MDP urges the President to resign

Maldivian Democratic Party headed by Mohamed Nasheed, ANNI, has called for an immediate resignation of the incumbent president of Maldives Dr. Mohamed Waheed, says in a press release.

The press release states that Dr.Waheed assumed the power illegitimately ousting the Nasheed on 7^th February 2012, secures only 5.1% of the votes of the 89% votes turnout is clears that his Government is illegitimate.  It states that Waheed has no mandate over the powers of the state to govern its people.

“The MDP expresses concern over the fact that an individual with such little support from the electorate continues to exercise the powers of a President as guaranteed by the constitution. This includes the appointing of Cabinet members, a Commissioner of Police, members to independent commissions such as the Judicial Service Commission, and the spending of state finances.”  The Press release states.

MDP also calls for the immediate resignation of Dr. Waheed, and to establish a transitional arrangement to ensure that it is elections which represent the will of the Maldivian people and not the arbitrary actions of those who have no legal or electoral mandate.

Dr. Waheed assumed the power when he was called by the Speaker of the Parliament, now a strong activist in MDP, to take oath following the resignation of Nasheed. The Constitution of the Maldives says in the event of any resignation, removal of the president, or incapacitation, the vice president shall take the office of the president, and should be sworn as the President of Maldives.

Dr. Waheed who was the running mate of Nasheed secured the seat of the Vice president in the historic election in 2008. Then Waheed was a member of the Gaumee Iththihad.

Waheed is not required to resign by any constitutional means, nor is he compelled by any logic to resign. He is required by the law to transfer the power of the state, and arrange any matter that relate to the transfer of power when a new President is sworn.

MDP, as always tries to create chaos, and try to please its junta members, calls on very rude language.

Maldives Pole leads Nasheed with his 18 months of campaign

Children are widely used in his campaign

Mohamed Nasheed, Anni, candidate of Maldivian Democratic Party “MDP, leads the majority votes but did not managed to reach the 51 percent. Nasheed’s rivals, Gasim Ibrahim, Yamin, and Waheed has secured the majority of the votes; provided the majority Maldivians at the first stage are against Nasheed’s pledges, and his agendas.

Nasheed started his presidential campaign long ago in February of 2012. After the controversial power transfer, upon his demand Commonwealth and Maldivian Government established a Commission to investigate his allegations over the transfer of power. Nasheed openly declared his resignation but later alleged that he resigned at gunpoint. When the report of the Commission served, Nasheed denied accepting it. In addition, he kept his demands for an early election.

Nasheed’s support increase

Nasheed and his supporters incessantly rioted across the Maldives. Nasheed’s allegations reached to every household. Mostly every state official faced harassments and extorted by the members of MDP. He mainly opposed trial against him, where he was charged of kidnapping a sitting judge when the Judge failed to issue an order to arrest Dr. Mohamed Jameel Ahmed, the Running Mate of Yamin, of “libelous statements” which is not a crime in Maldives.

Nasheed kept saying that the police and Judiciary is bias, and he has not ordered to kidnap a sitting judge. Later, during some TV interviews Nasheed said the Judge was kidnapped by the Army which he stands as the Commander in Chief.

During the 2008 election, Nasheed got only 44,315 votes but in this election he has got 95,224 votes, which stands a 100% increase in the support. On the other hand, Yamin, who stands an election for the first time, secured barely 25% of the votes with only 3 months of campaign.

Media bias

Media outlets have severely biased reports in the last 18 months. Haveeru daily, the famous online newspaper, has provided more than three news or reports of Nasheed every day. Each campaign speech reported fully. Haveeru published all the allegations of Nasheed without trying to collect any word from any other person.

Foreign News outlets seem biased on Nasheed’s side. The neighboring Indian Channels who aligns to the government, kept reporting about Nasheed and his demands for18 months. The English newspapers based on UK and other countries are bias as their reports and news were based on the members of Nasheed or his fellows.

The international organization, mainly the Amnesty International, kept a caring eye on Nasheed and tried to kept him free of any trial. Most of the reporters of MDP based News website, Minivan News, are writing to the foreign papers on the same taste as they are paid to write in the Minivan News by MDP.

Poor campaign of opposition

Compare to the MDP, Yamin never has reached most of the islands. Nasheed’s false allegations were not informed to the people of Maldives. Where, Nasheed reached all the islands, and his campaign team reached each and every individual of the Maldives.

