Tag: umar naseer

“Ladders now broken”, Umar Naseer tells police

Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM) Interim Deputy Leader Umar Naseer was summoned to the police headquarters today for questioning over statements he made during a rally held last December.

Speaking to the press outside police headquarters, Naseer said that police had a script of what he said during the protest on December 23 near the Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA).

Naseer told the press that during the protest he spoke to the protesters about climbing “somewhere” using ladders.

A report by former Environment Minister Mohamed Aslam and National Security Advisor Ameen Faisal into the former government’s intelligence prior to February 7 noted remarks by Naseer during asking for 2,000 volunteers to storm army barracks with 50 ladders, at which point “the people inside will be with us.”

“From today onward, we will turn this protest into one that achieves results,” Naseer reportedly said. “We know how people overthrow governments. Everything needed to topple the government of this country is now complete.”

Naseer told journalists outside police headquarters today that “I have been questioned over this previously. I told them that those ladders were not used and have broken now.”

‘’There will be no evidence to prove me guilty of a criminal offence,’’ he said. ‘’In my statement I did not mention where to place the ladders or where to climb in using the ladders.’’

He also told the press that there was a political purpose behind his summoning to police for questioning over the same case for the second time.

Naseer insisted that his summons was related to the “political challenges” between parties in the current coalition government.

Naseer was unavailable for comment at time of press.

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HRCM findings will reflect CNI conclusions on transfer of power: President’s Office

The government will not make “special” preparations to address the findings of the Commission of National Inquiry (CNI) once they are published next week, claiming it does not expect any “abnormal” outcome from the report that would see its legitimacy questioned.

President’s Office Spokesperson Abbas Adil Riza today told Minivan News that while it did not wish to speculate on the CNI’s outcome before receiving its findings on August 29, the government expected similar conclusions regarding the transfer of power to those of the Human Rights Commission of the Maldives (HRCM).

The opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has dismissed the government’s claims, adding that the CNI was an independent body, overseen by international partners, and would therefore focus on the “big picture” concerning the power transfer, rather than any individual report.

The HRCM yesterday publicly released several reports around alleged human rights abuses committed in the lead up to February 7, as well as reported violations that occurred once the government of President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan came into power on February 8.

Among some of the key findings of the reports were that former President Nasheed gave “unlawful orders” to the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) and police officers at the Artificial Beach area on the evening of February 6. The HRCM also concluded that the Maldives Police Service needed to investigate alleged brutality conducted by its own officers after the transfer of power.

The HRCM’s findings are expected to be taken into consideration by the panel currently overseeing the CNI, which includes members appointed by President Waheed and a representative for former President Mohamed Nasheed. Under its reformed composition, the CNI is also co-chaired by retired Singaporean judge Govinda Pannir Selvam. Representatives from the United Nations and the Commonwealth will also advise the CNI’s work.

The CNI was initially established by President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan to investigate the details of February’s controversial transfer of power, before having its board reconstituted following international and domestic pressure.

Potential outcomes

With the government expected to receive the CNI’s report on August 29 – a day before it will be released to the public – Abbas Adil Riza said that the President’s Office saw “no need” to devise plans to address the potential outcomes of the CNI.

“The HRCM report has proven what we have always maintained about how this government came to power. We expect similar findings [from the CNI] that the previous chief executive displayed gross negligence and a violation of laws. We don’t expect a different stand,” he claimed. “However, on the basis of the CNI report, we will take necessary actions against any criminal behaviour found to have been committed at the time, should issues be raised.”

Abbas added that elections were therefore still scheduled for July 2013. Both the MDP and the Commonwealth Ministerial Acton Group (CMAG) have called for early elections to be held during 2012 to resolve the increasingly bittier political divide in the country.

With President Waheed expected to travel to Sri Lanka tomorrow for a postponed state visit, Abbas claimed that no discussions regarding the CNI and its outcomes were planned with Sri Lankan President Rajapaksa.

