Male', Maldives.
In an interesting twist to the clash between President Nasheed's government and the Civic Coalition, MDP Interim Chairperson and corrupt businessman Reeko Moosa Maniku has said that he would never allow Nasheed to even hear out the Civic Coalition demands.
Speaking to a small group of MDP hardliners inside the party meeting hall, Reeko Moosa said he would ensure that demands made directly to Nasheed were never heard. He claimed that Civic Coalition demands would only be heard if the demands were sent to MDP, and only those demands that MDP found acceptable would be submitted by the party to President Nasheed.
"Any negotiation must be with MDP, not Nasheed or the Government", he said. "If any party or coalition has an issue they want to raise, they must raise it with MDP. They must negotiate with MDP", said Reeko Moosa.
These inflammatory statements come within hours after Nasheed's Press Secretary announced that Nasheed would consider the five demands made by the Civic Coalition last Friday's massive civic protest against President Nasheed.
However, Reeko Moosa's statements cannot be easily dismissed given the intimate and intricate links he has with President Nasheed. It is widely reported that 50% of his earnings from Government mega-projects are funneled directly to MDP coffers. The balance 50% is reported to be distributed between Reeko Moosa, President Nasheed and his close cronies and family members. MDP insiders report that MDP's target is to raise enough funds to enable Maldivian Rufiyaa 5,000 to be paid to each and every voter who votes for Nasheed in the 2013 Presidential Election.
Reeko Moosa has been the recipient of over 85% of the Nasheed Government's large scale projects during Nasheed's 3 year rule. Most projects were awarded without tendering, and there area several corruption investigations ongoing with regard to huge advance payments being made by Nasheed's government to Reeko Moosa without project inception.
Reeko Moosa was nominated by Nasheed himself for the post of Interim Chairperson.
While overtly a challenge to Nasheed's leadership of MDP, in reality this is likely to be a well planned move between Reeko Moosa and Nasheed to diffuse the anti-Nasheed sentiments by showing another shooting target.
This move by MDP to draw away the civil conflict towards the party, if successful, can take the heat away from Nasheed, allowing him to concentrate on campaigning for the presidency. It will also deflect Maldivian attention away from the hard reality
that the majority of the population are now strongly against Nasheed and his corrupt Government.
The hard reality is that over 20,000 citizens amassed on December 23, 2011 to protest against President Nasheed. This accounts for over 25% of the Male' population, indeed a wake up call for any leader.
In an interesting twist to the clash between President Nasheed's government and the Civic Coalition, MDP Interim Chairperson and corrupt businessman Reeko Moosa Maniku has said that he would never allow Nasheed to even hear out the Civic Coalition demands.
Speaking to a small group of MDP hardliners inside the party meeting hall, Reeko Moosa said he would ensure that demands made directly to Nasheed were never heard. He claimed that Civic Coalition demands would only be heard if the demands were sent to MDP, and only those demands that MDP found acceptable would be submitted by the party to President Nasheed.
"Any negotiation must be with MDP, not Nasheed or the Government", he said. "If any party or coalition has an issue they want to raise, they must raise it with MDP. They must negotiate with MDP", said Reeko Moosa.
These inflammatory statements come within hours after Nasheed's Press Secretary announced that Nasheed would consider the five demands made by the Civic Coalition last Friday's massive civic protest against President Nasheed.
However, Reeko Moosa's statements cannot be easily dismissed given the intimate and intricate links he has with President Nasheed. It is widely reported that 50% of his earnings from Government mega-projects are funneled directly to MDP coffers. The balance 50% is reported to be distributed between Reeko Moosa, President Nasheed and his close cronies and family members. MDP insiders report that MDP's target is to raise enough funds to enable Maldivian Rufiyaa 5,000 to be paid to each and every voter who votes for Nasheed in the 2013 Presidential Election.
Reeko Moosa has been the recipient of over 85% of the Nasheed Government's large scale projects during Nasheed's 3 year rule. Most projects were awarded without tendering, and there area several corruption investigations ongoing with regard to huge advance payments being made by Nasheed's government to Reeko Moosa without project inception.
Reeko Moosa was nominated by Nasheed himself for the post of Interim Chairperson.
While overtly a challenge to Nasheed's leadership of MDP, in reality this is likely to be a well planned move between Reeko Moosa and Nasheed to diffuse the anti-Nasheed sentiments by showing another shooting target.
This move by MDP to draw away the civil conflict towards the party, if successful, can take the heat away from Nasheed, allowing him to concentrate on campaigning for the presidency. It will also deflect Maldivian attention away from the hard reality
that the majority of the population are now strongly against Nasheed and his corrupt Government.
The hard reality is that over 20,000 citizens amassed on December 23, 2011 to protest against President Nasheed. This accounts for over 25% of the Male' population, indeed a wake up call for any leader.