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| Edited Photo by: Adamington Online |
South
Asia Analysis Group (SAAG) is a non-profit think tank consisting of Indian
academics & former government officials which holds a concept of
strategy contributing to the expansion of knowledge of public understanding at
South Asia region & the world. Following is the full report “Maldives:
Moving Towards Despotism” by the British Indian Dr.Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar
who achieved Nobel Prize for Physics in the year 1983 for his mathematical
theory of black holes.
The signs are getting stronger-
Maldives appears to be moving towards despotism. The latest in the series
is the sudden and hurried sacking of the Defence Minister after a raid of his
premises by the Police.
What should be worrying is not of
President Yameen consolidating his position but the sinister way by which he is
going about it by disregarding all constitutional norms.
Transparency Maldives in one of the
reports (3rd August of last year) referred to the “stagnation in
democratic consolidation and a reversal in democratic gains.” It also
pointed out the lack of outcry in the instances where the powers of key
democratic institutions have been undermined.
Since then, Maldives has been going
further downhill in the democratic process. But the lack of
outcry may not continue indefinitely and at some stage or other there could be
a backlash that would have an adverse impact on the law and order situation in
the whole country!
The case of the Defence Minister:
On the night of January 18, Police
officials on a warrant received from the court raided the residence of the
Defence Minister Mohamed Nazim. Nazim was not present in the house and
the Police used force to break open the doors of the two apartments of the
minister. A spokesman of the Commissioner of Police Ahmed Shifan said
that they found dangerous weapons in his house.
On 22nd January,
President Yameen dismissed Nazim, of a result of a Police Investigation into
illegal weapons being kept in the minister’s house. There has been no
announcement on the type or number of weapons retrieved from the Minister’s
house. It is heard that only one revolver was found which people say
could also have been planted by the Police. Initial reports said that
only some documents were seized. Nazim was never given a chance to explain his
position.
Nazim was one of the leading
protestors involved in the overthrowing of former President Nasheed. He
was appointed to that position by Dr. Waheed, Nasheed’s successor in February 2012.
The new Minister of defence is none
other than Maj. Gen (retd) Moosa Ali who was formerly Chief of Defence Forces
in Nasheed’s time. In January 2013 in his deposition, he is said to have
admitted that former President Nasheed had indeed resigned under duress.
Criminal charges for illegally detaining Criminal Court Chief Judge Abdulla are
still pending against him.
These cases are connected to the
case against Nasheed also where there is an attempt from Government sources to
go slow on the cases. The hope is that with the cases hanging over his
head, the Defence Minister will “behave.” But this is not working and
will not work with Nasheed who has called for speedy disposal of the
cases against him.
JSC Appointment:
President Yameen has appointed
Justice Ali Hameed to the Judicial Commission in place of the JSC President
Justice Adam Mohamed who resigned for personal reasons.
Justice Hameed was involved in the
famous sex tapes that went viral in the media. The Police dropped the
investigation on two grounds- one that the picture in the video could not be
definitely identified as that of the judge. But the second reason given
bordered on the ridiculous. It was that the video was not captured by an
“authorised person.” It means that the tape could be true but it should
be done by a state authorised photographer! How does one expect an
authorised photographer to be invited for filming a sex escapade in a bed room
and that too in Colombo?
There were corruption charges also
against Judge Ali Hameed. The case had to be closed as the documents were
supposed to have been destroyed by a “coffee spill.” Hameed is said to be
close to President Yameen and that nothing will happen to him.
More surprising was that the
appointment pf Justice Hameed to the JSC had the consent of other Supreme Court
Judges! Aishath Velizinee, a former JSC member pointed out how low the
courts have fallen!
This appointment comes at a time
when two “inconvenient judges” were summarily removed recently by President Yameen
from the Supreme Court Bench without giving any reason for the
dismissal.( See our paper No. 5847)
Target Gasim:
With the Army, Judiciary and the
Majlis behind him, Yameen has only two “inconvenient political leaders”- Gasim
of Jumhooree party and Nasheed of the MDP against him.
As a first step he is seen to be
targeting Gasim who is perhaps the richest businessman of Maldives. In
September last year, President Yameen in order to “muzzle” Gasim in one stroke
tried to destroy Gasim’s business by taking away the private airport of
Maamigili of Villa Air. After some interval, the airport was not only
returned to the Villa Air but was also upgraded and recognised as an
international airport! Gasim had since been making only ‘friendly’ noises!
It looks that Gasim’s property is
still being targeted. Nasheed in a public rally on the 19th of
December, pledged to defend Gasim. He said “Gasim’s property cannot be
looted. Gasim’s character and body cannot be harmed. We shall rally
in his defence.”
On 21st January, the MDP
conducted a street rally in front of Gasim’s residence to show solidarity with
the Jumhooree party leader in defending the constitution. The rally was
addressed by all the top leaders of the MDP.
It sounds strange that Yameen who
could not have become President without the valuable support of Gasim Ibrahim
should turn against the latter. And now the person who was defeated and
who should hold some grudge against Gasim is coming to his support!
I dread to think of the consequences
if Yameen is to try the same tactics to destroy Nasheed of the MDP who by all
accounts is still the most popular political leader in Maldives. If
something happens to him, the whole of Maldives could be in flames!
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