Colombo, August 22 (All India Radio): The Maldivian parliament, the Peoples’ Majlis, was adjourned on Tuesday amidst chaos in the House as opposition MPs were prevented from bringing a No Confidence Motion against the Speaker Abdulla Maseeh Mohamed, for the second time in about a month.
Mohammed Maleeh, a former minister and currently MP, told All India Radio parliament hardly functioned for a few minutes as the Speaker, surrounded by security guards, did not allow any business to be conducted.
The No Confidence Motion was thwarted in a similar fashion last month as the party aligned to President Yameen feared loss of majority.
The opposition parties led by former President Mohammed Nasheed had claimed support of 45 MPs in the 85-member Majlis.
However, five of the MPs, who had switched to the Opposition, were divested of their seats in parliament by the country’s Election Commission and the matter is pending before the Supreme Court for a final verdict.
The Maldivian government headed by President Yameen has been accused of human rights violations and media suppression in recent times.
According to the website Sun, Speaker Abdulla Maseeh Mohamed commenced the Majlis session and concluded it immediately afterwards announcing only the agenda, amid protests by opposition parliamentarians this Tuesday morning.
Maseeh entered the Majlis chamber surrounded by security officers who formed a protective wall around him to hold back protesting opposition parliamentarians. Nothing he said was heard over all the commotion.
However, some parliamentarians are claiming that Maseeh began the session and concluded it after announcing the agenda.
Three issues were tabled for Tuesday’s session;
– Deliberating on sending the nomination of Mohamed Hussain Shareef (Mundhu) as the new Maldivian Ambassador to Sri Lanka to a Majlis committee for evaluation
– Deliberating on sending the nomination of Ahmed Naseer as the new Governor of Maldives Monetary Authority to a Majlis committee for evaluation
– Deliberating on sending Maldives’ potential membership at Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) to a Majlis committee for evaluation
Opposition parliamentarians made three main demands during the protests inside the Majlis chamber on Tuesday. Which was:
– To table the no-confidence motion against Maseeh which was submitted by the opposition
– To grant Dhiggaru MP Ahmed Faris Maumoon – who is under detention – the right to attend Majlis sessions
– To allow the four parliamentarians – whose parliamentary seats are currently under dispute – the right to attend Majlis sessions
