Affrontements aux Maldives – juillet 2010

Unrest continues, “isolated” MPs to “stay put”

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MALE, July 17, 2010 (HNS) – Political unrest continued over the weekend with rallies and demonstrations turning to violence as UN chief Ban Ki-moon urged rival parties in Maldives to cool the rising tension and to resolve their differences through dialogue.

Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) and police announced a joint special operation to beef up security Thursday evening. The announcement came after the MNDF deployed armed personnel the night before amid clashes between supporters of the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) and the opposition led by Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) taking opposition Mulaku MP Abdulla Yamin into “protective” custody.

At a joint press conference with the armed forces Thursday police said political figures were using gangs to agitate the turmoil, but refused to give details.

Police also claimed the joint operation was initiated by a rise of gang violence following the end of the World Cup euphoria. Chief Inspector Hamdoon Rasheed stressed the operation was not politically motivated but refused to say if there were any incidents of gang activity within the week.

MDP activists held a series of demonstrations outside the homes of High Court and Criminal Court chief judges calling for their arrest but were dispersed by swarms of riot police. The protestors also clashed with anti government activists outside parliament Vice Speaker, also opposition Dhiggaru MP Ahmed Nazim’s house. Several arrests were made but there were no reports of a major injury.

In his weekly radio address Friday, President Mohamed Nasheed said the government is forced to do whatever possible to find a solution to stamp out corruption in the country – a statement reiterated by him since the cabinet’s mass resignation on June 29 accusing the opposition controlled parliament of “hijacking” executive powers. President Nasheed immediately launched an investigation into allegations of bribery among MPs.

Yamin and opposition Maamigili MP Gasim Ibrahim were earlier detained on treason and bribery charges but were released from house arrest on Supreme Court orders. Police later arrested Nazim on charges also including bribery. He remains in house arrest on a High Court warrant and a Supreme Court ruling is pending.

Yamin was taken to Aarah island early Thursday morning where he is being unlawfully held against his will, defence lawyers argued seeking a Criminal Court warrant for his release. A hearing was scheduled Thursday evening in Yamin’s absentia when MNDF flunked an order to bring him to court in two hours. But the hearing was called off when the armed forces failed to show up, chief judge Abdulla Mohamed said.

President Nasheed said Yamin and Nazim “will remain isolated for now for national security.” Referring to MDP’s mass demonstration in the streets of Male Thursday, the President said the protests showed that “many people were ready for direct action to show the level of their disapproval of corruption”.

UN chief Ban Ki-moon Ban, currently on a visit to Spain, « is concerned by rising political tension in the Maldives, which culminated in some violent demonstrations earlier this week, » his press office said in a statement.

The UN secretary general appealed to « all political parties to restrain those who promote violence and confrontation, and to resolve their differences through dialogue. »

He stressed that political rivalries should not be allowed « to jeopardize the significant gains the country has registered in democratic reform. »