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MDP To carry out civil violence on Male’ soonIsmail Rifau, Political correspondent
Male’, Maldives, 17th January 2006 2045 Hrs (olhuala.com) – Members of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) are arriving at Ma. Boagunvilla, the residence of party leader Ibrahim Ismail (Ibra).
Mr Ismail invited all MDP members to ‘come to dinner’ to his place tonight at 2030 Hrs during his speech at Imaadhdhudhdheen School last night. He also called upon all MDP members and well-wishers to work to bring down the constitutionally elected government ‘by any means necessary’ during last night’s speech. Analysts have perceived these statements as denouncing all political and peaceful means of achieving the MDP’s political goals. It was seen as an act of ‘embracing direct action and violence as their preferred means’.
Last night’s “invitation” for dinner at Ibra’s for several hundred people is another gimmick similar to the MDP’s recent actions in Addu. No matter how lavish Ibra’s living premises are, it is obvious that these hundreds will fill up the tiny streets in the neighbourhood. Even if these people remain peaceful they will cause problems for the neighbours and traffic, creating a tinderbox that only needs a tiny spark to ignite.
Observers have grown wary of the MDP’s increasingly more tiresome attempts to blame the authorities for atrocities committed by MDP members. Ibra, in an interview to Television Maldives stated “I do not know what happened in Addu, but I am sure that the MDP members were very well behaved”, when individuals who came out of the MDP meeting attacked Hithadhoo residents as reported on all local media. MDP members proceeded to ram MPS personnel manning a roadblock, with a van.
It is widely speculated that, tonight’s gathering at Ibra’s house is the platform to launch the public protests and campaigns of civil violence that the MDP has promised. It is unclear whether Ibra plans to start proceedings tonight. MDP activists who are planning the ‘demonstrations’ inform olhuala.com that the ‘plans are being finalised, action will begin within the next few days”.
Speaking to olhuala.com the MDP’s Ibrahim Raheed (also known as IC) who also was involved in the August 12/13th mob violence in 2004 said “the plan is to hold several protests at several locations simultaneously. There is no way they [Maldives Police Services] can stop us then. He [President Gayoom] is not in the country. This time we will make sure he can’t come back. We will force them to surrender. We are ready to use any means necessary”
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