Nasheed’s party rules out joining new govt; offers conditional talks
Nasheed's Maldivian Democratic Party said that the party will not participate in the new government.
Ousted President Mohamed Nasheed’s Maldivian Democratic Party today ruled out any participation in the new unity government but offered to join conditional talks with the new President to end the political crisis.
In a statement,the MDP has made it clear that the party will not participate in the National Unification Government,which was formed under new President Mohamed Waheed Hassan.
The MDP,however,said that it can join the reconciliation talks to end the political crisis in the country if six members of the new government,who allegedly participated in ousting Nasheed on February 7,were dropped.
The party identified them as Minister of Defence and National Security Mohamed Nazim,Minister of Home Affairs Mohamed Jameel Ahmed,Minister of State for Home Affairs Mohamed Fayaz,Chief of Staff of MNDF Major General Ahmed Shiyam and Commissioner of Police Abdulla Riyaz.
The statement also said that being the largest single party,the MDP decided to help the nation on resolving the political crisis faced at present by dialogue.
Meanwhile,Maldives Prosecutor General Ahmed Muizzu has said that legally a body can investigate the matter of Nasheed’s resignation,as the former President claims that he was forced to do so unduly and inappropriately.
Muizzu said the assumption of presidency by Nasheed’s Deputy Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik would be perfectly valid.
“According to Article 121 A of the Constitution,if the position of the President becomes vacant due to any reason,his Deputy would have to step in and fulfill the vacancy,and become the new President,” Muizzu said in a Statement.
Meanwhile,the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group team has concluded its three-day visit to Maldives to find the facts behind political crisis and will report to a panel that deals with serious violations of the bloc’s political values.
Leader of the three-member group Surujrattan Rambachan,Foreign and Communications Minister of Trinidad amp; Tobago,said they met President Hassan,Nasheed,Chief Justice,Speaker of Parliament,several political parties,independent
institutions,relevant military and police personnel as well as many others.
Since stepping down,Nasheed has insisted that he was ousted in a “coup d’etat” backed by his successor,then Vice President Waheed.
In a press conference last evening,the group stressed that they were strictly a political mission with a mandate to gather information in a non judgmental and impartial fashion.
When asked whether the group endorses the notion for an early election,it said the Commonwealth would support the Maldives in every way possible to navigate through these adverse times.
They said that a lot of information had been acquired including various video and audio graphic materials,some of which were yet to be reviewed.
The Chair said that they were leaving with an enhanced understanding of the situation and would brief the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group CMAG scheduled to convene during the course of next week in London.
The Chair was accompanied by Bangladesh Foreign Minister Dipu Moni and Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Australia Dennis Richardson AO.
The Commonwealth can suspend members it judges to be in breach of undertakings to democracy,a sanction previously applied to Zimbabwe,Pakistan,Nigeria and Fiji.
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