Friday mass protests in the Maldives: Away from luxury resorts and tourists

Away from luxury resorts with happy tourists diving, dining and enjoying the sunny side of the Maldives, there was a darker side on Friday. It happened in Male, the capital of the country.

Away from luxury resorts with happy tourists diving, dining and enjoying the sunny side of the Maldives, there was a darker side on Friday. It happened in Male, the capital of the country. The capital is located on its own island and usually not frequented by visitors.

Protesters and police clashed, and it was reported a mass demonstration turned violent at times. Protesters were demanding the resignation of the countryโ€™s president and the release of a jailed ex-leader.

Nearly the entire opposition leadership behind Fridayโ€™s anti-government protests were detained.

Police arrested Sheik Imran Abdulla, leader of the Islamic conservative Adhaalath, or Justice party; Ali Waheed, chairman of the main opposition Maldivian Democratic party; and Ameen Ibrahim, deputy leader of Jumhooree, or the Republican party.

The arrests could exacerbate an acrimonious political climate in the Indian Ocean archipelago nation, which is still in its early years of democracy.

The Maldives government accused Abdulla of inciting violence among the protesters with the aim of overthrowing the government. The government, however, did not comment on the arrests of the other opposition leaders.

Thousands of people marched in the capital on Friday, accusing president Yameen Abdul Gayoom of jailing former president Mohamed Nasheed and others he sees as political threats.

The Maldives became a multiparty democracy in 2008, when Nasheed was elected president, ending the autocratic 30-year rule of Maumoon Abdul Gayoom.

Nasheed resigned in 2012 after weeks of public protests against the arrest of the judge, whom Nasheedโ€™s government had accused of being corrupt and politically biased.

In 2013, he lost a presidential election to the former leaderโ€™s half-brother.

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Linda Hohnholz

Editor in chief for eTurboNews based in the eTN HQ.

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