Zaglul Ahmed Chowdhury The political situation in the Maldives is getting increasingly complicated over the new election schedule for choosing a president as the political parties have adopted different positions over the November 09 voting date. If the election on that day fails to produce a clear winner, the run-off polls would take place on November 16. One key party, however, objects to the schedule, saying certain issues must be addressed before the balloting takes place. The run-off for the September elections that had failed to produce a clear winner was abruptly cancelled at the last moment plunging the small island nation into a deepening political crisis. Because of domestic and international pressures, a new election schedule has been announced, but the process now seems to be uncertain because of varying interpretations of affairs related to the polls by different parties. Earlier, former president Mohammad Nasheed faced tricky run-off elections after failing to win a required majority, but still hopes to return to power following his ouster nineteen months ago. He secured 45.46 per cent of the votes, short of the required 50 per cent, and as such, faced another round of balloting on September 28, which looked to favour the first democratically elected president of the Maldives. But the run-off did not take place. The run-off voting between Nasheed, the clear winner in the first round, and his nearest rival Abdullah Yameen, who garnered 25.35 per cent of the votes, was called off at the last moment much to the surprise of most people. Incumbent president Wahid Hasan Manik suffered a humiliating defeat as he could secure only little more than five per cent while two other candidates were staunchly anti-Nasheed. In the run-off, all of them, including the outgoing president pledged support to Abdullah Yameen, a half brother of former Maldivian strongman Mamoon Abdul Gayoom and this made the return of Nasheed to power somewhat difficult although he still stands a chance. Embattled Mohammad Nasheed had received a major judicial relief that has smoothened the tense political situation leading to the September 07 polls. This relief eventually emerged as a catalyst for his participation in the polls. The Maldivian high court stayed temporarily the trial against him in a case of abuse of power when he was at the helm and any conviction would have prohibited him from contesting the elections. Nasheed was ousted from power through violent protests as the scene remained unstable with political rivals at loggerheads. Alleged foreign interference made the scenario more complicated. The government of President Waheed Hasan Manik accused big neighbour India of meddling in the internal affairs Maldives. The Male government alleged that New Delhi interfered in the affairs of the island state by sheltering the former president Mohammad Nasheed in its High Commission in the Maldivian capital several months ago. Nasheed has been in trouble since being overthrown by a mutiny of police and people, and much later took shelter in the Indian High Commission in the capital fearing arrest. A warrant of arrest was issued against him for abuse of power when he was president, but later the government softened its attitude and Nasheed left the Indian chancery. Mohammad Nasheed's Maldivian Democratic Party kept the pot boiling against his successor Waheed Hasan Manik, charging that he occupied power in an unconstitutional manner, but the latter denies the allegation. However, influential countries, like the United States, extended recognition to the new government and this had come as a shot in the arm of Nasheed's successor, who otherwise appeared to be still struggling for legitimacy. Mohammad Nasheed had created history when in 2008 he won the first multi-party elections that saw the long-time autocrat Mamoon Abdul Gayoom yielding to people's demand for democratic polls and then, he himself being defeated in the balloting by a pro-democracy leader. Nasheed, a commoner, who had to live in exile because of his involvement in the anti-government agitation, returned to the country after the stage was set for free elections in a multi-party system. He won, but was forced to quit power before the term was over by an agitation that had the characteristic of a coup in which the police played an important role. Nasheed charged that his vice-president Waheed Hassan Manik engineered the coup - an accusation flatly denied by the latter. What occurred in the country in the shape of resignation of president Nasheed was least expected as he was not embroiled in serious trouble until days before the problem began brewing. Street demonstrations centring the arrest of a judge, who was seen as favouring the opposition in his verdicts, took a serious turn. The unrest snowballed and a revolt mainly by the police and supported by a section of the army forced the president to quit. Nasheed insists that he was ousted through a "conspiracy" hatched by his vice-president in collusion with sections of the police and the army. Things took a complex turn when Nasheed took shelter in the Indian high commission as he feared that he may be convicted in the charges brought out by the government with a design to disqualify him for the elections. The government felt that India is meddling in the affairs by giving shelter to the former president and in the process stalling his appearance in the courts. Male-New Delhi relations are not in the good shape, mainly after the Maldivian government annulled the contract of an Indian firm in running the international airport in the capital. It is also believed that India is soft to Mohammad Nasheed, whose tenure saw much better bilateral relations. As the polls approached, New Delhi in a statement said it is important that presidential candidates are allowed to take part in the elections without any fear and obstacles for the sake of democracy. As Maldives sought to put up a brave face facing giant neighbour India, New Delhi played down the issue when external affairs minister Salman Kurshid attached scant importance to the tensions revolving ties with the small neighbour. Tension increased as the run-off elections got stopped at the last moment by the law enforcing agencies despite a schedule given by the election commission. Opposition leader Nasheed severely castigated the development, but later accepted the new schedule for polls. Nasheed main rival Mohammad Sharif, who is Yameen Abdullah's key aide, has branded the election commission as "arrogant" and charged that the commission has come out with a new election schedule without addressing a major complaint pointed out by them. He suspects faults in the electoral list of 2,40,000 voters and said several thousands "fake" voters can make a big difference in a country of small electorate. It is not clear whether the new schedule would stand or will it get changed again. Nasheed's party in highly unlikely to accept any change and the developments indicate complications of the already troubled political situation. However, efforts are reportedly on for a patch-up on the new election schedule. zaglulbss@yahoo.com
Political crisis deepens in Maldives
FE Team | Published: October 25, 2013 00:00:00 | Updated: February 01, 2018 00:00:00
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