Yamin, believed to have spent most of his funds for travel expenses, which will not exceed 40 million Maldivian rufiyaa ($3 million). Nasheed, who was allegedly funded by foreign missions and some foreign business tycoons who are interested in stealing a business opportunities, allegedly spent more than 600 million Rufiya ($40 million).

A Divide in vote

Yamin, who stand for the election for the first time faced a divide in vote that stand against Mohamed Nasheed; Gasim Ibrahim and Mohamed Waheed, the incumbent president.

Maldives society is not divided in to different ideologies, nor was it supported for any principle believes. It rather divides who hates who and who gains more of “state funds” and for opportunities.

Votes against Nasheed were carefully divided between PPM and GP. As a result, the two candidates have itsy-bitsy differences.

Hope for the second round

Nasheed requires securing only 6 percent of votes more, where Yamin has to gain equally as he has gained now. The second round, the run-off, will be interesting. Hopefully both the candidates will try for a coalition but, seemingly Nasheed would decide to go for run-off without any coalition. However, as his change his mind often, and he never remember what he says mostly, he may try for a coalition.

Maldivians to decide the future of the democratic Muslim Society

Not a secret

Maldivians are going to decide their prevalent candidate to govern the nation for next five years on the upcoming presidential election on the next Saturday. In the presidential race there are four candidates competing very competitively. In the campaign, we witness the most crucial and the vulnerable element is the religion.

Each candidate have pledged that Maldivian will remain as an Islamic State. The suspicious allegation against Nasheed, Candidate of Maldivian Democratic Party, is ostensible that he had made several unislamic statements on several occasions during his tenure as president. As the main Islamic Party is allied with the Business tycoon Gasim Ibrahim, it is subject to severe criticism by the Opposition.

Adhalath Party, the main Islamic party, registered with the Election Commission, mandates to protect the tenets of Islam. The party plays vigorous roles in the past years, which concludes that it remains as a political party rather prioritizing the Islamic believes in the political spectrum. As the Islamic governance system conflicts with the Maldivian governing system-which is a full-fledge democracy, Adhalath remain as hypocrite sideling with democracy and religion at the same time.

Maldivian Democratic Party has pledges that during their government Islamic principles will be sustained, and no other religion except Islam can be recognized in Maldives. More expressly, MDP is pledging that it will never give the freedom of religion in Maldives.

Nasheed has often made lot of unislamic statements, mainly his statements on Drugs, about the religiousness of people, relying on Sheiks, making blasphemous statement on religion Islam, Adhalath has exaggerated it. Nasheed who pretext himself as religious person, sometimes pictured performing ablution and prayers, on the other hand, Nasheed remain the main critic of Islam in Maldives. Some of his close friends, who are the top leaders of his party, were found recently with narcotics and drugs. As the investigation began, they denied producing urine sample, which in fact is a crime by the newly amended Drug Act, as a result they are being prosecuted now. Nasheed’s Party has stressed the trial as “political”.

The founder members of the Adhalath Party, Dr. Abdul Bari, and Sheik Hussian Rasheed are associated with Nasheed. The two sheiks that put Nasheed in to boiling water has now joined the campaign and are advocating and propagating that Nasheed as the “Most Religious Person” in the presidential race. Nasheed’s supporters are mostly the liberal voters who support absolute freedom.

Yamin, brother of President Maumoon, seems the most liberal candidate in the presidential race. Maumoon had confronted and sidelined the hardcore extreme religious followers in his regime. Mosques were managed in direct supervision, and no mosques were able to control by the extremists. After the 2008 election, a mosque in the capital city is under the power of Extremists for Friday prayers. Nasheed and Dr. Waheed have failed to halt the Friday prayer in the said said mosque. Yamin is not associated by any of the Islamic scholar, may be because, the sheiks were arrested for preaching in public places in Maumoon regime.

Lastly, Dr. Waheed who was once supported by the Adhalath, remains as a liberal candidate. Dr. Waheed is an American Graduate and a UN ex-fellow. Dr. Waheed is supported by the DRP.

Toward a secular state

Maldivian Constitution states Maldives is an Islamic state. The sources of law shall be followed mainly depend on the Islamic Principles. Judges are required to follow the Constitution and Statutes in rendering verdicts. More interestingly, only Muslims can become the citizen of Maldives.

Therefore, with the above facts, with reference to the constitution, I would say that it’s impossible for anyone, for any candidate, to introduce any other religion except Islam. If any candidate has an agenda to introduce he shall present it to the Parliament and should seek an amendment to the constitution, which is highly impossible.

Maldives has a mix system in the judicial proceedings. The family act says all family matters shall be governed by Islamic law, and some crimes are being prosecuted under the Islamic law. The head of Islamic affairs or the highest authority over the Islamic affairs is not mentioned, nor was it included in a statute.

