Oppressive policies may cause downfall: President Yameen

President Yameen has said that even the current government under his leadership would face a downfall and oust even it opts for policies of oppression against the people.

The President’s remarks came in a special ceremony held last night to mark 3rd anniversary of the Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM). PPM, the ruling party, was formed by former President and Yameen’s brother Maumoon Abdul Qayyoom in 2011.

At last night’s ceremony, dubbed “PPM Success 3”, Presiden Yameen said that former President Nasheed and his Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) fell from power because they failed to honor the constitutionally guaranteed separation of powers of the state organs and freedom. The President said that his government must not do as Nasheed and MDP did in the past.

“If we become oppressive, if we impose upon the people things that they cannot bear, then our fate would not be very much different from theirs”, said the President, referring to Nasheed and his party, which was ousted in a people’s uprising in 2012.

The President said that the last five years have seen political freedom in the Maldives disappear and people having to face disorder and fear in general. He said that PPM was created with the view to create a tolerant society in the Maldives where people belonging to different political ideologies could live together.

PPM, according to the President, is a peace-loving and determined party which has a vision to move forward and to be courageous in its efforts to provide the people with what they need.