He added that the visit would therefore be focused on high-level talks concerning wider bilateral relations and commercial opportunities between the two nations.

“Out of context”

Responding to the release yesterday of the HRCM’s findings, MDP Spokesperson and MP Hamid Abdul Ghafoor said the party’s “experts” were studying the individual reports at present before making comment.

However, on a first glance basis, he accused the HRCM of publishing a “convoluted array of statements” that were additionally “out of context” with wider happenings during the transfer of power.

“The report accuses [former] President Nasheed of issuing unconstitutional orders, the whole thing is out of context and frozen over a 48 hour period,” he said. “At this stage, I would say there are many oversights in these findings.”

Ghafoor added that Abbas’ claims that the CNI would draw a similar conclusion to the HRCM’s findings reflected the position taken by Umar Naseer, Interim Deputy Leader of the government-aligned Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM).

On Sunday (August 19), Naseer leaked details of the HRCM’s findings before they had been released publicly, focusing on claims that Nasheed had given “unlawful orders” to the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) and police officers at the Artificial Beach area on the evening of February 6.

He added that the HRCM report concluded that the MNDF and police officers at the Artificial Beach area were “unlawfully” ordered to leave the area, which led to a breakdown in command and control of the security forces.

The HRCM report was also said by Naseer to conclude that Nasheed’s orders to leave the area violated article 245 of the constitution, by obstructing security forces from fulfilling their lawful duties.

However, Ghafoor added that he was “not concerned” that the HRCM’s findings would lead the CNI to dismiss the MDP’s allegation that it was removed from office in a “coup d’etat”.

He claimed that due to international participation, the CNI, as an independent body, was well placed to view the HRCM report in the wider context of Maldivian politics. Ghafoor claimed that the CNI would be aware of alleged concerns over the conduct of the country’s independent institutions to do their work without political influence.

Ghafoor alleged that during the last three years, the majority of former opposition, now government-aligned, MPs had allowed the country’s independent institutions to be “shielded” from scrutiny concerning the outcomes of their work.

“The HRCM has always been a source of problems concerning independence” he claimed. “You just need to look at its failure to investigate the atrocities committed under the former government [of President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom].”

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MDP to hold mass rally ahead of CNI report, but will “accept findings”

The steering committee of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has decided to stage a mass rally before the publication of the Commission of National Inquiry’s (CNI) report, but has also committed to accepting the commission’s conclusion should it find there was no illegal activity involved in the ousting of former President Mohamed Nasheed on February 7.

A successful resolution proposed that should the CNI conclude February’s transfer of power was illegal, former members of the government should be reinstated, early elections scheduled, and legal proceedings initiated against those implicated.

However, should the CNI conclude that there was no coup in February, the steering committee decided it would wait for constitutionally scheduled presidential elections in 2013.

Deputy Leader of the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) Umar Naseer has responded to the MDP’s “amusing” proposals by stating his party’s intention to take the matter to the Supreme Court should the CNI’s findings indict the current government.

Local paper Haveeru reported on August 2 that Naseer, after refusing to testify a second time before the CNI, had argued the reconstituted commission represented an attempt by “foreigners to enter into the country’s internal affairs through the backdoor”.

Following his own statement to the committee last month, the interim leader of the PPM and former President Maumoon Adbul Gayoom told the press that he would not accept that the ousting of Nasheed amounted to a coup, regardless of the CNI’s findings.

Current President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan, during an interview with the BBC in June, stated his belief that he would not feel compelled to resign if he was found to have played no role in any alleged coup.

“If [the commission] find out that I had a role in bringing about a coup, then I would definitely resign,” he said. “But if I have no role – if somebody else has done it – it doesn’t mean I have to resign, according to the law of the Maldives.”

In the interview, Waheed argued that premature elections would be far more harmful to the country than his continuing presence in the President’s Office.

