Cannot afford to stand back and watch, Maldives has lost direction: Solih

Former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has said that the country is not headed in the right direction and that it is the time to act now to revert it back in the right direction instead of standing by to watch as it derails.

Solih made these comments at the official launching of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP)'s campaigns for the upcoming parliamentary elections, scheduled to be held on March 17.

He said that after facing defeat in the presidential elections, MDP had had to face very different experiences.

He asserted that although the party had faced initial setbacks, with a number of the party's parliament members opting to leave the party for other options, it had since rebuilt itself and come back with renewed vigour.

He assured the members of the party that in every setback the party faces, he would remain steadfast at the party's front, working to ensure to strengthen the party once again.

"The upcoming parliamentary election is very important. We must work with a shared ideology, a shared aim, to succeed in this election," he said.

"We can all feel the state of the nation. We cannot afford to stand by and watch. The country has lost direction and is derailing. We have been lied to, cheated," he said.

Solih alleged that the future would hold more betrayal for land recipients, fishermen, and Maldivian citizens in general. He framed this as a major reason why a majority has to be gained for the opposition in the parliamentary election.

The former President severely criticized this government's policy towards fishermen. He claims that there is no benefit to be gained from a free trade agreement, and stated that although the claim was to pay in dollars within 48 hours, there has been no sign of even an agreement that would benefit fishermen in any way.

"It's just stubbornness, obstinacy. I will say that the first wrong action was to separate MIFCO from STO. This is not the time for that," he said, pointing out that the past government had also proposed the same.

Solih also found fault in the current government's emphasis on promoting nationalism.

"The people in power today seem to think this is a new nation. As if they've brought in some new nationalism, discovered new independence. All this has been the case all this time. I just have to say its stubbornness," he said.