civilviolence10
Pressure mounts on MDP as they fail to deliver again
Moonisa Easa, Political Analyst
Male’, Maldives, 20th January 2006 (olhuala.com) – Pressure on the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) to deliver its promised overthrow of the government is growing as another day passes by with the party unable to muster any support for a demonstration. It is believed that foreign financiers and the majority militant faction within the party are demanding that its leadership keep to its word. Another day of desperate attempts to raise a mob of any size has proved fruitless.
Last night saw similar scenes to the incidents of Wednesday, but on a much smaller scale. The MDP 'protestors' numbered not more than 50 on the streets at any given time. The protestors were operating as ‘cells’ independent of each other. Opposition to the disruptive activities of these groups was more visible last night. As before, the cells were blocked from entering large parts of Male' including the whole of Maafannu by local residents.
At other locations, the cells were jeered and packets of foul-smelling liquid were thrown at them: a traditional Maldivian insult. At one stage, in Henveiru, the MDP party flag the cell leader was brandishing was snatched and set alight to the cheers of onlookers. At that location and elsewhere, once confronted the MDP's thugs made a quick retreat only to regroup at Sikka Ahmed Ismail's G. Fus.
Failing mechanisms
The standard mechanisms the party has used in the past to create trouble seem to be failing fast right before their eyes. The afternoon featured typical gangland scuffles in two areas; the MDP tried to politicise the events and raise a crowd. No one responded; they had seen it all before. Groups of youths were sent out on motorbikes, blowing horns and yelling, trying to fetch more people; people again turned away as they refused to be induced into what is seen now as a waste of their valuable time.
Strikingly, the internet has seen a profusion of anti-MDP websites reporting live from the ground in Male'. These have wrestled the digital battleground away from the MDP's hands where it has lain for a long while. Maldives being a very internet-savvy nation, the population now has more access to alternative points of view, and therefore the opportunity to see a more balanced picture of events.
Reacting to the changing political climate and the increased awareness of the public, state media has shown encouraging signs of progressiveness. With leaders becoming more accountable, the Attorney General Dr. Hassan Saeed made another statement of the situation. He indicated the inadvisability of public involvement in mob actions and firmly reiterated that violence and harm to people and property were indictable crimes and would be dealt with in the courts.
In no uncertain terms, he also pointed out that, threats against government officials, the police and their families were very serious crimes and that offenders would be dealt with severely. He noted with regret that such threats and intimidation had increased markedly in recent times.
Ibra facing haemorrhage
Meanwhile, Ibrahim Ismail (Ibra) appears more and more like a failure. His first promise as party leader was to deliver the country on a plate to the MDP by bringing down the government. His rhetoric is sounding old; statements about police brutality and repression are failing to wash with the public as the MDP's lies about incidents in Fares-Maathoda and Addu are exposed.
The MDP is experiencing a mass haemorrhaging of support as people originally sympathetic to their cause turn their backs on them or worse, join the Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP).
But worse news for Ibra involves the growing movement against him within his own party. Defeated leadership candidate Mohamed Waheed made an appearance, in direct contact with MDP members, after days out of the limelight. It is thought that his supporters feel that Ibra has promised the impossible to the MDP's membership.
Also making noises are the UK-based 'Friends of Maldives', the group ostensibly headed by David Hardingham. Recent evidence has shown that the group has pumped hundreds of thousands of dollars into the MDP's efforts to displace President Gayoom. Shadowy external forces are said to be providing the funds although it is unknown what these groups want in return.
Mavota's lies exposed
During the afternoon, tensions had risen at Hithadhoo hospital in Addu Atoll as locals were enraged by rumours that police had run over Abdulla Faseeh in a vehicle. However, eyewitnesses later confirmed this to be a fabrication and the finger was pointed firmly in the direction of MDP shadow cabinet member Mr. Shareef (Mavota).
In Male' some damage was reported to a window of Shareef's house, H. Dhenoo, although the circumstances surrounding the incident are yet unclear. It had been reported earlier that Shareef and his Addu followers had had some disagreements with the MDP's low-level activists over his statements regarding Faseeh. However, later reports suggested that the act of vandalism was committed by local residents (rumoured to be DRP sympathizers) in retaliation to similar damage to homes inflicted by the MDP's thugs on Wednesday.
Friday frenzy called for
By the time the MDP's most die-hard supporters admitted defeat for the day at about four am Friday morning, talk had turned towards Friday's planned activities. It has been reported that this Friday would see the culmination of the build up of events throughout the week. MDP's foreign planners had planned for the 'protest' to be a continuous event spanning several days. Numbers would steadily increase; it was hoped, leading to a massive flashpoint on Friday night.
Analysts expect the MDP to try any antic to try and salvage their plan. Even though nobody within the MDP leadership now expects the government to even wobble, they are willing to try anything today: no matter how bloody, no matter how many innocents are harmed, no matter whether people lose their lives.
