Tag: ppm

Government using constitution on selective basis: Yameen

The government is selectively announcing that the Constitution is in jeopardy, Mulaku MP Abdulla Yameen claimed yesterday during a press conference held by opposition Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM).

Yameen, the half brother of former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, accused the government of using the Constitution according to its own needs and condemned President Mohamed Nasheed’s remark that the “constitution is at a standstill” as a “serious issue” and must be investigated.

Yameen added that the President does not have the constitutional authority to be involved in or enforce the judicial system.

However speaking yesterday at a rally held by ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), President Mohamed Nasheed said establishing justice and fairness through a modern and competent judiciary was “one of the main reasons MDP came out to change the government.”

Referring to the constitutional stipulation to evaluate sitting judges for reappointment during the two-year interim period, President Nasheed said the judges who were sworn in were not held to the criteria now specified as Parliament had not yet passed a Judges Act at the time.
In spite of this lag, the Judicial Services Commission (JSC) reappointed the judges and conducted the swearing-in ceremony in the face of vocal opposition from former President’s Member of the JSC Aishath Velezinee.
In May 2010, Nasheed said he informed the JSC that its approved criteria was not in alignment with constitutional standards or public expectations. The concerns were ignored, Nasheed said, and the JSC proceeded to reappoint judges from the former government.
When the constitutional interim period elapsed in August, then Supreme Court Chief Justice Abdulla Saeed “declared on his own that he was permanent” and that the interim bench had tenured itself.
Saying he did “what has to be done at the time” as elected head of state, Nasheed said he then ordered the Defence Minister to lock the interim Supreme Court because “the opportunity to institute a judiciary envisioned by the constitution was narrowing.”
Eventually, Nasheed explained, he agreed to a cross-party compromise on enacting the Judges Act and confirming the Supreme Court bench because “in my view, it was essential to institute a Supreme Court.”
After ignoring complaints against the judiciary, the JSC attempted to investigate Judge Abdulla late last year, however the body was blocked by a Civil Court ruling.
“If the general principles of the Maldivian constitution is to be upheld, in my view it is not a judge who would overrule [the civil court decision] but the head of state,” Nasheed observed.
The judge was arrested on Monday, January 14 after attempting to block his own police summons at the High Court.
According to Yameen, the judge was “kidnapped” by Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF), inciting claims that the Maldives had become a military dictatorship.

The Judge is being held at an MNDF training facility in Girifushi, the same island used to base the famous underwater cabinet meeting in 2009.

PPM has asked the Human Rights Commission of Maldives (HRCM) to provide round the clock surveillance of the judge’s well being while in custody, Haveeru reports.

Meanwhile, President Nasheed explained that the decision to take Judge Abdulla into military custody was not made “with the intention of causing misery or a loss to anyone” or “for the satisfaction of arresting a person.”

The government would “never support or encourage inhumane treatment or anything unlawful,” he said.
“Our only purpose is to establish a court house envisioned by the constitution and hoped for by the people,” he added.

Nasheed also suggested that the democratic transition in South Korea had precedent of military intervention to assist the transition.

PPM announced that peaceful protests against the “abduction” will continue, but urged protestors not to engage in violent or destructive acts, local media reports.

According to local media, PPM yesterday consulted lawyers to file the issue in court.

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Hithadhoo Court orders removal of SAARC monuments on religious grounds

Following two months of theft and vandalism, Hithadhoo Court Magistrate Abdullah Farooq has ordered the removal of monuments gifted by the SAARC nations at the 2011 SAARC Summit “Building Bridges” held in Addu City.

This week, Addu City Council removed Bhutan’s monument – a wooden sign – following a demand from demonstrators at the nation-wide opposition-sponsored ‘Defend Islam’ protest on December 23 to that effect.

The council reported that the police surveillance necessary to preserve the monuments  in the current political climate had become unreasonable.

Certain interpretations of the Quran prohibit images of living beings. The Maldives Constitution, itself based on Islamic Shariah, states that no action which violates Islam can be upheld by the courts.

Farooq identified the monuments as “idols of worship” used by non- Muslims which could allow for the growth of other religions in the Maldives.

