India says lift emergency, Maldives extends it for 30 more days

Smita Sharma

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, February 20

Political turmoil in Maldives continues as its parliament or Majlis gave a go ahead to extension of emergency for another 30 days on expected lines.

This after the parliamentary committee on national security approved of President Yameen’s request for the same Monday evening citing ‘present threat to national security and constitutional crisis’.

Emergency was clamped down on the island nation on February 5 for a fortnight. This even as India sought return to normalcy in the neighbouring country. The Ministry of External Affairs in its statement issued ahead of the vote in Majlis today said, “It is our expectation that the Government of Maldives will not be seeking extension of the State of Emergency so that the political process in Maldives can resume with immediate effect.”

India also sought the implementation of the order issued by Maldivian Supreme Court on February 1 ‘in letter and spirit’.

President Yameen declared emergency following the court order that sought immediate release of all political prisoners, including exiled former President Nasheed and also re-instatement of 12 disqualified lawmakers.

Following the order, capital Male witnessed violent clashes. Subsequently, the police chief who assured enforcement of the verdict was fired, and the Chief Justice, a senior judge and former president Maumoon were among those arrested.

The Supreme Court then reversed its earlier orders. Maldives has come under scathing criticism specially from US, Europe and UN following the political crisis. However, Yameen maintains emergency is a provision granted by the constitution and had to be resorted to as there was conspiracy to overthrow his legitimate government.

“It is important that Maldives quickly returns to the path of democracy and the rule of law so that the aspirations of Maldivian people are met and the concerns of the international community are assuaged,” New Delhi stressed today.

Yameen currently enjoys a strong backing from China that has termed the ongoing developments ‘an internal matter’ of the country.