mdp addu
MDP: Justice, Human Rights & Equality for All - Except
if you happen to be from Addu
Addu Atoll is home to some of the most industrious, thriving and most intelligent Maldivians. Yet, they have been marginalised, alienated and excluded from all top Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) positions. Some Adduans such as Mohamed Munavvar apparently played along with the facade that was the leadership "elections". Or they were simply deceived - as claimed by most MDP Adduans who walked out from the congress Wednesday morning.
To most onlookers, especially those within the rank and file membership of the MDP, this came as a shock - this is the party making a hoo-hah about how Adduans have been 'disenfranchised'; how they have supposedly been excluded from top government positions.
The most senior figure, Munavvar (incidentally a former Attorney General under Gayoom), came in third behind Ibrahim Ismail (Ibra) and Mohamed Waheed, both from Male'.
The vice-presidency was claimed by Ibrahim Zaki, another Male' beyfulhu (upper class) candidate.
One Adduan walking out on the congress stated: "This is not one of those 'make believe' walk outs we stage in the Majlis (Parliament). This time we walked out never to come back. We do not want anything to do with the MDP until things change within it. There are figures behind the scenes making some decisions about how ballots are run and counted. These have had a huge bearing on the election results."
"We do not believe the majority of the MDP despise our candidates just because we were born in Addu. Even Gayoom has appointed people like [current Attorney General Dr.] Hassan Saeed even if it is for show. Can't [the MDP] manage even that much?"
Where do the Addu people go from here? Having been led a merry dance by the MDP chiefs; these people are again forced to start again. Some believe contact has already been initiated with Waheed, another high profile MDP reject with bleak career prospects, about forming a new political party.
However under current laws, and as in laws prevalent in all mature democracies, a national political party cannot be formed with a geographical area as its binding criterion.
Our interviewee was unaware of this detail. "That further complicates our situation. Not even the MPs among us mentioned that fact. Where do we go from here? The MDP has vilified a lot of groups: women and even the politically moderate for example. Maybe there is a possibility for us to work in partnership."
Politics indeed is a treacherous business as some people are finding to their painful cost.
"The DRP? That will take some selling for most of us. But now I do not rule anything out!"
Clickto read full article
if you happen to be from Addu
Addu Atoll is home to some of the most industrious, thriving and most intelligent Maldivians. Yet, they have been marginalised, alienated and excluded from all top Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) positions. Some Adduans such as Mohamed Munavvar apparently played along with the facade that was the leadership "elections". Or they were simply deceived - as claimed by most MDP Adduans who walked out from the congress Wednesday morning.
To most onlookers, especially those within the rank and file membership of the MDP, this came as a shock - this is the party making a hoo-hah about how Adduans have been 'disenfranchised'; how they have supposedly been excluded from top government positions.
The most senior figure, Munavvar (incidentally a former Attorney General under Gayoom), came in third behind Ibrahim Ismail (Ibra) and Mohamed Waheed, both from Male'.
The vice-presidency was claimed by Ibrahim Zaki, another Male' beyfulhu (upper class) candidate.
One Adduan walking out on the congress stated: "This is not one of those 'make believe' walk outs we stage in the Majlis (Parliament). This time we walked out never to come back. We do not want anything to do with the MDP until things change within it. There are figures behind the scenes making some decisions about how ballots are run and counted. These have had a huge bearing on the election results."
"We do not believe the majority of the MDP despise our candidates just because we were born in Addu. Even Gayoom has appointed people like [current Attorney General Dr.] Hassan Saeed even if it is for show. Can't [the MDP] manage even that much?"
Where do the Addu people go from here? Having been led a merry dance by the MDP chiefs; these people are again forced to start again. Some believe contact has already been initiated with Waheed, another high profile MDP reject with bleak career prospects, about forming a new political party.
However under current laws, and as in laws prevalent in all mature democracies, a national political party cannot be formed with a geographical area as its binding criterion.
Our interviewee was unaware of this detail. "That further complicates our situation. Not even the MPs among us mentioned that fact. Where do we go from here? The MDP has vilified a lot of groups: women and even the politically moderate for example. Maybe there is a possibility for us to work in partnership."
Politics indeed is a treacherous business as some people are finding to their painful cost.
"The DRP? That will take some selling for most of us. But now I do not rule anything out!"
Clickto read full article