Farooq further argued that the monuments conflict with the regulations within the Religious Unity Act and were accepted into the country unlawfully according to the Contraband Act.

“No one has the authority to import anything prohibited under the law”, he said in the court ruling. Farooq has requested the Prosecutor General to take legal action against those responsible for setting up the monuments in Addu.

The monuments were unveiled by the leaders of Bangladesh, Pakistian, India, Bhutan, Nepal and Sri Lanka to commemorate the Maldives’ hosting of the SAARC Summit. The evening prior to Pakistan’s unveiling ceremony, its monument was knocked from its pedestal by protestors.

Although individuals were not detained over the matter the Islamic Ministry issued statements claiming that the monument’s illustration of the history of the Indus valley civilisation and a bust of Pakistan’s founder Mohamed Ali Jinah were idolatrous, and requested the government to remove those SAARC monuments which conflicted with Islam.

Addu City Council returned the monument to its mount prior to the ceremony, however it was subsequently set on fire by demonstrators when religious Adhaalath Party issued a statement claiming that “no Maldivian of sound mind” would allow idols or iconography of other religions to be erected in the country.

Opposition parties including Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM) voiced their support for the vandals, and the ensuing months Sri Lanka’s monument of its national lion was decapitated, Nepal’s monument stolen and Afghanistan’s miniature minaret of Jam was sunk in a nearby harbor.

The Pakistani monument was “part of efforts by adversaries of Islam to turn the faith that Maldivians embraced 900 years ago upside down,” the party said at the time.

Meanwhile, State Minister for Islamic Affairs Sheikh Hussein Rasheed pointed public opinion to the historical value of Pakistan’s monument.

“The Pakistan monument showed how Pakistan became an Islamic country from its Buddhist origins,’’ Rasheed has previously stated, noting that, ‘’Although the monument does not contradict Islam, it should not be kept there if Maldivian citizens do not want it to be there.’’

Removal of the contentious monuments was one of the five demands of the December 23 protesters, who also demanded that the government prohibit Israeli airlines from operating in the Maldives.

Press Secretary Mohamed Zuhair observed at the time that taking down the monuments would diplomatically be very difficult for the government, “especially when it was handed to us by another Islamic country”, however he said the decision belonged to Addu City Council.

Following the removal of Bhutan’s monument three days ago, Addu City Councillor Hussein Hilmee said the council had sent a letter to the Foreign Ministry requesting that it inform SAARC member countries that it was taking the monuments down.

Deputy Sri Lankan High Commissioner Shaanthi Sudusinghe said at the time, “We have requested that if [the government] is unable to preserve the monument that they hand it over to us.”

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PPM “will definitely win”: Mundhu

Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) has announced it will now contest in every upcoming election, and will be establishing party offices in atolls nation-wide.

Spokesperson for former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom and member of PPM’s interim counci, Hussain ‘Mundhu’ Shareef, told local media that although the party “did not contest in elections in order to draft the party’s charter and strengthen internal factors”, the party would now engage in campaigns “and will definitely win.”

PPM did contest in a December 31 council by-election in Shaviyani Atoll Milandhoo this year, however it lost to ruling Maldivian Democratic Party candidate Abdulla Athif.

In November, PPM member Abdulla Mohamed Didi won the mid-Fuvahmulah atoll council seat by running as an independent, as PPM had not completed the registration process. Didi received 52 percent of the votes while MDP candidate Mohamed Abdulla Didi received 46 percent.

Opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) received only eight percent of the votes.

PPM MP Ahmed Mahlouf noted that the Kaashidhoo seat in parliament may be vacated pending a ruling at the Supreme Court. Anticipating a ruling on the matter within a month, he said PPM would contest for the seat.

A win for the Kaashidhoo seat would allow PPM to be officially recognised by Parliament–according to Section 29(d) of the parliamentary rules of procedure, which states that “political parties in parliament shall be parties with a member or members that contested in the name of the party and was elected to parliament.” At the moment, the eight MPs who currently identify with PPM officially operate as independents within the Majlis.

PPM’s statement comes a year and a half in advance of the 2013 presidential elections, the first since President Mohamed Nasheed took office in 2008 in the country’s first multi-party elections that marked the end of former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom’s 30-year dictatorship.

