A group of four fringe parties in Maldives have come together to form a political alliance that will contest the next elections jointly in the unrest-hit country.
The fourth small parties announced they were forming an alliance that will field joint candidates in the upcoming elections and work towards restoring peace in the country.
The alliance comes at a time of when politics appears to be fractured in the country where the new government is struggling to find feet in the face of opposition from the supporters of ousted leader Mohamed Nasheed.
Known as ‘Independent Alliance’, the group said it would work to make the government answerable for the work it is doing and would make efforts to enhance peace in the country.
The alliance includes the Maldivian National Congress, Islamic Democratic Party, People’s Party and Maldivian Social Democratic Party.
Announcing their alliance this morning, representatives of the four parties said they would contest the coming elections jointly and will also put forth joint candidate for the next presidential election.
While these parties do not have any presence in the Parliament at present, the alliance may help consolidate their vote into a bloc.
Maldives is a tiny island nation with a population of a little over three lakh people. A total of 15 political parties are active in the country though only a handful of them dominate the political scene.
Mr. Nasheed was ousted from office last month and replaced by his then Vice President Mohamad Waheed, in what he claimed was a coup. The government denied his claims of a coup, even as protests gripped the country.
Under an India-brokered deal the new government agreed to hold early elections in line with Mr. Nasheed’s demand.
Keywords: Maldives unrest, Maldives elections
President Nasheed is the Man of The People. Today the country is on high alert. The people want to make sure that their democratically elected president returns to power. the 200 inhabited islands of Maldives have one voice... " Bring President Nasheed back to power - Restore democracy back in Maldives."
India, the largest democracy of the world should respect the sentiments of the people of Maldives, and not a Burmese type Military Junta. there is no doubt that the people of India love the people of Maldives and they cannot afford to see their neighbours beaten and harassed while they enjoy democracy at home.
I call upon my fellow Indians to voice your concerns through any available source to your authorities to help MALDIVIANS to get back to democracy!
The Indian Foreign Secretary visited Male' on two occasions before the
1st March Parliament opening. His attempt to get the Coup Leader
Waheed to honor his promise to announce an "early election" within
this year failed when Waheed's fractious old regime coalition made a
circus of the talks. A foreign policy failure perhaps!
Waheed turned up to open Parliament empty handed, without an election
date. The 34 strong Parliamentary Group, belonging to deposed
President Nasheed's Maldivian Democratic Party prevented Coup Leader
Waheed from entering the chamber claiming he was not legitimate.
Meanwhile the rebel police and military have implemented Gayoom's old
regime tactics of intimidation and violence to squash political
activism. On Marc 1 alone the rebel police and military arrested 61
protesters from the 20,000 strong crowd on the streets of Male'. They
were backing the deposed President's MPs who in turn successfully
ended the eight hour standoff when Waheed finally backed off.
The military coup followed a mutiny by the police later joined by the MNDF. It was made to appear a lawful transfer of power or change of government. President Nasheed was forced to resign at the threat of life and the Vice President sworn in by the Chief Justice overseen by the Speaker of the People's Majlis both politically inclined to one or more of the group of political parties that orchestrated the coup.
With the police and the military involved in the coup and the judiciary supporting the military junta, it will be impossible to carry out an impartial investigation into the coup. Thus, the only alternative to resolve the deadlock is to hold an early election. However, the junta has so far refused to name a date in spite of insistence by the ousted president's party MDP.
The Indian foreign secretary Mr Mathai had to walk out an initial meeting over angry reaction to his proposal for an election date.
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