I will join protests and make use of my associates: Dhiyana

Mohamed Nasheed was elected as President with the hope of establishing a government which was accepted by the public. It was followed by the immediate break-up of the coalition government, and the beginning of several problems previously unanticipated. The most recent problem at hand is the ‘enforced disappearance’ of the Chief Judge of Criminal court Abdulla Mohamed. This has prompted the public to hold protests every night, and once again call for a change. Fathimath Dhiyana is one individual who has been forced to resign from her posts with this regime on two occasions, as a result speaking in the name of justice.

Two weeks have passed since opposition groups began holding protests every night in capital Male’. While people are arrested every night, the most notable was the arrest of former Attorney General and former SAARC Secretary General Fathimath Dhiyana.

Dhiyana said that even though she has been ‘removed’ from the Republic Square, she will continue to join the protests to make the government responsible for its actions.

“I will still join the protests. I will do everything I can to make this government responsible for its actions,” Dhiyana said. She also said that even though she has not made use of her diplomatic associates so far, she intends to do exactly that following the ‘enforced disappearance’ of Judge Abdulla.

“We elected President Nasheed for him to govern the country according to the law. If he now wants to rule by threatening and imposing violence on people, I will continue to join the protests. From the violent manner in which things were conducted last night, I have realized that it is time I did everything I possibly can against this,” Dhiyana said.

She said that the nine women sitting peacefully at the Republic Square last night including herself, were taken away by the military more aggressively than they would have taken away even the world’s biggest criminals. She lost the skin on several parts of her body, and suffered injuries to her right wrist and thumb.

“It still hurts!” she said.

As the STAR Force ‘carried’ her and her friends, Dhiyana was extremely reluctant to go onboard the Police vehicle. She had been informed that the Police had used pepper spray inside the vehicle before taking them onboard, which was indeed the case.

“We were taken onboard something like a metal container with no ventilation. They took us away like they would have taken away the world’s biggest criminals. They had even used pepper spray inside the vehicle. I refused to go onboard because I was aware of this fact,” Dhiyana said.

Her husband and Vice President of Jumohooree Party Jabir has indicated that legal steps will be taken against the Police who imposed violence on Dhiyana.

Dhiyana has also been arrested on one previous occasion during the series of ongoing protests. She was sitting peacefully at Republic Square then as well. Dhiyana says she will continue to join the protests to express her views as desired by the Maldivian public.