Former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom has lambasted the government's 'drastic' and 'unnecessary' decision to leave the Commonwealth despite strongly advocating for the archipelago to quit the now 52 member bloc in 2012.
During an interview with Sri Lanka's 'The Island' newspaper, Gayoom who has now withdrawn support for the government after falling out with half brother and incumbent president Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom said Maldives needs to be part of the international community including the UN.
"Being in the Commonwealth has helped us a great deal," Gayoom said noting that he had orchestrated the island nation's membership in the Commonwealth, first as a special member in 1982 and secure full member status three years later.
"I think leaving the Commonwealth was a very drastic action, that was not necessary. We do not want to get isolated by deviating from the path of democracy."
Gayoom appears to have had a change of heart after the now ousted ruling party leader had strongly pushed the then coalition government to leave the Commonwealth.
"The situation at that time was different," Gayoom quickly said when asked on why he had called for the Maldives to quit the Commonwealth during the tenure of president Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik, shortly after the controversial transfer of power in 2012.
"There was an allegation that it was through a coup that Dr Waheed had become President and the Commonwealth was supportive of that contention,which was subsequently proved incorrect," Gayoom said referring to former president Mohamed Nasheed who after prematurely resigning claimed he was forced out in a coup orchestrated by his then deputy Waheed.
Gayoom defended his earlier stand by insisting that he was only trying to "convey a message" that Maldives would be forced to leave the Commonwealth if there was undue pressure on the country.
Maldives left the Commonwealth last month citing unfair and unjust treatment weeks after the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) – the enforcement mechanism of the Commonwealth – threatened to suspend Maldives from the council at its next meeting in March if effective steps were not taken to resolve the ongoing political crisis in the archipelago.
Surprisingly, the government had stated the exact same reasons in its decision to exit the Commonwealth accusing the bloc of taking 'unfair' and 'biased' actions against the Maldives.
However, Gayoom now disagreed saying that his half brother had a "great opportunity" to continue to have a constructive engagement with the Commonwealth.
