MALDIVES POLITICAL CRISIS

 INCUMBENT PRESIDENT ABDULLA YEMEEN

FORMER PRESIDENT M. NASEED

Recently we are witnessing ongoing political crisis in Maldives. The incumbent president of Maldives is Abdulla Yemeen. Let’s look into the background of the political crisis and our relations with Maldives. INDIA and MALDIVES have good relations since 20th century. Both the countries signed trade agreement in 1981 and since then trade between both the countries is improving. At present, the current trade between both the countries is around 700 crores. We also give some financial assistance to Maldives like:     

• Construction of training centres for Maldives Armed Forces.

•  Assistance in setting up Police Academies.

•  Renovation of Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital.

• India also agreed to allow free visa entry to citizens of Maldives for medical purposes.

The relation between both the countries were easy going until the election of new president who acted as an apple of discord and put strain in ongoing relations.

  In 2013, the new president of Maldives was elected. The new president soon started to take its stand as pro-China. The previous president of Maldives was Mohamad Naseed. Naseed was known to be pro Indian and western. The former president was forced to resign in 2012 after ordering arrest of the top criminal court judge. Yameen also alleged him of corruption charges. As Yameen was selected new President, he ordered 13-year imprisonment to former President in 2015.

Later the Supreme Court of Maldives ordered the former President to be released along with 8 other leaders of Naseed party saying that they can be arrested again but the previous proceeding violated law and was unconstitutional. Now the former President is in exile in U.K. and would be arrested again if he comes back.

The major turmoil in politics came recently when Supreme Court ordered reinstatement of the 12 lawmakers who have been stripped of the parliamentary seats by Yameen party for defecting to Naseed party saying that their removal was unconstitutional.

The reinstatement of dozen legislatures who are now with the opposition would cause Yemen party to lose majority in 85 members parliament. So Yameen ignored the order and didn’t reinstate dozen lawmakers. So these decisions of President lead to upheaval the political opposition that finally resulted in political crisis there.

Now Yameen government imposed rules that restricted Freedom of Speech.  The media also been strictly warned not to show anything anti-government. When Commonwealth pressed Yameen for upliftment of this rule, his government voted for Maldives to quit Commonwealth.

The President Yameen is harvesting relations with China. China is supporting him for his deeds for his own country. Maldives become second country after Pakistan in South Asia to sign free trade agreement with China.

India and US condemned the incumbent President decisions while China kept quiet and didn’t made any official announcement. The Maldives crisis is an example of the monomaniac of person in thirst of power and who can go to any extent to get what is desired and breaking all thread for the sake to mending one.