The CNI, originally created in February by presidential decree to investigate the events leading up to and including Nasheed’s resignation, was reconstituted in June following concerns, both domestic and international, that the committee lacked independence and impartiality.

The revised commission includes the addition of a Nasheed nominee as well as a retired Singaporean judge as co-chair.

Calm before the storm?

Last week, the MDP announced its decision to suspend its ‘direct action’ protests for the remainder of the Ramazan period in order to foster an atmosphere in which inter-party dialogue might progress.

Prior to this, the party had intensified its anti-government campaign during July, spending consecutive nights demonstrating on Chaandanhee Magu near the political and military headquarters of the capital, Male’.

The concurrent raising of tension in Male’ brought clashes between police and protesters. Injuries on both sides of the barricades brought claim and counter claim of police brutality and violent protests.

High-level parliament-initiated talks were scheduled to take place yesterday morning but appeared to stall after a number of senior party figures failed to attend.

There was apparent confusion regarding the aims of yesterday’s meetings. Jumhoree Party (JP) leader Gasim Ibrahim told local media that the meeting was “meaningless” unless the issue of resuming Majlis sittings was discussed.

The Majlis has not met since the end of July following Speaker Abdulla Shahid’s decision to suspend sittings owing to escalating tensions in the house.

Alternatively, the MDP’s representative at the meeting left the President’s Office yesterday speaking of early elections and the course of action to be taken after the CNI report’s publication.

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Government must assess financial, investor impacts of airport renationalisation: Thasmeen

The Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) has called on the government to consider the potential financial repercussions and impact on investor confidence should it renege on a contract with Indian infrastructure group GMR to develop Ibrahim Nasir international Airport (INIA).

DRP Leader Ahmed Thasmeen Ali today said the party had asked the current government to assess the possible implications of cancelling the GMR agreement in three key areas before his party decided on whether to agree to proceed with renationalising INIA.

An agreement now thought to amount to US$511M was signed between GMR and the previous government of Mohamed Nasheed in June 2010 to manage and build a new airport terminal by 2014, as well as renovate the existing airport facilities in the meantime

The deal, the largest single financial investment in the Maldives’ history, has since faced several protracted legal disputes resulting this month in the infrastructure giant referring a disputed US$25 Airport Development Charge (ADC) included in its contract to a court of arbitration in Singapore.

Several pro-government parties – including the DRP, the Dhivehi Qaumee Party (DQP), People’s Alliance (PA) and Jumhoree Party (JP) – advised President Waheed in June this year that they continued to endorse an agreement signed in June 2010 calling for the airport to be taken back from GMR and nationalised.

The agreement endorsed six main points which included taking legal action to prevent the government’s decision to award the contract to GMR.

Thasmeen’s comments today about assessing the potential impacts of terminating the contract were made as Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) Deputy Leader Umar Naseer alleged in local media that the DRP was now the “main obstacle” to the state resuming management of the airport.

The PPM is a coalition partner of the DRP in the government of President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan.

According to newspaper Haveeru, Naseer contended that an invitation from Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to meet with Thasmeen this week was directly related to the GMR airport dispute.

With the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) and the PPM respectively holding the majority and minority leadership roles in parliament, he questioned the reason for Thasmeen’s invite other than discussing the airport case.

“I do not think this trip is related to anything else. The DRP not the main opposition anymore as everyone knows. Even if it is taken in an official manner, the parliament minority leader is from PPM,” Naseer was quoted as saying.

Naseer also claimed that President Mohamed Waheed Hassan’s government wanted to reclaim the management of the airport from GMR – a pledge he hoped would be carried out even without the support of the DRP.

An Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) investigation into allegations that DRP Leader Thasmeen and Parliamentary Speaker Abdulla Shahid accepted US$1 million in bribes from GMR was last year reported to have “investigated thoroughly”, both men were cleared of wrongdoing over the case.

Thasmeen, Shahid and GMR have all vehemently dismissed the allegations of bribery.

