Raajje News Blog

Male', Maldives. Last night, ex-President Nasheed again called upon his party, the Maldivian Democratic Party, to assist him to immediately remove President Mohamed Waheed and reinstate him. The MDP cannot sit around with folded arms, but must take action to remove President Waheed from office, Nasheed told party members gathered at a rally in Male' last night. These statements come in the midst of international reports which say that Nasheed has agreed with foreign envoys such as US Special Envoy Robert Blake to join a unity government and work for reform leading to an election in 2013. However, neither Nasheed nor MDP have confirmed such a commitment. The international community which collectively expressed support for the new regime earlier in the week have modified its stance after Britain and Germany supported Nasheed's allegations of a forced resignation by a military coup. The international community now collectively call for an independent investigation into t...

Male', Maldives. Maldives remains in a state of tension as the ex-President Nasheed continues his condemnation of the new Government as unconstitutional and that his own resignation is not legitimate. He alleges that he did not resign, but was deposed by a military coup instigated by President Waheed and former President Gayoom. However, an analysis of Nasheed's public statements show that, fundamentally he too believes that he has resigned, and that his resignation is legitimate. If so, then by the Constitution, the then Vice President ascends to Presidency through due process, which VP Mohamed Waheed did that same day. Nasheed resigned on Tuesday 7th, after more than three weeks of civic protests against his unconstitutional arrest of a senior judge, interference with the Judiciary, and subsequent violations of fundamental freedoms. He was succeeded by his Vice President, Mohamed Waheed hassan Maniku. Presideent Waheed's government has been accepted by foreign governme...

Male', Maldives. ex-President Mohamed Nasheed's party, Maldives Democratic Party, is internally divided on the issue of Nasheed's proposed candidacy for presidential elections. Last night, Nasheed announced he would contest on the party's ticket in an election in two months. He assured his party that Speaker of Parliament Abdulla Shahid would hold presidential elections in the next two month. Eyewitnesses report that, immediately after the meeting, there was a heated argument between top MDP officials, the subject being the validity of Nasheed's candidacy on the party ticket in a presidential elections. Some members of the top leadership have presidential aspirations themselves, so they want a primary first, the sources said. The MDP Party by-laws state that the party will elect its presidential candidate through a primary, and some MPs are insisting that this be followed, said one source. Others say that Nasheed has failed the party and should not be given the c...

Male', Maldives A day after he led violent protests which damaged property and harmed civilians and police, ex-President Nasheed made a u-turn and called for early presidential elections. Nasheed resigned as President on Tuesday February 7th, after weeks of public protest against his unlawful military arrest of a senior judge, obstruction of the Judiciary and violations of fundamental freedoms of individuals. While he was in power Nasheed publicly stated that he would not even hold the constitutionally mandated 2013 elections until he could change the Judiciary in the way he wanted. Speaking to supporters at rally of his militant party, Maldives Democratic Party (MDP), Nasheed called upon current President Waheed to immediately resign, and Speaker of Parliament Shahid to oversee an interim government and hold an election within two months. He said that, even from the beginning, he and other party leaders had known that they could not complete a five year term in office. It ...

Male', Maldives. Day 1 of President Waheed's infant presidency ended in street terrorism, arson and vandalism in some islands, backing a demand by ex-President Nasheed for Dr. Waheed's immediate resignation. In response, Dr. Waheed made three key political appointees, which drew widespread criticism from the public. Police and military response to the riots yesterday are being condemned as brutal and excessive. As Day 2 speeds by, the Judiciary has entered the fray with the Criminal Court reportedly issuing a warrant for the arrest of Nasheed and his Defence Minister DIK Tholhath Ibrahim. The riots in the capital Male' were led by Nasheed himself, while the arson and vandalism in strongholds of Nasheed's party MDP were led by MDP MPs and Municipal Council members. In scenes reminiscent of the last days of Nasheed's regime, large numbers of protestors and riot police officials suffered injuries. The scale and extent of Nasheed's rebellion give a clear me...

Male', Maldives. ex-President Mohamed Nasheed today took to Male' streets, demanding his job back. Nasheed and his ex-Ministers led street riots in Male' which vandalized private and public property. These were supported by arson, vandalism and attacks on police stations in island strongholds of Nasheed's party. In the countrywide terror campaign led by ex President Nasheed, up to now, 9 police stations, 3 Court Houses and 1 Council Office has been razed to the ground by MDP activists today. ex-President Nasheed has accused his successor President Mohamed Waheed of instigating and leading a military coup against him. Nasheed's demand for reinstatement as President comes within 24 hours of his publicly televised resignation address, at which he stated that he was resigning willingly, for the good of the people. Late this evening, after hours of riots, the MDP has called for President Waheed's immediate resignation and the Speaker of Parliament to hold immedi...

Male’, Maldives. Maldives strongman Nasheed resigned today amidst widespread civic jubilation reminiscent of Arab springs. Police disobedience in the face of unconstitutional orders were the final straw which broke Nasheed’s iron grip on the country after weeks on civic riots. As Vice President Dr. Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik was sworn in today as the 5th President of the Maldives, Maldivians remain deeply concerned about their future. President Waheed’s first official statement as President was that the Constitution of the country is supreme, and that all powers of the state would be exercised in accordance with the Constitution. He then pledged the democratic separation of powers and the protection of the rights of the people. President Waheed noted the hardships suffered by the population in the past three years, and called for national unity to restore democracy and democratic processes. By these very short key statements, President Waheed showed his people that he had grasped...