President asks for public cooperation in peace efforts

President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik has called upon all Maldivians to honour the principles of national independence of the Maldives, and also urged Members of Parliament to support the efforts to restore calm, and to pass the necessary laws to establish a Constitutional government and rule of law in the country.

The President made these statements while speaking at the official ceremony to mark the 47th Independence Day of the Maldives.

In his address to the nation, the President requested the Members of the Parliament to expedite the passing of all bills that concerned the reinforcement of the country’s judicial and legislative system. He expressed his firm belief that, this reinforcement was the only prior condition for strengthening our judicial system, reducing crime rates and guaranteeing the safety and security of the Maldives as a whole.

The President also appealed to his people to offer full cooperation to the State’s relentless peace efforts, while maintaining high regard for the country’s laws and legislations. In this regard, he called upon all Maldivians to display a unanimous sense of national pride and patriotism, and in doing so, show great loyalty and respect towards their country and the rights of its people.

The President mentioned that it had taken a time-span of nearly a decade, to create this democratic environment which has flourished so rapidly. He attributed the poor social and political condition of today, to certain changes brought to the judicial and legislative system in the past, and the failure to complete certain tasks that addressed social concerns.

The President further noted that, in order to ensure legal protection of every citizen, secure social stability and establish good governance, it was vital that the rough edges of our fledgling democracy were smoothed out.

Referring to the current situation of the Maldivian society, he said that incidents of murder of innocent people, and attacks and intimidation targeted at individuals, have risen to alarming levels.

He expressed sadness over the fact that a small group of people are successful in their efforts to destroy the peace and order in the country. He said that it is a great loss for the nation, and appealed to those groups responsible to refrain from creating hatred in the society.

He assured the Maldivian people that the efforts to strengthen democracy will continue, and expressed confidence that despite travelling through rough seas at the moment, the country will come out successful as soon as the storm passes.

He urged the Maldivian people to extend their cooperation, and exercise patience in the efforts to take the country to its desired destination.

The President emphasized the role of national independence as a strong pillar for the development of any given country. He added that if the nation was to progress in its chosen direction, it would have to work tirelessly on protecting and strengthening its independence. Speaking on this note, the President highlighted the importance of safeguarding our religion, consolidating our military forces and further unifying our people to accomplish the goals we aspire for our nation.

The President also reminded his people of how significant their courage and sacrifices had been, in helping the nation achieve national, political and economic independence which it enjoys today. He stressed on the critical need to fully appreciate the heroism of our national heroes, who had sacrificed their lives for the sake of our sovereignty.

In this regard, he mentioned the sacrifices of former President Ibrahim Nasir in gaining independence from the British, and the sacrifices of former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom in fighting the coup attack on 3 November 1988.

The official flag-raising ceremony was also held at this event at Republic Square last night.