Former Maldives President and the father figure of Maldives politics, Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, has said that no campaign should be launched against any neighbouring/friendly nation. In a recent interview with local media house Voice Today, Maumoon (half-brother of Yameen) asserted that one should not campaign against any neighbouring country and that it was not a policy that would be accepted internationally.
Expressing similar sentiments, the Adhaalath Party, in a statement said: “We need to accept the fact that the bilateral relations need to be strengthened; especially when the nation needs to cooperate with the neighbouring and friendly countries in order to achieve the development and the lifestyle which the Maldivians require … Adhaalath Party condemns the efforts undertaken by a political party to incite hatred in the people’s hearts towards neighbouring and global partners that are assisting in the growth and development of the country. The party especially takes concern in the reckless act led by former President Abdullah Yameen to incite hatred towards neighbouring India amongst the civilians.”
The chief of staff of the Maldives President’s Office, Ali Zahir, in a scathing attack on Yameen’s campaign, pointed out: “Our focus is to maintain the balanced bilateral ties established with the countries and continue the close relations with the neighbouring countries, along with other countries who wish to keep good relations with the government. The Maldives have been isolated from the global community when our administration assumed power.”
In a recent interview to a local media house, Zahir referred to the island nation’s special ties with India. “I especially want to note the initiative India took to provide aid to the Maldives during the pandemic.”
He defended defence arrangements with India, stating that such arrangements would have no adverse impact on Maldives’ sovereignty.
Prominent Maldives MP Md Aslam said the “India out” campaign led by Yameen was his political game to garner his lost support after coming out of jail for serious corruption charges. “This campaign is totally contrary to the national interest of this country and it’s against the established foreign policy of the Maldives and the long-standing friendly relations between the people of both countries,” Aslam told ET.
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