Declined foreign intervention on February 7: former President Nasheed

Speaking at a rally of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), the party’s presidential candidate Nasheed stated, “We are hearing many versions of what brought about my resignation on February 7. I am certain that the huge number of citizens who were watching that days events on TV would know very well that the events that unfolded then were unlawful. The question that remains in our minds is, what caused these events to unfold as they did?”

Nasheed said the country’s parliament, although it had existed for over 70 years, had only begun functioning in the active manner presently seen following the killing of Evan Naseem, a 19 year-old who was tortured and killed in prison on September 19, 2003.

“On that day, we can see how violence was utilised just to hold on to power. After the shootings in the Maafushi jail. After shooting at civilians and killing many unarmed people. After staining the sand of Maldives with the blood of the sons of Maldives,” Nasheed continued, “I, for one, certainly would never support clinging to power at the cost of violence against our people.”