Feature

PPM internal squabbles as a bar for talks!

  • Maumoon presents conditions for Council meeting
  • Members unlikely to back off from current stance
  • PPM now functioning as an opposition party

The biggest bar for implementing the six measures put forward by Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) to cool the political tensions was then the stubbornness of opposition MDP. The Government proposed many things to bring in MDP. However, MDP had all but refused the propositions. Due to this the Government was not able to start the discussions and as a result Maldives was formally listed on the the official agenda of CMAG.

However, suspension was delayed, with the Commonwealth formally cautioned the country and issuing six areas of concern. That can only be carried out with the discussions between the parties resuming. Therefore, restarting and carrying out the discussions is a must to the Government.

Opposition MDP and Adhaalath Party had given the green signal to start the talks, sending the list of representatives. However, when PPM's Leader Maumoon Abdul Gayoom nominated Dhiggaru Constituency MP Faris Maumoon and Thulusdhoo Constituency MP Mohamed Waheed as representatives, the Government decreed that the representatives must be vetted by the Party Council.

There are reasons for the Government to insist on this. The possibility of a halt to the talks is at this moment a very real possibility. This time, the talks are being held up by PPM's internal conflict and demands set by President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom.

"We have to determine if the individual is representative of the Party. We will sit down with the representatives selected by the Council. If in the event the discussions sour, they will have the opportunity to say the individual does not represent MDP or Adhaalath Party," Fisheries Minister and Government's lead negotiator Dr. Mohamed Shainee said.

However, President Maumoon had denied this. He said the Party's council will be held only after the members who had filed suit against him, having claimed that Maumoon had hijacked the Party.

The biggest bar on the talks at this critical junction is the infighting within PPM.

Can Party talks come first?

The current political sphere demands that the political infighting take a back seat to the Party Talks. The only thing standing infront of this are the conditions stipulated by the former President. The Party members have the option of finding another solution or follow President Maumoon's solution. The Parliament Members of PPM feel confident that a political solution can be found.

"Party talks are a must. As we're the ruling Party we have to focus on propelling this forward. But what's happening now is we cannot agree on who is going to represent the Party in the Talks. There are some aspects proposed by PPM that is unacceptable to the President's Office. Our Party is a democratic one, basing our views on the view of one single person is unacceptable to us. There is a a national congress or council to determine our affairs," one PPM MP said.

The MP said prior to President Maumoon's decision, the Party Council had decided that Party's Deputy Leader Abdu Raheem Abdullah and PG Leader Ahmed Nihan. He said he did not believe that the nominees can be changed without consulting the council and at the whim of the Party's Leader. President Maumoon had previously not objected to Nihan and Abdu Raheem representing the Party.

However, President Maumoon's nominee, Mohamed Waheed said to Avas that Nihan and Abdu Raheem were sent as representatives for the previous edition of the Party Talks. He said no representatives were chosen when CMAG called for the talks, adding the representatives selected by President Maumoon can carry out their task.

Those members are hardly likely to abide by the President's ruling. If that's the case then, the issue of representatives is the bar for the Talks. Maumoon is dead set against the Council deciding on the representatives for the talks. Party members feel they have the right to go to Court in the event their rights are being breached. They also say halting the Council on such grounds is not valid either.

Can a solution be found?

The bone of contention over the issue stems from including MP Faris in the discussions. The issue goes back to when MP Faris voted against the Party whip line. He said the Party's council will be held only after the members who had filed suit against him, having claimed that Maumoon had hijacked the Party. The three membes are Hulhudhoo Constituency MP Mohamed Shahid, Naifaru Constituency MP Ahmed Shiyam and Dhaandhoo Constituency MP Ahmed Assad.

Speaking to Avas, MP Shiyam said the three members had gone to Court not against Maumoon but in an effort to restart the Party after the operations of the Party had stalled. He denied there were any grounds to apologize, adding that they had done so in the interests of the Party and its members.

"I do not believe [we] did something which warrants an apology. We didn't go to Court with President Maumoon. We went to seek a Court order to begin the stalled operations," Shiyam said. "We represent PPM in the Parliament and we want to ensure PPM remains the biggest Party. Members remain with the Party because we operate on democratic principles. Therefore with the branches of the Party completely stalled, we went to Court to begin the processes, because it was the way to do so. We did it for the members of the Party," he said.

Those members are hardly likely to abide by the President's ruling. If that's the case then, the issue of representatives is the bar for the Talks. Maumoon is dead set against the Council deciding on the representatives for the talks. Party members feel they have the right to go to Court in the event their rights are being breached. They also say halting the Council on such grounds is not valid either.

According to some members, President Maumoon formed PPM as an opposition Party. There are many members who believe that he as the leader of PPM cannot function in this manner.

"Maumoon is now operating outside of the charts," a Council member said.

Whatever the situation is resolving the issue within PPM is paramount. If it fails, then the talks will be deadlocked again. With a major election on the ropes, PPM itself remains deadlocked.