Political turmoil in Maldives raises International concern, President Waheed and government contradict

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has voiced his concern about the political situation in the Maldives, where former President Mohamed Nasheed has sought refuge in the Indian High Commission, and is urging all parties to work towards conditions conducive for the upcoming elections in line with the country's Constitution.

Mr Nasheed was elected in 2008 in the first multi-party presidential elections in the country in three decades. He resigned in February 2012 in controversial circumstances, succeeded by his former deputy, Mohammed Waheed Hassan. The latter's Government set up a National Commission of Inquiry to probe the events leading to the regime change, and has been repeatedly accused of disrupting the democratic process towards the next presidential elections, scheduled for September 7. Indeed, former President Nasheed and his partisans have been allegedly undergoing mounting pressure so that he will not run in the elections.

Consequently Secretary-General Ban has been monitoring the developments since Wednesday when Mr Nasheed entered the Indian facility in the capital city of Malé after the Hulhumale Magistrate Court sent police forces to arrest him on charges that he illegally detained a judge during the last days of his presidency. India, "a close and friendly neighbor" of Maldives, shared similar concern over the ongoing political instability. On February 15, External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid told his counterpart Dr. Abdul Samad Abdullah that his country "would like to see free, fair, credible and inclusive elections leading up to a stable, peaceful and prosperous Maldives." A previous official statement warned that the "prevention of participation by political leaders – (including implicitly Mr Nasheed)* - in the contest would call into question the integrity of the electoral process, thereby perpetuating the current political instability in Maldives."

The United States State Department's spokesperson Victoria Nuland stated that "former President Nasheed must be accorded due process under the law regarding his pending court cases," while British Foreign Secretary William Hague said "it is essential that party dialogue resumes in order to implement the Commission of National Inquiry's recommendations to strengthen democracy, undertake institutional reform, and move towards elections." The report about the visit to Malé on February 16 by United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Independence of the Judges and Lawyers Ms Gabriela Knaul is likely to corroborate the international community's concerns.

Yet Foreign Minister Samad affirmed that "the country is in perfect normalcy" and denied "any court orders to produce (Mr Nasheed) to court by the Police." He rejected the unfounded concerns and emphasized that it was important for all to "characterize the situation in its proper perspective." He further said "Maldives is capable of conducting free, fair, and credible elections and (that) the Government is determined to repeat that exercise in September," He also described Mr Nasheed's status as one of a "guest" at the Indian Chancery. Finally, Maldives President Waheed contradicted with his Minister's assertion while expressing his dismay "that the former President Nasheed sought refuge in the Indian High Commission in Male' when he was summoned to the court." If the Maldives officials affirmed there is no political turmoil in Maldives, the contradictory statements seemed to show there is.

*This was added by DiploNews and is not quoted from Mr. Khurshid's statement.

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