Emeute à Male – 8 février 2012

Protestors clashed with riot police – Maldives ex-prez calls on successor to resign

kuwaittimes.net

8 02 2012

MALE: The ex-president of the Maldives who claims he was forced out of power by a coup called on his successor to step down yesterday as thousands of protestors clashed with riot police in the capital. Mohamed Nasheed, who resigned on Tuesday, told AFP he suspected new president Mohamed Waheed had known about a plot to overthrow him involving rebel army and police officers. “I am afraid he’s always entertained an idea to become the president… When the opportunity was available to him, he took it,” the 44-year-old said of his former vice president, who denies the allegation.

Nasheed, 44, said he had been “forced” to resign by a cabal of armed police and soldiers, explaining to AFP that “they told me if I didn’t resign they would resort to the use of arms”. Later, speaking to members of his party, he said: “I call on Dr Waheed to step down and I call upon the chief justice to investigate yesterday’s coup and bring to justice those responsible for it.”

Thousands of supporters of the media-savvy former political prisoner and climate change campaigner massed in the cramped capital Male, many chanting his name. A statement by Nasheed’s Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) said the former leader had been beaten up and several members of the party arrested during clashes with the police, who fired tear gas and used their batons. The clashes and risk of more political instability are highly damaging for the Indian Ocean archipelago, a famous holiday and honeymoon destination that relies on tourism. Read more…

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