Arrest warrant for ousted leader after riots
Source: Agencies |
February 10, 2012, Friday
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A MALDIVES court yesterday issued an arrest warrant for former President Mohamed Nasheed, one day after his supporters rampaged in the capital and his claim of being ousted by a coup left unclear the stability of the fledging Indian Ocean democracy.
Police spokesman Abdul Mannan Yusuf refused to disclose the grounds for the criminal court's warrant, or say when Nasheed - who is living at his Male home, surrounded by supporters - would be arrested. Later, Police Commissioner Abdullah Riaz said it was not clear if the warrant was constitutional.
Nasheed had announced he was voluntarily resigning on Tuesday after protests against his rule and fading support from the police and the army.
But the next day, as former Vice President Mohammed Waheed Hassan was forming a new government, Nasheed suddenly announced he had been pushed from power at gunpoint.
Thousands of his supporters swept into the streets. They clashed with security forces in Male, the capital, and attacked police stations in remote parts of the 1,200-island archipelago nation off southern India.
The new government insists that there was no coup.
The dispute threatens the crucial tourism industry of this mostly Muslim nation of 300,000 people and also raise questions about the future of a democracy that only shed a 30-year, one-man rule with the 2008 multiparty elections that brought Nasheed to power.
Britain advised this week against all but essential travel to Male Island because of protests in the capital
The United States is advising travelers to exercise caution.
In nearby Sri Lanka, travel agents said they had seen no immediate drop in business, but predicted that would change if the crisis continued.
Rizmi Riyaz, of the firm Travel Global, said he was worried that tourists would soon "think twice, as they are concerned about the situation."
The city of Male was calm but tense yesterday. Police said the violence in outlying islands had stopped.
Maldives police commissioner Abdullah Riyaz said 18 police stations on several islands, along with an undetermined number of court houses and police vehicles, were destroyed in the violence. Police said they detained 49 people after the Male rioting.
The new defense minister vowed to punish those responsible, calling the destruction "acts of terrorism."
"The Maldives national defense force remains vigilant in enforcing the law and order and upholding the constitution of the Maldives," Mohammed Nazin said yesterday, barely 12 hours into his new job.
Last night, Nasheed's next move was unclear, with some of his statements indicating he might wait to press his cause in next year's elections.
"I'm not thinking about leaving the country ... If I leave, the country will go to the dogs," he said. "The ballot should decide, not battles," Nasheed added.
Police spokesman Abdul Mannan Yusuf refused to disclose the grounds for the criminal court's warrant, or say when Nasheed - who is living at his Male home, surrounded by supporters - would be arrested. Later, Police Commissioner Abdullah Riaz said it was not clear if the warrant was constitutional.
Nasheed had announced he was voluntarily resigning on Tuesday after protests against his rule and fading support from the police and the army.
But the next day, as former Vice President Mohammed Waheed Hassan was forming a new government, Nasheed suddenly announced he had been pushed from power at gunpoint.
Thousands of his supporters swept into the streets. They clashed with security forces in Male, the capital, and attacked police stations in remote parts of the 1,200-island archipelago nation off southern India.
The new government insists that there was no coup.
The dispute threatens the crucial tourism industry of this mostly Muslim nation of 300,000 people and also raise questions about the future of a democracy that only shed a 30-year, one-man rule with the 2008 multiparty elections that brought Nasheed to power.
Britain advised this week against all but essential travel to Male Island because of protests in the capital
The United States is advising travelers to exercise caution.
In nearby Sri Lanka, travel agents said they had seen no immediate drop in business, but predicted that would change if the crisis continued.
Rizmi Riyaz, of the firm Travel Global, said he was worried that tourists would soon "think twice, as they are concerned about the situation."
The city of Male was calm but tense yesterday. Police said the violence in outlying islands had stopped.
Maldives police commissioner Abdullah Riyaz said 18 police stations on several islands, along with an undetermined number of court houses and police vehicles, were destroyed in the violence. Police said they detained 49 people after the Male rioting.
The new defense minister vowed to punish those responsible, calling the destruction "acts of terrorism."
"The Maldives national defense force remains vigilant in enforcing the law and order and upholding the constitution of the Maldives," Mohammed Nazin said yesterday, barely 12 hours into his new job.
Last night, Nasheed's next move was unclear, with some of his statements indicating he might wait to press his cause in next year's elections.
"I'm not thinking about leaving the country ... If I leave, the country will go to the dogs," he said. "The ballot should decide, not battles," Nasheed added.
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