo with a 250 KW generator to resolve the electricity failures that the island was facing. The renovation of Funadhoo harbour was started during his term. The sewerage system had been completed.”

“Harbour developments in Noomaraa, Narudhoo and Komandoo have been initiated and some of them were handed over to Works Corporation while the others have been contracted,” Riza said

However, Press Secretary Imad brushed off the allegations saying that President Waheed’s visit was solely to observe the development projects going on in the islands.

Imad admitted there were protesters but said the government welcomed their protests.

“There were protesters, and we do welcome peaceful protests. There was no issue about it,” he said.

“I think they were the same people going to all the islands to protests. I saw the similar faces in different islands,” he claimed.

Imad also gave the justification for not visiting the island of Milandhoo, stating that the government had time constraints. “We were on a very busy and tight schedule. We couldn’t visit Milandhoo because of that and not for a political reason.”

However, Imad reiterated that president Waheed would visit Milandhoo “very soo”n.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

President Waheed concludes trip to eight islands of Shavyani Atoll

President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan has concluded a trip to visit the islands of Shavyani Atoll today. Waheed visited eight islands of the atoll, including Feevah, Foakaidoo, Funadhoo, Narudhoo, Maroshi, Lhaimagu, Maa’ungoodhoo and the island of Kommandoo.

Minivan News understands that groups of Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) protesters met Dr Waheed at all islands apart Foakaidhoo.

During his visits to the islands, the new president checked on the ongoing development projects in the islands and met with the people. President Waheed began his tour from the island Feevah, last Thursday.

During his visit to Feevah, Waheed reaffirmed to the islanders his commitment to take all necessary measures “to protect and safeguard the people”.

Speaking to the people of Foakaidoo, Waheed said that he would work to restore calm and peace in the country. Waheed also said that he assumed office to bring the much needed political stability and progress to the country.

He also announced that his government would establish a new ministry addressing issues related to women, children and human rights, and acknowledged that a number of women were unpaid for their work in cleaning or the general upkeep of their islands. He promised his government would pay all the wages owed to such women.

Waheed in during his visit to the island of Funadhoo inaugurated the Funadhoo Powerhouse Development Project by laying the foundation for the extension of the powerhouse.

On Narudhoo, he urged school principals, supervisors and teachers to refrain from politicising the education system, and appealed to them stay away from getting caught up in politics.

In his address to the people of Maroshi, Waheed called on the people of the Maldives,to have faith and respect for the state institutions, in order for the country to maintain its nationhood.

He also claimed that there was “a small minority” who did not accept the judiciary, the armed forces, the police, or the leaders of the country, and that they were “only trying to create division and disorder among the people.”

Waheed in his meetings with the islanders on Lhaimagu, assured that his administration would treat all citizens equally, as opposed to the policy of the previous government.

He said that his government includes all major political parties and that this government was a national unity government. He also expressed regret that former president Nasheed’s Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) chose not to be part of the unity government which had the backing of majority of the people. Instead of joining the government, he said, former President Nasheed was trying to “come back to power through force”

While addressing the people of Kommandoo, Waheed said that he would “remain steadfast in fulfilling the responsibilities under the Constitution and under the mandate given by people’s votes”.

President Waheed concluded his trip after visiting the island of Maaun’goodhoo. Speaking to the people of Maaun’goodhoo, he said that today we are all under the shade of our dignified red, green and white flag, putting forth a front of unity for the future of our country, regardless of the political parties we belong to.

During this visits, supporters of former president Mohamed Nasheed had protested against Waheed and claimed that his government came to power and called for an early elections. However, speaking to Minivan News, Press Secretary of the President’s Office, Masood Imad said that there were “very few” protesters, who were “not an issue” for President Waheed.

President Mohamed Waheen Hassan arrives on Komandoo:

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)