Maldives president quits after police mutiny

The Maldives’ first democratically elected president resigned Tuesday after a police mutiny described by his office as an attempted coup, capping weeks of political upheaval in the holiday paradise. “It will be better for the country in the current situation if I resign. I don’t want to run the country with an iron-fist. I am resigning,” President Mohamed Nasheed told a televised press conference. His announcement came after Nasheed appeared to have lost the support of the Indian Ocean nation’s military which, according to army spokesman Colonel Abdul Raheem Abdul Latheef, had advised him to step down.
“The president on his own initiative came to the military headquarters for advice … on whether he should resign and then he got the message,” Latheef said. He added that Nasheed was now in his residence and “not in detention,” despite demands from some opposition leaders that he be placed in military custody. A presidential official described the unrest as “an attempted coup” by former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, who Nasheed turfed out of power in the country’s first democratic presidential elections in 2008.
But Latheef insisted there had been no military takeover. “It is not a coup. Definitely not a coup,” he said.
Anti-government protests calling for the president’s resignation escalated after Nasheed ordered the arrest last month of Criminal Court Chief Justice Abdulla Mohamed on charges of misconduct and favouring opposition figures.
Vice President Mohamed Waheed, who had clashed with Nasheed over the chief justice’s detention, was sworn in Tuesday as the new head of state, while the government urged the population of 300,000 Sunni Muslims to remain calm.
Large crowds had gathered outside the president’s office after his resignation announcement, but residents said the streets had largely cleared by Tuesday evening and shops were open as usual.
“Things have calmed down,” said human rights lawyer Mohamed Anil. “The overall mood seems to be one of relief, but also anticipation.
“His resignation came as a surprise to everyone. Just right out of the blue.”
The recent unrest had also seen demonstrations by Islamic fundamentalists against the government, particularly over the transport ministry’s decision to allow direct flights from Israel.
The leader of the Dhivehi Qaumee Party, which has accused Nasheed of being under the influence of Jews and Christians, called on the military to detain him, adding that he should face charges of “corruption and misuse of power”.
Former president Gayoom, who is in Malaysia on a medical visit, welcomed Nasheed’s resignation, the spokesman for his Progressive Party of Maldives told AFP.
“He told us it was now very important that the authorities move swiftly to assure the rule of law,” the spokesman said.