Crisis in Male(Maldives)

Fresh elections, with the opposition free to contest(match/ competition-प्रतियोगिता), are the best option for the Maldives

Matters(affairs/case-मामलों) are coming to a head in the Maldives, with President Abdulla Yameen’s government pitted(stand) against the judiciary, polity and sections of the bureaucracy(officialdom-नौकरशाही). Mr. Yameen has ruled since 2013 when he won power in an election, the result of which is still contested. He defeated Mohammad Nasheed, who had been deposed(overthrow/dethrone-निकाल देना) in 2012 and who, in 2015, was sentenced to 13 years in prison on charges of terrorism. Mr. Nasheed is now in exile(expel/ relegate-देशनिकाला). In an order on February 1, the Supreme Court cancelled his imprisonment term and that of eight other political leaders, reinstated(restore/reinstall-पुनः स्थापित करना) 12 parliamentarians who had been disqualified last year, and ordered Mr. Yameen to allow the Maldivian parliament, or Majlis, to convene(summon/call-बुलाना). Mr. Yameen has thus far failed to comply(abide by/adhere to-पालन करना) with any of these orders, despite(in spite of-के बावजूद) an official statement on February 2 about his government’s “commitment to uphold and abide(comply/follow-पालन करना) by the ruling of the Supreme Court”. 

The most egregious(shocking/terrible-प्रबल) failure is the government’s refusal(abnegation/repudiation-इनकार) to cancel the imprisonment of the nine leaders, amongst whom is Mr. Yameen’s former vice president and his former defence minister, members of parliament and leaders of major opposition parties, apart from Mr. Nasheed himself. The President has also refused to allow the Majlis to meet, which has led to the resignation(abdication/renunciation-इस्तीफा) of its Secretary General. In fact, the government sent in the army to stop lawmakers from entering the premises(परिसर), besides arresting two parliamentarians at the airport. Meanwhile, several officials, including two police chiefs and the prison chief have resigned or been sacked(terminate/discharge-बर्खास्त), reportedly for seeking to implement(execute/apply-लागू) the Supreme Court’s orders. The Attorney General has now announced(declare / promulgate-घोषणा) that only the Constitution matters, not “illegal orders” from the court. In short, the Maldives is in the midst(middle/center-बीच) of a constitutional crisis (catastrophe/calamity-संकट). Calling fresh elections, which are in any case due later this year, may be the best way out.

Amidst(during-बीच में) the turmoil(panic/turbulence-उथल-पुथल), India has joined the U.S., the European Union and several other countries in calling for Mr. Yameen to carry out the Supreme Court’s order. New Delhi said in a statement that it is monitoring the situation in Male “closely”. But currently, Delhi’s leverage(grip/clasp-पकड़) in the Maldives is less than it has ever been. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s decision to cancel his visit to Male three years ago, has singled Maldives out as the only country in the South Asian and Indian Ocean Region that he hasn’t visited. Given that the Maldives has pulled out of the Commonwealth, and there is little semblance (pretense / show-दिखावा) of a SAARC process at present, India’s influence(impact/effect) in Male is further limited. It will require concerted (joint / collaborated-ठोस) action from the international community to persuade(convince/prevail on-राज़ी करना) Mr. Yameen to steer(drive up/helm-रास्ते पर लाना) the Maldives out of this crisis(catastrophe/calamity-संकट), without taking recourse(support-सहारा) to coercive (compulsive/ violent-बलपूर्वक) means.

pitted- set someone or something in conflict or competition with.