Responding to Naseer’s claims today, Thasmeen told Minivan News that his recent visit to India was the result of a long-standing invitation by the Indian government to discuss a number of issues including the current political situation in the Maldives. He added the visit had not been related to GMR’s dispute with the government.

Thasmeen was not drawn into whether the issue of the GMR contract formed part of discussions, adding only that the prime minister had shown a desire for long-term stability in the Maldives during the talks.

“He was clear in his desire to see a resolution to the current political problems in the Maldives,” he said.

In addressing the issue of GMR, Thasmeen claimed that the DRP has already responded to a request by President Waheed for the views of his coalition government on how to proceed over the matter of the GMR case – but had yet to decide on possible renationalisation.

“In making a decision on this case and the GMR contract, there are three things to consider. These are the impacts on investor confidence from pulling out of such a deal,  the impact this will have on bilateral relations with friendly nations and the extent of the financial repercussions from terminating such a contract,” Thasmeen claimed. “What sort of compensation might there be for example?  The government is best placed to make such an assessment and we will wait for it to do so before making a decision on the case.”

While GMR has pledged to have the new terminal open by July 1, 2014 “irrespective” of outside issues, the Maldives government has pledged to back the will of parliament should it decide on re-nationalising the project.

The relationship between the airport developer and the government soured further late last month after the government temporarily called for a halt to work on the new airport terminal, alleging it had “violated rules and regulations” by not acquiring certain permissions from the Civil Aviation Authority.

In a statement, the infrastructure giant said the GMR Malé International Airport Private Limited (GMIAL) joint venture company had obtained “requisite approvals” under the regulations at the time construction commenced, but had since been asked to seek further approval from authorities.

“We have received a letter from Maldives Civil Aviation Authority asking us to seek its approval pursuant to a recent regulation, for the construction works related to the proposed new Passenger terminal building. Pending the approval, MCAA has directed stoppage of the said works,” GMR stated. “This has no impact on the operations of the airport at the existing terminal.”

Amidst claims by Attorney General Aishath Azima Shakoor that the “doors for dialogue” were still open over resolving the matter of the ADC case, a GMR spokesperson told Minivan News today that the company was not able to comment if fresh discussions with the government were taking place.  Shakoor was not responding to calls by Minivan News at the time of press.

The attorney general told Sun Online that the company could be waiting for up to two years for a resolution to the ADC court case in Singapore. She claimed that discussions between the company and the government remained the “best way” to resolve the issue therefore.

Compromise

Earlier this year, GMR said it had sought to compromise with the government by offering to exempt Maldivian citizens from paying the ADC. However, the Transport Ministry continued to demand that the infrastructure giant repay US$8.2 million deducted from the concession agreement.

Under the concession agreement, a US$25 Airport Development Charge (ADC) was to be levied on all outgoing passengers to part-fund the airport development.

However, while in opposition, the Dhivehi Qaumee Party (DQP), led by Dr Hassan Saeed, now President Dr Mohamed Waheed’s special advisor, and Dr Mohamed Jameel, now Home Minister, filed a successful case in the Civil Court in December 2011 blocking payment of the ADC on the grounds that it was effectively a tax not approved by parliament.

Nasheed’s government as a stopgap measure agreed to deduct the ADC from the concession fees payable by GMR, while it sought to appeal to verdict.

As a result, Dr Waheed’s government received only US$525,355 from the airport for the first quarter of 2012, compared to the US$8.7 million it was expecting, at time the country is facing a crippling budget deficit, a foreign currency shortage, plummeting investor confidence, spiraling expenditure, and a drop off in foreign aid.

According to financial statements sent to MACL and released to local media, in the second quarter of 2012, GMR deducted the ADC revenue of US$7.1 million from total revenues of US$5.6 million, leaving the government with a bill for US$1.5 million.

Managing Director of MACL Mohamed Ibrahim told local newspaper Haveeru at the time that the government would not pay the amount, alleging that GMR’s deduction of the ADC from the revenue was illegal.

