munavvarout
Majilis boycott was mutiny against Annie
Muruthasil Aslam, Staff Writer
Male', Maldives 25th February 2006 (www.olhuala.com) – The 14 MPs controlled by the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) did not attend Thursday’s inauguration of Parliament due to serious disagreements over strategy, it has emerged. While the powers that be, most notably chairman Mohamed Nasheed Annie, had insisted that MPs attend the inauguration meeting and heckle President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom during his speech, certain factions within the shadow cabinet refused to follow through.
President Gayoom inaugurated the People’s Majilis with no MDP members present. He announced major plans for the coming year, most notably a roadmap for the reform process due to be released before the end of March.
The party’s shambolic and ill-advised response was to issue a statement on its website which has landed it in further trouble. The ruling DRP has condemned the statement, which contains numerous unfounded slurs, on President Gayoom and his governance.
While sources inform olhuala.com that the Attorney General’s office is formulating its official legal opinion on these statements, many, including MDP members, have called for an immediate retraction.
Sources close to the MDP leadership have informed olhuala.com that contents of the statement were meant to be slogans shouted out at the President during his speech in the Majilis by Moosa Manik Reeko, Jesus Afeef and Ismail Shihab. It had been decided to make the statements because MPs cannot be prosecuted for things said within the Majilis was. Current party leader Ibrahim Ismail Ibra is reported to be furious about the publication of the statement, which was released without his knowledge.
As a protest against Annie, Ibra and legal advisor Mohamed Munavvar did not take part in the MDP’s public rally on Thursday night. Munavvar is currently canvassing opinion among members of his faction about the feasibility of forming a new party. He has reportedly declared that the MDP lacks sufficient public support.
What prompted the MPs’ backtracking on their commitment was revealed to olhuala.com by an MDP insider: “It was shadow Minister Ibrahim Shareef Mavota and Sanco Shareef who first declared they did not support Annie’s plans to heckle Gayoom during the inauguration of the Majilis. Mavota, who is known to be weary of Annie’s influence, bluntly threatened to leave the MDP if any MP raised their voice during Gayoom’s speech.
“Shadow Minister Maria Didi then said she was unwilling to sit through any meeting where the President was going to be attacked as she felt the MDP would lose what little support they now have, if that were to happen. She left the country on Wednesday night, saying she did not want any part if it.”
The rifts between members of the shadow cabinet has widened as a result of Thursday’s events. Ibrahim Shareef Mavota who has been contemplating leaving the MDP for sometime was vehemently attacked by Annie and is holding several meetings with key advisers over the weekend to determine what his next move should be. Former attorney general Munavvar who refused a shadow cabinet post last December has now informally informed party leaders that he would be leaving the MDP in the near future.
It is speculated that Munavvar and Shareef who are from Addu Atoll want to form their separate party together.
Click to read full story
Muruthasil Aslam, Staff Writer
Male', Maldives 25th February 2006 (www.olhuala.com) – The 14 MPs controlled by the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) did not attend Thursday’s inauguration of Parliament due to serious disagreements over strategy, it has emerged. While the powers that be, most notably chairman Mohamed Nasheed Annie, had insisted that MPs attend the inauguration meeting and heckle President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom during his speech, certain factions within the shadow cabinet refused to follow through.President Gayoom inaugurated the People’s Majilis with no MDP members present. He announced major plans for the coming year, most notably a roadmap for the reform process due to be released before the end of March.
The party’s shambolic and ill-advised response was to issue a statement on its website which has landed it in further trouble. The ruling DRP has condemned the statement, which contains numerous unfounded slurs, on President Gayoom and his governance.
While sources inform olhuala.com that the Attorney General’s office is formulating its official legal opinion on these statements, many, including MDP members, have called for an immediate retraction.
Sources close to the MDP leadership have informed olhuala.com that contents of the statement were meant to be slogans shouted out at the President during his speech in the Majilis by Moosa Manik Reeko, Jesus Afeef and Ismail Shihab. It had been decided to make the statements because MPs cannot be prosecuted for things said within the Majilis was. Current party leader Ibrahim Ismail Ibra is reported to be furious about the publication of the statement, which was released without his knowledge.
As a protest against Annie, Ibra and legal advisor Mohamed Munavvar did not take part in the MDP’s public rally on Thursday night. Munavvar is currently canvassing opinion among members of his faction about the feasibility of forming a new party. He has reportedly declared that the MDP lacks sufficient public support.
What prompted the MPs’ backtracking on their commitment was revealed to olhuala.com by an MDP insider: “It was shadow Minister Ibrahim Shareef Mavota and Sanco Shareef who first declared they did not support Annie’s plans to heckle Gayoom during the inauguration of the Majilis. Mavota, who is known to be weary of Annie’s influence, bluntly threatened to leave the MDP if any MP raised their voice during Gayoom’s speech.
“Shadow Minister Maria Didi then said she was unwilling to sit through any meeting where the President was going to be attacked as she felt the MDP would lose what little support they now have, if that were to happen. She left the country on Wednesday night, saying she did not want any part if it.”
The rifts between members of the shadow cabinet has widened as a result of Thursday’s events. Ibrahim Shareef Mavota who has been contemplating leaving the MDP for sometime was vehemently attacked by Annie and is holding several meetings with key advisers over the weekend to determine what his next move should be. Former attorney general Munavvar who refused a shadow cabinet post last December has now informally informed party leaders that he would be leaving the MDP in the near future.
It is speculated that Munavvar and Shareef who are from Addu Atoll want to form their separate party together.
Click to read full story