The Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), says they are deeply concerned by the Government’s clear attempts to obstruct the UN- mediated Talks.
Following the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group’s decision to place the Maldives on its formal agenda, in September, the MDP welcomed the CMAG stipulations and urged the Government and political parties to immediately engage in political dialogue to resolve the on-going political crisis.
MDP says however, a series of letters from the President’s office, show the President’s office deliberate efforts to complicate the process by overstepping its mandate and dictating preconditions before the Talks have even convened.
- On 4 October, the President Office sent a letter all parties saying that the names of the party representatives at the Talks should be endorsed by its ‘council.’
- On 10 October, the President’s office sends a second letter to the MDP saying “the President is concerned about the decisions taken by the MDP; MDP’s representatives at the all- party dialogue must be selected by the ‘council,’ and that the Government will not accept a nominee, if the person is currently serving a sentence.”
MDP says they believes this is superfluous meddling in the internal running of the Party, and has communicated to the Government informing the Government that the party will adhere to its standing orders, and reminding the Government that it has no legal mandate to dictate internal matters of the parties.
These letters show the Government trying to tightly control who will be allowed to participate in the Talks, and primarily to obstruct the participation of President Nasheed. The MDP finds this turnaround by the Government astonishing, given that, on the day the CMAG decision was released, the Government had announced that it did not have any preconditions. The MDP cannot accept the Government of the Maldives dictating such preconditions to the political dialogue.
The MDP believes the Government is deliberately overstepping its mandate in an attempt to frustrate this party and other opposition parties to withdraw support from the Talks. This is a clear attempt to undermine the UN- mediated Talks.
At a time when the Government and all sides need to be more accommodating, and compromising, we find the Government is hardening its stance.
MDP says however, reiterates its firm commitment for UN- mediated political dialogue. The MDP calls on the Government of the Maldives to put an immediate end to this prevarication and reiterates its call on the Government to engage in immediate talks, in order to avert suspension from the Commonwealth, and to return the country to the democratic path.
Fisheries and agriculture Minister Dr. Muhammad Shainee has said asking the political parties to endorse their representatives by the Party’s council is not a pre-conditioan and government requested as such to make sure the parties will follow all the decisions of the meetings as a responsibility of the parties.
Usually always political parties in Maldives endorse their represantatives through party’s council. Jumhooree party’s council have endorsed their representatives prior to the government’s request. PPM council has endorsed their representatives for the earlier talks too even though government did request to endorse..
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MDP Calls on the Government to Stop Overstepping its Mandate, and Demonstrate Sincerity to Process
