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| President Nasheed announcing his resignation in president's office with some of his cabinet ministers. Photo by: President's Office |
Maldives first democratically elected President, Mohamed Nasheed has resigned from his post as President of Maldives day before yesterday at 7th february 2012, following pressure from a large fraction of the public plus police and mndf mutiny. It is understood that the confrontations began when MNDF attempted to arrest several Police Officers. About 800 Police officers were gathered at the Republic Square at the time. Several of them were calling for the resignation of President Nasheed.
In his resignation statement, Former President Nasheed said:
“I believe if I continue as the President of the Maldives, the people of the country would suffer more. I therefore have resigned as the President of Maldives .I wish the Maldives would have a consolidated democracy. I wish for justice to be established. My wish is for the progress and prosperity of the people,”.
The protests began when he ordered the arrest of the Chief Judge of the Criminal Court Abdulla Mohamed. The unrest became more serious with every night passing night, and led up to last night’s final episode which ended with the resignation of the President. Vice President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik has taken oath of office as President of Maldives at the people majlis at 7th february (Tuesday) 2012.
Today is a sad day for all Maldivians and I am ashamed to be a Maldivian.
Former president Mohamed Nasheed reformed so much of the country and it is sad that the minority didn't appreciate him.
Some Maldivians have gone to the streets and power has gone right back in the hands of the former dictator Maumoon Abdul Gayyoom and his cronies. We have never seen a leader like President Mohamed Nasheed.I salute him for his bravery and for stepping down even when he also could have chosen to rule the country with an iron fist like the former dictator Maumoon has done. Nasheed was the first democratically elected leader of the Maldives. He reformed so much of the country and it is sad that the minority didn't appreciate him. In the past, the poor had to write letters to the rich, begging them to help pay for their medical bills. But since Nasheed came to power, medical services are free of charge.He also created better housing as well better transport as there was no public transport and it was difficult to get to other islands. The future is dark and very uncertain. The former vice-president who is now the president isn't even a member of Nasheed's political party MDP. All the hard work has now been flushed down the drain, and now we have to start all over again. Current president who was the former Vice-President, Dr. Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik stepped up to the top job amid claims that his predecessor had been forced out in a coup earlier in the day. The new president's office denies there was any coup. It says the departure of Mohamed Nasheed, the Maldives' first democratically-elected president, was the wish of the people.
According to the BBC website former Maldivian President Mohamed Nasheed has said that he was forced to resign "at gunpoint" by police and army officers in a coup. On Wednesday 8th february 2012 , the Maldives first democratically elected president met his party Maldivian democratic party supporters and told them he would fight to get his job back. He urged Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik to stand down as the president of Maldives and called for immediate elections. Nasheed said the move was planned with the knowledge of formerVice-President Mohammed Waheed Hassan Manik, who has replaced him but Dr Mohamed waheed hassan manik who is the current president denies the claims. Also in a telephone interview to AFP news agency, former president Nasheed said "Yes, I was forced to resign at gunpoint. There were guns all around me and they told me they wouldn't hesitate to use them if I didn't resign. I wanted to negotiate the lives of the people who were serving in my government".
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