In its defence, MACL has said that its board of directors had been reformed with the arrival of the new government, and a decision made to annul the old board’s agreement to deduct the ADC revenue.

The government meanwhile sought to invalidate the GMR contract – and the clause invoking arbitration – by challenging the handling of the bidding process by the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank group and the largest global institution focused on private development sector in developing countries.

“The advisory work was supported by AusAid (Australia), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, and DevCo. DevCo is a multi-donor program affiliated with the Private Infrastructure Development Group and funded by the UK’s Department for International Development, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, the Swedish International Development Agency, and the Austrian Development Agency,” the IFC explained, following a visit by the delegation in June to address the government’s concerns.

Following the first quarter deduction, GMR announced an employee benefits scheme converting 50 percent of employee salaries to US dollars from July onwards, and a one-percent profit-share.

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PPM “threatening” and “intimidating” police and military CoNI witnesses: MDP

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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Prosecutor General will imprison Nasheed before elections, promises PPM

Deputy leader of the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) Umar Naseer has expressed his confidence that the Prosecutor General’s (PG) investigation into charges against former President Mohamed Nasheed will see his imprisonment before the scheduled elections in July 2013.

“We will make sure that the Maldivian state does this. We will not let him go; the leader who unlawfully ordered the police and military to kidnap a judge and detain him for 22 days will be brought to justice,” local paper Haveeru reported Naseer as having said.

Naseer went on to say that, after the investigations of the police and the Human Rights Commission of Maldives (HRCM), the pressure was now on the PG.

“He is an independent person. I hope he will prosecute this case. He has said that he will. I have no doubt that he will,” Naseer said.

When Minivan News asked the Deputy PG Hussein Shameem if he felt politician’s comments about an ongoing investigation were appropriate, said: “I wouldn’t like to comment on that. If we start commenting on what politicians say, it will become too much.”

Naseer and his party’s spokesman Ahmed Mahlouf were not responding to calls at the time of press.

Shameem said that the cases against Nasheed, which include the detention of Criminal Court Chief Judge Abdulla Mohamed and the police’s alleged discovery of alcohol at the former President’s residence, were “waiting for extra information.”

“We are not sitting on it,” Shameem hastened to add.

Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) spokesman Hamid Abdul Ghafoor dismissed Naseer’s comments.

“This is a man who has openly said he was a participant in this coup,” he said.

Naseer told Australian journalist Mark Davis in February that he had helped command the anti-government protesters as well as offering inducements to the police to mutiny.

Ghafoor was confident that the PG would not be swayed by Naseer’s comments.

“I do not believe the PG can be swayed –  he has been independent and I do not think that he will notice such comments. Also, I do not believe that the office is only one person, it is an institution,” he said.

He did, however, express concerns about the capacity of the office.

“Because of the lack of decisions, we have reason to believe the PG has a limited capacity. It is extremely slow in coming to grips with the situation,” Ghafoor said.

In March, the PG General Ahmed Muizz told Minivan News that the completion of the Nasheed cases was being delayed whilst police reviewed certain aspects of the investigation.

After meeting with the PG, PPM MP Mohamed Waheed today told Haveeru that the majority of the delays in prosecuting cases were resulted from incomplete investigations.

During an interview with Minivan News in April, Police Commissioner Abdulla Riyaz spoke of the need for enhanced training within the service to avoid such problems.

“We are doing a lot of training on professional development; investigations to make sure that, rather than on the number of cases we investigate, we concentrate more on making sure that we have more successful prosecutions,” said Riyaz.

“We have seen in the past a lot of cases that have not been proven at the court of law. That is a big concern for me, so I am working very closely with the PG as well to make sure that our officers are trained professionally to investigate, to interview, trained to collect evidence, analyse it, submit reports and present it at the court of law, and make sure we have successful prosecutions,” he added.

