Raajje News Blog

Male', Maldives. Almost two months since the transfer of power between President Mohamed Waheed and his predecessor Mohamed Nasheed, and democracy in Maldives shows little sign of getting back on track. The Executive, the Legislature and the Judiciary continue to be in limbo with respect to the major issues confronting the country and the people today. The legitimacy of the Executive is disputed by the largest party in the country, Nasheed's Maldivian Democratic Party. The majority of international spectators appear to support the MDP stand, with powerful players such as the EU calling for an early election to install a 'legitimate' government. MDP, in its traditional style, have taken their demands for an early election to the streets, with continued widespread protests which the Waheed government have been unable to control. Prolonged and violent confrontations between protestors and security forces are radicalizing increasing numbers of youth. The police use of

Male', Maldives. Almost a month after the transfer of power between Mohamed Nasheed and his Vice President Mohamed Waheed, there is still no investigation of Nasheed's allegations of a coup and Waheed's denial of it. Maldivian doubts increase as various versions of Nasheed's coup are aired on international press, while the military and police deny it in the local press. In the meantime, Parliament and peace talks remain suspended due to the rule of mobocracy by the Maldives Democratic Party in blind support of their Supreme Leader for Life, Mohamed Nasheed. This status quo, while beneficial to Nasheed and his opponents, is clearly not conducive to the normal life of the average Maldivian nor for their major income earner, the tourism industry. Nasheed resigned on February 7th after weeks of civic riots against his unconstitutional arrest of a senior judge, protests which saw police brutality, and violations of fundamental freedoms of speech and assembly and the muzz

Male', Maldives. The woes of Mohamed Nasheed, Supreme Leader of Maldives Democratic Party, appear to be increasing as the party's senior leadership distance themselves from the violent turn of Nasheed's street rallies. Some members of Nasheed's cabinet and top administrators have left the party. Party President Dr. Ibrahim Didi and senior MPs have appealed to party members not to leave the party but to be patient while they attempt to reform the MDP. Others have highlighted the need for reform within the party, alleging that decisions related to party activities are not taken through due democratic processes. Some MDP MPs have again urged Nasheed to halt street riots and pursue peaceful resolution through Parliament and through the all party Peace Talks. However, two days after Nasheed used his MPs and mobs to successfully suspend Parliament, peace talks between political parties have also been stalled. The three major coalition parties in President Waheed's Nati

Male', Maldives. A House of Representatives of the people (Parliament) is an integral institution of functional democracies. Finally, yesterday it too fell victim to the mobocracy presently taking over the Maldives. Following the hijacking of Parliament by a small group of MPs, Parliament sessions have been suspended indefinitely. At least, until it is able to proceed without the use of force, the criteria being given by the Parliament Speaker as the reason for suspending it. The reasoning given by the hijackers of the Parliament defies not only logic, but the very essence of democracy. The leader of the group of Maldivians who stopped Parliament, Mohamed Nasheed, Supreme Leader of the Maldives National Democratic Party (MDP) says that the objective is to force Maldives to an early presidential election. Nasheed, who resigned from the post of President on February 7th, claims that he was forced to resign at gunpoint by the military, and has called for his successor to step down

Male', Maldives. The public outcry is widespread over yesterday's defeat of democracy by mobocracy as the Maldivian Parliament was hijacked by a small mob of MPs who support Mohamed Nasheed, the titular Supreme Leader of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP). With his hijacking of the democratic institution of the people's representation in governance, the People's Majlis (Parliament), Nasheed has successfully undermined all three powers of democracy, the Executive, the Judiciary and now the Legislature. Nasheed resigned as President of Maldives on February 7th after weeks of continuous public protests against his military arrest of a senior judge, his declaration of all lower courts of justice as invalid, and his actions to restrict fundamental freedoms including freedom of speech, peaceful assembly and media. The hijackers, led by Nasheed's cousin by marriage MP Ibrahim Salih and Nasheed's cousin, MP Eva Abdulla, constituted of a mere 12 out of 77 elected M

Male', Maldives Once again, the Maldives has been hijacked by the militant supporters of Mohamed Nasheed, who resigned from his post as President on February 7th. Maldivians watched in dismay this morning as Members of Parliement who support Nasheed ripped down the national flag and removed the chair of the Speaker of Parliament Abdulla Shahid. Maldivians have been waiting for over three hours to listen to their President's State of the Nation Address at the opening session of Parliament. Nasheed's MPs continue to occupy the Speaker's Chair and block the entrances to Parliament Chambers, in their attempt to obstruct President Mohamed Waheed from delivering his address. President Waheed arrived at Parliament on schedule at 10 am and is awaiting in the Speaker's Chambers for the opportunity to address the nation. Outside the Parliament, Nasheed's Maldives Democratic Party (MDP) have attacked police lines, injuring four officers seriously. Media reports that 18

Male', Maldives. As the time President Mohamed Waheed gives his first State of the Nation Address to the Parliament draws near, local media air new material that point to deliberate attempts by his predecessor Mohamed Nasheed to orchestrate military rule in the country. Nasheed resigned on February 7th by letter, and followed that with a televised public address informing Maldivians of his resignation and reasons thereof. Mohamed Waheed, his Vice President, was sworn in as President in accordance with the Constitution. However, within hours, Nasheed told foreign media that he was deposed by a military coup led by President Waheed and former President Gayoom. From that moment on, Maldivians are being bombarded with vastly differing versions of events on February 7th and prior to that. Unfortunately, President Waheed appears to be busy lurching from crisis to crisis led by his coalition partners and by Nasheed, to launch the investigation into allegations of a military coup.