Maldives gov't working 'overtime' to cover-up illegal activities, says former President
Nasheed says individual arrested over oil tanker issues is the "fall guy"
Former President Mohamed Nasheed
Opposition leader and former President, Mohamed Nasheed has said that the Maldivian government is forced to work “overtime” to cover up their involvement “in a scheme to evade UN sanctions on North Korea”.
Back in February, Japanese authorities spotted a Maldivian-flagged tanker, Xin Yuan 18 ‘laying alongside’ North Korean-flagged Chon Ma San. Its ministry of foreign affairs later said that “following comprehensive assessment, the Government of Japan strongly suspects that they conducted ship-to-ship transfers banned by the United Nations Security Council Resolution”. Abdulla Fahmy, was arrested over the matter in early March, and was accused of forgery, terrorism and conspiring to overthrow the government.
While his remand was extended in late March, former president Nasheed claimed that Fahmy “is the fall guy” in the case, as the Maldives government works “overtime to cover up their illegal operation”.
His tweet further accused incumbent President Abdulla Yameen of being “involved in a scheme to evade UN sanctions on North Korea”.
The government of Maldives has denied that Xin Yuan 18 was registered to the country, with the foreign ministry saying that Maldivian authorities “do not allow flag of convenience to foreign owned vessels to operate outside Maldivian waters, and therefore, the use of the Maldivian flag on Xin Yuan 18 is clearly in violation of Maldivian laws and regulations”.
The President’s Office further said that it “will pursue aggressive action against those who tarnish the good standing and reputation of our nation and that of our people”.