The call for institution building has been heard most frequently from the current government, although calls for the reform of institutions such as the judiciary and the Majlis were a leitmotif of the Nasheed administration.

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Dunya Maumoon told the BBC in April that early elections would not be possible before the state’s institutions were strengthened.

A few days prior to Dunya’s interview with the BBC, the United States pledged US$500,000 in technical assistance to Maldivian institutions in order to ensure free and fair elections.

Naseer’s comments on the role of the PG’s Office came on the same day that the MDP report on the events of February 7 was sent to both the reformed Commission of National Inquiry (CNI) and the PG’s office.

Shameem said they had not yet studied the report but he was aware that it had been sent.

When asked if the PG’s Office would investigate the report’s findings now or wait for the CNI to deliberate, he replied: “I suppose we will have to wait for the CNI.”

Shameem added that the report would be of limited value to the office before that time.

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PPM strikes back against DRP’s criticism of government

Vice President of the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) Umar Naseer has alleged to local media that Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP)’s recent criticism of the government was due to their intention to leave the ruling coalition.

Speaking to newspaper Haveeru, Naseer accused DRP leader Ahmed Thasmeen Ali of trying to “get things done in his favor” through the present government.

“The DRP is seeking to get a sovereign guarantee to pay off Thasmeen’s debts. As soon as they know it can’t happen, they will break away from the coalition”, Naseer claimed.

DRP Deputy Leader Ibrahim ‘Mavota’ Shareef denied Naseer’s allegations and said Thasmeen had no debts under his name.

He further accused Naseer of continuously attempting to defame Thasmeen.

“Umar accused Thasmeen and Abdulla Shahid of being involved in the [awarding of the airport] to GMR . If that is so, why aren’t they investigating the matter now that they are in the government? There is never any truth to what [Umar Naseer] says,” Shareef said.

Naseer claimed that PPM deserved more positions in the current government than the DRP, as PPM had played the “most important role” in the transfer of power in February.

“Ninety-nine percent of the anti-government protesters were from PPM. 99 percent of the injured were from PPM. Our members sacrificed the most to change the government. And DRP does not deserve to get an equal number of government positions as PPM,” Naseer said.

Naseer’s comments follow Monday’s press conference by the DRP criticising certain government officials and describing them as incompetent.

During the press conference, Shareef claimed the Foreign Ministry had inaccurately portrayed the real situation in the Maldives, and had falsely claimed that the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) had sided with the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP).

Misconceptions in the international community surrounding the transfer of power represented a failure on behalf of the Ministry, Haveeru reported Shareef as saying.

In response, Naseer accused the DRP of trying to win a parliamentary majority by forming a coalition with the MDP.

However, speaking to Minivan News, DRP MP Dr Abdulla Mausoom said that despite some concerns the party had regarding the current government’s policies, it had no intention of leaving the coalition until the next presidential elections.

Asked about any possible consequences clashes between the DRP and PPM – the two largest parties in the ruling coalition – would have on the functioning of the unity government and political stability in the country, Dr Mausoom said the cross-party strife had “nothing to do with the functioning of the government”.

Furthermore, “imagining” that the DRP would leave the coalition and join the MDP was “irresponsible journalism”, he said, adding that the DRP would continue to support President Waheed’s administration until the next election.

The PPM was formed last year following an acrimonious split with the DRP, after the party’s disciplinary committee evicted Naseer from the party. Naseer claimed he had been thrown out of the party for protesting against the MDP, while the DRP leadership contended that he had been holding protests without the party’s consent.

In December 2010, following Naseer’s departure from the party, a DRP event ended in a factional brawl.

A meeting came to blows after Naseer, the party’s Deputy Leader prior to his dismissal by the party’s disciplinary committee, and his supporters gatecrashed the venue.

The meeting was held in celebration of a Supreme Court ruling, which saw seven cabinet ministers departing their posts after their reappointments were disapproved by the opposition-majority parliament.

