February 7 timeline: untold stories

The Commission of National Inquiry (CNI) formed to investigate the events related to the change of government, has published a timeline of events from 14 January to 7 February 2012. The timeline was based on the CNI’s investigations so far, and published for the purpose of obtaining public opinion. It describes several untold events of 7 February.

- Nasheed ordered the removal of Police from Artificial Beach:

The first order to remove the Police from Artificial Beach, when the protest by Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) and the opposition coalition was well underway, came to Police Commissioner Ahmed Faseeh from former Home Minister Hassan Afeef. Commissioner Ahmed Faseeh sent the Head of Police Operations to the area, who reported that the situation in the area was unstable. In spite of this, the Home Minister issued a second order for the Police to leave the area.

The timeline reveals that the order to Commissioner came directly from President Nasheed. With President Nasheed’s second order to remove the Police from the area, he had said, “The Police can no longer be trusted.”

The Commissioner then contacted the Male’ Area Commander and ordered to remove the Police, and to deploy MNDF to the area. However, the Technical Advisor of the Police Special Operations refused this order, and said that the Police will not leave the area until another group arrived at the scene to take over.

Hence Nasheed was faced with disobedience from the Police.

MNDF was deployed to Artificial Beach by Male’ Commander Ibrahim Didi, who did not consult with anyone before doing so. However Nasheed confirmed to Ibrahim Didi that MDP supporters will not create unrest in the area, and asked to send MNDF officers back to the Headquarters.

Ibrahim Didi considered the situation, and made the decision to back up MNDF up to sawmill, immediately after which violence broke out at the protest scene.

- Resignation of the Commissioner had already been decided:

The President had asked the Commissioner to resign between 11:00 and 12:00 that night. The reason was that Faseeh’s conscience did not agree with removing the Police from the protest area. The letter of resignation had been written and left on his desk to be signed.

According to the timeline, between 10:00 and 01:00 that day, following the failure of the Police command, two officers met with Faseeh at the Headquarters Conference Room to hand over the command. Faseeh told the two officers that the decision for him to resign had already been made.

- MNDF Ground Commander refused to arrest the Police:

Senior officials of MNDF and Police decided between 1:00 and 2:00 that day to arrest the Commanders who disobeyed their orders. This meeting was chaired by Defence Minister Thalhath Ibrahim Kaleyfaan. Meanwhile, two former SO officers and an Academy Officer were leading the Police at Republic Square.

By then ‘Blues’ were in the hall of Shaheed Hussain Adam Building following an order from the Deputy Commissioner. An MNDF squad of ten officers took to Republic Square to arrest the Police SO Commanders following an order from the Defence Minister. The remaining Police obstructed this, and the ‘Blues’ in Shaheed Hussain Adam Building went out to Republic Square. The Commanders joined the Police, at which point the MNDF Ground Commanders reported reservations about arresting the Police.

The Commanders, Defence Minister, and senior officers of MNDF decided in their meeting to hold discussions with the Police. But the discussions were unsuccessful, and MNDF again attempted to arrest the Police between 5:00 and 6:00 on 7 February as well. But the squad went back in, and when asked by the President, the squad Commander said that they had reservations about arresting the Police and decided to step back. Nasheed accepted this, and the Defence Minister appointed a new Commander.

- Bullets were removed from guns and the order was issued not to open the weapon storage:

The order was issued on 7 February that the gun storage should not be opened on anyone’s order except the Officer in charge of the gun storage. Bullets were removed from the guns of MNDF officers on duty. This took place between 4:00 and 5:00 that day. No further details were included in the timeline.

- Faseeh was ordered to meet the Police at Republic Square:

Nasheed ordered Faseeh to meet the Police at the Republic Square between 4:00 and 5:00 on 7 February. However Faseeh left MNDF Headquarters and walked to Shaheed Hussain Adam Building, and indicated that he will not meet the Police gathered at the Republic Square. He asked the Police to leave their weapons and go to Iskandar koshi, but this request went unmet.

- A cabinet meeting at President’s Office while the situation heated up:

The cabinet decided to hold a session following President Nasheed’s orders. The Cabinet Secretariat informed the cabinet of the meeting between 9:00 and 10:00 on 7 February. This session was chaired, as per President Nasheed’s request, by former President of MDP Dr Ibrahim Didi. Dr Didi proposed to issue a joint statement by the leaders of the major political parties, which was agreed to by Nasheed. However some members present at the meeting stated that the meeting cannot continue in the absence of Nasheed, at which point the meeting came to an end. Nasheed told the members present at this meeting via a conference call that he was fine and that the situation inside MNDF Headquarters was also fine. Didi was asked to proceed with the joint statement in collaboration with Mariya Didi and Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, however this could not be done as there was no response from them.

- Role of Indian High Commissioner Mulay on 7 February:

Indian High Commissioner Mulay tried to organise a meeting with Dr Didi, Abdullah Yameen and Ahmed Thasmeen Ali between 10:00 and 11:00 on 7 February. The purpose of this meeting was to give the government a deadline of three days, after discussion between the political leaders. While this meeting was underway, Ibrahim Mohamed Solih rang Yameen and said that Nasheed had made the decision to resign. Dr Didi immediately contacted Nasheed and asked if this was true. Nasheed did not answer the question, but asked to pass the phone to Yameen. Nasheed told Yameen that he had made the decision to resign, at which point the meeting came to an end.

- The President ordered that no arms should be used and MNDF officers should not be arrested:

An MNDF General advised the President that the only way to remove the Police gathered at the Republic Square was to use ammunition on them. However Nasheed responded that ammunition should not be used under any circumstance. Ibrahim Didi asked the President whether to arrest the MNDF officers who had expressed their wish to join the Police; however Nasheed ordered that this should not be done. This took place between 10:00 and 11:00.

- Case relating to President Nasheed’s legal capacity was filed to Supreme Court:

Gaumee Party filed a case to Supreme Court regarding the legal capacity of President Nasheed. No details were included in the timeline, and this also took place between 10:00 and 11:00.

- The President moved about in MNDF Headquarters without any restrictions:

The timeline reveals that Nasheed was free to move about in MNDF Headquarters without any restrictions or intimidation. Before going out to meet the Police, he held discussions with a group of MNDF officers inside the Headquarters. He also went out to meet with the Police abruptly, without consulting anyone. After that, between 10:00 and 11:00, he went downstairs and addressed a group of junior Police officers and asked them what action the President should take at that point. The entire group raised their hands in consensus that the President should resign. The President was accompanied by Officers, Generals, and Chief of Staff, but none of them participated in the communication.

- Nazim, Riyaz and Fayaz were with the President when he wrote his letter of resignation:

Between 12:00 and 1:00 on 7 February, before Nasheed announced his resignation, Nasheed was with his Chief of Staff and Cabinet Secretariat at the Ghazee hall in the President’s Office, when Mohamed Nazim, Mohamed Fayaz and Abdullah Riyaz arrived. Nazim told Nasheed that the Speaker of Parliament Abdullah Shahid had asked about the letter of resignation. Nasheed asked his Cabinet Secretariat for the letter of resignation. He was told that the letter was not ready yet, at which point he requested for his letterhead and a pen. He wrote and signed the letter by hand at the podium in the hall, and handed it to the Cabinet Secretariat. The letter was taken by Abdullah Riyaz from the President’s Office to be presented to the Parliament. Riyaz handed the letter to a Police officer, who presented it to the Parliament.