26 August, Male: A leading activist of the ruling party, and close ally of the First Lady has called for the decapitation of former President Mohamed Nasheed. She made the threats during a PPM rally in Hulhumale, last night.
“Even if Anni (Nasheed) comes (to the Maldives) we will behead him. We will certainly behead him,” she says. A video of her speech has been widely circulated on social media, and sparked public outrage.
Such incitement to violence has become the norm of the Yameen election campaign. Last week, the leader of the Government’s Parliamentary Group, Ahmed Nihan, used similar violent language at a party rally.
The Maldives Police Service and the Elections Commission have ignored such incidences. The rally in fact took place under Police protection, and the Police did not make any attempts to stop the hate speech.
The Police and the Elections Commission has also ignored a number of violent incidents. On July 10, the opposition candidate MP Ibrahim Mohamed Solih was confronted by men on motorbikes while campaigning. His team was later attacked with bags of used oil.
On July 18, the MDP main headquarters was attacked and vandalised by unknown assailants. On August 9, A group of masked men attacked the MDP office in Addu City. They attacked people at the office, beat up one young man with an iron rod, smashed the windows and destroyed a sound system and other equipment, causing damages worth MVR200,000 (US$12,970). On August 17, a group of men attacked the offices of the MDP Deputy ChairPerson, burgled the office, tied up the staff and threatened to decapitate the deputy chair.
On 25 August 18, home of Aishath Nahula, wife of Hon. Qasim Ibrahim, Jumhooree Party Leader was vandalised.
The Police have ignored all these incidences.
The Elections Commission and the Police have a responsibility to investigate these incidences, and bring the perpetrators to justice. Their refusal to do so speaks volumes about how politicised these institutions have become. It also demonstrates the unfair and biased campaigned environment.