MDP President Abdulla Shahid alleges that Maldives has been sidelined in the international community, being granted space in a no more prominent spot than the corridors in international events.
Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP)s new Presdeint and former Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdulla Shahid has said last night that Maldives has become sidelined in the international community. He said that the country is given so little importance now that they are allocated space for meetings only in the corridors of the event venue.
Speaking at the MDP's event last night marking the commencement of campaigns for the upcoming parliamentary election, Shahid said that the decrease in prominence of Maldives' appearance in international events is a testament to his claim.
"The brutality is coming to light. Rights are being restricted. Independent institutions are being influenced. Journalistic independence is being locked up. Mouths are being taped. We are going in a wrong direction," Shahid warned.
Shahid alleged that Maldives has left the right course by now, adding that this government had failed even in managing the economy.
"The fishermen are saying that they are in dire straits. Where are the dollars they pledged to pay in 48 hours? If they can't pay in dollars, at least pay in rufiya. Let the people know what happened to the money the fishermen earned through their catch," Shahid said.
Shahid said that the Maldivians are currently being forced "to watch reruns of an film". He said that this is a film that the citizens had already rejected, and called on the people to not allow 'this film' to be shown again.
"We remember the scenes we watched in this film. Parliamentarians were thrown over the parliament gates as if they were nothing but yellowfin tuna. The corrugated iron atop the roof of the Supreme Court was torn away and entry forced in this manner, dragging the Chief Justice and confining him to a cell. Many, many individuals were thrown into cells. The direction we are going in is doubtless wrong," he warned.
Shahid asserted that the way to improve the situation of the country is through electing MDP candidates to parliament in the upcoming election.
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