Government Must Share Power, Says Shaheed

By Susannah Peter in Male'
October 17, 2007 MNS

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The Government should share power with opposition parties to avert a “national crisis,” the former foreign minister told Minivan News today.

A Government coalition with the Adhaalath party and Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) is needed to pave the way for next year’s multi-party elections, and fight extremism, Dr Shaheed said.

“If the Government is serious about a free and fair election, we need a temporary transition period, where all parties are in the Cabinet.

“And a broad-based approach is imperative to fight extremism, now it has reared it’s ugly head."

“The Government has appealed for national unity to fight extremism,” he added. “But this can’t be done without a Government of national unity.”

But opposition members rejected his comments out of hand.

Adhaalath Chairman, Mohammed Didi, said the idea was “ridiculous.”

“We don’t agree with the Government’s action plan against extremism, or their approach to the reform agenda, so how could we share power with them?” he said.

“The Government’s approach is making the situation worse.”

And MDP President Dr Munavvar told Minivan News extremism would only be eradicated if “Gayoom resigned from his position.”

“Dr Shaheed has no reason to tell other parties what they should be doing,” he added.

“He has no political status, his opinion is irrelevant.”

But Dr Shaheed accused them of “shortsightedness.”

"No one party can rule exclusively on their own," he said.