Maldives situation is an internal political matter: Foreign Ministry
Maldives government has no legal mandate to implement the Supreme Court Order of 1 February 2018
Foreign minister Mohamed Asim
The Maldives government believes that the recent political developments is an internal political matter and therefore should remain as a matter to be resolved internally, said the foreign ministry.
In a statement on Thursday, the foreign ministry noted India’s press release following the lifting of the State of Emergency in Maldives.
The ministry said that the Supreme Court order on February 1 to release nine political prisoners and reinstate 12 opposition MPs resulted in the “disruption of the functions of the executive power and the State institutions vested with specific mandates under the Constitution, the infringement of national security and public interest, and if implemented, would have potentially lead to an undermining of the supremacy of the Constitution of the Maldives.”
The ministry said the Maldives government has no legal mandate to implement the Supreme Court Order of 1 February 2018 “since the Supreme Court, by its Court Order no 2018/SC-SJ/03, issued on 6 February 2018, nullified the Court Order of 1 February 2018. Other parts of it were suspended by its Court Order No 2018/SC-VA-J/01 issued on 18 February 2018.”
It also said the government has issued several invitations to the political parties in the country, requesting their participation in All-Party-Talks.
“Furthermore, the Government of Maldives wishes to reiterate that public statements made without genuine regard to facts and ground realities of the situation in the Maldives are not helpful at all to ensure a stable, peaceful and prosperous Maldives that meets the aspirations of its citizens.”
