Dhunya: My father is “in a mess created by Nasheed”

Former Maldivian President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom – currently in detention on charges of attempting to stage a coup – is in a “mess” created by former President Mohamed Nasheed, says Maumoon’s daughter, State Minister at Ministry of Health, Dhunya Maumoon.

Maumoon and Nasheed, former political rivals, are both political allies working together for the opposition coalition.

Maumoon – half-brother of current President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom - was arrested hours after a State of Emergency was declared in the country on February 6, following the surprise Supreme Court order for the release of nine politicians sentenced to prison – including Nasheed.

Speaking in a phone interview to Indian Express, Dhunya admitted the family was divided over politics.

“He is my father, he is in a mess that Nasheed has created,” said Dhunya in her interview with Indian Express.

Dhunya said she believed it necessary for President Yameen to declare a State of Emergency amid the current political turmoil, but added she wanted to see her father freed from detention.

Maumoon’s family, except for his youngest son Ghassan Maumoon, visited him at Dhoonidhoo Prison on Wednesday. Ghassan is the State Minister for Social Affairs at President’s Office.

Dhunya said Nasheed inviting India to intervene in the Maldives’ political crisis was “irresponsible”.

“I believe that the call by Nasheed for foreign intervention is very irresponsible even via certain countries. Yes, we are having a crisis and there are lot of issues we need to resolve and I have been continuously calling for peaceful dialogue and enough of war, we have seen a lot of destructive actions and our people are very concerned. As a country, we really need to make the decisions ourselves and find a way by ourselves.”

Maumoon, Chief Justice Abdulla Saeed, Supreme Court Judge Ali Hameed and Judicial Administrator Hassan Saeed have all been arrested on charges of attempting to stage a coup.