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Tension gripped Maldives political scene on Monday with lawmakers of Mohamed Nasheed’s party alleging being threatened with terrorism charges by the new regime, after hundreds of supporters of the ousted President laid siege to the Parliament, even as Maldives’ new regime is likely to come out with a roadmap detailing the steps to be taken and policies that will be followed by President Mohamed Waheed Hassan-led Government trying to strengthen its position in the crisis-hit nation.
“We will issue our roadmap on Monday giving an overview of how the Government will function, what policies would be followed,” a senior Presidential office source said.
The MPs of the Maldivian Democratic Party said the new regime was threatening them in an effort to pressurise them. “They have threatened that they will charge us all with terrorism charges,” Maria Didi, MDP Member of Parliament and former chairperson of the party told reporters outside the People’s Majlis (Maldivian Parliament) on Sunday night.
Didi said if terrorism charges are registered against them, “we will get a huge sentence of more than 12 years so that they can keep us away in jail for such a long time.”
Hamid Abdul Ghafoor, spokesperson of International Affairs of the MDP too alleged victimisation. “A number of our MPS have been arrested, have been physically hurt,” he said.
Meanwhile, Maldives’ new regime on Monday welcomed a Commonwealth decision to send a ministerial mission to look into the circumstances that led to Mohamed Nasheed’s ouster, saying the government was transparent and open to any scrutiny.
President Waheed agreed to a Commonwealth ministerial probe into fall of Nasheed, the nation’s first democratically-elected leader, spokesman Masood Imad said. “We welcome the decision. We are completely transparent. We have already said that we would welcome any independent probe into the turn of events,” Imad said.
He said he would welcome a probe by India also but he feels that New Delhi understands how the events turned here. “We don’t want to jeopardise any probe. When the President steps down, under the constitution, the Vice President steps up,” he said.
“We will issue our roadmap on Monday giving an overview of how the Government will function, what policies would be followed,” a senior Presidential office source said.
The MPs of the Maldivian Democratic Party said the new regime was threatening them in an effort to pressurise them. “They have threatened that they will charge us all with terrorism charges,” Maria Didi, MDP Member of Parliament and former chairperson of the party told reporters outside the People’s Majlis (Maldivian Parliament) on Sunday night.
Didi said if terrorism charges are registered against them, “we will get a huge sentence of more than 12 years so that they can keep us away in jail for such a long time.”
Hamid Abdul Ghafoor, spokesperson of International Affairs of the MDP too alleged victimisation. “A number of our MPS have been arrested, have been physically hurt,” he said.
Meanwhile, Maldives’ new regime on Monday welcomed a Commonwealth decision to send a ministerial mission to look into the circumstances that led to Mohamed Nasheed’s ouster, saying the government was transparent and open to any scrutiny.
President Waheed agreed to a Commonwealth ministerial probe into fall of Nasheed, the nation’s first democratically-elected leader, spokesman Masood Imad said. “We welcome the decision. We are completely transparent. We have already said that we would welcome any independent probe into the turn of events,” Imad said.
He said he would welcome a probe by India also but he feels that New Delhi understands how the events turned here. “We don’t want to jeopardise any probe. When the President steps down, under the constitution, the Vice President steps up,” he said.
