The National Unity Alliance of the opposition parties yesterday night decided on taking direct action to prevent President Gayoom from delaying the ratification of the revised constitution or sending the constitution back to Special Majlis. Leaders of the Alliance made the decision public at a news conference held at the Haruge of MDP.
At the new conference leaders of the Alliance expressed that the decision to go for direct action was taken to prevent President Gayoom from delaying the ratification and sending it back to the Special Majlis. They said President was just giving excuses and continuing delay tactics.
Speaking at the press conference Dr. Mohamed Jameel, former Justice Minister representing New Maldives Movement said that different stages of the constitutional reform process did not occur with a sudden shock but rather it progressed gradually.
“We know that everything happened as per the thinking and policies of DRP and the president, even during the initial drafting stage of the articles and even in the arrangement of these articles; considering the way the Special Majlis is, we know that DRP has the majority, we know it contains members appointed by the President including top level government officials in charge of ministries” former Justice minister Dr. Jameel said.
Jameel pointed out revised constitution could not have been a sudden shock to President Gayoom as each and every article passed was sent to the President and that even after completion of the constitution president had sent some amendments he wanted and got them incorporated.
Leader of the Maldivian National Congress (MNC) Laamu atoll MP Monaaza Mohamed Naeem said that the objective of the delay in the ratification is to remain in power indefinitely without due considerations to the wishes of the people. He further said under the article 102 of the constitution president’s input in the ratification process is merely symbolic.
Leaders of the Alliance yesterday expressed that the government has lost its support and that it will not get the majority it needs to get anything through the Majlis.
Leader of Social Liberal Party (SLP) Ibarhim Ismail (Ibra) said that Alliance was ready to work within the legal boundaries to force the president to ratify the constitution speedily, without any further delay, and to deny the opportunity to government to bring about any amendments that may change the principles or the essence of articles as drafted by the Drafting Committee. Ibra also expressed that there is no reason why the President should delay the ratification as the constitution was formed after much debate among members which included amendments from the DRP as well as opposition. Ibra further noted all articles were sent to the president within 7 days after being passed by Majlis.
Umar Naseer Leader of Islamic Democratic Party (IDP) said that yesterday night’s demonstrations in front of the presidential palace were within the legal boundary. He said the Alliance led demonstration was intended to provide a message to president Gayoom and that the message was successfully delivered. He further said that the President would also have got the message that Alliance was very much alive and not disbanded.
“We believe that the revised constitution should not be sent back to the Majlis, any further attempts will face our direct action, we are ready to take further action if necessary, if we have to hold demonstrations non stop for 24 hours we are ready for that” Umar said.
MDP Presidential candidate Mohamed Nasheed (Anni) speaking at the press conference said that government, during the ratification stage was talking about some regulations and rules with has no constitutional mandate. However Anni pointed out that constitutional reform went on with the support of 29 appointed members as well as with the support of DRP members.
However despite the stand of the Alliance, Attorney General Azima Shukoor says it is the responsibility of the president to ratify the constitution and that the president will ratify the constitution as soon as possible.
Pointing out that the revised constitution was adopted by the Special Majlis on June 24 and that yesterday was only July 21 Azima had said the elapsed period was not inappropriate for such a huge task especially when the country is about to be face major changes.
AJ Azima said the government was in the process of making the necessary preparations to facilitate the changes. She said that there is no delay in the ratification process as yet and that just as the president had said the ratification stage will be quickest process of the entire constitutional reform process.
Despite Azima’s assurances that President Gayoom will ratify the constitution, Legal Reform Minister Mohamed Nasheed speaking on TVM yesterday night revealed that President did consider sending back the revised constitution back to the Special Majlis for further amendments.
Nasheed pointed that President Gayoom on several occasions had expressed his intentions to ratify the revised constitution as quickly as possible. In this regard Nasheed reminded that President on the July 10 th at a media briefing expressed that he ‘will carry out his legal obligation’.
Nasheed further expressed that as it was the responsibility of the president to ensure that government functioned smoothly and efficiently with the introduction of the revised constitution, President Gayoom was in the process of facilitating the such a system ,establish regulations and laws.
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