“We will beat them up and drag them away”: transcript of Mavota’s alleged phone call
08 Feb 2011, 4:46 PM
Ahmed Nazeer
In a leaked phone conversation allegedly between Spokesperson and Deputy leader of the Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) ‘Mavota’ Ibrahim Shareef and another member of DRP, a voice believed to be Shareef questions Gayoom’s support in Addu and suggested that were Gayoom’s faction to campaign there, “we will beat them up and drag them away [from Addu].”
The source of the leaked phone call, which has been aired on MNBC and DhiFM, has not been identified or its authenticity yet confirmed or denied.
Voice S: Definitely there would not be 99 percent of DRP supporters in Addu behind Maumoon.
Voice A: Just now, Shareef…
Voice S: The support for me would be much higher than that.
Voice A: Yes but just think…
Voice S: What did I say then, the result of all this will be MDP remaining in the administration…
Voice S: Istead of that [if he’s going to Addu] without having any connection with us, but with Umar Naseer and Ilham, he [Gayoom] will have to forget it. I tell you now, it would even be impossible to step on Addu without inviting us.
Voice A: What?
Voice S: We will beat them up and drag them away [from Addu].
Voice A: Zaeem? [Zaeem – literally honorary leader]
Voice S: Yes… will have to forget going to Addu during his visits [to islands].
DRP supporters who had heard the audio clip broadcast of MNBC and DhiFM gathered outside DRP’s headquarters this morning and called for Shareef and party Leader Ahmed Thasmeen Ali to resign.
Shareef then came out of DRP’s head office to address the protesters, but was attacked escorted to safety by police.
After police took Shareef away, the gathered people called on the resignation of Thasmeen. Minor confrontations between both sides of the party were reported.
Among the spectators of the incident this morning were many Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) supporters.
The Council Meeting
In a meeting of the DRP council meeting this afternoon – with Gayoom’s members noticeably absent – the party decided to sign a coalition agreement with Hassan Saeed’s Dhivehi Qaumee Party (DQP), pledging cooperation in the 2013 presidential election, and the parliamentary and local council elections to be held in 2014.
Haveeru reported that Dr Hassan Saeed had sided with the current leader of DRP, Ahmed Thasmeen Ali.
DRP MP Abdulla Mausoom confirmed the arrangement and said that the party would soon issue a press statement regarding the agreement.