While the new government has been primarily challenged by DRP, the opposition appears to be shifting in sizeable strides toward PPM, which is headed by former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom.

Since PPM completed its registration process in late October with 3,600 membership forms submitted to the Elections Commission (EC), it has received 11,000 members directly from DRP, Mahlouf claims. He added that 1,800 had switched over from MDP, 1,000 had joined from other parties, and several thousand more who had not previously belonged to a political party had registered.

“Our first target was to get DRP members to join us,” Mahlouf explained. “Now I believe 90 percent of DRP members support Gayoom, so I expect most will join PPM.”

According to the party registry, however, DRP has only lost approximately 6,000 members since November.

Still, DRP’s current membership is lower than it was before an acrimonious split that saw the Z-faction breakaway in 2010 and go on to form PPM under the leadership of DRP ‘honorary leader’ former President Gayoom.

Meanwhile, PPM is currently facing tense relations with the EC.

“Of the 20,000 registration forms we’ve submitted, 6,000 have been rejected,” Mahlouf complained. “The EC is citing small mistakes like use of English instead of Dhivehi, the way fingerprints are done, whether we have two witnesses for the form, and they will only accept valid national ID cards, not passports or licenses.

“When MDP and DRP registered it was very easy,” he recalled.

Gayoom recently accused the EC of unfair procedures. “We know the state of affairs in the country right now – election results do not turn out the way people vote. So what are we going to do?” he said during a party rally. His statement elicited a condemnatory response from EC while the MDP suggested that his remarks were made because vote rigging was involved during his 30 years as president.

Eyeing the annual general assembly at the end of April, however, PPM has announced it will be campaigning in the atolls to “meet the islanders and raise our membership,” Mahlouf said, adding that the party’s target of 40,000–double it’s current alleged membership of 23,000– “is not a difficult target for us.”

As of January 8, the party registry recorded PPM as the nation’s third largest party with nearly 14,000 members, and 245 pending registration forms. DRP remains second largest on record, while MDP ranks first with upwards of 47,000 registered members.

While there are strong signs that DRP will indeed fade into the PPM ticket, Minivan News asked whether PPM anticipated a highly competitive presidential election in 2013.

“Thasmeen will run [for DRP], but I doubt he’ll received many votes given what happened in Fuvahmulah,” Mahlouf said. “I think it will be competitive and fruitful, I certainly hope for a free and fair election.”

DRP has said it will be addressing comments made by PPM’s Hussain ‘Munduh’ Shareef during a press conference tomorrow.

MDP officials could not be reached at time of press.

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Elections Commission “has damaged the people’s trust in me”: Gayoom

Former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom slammed the Elections Commission (EC) President Fuad Thaufeeq, following a letter forwarded by the commission, requesting Gayoom clarify his claim that “election results do not turn out the way people vote”.

“Fuad misinterpreted my words,” Gayoom alleged in his response letter to the EC on Sunday night. “By claiming that I spoke in an irresponsible manner, [Fuad] has damaged the people’s trust in me”, he continued.

He also defended the remarks, pointing out that he did not say that the results do not turn out the way people want “because of the Election Commission’s actions”.

Gayoom made the remarks at a meeting of opposition Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM) on Thursday, after reiterating the PPM interim council’s decision advising against MP Abdul Raheem Abdulla’s intention to resign and contest for the Laamu Fonadhoo seat on a PPM ticket.

“I know that if he resigns he will be re-elected on a comfortable majority on a PPM ticket,” Gayoom said. “I don’t doubt that at all. However, we know the state of affairs in the country right now – election results do not turn out the way people vote. So what are we going to do?”

Following the remarks, the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) released a statement condemning Gayoom’s remarks, contending that it was an attempt to “bring the Elections Commission, an independent institution, into disrepute, turn the public against it and plunge the nation into a pit of discord and conflict.”

The statement noted that former Elections Commissioners were directly appointed by Gayoom while island chiefs “hovered around ballot boxes.”

The EC also conceded that Gayoom’s remarks damaged the people’s confidence in the institution.

