Chinmaya IAS Academy – Current Affairs Chinmaya IAS Academy – Current Affairs
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Former President of the Maldives and exiled leader Mohamed Nasheed on Wednesday said he intends to return to the troubled island nation soon, “come what may”. Regarded a “fugitive” by the outgoing President Abdulla Yameen’s administration, Mr. Nasheed has been living in exile the last couple of years, largely in London and more recently in Colombo, following a criminal conviction that is widely considered politically motivated. After an Opposition coalition toppled Mr. Yameen in the September presidential election, dissident leaders who have been jailed or in self-exile have found new hope of likely release or return. Opposition candidate Ibrahim Mohamed Solih won the election with over 58% of the votes and is to be sworn in as President in November. Political upheaval The Maldives has been witnessing political upheaval since a dramatic Supreme Court ruling in February, ordering the immediate release of Mr. Nasheed and eight others, terming their trials a violation of the Constitution. However, the decision was overturned by a part of the bench after Mr. Yameen declared a 45-day State of Emergency, beginning February 5. The move heightened concerns over his authoritarian slant and drew international criticism. Mr. Nasheed has indicated his desire to return. He tweeted on Wednesday: “If we at this juncture try to find an amicable arrangement for my freedom with the now defunct Maldives Supreme Court, it will not further our ambitions for judicial reform in the Maldives. I will go to the Maldives on November 1, come what may.” Sources in the Opposition Jumhooree Party told The Hindu that its leader Qasim Ibrahim had also decided to return to the Maldives on Thursday, ending his exile. Meanwhile, fears of Mr. Yameen clinging on to power persist in Opposition circles, especially after Mr. Yameen questioned the poll results and called for protests over alleged vote rigging, a week after he conceded defeat. His Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) on Wednesday sought a “transparent investigation into serious allegations of vote rigging and graft involving the Elections Commission”.