It is now desperate.
Click to read full story
Moonisa Easa, Political Analyst
Male’, Maldives, 20th January 2006 (olhuala.com) – Pressure on the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) to deliver its promised overthrow of the government is growing as another day passes by with the party unable to muster any support for a demonstration. It is believed that foreign financiers and the majority militant faction within the party are demanding that its leadership keep to its word. Another day of desperate attempts to raise a mob of any size has proved fruitless.
Last night saw similar scenes to the incidents of Wednesday, but on a much smaller scale. The MDP 'protestors' numbered not more than 50 on the streets at any given time. The protestors were operating as ‘cells’ independent of each other. Opposition to the disruptive activities of these groups was more visible last night. As before, the cells were blocked from entering large parts of Male' including the whole of Maafannu by local residents.
At other locations, the cells were jeered and packets of foul-smelling liquid were thrown at them: a traditional Maldivian insult. At one stage, in Henveiru, the MDP party flag the cell leader was brandishing was snatched and set alight to the cheers of onlookers. At that location and elsewhere, once confronted the MDP's thugs made a quick retreat only to regroup at Sikka Ahmed Ismail's G. Fus.
Failing mechanisms
The standard mechanisms the party has used in the past to create trouble seem to be failing fast right before their eyes. The afternoon featured typical gangland scuffles in two areas; the MDP tried to politicise the events and raise a crowd. No one responded; they had seen it all before. Groups of youths were sent out on motorbikes, blowing horns and yelling, trying to fetch more people; people again turned away as they refused to be induced into what is seen now as a waste of their valuable time.
Strikingly, the internet has seen a profusion of anti-MDP websites reporting live from the ground in Male'. These have wrestled the digital battleground away from the MDP's hands where it has lain for a long while. Maldives being a very internet-savvy nation, the population now has more access to alternative points of view, and therefore the opportunity to see a more balanced picture of events.
Reacting to the changing political climate and the increased awareness of the public, state media has shown encouraging signs of progressiveness. With leaders becoming more accountable, the Attorney General Dr. Hassan Saeed made another statement of the situation. He indicated the inadvisability of public involvement in mob actions and firmly reiterated that violence and harm to people and property were indictable crimes and would be dealt with in the courts.
In no uncertain terms, he also pointed out that, threats against government officials, the police and their families were very serious crimes and that offenders would be dealt with severely. He noted with regret that such threats and intimidation had increased markedly in recent times.
Ibra facing haemorrhage
Meanwhile, Ibrahim Ismail (Ibra) appears more and more like a failure. His first promise as party leader was to deliver the country on a plate to the MDP by bringing down the government. His rhetoric is sounding old; statements about police brutality and repression are failing to wash with the public as the MDP's lies about incidents in Fares-Maathoda and Addu are exposed.
The MDP is experiencing a mass haemorrhaging of support as people originally sympathetic to their cause turn their backs on them or worse, join the Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP).
But worse news for Ibra involves the growing movement against him within his own party. Defeated leadership candidate Mohamed Waheed made an appearance, in direct contact with MDP members, after days out of the limelight. It is thought that his supporters feel that Ibra has promised the impossible to the MDP's membership.
Also making noises are the UK-based 'Friends of Maldives', the group ostensibly headed by David Hardingham. Recent evidence has shown that the group has pumped hundreds of thousands of dollars into the MDP's efforts to displace President Gayoom. Shadowy external forces are said to be providing the funds although it is unknown what these groups want in return.
Mavota's lies exposed
During the afternoon, tensions had risen at Hithadhoo hospital in Addu Atoll as locals were enraged by rumours that police had run over Abdulla Faseeh in a vehicle. However, eyewitnesses later confirmed this to be a fabrication and the finger was pointed firmly in the direction of MDP shadow cabinet member Mr. Shareef (Mavota).
In Male' some damage was reported to a window of Shareef's house, H. Dhenoo, although the circumstances surrounding the incident are yet unclear. It had been reported earlier that Shareef and his Addu followers had had some disagreements with the MDP's low-level activists over his statements regarding Faseeh. However, later reports suggested that the act of vandalism was committed by local residents (rumoured to be DRP sympathizers) in retaliation to similar damage to homes inflicted by the MDP's thugs on Wednesday.
Friday frenzy called for
By the time the MDP's most die-hard supporters admitted defeat for the day at about four am Friday morning, talk had turned towards Friday's planned activities. It has been reported that this Friday would see the culmination of the build up of events throughout the week. MDP's foreign planners had planned for the 'protest' to be a continuous event spanning several days. Numbers would steadily increase; it was hoped, leading to a massive flashpoint on Friday night.
Analysts expect the MDP to try any antic to try and salvage their plan. Even though nobody within the MDP leadership now expects the government to even wobble, they are willing to try anything today: no matter how bloody, no matter how many innocents are harmed, no matter whether people lose their lives.
It is now desperate.
Click to read full story