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Yameen survives but Maldives still ridden with crises
An embattled Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen warded off an attempt to oust him from office but troubles are far from over in his crisis-ridden Indian Ocean archipelago.
The UN Security Council is set to debate the political turmoil there as several nations including China, the United States, Britain and the European Union issued travel advisories warning their citizens not to visit that country. A slowdown in tourist traffic on which the cluster of islands with white sandy beaches and blue sea waters, it is feared, would ruin its economy. The Maldives has been a haven for low income as well as high end tourists with resorts averaging from US$ 40 to US$ 2,500 per night for luxury ‘water villas’ built into the sea.
Troubles began for Mr. Yameen, described as autocratic with little regard for human rights, when the Supreme Court issued a landmark ruling on February 1. It declared that all ‘political prisoners’ and 12 members of the Majlis, the nation’s Parliament, now under detention, be released.
Three judges ruled in favour and two dissented. That came as the first step in a move to impeach President Yameen and force him out of office.
He acted swiftly by ordering the arrest of Chief Justice Abdulla Saeed and Supreme Court Judge Ali Hameed. He also ordered the arrest of Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, former President and a group of his relatives and declared a State of Emergency – a move that, according to Maldivian law, rendered the Supreme Court actions invalid. Mr. Gayoom was first held in the prison island of Dhonidoo and has later been transferred to Maafushi Island. The charge against him is involvement in terrorism.
With fear gripping the Maldives’ capital Male, an area of nearly two square kilometres partly reclaimed from the sea, civilians shied away from responding to the media. They were vary of telephone calls from the foreign media and would only say matters were now normal. On Thursday night, Mr. Yameen issued a decree shutting down Rajje television, a private news channel. The TV channel in a statement said it had “received threats including violence against staff and to burn down the station. Police have stopped protecting RaajjeTV while security is being provided to government-backed TV stations.”
Mr. Yameen’s predecessor, Mohamed Nasheed who is spearheading the campaign to oust him, took the unusual step of issuing a public statement calling for Indian intervention. He said, “We would like the Indian government to send an envoy, backed by its military, to free the judges and the political detainees. We are asking for a physical presence.”
In New Delhi, the claim was met with stony silence – a message that India was not willing to play ball with Mr. Nasheed. Mr. Yameen also ignored India when he sent a special envoy to China, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. Mr. Yameen is expecting China to defend him at the Security Council. Similarly the US also ignored Mr. Nasheed’s call to stop all financial transactions with the Maldives
Paradoxical enough, the Supreme Court came in for severe criticism from the international community when it originally ordered the arrest of political prisoners. It was branded as very corrupt. This week, however, the SC was being praised for its actions with Maldivian businessmen now in Colombo alleging more money has changed hands before the latest ruling.
When the Maldivian Government learnt that a delegation from the European Community members, based in Colombo, was to meet it, Male extended invitations. However, only Britain and German representatives travelled there. Yet, neither Government Ministers nor officials met them. Now, further action is being contemplated.