In February 2011, police evacuated Shareef from DRP headquarters after the spokesperson was attacked by a crowd of Naseer’s supporters.

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President Waheed could contest elections under PPM ticket: Umar Naseer

Vice President of the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) Umar Naseer has said that Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan could potentially stand as a presidential candidate for the party.

Speaking to the Haveeru newspaper today, Naseer claimed that although no discussions had taken place with the current president over contesting on a PPM ticket – the door would be open for him to do so along with any other interested candidates.

The comments were made after Naseer was quoted last night in local media claiming President Waheed had confirmed to members of the coalition government that he would not stand for re-election.

Reportedly speaking on private broadcaster DhiTV yesterday, Naseer also said that if the current government aligned itself under one presidential candidate during the next general election, he was confident the coalition would be able to obtain victory within the first round of voting.

Sun Online quoted Naseer as adding, however, that the PPM should get the presidential ticket among coalition parties as it presently holds the largest number of elected representatives in parliament among government-aligned parties.

He was also quoted as pledging that he would back former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom in a presidential primary contest if the one-time head of state ran for re-election.

“I am considering contesting in the presidential primary. It’s very likely that you will see me. If President Gayoom also decides to contest, I will be right behind him holding the flag,” Naseer was quoted by the Sun Online news agency as saying.

General elections are currently scheduled to be held by July 2013 at the earliest, despite calls from the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) and the organisations like the Commonwealth for fresh polls to be held during 2012.

Gayoom founded the PPM last year after an acrimonious war of words with Ahmed Thasmeen Ali, the current leader of the former opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP).

Thasmeen was initially approved by Gayoom to suceed him as the head of the DRP, the first political party founded by the former president.

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President Waheed will not stand for re-election: PPM VP Umar Naseer

Vice President of former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom’s Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM), Umar Naseer, has said the government faces “no international pressure” to hold early elections and will remain in power until 2013.

Naseer also emphasised that he does not expect President Mohamed Waheed Hassan to stand  for election during presidential polls scheduled for next year.

PPM deputy Naseer told Minivan News today that beyond a few “powerful” members in the Commonwealth, the present coalition government, in which his party is represented, faced no international pressure to hold fresh polls this year.

The comments were made after former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom also claimed this week that international calls for early elections to be held in the Maldives have grown “faint” and were “not an issue” to foreign dignitaries he had met recently.

The government of President Mohamed Waheed Hassan has nonetheless faced criticisms from international bodies like the Commonwealth and the EU in recent months over its commitment to independently investigating how it came to power in February.

On April 16, the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) warned it would consider taking “stronger measures” against the Maldivian government should it fail to revise the composition and work of an independent inquiry panel.  The panel, known as the Commission of National Inquiry (CNI) was formed by the president to ascertain the exact details behind February’s transfer of power.  The Commonwealth has also recommended that early elections be called this year to overcome political uncertainty across the nation.

In a previous interview with Australian television, Naseer explained the perspective of the opposition demonstrators on February 7.

“We had a small command centre where we do all the protests. I command from the centre and give instructions to my people,” Naseer explained.

“On the protesters’ side, we were informing and educating the police and army through our speeches and television programs.”

Asked by SBS journalist Mark Davis if the opposition had made any other inducements, such as promises that they and their families would be “looked after” if they switched sides, Naseer said “there were.”

“We called on army and police and said that if a person was fired from his position because of their refusal to follow an unlawful order, the opposition would take care of them,” Naseer said.

President Waheed’s government has meanwhile insisted that presidential elections are not possible until July 2013 under the present constitution.  The Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has refuted this claim, saying that fresh elections could be held within two months should the president resign from his position and hand over power temporarily to the parliamentary speaker. The now opposition MDP also stressed that it believes that the earlier elections can be held, the “better it would be” for the party.

Electoral defeat

Umar Naseer, who had previously served as deputy leader of the Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) before being dismissed, claimed that beyond the constitutional factors preventing elections this year, the MDP now also realised that they faced electoral defeat.

