Abingdonboy
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Maldives' Opposition leader Mohamed Nasheed lost the 2013 Presidential elections after logging 48 percent of the votes. Just over a year after his rival Maumoon Abdul Gayoom's party came into power, Nasheed alleges that he will be arrested in a political conspiracy to prevent him from contesting the next elections in 2018. This, after the government arrested its own Defence Minister on charges of plotting to engineer a coup. Nasheed makes an appeal to the Modi Govt to come to his rescue in case he is jailed and that the security of the Indian Ocean Region depends on a strong Indian hand. Excerpts from an interview with India Today's Manu Pubby
Q: You are fearing that the government will arrest you and prevent you from contesting future elections. Don't you have faith in the judicial process?
A: It is certainly not justice. The government has been manipulating the judiciary since they came to power. Soon after the coup (2012) they started working on it and now they have succeeded in manipulating it. They removed the Chief Justice as well as another member of the Supreme Court unlawfully (December 2014) and have appointed a removed judge as the new Chief Justice who is now sitting on the highest court and dispensing sentences.
Q: So you are accusing the ruling government of targeting you personally?
A: It is part of the bigger picture. President Yameen came to power through a coalition with the Jumhooree Party (JP) but this coalition has now fallen apart. One year down the line (after Yameen's election) and he has started consolidating power very quickly. Going fast to the autocracy of his brother (former President Gayoom who ruled the nation for three decades till 2008) - they are going back to a form of governance that they are more familiar with. They are changing all independent institutions and now the JP has decided not to back this autocratic rule and we have been able to come with it in defence of the constitution. We have now shifted parliamentary majority and under these circumstances it is impossible for Yameen to govern. So it you do not open up to elections the other way is to arrest everyone.
Q: You fear that you are next on the line of fire?
A: See, he (Yameen) has already gone and arrested his own defence minister. His house was raided, his family was attacked and yesterday (Feb 10) he has been taken into custody. We hear they have a list of people who they want to arrest. A witch hunt is on now and I am afraid none of us are safe here. Even if they can't get me through the courts, they will arrest me anyhow.
Q: What are your expectations from India?
A: I am sure no one in India wants Maldives to slide back to autocracy. That would not be in the interest of our or your security. I have spent half of my adult life in jail and now am pushing 47. I do not want to spend more time in jail. I beg that the Indian people - so many of whom are friends - do not let me go back to jail. I have many good friends in India and your government and would want them to keep a close watch on things. If I go to jail, please come and get me and take me to India. I would like to live in Bangalore.
Q: Have you met Indian authorities and Prime Minister Modi on this and what do you expect from him?
A: I have been in touch with the Indian high commission here and recently with NSA Doval who visited Male. I hope to have a meeting with PM Modi who I think is a godsend to the region. It was very encouraging to see him command a clear majority in the parliament. The man and the hour have coincided and we want to see a strong Indian hand in the region. We are looking to see India projecting its economic and military capability to bring stability to the Indian Ocean. I think it is worrying to have anyone from outside the region to have territorial interest in the Indian Ocean.
Q: You have been sharing fears of a Chinese territorial interest in Maldives and its implications for India?
A: We have protested this maritime silk route agreement that President Yameen has signed with China. People here understand the gravity of the issue but Yameen is not going to listen to the people. We have been saying that Maldives does not want to be the middleman to a conflict breeding in the Indian Ocean. Maldives has a history of being at the wrong place - when the Portuguese wanted to colonize India this was the first place they came to as did England when it planned to take over India - and we do not want t be involved in this big boys fight. In our view a safe Indian Ocean is based on a strong and steady Indian had and we have been saying that consistently.
Exclusive Interview: Maldives opposition leader Nasheed fears arrest, wants asylum in India : World, News - India Today
It has come to pass:
BBC News - Maldives ex-leader Nasheed arrested on terror charges
Possible implications for India, if any?
@Capt.Popeye @sancho @Dillinger @Koovie @levina
Q: You are fearing that the government will arrest you and prevent you from contesting future elections. Don't you have faith in the judicial process?
A: It is certainly not justice. The government has been manipulating the judiciary since they came to power. Soon after the coup (2012) they started working on it and now they have succeeded in manipulating it. They removed the Chief Justice as well as another member of the Supreme Court unlawfully (December 2014) and have appointed a removed judge as the new Chief Justice who is now sitting on the highest court and dispensing sentences.
Q: So you are accusing the ruling government of targeting you personally?
A: It is part of the bigger picture. President Yameen came to power through a coalition with the Jumhooree Party (JP) but this coalition has now fallen apart. One year down the line (after Yameen's election) and he has started consolidating power very quickly. Going fast to the autocracy of his brother (former President Gayoom who ruled the nation for three decades till 2008) - they are going back to a form of governance that they are more familiar with. They are changing all independent institutions and now the JP has decided not to back this autocratic rule and we have been able to come with it in defence of the constitution. We have now shifted parliamentary majority and under these circumstances it is impossible for Yameen to govern. So it you do not open up to elections the other way is to arrest everyone.
Q: You fear that you are next on the line of fire?
A: See, he (Yameen) has already gone and arrested his own defence minister. His house was raided, his family was attacked and yesterday (Feb 10) he has been taken into custody. We hear they have a list of people who they want to arrest. A witch hunt is on now and I am afraid none of us are safe here. Even if they can't get me through the courts, they will arrest me anyhow.
Q: What are your expectations from India?
A: I am sure no one in India wants Maldives to slide back to autocracy. That would not be in the interest of our or your security. I have spent half of my adult life in jail and now am pushing 47. I do not want to spend more time in jail. I beg that the Indian people - so many of whom are friends - do not let me go back to jail. I have many good friends in India and your government and would want them to keep a close watch on things. If I go to jail, please come and get me and take me to India. I would like to live in Bangalore.
Q: Have you met Indian authorities and Prime Minister Modi on this and what do you expect from him?
A: I have been in touch with the Indian high commission here and recently with NSA Doval who visited Male. I hope to have a meeting with PM Modi who I think is a godsend to the region. It was very encouraging to see him command a clear majority in the parliament. The man and the hour have coincided and we want to see a strong Indian hand in the region. We are looking to see India projecting its economic and military capability to bring stability to the Indian Ocean. I think it is worrying to have anyone from outside the region to have territorial interest in the Indian Ocean.
Q: You have been sharing fears of a Chinese territorial interest in Maldives and its implications for India?
A: We have protested this maritime silk route agreement that President Yameen has signed with China. People here understand the gravity of the issue but Yameen is not going to listen to the people. We have been saying that Maldives does not want to be the middleman to a conflict breeding in the Indian Ocean. Maldives has a history of being at the wrong place - when the Portuguese wanted to colonize India this was the first place they came to as did England when it planned to take over India - and we do not want t be involved in this big boys fight. In our view a safe Indian Ocean is based on a strong and steady Indian had and we have been saying that consistently.
Exclusive Interview: Maldives opposition leader Nasheed fears arrest, wants asylum in India : World, News - India Today
It has come to pass:
BBC News - Maldives ex-leader Nasheed arrested on terror charges
Possible implications for India, if any?
@Capt.Popeye @sancho @Dillinger @Koovie @levina
