MDP Parliamentary Group leader and Hinnavaru constituency MP Ibrahim Mohamed 'Ibu' Solih (3rd R) at last night's MDP ceremony. PHOTO/ MOHAMED WAHEED
Opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) Parliamentary Group leader Ibrahim Mohamed 'Ibu' Solih has claimed that the biggest accomplishment of the party was to end the rule of former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, but the party must replicate its efforts as it had failed "to remove the roots."
Speaking during the ceremony held at Usfasgandu last night to commemorate the seventh anniversary of MDP’s inception, Ibu added that though Gayoom had been ousted, the failure to remove the roots had resulted in re-growth which has cast a shadow over contemporary democracy.
Hence “major efforts were needed again” to restore and sustain democracy, he added.
“Our resolve remains steadfast. We are ready to move forward in the same spirit. We will not back down,” Ibu stressed.
He highlighted that the second feat of significance for MDP was the achievement of freedom of expression, while noting that the party had failed to restore confidence in the judiciary.
During the ceremony, MDP Parliamentary Group Deputy leader and Thoddoo constituency MP Ali Waheed said that MDP would be the ones to “chop down the tree” yet again.
Referring to Gayoom, Ali Waheed claimed that the rest of the political parties barring MDP were the “branches of one tree.”
MDP’s first ever president, Ibrahim ‘Ibra’ Ismail speaking during the ceremony, claimed that the true inception of MDP was back in 2001 when it had applied to be registered as a political party with a mere 42 signatures.
The result of the efforts since then was the registration of MDP as the first political party in the Maldives in 2005.
Ibra further stressed that while the peoples rule had been seized, “Maldivians were ready to spill more blood to restore their rule than it had to gain independence.”
He also claimed that some instigators of the “coup” on February 7 were still lurking beneath the surface, but did allege that Gayoom had brought about the “coup” with the assistance of some Judges.
Ibra concluded by adding that members of the security forces feared a peoples rule because then they would have to revert to within the contours of the laws and be situated in the same level as the people.
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