Political

President would not give up independence of Maldives

Ambassador of Maldives to Sri Lanka Mohamed Hussain Shareef has stated that President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom is committed to upholding the independence and sovereignty of the nation.

Speaking on Maldives Today TV programme, aired on PSM News, the Ambassador said the attempted coup by the opposition involved fine detailed plans and deep-rooted corruption stating that Maldives is not a micro state and the country is a fully fledged independent nation for the past 52 years.

In this regard, Ambassador Mohamed Hussain Shareef reiterated the commitment of President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom to uphold the independence and sovereignty of the nation. President Yameen would not give up the freedom of the nation for foreign influences to bring their allies to power, said the Maldivian Ambassador.

Highlighting that in 2012 when President Mohamed Nasheed was in power, the oppositional alliance never called on foreign nations to invade Maldives, Ambassador Hussain Shareef noted that such gun board diplomacy would not work in the 21st century.

Reflecting on the attempted coup by the opposition, Ambassador Hussain Shareef said it involved fine detailed plans and deep-rooted corruption revealing that the coup was planned for a time when President Yameen had scheduled to travel abroad but he was swift in taking actions to foil the plot.

Ambassador Hussain Shareef cited that Maldives has a history of deep-rooted corruption in the parliament and the judicial system. Noting the efforts of the Administration to curb corruption, Ambassador expressed that the influence of business tycoons and prominent political personalities make it difficult to tackle corruption. However, President Yameen has been successful in bringing such personals to justice despite opposition from within the country and abroad, according to the Ambassador.