Freedoms gained by people over past 20 years are being eroded one by one, and we cannot afford to remain indifferent: Nazim

Mohamed Nazim (Bounty), a prominent figure in the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), has stated that the liberties gained by the public over the past 20 years are being eroded piece by piece, and that this is a situation that cannot be ignored.

He made these remarks while speaking on RaajjeTV’s "Noonekey" campaign program. He stated that holding the presidential and parliamentary elections simultaneously would be a significant disadvantage for the citizens.

He stated that before democracy was introduced to the Maldives, voting took place under the direct supervision of local island officials, which was how rights were administered at the time. He noted that the MDP had to work tirelessly to secure the right to vote and other fundamental liberties for the citizens. Furthermore, he highlighted that significant challenges and hardships had to be endured during the initial stages of the country's democratic transition.

"We once visited an island in Laamu Atoll where our party had only four registered votes. We were forcibly driven out of that island; they pelted the house where we were staying with stones and ordered us to leave before 7:00 p.m. that night. Today’s youth cannot even begin to imagine the struggle we endured to secure these rights," he said.

He stated that the current administration is eroding fundamental freedoms, including the right to vote. He raised a critical question regarding whether any council today truly possesses the independence to function, noting that they are even restricted from hiring staff. He further alleged that the government is consistently infringing upon the rights of the citizens. Warning that synchronizing elections would lead to a total loss of public power, he urged the people to reject the proposal to hold the two elections simultaneously.