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MDP employs underage students in Sri Lanka
Ismail Rifau
Ismail Rifau
Male’, Maldives, 30th January 2006 (olhuala.com) – Maldivian Democratic Party activists handed in a ‘petition’ to the Maldivian High Commission in Sri Lanka on the 24th of January. It was reported that ‘the petition was signed by numerous Maldivians resident in Colombo’, and that this petition is a clear sign that the party’s call for nationwide protests were welcomed by Maldivians all over the world.
To the contrary the MDP’s efforts to stage another ‘spontaneous’ demonstration as was choreographed in August 2004 ended in abject failure on the 24th as less than 1,200 people in the whole country heeded the MDP's call for a mass act. “While the black Friday [MDP’s violent demonstration on August 12/13th 2004] demonstrations ended in violence and destruction [Police constable Mazig was stabbed by MDP activist ‘Paidey’ and government buildings were set ablaze by MDP activists] the 24th January event ended in humiliation for the MDP. They [the MDP] have found out once and for all that there is no support for their violent and militant tactics in the Maldives” says Ahmed Nihaan, Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) Executive Committee member.
Sources inform olhuala.com that the MDP’s planned actions in Colombo and London were called off by former MDP spokesperson Mohamed Latheef (Gogo). It is widely believed among MDP hardliners in Male’ that, Latheef; a failed businessman in self-enforced exile in Colombo; personally called the planned events in Colombo and London due to unprecedented leaks to the press.
One of our sources close to Gogo Latheef told olhuala.com “ He [Latheef] was livid when the plans were published on a number of internet news websites. He accused Juha [Mohamed Zuhair] and IC [Ibrahim Rasheed, who were in charge of the operation] for the leaks. Latheef decided to call off the demonstrations, but decided to get Maldivians to sign a petition embracing the MDP’s protests, in order to save the MDP’s ‘political face’”.
A number of MDP funded clandestine websites published quotes from ‘Maldivian residents’ in Colombo reiterating the MDP’s calls for the resignation of key government officials. Investigations have revealed that these ‘residents’ were in fact Maldivian students who were paid $100 (one hundred United States Dollars) each in return for signing the MDP’s petition.
One such website wrote“It proved to be unfounded "as the MDP is a responsible and politically mature party", Labeeb Moosa, 22, a Maldivian student who presented the petition to the Maldives High Commission in Sri Lanka said. "I heard they brought Indian armored-cars”.
Labeeb Moosa who is actually 19 years of age (D.O.B 14th August 1986) told olhuala.com “Juha paid me to sign the petition. But I never gave an interview to anyone. This is the first time that I am being interviewed”.
It is unclear whether the Sri Lankan authorities will reprimand Moosa for his political activity, although Sri Lankan laws frown upon political involvement by student VISA holders.
Mohamed Zuhair (Juha) was unavailable for comment on this matter.
This is not the first time the MDP has involved underage students (individuals under 21 are not eligible for involvement in political parties under Maldivian law) in order to promote their political agenda. MDP officials in S. Hithadhoo used a group of primary school children in order to carry out one of the MDP’s political protests on the 22nd of this month. Further, although his calls fell on deaf ears, MDP leader Ibrahim Ismail, called on all members to bring children to the demonstration on the 24th of January.
Several analysts believe that the MDP’s use of underage children as political pawns has been one of the root causes that has seen support for the MDP plummet nationwide to an all time low.
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