DRP lambasts President Nasheed’s “Mugabe style” Parliament address

Saying President Mohamed Nasheed did a “Mugabe” in his address to Parliament,the main Opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party yesterday dismissed his tough talk, telling the President to honour his pledge to hold mid-term election.

“Now this Mugabe-style speech in the parliament shows how desperate and weak this government is,” DRP Deputy Leader Umar Naseer told the Asian Tribune.

Prior to the October 2008 presidential election, Nasheed pledged to hold mid-term election, before the 5 year term ends in 2013.

Reminding the President of his pledge, Naseer said: “President Nasheed, during his campaign promised a mid-term election and if he didn’t call one, we will. Clock is ticking.”

But on March 1, marking the inauguration of Parliamentary sessions for the year 2010, the President addressed the House, warning politicians not to obstruct governance until the 2013 presidential polls take place.

In a strongly worded speech, Nasheed told Parliamentarians: “Elections are to be held in 2013. I am not saying that it is any less important for political parties to prepare for then.”

• “Honour your word, hold mid-term election Opposition tells Nasheed


• Says ruling MDP holds majority status only for 12 hours, until DRP new members are processed by EC

“However, if getting prepared means obstructing governance, the Government and many other parties would come out in the defence of such actions with great passion.”

“If that [obstructing governance] happens, it would certainly trigger chain reactions, causing great damage – not only to individuals, but to the entire political system,” President Nasheed warned.

“I am sure none of us would wish such a disastrous situation. Therefore, our nation greatly needs the support of this esteemed Majlis (Parliament),” the president then added.

Yet Naseer said that “President Nasheed day dreams of arresting opposition figures.”

He blamed the Nasheed administration for bringing in “false charges” against him in several cases including “defamation charges by Dr.Shaheed, manhandling charges by his activists (case still pending in court).

Recently, Naseer was summoned to police over “shaking” the gates of MNDF Headquarters during a protest on 28 January.

“All these attempts have failed to stop us,” Naseer said.

Lately, DRP Deputy Leader Naseer has been repeatedly talking of ousting the government. Asked if it were mere political rhetoric, Naseer said it was not so.

“The government must operate within the law. When the government openly operates outside the law and the democratic institutions couldn’t stop that, we have no option but to bring down the government through any method possible,” Naseer noted.

Notwithstanding the opposition talk of ousting the government, the main Opposition DRP lost parliamentary majority recently whilst also losing its position of being the largest political party in the Maldives.

However, Naseer accused the MDP of “deceiving the public and the international community in this case [majority status] too.”

“The fact is that DRP has not lost majority in the parliament. In any parliament the majority is counted with coalition partners. DRP and PA still hold 34 seats while MDP (no coalition member for them) holds 29.”

He said the ruling MDP is “enjoying ‘the largest party’ status for 12 hours only. Because when membership forms were submitted by both parties, the Elections Commission entered the membership names to MDP first and DRP second.”

“When MDP names were entered they exceeded DRP numbers and MDP announced immediately to deceive the public and the international community. 12 hours later when DRP names were entered DRP membership exceeded,” he explained.

The MDP recorded a membership of 31,171 narrowly passing the Opposition DRP’s number of 30,775 members.

Naseer added: “The DRP is still the largest party, not to mention the intimidation of islanders by MDP’s un-elected island councilors and thousands of illegal membership, where names have been submitted without the consent of the members.”

Meanwhile, DRP Leader Ahmed Thasmeen Ali has announced a major membership drive, promising to increase the number to 40,000 within two months.

- Asian Tribune -