Recent by-election victories for the party, which have seen the PPM claim two island council seats and a seat in the People’s Majis, showed clear public support for the wider coalition government, Naseer said.

“If [general] elections were held right now, the MDP would be defeated badly,” he said. “The MDP understands this.”

Ahead of any presidential elections, Naseer claimed PPM was now focused on bolstering its presence in the Majlis after last month assuming the minority parliamentary leadership role.

The PPM now has the second highest number of MPs in parliament behind the MDP, which has retained majority leadership in the Majlis chamber.

Naseer claimed the party would continue pursuing a coalition that would allow it to replace the MDP as majority leader in the majlis.

“Our main focus now will be the elections in 2013,” he said.

Naseer added that with uncertainty over whether President Waheed would stand for election to head the national executive beyond 2013, the PPM would be working to strengthen the position of its own possible presidential candidate.

“My feeling right now is that [President Waheed] will not stand during the presidential elections,” he claimed.

Naseer’s comments echoed claims by former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom during a Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) gathering near Male’s artificial beach area on Thursday evening (May 3).  Gayoom, who served as the country’s autocratic ruler for 30 years before being voted out in the country’s first democratic elections held in 2008, said that he had been meeting various ambassadors accredited to the Maldives of late.

None of these ambassadors, he claimed, had talked about early presidential polls.

The former president added that the two parliamentary by-elections held last month – both won by government-aligned parties – were an indication that the same outcome could be expected nationally if presidential polls were held at present.

There were however mixed fortunes for the government during two island council by-elections held the same day last month, with the now opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) taking one of the available seats.

National inquiry

Gayoom also reportedly used his address to discuss the CNI that has been criticised by the Commonwealth’s human rights body, CMAG, for not being “independent” or “credible” in regards to its work.

During his speech, the former president claimed that despite some foreign criticism, it was up to the Maldives to resolve its own internal issues

“That does not mean we should not consider the advice of foreign partners as they would give us right opinions and views. However, we have to take such opinions and advise into consideration and use what is right for this country,” Gayoom was quoted as saying by local newspaper Haveeru.

The PPM won three out of six by elections held since February’s transfer of power.  Alongside these election results, Gayoom claimed that parliamentary approval of the appointment of a new cabinet and vice president –albeit after the MDP refused to participate – proved the legitimacy of the current government.

The former president also used his address to to discuss the future for the PPM, which is set to hold its national congress between September 13 and September 15 this year. Gayoom said that during the event, any member of the party would be allowed to contest for whatever positon they wanted

“This party would not function according to the whim of a single individual, me included,” Haveeru quoted the former president as saying.

“Entrenchment”

Responding to the PPM’s statements, MDP spokesperson Hamid Abdul Ghafoor claimed that Gayoom was trying to mislead the public over the international pressure the government was currently under.  Ghafoor said he believed pressure was increasing for early elections and an independent review of February’s transfer of power.

“We have got structural assurances from the 54-member state Commonwealth in the form of time frames for both early elections and the CNI review,” he said.  “These time-frames have also been backed by India and the US.”

Ghafoor claimed that the MDP was itself hoping for presidential elections to be held as quickly as possible, alleging that government-aligned parties were looking to stall polls for as long as possible in order to damage “independent institutions” like the Elections Commission.

“We believe that the sooner elections can be held in the country the better. While the government believe the later the better,” he claimed.  “What they want is to entrench themselves in power before elections can be held.”

Ghafoor alleged that similar attempts to entrench a government into independent institutions  had be seen this in many countries that have undergone apparent coups such as Honduras and Fiji.

Ghafoor said he believed that the time-frame set by CMAG for elections to be called during 2012, represented an awareness among the international community that the current government was trying to “entrench” itself into national institutions.

“Last week, we met here in Male’ with five Members of European Parliament (MEPs). They confirmed that they still stood behind CMAG and its calls,” he claimed.

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