MDP cannot hold its meeting at Usfasgandu tonight: Home Minister

Minister of Home Affairs Dr Mohamed Jameel Ahmed has said that Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) cannot hold its planned meeting at Usfasgandu tonight.

Dr Jameel said while speaking at a press conference at the Police Headquarters, that the High Court had issued an order on the police not to lease Usfasgandu to any group to hold any kind of activity; which means that to allow MDP to hold its meeting at the area would be against the court order.

He said that the police went to Usfasgandu in order to implement the High Court order and that Usfasgandu has been taken over by the police in line with the order. He said that the police will however not dismantle the area yet.

“The area will be kept under police supervision as per the High Court order. Nothing further will be done, and no political party will be allowed to hold any political activities in the area,” he said.

He said that MDP’s purpose, by deciding to hold a meeting at Usfasgandu after the court issued its order, is to create unrest all over the country; and that this is being done with no sense of responsibility.

Dr Jameel said that by gathering at the area, MDP wants to take photos that would bring dishonour upon the police and the government and share these photos with foreign media.

“Usfasgandu will not be given to MDP to hold its meeting tonight. The purpose of the announcement made in this regard is to create unrest in the country, to facilitate confrontations. The purpose of gathering against a court order is to bring dishonour upon the police and the government, and to facilitate opportunities to take photos of the event. They know that they won’t get this opportunity. They know that there is no legal ground to do that. They know that when they do that, unrest will be created in Male’ and other regions,” he said.

Dr Jameel said that the legality of the manner in which Usfasgandu was being operated until now is questionable, and that those responsible for law enforcement will stop any gathering in the area that violates the court order. He said that people will be removed from the area and arrested if necessary.