The Maldives Ministry of Foreign Affairs has released a statement expressing disappointment over the public statements issued by the government of India citing they "ignore the facts and ground realities."
The ministry on Thursday issued the statement urging the south-Asian neighbor to refrain from implicating the government of Maldives in its recent decision to extend the state of emergency to 45 days.
"The assertion by the Government of India that the extension of the State of Emergency by the People’s Majlis was unconstitutional is a clear distortion of facts, which ignore the Constitution and Laws of the Maldives," the statement read.
Foreign Ministry statement had furthermore explained that incumbent president Abdulla Yameen declared state of emergency by the powers vested in him under Article 253 of Maldives Constitution, "pertaining to a Constitutional Crisis, and an imminent threat to national security, upon the advice of the National Security Council."
Furthermore the Maldives Supreme Court had confirmed the emergency extension as valid on February 21, while the parliament had "provided relief by lifting some of the restrictions imposed on Constitutional Articles under the State of Emergency and by imposing the State of Emergency only upon individuals alleged to have carried out illegal activities and in the places they stayed."
Following the extension to state of emergency, People's Majilis (local parliament) had decided to refer the issue to Maldives apex court for advisory opinion under Article 95 of Constitution. Following this the top-court had issued an order to " implement the State of Emergency, till the Court issues a verdict on the issue."
Foreign Ministry's statement had also placed assurance the ongoing state of emergency will not hinder the daily lives of the Maldives citizen or the expatriates employed in various local corporations. The statement added that there were no restrictions to the common citizens and the government assures protection to the people.
"There is no doubt that the Maldives is experiencing one of the most difficult periods in the history of the nation. It is therefore important that friends and partners in the international community, including India, refrain from any actions that could hinder resolving the situation facing the country," the statement read further.
The statement concluded with the Maldives government once again ensuring the state was willing to work alongside international community as well as address any concerns they may have.
Maldives has been at the throes intensifying political upheaval since the apex court ordered the release of as many as nine political dissidents including former president Mohamed Nasheed.
After much debacle by president Yameen Abdul Gayoom to convince top-court to rescind part of the order that cited release of political prisoners failed, a state of emergency was declared on February 5, temporarily suspending more than 20 constitutional rights and several judicature rights.
Immediately afterwards former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, Chief Justice Abdulla Saeed and top-court judge Ali Hameed as well as the Judicial Administrator were detained and transported to prison.
Former president Gayoom is prosecuted with charges of attempting to overthrow a constitutional government with several other charges pressed while both Chief Justice Saeed and judge Hameed are tried for accepting bribe and attempting to overthrow the government.
Before the initially declared emergency concluded on last Tuesday, president Yameen had requested for the extension of emergency by 30 additional days.
A special parliament sitting was called out for voting, however members of the opposition boycotted the sitting calling the extension was unconstitutional. President Yameen did not imminently receive approval from the parliament for his request as there was a shortfall with the constitutionally mandated quorum.
According to Article 87 (b) voting on any matter requiring compliance by citizens shall only be undertaken when more than half of the total membership of the People’s Majlis are present at the sitting at which the matter is voted upon, of Constitution means that the motion needed a minimum of 43 pro-votes.
After efforts to convince some of the opposition MPs to attend Tuesday's sitting failed, the parliament with only 38 government MPs voted to extend the state of emergency. Speaker Abdulla Maseeh Mohamed before the vote had announced that only 20 votes in favour would be needed to extend the emergency.