Fuad Thaufeeq told Minivan News on Sunday that the commission was “shocked” to hear the remarks and wanted to understand the reasons as to why Gayoom made such a claim.

In its letter, the EC asked Gayoom whether he had made the remarks because vote rigging was involved during his 30-year tenure as the President.

Fuad noted that the comments implying vote rigging have “provided reason for people to look at the commission with doubt” as it came from the former President, who has many supporters and currently leads the third largest political party in Maldives. “That is why we wanted him to clarify the claims”, says Fuad.

Meanwhile, in a press statement issued by PPM, the party claimed that the commission has not taken action against the people who have disgraced the commission’s integrity in the past.

Referring to the letter sent to Gayoom, PPM alleged that the EC’s actions imply that the commission is getting “personal” with PPM.

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Petrol bombs launched into MDP Haruge

Two petrol bombs landed inside ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) Haruge (headquarters) around midnight last night, January 7. MDP activists allege that the culprits were paid recruits of opposition Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM).

Police were called to the scene where they spoke to activists then inside the headquarters. Police officials today said the incident was minor, involving a few “bottles with petrol”, and that there was no confrontation.

No arrests have been made, and there is no investigation.

MDP activist Mohamed Areef described the incident to Minivan News.

“Some activists were just sitting near the wall of the haaruge, talking and playing chess. Then one bomb landed from over the wall, and I ran. Next another bomb was thrown just inches from my head.”

Areef said one man had sustained burns to his ankle, but that the injury was minor.

Areef noted that opposition PPM had held a gathering on January 5, and he was “quite sure [the attack] was planned by PPM. The party probably paid some people to do it.”

According to Areef, MDP will not retaliate.

PPM Spokesperson Ahmed Mahlouf denied that the party had any involvement in the matter.

“We have no interest in taking MDP Haruge, and we definitely do not support violence as a way of addressing issues,” he said.

Mahlouf added that the party had not held discussions regarding MDP “for two, three days”, and had no reason to launch petrol bombs into the ruling party’s headquarters.

“We are shocked to hear the news, and to hear that the blame has been put on us,” he said.

The incident follows several weeks of political controversy over demands made during a religious protest on December 23, in which PPM members and leaders joined six other opposition parties and religious NGOs in a call for stronger Islamic policies at the government level.

In response to these demands, the government ordered that all resort spas be closed and announced it was considering a ban on pork and alcohol. The first resorts to experience these effects were those owned by Jumhooree Party Leader and MP Gasim Ibrahim, the owner of Villa Hotels. Gasim subsequently sued the government over the matter.

Meanwhile, PPM argued that the demands against the sale of alcohol did not refer to the 100-plus resorts currently operating in the Maldives. However, going along with the high-stakes game of chicken the party announced that it would support the government’s suggestion to ban pork and alcohol provided “it has the courage” to do so.

Last week, the government requested a “consultative opinion” from the Supreme Court over the legality of selling pork and alcohol in a nation whose constitution is based on Islamic Sharia. Twenty-four hours later the government announced it was lifting the ban on spa operations in order to protect business interests while the court deliberates the matter.

The Judicial branch of the Maldives has been widely labelled as a remnant of the former regime, which appointed all of the current judges. A majority of the judges have little or no legal training, and have not been educated beyond grade seven. This year, MDP activists requested international support over the “increasingly blatant collusion between politicians loyal to the former autocratic President, Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, and senior members of the judiciary – most of whom were appointed by Gayoom during his thirty years of power.”

Speaking at a press conference last week, President Mohamed Nasheed credited the spa controversy for having “woke the nation from its slumber and sparked a healthy national debate about the future direction of the country”.

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PPM supports nation-wide alcohol ban “if the government has the courage”

Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) MP and Spokesperson Ahmed Mahlouf has said that “if the government has the courage to ban alcohol and pork across the country, PPM will support it.”

However, speaking at a press conference yesterday he claimed that protesters never called to ban alcohol in the resorts.

PPM’s statement follows the government’s announcement that it is closing all spas and massage parlors and is considering banning pork and alcohol nation-wide in response to the thousands of protestors who attended the religious rally on December 23 to defend Islam.

