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All’s not well in the Maldives
View(s):What are the political implications of ousted Maldivian President Mohamed Nasheed seeking refuge in the Indian High Commission in Male? Chandani Kirinde hears two sides of the crisis, Pic by Hasitha Kulasekera
The standoff created by ousted Maldivian President Mohamed Nasheed seeking refuge in the Indian High Commission in Male to avoid arrest, is straining relations between the two countries, a top Maldivian diplomat in Colombo said.
Maldives High Commissioner to Colombo Hussain Shihab said while India and the Maldives have remained cordial during talks on how to break the impasse created by Mr. Nasheed’s decision, it is proving to be a straining experience for both countries.
Hussain Shihab.
Mr. Shihab held that the reason a warrant was issued to the police to produce the former President in court was his repeated failure to appear before court in connection with the charges of illegally arresting and detaining a senior judge in the country while he was President, while Ibrahim Ismail, a senior member of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) of Mr. Nasheed said, the court case was a sham and intended to disqualify the former President from contesting in an upcoming poll.
The Sunday times spoke to High Commissioner Shihab and Ibrahim Ismail to get their views on the developing situation there. Excerpts:
What is the background to Mr. Nasheed seeking refuge in the Indian High Commission premises in Male?
There is a court case against Mr. Nasheed. He is charged with the arrest and detention of the head of the Criminal Court of the Maldives, while he was in power. The Prosecutor General is prosecuting the case. He (Mr.Nasheed) had eluded the court summons several times and asked for postponement saying he was going abroad. Finally he was asked to appear on February 13 and then went to the Indian High Commission on the pretext of meeting the High Commissioner who was not in the country at the time and sought refuge there.
We have information that while he was technically in Indian territory he had been conducting political meetings with parliamentary group members and MDP leaders of his party. In a tape recording leaked from there he is heard instigating the people to take to the streets. The protests have turned violent in recent days with barricades burnt and policemen attacked. The police served the summons through the Foreign Ministry to the Indian High Commission.
Is the government behind the court case against Mr. Nasheed?
The government has nothing to do with this case. There is separation of powers in our Constitution and the judiciary functions independently. If he appears in court he will not be arrested. The police have been asked to bring him to court as he had failed to do so earlier. He has been travelling all over the world. He has been allowed to carry on with his political activity in the country. The Indian government has not said they will keep him indefinitely. They say he came to their compound and they’re respecting him as a former president.
What are the steps being taken to break the impasse between the two countries?
Our Foreign Minister and Indian External Affairs Minister are holding cordial discussions. There is no rift between the two countries as we are friendly countries which have had a history of friendliness and assistance. But this time it is fuelling peoples imagination and questions are being asked , “why are they allowing him to be there?”
Why did he choose to take refuge in the Indian High Commission?
We are not sure but he has been visiting India and Sri Lanka quite often. In fact one or two days before this, he also visited India and returned. I cannot speculate on the reasons.
What is the situation on the streets of Male at present?
There are nightly protests and demonstrations. This is an issue concerning the judiciary and not a political issue. The MDP is trying to make it a political one. The government has already set a date for the next Presidential election which is September 7.
If Mr. Nasheed is found guilty by court, will he be disqualified from contesting the poll?
If he is found guilty and given a sentence, he will not be able to contest. Maybe this is the reason he is trying to avoid trial. If he has done no wrong, he should face trial. He and the MDP are trying to internationalise the issues which were actually created by Nasheed. The government is trying to get the country back on track after mismanagement by his government.
How can the situation be eased?
It is difficult to say, but one is for Nasheed to leave the High Commission and appear in court. n Last November, the government terminated a multimillion dollar deal given to the Indian firm GMR Group during President Nasheed’s regime to develop its international airport? Has this had any bearing on the present situation in anyway?
This matter was not discussed in anyway after the recent developments. The decision to termite the agreement was taken by an arbitration court in Singapore and it was found that the agreement signed with GMR was null and void.
Senior member of the MDP Ibrahim Ismail who also served as an advisor to former President Nasheed expressed his views on the ongoing situation in the Maldives:-
What is your assessment of the current situation in the Maldives?
At the moment there is a deadlock. In fact things are sliding back further. I was concerned yesterday (Thursday) that President Waheed refused to meet the Indian delegation that arrived in Male. The government is being childish by snubbing the Indians like this. There is great concern that goes beyond the current political situation in the Maldives. India is vital for our survival and growth as well as the greater interest of the Indian Ocean nations.
Why did Mr. Nasheed seek refuge in a diplomatic mission?
The situation in the country was such that it did not leave him much of a choice than this course of action. There have been many attempts on his life especially by the police. He would not feel safe being taken to court by police. The whole trial was a setup. It was clear from the beginning he was not going to get a fair trial. President Nasheed is being charged with the “unlawful arrest and detention” of a judge. Two days after these charges were levelled I wrote to the Special Prosecutor and told him that during former President Mohamed Gayoom’s time, I had been detained on many occasions along with hundreds of others and to take action against him as well. But so far no action has been taken against anyone. This move is intended to eliminate Mr.Nasheed from contesting the next election.
How can this situation be overcome?
The charges against Mr.Nasheed must be dropped and if they can’t do that, the trial should be deffered till after the elections. We also want an election held sooner, i.e. before September.
Why did Mr.Nasheed choose to seek refuge in the Indian High Commission?
India has been mediating on issues in the Maldives since last February’s coup in which President Waheed took power. It seemed logical to seek refuge in the Indian HC. If he did not do that, he would have been dragged away by the police and a fast-track trial held and even if he was not immediately sentenced, he would have been kept in jail.
By doing this, isn’t the MDP internationalising an internal issue?
My personal opinion is that we can’t keep saying this is a domestic affair as countries have to depend on each other. This is the 21st century .The government did not speak of international interference when they were dealing with international partners after the coup.
Last November, the government cancelled a multimillion-dollar deal given to the Indian firm GMR Group during President Nasheed’s regime to develop its international airport. Is that also connected to this situation in anyway?
An agreement was signed based on sound international legal principles but without any breach on the part of the Indian firm it was terminated. I don’t think the Indian government’s current involvement in the political crisis has to do with the GMR issue. India was upset about it and so was GMR. India is more concerned about democracy in the Maldives and about the security of this region. Antagonising India is not in the interest of the Maldives. We have to maintain good relations with our neighbours
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