MDP passes a resolution to defy human rights

Today MDP’s general council passed a resolution calling upon party members to boycott presidential election if the former president cannot stand as a candidate. This is in wake of charges against the former president Nasheed in relation to the abduction of the chief justice of the Criminal Court. The charge has been initiated by an independent Prosecutor General appointed by the Parliamnent.

With this boycott who does MDP wants to threaten is not clear. Is it the administration of Dr Waheed or Prosecutor General or the Judiciary? Prosecutor General or the Judiciary will not care who runs for the presidency – they need to carry their responsibility of ensuring justice. Even if Dr Waheed wants any sane man will know he cannot do anything because today he has no role or influence over the court proceedings, just like Obama has no say in what courts decide.

Hence, one could say this is a very childish move and that Hamid Abdul Gafoor needs to be sent back to primary school to learn governance system. As Keyoniru Bushree said in his column in Sun paper, it is best to let Nasheed run for presidency and see how popular he is at ballot box. Yet, who can prevent or halt the proceedings? Can David Cameron stop a court proceeding in the UK court where an individual has been ripped of his human rights?

The previous day Nasheed gave an interview to press saying he does not want to back down from the charges and do not want anyone to work to withdraw the charges. However, the next day his party through his influence and backing called the charges against him politically motivated and called upon the independent Prosecutor General to withdraw it. Now his party is threatening to throw the country into chaos should the court proceedings follow. Could Nasheed show some resolute leadership, which honours his sayings in the public?

Nasheed is campaigning for democracy and human rights but do not want to stand in a trial in which a person’s human rights have been violated with intention and against the laws of the country. What sort of human rights campaigner would behave like that? Definitely, not someone who believes it by heart.