A proper investigation will determine if the change of government was legitimate: Nasheed

Former president and Maldivian Democratic Party’s presidential candidate Mohamed Nasheed has stated that a proper investigation is needed to determine if the change of government in February last year was brought about through a coup d'état.

Speaking at an event in Gaafu Dhaalu Thinadhoo in April last year, Mohamed Nasheed had accused former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom of being the mastermind behind the alleged coup.

However, speaking on the state broadcaster Television Maldives’ (TVM) Siyaasath (Policy) program on Saturday night, a series of exclusive one-on-one question and answer shows with the presidential candidates, Nasheed had accused the current president Dr. Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik of orchestrating the coup.

When asked on the show if his conflicting accusations was due to uncertainty of the real people behind the change of power, Nasheed said that the only way to uncover truth was through proper investigations, formal indictments and legal proceedings.

“We’ve received different information on different occasions. The latest information we received are the statements given by police and military officers to the Parliament’s Committee on Oversight of the Government. A lot of statements, and the CoNI (Commission of National Inquiry) statements have been withheld by the U.N, even by the Commonwealth. We can only make an accusation. I was there that day, and being the country’s former president, I would have certain information. But we need to make a [formal] accusation, conduct the relevant investigations, conduct the relevant trials. Then can we say that this individual brought about the coup, or not,” Nasheed said.

Speaking on the talk show last night, Nasheed said that he does not believe that President Waheed is the legal president of the country.

When asked of a leaked audio clip where a voice believed to Nasheed’s is heard to agree to tender his resignation, and to do so inside the President’s Office and that subsequently the then Vice President, Dr. Mohamed Waheed would take over as the per proper proceedings, Nasheed said confessed that the leaked video clip was true and stated that he agreed to resign in order to “uphold the State.”

Referring to Nasheed’s claims that he resigned under duress from police and the military, who he has accused of having threatened him with fire arms to force him to resign, the former president said that the military commander who held control of the Male’ Area troops that day, Brigadier General (Rtd) Ibrahim Didi, and other officers had asked him for the key to the weapons vault, stating that they can calm the situation through using lethal force and fire arms. Brigadier General (Rtd) Ibrahim Didi however, has previously stated that no military officer had made such a request that day.

“In no way did I wish to use guns and kill people to maintain my presidency. I resigned for [fearing] the damage using fire arms might have caused,” Nasheed said.

Former president Nasheed also said that the detention of the Chief Judge of High Court Abdulla Mohamed, which sparked protests that eventually led to the president's resignation in early February last year, was completely legitimate and that the judge’s detention had in no way violated the constitution.

The judge's arbitrary detention by the military had prompted statements from the Supreme Court, High Court and the Prosecutor General stating that the detention was against the law, along with international condemnation and calls for the judge's release by the United Nations and The Commonwealth.

Nasheed said that he does not feel other presidential candidates as his competition, as all of their ideologies are based on former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom’s timeworn culture.

An independent commission, the Commission of National Inquiry investigated the February 7th change of power last year and declared the transition legitimate.