Ex-President Waheed returns to political arena, says will not let democracy fall

Former President Dr. Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik, remarking democracy in the Maldives was in a fragile state, said that he is returning to the political arena instead of staying at home in order to ensure democracy does not fall.

The former president made the remark whilst speaking at the opposition coalition’s ‘Hope Conference’ on Thursday.

In this regard, Dr. Waheed said that it has been a long time since he has been working in the political arena. Underscoring that political work was not mandatory – he said that Maldives was presently losing its democracy, therewith, he, in good conscience, cannot standby to let it happen.

“I am someone who has been in the political arena for a long time. There is no need today for me to be active in the political arena. I can live comfortably in peace. Nevertheless, my conscience does not allow me to not be in the political arena,” he said.

Noting that he tried to bring democracy to the Maldives since he was a student at Majeedhiyya School – Dr. Waheed said that a group of people, today, has dismantled the efforts to uphold democracy in the Maldives.

Stressing that Maldives achieved democracy after a long journey – Dr. Waheed noted that he, himself, had done much work on this trajectory, including facing violence. He added that democratic governance in the Maldives was only witnessed during his two years in power, and the five years of former President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayyoom’s administration.

He detailed that many rights ensured to people back then have now been robbed from them, therewith, making it absolutely necessary for him to return to the political arena.