Islam prohibits the consumption of alcohol and pork. Protest leaders including Jumhoree Party Leader and tourism tycoon Gasim Ibrahim, Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) Leader and MP Ahmed Thasmeen Ali and Half-brother of former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom and Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) MP Abdulla Yamin, all resort owners or share-holders who profit from such sales, asserted that there was no moderate, higher or lower Islam but rather “only Islam, which is above all religions.”

Thasmeen later reiterated to Minivan News that the protest was religious only, and intended to show that the people are “deeply concerned” about the dischord between the government’s policies and Islam.

Protestors interviewed by Minivan News expressed a desire for “100 percent Islam”, and claimed that President Mohamed Nasheed was against “flogging, stoning and hand amputation…That means he’s not following Islam. He wants music, he wants adultery and alcoholism to takeover us.”

Although no official statistics have been released, the opposition has claimed that its goal of 100,000 participants nation-wide was reached. Adhaalath Party chief spokesperson and former State Islamic Minister Sheik Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed subsequently called on the President to “accept the people’s voices.”

The government has subsequently taken steps to address the coalition’s five official demands.

This week the parliamentary National Security Committee forwarded a resolution prohibiting Israeli airline El Al to operate in the Maldives. If approved by Parliament, the resolution would address the coalition’s request that Israeli flights not be allowed to operate in the country.

The coalition has also requested the government to “close the spas and massage parlors and such places where prostitution is conducted”.

Today, the Tourism Ministry issued a circular ordering resorts to shut down spa and massage parlor operations.

Gassim’s Royal Island Resort this week sued the government when it ordered spas in five of his resorts to close on allegations of prostitution.

In response to the request to remove the SAARC monuments on allegations that they are “un-Islamic”, the government has said the decision falls under the remit of the Addu City Council.

Addu City Council earlier told Minivan News it is considering removing them to a secure, interior location as only three of the original seven monuments have not been damaged or stolen.

Regarding the policy on selling alcohol on uninhabited islands, the government recently noted that only 200 people live in some less populous islands, but 400-500 citizens live in the tourist resorts, therefore the government is considering banning alcohol nation-wide.

However in a joint press conference held today by the coalition, religious party Adhaalath’s President Sheikh Imran Abdullah alleged that the government is attempting to aggravate them by “misinterpreting the demands” and instead “making excuses”.

Claiming that “the time for excuses is over”, Imran warned that the government has until January 5 to complete the demands, or otherwise the coalition would take action again.

Directly following the protest the coalition announced that there was no deadline, but indicated that they would be monitoring the government’s reaction to the demands.

“If the government continues to make excuses without fulfilling the demands made by the large number of people [at the December 23 rally], the government will have to pay the price,” Imran said.

Spokesperson for the NGO coalition Abdullah Mohamed further alleged that the government is targeting the protestors and announced a sixth demand, calling the government to “stop causing harm to anyone who participates in the religious movement”.

Meanwhile, opposition DRP Deputy Leader Mavota Mohamed Shareef said the party would do everything it could to make the government enforce the demands.

Spokespersons from Adhaalath Party, PPM, JP, and NGO Salaf had not responded to repeated phone calls at time of press.

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Finance Minister and State Finance Minister resign

Local media has reported that Finance Minister Ahmed Inaz submitted his resignation today following an incident in which he was caught by Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) activists while he was having a meeting with opposition Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) MP and half-brother of former President, Abdulla Yameen.

The meeting was held inside Yameen’s car in a rarely visited area of Male’. MDP activists surrounded the car, which attempted to leave the area, and requested that Inaz step out because “it was wrong.” He was taken to party headquarters and pressured to resign.

Today Inaz told Minivan News that he would not like to say anything regarding the incident or about the rumors spread since Tuesday that he had resigned.

”Call the Press Secretary, he should tell the press very clearly,” he said when asked to confirm his resignation.

Press Secretary for the President Mohamed Zuhair told Minivan News that Inaz had sent the President a letter but that the President had not read it yet.

”So we cannot confirm if it is a letter of resignation,” Zuhair said, adding that he has not attended since the incident.

Meanwhile, Yameen told the press that the meeting had been called by the Finance Minister to discuss the 2012 state budget, passed by the parliament earlier this week.

