Ex-Maldives prez takes refuge in Indian mission
14 Feb 2013 7:25 AM IST
Former Maldivian president Mohamed Nasheed, who once held a cabinet meeting under water to highlight dangers to island-nations from global warming, took refuge at the Indian High Commission here on Wednesday after a court ordered his arrest.
The court issued the arrest order after the 45-year-old opposition leader belonging to the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) failed to attend a hearing in the illegal detention of a judge last year. ‘Mindful of my own security and stability in the Indian Ocean, I have taken refuge at the Indian High Commission in Maldives,’ tweeted Maldivian opposition leader Nasheed.
Maldives Tourism Minister Ahmed Adheeb Abdhul Gafoor said: ‘There is no point of his (Nasheed) being there.’ Gafoor said over phone from Male that Nasheed ‘is there’ at the Indian High Commission, while adding that there would be ‘no effort to take him out’.
‘Anyone can visit the Indian High Commission,’ Gafoor said and suggested that the Indian media may be indulging in unnecessary speculation over the turn of events in his country.
He said the situation in his island nation was ‘calm and stable’ and very much ‘under control’.
‘Yeah, I think,’ said the senior minister when asked whether Male was in touch with New Delhi over this development.
Nasheed entered the Indian High Commission as the Hulhumal court issued an arrest order for him to be brought to court after he failed to attend the scheduled hearing over last year’s detention of Criminal Court chief judge Abdulla Mohamed.)
A concerned India, meanwhile, said it was in touch with Maldivian authorities to resolve the situation arising out of the issuance of arrest warrant against Nasheed. Official spokesperson in the Ministry of External Affairs said, ‘Prevention of participation by political leaders in the contest would call into question the integrity of the electoral process, thereby perpetuating the current political instability in Maldives. India would call upon the Government and all political parties in Maldives to avoid any actions that would vitiate the political atmosphere there.’
The court issued the arrest order after the 45-year-old opposition leader belonging to the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) failed to attend a hearing in the illegal detention of a judge last year. ‘Mindful of my own security and stability in the Indian Ocean, I have taken refuge at the Indian High Commission in Maldives,’ tweeted Maldivian opposition leader Nasheed.
Maldives Tourism Minister Ahmed Adheeb Abdhul Gafoor said: ‘There is no point of his (Nasheed) being there.’ Gafoor said over phone from Male that Nasheed ‘is there’ at the Indian High Commission, while adding that there would be ‘no effort to take him out’.
‘Anyone can visit the Indian High Commission,’ Gafoor said and suggested that the Indian media may be indulging in unnecessary speculation over the turn of events in his country.
He said the situation in his island nation was ‘calm and stable’ and very much ‘under control’.
‘Yeah, I think,’ said the senior minister when asked whether Male was in touch with New Delhi over this development.
Nasheed entered the Indian High Commission as the Hulhumal court issued an arrest order for him to be brought to court after he failed to attend the scheduled hearing over last year’s detention of Criminal Court chief judge Abdulla Mohamed.)
A concerned India, meanwhile, said it was in touch with Maldivian authorities to resolve the situation arising out of the issuance of arrest warrant against Nasheed. Official spokesperson in the Ministry of External Affairs said, ‘Prevention of participation by political leaders in the contest would call into question the integrity of the electoral process, thereby perpetuating the current political instability in Maldives. India would call upon the Government and all political parties in Maldives to avoid any actions that would vitiate the political atmosphere there.’
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