The Adhalath party and Sheiks believe that the head of state should be a religious person, and should protect the notion of Islam in every expect during the tenure. Some of the sheiks believe that Maldivian streets should not allow half-naked, or semi-covered Muslims, should not hold DJ and mix-gender dances.

Democracy in absence of religion

In Maldives, democratic values are based on the perception of the parties themselves. In the books, democracy is the majority of the people. The Maldivian Constitution states that all the powers of the state shall commence from the power or the will of the people.

Democracy in Maldives is modified: it is the power of the people, whether the corrupt, criminals, juntas or any one doing any crime, bribing anyone for the benefit of a political party. Rule of law is a concept in the book and the famous words within the judiciary and judges are subjected harassment when they deliver justice.

As the presidential oath states “respect” the religion Islam and other articles of the constitution stipulates to govern the state within the umbrella of the constitution. However, the usual practice within the past regime was that if they find any verdict in favor of their opponent, they send thugs, and juntas to the Judges home. In addition, their Children and spouses are targeted.

As the democratic principles are upheld to this extent, the religious sheiks, and their opponents in rival more apparently. Former chairman of MDP, Reeko Moosa has directed all of their followers, members, whose number extends more than 40,000 to leave the mosque if any opponent presides over the prayer. In addition, the Sheiks have open verbal fight against the opponents.

As the society has crossed its natural norms so far, the belief within the community is democracy shouldn’t be hijacked by the Sheiks, on the other hand, the Sheiks believe that persons who made blasphemous comments about Quran, and Sunna should not be allowed to run in the presidential race. The idea to separate Religion and State in the Maldivian context is simply impossible. As the nation is 100% muslim by the papers, it’s believed that 99.99 of the state are Muslim in fact, and most of the Maldivians are Islamic, and the state and its powers are required to follow religion in their endeavors.

Politicians on both the conservative and liberal believes are desperate on allying to the religious groups and parties. Moreover, some of the candidates tries to post maximum pictures of them in pray houses. Therefore, my opinion is, democracy can only be existed in the form of co-existence with the religion in this republic.

[This article was written prior to the election date- Just thought of publishing]

Former President Nasheed made serious allegations against Chief Justice

Former President Mohamed Nasheed has made serious allegations against the Chief Justice and the Justices of the Supreme Court of Maldives.

Speaking at a political gathering Nasheed said that the Chief Justice has discussed with the President on how to render verdict on Nasheed’s trial.

“Chief Justice is aware that we are in a state of injustice… My serious question to you, Supreme Court and Chief Justice is: What are you doing?” Nasheed questioned in his usual manner.

Referring to an “unknown” meeting Nasheed insisted that it should not be the way to provide justice. “Even though I propose his name [Chief Justice] to the Supreme Court, I have never contacted with him by phone”.

“Today he’s discussing with some Cabinet Minister on how to decide my trial. They studied from Salafiyya-an extremist islamic conventional school, where Mr. Jameel [Home Minister] and Hassan Saeed [Political Advisor the President] studied too.

Political Advisor Hassan Saeed did his postgraduate degree in International Islamic University Malaysia, and achieved the Postgraduate and Doctoral Degree from University of Queensland, Australia.

Home Minister Jameel was graduated from International Islamic University Malaysia, followed by Masters Degree and PhD in Criminal Law from School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London.

Nasheed said that all the deliberations of Parliament are being questioned in the Supreme Court. Referring to the Political Parties Bill and Parliamentary Privilege Bill Nasheed said that Parliament has voted to dissolve some political parties, but claims that there’s a substantial probability that the decision may be on halt by an order of the Supreme Court.

During Nasheed’s regime, the interim Chief Justice of the Interim Supreme Court was summoned to the National Army Headquarters, and was grilled, intimidated and tried make “deals” by the Senior Commanders and senior officials of Nasheed’s party.

Moreover, on several instances Nasheed had sent his army officials to the Chief Justice’s apartment and had tried to handover mobiles to communicate Nasheed, but all calls were denied.

Nasheed is being tried for criminal charge- allegedly abducting a sitting judge when the orders to free a politician who was arrested for making baseless allegations against the government. Upon releasing the politician in absentia, Nasheed’s Home Minister made a request to the Defence Minister to isolate the Judge.
The stubborn Home Minister Hassan Afeef had denied to conduct any investigation against his party members, and even denied to file the applications.
Nasheed is currently facing the charges of abduction.