However, MDP activists allege that Inaz was plotting with Yameen and making secret deals.

Meanwhile, Adhaalath Party has condemned the action of MDP activists that night as uncivilized and degraded.

Adhaalath party issued a statement following the incident saying it was “regrettable and was against the spirit of the constitution, laws and Islamic Democratic principles.”

Today State Finance Minister Ahmed Naseer has also resigned, although according to Zuhair he did not mentioned the reason of his resignation.

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Loans and guarantees pass as opposition walks out

Parliament today approved the government’s borrowing summary totaling Rf5.5 billion (US$358 million) proposed by the government for 2012 amidst political disturbances within the Majlis.

Minivan staff observed opposition party members leaving the Majlis as ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) members remained inside to approve the supplement to the 2012 State Budget.

Opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) MP Rozaina Adam said the party walked out “because we believe PPM [Progressive Party of Maldives] sold out the vote to MDP.”

According to Adam, suspicions were raised when the chair of the Public Accounts Committee attempted to vote with the opposition. She said eight PPM members created a disturbance when the vote was presented, and were forcefully removed by the military.

She suspected the scuffle had been planned.

MDP MP Hamid Abdul Ghafoor confirmed that damage was done to the Majlis chamber, and noted that MDP MP ‘Reeko’ Moosa Manik’s seat name tag was “crushed”.

Ghafoor also believes that the display was calculated.

“Why would some people walk out and accept the decision, while others make a show of it?” he asked, noting that the Majlis has a precedent of requesting the removal of those who disturb proceedings.

However, Ghafoor believed the episode was understandable “in the context of a transitional democracy, in which the previous regime is allowed to be politically active.”

According to law, the Majlis must approve all foreign loans separately from the budget, which was approved earlier this week with 70 votes in favor, two against and one abstention.

The Rf14.6 billion (US$946.8 million) budget was passed with Rf3.5 million (US$226,977) added through amendments proposed by opposition MPs.

Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) proposed shifting Rf300 million (US$19 million) from other items to local councils, increasing funds for political parties from Rf11 million (US$713,000) to Rf14.5 million (US$940,337) and raising state benefits to the elderly from Rf2,000 (US$130) to Rf2,300 (US$148) to adjust for inflation.

Foreign loans will be allocated for budget support, construction of Addu Hospital and support for middle-income businesses, fishing and agriculture.

The highest loan is valued at US$150 million, to be borrowed from China’s Exim Bank.

Although the Finance Committee approved the borrowing summary it nevertheless highlighted important missing information. According to MP Adam, committee members today found discrepancies between the document approved yesterday and the version submitted to Parliament today.

When asked about the discrepancies Ghafoor identified them as “speculative–conspiracy oriented” and asserted that “all possible details were submitted, but the opposition said it did not confine to the strict guidelines of the law. Of course there are some points and details which can only come after the it is approved.”

“It’s a foregone conclusion, the budget was passed and you assume that to cover the deficit, you have to take loans,” he said.

Parliament is now in recess until March.

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NSC to summon protest organisers

The National Security Committee will summon organisers of the December 23 protest to ‘defend Islam’ for questioning along with security personnel.

The individuals will be summoned on either Wednesday or Thursday of this week.

The committee decided to summon Abdulla Mohamed, President of Adhaalath Party Sheikh Imran Abdulla, members of the Maldivian Democratic Party’s (MDP) activist association organising the counter protest, Commissioner of Police Ahmed Faseeh and Chief of the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) Major General Moosa Ali Jaleel.

According to Haveeru, protest organisers will be questioned on their planning process and purposes while security personnel will be asked to describe preparations for the protest and to assess whether the protest can actually be held.

The committee intends to clarify and calm the situation, however today’s meeting was heated, reports Haveeru.

Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) and Galolhu-South MP Ahmed Mahloof described the intended protest as a peaceful gathering with no intentions for unrest.

Hulhu-Henveyru MP and transitory chairman of MDP ‘Reeko’ Moosa Manik said ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) “will be unstoppable” in its protest against claims that it is irreligious.

Some members observed that a dual protest would disrupt the public order, and asked both sides to cancel their demonstrations.

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