2011–2013 Maldives political crisis
The 2011–2013 Maldives political crisis[2][3][4][5][6] began as a series of peaceful protests that broke out in the Maldives on 1 May 2011. They would continue, eventually escalating into the resignation of President Mohamed Nasheed in disputed circumstances in February 2012. Demonstrators were protesting what they considered the government's mismanagement of the economy and were calling for the ouster of President Nasheed. The main political opposition party in the country, the Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (Maldivian People's Party) led by the former president of the country Maumoon Abdul Gayoom (who was in power for over 30 years under an authoritarian system) accused President Nasheed of "talking about democracy but not putting it into practice." The protests occurred during the Arab Spring.
2011–2012 Maldives political crisis
May 2011 – March 2012 (with ongoing unrest and counter-protests)
Economic recession, low wages
Peaceful protests, civil disobedience
Resignation of President Mohamed Nasheed
2013 Maldivian presidential election
The primary cause for the protests was rising commodity prices and a poor economic situation in the country.[7]
The protests led to a resignation of President Mohamed Nasheed on 7 February 2012, and the Vice President Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik was sworn as the new President of Maldives. Nasheed stated the following day that he was forced out of office at gunpoint, while Waheed supporters maintained that the transfer of power was voluntary and constitutional.[8][9]
A later British Commonwealth meeting concluded that it could not "determine conclusively the constitutionality of the resignation of President Nasheed", but called for an international investigation.[10] The Maldives' National Commission of Inquiry, appointed to investigate the matter, found that there was no evidence to support Nasheed's version of events.[11]
In April 2012, it was announced that new elections were to be held in July 2013; they eventually took place later in 2013 after several delays.[12]
December 2011 demonstration[edit]
On 23 December 2011, the opposition held a mass symposium with as many as 20,000 people in the name of protecting Islam, which they believed Nasheed's government was unable to maintain in the country. The mass event became the foundation of a campaign that brought about social unrest within the capital city.
Attempted arrest of Judge Abdulla Mohamed[edit]
On 16 January 2012,[20] the Maldives military, on orders from the interior ministry, arrested Judge Abdulla Mohamed, the chief justice of the Maldives Criminal Court, on charges he was blocking the prosecution of corruption and human rights cases against allies of former President Gayoom.
Weeks of protests and demonstrations ensued, led by local police dissidents who opposed Nasheed's 16 January arrest order against Chief Justice Abdulla Mohamed.[21]
On 7 February, Nasheed ordered the police and army to subdue the anti-government protesters. Police came out to protest against the government instead.[22]
President Mohamed Nasheed resigned the same day by letter, and followed that with a televised public address. Nasheed later stated that he was forced to resign at gunpoint through a police mutiny and coup led by President Waheed.[23][24] There have been disputes over exactly what happened that day. Nasheed's vice president, Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik, was sworn in the same day as president in accordance with the Constitution at the People's Majlis in front of the Chief Justice.[25] Waheed had opposed the arrest order and supported the opposition that forced Mohamed Nasheed to resign, but despite allegations he denied involvement in the coup.[26]
Nasheed coup allegations[edit]
Nasheed and his supporters maintained that he was ousted in a coup, but this claim was disputed by Hassan's supporters, the National Commission of Inquiry, and the governments of the US, UK, India, and the Commonwealth of Nations.
Nasheed, in an interview with The Hindu after he was ousted, claimed that there was a plotted coup. He said: "I was given a seven-page letter by the General then in charge of military intelligence warning of a plot, to overthrow my government, by Maumoon Abdul Gayoom. However, the officer concerned was promptly replaced [by the Army]."[60] As for why he resigned, Nasheed said: "I knew this was going to end either with many deaths or with my being lynched. So I agreed to resign".[60] He said it was "shocking" how hastily the governments of India and the US "stepped in to recognise the new regime – the coup."[61][62]
Nasheed and his foreign minister, Ahmed Naseem, claimed in interviews that Islamic extremists were upset with his rule and were behind the coup.[48][49] Nasheed also claimed that wealthy resort owners were behind the coup. Nasheed had worked to amend the tax code so that wealthy resort owners paid more taxes. Nasheed said: "The coup was largely financed by resort owners" and that "I suppose they [the resort owners] liked the old order of corruption."[63] The World Socialist Web Site, the online news center of the International Committee of the Fourth International claimed that the coup was backed by the United States[64] and that United States and Indian envoys intervened in the crisis to back the coup.[65]
The coup interpretation was also backed by UK MP David Amess, Chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group to the Maldives, but contradicted by UK Prime Minister David Cameron, who asserted that Nasheed "had resigned".[66] Nasheed's successor and opposition forces also stated that the transfer of power was voluntary.[67]
A later British Commonwealth meeting concluded that it could not "determine conclusively the constitutionality of the resignation of President Nasheed", but called for an international investigation.[10] The Maldives' National Commission of Inquiry, appointed to investigate the matter, found that there was no evidence to support Nasheed's version of events. The US State Department and the Commonwealth of Nations Secretary Kamalesh Sharma welcomed the release of the report, and called on Maldivians to abide by its findings.[11]