mdpfinances
Foreign financiers pulling plug on MDP
Moonisa Easa, Political Analyst
Moonisa Easa, Political Analyst
Male’, Maldives, 31st January 2006 (olhuala.com) – The MDP have started feeling the effects of low finances for the first time in its history according to sources within the party. The failure of the January 24th demonstration to overthrow the government, has caused foreign financiers to seriously doubt the capability of the MDP to deliver them the Maldives on a plate.
The strain is most keenly felt in their cell-support program with the party having to appeal to donors on an ad hoc basis to support inter-atoll party travel. Some activists the party brought in from Addu Atoll to for the 24th were recently revealed to be illegally using public buildings to spend the night because the party could not afford to provide accommodation.
The MDP has had a long history of dependance on foreign financiers, dating back five years when they existed as a clandestine band operating in the UK and in Sri Lanka. Contacts in the UK are said to be affiliated with evangelical groups such as the Joshua Campaign and Project 2000 which have stated a desperate desire to establish christianity in the Maldives.
Another disturbing reality the party now faces is the dwindling capacity it has to sustain its media mouthpieces such as the MiniVan Group which includes websites, a printed daily newspaper and a radio 'station'. All of these except the newspaper are based abroad and mostly employ foreign nationals.
The numbers of Maldivians involved have been further cut back due to the new financial limitations, resulting in a subsequent deterioration of material produced for output. Recent events have seen bungled reporting with further ill-advised attempts at covering up. For example, at a recent court hearing, the sitting judge ordered MDP Chairman Mohamed Nasheed to be held under house arrest until the end of his trial for terrorism.
The MiniVan Group were too hasty in producing a story, apparently by foreign nationals whose knowledge of the Maldives can at best be sketchy, which announced 'judge orders Annie to be locked up.' Upon realising its mistake, they tried a sly backtrack ('Judge's bizarre ruling confuses lawyers') which had observers smirking; was it really lawyers who were confused about statements made in a language they do not understand in a country they have never been to?
Recently the MDP has faced reversal after reversal as they have been publicly rejected by major power players such as India and Sri Lanka; another reason why foreign backers now appear reluctant. The MDP had reportedly promised the overthrow of the government to backers in the UK; in exchange for funds, they were promised a revised and relaxed tourism policy whereby foreigners could virtually buy islands from the MDP government.
To further compound matters, the MDP, having failed in all their efforts to even rattle the government, they find themselves accused of embezzling funds. Foreign parties, some of them at least, appear to be finally realising that the Maldivian government is hugely popular and secure and would take more than fabricated 'news' stories to overthrow.
Click to read full story