Former longstanding president, Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, has expressed concern that the democratic gains Maldives has achieved in the past decade-and-a-half have begun to diminish.
Former President Maumoon expressed this sentiment in a tweet he sent out on Friday.
After the significant democratic gains Maldives has enjoyed since 2004 it is so disheartening to see the recent reversals of the process.
— Maumoon Abdul Gayoom (@maumoonagayoom) June 9, 2017
Maumoon had also mentioned the introduction of his democratic reform agenda in 2004, which was a response to the inception of the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), which challenged what they accused to be a totalitarian reign.
13 years ago today I shared my reform agenda with the public. That was instrumental in ushering in a liberal democratic system in Maldives.
— Maumoon Abdul Gayoom (@maumoonagayoom) June 9, 2017
Maumoon’s Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) has been divided since 2016, and his ‘Z-Faction’ has been part of the opposition since.
The former president, who now resides in Singapore, has heavily criticized his half-brother, incumbent President Abdulla Yameen’s administration’s political tactics.
His faction has also signed a pact with other opposition parties, MDP, Adhaalath Party, and the Jumhooree Party.
On 24th March, the parties signed an agreement that seeks to protect the freedom, independence, autonomy, and national spirit of the Maldives.
Former Presidents Maumoon and Mohamed Nasheed along with Jumhooree Party leader Qasim Ibrahim and Adhaalath Party’s Sheikh Imran Abdulla had signed the agreement.
Maumoon’s son, MP Faris Maumoon – who spearheaded a bill against parliament speaker Abdulla Maseeh earlier this year – had represented him at the signing.
